Golden Dawn

 Stumbling through blogs and web pages I found myself upon Iris Bodemer and became instantly attracted to the beautiful use of line and colour in her jewellery... I want to wear all of these pieces. The relationship between surface, line and simple injections of colour are both playful and provoke narrative between the physical space which they command, and suggested relationship with the human form. I like their potential for talismanic interpretations, especially the piece directly below.

Tea?

Today amongst the gloom and the greyness that seemed to consume me, I found time to drink tea that my good Friend brought back from Vietnam. I was excited about the prospect of this for a number of reasons: I really like tea, and I got to use the new glass teapot my husband bought for me. A winning combination I think you will agree. The tea looked so odd like little balls of grass, and when the water hit it, things escaped from the pod- it was really exciting, and tasted great. I also realised I still hadn't posted any pictures yet of some of the cups I had made before Christmas- some of them were'nt quite what I wanted, my favourite one collapsed (photo to follow), one that was supposed to be black came out dirty brown, which made me sad. I guess that's the great thing about working with ceramics, its kind of a surprise. I think it makes me like the process more, though on reflection I didn't realise how incredibly impatient I can be. I think I will call it enthusiasm.

 

The Black teacup at the top is infact the unglazed, unfired blue cup at the bottom... the dotty one (middle) was my favorite, but it collapsed in on itself, I think it was the porcelaine used. The blue one (bottom) was one of the only ones to come out as I'd planned (ish). The marks in the surface were shaved off using a scalpel and cobalt oxide was layered and removed a number of times, It was then glazed with what was supposed to be a creamy matt glaze, though they all came out shiney. I made a little experimental collection of 7. As these cups went into the kiln, they were lovingly kissed, and sang a song through the peephole in the kiln door. There is something very maternal about working with ceramics, both myself and the technish wizard I work with felt these cups became like children (she made some too), and we nutured them into being.

Lutra Lutra

Sukie

These animals make my little face smile, my favourite is the fox in the dungarees!

you can buy these here : Sukie

Tom Frost:

Last year for my birthday a friend of mine bought me a card designed by Tom Frost, since then Ive been a little hooked on his stamp prints of animals. The lovely peacful otter is the first I bought for my home, though id like all of the ones below. I love the colours Tom uses...

INK+WIT

Tuesday Designs

egg press

I've hit rat bottom?

Collectionary 

 

After a few beers down yonder pub this evening, I travelled in some thoughts I'd had this week about writing, language and communication. I love to write weather silly notes, letters, or post-its but began wondering about the value of the things I write, who reads them, and what exactly is my point? I think these reflections may take some time to arrive at their fruition- But, if anything, I am inspired by playful use of text, language + image, and narrative (constructed or otherwise). These are all areas of exploration within themselves. I know somewhere in my beer clouded brain there is a focus and a link within which I write about stuff, and share things, and that, I think derives from my interest  in people and the world around me. So I thought Id share with you these collectionaries I made this week, and some constructed poetry from found text...

Oh Emily!

Bonsoir; Here are some new prints (etchings) I have been working on. Emily has been a fictional pet in our home for a long time, she is a naughty, playful Boston terrier, and recently she acquired a dogmanfriend by the name of Francois. Although these are just the first ideas I translated into print, I have become attached to Emily and Francois and am keen to see them have more adventures in the future. Francois likes to think of himself as a bit of a gentleman, so never leaves home without his bow tie, or a hat (of course)!

Ive also been working on some new ideas for cards that you can add to , I like mixing it up, and I love cards, sending, receiving, real post wins over techno techno mail any day. I recently made some bird etchings which I'm calling I and you- that gives some boundaries but leaves room to be expanded on depending on what the sender wants to say. Birds are also my favourites! These are just the first test prints Ive done, I get so excited about printing because even when you control all the different elements, once its through the roller, it can always result in something completely different depending on the variables!

So from Emily and Francois: Bon nuit!

Moral Geometry

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.” ― Rumi

Graypants

Oh! YES! I saw these ages ago on a website but couldn't find anything about them, how they were made, who made them, all I had was this little picture of these super exciting creations made from cardboard! Have you ever seen the film 'serendipity' where Kate Beckinsale meets the man of her dreams but waits for fate to intervene and unite them...well this was my serendipitous moment...with lights!

These creations arfe made by a collective known as Graypants- The remind me of wasps nests that I collected in Sweden this summer.... oh tres magnifique! Have a look at their website (linked above).

and now all we need is this...

Nick Drake: Northern Sky