Cheltenham Arts Market

My penultimate Cheltenham Arts Market today went well. It didn't rain which is always a bonus! The double bird hangings sold well so I've no stock for the new shop or Cheltenham Open Studios...the etching is ready, so once I've got my new studio space sorted after the full move on Thursday, I will be able to make some more! 

Next moves...

After a very successful weekend at my Fold Farewell I'm now getting organised for the Malvern Spring Garden Show at the 3 Counties Showground.  Although I will be many miles away from Worcestershire soon I still plan to remain a member of the Worcestershire Guild of Designer Craftsmen.  I shall be returning in September to take part in the Autumn Show again at Malvern.

My Fold studio will be closing permantely tomorrow lunchtime & I will be moving things out over the next few days to take down to my new premisies in St Ives.  A BIG THANK YOU to all my lovely customers who have come & supported me all these years!

I hope some of you will visit me in Cornwall at The Drill Hall - after all St Ives is such a fab place to spend some time!

My blog & website will remain the same so keep watching this space for updates...

In the mean time these are some events planned for May/June:

Thurs 9th - Sun 12th May
Spring Gardening Show
Worcestershire Guild of Designer Craftsmen
Wye Hall, 3 Counties Showground, Malvern

Sat 18th May
Arts Market
The Promenade, Cheltenham

Sat 8th - Sun 16th June
Melting Point
Open Studio event (venue 29)
Cheltenham Open Studios
8 Commercial Street, Cheltenham

Sat 15th June
Arts Market
The Promenade, Cheltenham

Fold farewell....

A very busy day today for my last weekend at my Fold studio....lots of visitors, customers & friends. Thank you for coming!

Still 2 more days for those last purchasing opportunities! Some bargains to be had with jewellery & metalwork reductions.

Watch the birdie....real & metal

Blue Tit Love Bird wall hangings 

  

Goldfinch & lime leaf wall piece

  

Wren Love Birds...

Sometimes I will have as many as 6-7 feeding around the same time!

My etched goldfinch design...

 

The real inspiration....

My birdie inspiration....

Visitors to my Fold studio often ask about the birds on my feeders outside.  I'm lucky enough to have regular  goldfinches which look so exotic I always think...All of the birds appear to like the hulled sunflower seeds the best (expensive taste! but no wasted seeds).  I'm not sure who will take over the feeding duty when I move out soon?  I've been feeding them for many years as I stopped at home due to all the squirrels & our cat family of course!  

These lovely birds were the inspiration for some of my metalwork pieces...

Very fluffy!

Last few days at The Fold....

These are the dates when my Fold studio will be open before I finally close the doors & head off to St Ives.  Don't forget my event over the May Bank Holiday weekend & also I shall be exhibiting at both Ludlow this weekend & the Malvern Spring Garden Show before I leave.....a selection of jewellery & cards also available via my etsy shop.

APRIL:

Wed 24th 10am - 5pm

Thurs 25th 10am - 5pm

Fri 26th 10am - 4pm

Sat 27th 10am - 4pm

Tues 30th 10am - 5pm

MAY:

Wed 1st 10am - 12.30/3pm - 5pm

Thurs 2nd 10am - 5pm

Fri 3rd 10am - 5pm

Fold Farewell event:

Sat 4th 10am - 5pm

Sun 5th 10am - 5pm

Mon 6th 10am - 5pm

Tues 7th 10am - 5pm

Wed 8th 10am - 12pm

The studio will then be CLOSED :-(

We are hoping to open the new DRILL HALL premises by Sat 25th May!!! Watch this space for more information....

Working hard at the Drill Hall...

We're making good progress in St Ives....

I've been down the past couple of days & we have painted the new shop interior, using my usual 'McSwiney' colours; magenta & greys!  The new sign has been ordered.

Phone being installed tomorrow & all the finishing touches to paintwork - thanks to Tim as I'm back in my Fold studio trying to make as much work as possible before the weekend in Ludlow for Showing Off.

Long tailed tit wall piece

After producing the etching before Christmas I have finally managed to make a wall piece using the little long tailed tits.  The birds are copper & the sycamore leaves are brass.  This shape is slightly different from all the other leafy pieces I have made previously...I'm pleased with the balance.  I need to visit my metal suppliers in Birmingham soon to stock up on materials before my big move!

While I was focused on making I also did this smaller wren & oak leaf piece, I do find the oak to be one of the most popular leaf designs I use.

New colour combination

This new triple panel piece was a recent commission collected on Saturday.  

The customers already own several pieces of my metalwork & wanted something special to compliment the existing work.

I had not done a combination of the verdigris & oxidised finishes before....I really like the contrast in colour & texture; the verdigris is quite a soft surface while the oxidised is sharper which gives good definition to the etched details.  I used brass for the base sections & applied a mixture of copper & brass for the decorative elements.

I think I may have to make some additional panels utilising these patination techniques....

Sneaky peek at new shop space...

We collected the keys to our new shop space on Sunday!

Unit 7 in The Drill Hall in St Ives is going to be my new outlet from mid/end May.

The space looks much bigger than I remember when I saw it last so I'm happy I will be able to fit everything in from my Fold space.  I'm not sure if there will be some sort of workbench in there yet as  I have a lovely space to work from in the garden of the new house...photos of that at a later date. 

Back there again at the end of this week to do some painting & planning!

 

 

 

Cat collection

After several days of attempting to make them I've finally finished some cat decorations!  

I sold 2 today before they were even varnished...think I might have to get cutting a few more out ready for Cornwall.

Brass 'Marmalade' cats

Three red copper cats

Two golden brass cats

A Fold Farewell...

The Worcester Flea

In preparation for our move to Cornwall we are having to make some decisions about the amount of possessions we have! Never easy to let go of stuff but we really do have too much! It will be nice to have a fresh start & things always look different when you move house....
So we have selected some of our vintage ceramics & retro pieces to hopefully sell this weekend at The Worcester Flea.  This monthly event is something we usually visit to buy rather than sell but not this weekend!!!

CrownGate Outdoor Market on Angel Place, Worcester
Sunday 7th April
10.30am - 4.30pm

Come along & say hello!

  

Recent silver oak leaf cufflinks commission for a friend...

still planning  a range of leafy jewellery one day?

Easter Opening Hours

EASTER OPENING TIMES:

Good Friday 10am - 4pm

Saturday 30th 10am - 5pm

Easter Sunday CLOSED

Easter Monday 11am - 4pm

Tuesday 2nd 10am - 5pm

Valparaiso colour

Some of the fabulous colour combinations we saw in Valparaiso...if only I could be so brave!