Freedom - Feb 2013

I am really enjoying painting on paper for the first time for about fifteen years. One of the reasons I started painting on plates was that I felt there were so many good artists about I could not do any better & a blank plate is not as scary as a blank piece of paper at least not to me. But as we have started printing onto mugs I needed some paintings to fit them so I started painting on paper over the Christmas Holidays. It was a bit strange at first but I am still piping the design onto the paper using a cake decorating bag as I do with the ceramics so it is not too different. The main thing I have to watch is that I do not get my piping bags mixed up as the kiln would burn all traces of the non ceramic piping paste away.

I love being able to put more detail into the paintings & be able to do all the paintings I have been planing in my head for the last 10 years but have never had time to do. I normally have to stop myself from painting too much detail on the ceramics so it is lovely to have the freedom to paint as much as I like for a change & maybe I might even get a little more freedom from working 24/7.

  

Original photo & Painting                                                    Finished Mug

Right Third Time - Nov 2012

Seems like forever since I have had a moment to write a blog, with such a large amount of orders from Country Living magazine we thought we would never get through them, but I think we are coming out the other side now & straight into the Christmas rush. Sometimes I get so stressed I cannot sleep at night so I start working which often makes things worst but now & again I get my best ideas at night.
We have just been getting a new kitten as I convinced my Husband she would pay for her keep by being a model for me. So far she has had her paws in the paint, chewed my paint brushes & everyday nearly knocks over our pots.  So one night when I could not sleep I put her to work as a model for a Christmas Plate. I tend to find that most designs are never right first time, they often take a bit of working out. As I don't have time to mess about with a pencil & paper I have to do my try outs straight on to the ceramics with a pack of baby wipes by my side just in case it all goes wrong. It seems to be third time lucky. By the third try I usually feel that I am happy with the design & I have got it out of my system & I am ready to look for something esle to inspire me.

   

However sometimes I am left unsure which design I like best?

I love Birds July 2012

I love these cute bird hearts.

I know a lot of customers in the north-east do not like anything with a bird on in their homes. I think it might be something to do with the Miners & the birds they used to keep down the mine to warn them of gas. However I cannot resist doing these designs so it is a good job that we are going to be travelling all over the country in the next few weeks because if they do not sell I will be really disappointed.

Busy doing nothing June 2012

We are attending the Arley Garden festival this weekend, well my other half is. I am a fair weather craft seller I just could not face the rain & the mud & the three hour drive with the kids, sometimes it is just nice to be at home doing nothing. We have alot of shows coming up so I am really enjoying a lazy weekend.

I have just made a new heart design especially for the Lakeland Rose Show in a few weeks time, loads of dog lover's attend to see the dog agility show so I hope this will be a good seller, but often what happens is I will not sell any, then at the next show they will sell out.
You never can tell from one show to the next.

Hold your breath & cross your fingers - March 2012

 I have noticed that I hold my breath alot when slip-trailing out customer details so it is a relief when the design is done & there is only the painting to finish.  I also do alot of crossing fingers when the kiln is being opened, especially when there is a personalised item inside. I was very lucky with this plate, it did turn out okay unlike an anniversary plate I did a few days later where the glaze was too thick. I am lucky there was only 5 grand kids to fit on, if I made one for my mum I would need a 50 inch plate!

Beautiful Escomb -May 2012

Escomb is not the nicest village to look at, it does have a famous Saxon Church but I often wish I lived in a "pretty" tourist part of Britian. Most of the villages in County Durham are old pit villages, we do not tend to have village duck ponds & hanging baskets but rows of terraced houses. The main thing I love is the river valley I constantly find inspiration when out walking the dog.  Just yards from my house I saw this scene last summer & what luck, I had my camera on me. I have only just got round to painting it in the cold winter months. I always remembered how the wild blossom seemed to frame the picture of the horses & hopefully it will become a popular card (when I get round to getting it printed).

The next one in my mind is a swan I saw last summer on Escomb Lake with all the wild flowers on the lake bank in front of it, if only I could find the photos I took that day!

Mothers Day

    

Mother's day is fast approaching, so with that in mind I have made some gift tags.

I know every ones Mum is special but my Mum is more special than most. She has had a really bad year with her health & has recently had to stay in a Nursing home, but while there she is trying to teach the other residents to paint, she has inspired the Home to have an art exhibition & they have created an art room for the residents. It is a great achievement considering she has only been in the Home for just over a month. It also reminds me how important art is, it is a companion, a friend & a reason to get up in the morning.