A Visit to The Hive Studios

On Friday morning I visited The Hive Studios in Chelmsford for a cup of tea and a natter with the artists. 

It's something I've been meaning to do for quite a while - Kymberly of Fitzygogo! (who had a pop up shop last year at my gallery and makes t-shirts and prints adorned with vintage comic book style faces) had invited me, but we both were so busy we could never put a date in the diary.

Unfortunately the leading lady Karen (who set up the studios) was unable to be there, but Kymberly, Tracey, Kitty, Janie, Jill & Cherry (essex girl speaks) were all there to welcome me with a warm cuppa and a biscuit or two!  Check out their website giving a bit more info about themselves here.

We had a lovely chat, catching up with what all of us were doing and also gave each other advice of where we could take our artworks and products next - fairs, markets, exhibitions etc

Here is a peek at Kymberly's studio space:

Below is Kitty's space.  I just loved Kitty's illustrations, I loved the colours and the compositions!  I told her that some of her subject matter and her style was very quirky and would work really well in East London at the markets and art fairs there.  I'd also love to see some of her designs on greeting cards!

An overall shot of the studio:

I love how all the artists are together and not separated.  It must mean they can bounce creative ideas off of each other - it had a real nice feeling.

A cheeky little sign hanging in the bathroom!  As found by Kymberly in a vintage magazine!

I also took a look at a look at Janie's studio - just across the way from The Hive.  She works in there with her partner.  This is one of Janie's pieces that I found interesting.  It reminded me of speech bubbles!

Overall, I had a really nice time at The Hive and something a little bit wonderful has arisen from my visit.  Next year, The Hive Artists will be exhibiting here at miss annabel dee* gallery & studios!  Hurrah!  It will be really nice to showcase their work.

Watch This Space!*

Go Gold for September - Limited Edition Plates

This September I have been involved in #gogoldforseptember - it's childhood cancer awareness month.  So, not only have I adorned my shop windows in gold, but I have produced Limited Edition plates with an inspirational quote.

The quote was chosen by Katie, Hattie's Mum (I mentioned her before here)  Hattie is a local two year old who has been diagnosed with leukaemia but is strong and is fighting this terrible disease, so the quote is incredibly apt.

They are £25 each with 20% of each sale going to Children with Cancer UK.  Please get in touch if you're interested in purchasing one of these plates - it's for a very good cause!

(Vintage ceramic plates with digital decal and gold lustre decal)

Southend / Leigh Plate Commission

A couple of months back (.. I fear every post I write will start with this).  A couple of months back I was approached by a gentleman who wished to have 12 plates made with a unique Southend and Leigh on Sea vibe, after seeing my Leigh on Sea pub mug designs (tell you about that later)

He has a house in Italy and it is a tradition to give plates, and he wanted a reminder of 'home' on them.

I have used a mixture of illustration and photography to achieve the designs.  I really enjoyed doing these actually, as I am so used to putting designs onto cylinders, it was nice to see them 'flat'.

I am of course available for commission - have you got an idea you want on a plate?

Get in touch

Pop Up in Whitstable

At the beginning of September I took part in my very own Pop Up Shop in the lovely seaside town of Whitstable.

It's just across the estuary from me here in Leigh on Sea and its a place I have frequented quite often on little visits, as one of my friends, Imogen has a place there.

I was sharing the space with vintage lifestyle brand Love Ur Look.  Ronke, the designer had held a pop up shop in my gallery earlier in the year (more about pop up shops later) and mentioned she was doing one in Whitstable and I jumped at the chance!

I made some mugs based on the local landmarks of Whitstable - Red Sands, the historic WW2 forts out to sea, Wheelers Oyster Bar, The Fish Market in the harbour and the Old Neptune Pub along the seafront:

They went down really well and now they are being stocked at the Whitstable Improvement Trust - 34 Harbour Street, Whitstable (if anyone fancies a gander or wished to purchase one!)

I had also brought along some other artists work from my gallery in Leigh.  Julie's teacups and also artist Malcolm Perry's paintings of Whitstable:

Here are some other pics from my Week in Whitstable:

I had an incredibly nice lunch at Waltshaw's (19 Harbour Street) - a few doors down from Show Off Gallery, I had A salt beef on white bread and a sparkling elderflower.  Yummy!  Would def recommend, the lady was very friendly, and if I was into coffee I would be in heaven! And if I wasn't working, I would have had a sip of the mant craft beers they have on offer!

I found that Whitstable was very similar to my home town, perhaps that's why I like it so much?

