I have been so busy lately with a couple of dog projects. First one being a Dog Blog which is yet to go live. I have been informally photographing and interviewing people and their dogs around the area. It has been a brilliant learning curve and I have met some fantastic people and of course dogs! I intially was interviewing the people face to face and then photographing. The idea then being that the person will get a cd with any images once their interview is published on the purpose blog I am setting up. Now I am emailing the person to fill it out and then visiting them to photograph them. I was ending up being at peoples houses for hours just talking about dogs! This all kicked off when I got my two rescue Jack Russell Terriers last Summer. I have always had dogs but my husband hasn't and he kind of does not quite get why people have dogs so it went from there really. There is no money in it but I have built up a little network. Which is invaluable. Although through this project I have gained other commissions for photography and for potential business for the other project.
This is Farah, a dog trainer in Newton-in-Furness, with one of her stooges Ticana aka Teeks, an american bull dog. To know more about her go to www.elitek9s.co.uk.
Above is Troy, a German Shepherd from Morecambe, with his family.
The other dog project has been helping my cousin set up her business in doggy clothing and products. We have had a couple of months making and trying out doggy coats and accessories. Some been successes and others not so much. Basically we have been trying to design and make 'made to measure' dog jackets. Anyway from the various prototypes my cousin has been able to determine the direction for her business 'Little Dog BIG'. It will hopefully being starting up trading by next month. Most things are now in place. I have now been able to take a break from the sewing machine too.
I had sent off an embroidered postcard with the guild for the Olympic 2012 Games. This was part of a country wide project amongst the guilds. Each guild was given a participating country, ours was San Merino, then we had to produce at least 15 postcards (specific sizes and colours) which portrayed that country. Then they were sewn together to produce a hanging. My card was a hand embroidery on blue/purple silk with vines, Forget-me-nots and pink Cyclamen. The Cyclamen is the national flower. See North Lonsdale Embroidery Guild Blog for current projects.
Once I get the Dog Blog up an running I will be able to concentrate on my textile project for Blue Tarn. Blue Tarn have a exhibition in the Autumn at the Beacon in Whitehaven but I have not properly started on my pieces yet. So need to get on with it. Plus need to make head way on some personal pieces I want to do with my other group Trident Textiles. Or though a name change might be happening. The group would like to be more inclusive to other artists.
