Handmade Shop, Colchester

A few days ago, I popped over to Colchester to see Maryann who runs the brand new 'Handmade' Shop in Sir Isaacs Walk. I have put some of my prints in the shop, but had run out of my Hollyhocks when I put my stock in, and had to wait until I had some more printed.

So dropping the Hollyhock's print off gave me time to check out the shop. My prints are in a lovely position right at the front:

 

Of course, being in a shop full of handmade goodies put me in the mood for a little shopping... I wandered around checking out all the contents of the shop. I headed first for the jewellery of course:

And then looked at all the other lovely things, including pretty tea-cup candles:

Scrummy things for the bath:

And Hazel Rayfield's lovely Encaustic paintings:

In the end I decided I simply couldn't leave without buying a couple of things (photographed when I got back on the studio cushions)... This pretty porcelain ring by Lisa Stevens:

And for the teen's ever-growing ornament collection this wonderfully tactile little cat:

The teen was delighted, although when I called, "Come here, I have something for you!" she complained like mad, thinking I wanted her to do the wiping up; A sad indictment of my mothering skills no doubt. But at least I have dry crockery, so we must be philosophical about these things.

If you are in Colchester any time, do pop in to the lovely and tiny handmade shop, you will find an Aladdin's cave of hand-made British goodies, perfect for treating yourself or a friend. 


And before I go, just time to give you a preview of my new seashell lino prints. I have called them 'Shoreline', and so far printed some in blues and some in yellow ochre:

"Shoreline 13" Monoprint

A couple of them are in the Gainsborough's House Printmaker's exhibition, some are available in my online shops, and a few will be going out to local venues like Maryann's shop, and other upcoming exhibitions. One of them is such a perfect match for the colours of my new laundry room that I am having it framed for my house. After all, I may not be wealthy, but at least I can have some real art on the walls!

Exhibition O'Clock

Yes, it is that time again, when all the spring exhibitions are suddenly upon me and I wonder why I didn't make more artwork during the winter! 

First up is the Colchester Open Exhibition I entered a couple of weeks ago, and a late night phone message informed me of my fate:

Woodbridge Dreams 

"Woodbridge Dreams" in Gouache and Collage, painted with the exhibition in mind - Accepted, Yay!

Orwell Estuary Low Tide 

"Orwell Estuary, Low Tide" in Watercolour, put in because it fit the criteria and to make the numbers up -
Rejected, Boo Hiss!

Of course I am happy to get one in, and the exhibition was selected by several artists and curators including Colin Self, and Ron Sims. According to the chat I had with the receptionist on picking up my Orwell painting the selection commitee took their time (not always the case) and it went on for 11 hours! Although things went to plan for me this time, you can never be sure of the taste of the committee, and sometimes I have found that the piece I put in to make up the numbers is the one that gets in.

Next up is the Gainsborough's House Printmakers Exhibition in St Peter's Church in Sudbury, and I am fighting the clock to get some new seashell prints finished. Here are the some of the backgrounds, ready to be over printed with a shell and starfish design. Much use has been made of those net bags you get oranges in:

And here is the carved lino ready to print over the top:

Whilst I was getting inky, I also worked on some new card and tag designs, they are selling steadily locally, so now I am adding some seaside inspired designs:

After the printmakers exhibition it is "Potters and Friends" at Lavenham, where I am sharing my allotted space with some of my students. Perhaps I will take along my latest two mosaics:

Navy Butterfly Mosaic Panel 

Sea Panel Seashell Mosaic 

In the midst of all this exhibition prep, a lovely local lady made an appointment to come to my studio and choose some prints for her house. She chose two, and I arranged to have them framed in white, as she requested, rather than the wood I usually use, I thought the frames suited them, and snapped a quick photo in the studio, of them wrapped, just before collection:

Finally, I have been asked to help organise this years SSAS (Sudbury Summer Art Show) started by Sally Freer to compliment the bi-annual 'Visions of Sudbury" exhibition on alternate years. An initial meeting laid out some changes. This year there will be guidlines about prices (not too low) and framing (bad framing is something that irritates me beyond words). Plus artists chosen will be by invitation only, and the organisers get to chose who is invited. I will, of course not be swayed by donations of cake; but I should mention that carrot is my favourite, with that cream cheese icing...

My Etsy Shop, a discount!

Unlike my other online outlets, Esty offer discount codes, which is handy. Of course, the thing you need most on the internet is feedback, and I need those first few sales to get this, so as a little incentive, and to try out the discount code facility... here it is:

15% discount off anything in my Etsy shop until 9am Monday morning. From a little card to a big original painting, if there is anything you want, get it for a fabulous 15% less than usual! And your code is:

15PERCENTOFF

Browse Michele's Etsy store here

Most popular prints selling (offline) currently... it is neck and neck between these two:

Also available, mosaics, original paintings, cards and linoprints. Enjoy :-)

New Painting, and New Media

So, I am fairly good at painting in watercolours. The problem is, lots of people are fairly good at painting in watercolours, and like it or not, those people are my competition. Watercolour painting has become massively popular in recent years; watercolours are everywhere, some good, some bad.


