gingerhoneycat

New etsy shop

2012-01-29T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've been working on some lovely jewellery to put in my new etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/shop/prettythingstolove

I've already had 2 sales which is so exciting!

I've been working on these beautiful glass tile pendants using some of the chiyagami paper I bought back from Japan.

Also been working with silver, brass and copper.

Happy viewing xxx

What a very merry christmas:D

2011-12-29T13:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a lovely few weeks, exhibitions, music, friends and great food!

I spent christmas day with friends. Dave O'Brian is the best cook, what a feast he prepared,he even made his special, no air in the middle yorkshire puddings:D Beef cooked to melt in your mouth perfection, and all the trimmings. Christmas dinner has to be one of my favourite ever meals. And the cheese platter, oh my....

This is Clive, my brother, my mum and me at the exhibition in Ironbridge, a lovely evening. I met a girl there i used to go to school with and I've not seen her since I was 15!

My jewellery.

Silver necklace, etched, domed, soldered and polished by me.

Reticulated silver pendant with a cabochon aquamarine. This is my first attempt at stone setting, it's very difficult. Luckily the rustic setting suits the necklace.

Jenny, the gallery owner, hanging my pictures before the show.

Rosie and Jamie playing in Ghislaines sitting room at the Gallery.

Me in my room at the Ghislaine Howard studio Gallery.

Merry christmas everyone xxxx

Glossop Christmas Arts Trail

2011-11-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

I hope that you can visit me as I take part in the Glossop Christmas Arts Trail taking place over the first weekend in December. I shall be holding an open studio and would love to see you and share a Christmas drink and mince pie. My studio will be open during the times shown below:

Saturday 3rd December, 10am – 7pm

Sunday 4th December, 10am – 5pm

at The Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery, 7 Oak St, Glossop, Derbyshire, SK13 7AP

Sixteen Glossop artists are taking part in the Arts Trail, opening up their studios and exhibiting their work in this celebration of arts and crafts taking place at seven venues in the town.

Within the group are both nationally renowned artists and emerging artists and craft artisans. Working in a variety of media including oils, pastels, ceramics, glass, textiles, printing and stone this event showcases the creativity abounding in Glossop.

The Glossop Christmas Arts Trail will give people the chance to go from venue to venue on the Arts Trail, see the artists in their studios and provide an exciting opportunity to view their work and shop for original and affordable gifts for Christmas.

For further information visit:
www.glossoparttrail.co.uk

Glossop Arts Trail

Love and Light xxx

Upcoming exhibitions!

2011-11-21T05:23:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy lately doing lots of wonderful things but haven't been able to blog because my internets down, so frustrating and I hope to get it sorted this week. I'm currently in the library, I love the library:D

I have 2 exhibitions coming up, one group show beginning on Fri 2nd Dec in Ironbridge, Shropshire, at http://www.ironbridgeframing.co.uk/

The second exhibition is the Glossop Christmas Arts Trail starting on Sat 3rd Dec! Have a look at the links for more info, really hope to see you all there, I've been doing lots of new work!
http://www.glossoparttrail.co.uk/

Love and light xxx

Mmm, lovely things....

2011-10-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

Watching this

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1281450323&ref=ts#!/photo.php?v=10150802110695405

and listening to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvd_tvffGbc&feature=related

Enjoy:D xxx

I'm on page 8!

2011-09-21T05:02:00.000-07:00

Finally made it into the Glossop Advertiser:D

Now to do some new work for the next exhibition, the Glossop Christmas Arts Trail! More info to follow soon...

Love and light xxx

New Train Station Gallery website is finally up and running:D

2011-09-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to be the first artist featured on the new website for the gallery space at Glossop train station! Simon Denvers has done a great job.

Please take a look.

http://www.stationgallery.co.uk/tracy-cupitt.html

I'm thinking about using this as my profile pic when I finally get around to making my website more personal. What do you think?

I've been spending some of my free time making some pendants using these glass tiles and the chiyagami paper I bought back from Japan. I might make another etsy shop for my jewellery as I think having art and jewellery on the same site might look rather cluttered.

