Mapping it Out, New Work for St John Street Gallery

I sourced an old ordnance survey map of Derbyshire on line, to use as part of a new series of work for St John Street Gallery my intention was to literally tear it up into sections and stick it down and then see what happened next.

By chance I was left with a small corner of the map of the Staffordshire Moorlands and after layering ink and mediums on to the initial layer of maps I again tore up the corner and placed that on to the canvas and from that I looked at the names on those pieces and found some wonderful locations which I have painted below.
The surfaces are full of texture and character of the maps it was certainly an interesting way to create new work.

Near Calton Green

Detail of Near Calton Green

Devils Staircase

Detail For Devils Staircase

Ipstones Edge

Detail of Ipstones Edge

Near Kingsley Holt

Detail of Near Kingsley Holt

Weaver Hills

Detail of Weaver Hills

You can view the new pieces at St John Street Gallery Ashbourne from August 1st. They are all 30 x 30 cm on box canvas £300 each contact the gallery to make a purchase.

My last show before summer is a charity event at The Belper Games where I will be selling a range of greeting cards and my #100dayproject cards.

A Week of Rummaging

This week I have been getting ready for my up coming stalls this weekend, details below. Its entailed a lot of rummaging  if anyone has poked their head round my studio door I've been stuck under stuff or in a mess covered in cards and bits of paper, table cloths etc...

Rummage
def: search (through), hunt through, scrabble about/around in, root about/around in, ferret (about/around) in, fish about/around in, poke around in, dig in, grub about in, delve in, go through, explore, sift through, rifle through, scour, ransack, turn over; rootle around in; fossick through; roust around in.

I spent Monday organising the return of paintings from Deda and placing a few on Art Finder   then because one thing leads to another ended up sifting through my stock then realising that I haven't sorted my stall stuff out since I skipped away from the last one before Christmas so that started a panic of tinsel shifting and Christmas card storage. It seems such a brief Winter I'm almost not ready to see daffodils.  I know most people are like 'its great the suns out' well no I'm just settling in to the prospect of deep winter so much so I painted this.

Snow came Briefly A4 ink on paper.

But that's just me......... Tuesday I went out and met up with the Peak District Artisans for a much needed get out the house moment at the Longshaw |Estate we went for a short walk and then dispersed and painted ,drew ,photographed, I mainly photographed and looked at things I sat for a while and sketched the vista nothing detailed or finished but enough for me to develop in the future.

One of a few sketches

Wednesday I attended the art group that me and my friend Karina Goodman have set up and I used the time to paint over the old watercolours I had found whilst rummaging and just enjoyed being in the company of other artists just doing their own thing as we discuss art and mainly The BBCs Big Painting Challenge which we all had our views we are always looking for new members so if you would like to come along please do all the dates are here

Our lovely art group

Thursday has been a day of finishing the rummaging making up handmade cards from all my weeks endeavours packing up paintings to post, finishing off commissions and starting new ones oh and spending five minutes telling you about it all in this blog while I eat my egg sandwich.

If you would like to see some of my handmade cards and new ink work on paper come along to my stalls this weekend.

                    

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