mangle prints

Two for Joy

2012-02-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

One for sorrow,

Two for joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver, Six for gold,

Seven for a secret, never to be told,

Eight for a wish,

Nine for a kiss,

Ten for a bird you must not miss.

Magpie lino cut print, now for sale on Folksy

St Paul's

2012-02-10T11:23:00.001-08:00

Although i live in Norfolk and lived here most of my life, my family are originally from London. My grandad, Charlie, was born in Poplar, East London. An avid painter, he often painted the views he grew up with around the Thames and the city. Painted long before the regeneration of the Docklands area, the paintings capture a different time and era than the London we know today.

Tower Bridge water colour, Charles Stevens.

One of his most memorable paintings for me as a child, was a painting of St Paul's (not pictured). I remember being fascinated by the painting, and ever since been captured by the cathedral's imagery and thought it would be a great subject for a print. Visiting the cathedral last year, i noticed how difficult it is to get an overall vista of the building, and thought it would be interesting to play with the different aspects of the building, by layering them to form an overall impression, rather than attempting a full layout of the cathedral.

Variations

2012-01-23T11:18:00.000-08:00

Thank you all very much for your wonderful comments on the blog post below. Unfortunately, at the moment, Blogger is not letting me add comments to my own blog and I'm quickly coming to the end of my tether with it, so it may be time for a change soon!!
Part of the reason i fell in love the medium of block printing is the endless variations it allows for each print. Today i had a successful day playing around with colours, layers and masking, creating different effects on each print. I suppose this is something easily and instantly created by digital imaging programs such as Photoshop, but for me the magic lies in the experimenting of the print process and having that first print come of the press- never knowing quite what the result will be.

First Print of the Year

2012-01-16T15:17:00.000-08:00

The supply of Lino has finally arrived, and i have finally found a little time over the last week to create a new print. I thought it may be quite interesting to show you how i come to the finally piece, and the process behind it. For those who are interested in such things, it probably shows more about my indecisiveness and chaotic working methods, then any technical or creative process.......

It all starts with a rough sketch (very rough), and as you can see, it bears very little resemblance to the finished print at this stage.......

In fact, i really hate the sketch and change my mind !

I decide to draw yet ANOTHER design directly onto the lino, freehand. I really should have done this in the first place, saving time and paper, but never mind. Then roughly paint the design and add the detail i want with pencil.

From here, i can now cut the lino. For someone who changes their mind quite a bit, this part can seem a little daunting. Once a cut is made in the lino, there's no going back, so no room for mistakes or faffing about (highly technical term) at this point.

Once all this is done, i clean the plate with a little white spirit to remove any excess paint or pencil marks and the plate is ready for printing. Now all i need to do is decide on a colour......oh, and a title too!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Firstly, i would like to wish you all a very happy New Year! lets hope 2012 brings you all lots of happiness, creativeness and good health : ) At the moment, I'm waiting patiently for a new delivery of lino....(well OK, not that patiently!) for some new printing projects, but the break over Christmas has at least given me a little time to get jobs finished at home.

For over a year we have been living with a gaping hole in our living room, while we installed a wood burner. Whilst we installed the stove in the autumn, everything else had been put on hold, as work commitments and family life became ever more chaotic and we became blind to the falling plaster and grubby paintwork. With a very limited budget (i must be the only woman i know, who asked for a stove chimney for her birthday!), a little bit of determination and lots of help by family, we've finally finished the room.

Old Fortnum and Mason hamper basket from Reloved Furniture, King's Lynn.

Many thanks to my long suffering father-in-law, Ian, who despite being on night shifts, came in during the day to help paint, plaster, scrape the floor boards and generally give me the help needed to get the job done before Christmas.

It's now a perfect setting for all little gifts and objects I've received and collected over the last couple of months, many from local artists, friends and businesses, and those precious items collected from the beach too.

So while i wait for new materials to get started on my own work in the new year, it's been wonderful to have the time to appreciate the work of others.

Wagtail by Tony Bellars

Norfolk artist Tony Bellars, creates charming pieces of artwork from salvaged and re-claimed materials and recently exhibited at the Bazaar Bazaar Show at Greyfriars Art Space in King's Lynn. I couldn't resist this little wagtail, which now sits perfectly with this painting by Norwegian artist Line-Katrin Moe.

Bird painting by Line-Katrin Moe

Cushion by Victoria Evans and the Victoria Works Union

I was thrilled to be given this wonderful cushion from artist and sculptor, Victoria Evans as a Christmas present this year. Vicky usually works in bronze, creating beautiful contemporary sculpture but recently started to produce these fantastic cushions, using local, vintage imagery as an inspiration. Anybody that knows King's Lynn, will recognise the iconic Campbell's factory tower, which is now in the process of being destroyed. A little bit of history on a cushion!

Mind blowing origami by Vicky's brother Luke.


Driftwood collected from Brancaster Beach

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-19T22:34:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a year, and it's hard to believe Christmas is just a few days away! I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and thank you all for your support and encouragement. Keep warm, well and hope to see you all again in the New Year, Amanda xx

Greyfriars Art Space Christmas Bazaar Bazaar

2011-12-04T00:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas is certainly creeping up quickly and with only a week to go until the Greyfrairs Art Space Bazaar Bazaar, it's been a busy couple of weeks getting stock ready for the show. It's so lovely to be taking part in a show with lots of friends, local artists and makers, along with plenty of mince pies and mulled wine!

The Greyfriars Art Space Bazaar Bazaar runs from 13th December through to the 21st and is open 10am - 4pm, Tuesday- Saturday

More information about Greyfrairs Art Space can be found on the website : .http://www.greyfriarsartspace.com/location.htm

Autumn Lino Print

2011-11-27T07:14:00.000-08:00

After creating some collages several weeks ago i've been eager to try and develop some of the ideas into print. So the first of these prints has resulted in this "Autumn " print , using simple shapes but rich warm colours, printing each shape individually until the image is completed. The different colour combinations are endless, but i loved using the rich purples and mustards in this piece, reminiscent of the colours and shades of autumn.

Back to printing!

2011-11-13T06:03:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, with lots of orders and work to get ready for Christmas shows and the on-line shops, and it seems everything has happened at once! It seemed that i was a one woman production line- making cards, bunting and notebooks every evening and packing up parcels for delivery.
All this has been great, it's always good to be busy, but it does leave very little time to print anything new. There is of course lots of other ways (and less messy) to produce work (see the collages below) but nothing beats the excitement of producing a new print and seeing that image for the first time once it comes through the press-or mangle!

These little prints have been a great way to fulfil my addiction to the printing process- i also enjoyed printing on different shades and colours of paper adding a different quality to the print all together.

A Beautiful Surprise

2011-11-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

What a surprise! Today I recieved these beautiful cards from the very talented artist Suzy Sharpe. Crows and Rooks are some of my favourite birds and Suzy's beautiful drawings capture them wonderfully. In fact they are far too nice to give away as cards!, so i plan to frame them and hang them in a series. More of Suzy's work and information can be found on her website http://www.suzysharpe.co.uk/ and her Etsy shop too

Play time, print and wax collages.

2011-11-07T06:03:00.000-08:00

Feeling fed up of not creating anything new recently, i decided to have a day playing around with some old prints and create some more print and wax collages. Sometimes it's just good to have an experiment with colours and patterns and have some fun, no pressure or deadlines, just to enjoy creating.

A beautiful gift from Norway

2011-10-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

If like you are anything like me, the usual post i receive is pretty dull, the usual stream of bills and endless piles of junk mail. So what a lovely surprise to receive this special parcel on Saturday morning from Norwegian illustrator and artist Line Katrin Moe. I stumbled across her work via her blog several weeks ago a admired her beautiful little bird illustrations (i love the little boots!). A week ago or so later i received a message to say that i had won the piece in a giveaway on her blog. I can't wait to frame this little bird and hang it in my kitchen/ work space. Katrin Line's blog is full of her wonderful, colourful illustrations and well worth a follow! http://linekatrinmoe.blogspot.com/

http://linekatrinmoe.blogspot.com/

Yule- North Rock Gallery, Shetland.

2011-10-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to have work in this year's Yule exhibition at The North Rock Gallery in Lerwick, Shetland. The Exhibition opens on 3rd November and runs right through to Christmas eve for that last minute shopping! More information can be found on their website http://www.northrockgallery.co.uk/.

Featured Artist - Shane Patrick, The Art of the Pattern Cutter.

2011-10-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

I’ve always admired and valued craftsmanship, in whatever form that may take. The skills and knowledge to create something wonderful has always inspired me and the art of the pattern cutter is no exception. Having an understanding of beautiful tailoring, fabric quality, lines and shape, the pattern cutter’s role is essential in bringing ideas and design to reality on the catwalk.

