I really enjoyed my time in the Preston Bus Station working with Derelict. I got a lot of drawings done and I’m looking at making another book from what was created during this mini residency.
It was good to get out again and work with the public after so much disruption the last 18 months. I’m open to doing similar things again. It makes me want to run small classes from close to home, but it will have to be in the spring.
For me 2020 was a dumpster fire from the start my Grandma who taught me to bake and paint passed away in the January, I got furloughed, I quit my day job so I could be around for my amazing sons. This year I plan on taking my work and business to new heights! I have been doing that the last few months by becoming one of James Victore’s Creative Warriors. This program has really got me fired up about the journey ahead, I’ve got the webshop here on the pottery up and running and my painting has come on…
This year I am taking part in Artist Access to Art Colleges (AA2A) and I will be working out of the studios at Blackpool School of Art this year. I’m approaching my time at the Blackpool School of Art to combine a series of different skills. I want to finally work at AA2A cover a small part of the costs but I once I have my initial stages of testing I will be doing some crowdfunding to help pay for further development of the work, which will allow access to limited edition work. Think along the lines of hand-pulled prints,…
I really believe everyone should have and use a sketchbook, I don’t mean an expensive sketchbook like a Moleskine where you are afraid to crease a page. More like the Seawhite of Brighton starter sketchbook, the paper quality is nice but they aren’t too expensive and can be quicker to fill to give you a sense of accomplishment. This sort of cheaper sketchbook should be a good all rounder with pen, pencils or watercolours. There is no need to be afraid of making a mistake; a sketchbook is a working document. You don’t need to share it with anyone so…
So I was given the opportunity to run some workshops for LEFTCOAST our local arts organisation and I decided it was as good a time as any to start the business back up again. I have been thinking about starting up again anyway but this was the major kick I needed to get going.
On the 3rd and 4th of December I held my open studio, which people came and had a look around. We had to close early on the Saturday because a storm was brewing and my sails were ready to take off, so we made everything safe and got to sit in a warm house. Thank you to everyone that came, hopefully we can run more events in the New Year and get a warmer space sorted out here
So recently I picked up Tommy Kane’s An Excuse to Draw, as a treat for myself as I reached 400 days in a row sketching, and painting. I showed the start of the process on instagram but the randomness of my skill level changes daily and is still very frustrating. I probably wouldn’t have shared this book but there was something I discovered with the first few pages that really hit home with me.
