Seed Heads

I thought you'd like to see some of the process involved in producing my latest print 'Seed Heads V'.  Every year a self seeded giant cow parsley plant emerges in the garden.  I really love the shapes, especially when it's stopped flowering and the seeds start appearing.  The shadows were also lovely and I might use them as the basis for a new lino-print.

I start by sketching the plant and then transfer the design onto tracing paper with a pen.  I  then copy the design onto special coated-board, used for collograph prints, by pressing hard with a biro, on the reverse of the tracing paper.  I then add further marks to the 'plate' with a drypoint tool and remove a few areas of the coating where I want the ink to be really dark.

I then print the plate by covering it with oil based ink and then carefully wiping if off again, leaving the ink just in the lines.  I place the plate on my etching press, put paper on top and roll in through the press.  I lift off the paper to reveal the print and repeat the inking process six times to complete the edition.  When the ink is dry, I hand colour the prints with watercolour, sign and edition them.

Invitation

Here is a list of everyone taking part:

Alison Hullyer - prints & cards

Alison Tait - stained & fused glass

Amanda MacPhail - bone china

Anna Nilsen - ceramics, books & recycled items

Birgitte Bruun - silver jewellery

Gina Gherardi - textile jewellery & accessories

Jo Tunmer - sgraffito paintings on perspex

 Marieke Hordyk - contemporary jewellery

Rhiannon Thomas - textile art & cards

Roxana de Rond - watercolours, cards & gifts

Christmas 10 - coming soon

Last year the Christmas 10 Show was a great success with over 250 people coming through the door that evening, all eager to view the creative talents of the 10 artists and craftspeople we'd gathered together. There was a lovely festive atmosphere with mulled cider and mince pies. This year we have organised another event taking place on Friday 3rd December, again at the Unitarian Church Hall in Cambridge, from 4 - 8:30pm. There will be a few of the same artists from last year and also some new exhibitors. We will be holding a raffle to help raise money for The Sick Children's Trust. See the Christmas 10 blog for further information!

October Products

Here are the latest things published by Phoenix. I love the pop-up dog, he's wishful thinking that we'll be getting our own soon.  The presents are also featured on a new thank you postcard design and hopefully will be coming out as a wrapping paper in January.