I find it amazing that you come across the most talented people in the most unexpected places. Titchwell is tucked away on the North Norfolk coast and is now home to Shane Patrick, who has been creating patterns in the industry for nearly 20 years. His work has graced the catwalk in many collections, including the recent Topshop Unique A/W range.

Fed up with the constant daily commute to London from Norfolk every day Shane has now set up Vin Stich, an alterations, mending and pattern cutting service, from his home in Titchwell, a far cry from the bustle of London. Shane very kindly took some time to answer a few questions about his work.

Can you describe your work/process and what materials/resources do you use?

I'm a Pattern-Cutter by trade, mostly of Womenswear, but will turn my hand to anything that involves fabric. I specialized in Draping (which is draping of cloth on a mannequin to get a finished garment) but love Tailoring (flat pattern cutting of jackets and coats etc) most recently I have found an interest in re-upholstering which I intend to explore fully.

Where are you based?

I'm based in Titchwell, North Norfolk where I have settled after many years in London and Dublin.

How long have you been creating and how did it all begin?

I studied Fashion Design in Johannesburg in the early 90's, so I have been 'at it' for around 20 years now

Who or what inspires you?

It could be anything, I love beautiful fabrics so I would start there. If I'm designing something I always design with a model from the 90's called Yasmeen Ghauri in mind, she is my idea of perfect beauty, so she still plays a big part in my inspiration- even 20 years on! 'youtube' her, the way she moves is breath-taking

Do you have a work space or studio? How would you describe it?

At the moment i have a little workspace at home, it's perfect. Cramped and FULL of all the things I love plus an old Singer treadle sewing machine that I love and use daily

Who is your favourite artist/ designer/maker ?

I adore a print artist from South Africa called Hildegaard, an interiors stylist called Emily Chalmers and a very old school designer called Madame Gres (she manipulated cloth like an artist)

Do you have any advice to offer someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?

Don't over think anything - just plunge! (deal with the consequences later) if you think about things too much then you will never do anything

What goals do you have for the future?

I like to have a million goals that I work towards, that way the odds are better at achieving at least one of them.

Vin Stitch is now up and running, for more information please contact Shane at shane@shanepatrick.com or tel:07890349586 for further enquiries. You can follow Vin Stitch on Twitter @Vin_Stich or visit Shane's blog on Norfolk living at Guava Juice,Gem squash and the Norfolk Coast.

Craft Tonic On-Line Magazine

2011-10-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank Emma at Craft Tonic magazine for featuring both myself and Zoe from Zebedee Prints in their Tale of Two Printmakers article. Not only is it always great to be featured in such an interesting magazine, but it's so uplifting to see printmaking being highlighted too!

More great articles and information can be found on the Craft Tonic Blog : http://thecrafttonic.blogspot.com/

Christmas Cards and Heat!

2011-10-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

The weather has finally turned from a blazing Indian Summer to a much cooler Autumn, damp and grey, with the nights drawing in closer every day. Last year we had such a cold winter, working from home in the kitchen was not fun, when the boiler decided to stop working and we were reliant on stand alone heaters to give us warmth. Luckily this year we are prepared! We managed to find this wood burner last year (for a princely sum of £30!) and it has since been sitting in our front room like an elephant, uninstalled and not working, with a great big hole where the fireplace should be. But finally, we have it installed and working and looking forward to a winter with heat! Ok, it's not as posh as the beautiful models in the homes magazines, but i love it, and i'm sure it won't be long until Polly, our cat finds her natural home in front of it too.

So with the first fire of the year lighted, and the nights closing in, you might forgive me for mentioning Christmas cards.

I must admit, i'm not one for all singing and dancing designs, so these cards really reflect my love of simple designs with just a hint of Christmas thrown in. Valerie from Acorn Moon suggested a theme of the Twelve Days of Christmas in a previous post, and it made me think about the Three French Hens and how lovely it would be to have a design on a card. There's also a very simple Christmas Tree design. All the cards have been hand printed, and are signed and dated at the bottom, so each card is an original lino print. You may argue that the French Hen design isn't very Christmassy, but i think it is sometimes nice to have an alternative to the traditional designs associated with Christmas.

Hand Printed Cards

Three French Hens

Three Trees.

Cards are available in packs of three of each design and will soon be available on Folksy and Etsy

Wonderland Exhibition, The Tube Gallery.

2011-10-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

With Christmas creeping ever nearer, it's a busy time, with several Christmas shows and exhibitions coming up. I've been busy printing, making and posting prints to various galleries and the first one this year is at The Tube Gallery in Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

The Wonderland Exhibition will be opening on the 14th October till the New Year, so if you are in the area, why not go and have a look. More information can be found via the gallery website http://www.thetubegallery.com/

Country Homes and Interiors Magazine

2011-09-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

I was really excited a couple of months ago when i received an e-mail via folksy from Country Homes and Interiors Magazine requesting my Three Birds print. It was all very rushed and heard very little about how it would be used, if at all. So after several months of flicking through the pages and seeing nothing, i was delighted to see it in this month's issue! What's really lovely is that it is features Print for Love Of Wood's beautiful owl lino print too. I know it's only a small glimpse of the print- but i'm still thrilled!

Winter Bird Prints

2011-09-22T04:05:00.000-07:00

With thoughts turning just a little to winter and the dreaded "C" word (Christmas!), my inspiration turns to Nordic patterns and colour combinations. These prints are packed with pattern and colours that hint at the up and coming winter. I took inspiration from a Holy plant growing at the school, heaving with beautiful flower heads, and of course returning to my favourite colours of rich reds and blues. I'm thinking of using some of these designs for greeting cards, maybe not seasonal enough for Christmas, but i still think they would look quite effective all the same.

Prints now available on Folksy

Mount Board Hearts

2011-09-19T04:02:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently gave me a lovely great big bag of mount board off cuts. Too small to use in framing and mounting, but far too good to through away. So i decided to print these small hearts on the card- with string attached, they are ideal to hang up as they are, no frame needed !

Now for sale on Folksy

Back to printing- New Prints.

2011-09-09T03:40:00.000-07:00

New school term and i'm back to printing again : )) After lots of detailed pieces recently, it was really nice to return to some bold, simple patterns and prints. It takes a lot of restraint for me to keep it simple- and i have to be far more disciplined when making these prints than if i create a very detailed piece. I have to keep in my mind, less is more as i'm always tempted to add...a scroll here, a leaf there and before you know it I've got a decorative monster on my hands!

So concentrating on line and colour, i created these fun new prints using individual plates, that i can arrange on the paper as i like. I really enjoy this way of printing as it allows you to play around with the composition of the print and also experimnet far more with colour combinations. Almost like a lino print jigsaw puzzle!

Keeping my head above water and Cyber Squatting.

2011-09-02T04:49:00.000-07:00

I needed to write this post as at the moment i feel so deflated and hurt that needed to vent how i feel. The last five or so years have been a steep learning curve for me, struggling to come to terms with not being able to continue in a permanent full time job and worrying what the future may hold. For me, working at home and becoming self employed was a real leap of faith, and a scary decision that has caused many sleepless nights and hours of hard work, but it was the only real option available to me.

But it's been difficult, ( i never expected it to be easy) juggling the children, endless hospital appointments, and admissions , just to keep my head above the water, as i'm sure many other self-employed people know.

Having had a little break, i was looking forward to the Autumn to create some new work and perhaps even look at setting up my own website, as i way of progressing and moving forward.

Having looked at the domain names available, mangleprints.com and mangleprints.co.uk, i was shocked to find that this name had already been registered! To make matters worse, when i looked to see who had registered it, i found out that it was someone i know, not just a faceless person who was in it to try and make a quick profit, that, i could just about understand. I'm quite sure this person hasn't brought the name to give to me, so to know someone has done this out of spite or to make a profit is really hurtful to me.

I would like that person to know that i struggle to do what i so, and i don't make vast amounts of profits from it. In fact i'm lucky if i make enough to fund more materials. It's hard enough to make a living from being a self employed artist, without people you know making it any more difficult.

I resent having to write this post, as i feel i'm giving energy and time to a very petty person. I'm so lucky to have some very good friends and family, who support me in my (some would say foolish) pursuits, and those are the people that really matter.

Plans for the website are still afoot, and i'm sure with a few tweaks here and there the name will be irrelevant, but in the meanwhile i'll keep printing, making a mess and creating.

Sorry for the moan.

Amanda x

PS For those thinking of setting up their own website, register your domain name now, before someone else grabs it!

