Tuesday Talent - Salley Mavor

Salley Mavor

 This incredible needlewoman is Salley Mavor from Falmouth Massachusetts.  She studied at Rhode Island Design School and works with thread and felt to create three dimensional scenes of birds, animals and delightful little people.

It is her birds, however that leave me speechless.  Her wonderful piece, Birds of Beebe Woods is just amazing and is currently touring the US. You can find more details of the birds at her website - www.weefolkstudio.com, where you will also find other pieces in detail, her books and more wonderful felt creations.

Birds of Beebe Wood

Female Cardinal

The American birds can be very different than our own, the robin and the goldfinch particularly but the nuthatch, crow and wren are just as we find here in the UK and sadly we never get cardinals which are just my favourite of the birds shown here.

Male Cardinal

Salley says that "A needle is my tool, thread is my medium and stitches are my mark,"   which is a wonderfully lyric way to describe her stunning work. If you visit the website, on the 'About Me' page is an engaging video entitled Rabbitat which looks closely at her work, her methods and her style.

It is a pleasure to share this amazing needlewoman with you all and please visit her website for even more treasure.  My warmest wishes.

Goldfinch

Crow

A Grand Day Out - Bowes Museum, County Durham

A View of Bowes

What a day we had, the weather was wonderful, we were all in short sleeves it was so warm.  Bowes is an enchanting place to visit, the house itself is magnificent and stands proud on a hill surrounded by formal gardens.

It has all the amenities you come to expect now in a major tourist attraction.  Excellent shop and a lovely tea room serving most enjoyable lunches and afternoon tea - I can personally recommend the Red Velvet Cake, scrummy but, our real reason for visiting was the Yves Saint Laurent Exhibition - Eternal Style.

This is a major retrospective of the great man's work, featuring a host of originals, toiles, embroideries and design drawings. It was most enjoyable and surprising to find an exhibition like this outside London and I cannot hesitate to recommend this to anyone remotely interested in fashion or embroidery.

 All the great iconic images were there, the Mondrian Dress, the dresses inspired by Picasso and Matisse.  The trouser suits and embroidered jackets, the homage to Van Gough's Irises was just amazing to see.  It is a great collection.  The entrance is so atmospheric, the museum's wonderful marbles with black sheer fabrics in front that have copies of Saint Laurent drawings in white.  They have also married couture pieces with the historic clothing from the museum's own collection of costume to show how period pieces influenced major collections.

We were lucky enough to see Savage Beauty at the V&A in the summer, which was mind blowing.  Alexander McQueen growled and roared at you with his genius, there is no less genius with the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition but rather than growl it purrs at you and the word you think of is elegant - it is classic style.

 Should you wish to see this most excellent collection, the exhibition is open until 25th of October 2015. It is well worth the effort and of course you can visit the rest of Bowes and even see the Silver Swan that swims with little silver fishes up a river of glass rods, probably Bowes most famous piece. I have included just a couple of photos to whet your appetite, there are actually over fifty pieces in the exhibition plus toiles and sample pieces. The attention to detail is just stunning and some of the embroidery was breath taking.

....and if you manage to get to Bowes do try the Red Velvet Cake!

  

Friday Folksy Finds - Folk

My work has recently been described to me by a lovely American lady as Folk Art.  I had never thought about it like that and this led to my new banner and for me, a new way of thinking about what I like to do.  The new banner, Folksy banner and new business cards are all thanks to Becca, who said I needed 'branding' - so there you go.

Thinking along these lines, I have had a look for 'Folk' pieces on Folksy this week.  Some describe themselves as folk artists and others I have chosen to think of as folk art.  I hope you like them as much as I do.

Ali Bali Jewellery

I love this little silver bird and for me this is a quintessential folk image.  Many people make this little bird in fabric and felt but she has such charm here as a silver pendant. Ali Bali Jewellery is made by Alison Reid working out of Edinburgh.  There are some delightful pieces on her shop, check out the acorn and oak leaf, lovely.