I went round to my friend Eves house for dinner the other night with my landlady and friend, Gayle. Eve cooked us the most amazing south indian curry with lamb, my fave:D Apple crumble for dessert, but by then I was too full of curry to want to bend down and get my camera from my bag:D
Eve says next time she makes the curry I can come round and she'll teach me the recipe, can't wait.

Love and light xxx

Artwork in Glossop train station

2011-09-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

I now have the honour of being the first artist to exhibit work in Glossop train station:D I had my photo taken by the Advertiser, a local paper, today, they should be giving me a write up next week!
The station has recently had a lot of work done on it, the old waiting rooms have been re-opened and my work is in there.

Thanks to Friends of Glossop Station, and Simon Denvers in particular, for all their help.

Love and light xxx

For happiness

2011-09-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Listen to Laura Marlings new album here

and watch Treme.

Trying to get a good picture of the earrings I made proves to be difficult!

Love and light xxx

What a lovely few days off:D

2011-08-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

I've done a couple of things the last few days I've never done before. I've just been out for a walk in the hills in the rain (people who know me will know I don't usually venture out unless it's sunny), I went to the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and I enjoyed salad for lunch!
The salad was at The Oakwood in Glossop, courgette, goats cheese and a mint dressing, yum.

Really enjoyed the gallery visit too, good company, some great artwork, some that I didn't like but enjoyed having a rant about why it could possibly have won prizes, and the best cup of Earl Grey I think I've ever tasted:D

A friends birthday party.

Turner at the Walker Art Gallery.

Me and Simon, reflected.

Gaugain at the Walker Art Gallery.

Love and light xxx

New work

2011-08-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

I'm really happy with the new self-portrait I've just finished. I'm working on a few different pieces at the moment, inbetween work and fun, and I'm loving the contrast between white space, colour and black pen, it feels satisfying somehow:D

Love and light xxx

New work for the City & Guilds course.

2011-07-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

I've just finished my work for this module on earrings. I've made some cute little cards to present them on.

Love and light xxx

I got a distinction:D

2011-07-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

Got my reults back today from the first module of the City & Guilds Jewellery course, top marks for me:D

So pleased, I feel like I've learnt lots of new things over the past few months.

xxx

Manchester Metropolitan University Degree Show

2011-06-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

I went to the degree show last weekend. All of the tutors that I had when I was there have left now and that reflects in the work, much less flowers, a lot more digital imagry.

I love flowers though, so Amy Mingkwan was my favourite, have a look at her blog:

http://www.amymingkwan.blogspot.com

She has a lovely set on flickr too:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amymingkwan

I also liked:

http://ashleelouisegrant.com/portfolio-3
http://ayearintextiles.blogspot.com

http://hollymustill.blogspot.com

http://www.kam-papavasilopoulou.blogspot.com

http://rachel-omalley.blogspot.com

http://lowridrakley.blogspot.com

Enjoy:D xxx

2011-06-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

More pics of my time in Wales:D The Botanical Garden of Wales is beautiful, well worth a visit.

The beach pics at the top are of St Davids, a beautiful part of Pembrokshire. We walked along the coastal path and ate award winning Welsh ice cream, I think it was my favourite day. Pembrokshire reminds me of Cornwall, it's very dreamy and gentle, I'd love to live there one day. I miss living by the ocean. I wonder why I've never tried to paint the sea, I love it so.

xxx

2011-06-07T03:19:00.000-07:00

I spent the week following the exhibition with my friend, Brian, at his home in South Wales. The above pic shows him with the guitar he just made! He's never made a guitar before and it's just great, it plays beautifully and it'a all hand carved out of yew that he got about 30 years ago from Aberglasney gardens when he lived there. He's not been to aberglasney for decades so we decided to go have a look as it's recently been restored to it's former glory.

I had a great time and I'll upload some more pics of the other places we visited soon.

Also, I want to thank everyone who came to the Derbyshire Open last week, it was so amazing to see everyone and meet new people:D

Love and light xxx

2011-05-31T02:21:00.000-07:00

Thankyou to everyone who came to my exhibition:D I had such a good time! xxx

Art and The Mountain Goats

2011-05-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

Fabulous weekend, first a great night out at the academy in Manchester to see a band called The Mountain Goats, then my exhibition. Have a look here for The Mountain Goats on myspace, they're great, the lead singer has a wonderful presence on stage. Thanks to a friend who let me have the tickets.

