Stitch Camp

On the same theme as the collage book approach – ‘just start something without an end result in mind’, I really enjoyed taking part in the Gwen Hedley Stitch Camp workshop from @textileartsite last month.

Mark making and monoprinting onto two pieces of fabrics, and then selecting four sections to stitch together to make a new composition. I’ve started embroidering onto the top of this long piece of fabric, which is really fun but a long-term project to pick up and put down again.

The marks left on the masking tape from my fabric printing were more appealing than than the main event. I really enjoyed adding to them as small collages in my sketchbook. As always, I prefer working with the bits that are saved from the bin.

Making flowery trouser books

Fantastic to be teaching again after a very long time – I ran a workshop on making a single sheet folded book with a cover containing floral monoprints. We ctreated backdrawn monoprints and then coloured them with foam stamps - some brilliant results from all the participants, and the inky mess was surprisingly minimal!

A more neutral palette

A very enjoyable afternoon spent monoprinting with my gelli plate and collection of found objects (most picked up from pavements on my dog walks). Decided to keep my colour palette a little more neutral this time in an attempt to wean myself fluorescent paint colours. Printing onto old book pages (from a library discard) added to the pleasing build up of pattern and texture. Many of the prints need more layers, but some of the early trimmings escaped the bin and made it into my sketchbook as collages. 

Beetlemania

Recent collage experiments of collaging monoprints made with a gelli plate. I enjoyed picking the  colours and patterns to fill my outline beetles, and then drawing on details with a fine black pen. Although some of the vibrancy of the neon inks is lost when scanned or photographed, they've made a smart set of postcards. Available this weekend at the Bristol Artists' Book Event (BABE) at the Arnolfini. Come and say hello if you're in Bristol! 

Vegetable Guidance (2.0)

Working on a second edition of my book 'Vegetable Guidance' - new illustrations of collaged monoprints and freshened up typography. 

Pull the other one

Prototype cracker book… part of a collaborative project with the Artists’ Book Club (ABC) at the University of the West of England - inspired by Rebecca Weeks’ magnificent collection of cracker toys.

The cover is grey board with painted edges, and covered in orange flock paper (30p a metre from the wonderful Scrappies in Church Stretton). Decorated with red rubber stamped stripes, neon acrylic paint dots and neon pink paper. Inner pages are digitally printed scans of back-drawn monoprints on 300gsm gesso paper (from printed.com). These are then hand printed with rubber stamps using Tsukineko Radiant Neon ink pads. This will eventually be a small edition, presented with a collection of other cracker books. Don’t seem to be shaking off the obsession with neon colour any time soon.