One big Update*

Haven't been on here for a while, so i'll just do one big blog post just going over what ive been up to over the last couple of weeks, well months:

I was at the SundayUpMarket at the Truman's Brewery a few Sundays back doing my best Del Boy impression by helping out Helen, my cousins other half with her stall selling prints.

Didn't like the early start! Especially it being a Sunday, and my only real lay in of the week.  Danny wasn't happy either being woken up so early - so he just came along for the ride.  Was a really good day, unfortunately I couldnt actually look around the market but from what I saw, i'd def go back again and spend a lazy Sunday wandering the streets of East London and browsing all the stalls.

AND the best bit about the day was getting to meet Baby George, the newest edition to the Johnson family!  He was three weeks old and lovely!  That's why Helen couldn't run the stall herself, being otherwise indisposed!  He is the first baby i've held properly, and not the last...

Here he is, a quick snap of when he was only a few hours old!

What else have I been up to? Oh yes, I've been working on a couple of commissions for various different people. One for a 40th birthday gift, which has been safely delivered but not given as the gift yet so I wont say anymore on that one.. ill put artwork up as soon as..

The second was commissioned ever such a long time ago for a Wedding present from my mum's best friends daughter to her friends.  It was literally 2 Christmases ago and the couple only got back to me recently, due to being on honeymoon and life getting in the way!  Instead of wedding photos on the vessel, we decided on the theme of their honeymoon - in Rio.  Its not quite finished yet as I am 'stockpiling' all my work so I can put a full kiln on.

Here's the artwork.  The image below states 'Sarah & David' but her husband is actually called Ian!  Im working on another commission and the couple are called Sophie & David! Got them muddled! But never fear, the final artwork did say the right name!

 

SLIPGATE! What a nightmare.  It was on a Friday afternoon and I was 'just quickly slipcasting' before I had to go to work. And then it happened.  The mould burst its seams.. I panicked, Julie panicked, the slip was going everywhere, we were slipping about in the slip.  Looking back, it was actually hilarious! Us both scrabbling around trying to find something to stop the slip pouring out!

Its not like the slip spillages we had in uni - I think its because we've bought the slip, we dont want to waste one little drop, whereas at uni it was always on tap!

Had a bit of a disaster that just made me want to give up! What with the 'slip-gate' the day before - Nothing was going right! My poor old mould broke!  I think it's because it was still quite damp from the slip spillage, it was all weak and crumbly and when I was cranking it, it just went!!  

Ive managed to seal it up and its still useable, but it is rather old!  I made them in university and I left in 2009 - AND ive been using them all the time up to now.  A rather good innings?

Luckily my friend Kate is a whizz at mould making so I will go down and visit her in her London studio and hopefully she can help me make a master mould for my pieces.

Ive been slipcasting alot, in prep for the Leigh Art Trail next month! EEEEK! Ive had a year to prepare and make for this and im doing it ALL in the last month! Typical of me!  I'll do a separate post for the Art Trail stuff

And glazing. Like my outfit?  That dust gets everywhere and coats every single hair!  My eyelashes were white at the end of it!

Oil was getting onto our pieces through the glaze gun so we were a bit worried that the compressor was about to die.  It was then we saw this sign:

Ah. Ive had it almost three years and not drained it once! That would be the problem then! Whoops... All drained and sorted now though!

New In - Sun Ae Kim

New in the shop this week.  Ceramics by Sun Ae Kim, a recent graduate of the Royal College of Art.

I met Sun Ae at a gallery in London, whilst on a course.  You may remember me writing about it - Debut Contemporary?  Anyway, we have Sun Ae's beautiful bone china mugs adorned with delicate pencil drawings of an 19th Century Tea Strainer... Only £15!

 

"Snow White" and "Black Queen" are delicate porcelain flower brooches, rings and earrings, a perfect gift for yourself for spring!

4th Downing Street Visit

Was asked to go back to Downing Street to film a short Press video on the contemporary craft & design exhibition being held there.. YIKES! with only a day's notice!

Had to be there at 9am this morning, which meant for me, getting up at 6... (alarm at 5.40 so I can have a snooze).. and boy, am i tired now!

I even fell asleep on the train - something i never do for fear of the 'snoring-so-loudly-you-wake-yourself-up'.  I had only written a short piece of what I wanted to say about my pieces and had memorised it on the train (before the snooze).. or so I thought.  Once the cameras were rolling I went completly blank and I actually have no idea what I said.

So, I cant wait for the actual video.. see how much of an idiot I manage to look like!

On the plus side, I saw Humphrey the Downing Street cat, sprawled out on top of a radiator....

That's the life ey!?

oh no, ive just looked the cat up, and bleeding hell, the current cat is only bleeding LARRY!? whoops!  I hope they dont mind!

Sorry Larry!