The Derbyshire Open Arts began yesterday and it's been wonderful, we've had lots of lovely visitors and some sales. I've had great feed back on my work, it's all been really positive and I'm already thinking about the paintings I want to work on next, I'm feeling quite inspired:D
Below are a few pieces of my work which seem to be popular.

xxx

6 days to go:D

2011-05-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Some new pics for the exhibition to feast your eyes upon. It's this weekend so come and have a look and eat some cake:D

Love and light xxx

Less than 2 weeks to go!

2011-05-18T03:48:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about the upcoming Derbyshire Open Studios. As the name suggests, the studios and galleries are open to everyone, so please come and have a look and say hello.

I've been doing some new work for it, as you know. I've started to paint on canvas for a change, it's lovely:D Here's a preview of what i'm working on at the moment, not quite finished yet.

I've been taking some photos of these lovely little flowers, not sure what they're called. The background is one of my new canvases, I intend to paint the flowers on the canvas.

Finally, thank you to all my friends who've made me smile and laugh this week and bought me baileys, it's much appreciated:D

Love and light to all xxx

Changes

2011-05-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafs a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Robert Frost

I think I first the above Robert Frost poem in a film called the outsiders, many years ago. I always liked it. As someone who often has trouble letting go of things, even when they're not so good for me, I find it very poignant. I wonder if that's why I love cherry blossom so much, they're all the more beautiful because of their ephemeral and fleeting nature.

I've been working on some new pics of cherry blossom, and I've been working on letting go. A slow process to be sure, but I'm not doing too badly:D

Here's a sneak peek of my new pics.

Love and light xxx

Glossop artists open up

2011-05-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

Catherine Carr. Catherine does this fantastic knitted glass!

Ghislaine Howard. I love the sensitivity in this piece.

Tracy Cupitt

More artists than ever before will be taking part in the Derbyshire Open Arts this year. This is the fourth time that Glossop has been represented in the successful countywide event that runs from Saturday the 28th until Monday the 30th of May. Thirteen Glossop artists will be opening up their studios to the public as part of the annual celebration of arts and crafts taking place at over 100 venues across Derbyshire. It will give people the chance to see the artists in their studios, look at their work and talk with them about it.

Full details of all the artists, images of their work and a detailed map showing the location of all the venues participating in this free springtime event over the bank holiday weekend can be seen in the free brochure available at the library and many other places around Glossop. Further details and a downloadable copy of the brochure can be found at: www.derbyshireopenarts.co.uk

Glossop Artists involved:

Tracy Cupitt (that's me) has painted all her life, but her experience studying textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University and her recent residence in Japan affirmed her belief in the significance of the decorative and her respect for the craft traditions of different cultures. A talented artist, she specialises in colour and surface pattern, still-life compositions, and, more recently, intricate portraits in black ink. Tracy’s paintings are imbued with light, not from without, but, it seems from within.

Ghislaine Howard is a painter of national reputation who was named as a Woman of the Year 2008 for her contribution to art and society. Her powerful paintings and drawings interpret our shared human experience and the dramatic landscape of the Dark Peak. Recent exhibitions include The Choreography of Walking at Salford University and Stations of the Cross: The Captive Figure at York Minster which marks the beginning of a three year association between Ghislaine and The Minster. She has exhibited widely at venues such as Manchester Art Gallery, Canterbury Cathedral and Imperial War Museum North and has work in major public collections including the Royal Collection.

Michael Howard is an art historian and painter whose paintings and prints celebrate the work of those artists he loves and the pleasure of colour, form and texture. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Programme Leader of the School of the History of Art and Design at the Manchester Metropolitan University, where he teaches both academic and studio-based students. He has published widely including books on Lowry, Monet, and Van Gogh and has works in both private and public collections.

