Happy Christmas

I hope you all had a great year, I'm oof to the pub now for Xmas drinks, so I wish you all a Merry Christmas, keep those baubles sparkling!

This is Montee the studio technician on Christmas day

Happy New Year everyone and I hope you all have lots of fun, I can't wait for N.Y.eve but even more so for my work being on exhibition at the Chelsea Arts club from the 7th Jan.

Toodle Pip!

Go With the Snow

It's all go with the big arrangements for open studios tonight! We've done all the trimming, we've set up the stalls and soon we will be warming the mulled wine. So come on and pop over!

I have a guest artist tonight, working with me on my stall, my little cousin Lizee has been busy as a bee making special things for you good peeps to buy tonight. I myself have got "Front room Frogs" with me, they would like to come home with you and live on your sofa, they also like to go camper van camping so quick pick one up before they hop back to the pond

SEE YOU TONIGHT,

6.30 til 8.30

ALL WELCOME!

The Whole Event

Do's do's and more do's, that's what we've all got coming up ahead but first of all don't miss our Winter Wonderland open studios, a week on Friday 6th Dec

As usual peeps will be dressed daft and there will be lots of wine, mince pies and all sorts of Xmas gifts for you to buy, including my very own "Front Room Frogs" made by my own hand, hand stitched in my kitchen, they would like a good spot on your sofa but also like to go camping.

Now, I've been out and about lately e.g we had our works do early, below, oh dear? Neeta changed into Rudolf?

But also, you just can't leave the house these days without getting papped, below at a vintage fair a week ago

Although I think it was little cousin Ruby Doo that attracted all the attention, oh and of course Montee in his flying jacket.

So on with the painting (I hope to finish my last one this year this week) and then on with my Xmas hat for our Christmas bauble do at the club, I'm going to go with the Sun Bingo girl look!

More news soon!   X

The Good the Bad and the Wicked

Yes it was my favourite time of the year, Halloween is like Christmas for people like me and so all the week before was making outfits for oneself and a couple of others to go out and about around Pendle, being someone new for the evening and cause some trouble and bubble.

Full marks for the artists and friends as the "Gates of Hell" night last Friday was full of weard and wonderful peeps......Enter... my oldest friend ( we went to school together) so obviously not old, the Winner that night, Mr Creepy, well he never said his name but you get the gist!

Although you can't see his creepy feet on the shot.

Below, all the girls at Rogee's spooky party

Oh and the after P

Also one of our Artist from the Mill Helen Oxley had a super show at the Lewis Gallery, Rugby school,  Rugby this week, so please pop along if you're in the area, its on for a coulpe of weeks.

I'd just got over the weekend (also Bommee night) and I was off down South again to my wonderful friend Anji's show of her work at the Chelsea Art club, a super night was had (what I remember of it) and met some new friends too.

One last spookeee shot before I go, as you can see by Medusa's face, she wasn't right keen on the devil in the pic taking all her evil but more to the point and more about evil, check out the River Doctor behind her!!!!!

Cold Comfort

It's that time of year when you give up on any notion of an Indian summer, the bare legs versus tights  thingee is over and you start looking forward to winter, well in my case getting ready for Halloween! But before we go into that....on a chilli ish night last Friday Philippe and I set out to Bradford to view Sue (Vickerman) and her poems. Below me and Phil with a cuppa

I had a huge piece of carrot cake before hand to put me on, as did Phil which is super spookee, and that's just the start. We were welcomed in to a array of wine, coffee and yes more cake, well buns if you must know, that Sue's mum had made and as Sue put it "she's gone a bit made with these" yes she'd made lots, all different as well.......WELL IMPRESSED!

The night went really well and both Sue and Suki did a spot of there own home grown but I have to say these girls diddn't half look alike! Suex below trying to get her boot back on

Well after more cake, chomp chomp all gone (it's phil and I don't forget) we had a little chat and it was time to go and so Suex floated off into the crowd saying something about a turkey baster......oh yes it was in a poem! we had a super evening, we love suex.

So the time has come round again for spooky things to be a happening, my new swimming cap with a chin strap came through the post yesterday, any ideas? Thought not, well, I start the build up today,or should I say building....of one's outfit. SO EXCITING

Below a spider called Fred, you know, just to put you on!

MUCHADOOO

There are few things more fabulous than a Doug Binder piece, so I popped on a super bright frock for the occasion and went down to Arteology to see his latest show. Doug was on form and charming the pants off everyone as Mr John and I listened in glee, below Doug to the right.

John above to the left......get those two gimmers (their words) together and there's always trouble!

This show is on for a few weeks yet so get yourself down there, his work is what you call an investment. The best (in my eyes) in the show above, just keep your eyes off she's mine.

Phil chatting to a model, in fact this is Sue, she sits for Doug and I found out after chatting myself to her that she's a poet and so I'll catch her this coming Friday....Below

Next I was off to judge the Pendle Open. A great show of mixed work but the trouble is they have to many good artists, making it very tricky to judge.

The dream team, below (judges) oneself, Richard and Kirsty

And to end my blog, did anybody see my cow?

My lovely cow that came from Fallriver in the USA is part of the "Thirty instrument loaned by ladies" exhibition in the Harris museum (first floor) if you get chance before weekend?      Chow

CHAGALL

I just got to see this show at Liverpool Tate this week before the close this coming Sunday, Chagall, modern master focuses on the artist's time in Paris before the first world war and the years spent in his native Russia (1914-1922)

It was a very exciting day for me, Chagall was one of the first influential artists I came across when I decided to paint  so I couldn't wait to see his work for real.

