How do you get four hippos in a Ford Fiesta?

Two in the front and two in the back! Old joke, I've made some hippos out of lovely coarse raku clay as a bit of a diversion from the finer white crank. It was like playing with wet sand - loved it.
Went to Birmingham - EAC Exhibition with Helen and had a lovely day apart from the parking ticket. The exhibition was fabulous - a real quality mix and we were both impressed. The hare looked lonely in his glass case - I really think my pieces look best either outside or on a plinth, not in an exhibition case but I am grateful for the security aspect.
Rushing around trying to get pieces ready for different competitions and the RDA stand in July. Joy will come with me if she can and there is 100kg of air drying clay smiling at me in the cellar waiting to go. Definitely another horse box job to get everything there.
My lists are getting lists - Pete said this is turning into a job. Not yet, but the 'get-a-kiln-game' is all go. I have taken photos of the port-o-kiln in situ and sent them to Northern Kilns, met a man, John, at Potclays who used to use and install them and got a quote for a hiab that I probably won't need as apparently they are really light and two men can lift them.
Embarrassed to say that I have damaged the kiln at Start by giving Will a black rat to fire made from some black clay Ruth gave me - it was eartheware and melted. Did for bricks and element and two kiln shelves. This is an expensive month - I will have to sell something! No pictures this month, will post photos of competition entries next month.

Thank you!

Well I did it, with (more than) a little help from my friends! First solo exhibition! Couldn't have got everything there without Ricky giving up his day off and altering his shifts and James struggling on to lift things with his good hand. The exhibition looked magnificent thanks to Joy who has an eye for display and showing things off to their best advantage.The private view was a great success - thanks to Sue and Janie for the canapes and Sharon for the photos (and washing up). Thanks to all the friends that came and Pete for his support and painting the tables. Thank you to Helen for driving to meet the courier at Burtonwood with two pieces for the Society of Women Artists 150th annual exhibition and to Pam whose idea it was and in whose premises it all took place.
The horse box blew off its exhaust 50 yards from Pam's on the way loaded up with plinths and crates of sculpture and its normal throaty roar turned very nasty, but that got fixed in time to take it all back on Monday. Here's a picture of the exhibition - when I get Sharon's photos I will make a power point and put it on the web site. It doesn't really do it justice but you can get the idea.

Sold quite a few pieces and have got a few commissions which is marvellous. |I will try and get them out of the way so I can get on with the 'new' stuff. Here's a picture of a relief I am pleased with.

Four run wild in London (again!)

Well, the hare sold a day after going online. The girls and I set off first class (thank you Helen) to revisit the Mall Galleries in the big smoke. Cheeky-chappie-rip-off-cabby later we arrived there and I had my photo taken again. We had 'the picture' taken outside by a couple of American tourists and made it to Covent Garden for lunch. Janie metamorphed into Fred Scuttle at some point during the procceedings and eye make up was wiped from streaming eyes. We went to the National Portrait Gallery and had a cream tea in the National Gallery while Henry V111 changed in the gents. The only downer on the day was the 'dry' train! The guard was sympathetic but not happy about 4 ladies of a certain age quoffing cava when the football fans were denied their cans of larger. Hey-ho. Here's me and here's the girls:

 

I have had a 'docket' from the Mall Galleries and was disappointed to find out they charge VAT on the commission - no wonder the paintings were so expensive. With the trip down, lunch and sundries I reckon I made £20 on that hare - BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT! I have sold twice in London in prestigeous exhibitions and that's the point!

I have had another piece accepted for an exhibition - the EAC Art Awards 2011 at the RSPA Gallery in Birmingham in May. I should add I suppose it is an exhibition for the over 60s. I do not know which one of the four I entered has been accepted but I bet it's the hare again. Watch this space.

Working hard to get stuff ready for the solo exhibition at Pam's. The main worry is getting everything there in one piece. Now the son has broken his thumb I fear I may be short of muscle - anyone offering?

What a relief!