The Feather- Prints for sale on Folksy and Etsy

2011-08-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Feather Lino Print is now available to buy on my Folksy and Etsy Shops. Available in 2 different colour ways, red/ green and blue/pale blue.

Variations on a theme, Peacock Feather.

2011-08-27T02:51:00.000-07:00

It's been several weeks since I've attempted any printing, mainly because I've been taking some time out with the children with the school holidays. It seems that summer has by-passed us a little a we're now heading rapidly towards Autumn, and yesterday we saw weather that would be suitable in November rather than high August!

So it seemed a good day to try a little printing again. I've been thinking about some new prints, wanting to go bolder and bigger than my usual work, something fresh and new for the Autumn.

So i set about carving a print based upon the peacock feather, a lovely decorative image that can be interpreted in so many different ways. The first plate i cut turned out to be a return to type for me, a heavily folk inspired piece and perhaps still a little influenced by the meeting i had with Saira and her beautiful saris several weeks ago......

I was really pleased with this print, and the colours worked really well, but it wasn't the simple design i was looking for. So i decided to look again at the peacock feather design, this time keeping it very simple and stylized. I cut a new plate and decided to print on larger paper (A3 as opposed to the usual A4 size)

Although the second print needs a little tweaking and is far from the finished article, it was great to get the idea and print actually down on paper and has given my the inspiration i need for working larger in the future.

Greyfriars Art Festival, King's Lynn, 14th August

2011-08-10T02:20:00.000-07:00

I've been busy getting ready for my stall at the Greyfriars Art Festival in King's Lynn on Sunday. (12-4pm) I wanted to make a few new things for the day, so decided to make some notebooks from old mis prints that i've kept and some hand printed cards just for the stall.

lino prints

Notebooks made from mis-prints

Mini notebooks

Hand printed cards

I just hope the weather stays good, as it's a perfect venue for a picnic too, with live music in the gardens all afternoon. If you are in the area, please come along and say hello.

Greyfriars Art Festival, Tower Gardens, King's Lynn 12-4pm.

New Print- Blue China Lino Print and Wax.

2011-08-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

When i made the print and wax bunting, it struck me how similar it resembled old blue china and porcelain, so the obvious next step, was to produce a print full of blue china and crockery. These prints have a layer of wax too, creating a slight feeling of dainty old porcelain.

Now for sale on Folksy and Etsy.

Inspiration...Saira's Saris

2011-07-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

As always, i'm on a mission! I'm constantly on the look out for inspiring patterns, designs and colours to translate into prints and artwork, and this week i had a real treat when a friend of mine showed me these:

Saira's collection of saris looked wonderful all together with beautiful bold coloured silks and embroidery detail, some of them were her mothers, and some more recent, but altogether they looked stunning.

I'm going to be working with Saira to produce some artwork for a new project of hers (more on this later), and what a great source of inspiration to have !

Print and Ink

2011-07-22T03:28:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling to cut lots of lino recently due to a bit of wrist pain, so i've decided not to push my luck and try something a little less strenuous on the joints and have a go at using some artists inks in my work instead. I love using these inks, and the delicate effects you can create with them, in contrast to the bold style of the lino print.
So I've mixed the two methods, printing these little nightingales and hand finishing the pieces with artists inks. i quite like the idea of mixing the two mediums, and it's a lot less painful too !

Featured Artist-Wayne Lockwood, PingPrints.

2011-07-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

Lincoln based Illustrator and print maker Wayne Lockwood recently opened his Folksy shop, Ping Prints. His wonderful traditional Lino prints are created using a converted flat bed mangle, but as Wayne also explains, his other work is more hi-tech ! Together with his wife Becky, they also run Ping Creative, a commercial illustration business. More information can be found on Wayne's PingPrints Folksy Shop

http://www.folksy.com/shops/PingPrints and Ping Creative www.pingcreative.co.uk.

What is your background?

I've always been drawing since I was young but kind of lost my way much like many artists do when they start making a living. I didn't go to university when I was younger so never had the opportunity to nurture the artistic seed. What I did do was go into a series of uninspiring jobs which ended in me working with computers for a nationwide builder's merchant in Huddersfield. Regular pay being as seductive as it is I stayed in that job for an unholy amount of time until I decided to make a move towards going back to university. I took an A-level art and craft evening class, a lot of which seemed to concentrate on printmaking. I took to printmaking like a fish to water and after passing the A-level I went to Lincoln University to do Illustration BA. After graduating I started Ping Creative with my now wife Becky which we started as a commercial illustration business. We managed to muddle through the first couple of years with no real plan apart from work like crazy and ask everyone for jobs. We ended up doing editorial work for newspapers and magazines, children's books and clothing, greetings cards and wrap, company logos, all sorts. Recently, after a bad year we found ourselves getting into a rut, a great deal of our income coming from a single source so I decided to start selling my linoprints that I'd previously only done for pleasure under the name PingPrints. To my delight they seemed quite popular and that brings us to today.

What mediums do you work with?

In my PingPrints guise I'm currently working only with lino & oil based inks printed on a converted flatbed mangle. We're moving to a new house with a studio soon which will allow me more space to set up a screen to do screen printing with.

Watch this space.

As Ping Creative with my wife it's mainly vector graphics work on a mac but there is also lots of drawing, watercolour and paper engineering (another passion of mine - I'll see where that takes me in the next few years).

What other work do you do?

Greetings cards and wrapping paper for the main supermarkets and manufacturers here and in the US.

Editorial work for magazines and newspapers, especially the medical journals strangely enough. I don't know how that came about but it seems to have just steered that way by itself.

How do you market yourself?

I've just started showing my linoprints around so I feel like I'm just sounding the art and craft market out. So far I've applied to a lot of arts and crafts fairs many of which I'm still waiting to hear back from. I think just generally being at the craft fairs, being involved and supportive of the scene is a great way to get your name out there. An extension to that is social networking. Twitter, Facebook and the Folksy forums are all an essential tool in promoting the business. That being said flyers and business cards are still great at getting your name out there. I must go through ten business cards for every sale.

Where do you sell and exhibit?

I'm always looking for galleries and outlets (hint, hint) and I've been doing the rounds on the arts and craft fairs as well as exhibiting in Inspired gallery in Nottingham and the Jolly Brewer pub gallery in Lincoln. There's been a couple of commissions through Folksy under the name PingPrints and through the website www.pingcreative.co.uk

How do you see your work developing?

At the moment I'm staying to one colour just to keep costs down but once I get the linoprints moving I'd like to start printing with two, three or four colours. This pushes the price up so it's even more important to get established so people know what they're buying has been worked hard on, lovingly handmade & is good quality.

Also, as I mentioned before it'd be great to set up in screen printing too, maybe eventually leading to getting a letterpress and moving onto zinc-plate etching in the future.

Who are your heroes?

That's a hard one, I don't really have heroes as such. I have people who I really admire for their uncompromising single minded approach to getting their work in the public consciousness; Orla Kiely, Angie Lewin, Rob Ryan.

And there's also my obsession with comic book artists and writers like Jens Harder, Mike Mignola, J.H.Williams III, Charles Burns, Eric Drooker, Alan Moore & Grant Morrison.

If you could steal one piece from a gallery what would it be?

Mark Rothko, No.14. I could stare at it all day & see deeper textures every time.

What books and blogs can't you live without?

There are ones that immediately spring to mind. Cartoon Modern is a massive inspiration. Printmaking: Traditional & Contemporary Techniques is a great resource. A Smile in the Mind and The Art of Looking Sideways are both good for widening out your creative tunnel vision. Folksy's a daily visit. And obviously Print & Pattern.

Website:

www.pingcreative.co.uk

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1159749711

Twitter:

@WayneLockwood

Folksy:

http://www.folksy.com/shops/PingPrints

Inspired gallery

http://www.fhmall.co.uk/shops/inspired/

A New Print and Inspiration

2011-07-12T05:15:00.000-07:00

I've always been a huge fan of William Morris's work and the beautiful craftsmanship of the Arts and Crafts movement. I've really regretted not being able to get to see the Cult Of Beauty Exhibition at The V&A museum, but by the magic of the internet I've been to look through the wonderful archives that the museum has on-line, including this stunning design by William Morris. The Strawberry Thief is a beautiful piece of design that Morris used for fabrics, and was inspired by the thrushes that came into his garden at Kelmscott Manor.
Although one of his more famous designs, it was lovely to look at this piece with fresh eyes again, and it really inspired me to get printing again.

So my new print combines similar themes to Morris's stunning piece, although i have used one of my favorite flowers, the Peony, and two little Nightingales.