Above will a favourite of mine that I have only seen in black and white before now and below checking out some close up texture!

'I love love. What else should I have depicted if not love and our destiny? Love helps me find the colour. One could even say that it finds the colour for me; I only have to apply it to the canvas. It is stronger than I am and it comes from the soul. That is how I see life.' Chagall

A fantastic day out although some paintings I hoped to see I didn't, but I saw some wonderful drawings I had not before.

Fed's map with no Fred, oh dear.





But the Tate looks good!

Sweet Silverdale

Montee dog the Studio technician really has not been well, he has now had a skin problem for some time which is getting worse and worse.  He even had to have three by-ops last Friday and with his head back in a light shade, let me tell you, he's fed up! I could not look at his beautiful sad face any longer in his studio bed, so off we went yesterday to sample the most unspoilt countryside in the region, Silverdale and grab him some good sea air.

It was a tad breezee and wet as you can see from below, but my good friend the artist John Baldwin soon picked us up from the station and took us back to his Silverdale home for a spot of lunch, including home made potato salad from Jazzy spuds, honest , again look below.

Montee's spirit was lifted although it doesn't look like it on the picture but that is because we had to drag him out of the Gallery tea shop back into the rain.

John and I below

Things to do in Sunny Silverdale:
                      
                              Tea and cake at the gallery
                      
                              Play the 13th hole at the golf Club, once voted one of the countries best

                             Learn a little about the victorian auther Elizabeth Gaskell who wrote books here

                             Get stuck in the sinking sands up to your neck

We did none of the above but we had a bloody good day and don't foget (Look to the sign at the top)

One more thing before I go, lovely Ron who was Montt's best chum who died not so long ago had his meerkat taken from his place of rest, well a big fat raspberry to them as Montee and me found him another Ta daa! (back to how it was, below)

Oh and I hope you all go out and buy the Lancashire mag and have a look at the write up!

Stick To The Plan

Into the water duckies, with some sticks and a net, that was the plan this gone Sunday and I was in for 10.30am!

Lucky I was all set with my stylish Autumn/Winter under and on top of water wardrobe, of course everything goes with this super new look that Kerry Morrison and myself put together for her litter bug river piece, I take that back, I only made the hat.

 Kerry and oneself, before we started, we were totally runway I mean water...way ready with these babies!

Film crew (one of the three)

After a particularly punishing slippery long walk, me down stream and Kerry up, my foot got stuck in some kind of quicksand and Kerry at one point went full on in, past the waders oops....also litter collecting to bring tears to your eyes we got to our destination....top of an ugly park shelter for tea....
AAAAAAAh now you can't beat a cuppa!

We had a super day all though it was hard work, are these lassies the new power duo? Watch this space as they say,  thanks to the folks that came to find us, thanks to the eels for not showing up and thanks to the lads that filmed us!

  PSST....... we hope people get the litter bug message!

Oh and honest, this is not mine, even if it does have my initials on it.

Trashy Twins

Come and find us on the riverbank (Calder, that's Barrowford to Nelson ) this coming Sunday, trash is the name and trash is the game!

Spot us if you can or maybe we'll only have ducks for friends, but here's to art and making it a day like no other!

Feast On These

It is perfectly possible to find yourself corrupted by a marvellous spread of Tea and Cake. Rogee's cake below..YUM

In fact you have to be very careful that a piece might just jump onto your plate of it's own volition. People at my "Tea and Cake"do last Friday said this was the case!

So thanks to all that came as it was a fantastic turn out, and I cannot thank the peeps that made cake enough. Back to what I was saying, don't be silly now, cakes do not jump onto plates......... Gin, however , is another matter, bottles do jump into shopping bags, but even more strangely, when you look it's half empty. SPOOKY....What do you think hey Julie?

To finnish my Blog I would like to say goodbye to Cat, Mary's lovely cat died early this week so we went to a magnificent spot to see her off.
We did a few songs, banged a few drums, it was quite upsetting but also just right.

Mary below having a few words

Mary and David saying goodbye and the basket we tyed up with ribbon.

Montee dog will miss their big sofa stare offs. See you next time Cat.XXXX

Finishing Touches

OH YES PLEASE. Let me start by saying that cake is bad for you, it is bad for your teeth, it is bad for your figure and it is not great for your state of mind either (sugar slump etc) but this Friday we are throwing all that to the wind and are having a Tea and cake off, for the final viewing of my 'Plath' work (up North)








So please drift on down between 1pm and three for a kooky day and offbeat charm of this anything-goes gathering.


Saying that I will not be commited to just one look, hell no, when I can wear them all at once, we're talking match your jelly bean to your outfit. Result! Or is that just me?

"A Hospital Of Dolls" exhibition.......... Friday 9th August......1pm til 3pm

Arteology, west end buildings, 113 albert rd, Colne, BB8 OBT

C IS FOR CAKE!!!!

Much at Mill

New beginnings at the moment at the mill..... well we started with a secret cinema, every few weeks the artists will now get together and embrace a film themed evening, we kicked off with Caberet, bubbled up some pop corn, and the night began!

Good effort from everyone although Karen brought out the big guns when she turned up as the lions made icecream girl for the interval....Brother Roger tucking in or should we say Sally

                                  

Julie Miles is now on a count down for "Pot Fest"starting this coming Thursday...so no breaking any pots Julie and keep making those emergency fish...below more fish, just in case!

And I have even started a new piece, the gloves are out and the mess begins, good to get out of Sylvia's head and back into mine.

Me below, papped, all in a days work you know!