Ian Mood is an artist who is drawn towards the shifting vastness of the landscape; its unpredictability and awesome might. Through his work he seeks to capture some of the defining qualities of our brooding landscape: how, in the space of a single walk one can experience all the vagaries of the English weather system – from being caught in a sudden downpour to the unexpected flash of brilliant light that breaks through the pearly canopy of low-lying cloud. Ian Mood studied Fine Art at UWE Bristol. His current work features landscapes and seascapes of Derbyshire; the Welsh coast; Brooklyn, New York & Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.

Catherine Carr is an Independent Craft Designer who specializes in glass and textiles. She is inspired by the role of women in textiles, celebrating the history, memories and skills of women workers in homes and the textile mills of Derbyshire. Catherine’s work reflects the use of fibre

arts, particularly knitting and crochet. By applying these traditional skills to an innovative process of recycled glass products she makes beautiful and delicate glass lace structures which cast striking shadows. Each glass piece has been individually hand knitted or crocheted or woven. Following heating, applying precious lustres and manipulating the work at very high temperatures, a formed glass vessel emerges. Because of this hand crafted process, all pieces are original and unique.

Glossop Fibre Arts Co-operative was formed in July 2010, five of its members are exhibiting during the Derbyshire Open Arts weekend and work on display includes stitched images, digitised fabrics, button jewellery, painted silk scarves and polymer clay jewellery. Over the past ten months the co-operative has organised workshops, informal get togethers and run a stall at the monthly Local Produce Market. Their next workshop is ‘Silk Painting’ on Thursday 19th May 12 -3pm with Margaret Preston and there will be a meeting weekly on a Thursday afternoon from June in The Smithy Studios.

Adrian Holt is a ceramics artist living and working in Glossop. He has been professionally involved in ceramics for over 18 years, exhibiting at art fairs and galleries across the country. “I produce a diverse range of hand-built ceramics, their forms and finishes reflecting the many ideas and techniques used to create them. Important influences are natural history, the local environment and cultural traditions from around the world.” Adrian’s work includes animal and figurative sculpture, masks, busts, pots and tiles. His most recent work includes decorative wall hangings from the ‘Crack in the Landscape’ series and the installation ‘Bug Wheel’.

Christine Keddle studied illustration at Hornsey College of Art before training as a medical artist. After working in some of the major medical institutions in London and Manchester, she taught art in Stockport and Bedfordshire. However, her real interest has always been in painting and drawing, seeking inspiration from classical mythology and the countryside. Her work has been exhibited widely and she undertakes private commissions.

Simon Parkin has been exhibiting nationally since 1995 and running successful open studios for 10 years. His paintings are a response to the environment here in Derbyshire. He uses memory and observation as well as found objects which he embeds in the surfaces of paintings. Simon then uses various techniques of applying paint in order to capture the persona of the changing colours, textures and light of the High Peak.

Artists’ contact details:

Tracy Cupitt: Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery, 7 Oak Street, Glossop, SK13 8LS tracycupitt@hotmail.com www.gingerhoneycat.blogspot.com 07905186446

Ghislaine Howard: Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery, 7 Oak Street, Glossop, SK13 8LS ghislaine.howard@btinternet.com www.ghislainehoward.com 01457 854368

Michael Howard: Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery, 7 Oak Street, Glossop, SK13 8LS m.howard928@btinternet.com 01457 852368

Ian Mood: Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery, 7 Oak Street, Glossop, SK13 8LS www.ianmood.co.uk 07989855559

Catherine Carr: The Smithy Studios, Smithy Fold, Glossop, SK13 8DD catherine@catherinecarrglass.co.uk www.catherinecarrglass.co.uk 01457 867656

Glossop Fibre Arts Co-operative:

The Smithy Studios, Smithy Fold, Glossop, SK13 8DD 01457 857200 glossoptextilearts@googlemail.com www.glossopmoot.wordpress.com Carole Beckett beckettc@stockportgrammar.co.uk Carole Haines carole.haines@btinternet.co 07908887056 Barbara Helm bbrbr51@aol.com www.littlebarb.co.uk Margaret Preston maggie.preston@btinternet.com Amanda Shackleton amanda@ashackleton.orangehome.com

Adrian Holt: 66 Surrey Street, Glossop, SK13 7AJ adrian.holt@talktalk.net www.adrianholt.co.uk 01457 867471

Christine Keddle: 13 Pikes Lane, Glossop, SK13 8EA 01457 852124

Simon Parkin: 43 High Street East, Glossop, SK13 8PN simon@simonparkin.co.uk www.simonparkin.co.uk 01457 855936

Hope to see you there:D xxx

New items listed on Etsy!