Also inspiration came from fellow blogger and print maker Jaqui Dodds, who has produced some stunning pieces working at Wightwick Manor this year. A beautiful building in Wolverhampton with pieces by Morris, Rossetti and Burne-Jones. More about Jaqui's work and Wightwick Manor can be found on her blog. http://jacquidodds.blogspot.com/

New Stockist- Creake Abbey Studios.

2011-07-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, i had a lovely meeting with Jane and Su from Love Cushions, at Creake Abbey Studios in North Norfolk, who will now being stocking my cards and prints.
Set among the lovely ruins of Creake Abbey, the Studios are home to a selection of local, independant shops and the Creakey Cafe and an award winning Farmers Market held on the first Saturday of each month.
http://www.lovecushions.co.uk/

http://www.creakeabbeystudios.co.uk/

Print and Wax Collages

2011-07-07T05:37:00.000-07:00

Having had a great tidy up this week, i was horrified by the amount of old prints and paper i had collected, and not bothered to recycle or throw away. Silly scraps of handmade paper, books, maps , old prints that i couldn't use because of a crease of fault in the printing, the list goes on ...!

Having some left wax from the bunting, i wanted to do something with this great big pile of stuff, so made these little collages made of old lino prints and wax. I love seeing something made from things that would usually be thrown away, but that doesn't really bode well for the future in my addiction to hoarding, and keeping the mess under control! oh well : )

Hand Printed Bunting

2011-07-02T05:15:00.000-07:00

I've just finished making a new batch of print and wax bunting, with new designs and colours. I'd thought it would be quite nice to show you how i make it, and what goes behind each string of bunting..........perhaps even have a go yourself!

First, i cut the lino. I cut the lino into a flag shape, and carve the designs on to each plate. I have used three different designs, for each string of bunting.

Bunting lino plates

The plates are then printed, using the mangle, onto paper sheets and left to dry. When dry, they can then be cut into individual flags for the bunting.

Piles of unwaxed printed flags

The next process get a little messy....in fact printing in general is really messy, but it really is worth covering any surfaces that you don want to get ruined with newspaper! I use clear wax granules, and heat them in an old pan until then melt and get very hot. Obviously, you need to make sure that the wax doesn't get too hot and catch on fire, so vigilance is essential! Each flag is painted with a coat of hot wax and left to dry. Once dry, it's possible to polish the print with a soft cloth.

clear wax granules

Once the wax on the flags are dry and polished, they can then threaded to together to make a string of bunting.

This bunting is also available on Folksy and Etsy .

Chicken for sale!

2011-06-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

With the ink finally dry, these prints are now on sale on Folksy and Etsy.

I'm going to be listing the single colours of teal and red for now, but if anyone is interested in the multi-coloured, please let me know.

New prints and a chicken dilemma !

2011-06-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

For a long time now, i have been itching to create a chicken print, it's only natural to get inspired by these beautiful birds, and anyone who keeps them knows how easily it is to get attached to them, making them a natural subject.

The problem i have is that there has been so many wonderful prints of chickens by other print makers, that i have been in a bit dilemma as to making one myself. Well why not? So i've been busy creating a new print of my chicken (Betty), sorry, but i couldn't resist ! Lots of different colours , combinations and papers, all waiting to dry. More pictures soon.

Going Green.........

2011-06-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for the wonderful get well wishes, i'm quickly getting back on my feet again and on the mend : )

It's amazing the association we all have with colour. For me, the colour green symbolises healing , regeneration, hope and restoration. At the moment i'm surrounded by the colour, and how lovely it is to have this re-growth around me after a long period of tiredness. The garden seems as lush as ever, after a an unusually dry Spring, with drought and dry winds, we have finally had some decent amount of rain (yay!!) and everything seems to be coming back to life. My one remaining chicken (Betty ) seems especially happy at the moment digging up the plants and herbs that are finally starting to do something!

It seemed odd, with all this in mind, that several weeks ago i printed in a spell of Green...going away from the usual colours of red and blue and teal and experimented with some new hues...

.............and even printed a Green Man lino print to use up some odd size paper i had lying around....

But the best thing about this time of year and all things Green is the new season of Samphire! Full of vitamins to encourage healing and regrowth, just what i need at moment. Wonderful green spears that grow on the salt marshes of East Anglia, ready to boil and eat with butter or vinegar, wonderful!

Slight Blip............

2011-06-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it just goes to show that you can never take anything for granted! Things were going swimmingly recently, very busy and in the flow of creating new prints and ideas for new work, when i get hit by an attack of acute hemolytic anemia! A low hemoglobin count meant that i had to pop into hospital for a few days to get my blood topped up with a blood transfusion and monitoring- (not part of the plan!)
Since being diagnosed with a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency about 5 years ago, the anemia is something i have had to accept as part of my life, but with help from a great team of consultants and nurses, I've managed to avoid a hospital admission for about a year, so this latest one came as a bit of a surprise !
I would like thank to the fabulous nursing staff on Shouldham ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital for all your hard work xx

But it's a slight blip, it's great to be back home and feeling better................with my mind racing with ideas for a new prints!

Featured Artist- Phil Barrington

2011-06-09T03:55:00.000-07:00

Every artist hopefully has a response to the surroundings they live in, using different mediums and techniques to recall the environment they live in. Fellow King’s Lynn artist Phil Barrington, observes and records his environment by using photography, narrative and mixed media. Often focusing on the darker elements of life in a small rural town, where decay, financial hardship and hopelessness hit communities hard, his images are often striking, disturbing yet beautiful and always deserving of comment and discussion.

You can find out more about Phil’s work on his website www.barringtonarts.com and his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BarringtonArts

What is your background?

I am a conceptual artist who was born, and still lives, in East Anglia, England. Ever since I was a small child (in the vulgar 1980's) I always had a passion for art, and for art history. Throughout my childhood I liked to draw, predominantly, but also to make makeshift bootleg VHS sleeve collages for "video nasties", underground films and banned movies. There is very little juvenilia left in my archives to see today, but the one or two examples that remain point to a more dark and surreal direction. Because I always had such an interest in art, I was ludicrously arrogant enough to side-line fine art degree courses (what could they teach me that I couldn't have the joy of finding out for myself? etc.) and had chosen, instead, to study a BA in Humanities - majoring in Sociology, but also

with an interest in classic romanticism. In February 2007 my mother died and, now with glorious hindsight, I feverishly worked through my grief by loitering around abandoned / gutted factories and assorted disused industrial buildings, taking a camera or two along for the ride. Thus the cathartic outpouring began.

What mediums do you work with?

Creative photography, acrylic and spray paints, mixed media elements, household chemicals, blood (my own, of course), creative writing, video, sound, prosthetics, and some graphical work. Oh, and marketing (never underestimate marketing as a medium in its own right).

What other work do you do?

I am currently in my last days (hopefully) of doing contractual work for local publications, websites and regional magazines that are supposed to attract visitors to the local area. Chances are, if you have seen any printed magazine or website page by the local Borough Council, you would have seen some examples of my (uncredited) bog-standard street photography.

How do you market yourself?

In many ways - via press packs and merchandise (ie trashy novelty freebies) for possible interest from publications, printed campaigns such as good old-fashioned posters and invite cards, social media such as blogs and facebook pages, viral trailers and documentary films, and through my website;www.barringtonarts.com

Where do you sell and exhibit?

I sell in galleries, and online through my website (I won't plug it again - I'm not THAT shameless. Or am I?). Physically speaking, I have exhibited solo shows in galleries in King's Lynn, Norwich, and Cambridge. This year I am concentrating on getting my new work out into the public realm via an online campaign (through crack-town.blogspot.com and via my facebook page), but am squeezing an exhibition of my new work in at the Brick

Lane Gallery in London in late July (more news of that to come on my facebook page). Also, some exciting ideas of new ways for exhibiting my work are rattling around in my tired head at the moment, but nothing I can verbalise right now.

How do you see your work developing?

Bowie said that, in hindsight, for every album he has ever done, at least one song on it points to the next album for him. Judging by the effect that some of my recent works has had on me, I think I shall more finely develop, and more conspicuously use, mixed media elements - probably to the point where the original photograph is barely seen at all. Maybe even develop my style into doing photographic works without using a camera.

Who are your heroes?

Calling Francis Bacon a hero implies that he somehow had special powers. Which, of course, he had - but he never fought crime with them. Joel-Peter Witkin cannot be ignored, nor can the whole transgression movement of the 1980s, nor the art of David Lynch.

If you could steal one piece from a gallery what would it be?