Chris Hagan

I can tell you nothing about Chris Hagan but I adore the work.  It is based on American folk art and medieval beasts.  This is Angel Stag and comes as a limited edition print.  This is an illustration but has a strong collaged feel to it which I really enjoy.  There are some beautiful and unique prints in the shop and well worth a peep.

Dottery Pottery

Dottery Pottery is Sarah Duke Ceramics and there are a host of decorative delights on her shop page.  I think this little folk art apple is just adorable and I am sorely tempted for my new work space, but if your taste runs more to folk birds there is a great selection.  Very pretty and with a great finish with a real folk art feel.

Flossie Limejuice

Flossie Limejuice is owned and run by Shelagh Pickford and this talented lady has made some of my all time favourite items on Folksy over the years. This delightfully prim miss is Miss Muffet who is accompanied by her spider.  I am big fan of prim and a reader of PRIM magazine from Stampington. Miss Muffet would fit in with the American idea of super prim and I am sure she would go down a storm.  Primative folk art is huge in the states but check out Flossie Limejuice for more home grown folk art - love this lady's work.

Fir Tree Knitwear

For hand knits this is a great shop, lots of styles to chose from and very good prices.  I particularly like the socks, all kinds of folky patterns and so well done, but there are mittens, hats and scarves as well as a few homespun pieces.  Check it out for some well earned winter warmers.

Well these are my Folk Finds for this week, when you start to look there are a lot of folk artists out there making wonderful work.  I hope you enjoyed my selection and the warmest of wishes.

Tuesday Talent - The Quiet Revolution

Long Tailed Tit

 This a new section of my blog, every Tuesday I want to share an artist that I really enjoy.  This first week is London based illustrator Claire Skully whose work you can find at www.thequietrevolution.co.uk.

She is seen in galleries around London and has worked on many exciting and unusual commissions, that you can view on her website.

I find the detail of her bird pieces, which are part of the Bejewelled section of her site, just stunning.  I adore the fiddly detail and strong graphic elements of her work.  I feel that she can but the lines just as she wants them and that there is nothing arbitrary about her construction. They are some of the most original depictions of birds that I have seen recently.  Claire's Bird Roots, shown in the Nature Drawing sections of the site, is so subtle and so beautiful that I cannot tear my eyes away and keep following the lines to find hidden elements.  There are a series of these excellent drawings all different and wonderfully intricate.

Check out the website as there are a myriad of gems to visit, looking at the exhibition section you are amazed how big these intricate pieces are.  A real find and a site I will visit over and over.  Please enjoy.

Bird Roots

Blue Tit

A Welcome Return

It took a little longer to set up than expected but it's great to say hello again.  Becca got a first in her BA(Hons) in Contemporary Craft and is just about to start her MA in Ceramics back with Dave Binns at UCLan.  She has now taken over the cabin and made it her own and I have my little nook back in the house.

I am back to work now and getting my teeth into some commissions, some Christmas work and a project of my own with my perennial favourite 'birds' - long tailed tits at present.  I have wanted to make Bird Dolls for a while, not dolls shaped like birds but bird headed and winged dolls in little dresses. Got a bee in my bonnet about them and I want to work them out.

The idea is to use more embroidery on the dolls, which is what I trained to do and something I love working at.  I suppose I want to work to suit myself and less with a commercial eye. I am thinking seriously of applying to do a Masterclass Certificate with Tracy Franklin at Stitch Business in Durham, to get me back on track with all the ideas and designs in my head.  Still working with dolls but working on embroidery as well.

My change of location seems to have given me a change of perspective.  I will be writing regularly now, after such a long break, trying to share my work and ideas and the exhibitions and events we get to see.  Speaking of which, if you happen to be in Dartmouth - three hundred miles away from us - Becca is part of an exhibition called Rising Stars, at the Coombe Gallery. It's a showcase exhibition of selected graduates of 2015.  We are 'popping down' to see it in October but if you are in the area it is worth seeing.  All keep well and enjoy this autumn sunshine.