I see a darkness

Spent most of the day in the studio finishing off some pieces - finished by painting this head then decided to score into her forehead {listening to Bonnie Prince Billie as I type - I see a darkness -beautiful song } and then paint her dark, this was how the approaching end of  day was making me feel - well not this bad but definitely like something was settling on me, I didn't let it.  Instead I got excited about where this head could lead.  It was very satisfying painstakingly painting her face then striking it through. 
I missed doing the big garden birdwatch but jt did it and officially spotted one robin in the hour.  Unofficially he spotted two blue tits, a blackbird and three rooks flying over head.

More risks

More sketches from the Age of Risk  - a bbc programme about the credit crunch- that didn't make it into the book. Thanks to Elisabeth for the link to Gosia Machon's work - have a look!

Not at your age

love these clothes, the models and the ethos, great faces >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Old Ladies Rebellion <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

2

{It's always tricky doing a double faced piece because I always have a favourite.}

jam

These are from last Wednesday early morning - the last bit of snow - as I drove out of Bath the rain turned to snow and the farm where the studio is was covered again.  I had to sit in traffic (I know I AM traffic) for a considerable time, so I wound down the window, let the snow in with me and took some photos. 

Waiting in the wings

Yesterday I finished this her head. There is a name in the wings but I won't officially give her it  until she is safely through the firing.

A Scottish murder mystery

I should do a before or after .  Some heads go through heavy surgery. These 2 heads started out so different.  When I unwrapped them yesterday they had eyes in different places, another hairstyle, face shape, lip position.....some heads are right from the start but not these two. 


I like how the work or parts of it gather certain associations as I make.  The repetition and painting of the pattern on the second head is bound up with a Radio 4 Scottish murder mystery play! So although it's only lines it has in it a storm, a murderous gambling session, a confusion of characters, a dark night and the Scottish coast!


[Look at this Papercraft Self Portrait by Eric Testroete]

Jack Hudson

I spent ages the other night pouring over Jack Hudson's work.  More here.  I really like his wit and his hand drawn type and his amorphous shapes and layering...... in fact all of it, his blog is just so good, every post.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ NEWS FLASH \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

I feel too warm - it's a forgotten sensation - a sensation from before the big freeze came and engulfed us, I have just ditched one layer of wool!

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/END OF NEWS FLASH\/\/\/\/\/

Leslie Hall

Thanks to Jo for putting me onto Leslie Hall - initially the draw was her gem sweaters but there is sooooo much more to find out about and it's all brilliant madness, I'm really interested in woman who make a point of not doing pretty.  I'm particularly keen on the gem sweater stripper pen - where Leslie's gem sweater disappears to reveal her giant sports bra.

{buy buy buy}

..... another piece in my occasional series of house people, inspired by the recession and our national obsession/paranoia with houses or the 'p' word.

a bird in the hand

The story is that my mum and dad were walking through their very small Devon village just outside their house when a robin started following them.  Some friends drew up in a car, rolled down the window and the robin hopped on the window edge then onto Rosie's hand.  He later hopped onto my Dad's back then flew off.
We've had a fieldfare hanging around in the garden, since the snow came, working its way through our old apples.  JT's informed me that his previous sighting of a black redstart is now under question.

a dip

Just been updating my website here and there, it always seems like a bit of a bind compared with blogging but once I dip into it I remember how chuffed I am with the site that Ed and me made. 

*********awkward family photos************

a different air

Back in the studio today.  
First, at home, I built up heat, clothes on radiator, many layers, soup.  A beautiful blue sky day, an uneventful drive due to the roads being totally clear of snow or ice but a white tog hill.  A frozen toilet, ice in the yard,  jumpy horses, Eddie predicting snow, he says the air feels different. A while later it snows a bit then it doesn't stop snowing. The clay is very cold, the slabs don't dry, the cold tap is colder but soup and tea at intervals help.  I've three heads to pick up where I left off before Christmas.  I can't remember what they are like under their plastic and paper so it's always a surprise when I unwrap them. This head  started the day as a neckless wonky lady but she's grown a neck and a bit more, had her eyes moved around until they've settled enough to be painted also she may become a man as I paint her, also I've subtracted some of her face.

glasses are brilliant

These images seem to want to be together. 
1) a 50p light-shade rejected by someone else at a charity shop. My heart sank when I spied it being brought out for some-else to look at but my hovering paid off.
2) got home to a parcel containing lovely new bourjois pots with Nathalie Lete's designs on. Do I use them or keep them?
3) a compilation of great glasses wearers. Can't remember how I got to this, thank you to whoever led me there.

A strange fog

Bath was cloaked in a dense fog yesterday. It was  a surprise after a two hour drive from Devon in beautiful sunshine to find the city under a fog cushion and the frostiest I have ever seen it.

sunshine + yellow

The last 3 days has been so sunny and beautiful. Lots of birds have been visiting the bird table which is right outside our study window so we have ringside seats.  The house looks sunshiny with the light streaming in. Here's one of my early yellow heads made during my MA, she/he* sits on our upstairs landing window with his/her* back to the city.


* I normally know whether a head is male or female even if it's not clear to someone else -  but this is a both.

the cushion hobby

As a frequent visitor to the RSPB site to use their bird identifier, I found this great drawing of a hobby which inspired some of my Christmas cards {spot the difference}.  He is now my inspiration for a new cushion.   I  love objects which marry practicality with great images or pattern  - I am extremely pleased by a great tea-towel {although I bought the night and day Lucienne Day tea-towel and framed it}. Over the last two years I have made four cushions, sewing is slow going -  a one legged owl, a donkey and two faces - I'm trying to draw with the thread....this is an ongoing project.

first show of 2010

I'm showing my heads and faces at the end of February at Ceramic Art London - here's the invite - more info about the fair can be found at ceramics.org.uk. 

lazy oaf

H a p p y  N e w  Y e a r  e v e r y o n e ! 


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It's been a great week doing nothing. Much fun decorating the kitchen last night for a New Year's Feast.  We didn't decorate for Christmas (unless you count one string of wool for about 10 cards), so we've decorated for New Year instead - this arrangement will now stay put till March, sellotape and the bird's feather glue permitting. Great lazy oaf his & hers purse from B & J for Xmas. One plan for the New Year is to keep an eye  out for a queen bee who may be looking out for a nest, and inviting her into our new bumble bee nest box......thanks C & J........{a little birdy tells me someone else not a million centimetres away has started a blog - Jan the 1st is great for starting things!}