Being only down the road from me, I'd break into the Norwich Sainsbury Centre in the early hours and smuggle out as many of their Bacons as my greasy mitts could carry. Hmmm...I shouldn't have told you that.

If that plan fails, then I'd squeeze into the queue of burglars outside the Oslo Munch Museum and wait for my turn to steal The Scream.

And if THAT plan fails (my plans often go tits-up), then I'd just storm into Baudoin Lebon and nab Witkin's 'Ars Moriendi'.

What books and blogs can't you live without?

The Victor Bockris biography of Warhol. The 'Anatomy of an Enigma' Bacon bio. My (personally signed) Witkin brochure from a 1980's US exhibition. And any personal blog written by any citizen of a war-torn country.

Phil Barrington
www.facebook.com/BarringtonArts
www.barringtonarts.com
www.crack-town.blogspot.com
www.abandonallhopenow.blogspot.com

Printing Day

2011-06-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Finally, today, i managed to have a printing day ! It seems like an age since I've managed to cut a new plate and print it, always something getting in the way, so it a was great to be able to experiment with this new print. More tweeking needed to get it just right, but had fun getting my hands dirty again!

New Cards

2011-06-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

A fresh delivery of newly printed cards arrived yesterday- i felt like a child at Christmas! Having unpacked them all and sorted them into packs of three, they are now available to buy on Folksy and Etsy.

One Year on..........

2011-05-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a whole year since i started this little blog, reaching 100 followers on the 100th post! When i started, i doubted anybody would be remotely interested in my ramblings or artwork, so i have been completely overwhelmed by all the lovely comments and the amazing people i have met since starting the blog.

Physically, it's been a difficult year, with an underlying health issue rearing it's ugly head now and again (which i won't bore you with) but i have been lucky enough to be able to keep producing work and continue printing (with varying success!!). One year on, i now realise that i'm totally addicted to the print making process and i'm not really happy unless i'm cutting, inking, rolling and generally getting my hands dirty with ink!

Thank you all, once again for all your amazing support.
Amanda x

Featured Artist- Melanie Wickham

2011-05-28T05:49:00.000-07:00

Melanie Wickham is a print maker based in Bristol. Her wonderfully warm and humorous prints are filled with animals, birds, allotments and the environment around her. Melanie very kindly took the time to answer a few questions about her work and inspiration. I hope you enjoy her work as much as i do, more information can be found on her website and blog.

What is your background?

I have always been a 'drawer' since I was tiny and when I went to college it was to study Illustration at UWE Bristol. My time there was a little bit aimless as I didn't really have a clear style for producing finished work where drawing was not the answer - until I discovered printmaking properly - right in the last two terms...ggrrrr.

When I left college I didn't want to spend money on equipment or a studio and started lino printing at home, on the kitchen table, just as a way to keep printing really, whilst working part-time in local art galleries, musical instrument shops, pubs, all kinds of fun jobs!

Over time, with interruptions from children, my lino printing has built up and I'm now really happy with the amount of printing I do and the balance of my week!

What mediums do you work with?

Drawing and lots of lino printing.

I love drawing and enjoy both working from life and doing crazy doodles from my imagination.

What other work do you do?

I work for a couple of days each week at our local museum, which is half museum and half art gallery. I really enjoy working there; interesting things are always going on and I also find it a great source of inspiration - especially all the weird and wonderful things that go on behind the scenes. There are some amazing collections in the basement...

How do you market yourself?

I don't do a great deal of marketing... cards at exhibitions and art fairs, an online blog and website and occasional flurries of approaching galleries with my images. Word of mouth works well for me and also the fantastic art galleries and craft shops that stock my work do such good work in putting my pictures in front of new people who I would never otherwise find (some have sold my work for over 10 years now).

Where do you sell and exhibit?

I do a few local art and craft fairs each year and also have work in galleries around England and Wales. I've also branched out into tea towels and canvas bags with my images on in the last couple of years and sell these in shops as well as on Folksy, although my shop there has only just opened and needs lots more stock!

How do you see your work developing?

I am really happy printmaking and love getting unusual commissions from people - currently an eco-shop logo, but I have just finished a picture of a man feeding Brazil nuts to seagulls next to some cranes at the docks...

I love the challenge of coming up with new ideas and images that work well and don't feel like I've finished with lino yet - maybe one day I'll even try a colour...

Who are your heroes?

My art heroes are many and ever changing - I admire all who can make a living from their creativity and love the determination and dedication that people will pour into their work, especially in the early days of their art careers when there isn't a clear way ahead or easy way to balance their creativity with daily life.

I look at all kinds of artists' work and am often drawn to painters, maybe it's the colour palette...an artist who I have gone back to over many years is Squeak Carnwath,

www.squeakcarnwath.com/print_sale.html#

but also a lot of illustrators. One of my favourites is Kveta Tacovska, whose work is not easy to find online, but it is there and well worth a good search (http://images.google.com/images?q=Květa%20Pacovská&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=591) - I love her marks, layouts, colours, use of space, typography, playfulness....well everything really. And my children have loved her books too (or have I just insisted we read them regularly because I want to!)

If you could steal one piece from a gallery what would it be?

I think one of Edward Bawdens series of lino prints advertising the London Underground - I have some posters of them at home but would be really really happy to replace them with an original.

http://www.ltmcollection.org/posters/artist/artist.html?IXartist=Edward+Bawden

What books and blogs can't you live without?

The books that have influenced my work the most are:

Birds Britannica by Mark Cocker and Richard Mabey

Mrs Byrnes Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words by Josefa Heifetz Byrne

Ladybird Books History Series

I cannot count the number of ideas that have come from reading these, although my thought process may be slightly abstract and if I have a 'block' an hour curled up with one of these soon gets me thinking again.

There are so many great blogs and I love spending an evening catching up with my favourites but how could I choose even a few? I am constantly amazed by what people are doing in blog world and it is such a great way to connect with other artists and see work from around the world.

Melanie's blog
Melanie's website
Melanie's Folksy shop

Lino Print and Wax Bunting

2011-05-11T01:38:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun making print and wax garlands last year, that i thought it would be great to make something similar for the summer, and what better than this delicate bunting ? Each flag was hand printed in pale blue ink then coated with a layer of hot wax to enable me to thread the prints on the string. The wax makes the paper translucent, letting lots of light through, perfect for hanging at a window. Although quite time consuming, they are great fun to make. I love spending time, sitting in the garden stringing the flags together, making the most the lovely warm weather we've been having.

The bunting is for sale on my Folksy and Etsy sites.

Two Herons

2011-05-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

It was great to get back to printing again today- after a little break with the school holidays. One of things i manged to print was this new lino cut of two herons. Although they look a little oriental, these are definitely two Norfolk birds ! Perhaps they were inspired by the herons i see along the small river that runs along the by-pass, as i drive home from the school run ?

Church Street Gallery- Saffron Walden

2011-05-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

I'm really delighted to now have work for sale in the wonderful Church Street Gallery in Saffron Walden, Essex. It's a beautiful little market town, full of historical buildings, antique and book shops. The gallery itself has an amazing selection of artwork and prints from local and national artists. More information can be found on their website : http://www.church-street-gallery.co.uk/

Five Flowers Print

2011-04-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

So the new prints (five flowers) are now all dry and ready for sale.- in my Folksy and Etsy shops.

New prints

2011-04-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Had a busy day printing today- a new print to compliment my Five Birds print i made last year. This time i have based the print around five stylised flowers, inspired by Scandinavian ceramic and textile design. It's always lovely printing in colour, in this case, mustard, red and a teal blue- the yellow working particularly well.

Spring Sky

2011-04-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

There was an amazing sky during the week. The whole sky seemed to to be a mix of stunning blue and vivid orange. Always on the lookout for inspiration, i grabbed my camera and took a few pictures from my back garden. I love the silhouettes of the neighbour's aerials and chimneys against the sky, really dramatic!

Things i love........The mysterious picture!

2011-04-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

This picture has always been in my parents house, and has always caused a bit of an argument between my mum , who hates the piece and my dad, who loves it! My dad brought the picture (in this frame) at Doncaster flea market in the mid 70's from a man who was having a house clearance, and that's all i know about the piece. I have always wanted to know who it was by, as there is no signature showing, and a little more about the piece. I presume it's a print/ reproduction- but if anybody recognises the artist or has more information, that would be fantastic! I personally agree with my Dad- and love the piece, sorry mum!

New wood block prints

2011-04-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago i created these black and white ink drawings with all intentions of making prints from them. They are inspired by the different elements if the Norfolk landscape. I've finally got around to making this image into a print, this time using ply wood rather than lino. I decided to print it in a softer colour rather than the black and white, to reflect the feel of the Norfolk landscape. This is Norfolk #1, with Norfolk#2 to follow soon.