2011-04-27T04:03:00.000-07:00

Lille plays guitar, based on some wonderful memories of going to see Lisa Hannigan in Manchester with a friend. She was fantastic! She's writing a new album at the mo I think, if she tours and comes to Manchester again I am most definitley going to be there:D

Christina. This portrait is based on a film I saw featuring Christina Ricci and Johnny Depp,
The man who cried. It had mixed reviews, not everyone liked it. I thought it was very beautiful.
I've not put the original drawing on Etsy yet, I thought i'd try one of the giclee prints I got done recently.

xxx

http://www.etsy.com/people/TracyEmmaCupitt?ref=si_pr

Cherry Blossom Heaven

2011-04-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again, it makes me smile:D

"Could I die under a cherry blossom tree in full bloom on a full-moon night of spring?" Saigyo, Japanese monk.

My gorgeous mans next door neighbour had someone in to cut his cherry tree whilst it was full bloom! It did mean that I got to have some of it to put in a vase and paint though.

Here are some more lovely spring pics.

Love and light xxx

Communications are back:D

2011-04-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

The beginnings of a new painting. I haven't painted a landscape for quite some time, so it's a little scary, but exciting also. I try to paint only the thing that I love, things that cause love and all kinds of goodness to well up in the heart, and I love parks and gardens and natural places, so I figured it was about time I tried to incorporate them into my work.

I think it's just about finished, just a few tweaks maybe, what do you think? I was aiming for a feeling of serenity but my gorgeous man said he does not find it so. I'm happy with it though.

Woman, bell, Shiva, shell. This painting represents some of my favourite things, the shell for the ocean, the pure sound of a bell or singing bowl (I'd love to have a proper Balinese bell), the grace and elegance of the Geisha, the dance of Shiva.

Mobile found, new router installed, only the landline still to be sorted. I'm glad to be back online so I can share some of the new work I've been doing recently. I'm participating in the Derbyshire open arts again this year, but rather than doing it at my house I'll be at the Ghislaine Howard Gallery.

The open will be held over the last bank holiday in May, 28th, 29th and 30th May, 11 -5pm.

The Derbyshire Open Arts Website can be found here if you want to see who else is involved across Derbyshire.

Thanks for popping by:D

xxx

Is mercury in retrograde or something?

2011-04-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

I've lost my mobile, my landline's not working and my reuter broke so I can't get online at home at the moment! Communication breaakdown. My friend, Brian, an astrologer, tell's me that Mercury is the planet of communication, so come on mercury, gimme a break.

Oh well, less distraction equals more time to work:D

My jewellery work is all finished and has been handed in. I'm really looking forward to the next module, I enjoyed the last one so much, I think I could easily get quite obsessed with this!

These are my favourite pieces:

Face, heat coloured etched brass

Oxidised etched silver

Oxidised etched copper

Etched enamelled silver

Enamelled copper

Etched enamelled copper over etched polished brass.

xxx

Heartbroken

2011-04-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

Like many people I was devastated to see the death and destruction in japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami. I was grateful that all of my friends there are ok but horrified to think about what everyone was going through.

I thought that I'd re-post something that my friend, Taoyoga founder Jesse Lee Parker, wrote about the situation there:

During this time in Japan, there are many amazing stories and people are coming together and expressing a positive and brave state of heart in these trying times; the country is working together to rebuild externally, and also to regain the inner state of a Positive Heart.

Here are some amazing stories I have seen that have inspired me:

~Hideaki Akaiwa, was startled at work by the now infamous earthquake and tsunami that shook and overtook Japan on March 11, Akaiwa rushed to high ground and immediately called his wife of two decades. When she didn't answer, Akaiwa ignored friends' pleas to wait for a military rescue, instead rummaging up some scuba gear and diving into the dark, cold, debris-filled tsunami. Hundreds of yards of swimming later, Akaiwa found his wife struggling against the 10-foot current that had overtaken the couple's Ishinomaki home. He later went on another scuba diving journey through the dangerous and dark waters to rescue his elderly mother who was trapped and alone on a roof top surrounded by water.

