I am in the process of supplying a new gallery in Aberdeen which is due to open on the 4th July. It looks lovely.
It is the project of Fine artist Elaine Thompson, it is well worth checking out her work (see pick of the web) and I am sure it will be worth checking out her new gallery, Junction Art and Gifts. Good Luck Elaine!
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
One door closes, another door opens
I am coming to the end of my order list. Something I was aiming to do by last Friday! Now I have the summer to contemplate new work and get some new images and literature published!
I have been asked to create some exclusive baubles for the Scottish gallery for their Christmas exhibition so I will be turning my attention to that...among other ideas for new work.
The big blow of this year is that Clarion have cancelled the Autumn Trade show. This is where I get most of my Orders in the run up to Christmas. I am now thinking I will have to produce a catalogue to haul in the orders!
In some respects it will be nice to have the time to be more creative rather than just spending the summer trying to get samples of all my existing work together for the show. One door closes another door opens as they say! Watch this space!
Yesterday I made a couple of Teapots. Here are some images of them in progress!
I also had a bit of fun and made a variation on the baby pole pot...hearts are always a good seller!
I have been asked to create some exclusive baubles for the Scottish gallery for their Christmas exhibition so I will be turning my attention to that...among other ideas for new work.
The big blow of this year is that Clarion have cancelled the Autumn Trade show. This is where I get most of my Orders in the run up to Christmas. I am now thinking I will have to produce a catalogue to haul in the orders!
In some respects it will be nice to have the time to be more creative rather than just spending the summer trying to get samples of all my existing work together for the show. One door closes another door opens as they say! Watch this space!
Yesterday I made a couple of Teapots. Here are some images of them in progress!
I also had a bit of fun and made a variation on the baby pole pot...hearts are always a good seller!
Monday, 23 June 2008
Week 9.
Today was my last visit to the school. 
Trudi and I grouted and added the few remaining border tiles. We ran out of grout and so had to make a dash into Girvan to pick up some more!
We then let the P1,2 and 3's place a few stones each. The colours of the stones really compliment to tiles don't you think!?
Everyone seemed pleased with the results, especially the kids who have been a pleasure to work with.
IT is finished!
Trudi and I grouted and added the few remaining border tiles. We ran out of grout and so had to make a dash into Girvan to pick up some more!
We then let the P1,2 and 3's place a few stones each. The colours of the stones really compliment to tiles don't you think!?
Everyone seemed pleased with the results, especially the kids who have been a pleasure to work with.
IT is finished!
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
School Week 8
Today was my last funded visit to the school. It was a drizzly wet morning and the job was laying the tiles on the cement foundation...which set brilliantly!
I also had some border tiles remaining for the P2/3 class, I decided to hand them over to their teacher to complete as Trudi and I really needed to get on with the tile laying.
We soon got into our roles, Trudi putting down the waterproof grout. I was putting in the spacers and placing the tiles. We worked quickly and decided to leave the kids indoors as it was wet and we didn't want it to impact on the grout too much. Here are some pictures of the nearly finished work! The colours look a bit washed out but that is the picture...so please turn up you colour in your imagination! I will take a better camera next week.
I will make one last extra visit to lay the remaining edging tiles and then supervise the younger children to put in the edging stones.
I also had some border tiles remaining for the P2/3 class, I decided to hand them over to their teacher to complete as Trudi and I really needed to get on with the tile laying.
We soon got into our roles, Trudi putting down the waterproof grout. I was putting in the spacers and placing the tiles. We worked quickly and decided to leave the kids indoors as it was wet and we didn't want it to impact on the grout too much. Here are some pictures of the nearly finished work! The colours look a bit washed out but that is the picture...so please turn up you colour in your imagination! I will take a better camera next week.
I will make one last extra visit to lay the remaining edging tiles and then supervise the younger children to put in the edging stones.
Thursday, 12 June 2008
School Week 7
We were decorating the tiles today.
It is a great stage to be at as we can begin to see what the instillation is going to look like. Each of the pictures had been copied and cut into 16 squares. Each child had a square each to trace the outline onto the tile. We managed to get by with only a couple of breakages!
The P 4/5 class was first up. Firstly I gave them all the squares, posted the original on the wall and let them make the jigsaw! That took a little while, They all began to recognize the elements they had done and naturally wanted to do those sections themselves, For the most part this worked.
The P7's were away sampling the delights of Secondary school so I only had the P6's after break. It is a great wee class and they all did a couple of tiles each. These pictures are of the P6's after we had laid out the complete piece with all the outlines completed! It looks great!
I also took in some half sized edging tiles for the P1/2 and 3's to decorate as I discovered they were worried that they weren't going to get a shot. A few of them got broken so I will have to make a few more for next week.
Here's some pics of the tiles with the stains. Sorry they are a bit dark but it gives you an idea.
It is a great stage to be at as we can begin to see what the instillation is going to look like. Each of the pictures had been copied and cut into 16 squares. Each child had a square each to trace the outline onto the tile. We managed to get by with only a couple of breakages!