New Stockist-Handmade Britain, Gottohaveit.co.uk

2011-04-08T03:10:00.000-07:00

Great news, i now have a new on-line stockist via Gottohaveit's new Handmade Britain site: http://www.gottohaveit.co.uk/product/two-grey-birds-lino-print. A fabulous new site, launched this week, with lots of gorgeous handmade products from makers all over the UK.

Featured artist-Megan Eckman, Studio MME

2011-04-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

Megan Eckman/Studio MME from San Jose, California, is a pen and ink illustrator who loves making kids smile with her quirky pen and ink illustrations. From girls who grow antlers and run away to the woods to magical fish that grant 3 wishes, Megan tries to make her viewers ask, "Why couldn't that happen?More information can be found on her website: www.studiomme.com

What is your background?

In 2009 I graduated with degrees in art and creative writing. I then picked up my belongings and moved cross-country from North Dakota to California so my boyfriend could pursue his graduate degree in photography. I’ve now settled into my sunny home (though I’m far too pale to live here – which is why I own three tubes of sunscreen at all times) and am loving my new creative community.

What mediums do you work with?

Generally I work with pen and ink. I’m a HUGE fan of the technical Rapidograph pens, which are slowly going out of existence thanks to drafting computer programs. I just branched out into screenprinting as well! So excited!!

What other work do you do?

I’m a freelance writer for Backpacker magazine and write recipes about once a month for them. I also contribute every other week to Indie Made (http://www.indiemade.com) with business articles for creative entrepreneurs.

How do you market yourself?

I’m a huge believer in the power of blogs and that’s where I spend the majority of my time. In addition to keeping my own blog (http://www.studiomme.com/blog-2) fresh and entertaining for my readers, I contact blogs that fit my target market to look into guest posts or features. I’m also active on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/studiomme).

Where do you sell and exhibit?

I sell limited edition prints of my pen and ink illustrations on my website (http://www.studiomme.com). In addition I sell open edition prints and home décor items on Etsy (http://www.studiomme.etsy.com). Locally, I sell at the SF Renegade Craft and other Bay area events.

How do you see your work developing?

I recently launched a home décor line that features my work on canvas pillowcases. I’m thinking of developing a line of handbags as well, as my sewing skills improve. I’m also, secretly, working on a small illustrated book that will be coming out in the middle of April via my mailing list for free!

Who are your heroes?

Ever since the museum I worked for exhibited a show on Rodin’s sculptures, I’ve been an enormous fan of Camille Claudel. Her tragic story struck such a deep chord with me and because of her I have pushed forward in my art.

If you could steal one piece from a gallery what would it be?

Oooh, good question. If security and sniffer dogs and the FBI were not going to land on my front door, I think I would take Klimt’s “Salome”.

What books and blogs can't you live without?

Books:

“The Princess Bride” by William Goldman

“Howl’s Moving Castle” by Diana Wynne Jones

“Sabriel” by Garth Nix

Anything by Patricia McKillip

Blogs:

Scoutie Girl by Tara Gentile (http://www.scoutiegirl.com/)

Olive Bites by Cat Ivins (http://olivebites.blogspot.com/)

Inside a Black Apple by Emily Winfield (http://theblackapple.typepad.com/inside_a_black_apple/)

Eastern Open 2011

2011-04-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to have had my piece "North End" selected for the Eastern Open Exhibition this year. Now in it's 42nd year, the Eastern Open is a competition open to all artists from East Anglia- Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridge combining drawing, painting, film,printmaking and painting. This year 128 pieces were selected by judges Professor Nick De Ville, London based artist film maker Anna Lucas and artist Poul Webb.
Having attended the opening yesterday, it was great to see such a cross section of work and encouraging to see lots of printmakers being selected for the show. (Not that i'm biased !)
The Eastern Open is being held at The King's Lynn Arts Centre King's Lynn, from 2nd April-21st May, Tues to Sat 10am -5pm.

The Boat Race

2011-03-31T01:29:00.000-07:00

Another new print I've been working on, is a piece called The Boat Race - i have been experimenting with getting this right, with the composition, patterns and colours in the piece. Sometimes, i find the best way to judge, is to just print the piece, and see what you can change things from there. So this is a start...perhaps a draft for the finished piece, or keep it as it is? Decisions, Decisions!

Bird and Roses

2011-03-30T06:12:00.000-07:00

Having some left over ink, from another project- i decided to reprint a small run of my favorite lino plate (although i don't need much of an excuse to print this one!) This print is now available from the Folksy and Etsy shops.

New Stockist-The Eclectic Pearl

2011-03-26T01:53:00.000-07:00

I'm really pleased to have a new on-line stockist with The Eclectic Pearl. Pearly's lovely new on-line shop stocks a range a beautiful hand crafted items including wood, glass, ceramics, paper, stone, fabric and limited edition prints, including my Five Bird Lino Print and Two Grey Bird Print.

http://www.theeclecticpearl.co.uk

Bluebell and Rosie

2011-03-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Continuing with a series of features from other artists and makers, Kate from Bluebell and Rosie talks about her work , influences and her on-line shops on Folksy and Etsy. Kate uses textiles, and decoupage to create unique items, more about her work and her passion for Chicken Keeping can be found on her blog http://bluebellandrosie.blogspot.com/

What is your background?
In my past life I worked as a Legal Secretary and qualified as a Paralegal. I had a bad experience working for a new company and decided it was no longer an area I wanted to work in. I was unemployed for a year and a half and in that time set up a small website specialising in fair trade gifts. I set up in 2007 and it went really well until the credit crunch took hold. The business cost very little to run but I’d lost the enjoyment of it and so in August last year I decided to close and focus on new projects. Other than my Paralegal qualification, I have no formal qualifications.

What mediums do you work with?
It really depends on what I’m making! I love working with fabrics and have a pretty good stash to choose from. I usually tend to stick to the same colours and patterns although my stash is actually pretty varied.
For my decoupage, I tend to use postage stamps or old beer labels. I love the idea that something mundane that gets thrown away without a moment’s though can be re-used to create something new that people love. I’m particularly drawn to stamps, there’s so many different designs and some of them are so pretty!

What other work do you do?
My craft work slots in after my full time office job.

How do you market yourself?
This is something I really struggle with as I always worry about spamming people. I do get asked about it a lot though and I’m planning on doing a blog post about it shortly. Running my previous business gave me a lot of experience with marketing which I can put to use now. I do very little formal advertising but you can find me in various places online: Twitter, Facebook, flickr and my blog. One thing I really struggle with is not getting too sucked into these things – it’s amazing how an hour can go by and you’ve very little to show for it! I’ve also been lucky with some blog mentions including various Folksy Friday posts. Offline, I don’t currently do any advertising.

Where do you sell / exhibit?
My main shop is on Folksy (http://www.folksy.com/shops/katelj). I also have a shop on etsy which is really rather neglected and Wow Thank You, which is also a bit neglected! I tend to focus on Folksy as its where I’ve had the most success and interaction with people.

What books and blogs can't you live without?
I read so many of both that it’s hard to choose! When I’ve lost my mojo there’s a few blogs that I dip in and out of:
Folksy blog – I try to read this frequently as it’s my main selling platform and they have some really helpful articles for sellers.
Etsy blog - particularly the ‘Quit your dayjob’ posts!
One Pretty Thing - this links to 1000’s of other sites with craft tutorials and crafty business info

New Prints and Beach Huts!

2011-03-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

Living so near to the North Norfolk Coast, it's very difficult not to be inspired by the coast and those lovely little beach huts that act as havens from the ever changeable British weather. Unfortunately, we don't own one, but imagine if we did, we would spend most of our time there, even in the winter, with tea, soup and hot chocolate to keep us warm !

Plus, new fresh fish! Bright, fresh prints perfect for Spring.

International Women's Day-Margaret Kilgallen

2011-03-08T02:19:00.000-08:00

As it's International Womens Day today, i thought it would be nice to feature one of my favorite female artists, Margeret Kilgallen, whose work, amongst others proved a real inspiration to me.
Margaret Kilgallen was an American artist, whose paintings and murals reflected a variety of influences, including the dying art of hand-painted signs, elements of American folk art, mural painting, and a variety of formal painting strategies. At an early age, she was impressed by examples of works by Southwest and Mexican artists, and she employed these artists' use of warm colors in her own painting. Her many works in gouache and acrylic on found paper (often discarded book end papers) reflect an interest in typographic styles and symbology that can be traced to her work as a book conservator with Dan Flanagan at the San Francisco Public Library in the early to mid-1990s.
Margaret died in 2001, at age 33, from complications of breast cancer three weeks after the birth of Asha, her daughter with her husband and collaborator Barry McGee. Kilgallen has since been the subject of several posthumous retrospectives.