~Red Cross Hospital Stories from Ishinomaki, Miyagi
This hospital which escaped serious damage,
seems like a field hospital, with doctors working round the clock.
Rika Suda, 22, gave birth to her second daughter on Friday,
and was the 61'st baby born in the hospital since the earthquake hit this area on March 11.
Life goes on, and new life is coming....

Doctors and nurses across Japan have come together to offer their medical help and services to those suffering in the north of Japan - we must all give our respect to their hard work and sacrifices...

I spoke with my spiritual friend and teacher the other day, who is a Zen Priest, and a teacher of meditation, Yamashita Roshi, about all that is taking place in Japan. He said this is a unique and special time for all of us living here. He spoke on how often times we read books and scripture to gain spiritual learning, but such learning is of course limited. He went on to speak that NOW, we are able to learn spiritual lessons in a direct way, due to this intense experience we all share here in Japan; this is real spiritual learning....

Let us all pray for Japan, and let us as a world community come together;
let us shed the barriers of race, country and religion....
for in the end, we all wish for the same things...
We all wish for Peace, Happiness & Harmony...

Let us all come together,
Let us all be a world family,
Let us create Peace on Earth....

I love reading what Jesse writes because he focuses on the postitive rather than dwelling on the horror and fear. If I was still in Japan I'd be so grateful for his classes and wisdom.

Here are some of my photos from my time in Japan that I'd like to share.

To read more about Tao Yoga click here to see Jesse's website.

Love and light xxx

A big parcel of felt and other fabric

2011-03-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

I got this wonderful parcel of handmade felt from my friend, Ailsa, yesterday! What a lovely surprise:D

Ailsa has also handstitched into the felt and added elements from nature that she finds on her walks or in her garden.

She's sent me some of her felt with the idea of me experimenting with it and making it into something. I'd quite like to try making a felt book for my jewellery course to put my samples in, and a hanging. I shall have to have a think about it.

The above fabric are 2 lengths of silk that I printed at Uni, one on habotai, the other on georgette. I did a devore print with that screen too, and then the design was washed off the screen ready to be used by another student, and so these lengths of fabric are unique. I just can't decide what to do with them, they're too pretty to be sat in my wardrobe, they're too big to hang in my house.
Ideas welcomed.

My dress is coming along very slowly, painfully slowly. I've never made a dress before and I've never used a pattern before, so I'm a complete beginner. This is the back panel. The fabric is a lovely liberty print.

Thank you Ailsa:D

Love and light to everyone xxx

A sigh of relief

2011-02-24T08:26:00.000-08:00

How wonderful it is today to feel actual warmth coming from the sun, to feel that hint of spring in the air:D

Walking through the park today it was like my whole body heaved a big sigh of relief, the warmer weather is coming!

Tinker is happy in the warmer weather too.

Love, light and sunshine xxx

Jewellery Course-Sketchbook

2011-02-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

I love pattern and the silhouettes of leaves, branches and blossom against the sky, and the shadows they throw against a surface as the light touches them. My work here is exploring this love of pattern and decoration, inspired by nature. The paper cuts I’ve been doing can hopefully inspire my jewellery making process, as I’d like to combines layers of materials, silver over silk, for example. I’ve been looking at other jewellery makers for inspiration too.

Here'a a few pages of my sketchbook, followed by some of the jewellers I'm looking at for inspiration.

Kate Smith

Leonor Hipolito. I can't find a website dedicated to her jewellery, but if you google her you'll find images of her work on various sites.

Penny Davis

Rosanne Antico Hall. Again, you'll have to search on google, I couldn't find a website for her.

Sally Grant

Yu Chun Chen

What beautiful work there is out there, and so much more to come.

Love and light xxx

My best one yet

2011-02-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

Now that my friend has recieved the sketchbook I made for her I can share the images of it with you and not be in danger of spoiling the surprise! I'm happy to say it was very well recieved:D

The above paper was handpainted by me, I've been wondering what to do with it for ages. I think it works really well in the sketchbook and adds that extra something as it's totally unique.

