Artist & Facilitator

I am a freelance artist based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria in the North West of England. I have worked within the performing and fine arts for 20 years. Initally I worked within the theatre as a performer and on production. Then moving on to a street circus group that performed around the UK. I did my degree BA(hons) Fine Art at Uclan. For fifteen years I have collaborated with local arts organisations, worked on youth community projects and in schools running a variety of creative projects. I am currently a member of North Lonsdale Embroiderers Guild, Blue Tarn, a rural womens artists collective and Trident Textiles, based in Furness. I am always working on a variety of small scale projects including photography, textile and mixed media. Although my favourite thing is meeting and talking to interesting people!


Thursday 16 February 2012

Val D'Isere

Just got back a couple of weeks ago from skiing in Val D'Isere.  It was fantastic and we had a lovely time with friends.  There was so much snow it was unbelievable.  Alex was in beginners ski class and he was skiing by the end of the week! He loved it too.  I got lots of photos just walking around.



















A bit of sledging....he was dragged everywhere on this even on the roads there was so much snow!


By the end of the week Alex was turning, stopping, going up the drag lift and doing tricks!




There was so much snow plied on the roofs it looked dangerous!






It was a really pretty town and lots to do and see.  I enjoyed the walking around as much as the skiing!



Well looks like next year is booked!

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Dog Blog Going Public!

Well the first couple of interviews have been published now!  So I will put one up every other day now.  Got more photos to get of peoples dogs and waiting on some questionnaires to come back yet.  However, its got going at last! The first interview was done last September!  Along the way I have also been asked to take dog portraits aswell so I have had some lovely times.  But now I can concentrate on my next project now.




The exhibition at the Beacon in Whitehaven in Autumn with Blue Tarn.  The title is Illumination and I have decided to make new work that is relevant to the area.  I have been up there a couple of times to take photos and do sketches.  At the moment I am concentrating on cloud formation and reflections in water.  Light and shade.  Once I get these small sketches and mixed media pieces going it will hopefully inform larger pieces using obvious landmarks.  I am thinking of making sketches using thread of the clouds and water as if they were pencil marks.




I have took the colour out of some photos to see how this may work.  It will help me concentrate just on the light and shadows hopefully.






In this shot the foreground is too busy but I like the fluffy clouds with shadow.






Not a great photo it has been heavily cropped from something else but I do like the texture of the sand and the light playing on the ridges.  Same with the one below of the sea, very cropped so detail is lost but the light sparkling on the water is magical.







I want to add texture and was looking for unique marks in stone and buildings like the sea wall.





Or this old quay side building which appears to be an old watch tower of some kind.



So from these initial photos I will get cracking with some thread sketches and see how that goes and what ideas spring from there.