Margaret's work has been such an inspiration for me, her bold use of images and text used in unusual settings. I hope it continues to inspire young women and artists in generations to come.

"I believe there need to be women visual in our every day landscape, working hard and doing their own thing, whether you like it or not, whether it's acceptable or not...I especially hope to inspire young women because often I feel like so much emphasis is put on how beautiful you are, and how thin you are, and not a lot of emphasis is put on what you can do and how smart you are. I'd like to change that, change the emphasis of what's important when looking at a woman."- Margaret Kilgallen

More print experiments...

2011-03-03T12:57:00.000-08:00

For those that have read the posts on this blog before, you may know that i have very limited resources available to me- a collapsible mangle as a press, a kitchen table and that's really about it.. So for me to get an image that i want i have to resort to other methods other than the print process, experimenting to get some new results. This lino print was cut in one piece, but after i printed it, i wanted to add texture to the piece, so i used ink and pencil over the print to add more texture. The result being a weird hybrid of print and ink. The original idea came form a blackbird that used to live outside my studio space at the time.

New Folksy and Etsy Prints

2011-03-01T04:35:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while i like to make new prints for the Etsy and Folksy shops. These little prints, remind me that Spring is just around the corner ( fingers crossed!)

North end

2011-02-28T08:38:00.000-08:00

Anybody that comes from or knows King's Lynn will be aware of Northend, the fishing community that was situated near the northern part of the town near the river. Despite a hand full of boats and families that still fish in the town, much of the fishing industry has now gone, along with many of the "yards" and buildings in the area.
I made this piece last year, after reading a history of the community by Frank Castleton, a local historian and family member of a long line of fishermen King's Lynn. It's a chaotic piece, using lino print, ink, and text, but i think it works well with the business that would have been in the area at the time. For me it wasn't just about the fishermen and boats, but about the whole community, the women and children who also lived there. Northend had it's own school (no longer there) and church (St Nicholas Chapel), along with a very strong sense of identity.
More information about the area and the fishing community can be found by visiting True's Yard in King's Lynn, a museum dedicated to the North End community and the fishing industry of King's Lynn.

Featured Artist-Helen Hallows

2011-02-25T10:18:00.000-08:00

Fellow Folksy and Etsy artist, Helen Hallows, creates wonderful pieces of artwork via different mediums including textiles, collage and ink. Helen uses her designs on a variety of products, but recently launched a range of ceramics, including ceramic tiles that can be brought from her Folksy and Etsy shops. Life for Helen is in the Midlands with her husband, cats, chickens and an angry African snail called One Eye Willy !

What is your background?

I did a degree in Woven Textiles at Loughborough College of Art and

Design. After that I worked in a home boutique whilst building a

commercial portfolio. I freelanced through an agent, creating

embroidered and appliqued designs for home and fashion clients. I

didn't use computers at all so it was a bit of a shock, when my agent

closed her business, to realise that everyone had gone digital! So,

I've been catching up.

What mediums do you work with?

I create original artworks in ink, collage and stitch. This style

developed on from working in applique with fabrics. I did some card

designs with layered papers and really liked the added stitch

element. I also work digitally for the greetings card industry. I

still use collage though, scanning and manipulating them in

Photoshop. More recently, I've launched a ceramics range with my

artwork on. I don't make the ceramics, but I do apply the transfers

by hand and have had to come to terms with kilns.

What other work do you do?

I work pretty much full time, balancing design work, creating

original artworks and commissions, and getting my ceramics ready for

exhibitions and shows.

How do you market yourself?

Marketing myself doesn't come naturally, having an agent is great as

he sells the designs for me. Selling my work to galleries and at

fairs has become easier; I find it easier to tell strangers what I'm

up to than friends! I use online networking, Facebook and Linkedin

and my blog. I've recently discovered Derbyshire Arts, they have a

listings website. Mostly though I hope people see the work and fall

in love with it. I've also started doing workshops (one coming up on

March 13th in Bolsover), which is a great way of promoting and

sharing what I do. I have just become an Associate Member of Design

Factory who are great at sharing marketing opportunities.

Where do you sell and exhibit?

I have work in four galleries, The Beetroot Tree in Draycott, Beans

Coffee Shop Gallery in Bolsover, Thoresby Gallery in Ollerton and

Opus Gallery in Ashbourne. I've got a solo exhibition at the Opus

Gallery during April. I also sell at Makers' Markets and festivals

(see my blog for details). Folksy and Etsy mean I can sell securely

online.

How do you see your work developing?

I've come along way in a short time, it's only eighteen months since

I started doing my own personal artwork whilst at home with my second

baby. It's time for me to decide what is working successfully for

me. I enjoy selling at the art fairs and makers' markets, and this

year I'm hoping to take part in art festivals at Wirksworth and

Melbourne, Derbyshire. I'd also like to do some more workshops.

Who are your heroes?

Vanessa Bell of Bloomsbury and Omega fame for her breadth of

creativity and bohemian lifestyle. Frida Kahlo, for her strength and

creativity in the face of such pain, and for wearing that eyebrow so

beautifully!

If you could steal one piece from a gallery what would it be?

It would have to be a Picasso. He lived and breathed creativity with

every pore of his body. But which one would I steal? I love the

sensual way he depicted women, perhaps 'Femme nue allongee' 1955,

because it’s a collage.

What books and blogs can't you live without?

Favourite books:

Brave on the Rocks - Sabrina Ward Harrison....I find her work really inspiring. It's eclectic and personal and inspired me to use collage and expressive mark.

Bloomsbury Rooms- Christopher Reed.....Beautiful interiors. I always want to paint the walls, doors and furniture when I look at this book

Signs and Symbols - Maud Wahlman....Practical and beautiful quilts made from scraps of nothing by African American quilters. Inspires me to re-use and recycle and see the worth and beauty of cloth.

Favourite blogs:

Soulemama for lifestyle inspiration http:// www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

Print Pattern for design inspiration http://printpattern.blogspot.com/

Pia Jane Bijkerk for beautiful images http://blog.piajanebijkerk.com/WordPress/

More information:

http://www.folksy.com/shops/helenhallows

http://www.helenhallows.blogspot.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/HelenHallows?ref=pr_shop

Neil Pittaway-Engravings, King's Lynn Art Centre

2011-02-21T06:38:00.000-08:00

Neil Pittaway - A Retrospective
15 January - 26 February | Shakespeare Barn & Red Barn
Neil Pittaway, born in Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1973 is a young British artist whose detailed and complex work, draws predominantly for its inspiration on the city, via a maze of architectural and historic subjects from 18th and 19th century artists Piranesi, Gillray and Cruikshank. This retrospective illustrates how contemporary themes are used to offer a fresh look at heritage and also reflects his commitment to observation whilst journeying across continents absorbing the colour and spirit of a place. A unique opportunity also to view the intricate images that populate some of his 13 leather bound sketchbooks. The youngest member of the Royal Watercolour Society and with work in public and private collections worldwide, Neil has been drawing and painting most of his life, inspired in the first instance perhaps by being runner up in a Blue Peter dinosaur competition when he was only 6!

www.njpittaway.co.uk

Fantastic Exhibition now showing at King's Lynn Art Centre.

More Mangle Print Cards

2011-02-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

More card packs have arrived in the Mangle Prints Folksy and Etsy shops- i have restocked some of the popular designs, plus added a few new ones to the mix, please feel free to have a look !

CSM to lose print workshops to Byam Shaw

2011-02-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

CSM to lose print workshops to Byam Shaw

target: Central Saint Martins Administration
sponsored by: Philippa White (stage 2 BA GD
signature goal: 1,000
signatures: 416

This is a petition to register our disappointment and disapproval at the CSM administration’s proposal to move our print workshops (screenprinting and etching) facilities to Byam Shaw as a consequence of the move to King’s Cross.

Note – Byam Shaw is part of Central Saint Martins. CSM is part of the University of the Arts, London. The move to a new building at King’s Cross was promoted as a way of consolidating people and resources within one building. This plan has been abandoned without consultation.

Moving the print workshops to Byam Shaw is a further attempt to promote a digital environment across a greater part of CSM. We are losing facilities that have been integral to the identity of CSM, critical on a daily basis for past generations of graphic design students, and for their development as graphic designers.

We have paid for, and expected, and have devoted, our educations to facilities at CSM that should stay highly competitive with and at the forefront of art and design institutions. This is our experience, our education, our careers, and our lives.