Such beautiful paper!

And of course, overseeing the entire project, my beautiful cat, Tinker:D

Love and light xxx

Jewellry Class

2011-02-07T11:04:00.000-08:00

For the last month I've been attending a City & Guilds jewellry course led by the wonderfully talented

Adele Kime at the Glossop Adult Education Centre.

Not only is her jewellry beautiful but she's an exellent teacher too, which is just as well as I am a complete beginner when it comes to actually making anything. As I mentioned in the last post, I've made a sketchbook for the course as I'm very keen to make everything by hand. It's quite a discipline keeping a sketchbook again, it's something i got out of the habit of doing, I just dive straight into my paintings usually without much of a plan.

The first thing we're learning is etching onto brass and copper. We had to design something in black and white (I chose the drawings I've been working on lately) and then the images were photocopied onto special blue paper that's usually used for printing on circuit boards. The paper's called Press-n-peel Blue PCB Transfer Paper.

This is my original image, followed by the blue paper photocopy next to the piece of brass it's to be transfered to. I cut sections of the image to be photocopied to minimise the amount of blank space.

I put a thin sheet of paper over the brass and heated the metal with an iron (no steam), for about 4-5 minutes, then I quickly placed the blue paper, image face down, onto the brass, covered it with the paper, and heated it again with the iron for another 4-5 minutes. Then I plunged the brass, paper still attached, into a jug of cold water for a few seconds before taking it out and peeling off the paper.

Very exciting!

Not all the detail came out, the drawing of the face is very subtle, lot's of little dots, but I was happy with it. You can get a blue etch resist pcb marker pen that you can use to draw directly onto the metal with but it's not a very fine nib, so the paper allows for more detail.

This is my brass after it spent 3 hours in the Ferric Sulphate solution we made at the centre. I still have to give it a final clean. The face is so subtle you can only see it when tilted towards the light, so I intend to oxidise it to blacken the raised areas. The module of the course i'm currently studying is all about producing samples and experimenting with different techniques.

What do you think?

Love and light xxx

Very Busy Bee

2011-02-06T09:45:00.000-08:00

Apologies for not posting for a while, I've been moving house again! This is definately the last time I'm moving for quite a while I hope. I really like the new house, it's less expensive than where I was before, and the landlady loves cats, so for the first time ever I've been able to get a cat:D

So I now have a black cat called Tinker. I got her about 2 hours ago from a lady who's just had her first child, who, it turns out, is allergic to cats. Tinker is 8 yers old and is so far very shy, I'll take a photo of her when she comes out from under my bed.

I've also had a few projects on the go, these are pictures of my first attempt at making ny own sketchbook using a tutorial by Dani Jones. You can find the tutorial here if you want to give it a go.
It's a good tutorial but I did mess up my sketchbook right at the end by not reading the instructions properly. It's not too bad though and I'll still be using it, I'm just a perfectionist. I'm really happy with the papers/colours I chose for the cover though, it looks pretty:D
I'm making one for my friend next so the second one should be better, lessons learnt.
The sketchbook is for a jewellry making class that I just started last month, 3 hours a week of happiness!

I uploaded the photos in order of my progression in making the sketchbook but for some reason they've come up in a random order and I can't seem to change it. Oh well, randomness it is then!

This is as far as i've got with making my work space nice and pretty. I've a lot more pics to put up and I'd quite like some shelves too. The sewing machine is really old and I'm not sure yet if it works or not, I might have to treat myself to a new one.

See you soon

xxx

Merry Christmas Everyone and a happy new year!

2010-12-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

How lovely it is to have a few days just doing nice things like eating good food, having lazy mornings in bed and giving and opening pressies:D

My gorgeous man, Matthew, has bought a new laptop for me and I'll be moving house again soon to somewhere less expensive, so i'll be able to afford to be online at home and keep up with my blog and stuff much more easily!