Now I need an entry or two for a local 'open' exhibition in Colchester, and experience of open exhibitions (as the name suggests, open to anyone) has taught me that a watercolour painting alone, however good, may not be enough to get me in. 


Open exhibitions have a selection committee, and friends on the inside assure me that sometimes a piece is literally looked at for a few seconds before a decision is made; brutal. So I need something a bit different, something that catches the eye, and shows a bit of imagination. 

 (extreme close up!)

So for this piece I used Gouache (opaque watercolour) and collaged seashells to give the piece (I hope), a soft, dreamy look. I am rather pleased with it, and think it will be popular as a print, so it is being scanned currently, then it's off to the framers.

 Here is the original photo and inspiration:

The open exhibition has a Suffolk theme, and it is £10 per entry. Fingers crossed...

Day Tripping

Last week I saw a chap in a t-shirt that read: "The internet is down so I decided to go outside". Sometimes that is how I feel, between work, house renovations and little spare cash we just never seem to go anywhere. So when boyfriend took a week off, I was determined that we would go out for at least one day, so I could get some inspiration for my paintings and some fresh air.

We headed initially for Woodbridge, and the weather was on our side. On cutting through a park from the car park we came across this fabulous tree, massive and obviously hundreds of years old:

Then it was into the main part of Woodbridge where I took this photo, which I am currently working into a painting in Gouache and Collage:

After a hot chocolate and some cake, which wasn't quite nice enough to justify its price of a whole day's food budget we decided to wander towards Felixstowe.

We ended up at Trimley Marshes, and took a very long walk; it was fairly deserted and very attractive:

On the way home we stopped under the Orwell Bridge (favorite suicide spot of the Suffolk disenchanted), for more photos. By this time it was freezing, and the wind whipped my hair around my ears as I struggled to stop the camera from shaking. So imagine my surprise next day when I saw this serene picture!

  
Of course I just had to paint it:

It was lovely to go out for the day, and just shows that even a local day trip can fill you with ideas and inspiration.


Back in the studio and the scan copies of my Little Blakenham painting came back, so I can now offer it as a Limited Edition Giclee Print:

Fields near Little Blackenham Suffolk, Giclee Print

Happy Easter everyone and enjoy any of your own day trips you may be planning!

New cards and a sale

'Star Bird' Matching Card & Tag Set

Well, many days I feel like I spend more time on photo-editing and paperwork than I do on any form of artwork, but sometimes the results are pleasing. My photography skills are small and my graphics software use is entirely self-taught, but I muddle along, despite the fact that my favorite setting on the camera is still the one that says 'Auto'.

'Folk Heart' Matching Card &Tag Set

Any work finished must be photographed, edited/improved and then stored in many digital forms for printing, internet listing, publicity etc. This of course takes hours. 

Whilst photographing my new tags I needed to have them shown in situ (I need 5 different photos of each product for both my Etsy and Folksy shops), and luckily the wrapped box of Mother's Day chocolates I had in the studio did the trick. I also gave mum one of the new cards!

 

'Butterfly' Matching Card &Tag Set 

Each of the three designs has three colour choices and they all had to be photographed, and I was pleased to finish the task!

And I am pleased with them, I have already put them out in some of the local shops I sell in, and am planning more (less girly) designs to expand the range.

I also had a sale this week, in a local outlet of this flower mosaic:

I had kept this one in the studio for months as one of my students had assured me she must have it, but then when she saw one of my butterfly mosaics she changed her mind and bought that instead. I didn't mind at all, a sale is a sale but it is nice that her original choice has a new home too. 

 

More mosaics to look at here!

Fame at last (kind of...)

Well, I have been in print before, featured in such legendary publications as the Sudbury Mercury, and the Leavenheath, Stoke-by-Nayland, Polstead and Nayland Community News. In fact the lady at the make up counter in boots even recognised me. And once the Bury Free Press even sent a reporter to my studio, complete with big camera that made those clicky noises you hear outside the old bailey as the van with the blacked out windows drives off. I held up a paintbrush and pretended to paint whilst smiling inanely. But I was of course, just following directions.

However, this is the first time I have been in a publication that is actually sold in WH Smith and Tesco. Yes that is me in Craftseller, March issue! Wow. It is surely only a matter of time before I am on the Jonathon Ross show wearing shoes so high that I can only walk 10 paces in before elegantly collapsing on the studio sofa. Watch this space, and never underestimate my talent for blatant self promotion...

Meantime, until the rewards of fame kick in, I am sadly forced to continue working...

So it's back to the print workshop for my latest get-rich-fairly-quick plan; linoprint cards with matching gift tags. Three designs on the same block to start with. "Look I made Barbie pink" I said to the workshop technician: "That's pink with balls!" she replied. I don't think I will be using that line in my publicity material, but she has a point. For those less keen on pink with balls, these will also be available in red and purple.

After a happy hour playing with ink, it was time to put them on the drying rack, alongside the other printmaker's work:

I already have some of the finished cards out in a local gallery and just need to edit the photos before I can offer them online too.

Here is a preview of the butterfly one, finished with glitter and sequins. More designs are planned, including some a little less girly and suitable for men and kids, because not everyone loves pink!