PAINTING ON PAPER AND CANVAS!

I have not been around much lately which of course means I have not posted on my blog for a while, there has been much to do in the garden and I have also started painting again and am really enjoying it. 

Watercolour is the medium I enjoy most with coloured pencil and mixed media but lately I have been trying out acrylic paint in various forms on canvas, it started out as a challenge from Maggie a friend who owns the gallery at the bottom of our road, so I accepted her challenge and decided I quite enjoyed painting again although for me it is all back to front from watercolour, I do use a watercolour technique though, I can't quite get to grips with pallet knives and such. 

Below you will see a watercolour and pencil Cambria Poppy that I did for my phoptograph album, the little bear standing by the page is one of my own design, hand made, mohair jointed bears from my soft sculpture days!

Under that a little Hare and butterflies on canvas which was rather fun to do. 

Hope you enjoy!
~Jackie~

ART TRAIL WEEKEND!

Today is the start of a busy weekend for my daughter and myself. 

Lara's best friend is getting married today, Lara is one of the bridesmaids, the dresses her friend chose for her five bridesmaids are in a lovely soft purple, flowing and rather grecian I think they will all look very elegant. Hoping the weather will be ok the sun is out at present so fingers crossed!

This weekend is also our little towns first Art Trail weekend there are over fourty artists and crafters exhibiting their work, either in the several galleries in the town or in their homes or studios, there will be workshops, live music and poetry. Six gardens to visit and many other attractions, including music, dance, theatre etc, etc. The weekend will I think be interesting, we are participating on Sunday only as Saturday is taken up with the wedding. Between us we are exhibiting paintings, art jewellery, silk scarves, soft sculpture and Lara's book for signing.

I think it will be a very fun and interesting weekend for us and hopefully be the first of many more Art Trails.

Blue Bells, one of my necklaces in the Art Trail created especially for the occasion 

~Jackie~

ALBERTINE A UNIQUE RABBIT!

Do you like surprises? Let me tell you about the sweet surprise I had just a couple of weeks ago., from a long time friend of mine, we go back to the days when we both started out with soft sculpture art, making collectable animals in mohair and alpaca etc. We had so much fun although we didn't live close to one another but kept in touch by phone each week, sharing our inspiration and family lives what the children were up to etc, good times and  bad you probably know the kind of thing!

My friend still makes soft sculpture animals although I gave it up when I injured my wrist some years back and I go and check her web site whenever she puts up new work. One day a little rabbit named Albertine appeared on the web site, she was so sweet and exactly the colour of the beautiful rose she was named for, time passed and Albertine was still there I couldn't believe it, nor could my friend!

Then a couple of weeks ago a box arrived in the post for me, well I had no idea what it could be, I couldn't have been more surprised when I opened the box and sitting in the pretty blue tissue was Albertine....!!!! Of course I phoned my friend right away and thanked her for such a lovely gift, I thought you might like to see Albertine, isn't she adorable!
My friend is Amanda Ferguson and her web site is 
http://www.honeypotbears.com

 ~Jackie~

Soft Sculpture Bears

At last the new page is up on the web site for some of my soft sculpture mohair bears, as the site now reflects our multi media art and not just the jewellery I thought it would be nice to have a page with some of my bears. I had to stop making my soft sculpture after an accident, my wrist would no longer take the strain any more it was a great sadness to me as I loved creating my own designs and dying the mohair and alpaca that I used. The bears I put on the web site are all Teddy type bears.

I especially loved making my Kermode bears, they stood between 20" & 24" I hand shaded them. I have added a picture of a Kermode that I considered to be one of the best, I made these to commission only so I no longer have him.

My Dragonslair Bears appeared in many magazines internationally and also a Lark Book. I do still make the occasional bear not the large ones I loved making though. Now I mainly enjoy making needlefelted tiny bears and animals.

At least I never get bored how can one be bored with so many things to design and make, with new things to learn, every day brings a new challenge, renewed interest, so much to look at the leaves turning such wonderful colours as the autumn draws on. A hedgehog appeared at the back door a couple of days ago, they will soon be curled up and hibernating but with the mild weather we will see them around for a bit longer.