Categories
art

Witches Hat

This is an attempt to illustrate a song by the Incredible String Band,

it could do with a bit more work.

From Genius Lyrics

[Verse]
Certainly the children have seen them
In quiet places where the moss grows green
Coloured shells jangle together
The wind is cold, the year is old
The trees whisper together
And bend in the wind, they lean

[Refrain]
La la la la la, la la la, la la la la la
La la la la la, la la la, la la la la la
La la la la la, la la la, la la la la la
La la la la la, la la la, la la la la la
Next week, a monkey is coming to stay

[Chorus]
If I was a witches’ hat
Sitting on her head like a paraffin stove
I’d fly away and be a bat
Across the air, I would rove
Stepping like a tightrope walker
Putting one foot after another
Wearing black cherries for rings

It’s one of several I have tried including the linoprint Painting Box

Painting Box, Linocut print 290 x 210 mm, 2018

Categories
art

Peoples Art Fair, Bristol

Categories
art

City – a series of textile art

Several of this series have gone to new homes. I am working on several more, some larger.

City – Magic Carpet, approx 30x30cm, mixed textiles, 2025
City – East Wind, approx 40x40cm, mixed textiles, 2025

Categories
printmaking

Drypoint on Acrylic

Printmakers: Instructional videos are two-a-penny but not on this subject and not with this level of clarity. Acrylic sheets may not be everyone’s choice but are fairly cheap and can be sent for recycling.

Belinda Del Pesco is an accomplished printmaker, her YouTube channel has 40 instructional videos.

It is possible to do intaglio printmaking with simple equipment and Handprinted have produced instructions for exactly that using the X-Cut Express (die cutter beloved of card makers and some printmakers). Drypoint printing being an intaglio process requires more pressure than relief print but good results are possible. I have also used sticky-back aluminium foil stuch down on acrylic sheet then engraved using a rounded tip tool so as not to tear into the foil.

These are all etched on acrylic.

Categories
art

Keep Shopping!

This is an old theme but stands some repetition at the current time. Just a pic for social media.

Keep shopping!
Categories
printmaking

Printmaking again

Not having a ‘wet’ studio I must make do by printmaking in the kitchen, not ideal but still possible to get likeable results, I hope.

As a long-term project I want to make a series of prints of Church Road people. The A420 runs from Bristol to Oxford but the part I’m interested in is from Lawrence Hill to St. George Park, about a mile, with Easton on the northern side and Redfield on the southern leading down to the river Avon at Netham lock and Barton Hill. I started with some drypoint etching of several folk and today I’ve been adding some colour to one of those sets of prints by making a collagraph plate.

And also doing some more printing from drypoint plates. There isn’t any shortage of subject matter around here, many colourful and friendly characters and bubbling street life. We have live music at the George and Dragon pub every Tuesday or more often, several good places to eat and the Plough Inn in Easton – scene of great music and good food – is just a stroll away. I would like to capture a little all of these riches, and more.

Categories
art

Night Garden in frame

Night Garden, approx. 50x50cm, mixed textiles embellished and stitched. 2025.
Categories
art

Night Garden 1 (almost finished)

Night Garden, mixed textiles embellished and embroidered, about 50 x 50 cm

Almost finished, this piece has been hanging around for months waiting for some inspiration as to how to finish it. I tried adding a mouse but that didn’t work well. When in doubt, stitch, but now I’m afraid of wrecking what there is. The surface is rather fragile as it is mainly nunofelt with scraps of fabric below, all stitched and embellished.

One day later… I added a little more stitch, tried to reemphasise the cat but subtly then, deciding it was finished I added a backing. Next a gently wash then seal with very dilute pva. Then press and a frame of some sort.

Night Garden, approx. 50x50cm, mixed textiles embellished and stitched. 2025.
Categories
art

More Cracks in the System

Cracks in the System, 30 x 29 cm, oil pastel on paper, 2025

Trying to get into the groove again after doing very little for two months and not much for some time before that! This is on cheap A3 drawing pad paper but the next ones will be on oil pastel paper which has a textured surface. It’s a fast way to create an image but can be hard to cover any mistakes or unwanted marks.

Categories
art

Cracks in the System

One of the larger piece in the series I called City, but I’m not sure about the framing.

Cracks in the System, Mixed textiles embellished and embroidered, 32x32cm 2024