Do not let them take this away from us.

We are suspicious that this move to Byam Shaw will mean less access, more difficulty, a less streamlined experience, and perhaps further cutbacks in our experience. We would like a convincing explanation of how this will not detract from our experience. We say that this is unfair, a breach of our learning agreement and contract with CSM, and unacceptable.

Please help these students keep these invaluable facilities, takes second to sign, and it would be such a shame if they lost it. Many thanks.

Wax and Print

2011-02-13T04:48:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago i had a go at printing a block of winter trees, i was unsuccessful, but it was interesting to try new ideas any way. This time i tried again, using a single tree, then experimented by adding pencil and ink to the image, to slightly alter it. After this, i then waxed each print, to make the paper translucent. I now have a series of waxed plates which i can now play around to achieve the picture i want.

Almost Monday Print Exchange

2011-02-08T05:31:00.000-08:00

Love Birds and Nest w Eggs by Almost Monday-Etsy

I was really excited this morning to open a parcel from the states. I had recently exchanged prints with fellow Etsy Printmaker, Serena from Almost Monday- and look what arrived today ! I love this fantastic little lino print and the message that came with it, really uplifting ! Serena creates lino and intaglio prints and more of her work can be seen on her blog and her Etsy shop.

Wax Heart Strings

2011-02-04T05:35:00.000-08:00

I'm a firm believer in romance all year round, not just for Valentines Day. These lino print and wax heart string garlands are a true reminder of love all year round. Delicate hearts that let light through when hung near a window, made from waxed paper lino prints.

Zingy Birds

2011-01-31T06:02:00.000-08:00

A new print based on a design i have used before with birds and leaves. This variation is printed in a bright red and a lovely grey blue ink. Limited to an edition of 20 prints each.

Keeping it simple

2011-01-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

After a period of carving intricate lino plates, which i love, it was good to go back and look at simple lines and shapes again. Inspired by the elegance of the wading birds of The Wash and North Norfolk, this little print, was a joy to carve and print. It's nice sometimes to back to simplicity and basics.

Things I love.....Edward Lear

2011-01-22T13:27:00.000-08:00

Ever since i can remember this book has been in my parents house. I remember as a child staring in disbelief the surreal and absurd drawings of cats in boats, ladies in top heavy hats and fish with ridiculous legs! Long before the brilliant Milligan and his own particular brand of nonsense, Lear created a surreal world of nonsense and ridiculousness that was illustrated by beautifully warm drawings and sketches. I especially love the ones with his beloved cat, Foss, who often featured in many of his drawings. I now have the book, and it's one of the small things i treasure and love, which never ceases to make me smile when i open it.

Cards

2011-01-16T02:49:00.000-08:00

I had a lovely delivery yesterday of cards i had ordered of some of my existing designs and prints. I was really excited to open the box and see all the cards together , a real vibrant mix of colour and pattern. I love hand printing my cards, but these digitally reproduced ones have been a real surprise. They'll be available in the Folksy shop in packs of three of each design. More hand printed cards to come in the future though, with a few new designs in the pipe line.

Experimenting with Block Printing-warts and all!

2011-01-14T08:25:00.000-08:00

One of the block prints i was actually happy with.

Bee Tree block print experiment

Inked lino plates, ready for printing

Block printed winter trees test.

More tree print tests

Failed block print- first tree came out blurry!

Due to the restraints of the mangle/ press size i usually work on a small scale with my blocks, keeping them less than A4- mainly A5 size, as it's easier to print and manoeuvre. For a while i've been tempted to go bigger and experiment with block printing with the plates, mainly with fabric and textiles in mind. I had a day of trying out different ideas with existing lino plates, some with better results than others.
It was now that i found using the small mangle really frustrating, finding it difficult to line up the plates to register properly, but i will persevere! Thoughts of selling the family car and buying a proper press, were also going through my head at this point - for some women it's handbags and shoes, with me it's Printing Presses and paper!

Perhaps making blocks small enough to fit the mangle may be a start, (saving on bus fairs and train fairs in the future!) The next step, to look at getting some of these designs on lengths of fabric, without resorting to screen printing, watch this space !

Northern Sky

2011-01-11T16:15:00.000-08:00

I created this piece last year, made from paper cut, text, ink then sealed with wax. Inspired by a Nick Drake song of all things, with the two figures representing my two daughters, Izzy and Jess. A little bit of wander for the beauty of the skies....x

First Folksy Listing-2011

2011-01-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

These unframed prints are now on sale on Folksy.http://www.folksy.com/shops/ManglePrints

Work in Progress....First block of the year.

2011-01-07T05:45:00.001-08:00

It's been great to get my hands dirty and back to printing again. I wanted to experiment with cutting details on the lino, and was inspired to cut this little block from antique blue china, with little bees added in the design too if you look closely. Next step will be hand tinting some of the prints with delicate artists inks, maybe waxing some too ? Note the stylish drying rack btw!!

2011-01-05T13:34:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while since a posted and it's been a long cold winter and Christmas. Having bypassed Christmas and New Year celebrations with Flu and Chronic Anaemia-it's lovely to look at the New Year with fresh eyes and i'm itching to get back to cutting and printing again. I took this photo back in the summer (seems a long time ago now) but just looking at the sun in this picture makes me feel brighter, and hopeful of longer, brighter days ahead. Also in tribute to the fantastic staff at the Macmillan Centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, who have cared for me over the last couple of years, when times get a little wobbly! xxx

Merry Christmas

2010-12-20T01:20:00.001-08:00

I would love to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Great New Year. Looking forward to a creative and inky 2011!!

The Last of the Line....

2010-12-13T03:30:00.000-08:00

These three lino and wax prints are the very last of these line of prints. As much as i have really enjoyed producing these prints, and have proved very popular, i can't wait to produce some new designs in the New Year. I really enjoyed experimenting with wax with the prints and have some interesting ideas for the New Year, watch this space!!

These prints are now available on FOLKSY

New Year Print Workshops.

2010-11-30T12:16:00.001-08:00

Great news for those looking to learn some new crafts in the new year. The Hare and The Hen in Burnham Deepdale, North Norfolk will be running a series of workshops in the New Year, including Hand Building Ceramics, Felt Making, Basket Making and i will also be running a Lino Printing workshop. The day long workshops will include lunch and coffee at The Cafe at Deepdale Market, and all materials will be included. Workshops will be running at the end of January , February and March.

Places are limited, but all enquiries can be made via Philippa Lee at The Hare and the Hen, Burnham Deepdale.

Please call

Tel: 01485 541748 (evenings)

E-mail philippalee-pots@hotmail.com

New Prints

2010-11-29T04:18:00.001-08:00

I've just added a few more prints to the Folksy Shop today, really love using these colours at the moment (as you've probably guessed!) Five Birds Lino print available now on Folksy

Reloved Furniture

2010-11-25T10:17:00.000-08:00

Wow, can't wait for the Christmas Market next weekend, fingers crossed for good weather and plenty of customers! I would like to say a big thankyou to Sarah and Bino from Reloved furniture for providing me with the most stylish of tables for the market. They create stunning pieces of painted furniture, recycled, revamped and reloved. Please come and have a look if you are at the market (yes, the table will be for sale!!) or check they're Facebook page for further details

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001497714936

A Mangle Print Christmas

2010-11-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

I have been very busy over the last couple of weeks getting stock together for Christmas. Lots of printing, waxing, sticking, threading and tea drinking! Most of the items here are available in the Folksy shop, but others will be available at the Burnham Deepdale Christmas Market.

2010-11-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

I'm really looking forward to having a stall at the Christmas Market at Burnham Deepdale on the North Norfolk Coast. More information can be found here:

www.deepdalechristmasmarket.co.uk

Happy Halloween

2010-10-29T13:23:00.001-07:00

As it half term week, decided to give the printing a break. It's been great to have time at home with the children this week, who have been busy today carving pumpkins ready for Halloween !

Folksy Fish

2010-10-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

These four unframed, but mounted prints are now for sale on Folksy. Framed and larger pieces are available at The Hare and The Hen at Burnham Deepdale, North Norfolk.

Finished Fish

2010-10-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

Things have turned all aquatic at Mangle Prints. Finished fish lino prints, part of a series of individual prints.

Found on Folksy: Love for Lino

2010-10-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Found on Folksy: Love for Lino

Thanks to Found on Folksy for featuring my little Goose print on their lovely blog. Many thanks x

Fishy Business-Work in Progress..

2010-10-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on a series of Fish lino prints, and currently experimenting with colour and backgrounds, love the idea of the "red herring", more to come.