John was in the barn today and started to restore what will be a banquette from an old French bed – as he was in the art group he drew a picture.
Gill and I were both doing collages again
Margaret brought in her beautiful quilt with the name of her grandson embroidered on the edge – “four more to go” she said. Jeanette started one for her still unborn granddaughter. Margaret had also finished her rag rug.
Talking of grandsons, I did a little sketch of mine from a photo
This week Steve brought in some previous work and we all helped him with advice to make subtle changes to improve them.
Gill was painting a delightful picture of a robin with some collage – Eric said “not Christmas already !??”
Patricia had painted the horse last week and this week some jaunty elephants.
Dawn goes to another art class and was learning about the way other artists paint. I can’t remember who this was after but it is a stunning painting.
… and here are some examples of how we are experimenting with collage. Jacqui had used tissue paper on her poppies and I was extending printed images
In my quest to experiment with collage and texture I came up with the idea of extending printed images. We bought a book of black and white photographs from a market.
Then I stuck on some old news print – still unfinished but I’m enjoying finding out what will work and with which medium.
Chris and Steve joined us this week. Chris has started to keep bees and was trying out ideas for her pots. She is new to water colour but is making a good start. Steve is starting again after a long break. Here he is making the most of the good weather and is with Jenny who is writing a book.
Eric has finished his leafy glade and Jan was painting a long Tuscan scene
Pauline and Gill were doing crafts – what patience!
Sally was taking a break from her French alleyway and started painting a butterfly for her kitchen
Jane’s husband asked her to paint their terrace – what a beautiful place
Jackie brought in her irises which she had framed – gorgeous
… and the cockerel made another appearance
On Tuesday morning Gill came to learn a new method of making a rag rug. She brought with her the one she had started at the course a few years ago and also another made with fat pieces of short fabric hooked into a cellulose blanket – what a good idea.
she then started a new rug using a loom – different colours this time !
she also had made a bag by weaving around a piece of cardboard
Also on Tuesday Margaret was making her rug and I was continuing with Mary’s rug which she had left here when she went to live on the Isle of Wight
Margaret showed us the cushion she had made using the little canvas square of cross stitch squares. I love the colours
More stitching – on Thursday Pauline was cross-stitching this beautiful butterfly that is going to be made into a card and Viv was crocheting a granny-square blanket – again I love the colours
Jane and Jackie were both playing about with tissue paper and water colour
I painted this card with water colour
… and Patricia finished her acrylic
I felt the need to get back to oils this week after dabbling with water based paints and collage – this isn’t finished yet but I loved the image
Birgitta was re-painting her bowl – I think it looks really good. Her tiles that she had done a long time ago and were left outside the house throughout the winter had been damaged by storms so she was making another one. Using just a serviette and PVA glue and then lots of varnish to protect. I think it’s really effective
Jackie had caught the collage bug and was just using tissue paper but look how effective this is – to me it looks like a sky and hills
Patricia was using acrylics and this painting is out of her head – but to me it looks like a self portrait
This painting by Jane in water colour is nearly finished and has such depth
Following on the collage theme – here are three of mine and Jackie decided to add some tissue paper to her irises. I’m getting used to using acrylics now
This morning Jane and Dawn were both doing some very beautiful water colours
Patricia finished the picture of her husband and started another stormy seascape, this time in water colour
Sally was doing another bit to her street scene, she couldn’t remember where it was – somewhere in France. Eric was continuing with his woodland scene in acrylic
The second jewellery workshop was this week and I think the results are fantastic.
I forgot to post these last week. The first rug is Hilary’s and is full of glorious colour, the second is Margaret’s which is more blocks of colour but both are very lovely.
Birgitta was rediscovering papier maché this week. She has a real eye for design.
Brigid was making dogs for a charity and nearly lost one to Viv.
Two stunning watercolours this week from Jane and Patricia
Eric was painting in acrylic – I love seeing his pictures evolve. Jan was finishing off her oil painting and trying to decide what sort of frame was needed.
I’m painting with acrylics at the moment – the jury is out on whether I am actually enjoying it as I so love to paint with oils and a pallet knife – however I am enjoying sticking on added texture – either torn out bits from magazines or threads that I find on the floor after people have been doing their rag rugs.
Patricia was still painting her husband – not literally – and he now has a beard and a face. Sally is still painting her lovely alleyway and Jackie was doing water colour flowers.
Stewart and Michelle were with us on Tuesday morning and as usual the cockerel came as well. We can’t wait to see it painted. Michelle has taken on a mammoth task of knitting a rug (or carpet) It measures more than two metres in width and only 80cm in length so far.
Amber and Jeanette were doing some embroidery, Brigitte was doing decoupage and Birgitta was making a couple of very modern looking papier maché pieces. On Thursday Jane was making dogs – as you do!
… and some of us were painting
here are a couple that slipped away from last week