Missed the January blog so this is it!
Got another piece into the Mall Galleries - The Royal Society of British Artists' Annual Exhibition. Needless to say the silly fixed grin returned and the girls wanted another trip to London so Helen booked it first class with her magic card.The accepted piece was another hare, I thought the other one , The Shape-Changer was better, but whose to complain? The Mall Galleries produce a web page of accepted pieces along with contact details and prices. Mine's not up yet but some of the prices are frightening. This is the Hare on the Moon 3/4 -

I have got inspired again and am producing what I think is my best work to date. In order to make the animals look active, 'light' and speedy, I began making them as relief sculptures with thin legs overhanging the blocks and the animals running out of the frames as it were. It works, thank you Ruth - my mentor at the Salford studio. I also did some proper drawings in chalk and charcoal and will do more as I move on to Welsh Mountain ponies! The pieces are not all fired yet and I will post photos when they are complete.
All spare moments are taken up with the exhibition at New Barn Farm on the 8th, 9th and 10th of April. I have got muscle (son) and exhibition design help (Joy), borrowed plinths, designed the invites, sorted the canapes (Sue and Janie surfing the net for delicious ideas) - I've got to get the invites out, (especially to the local glossies and galleries), sort the wine, glasses, posters and car parking and finish the pieces. Does Pam know what she has let herself in for? Do I?
Enough, I must get back downstairs and get going.

Motivation

It's hard - motivating myself to get started on new ideas and finishing off half made pieces. Christmas domestics drive everything - poorly pony, poorly cat, freezing weather, excess in most things dull the creative spark. Started again yesterday and wrote a list, this posting is the first thing on it.
I have taken Will's advice and started to make the composit pieces as a unit rather than separate components fixed together. It certainly suits the medium to do this, but I can't get the same movement into the herds. The earthenware pieces break too easily and this is frustrating because that means I have to wait another fortnight to get the animals fired to stoneware - and I loose the colour. I thought I could buy a new kiln this January but my saved up spends have got eaten up with the bloody domestics again! Here's a herd -

I like the idea of a running herd because there is lots of movement especially when the unit tilts. I am looking for some slte or similar to use as a base. Apart from these and the associated drawings I am still on my journey with the unicorns. They now have other creatureas with them as I originally intended and by the beginning of 2011, I hope to have got a big one under way. Watch this space( if there is anyone out there) and here is a unicorn in the snow to be getting on with but it is rather too 'my little pony' for my taste but has now been improved by the amputation of its horn.

Happy New Year! Happy New Diet!

Time Management

Painting got to second round of National Art Competition but that was it. Not to worry, two new competitions coming up in New Year. I have started making pieces for these and hopefully not too late.
I am having trouble getting movement into the ceramic pieces but am currently working on composit pieces of earthenware fired white stoneware painted with stains, underglazes and oxides - bit different to the usual stuff. Watch this space and I'll post a photo when I've got it together.

Sick of Siamese cats so no more of those! I am returning to the idea of 'animal totems' or at least the juxta positions of different creatures and I feel very motivated but what with horse, dog and cooking for 5, I am having a bit of trouble managing my time!

Sharon took some wonderful photos of some of my pieces and gave me ideas for the photographing of others. What a difference a photographers eye brings - the pictures taken in the local park are amazing, the unicorns look just as they are supposed too - just as though they are going to get up and walk away. I am delighted. What do you think?

I can so you can!

I am making cats at the moment - photos to follow, AND I'm drawing! Also I am trying to replicate in clay the movement I got in wax on my last course with Brendan in Holmfirth. Challenging.

The new pieces are much better than the earlier pieces and I will change the photos soon but as I considered this updating I began to wonder why I wanted a web site and blog in the first place. Yes, I would like to attract clients for commissions and have a instant portfolio for any interested gallery and yes, I admit there is a serious element of vanity publishing but I do also want to encourage other ladies of a certain age to have a go at what ever they want to try - a case of 'I can so you can!'

It looks as though I will be able to have an exhibition in the spring at New Barn Farm. Really childishly excited and Sharon has agreed to do some pro photos for me of outdoor pieces as a project for herself and a showcase for her work. She is also kindly taking a painting to Chichester for me along with her own short listed entry for the National Art Competition. I wasn't allowed to enter sculpture so I sent a painting. I found the required blurb and artist statements extremely difficult as I am convinced a load of precocious twaddle is just an excuse for a crappy piece of work. Here's the picture - it's called 'Waiting'.

Thank you Rattrays for adding to my blog, tell my other chums how easy it is to do.