Dancing in the New Year

I've really enjoyed myself so far this year, but I am so very easily pleased!
New lino cutting tools for Christmas - yipee.

I'm trying to go slow in January, but it's not really working because I've spent the last few weeks thinking "I'll do that in January..." and now the list is long - all good things like days out in Bath and London and sitting on the sofa with a book and not moving until it is finished - far too much for one month.  Maybe I'll have a go slow season instead.

Above is a new little print that I made over Christmas 'Mini Cat Ballet'.  It's going to have a bigger friend soon too because now I can't stop drawing cats doing ballet...

girls with unusual pets...

I like the idea if having an unusual pet.  Something to make the neighbours talk...
A small armadillo, a pelican, a tank full of leeches??

In my sketchbook I have been drawing girls with pets for quite a while and finally got round to carving three of them in lino last month.  Here is number one.  This lass has a very large cat...

There is a certain amount of silliness in setting myself the task of turning line drawings into lino prints and maybe a screen print would be the way to go, but as it is has mostly been raining this year I didn't have much else to do in May.

Next post I will probably show you some logs in the sunshine as I have now turned to sorting out the swamp/jungle/chaos of my outside habitat...

lino blocks

I thought you might like to see the lino block for 'Cat on Stilts' (well the cat part of it anyhow).  It was one of the images on my previous post, so I wont put that up again, you'll have to scroll down...

Lino blocks often look pretty interesting to me, especially once they have been inked up and a couple of galleries have even asked me to frame up the block alongside prints for shows.  I never have though.  It is a great way of showing people how you make the print!  I was just sharpening up the cat fur in this picture which is why he's covered with 'bits'.


Next post is giveaway post, my first, how exciting.  A clue - it is going to be a useful insect...

ready to go...

A happy day spent up to my elbows in bubblewrap and packing tape.  I'm sending out lots of work to galleries in the next couple of weeks, topping up my fantastic regular stockists and also (fingers crossed) trying three new galleries this Autumn which is very exciting.  I'll let you know who they are once the work is on the way...

Todays parcel is for the gallery at Snape Maltings, who have shown my work for quite a few years now.  If you are in the right part of the country Snape Maltings is well worth a visit, there is always something going on - farmers markets, boat trips, brilliant childrens activities - as well as the concert hall (and gallery!)

I'm sending a few framed and also a big batch of unframed prints - here a couple of my current favourites (are you allowed to have favourites of your own work?) "Malodorous animals" and...

..."Cat on Stilts"...

I can feel an early autumn giveaway coming soon too...

no making...

We have hardly done any making at home recently because there have been no rainy days ...I'm missing it as I love a good joint project - you never know what you will end up with and everyone has really different ideas about what we should do.


Here are a couple of our old favourites, but i think it's time for something new soon...

pictures ready for shows

'crow'

'puffin race'

'bristol docks'

'crowds get bigger towards the back'

the house is starting to resemble a warehouse, 

this is just the tip of the iceberg, 

so all playing/hobbies/housework are off as noone can touch anything without a sharp intake of breath from me as I try to remain cool about it all as I have created this situation and the chaos will continue until the end of the month.