The P 4/5 class was first up. Firstly I gave them all the squares, posted the original on the wall and let them make the jigsaw! That took a little while, They all began to recognize the elements they had done and naturally wanted to do those sections themselves, For the most part this worked.
The P7's were away sampling the delights of Secondary school so I only had the P6's after break. It is a great wee class and they all did a couple of tiles each. These pictures are of the P6's after we had laid out the complete piece with all the outlines completed! It looks great!
I also took in some half sized edging tiles for the P1/2 and 3's to decorate as I discovered they were worried that they weren't going to get a shot. A few of them got broken so I will have to make a few more for next week.
Here's some pics of the tiles with the stains. Sorry they are a bit dark but it gives you an idea.
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
School Week 6
Had a great day at the school today. On the way down the M77 it was threatening to rain, I was praying that it didn't.
Fortunately the dull start blossomed into a fantastic day. As I drove into the village the view of Ailsa Craig was stunning. It looks so close.
The goal was to get the cementing done. Naively I thought we would get this done by break time leaving the second part of the morning to decorate some tiles. It took from 9-12:45!! Tile decorating next week then!!
Paul the P6/7 teacher had made himself available to help until break time, thank goodness. He was the experienced cement mixer among us. He had brought cement, sand and some chips to strengthen the concrete.
4 of the P7 boys were appointed to help and boy did they love it. They worked really hard all morning without a single complaint.
Trudi was there as reliable as ever expertly shunting and smoothing the concrete!
By the end of the morning we were all experts!!
We lay the mixing board over the cement on props to give it some protection. I just hope it sets well!
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
School Week 5
This was a less successful week at the school.
I had taken a frame for the hole, bought the hard core and Paul the P6/7 teacher was due to bring the cement with the plan that the P7's would help mix and lay the foundations.
I arrived early and the first thing I saw was that Paul was not in till 1pm (I leave at 12) It turned out that he had left 1 bag of cement and some sand for me though.
Then Trudy didn't appear- she was my other mine of foundation laying knowledge!
To top it all the P7's were out playing golf all morning, So I had the P6's.
There was a supply teacher covering the class who didn't seem to realise that she was meant to stay and supervise the class. When I went to get them she just sent them all out with me, including a new boy. He was in an electric wheel chair.
This was not what I had planned and with hindsight I should have turned them round and explained that I would need them all in smaller groups etc. This didn't happen though, and she soon disappeared, so I did what I could.
The kids were great as usual and we tidied up the hole so that the fame fit neatly. We filled the hole with hard core. I had bought twice as much as I thought we would need, it wasn't enough.
The wee boy in the wheelchair was desperate to join in and take part but I could not see how, it was impossible for the wheel chair to get very close to the hole (as it is on a grassy slope). He managed to dig out some of the earth when we lifted his front wheels onto the grass, but I could tell he was bored and unimpressed. If I had known he was going to be there I might have been able to come up with something more inclusive for him. It was very frustrating.
I turned out that there was some gravel in the the boiler room that the school had no use for so we filled the hole to the required level.
Trudy appeared, with a terrible cold, she was not well. We agreed to leave the cementing till the next week (much to the children's' dismay).
We still have plenty of time, 3 weeks. We will decorate the tiles over the next 2 weeks leaving the last week for the instillation.
I had taken a frame for the hole, bought the hard core and Paul the P6/7 teacher was due to bring the cement with the plan that the P7's would help mix and lay the foundations.
I arrived early and the first thing I saw was that Paul was not in till 1pm (I leave at 12) It turned out that he had left 1 bag of cement and some sand for me though.
Then Trudy didn't appear- she was my other mine of foundation laying knowledge!
To top it all the P7's were out playing golf all morning, So I had the P6's.
There was a supply teacher covering the class who didn't seem to realise that she was meant to stay and supervise the class. When I went to get them she just sent them all out with me, including a new boy. He was in an electric wheel chair.
This was not what I had planned and with hindsight I should have turned them round and explained that I would need them all in smaller groups etc. This didn't happen though, and she soon disappeared, so I did what I could.
The kids were great as usual and we tidied up the hole so that the fame fit neatly. We filled the hole with hard core. I had bought twice as much as I thought we would need, it wasn't enough.
The wee boy in the wheelchair was desperate to join in and take part but I could not see how, it was impossible for the wheel chair to get very close to the hole (as it is on a grassy slope). He managed to dig out some of the earth when we lifted his front wheels onto the grass, but I could tell he was bored and unimpressed. If I had known he was going to be there I might have been able to come up with something more inclusive for him. It was very frustrating.
I turned out that there was some gravel in the the boiler room that the school had no use for so we filled the hole to the required level.
Trudy appeared, with a terrible cold, she was not well. We agreed to leave the cementing till the next week (much to the children's' dismay).
We still have plenty of time, 3 weeks. We will decorate the tiles over the next 2 weeks leaving the last week for the instillation.
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