Beetle lino prints

For the last couple of years I have been drawing in our local Museums Natural History department whenever I get the chance.   The collections there are huge, varied and really inspiring.  Drawing the birds is my usual habit, but recently the curator had beetles out and I couldn't resist spending an afternoon drawing those too.

I found them tricky, I am no expert on beetle anatomy and they have so many parts - legs, antennae, etc that have to be in the right place.  My drawings would never be any use as an identifying guide but I had so much fun making them and learnt a lot too.

I couldn't resist making some lino prints from the drawings - keeping the slightly misplaced legs and wobbly lines where they were in my original drawing and using the scientific labels as part of the design.

Carving the lino block was tricky as I couldn't mis-cut anything - all those letters and legs!  It worked though, all in place and so in this picture you can see me peeling back the paper from one of the first prints I burnished from the block - success.

Hopefully this will become part of a small series of lino prints as it was great to work on.

New Dog lino print and Featured Maker on Folksy

Here is  a new lino print, freshly printed - Dog Disco

My sketchbooks are filled with dogs so it was only a matter of time before they all got together and had a party and here they all are.

This lino print was also great fun to cut out - all those twirly bits on the string of lights... but then I am happy cutting out lino prints anyway, however twirly.

The image happened during a weekend at an Art Fair - they had amazing twirly lights along the beams which I doodled all over my sketchbook and then I started drawing all the dogs who were visiting the Fair.  It was a particularly popular one for dogs and some very fine hounds stopped to say hello which was fun.  Somehow the dogs and the bright lights got mixed up together on the page and before I knew it the idea for Dog Disco had arrived.

I have popped it into my Folksy shop and right now I am their Featured Maker which is exciting - so to celebrate I have done one of those money off things.  Type in PIGEONPARADE15 as you go through the checkout bit and you get 15% off (until 9th June 2019) - hurrah!

Bristol Craft and Flea

Is three days notice enough?  I am going to be at the Craft and Flea in Bristol on Bank Holiday and it would be so great if you came along to say "Hello"!

I will have lots of my lino prints of course as well as lots of Bristol themed goodies - tote bags, mugs, cards and so on - I am so excited, having seen the exhibitor list it is going to be amazing fun.

New Three Hares lino print

I've just had a jolly old time making this big hares lino print!

My 'Line of Hares' (the smaller print) has been really popular and I have loved printing it, so I decided to play around with the scale a bit.  I'm so happy with the result as well.  I think of them as 'big' because I am so used to seeing my usual quintet, but they are actually about 16 cm high.  With so much more black in the image they are a little harder to print as i am still hand burnishing them, but definitely worth it.

Exhibition at Harts Bakery

So excited to have an exhibition on at the fabulous Harts Bakery in Bristol at the moment!  It runs until the beginning of February, so just time for a visit.  Lots of my lino prints framed, unframed, hand printed cards, tea towels and tote bags on show.

If you have never been to Harts then you should go...it is right next to Temple Meads Railway station and they make such good bread (and amazing cakes, and tasty coffee).

My advice if you are passing though Bristol by train is to hop off, rush to the Bakery, buy bread, cakes and coffee and then hop back onto the next train to your destination.  Don't forget to look at the art too :)

If you are nowhere near Bristol then my Etsy and Folksy shops are always open too...

Golden Pilea lino print

Really pleased with how my little Pilea friend is looking in gold ink on black Stonehenge paper.  The gold isn't glittery, its a lovely soft warm gold and seems to suit those lovely leaves perfectly.

It is in my little Etsy shop at the moment too...

Lino Print Exhibition

All hung and the show is open - if you are in Bristol it would be so lovely if you popped in and had a coffee/beer with my lino prints...

The Tobacco Factory - Bristol

Lots of birds and animals, a few of Bristol and also some of my new botanical lino prints are there too, so a good old mix.

If you can't get to Bristol then Etsy  or Folksy are good places for a browse too!