I think I've mentioned before how I usually really struggle in the winter, I hate the cold and the unrelenting greyness, but so far this winter I'm feeling very positive and excited about the upcoming new year, maybe I'm finally suceeding in changing my habitual thinking patterns, wouldn't that be great :D

Christmas day at Matthews sisters house. Me cuddling their new dog, a gorgeous cocker spaniel called Bruno.

Some new work, Falling Cherry Blossom at a shrine in Kyoto.

Details from Falling Cherry Blossom at Heian Jingu, one of my fave shrines in Kyoto.

The full painting, it makes me feel happy but nostalgic for my year in Japan as cherry blossom season in Kyoto is one of the beautiful things I've ever seen. It rendered me into an excited little girl who finds herself suddenly transported into her favourite fairy tale. I intend to do a whole series of falling cherry blossom paintings just for the fun and beauty of it all.

xxx

What a lot of beautiful pictures!

2010-12-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

My Spring Flowers in the entrance to the gallery. This piece had a lot of admirers:D

The hallway that Michael Howard and I shared.

Still-Life with Cyclamen and Azalea. One of my paintings that I'm most happy with!

The room I shared with Michael. I think our work really complements each other, we both love to paint within the still-life genre but we have very different styles.

The wonderful Ghislaine Howard in the kitchen part of the gallery.

A new friend taking part in the art trail for children, more on that another time.

Michael Howard in the big room, no doubt creating a wonderful piece of writing.

Mombreesia. This is another piece of work by me that drew many postive comments, everyone loves that blast of colour against the blue.

Paintings by the very talented Ian Mood.

In the kitchen.

The big room.

I've had such a fabulous time being involved in the exhibition that has just ran at the Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery. I feel very priviliged to have taken part in this and I loved every minute, I'm just sad that's it's finished now.
I shall hopefully be exhibiting there again in the Derbyshire Open Studio Weekend in May though:D

I'll post again soon.

xxx

Getting Closer!

2010-11-30T04:25:00.000-08:00

This is the corner of my living room where I paint and generally make a mess:D I love having lots of my favourite images up around me for inspiration. I tend to put unfinished things up too, it's good to live with them for a while and allow time for them to suggest what they want me to do to them next!

My friend thought this should be the other way up, but it's a weeping cherry tree in front of one of the many beautiful vermillion shrines in kyoto, so it is actually the right way up!

I've been very busy creating new work and I'm loving every minute of it, I feel like i'm on a roll and it doesn't always happen like this so I'm enjoying it while I can:D
The exhibition at the Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery starts this weekend and I feel like a little kid I'm so excited.

Ghislaine now has a fantastic new website, take a look:
http://ghislainehoward.com/

I have a small section on there now too with a few of my images from the show:
http://ghislainehoward.com/tracy-cupitt/

Love and light on this snowy day, I'm off to get warm and to do some more work....

xxx

Exhibition at the Ghislane Howard Studio Gallery

2010-11-20T14:01:00.000-08:00

Card for the exhibition

Red Berries, White Vase

Spring Blossom in a Milk Bottle


Spring Blossom I'm very excited to be exhibiting in the Ghislaine Howard Studio Gallery in the upcoming winter show! It starts next weekend on Sat 4th Nov. Today we've started putting some of the work on the walls of the galley, trying to get a sense of where things are going to go. It's really satisfying to see it all coming together now. I have 4 paintings still at the framers, I get those on Monday and then the work of hanging the show, and getting the space ready can really begin:D Also exhibiting are Michael Howard, Cordelia Howard and Ian Mood. Not only is Ghislaine a fantastic painter but she makes great cakes too. I don't know where she finds the time but it's going to be a wonderful exhibition. I'll post more over the next couple of days, Ghislaine's getting a new website and I've been working on some new paintings, a couple of which are above. Love and Light xxx

Autumn colour and excitment:D

2010-11-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

Exciting times are ahead, and indeed are happening now, I can feel it in the air!
It's autumn and I've been made redundant, but strangely I feel really optimistic. One thing has come to an end and that can only leave space for new things to enter.
In-between searching for jobs I'm enjoying having the time to go for walks in my local Manor Park, the colours have been beautiful this year.

Also, I have an exhibition coming up in a few weeks so I'm doing some new work and feeling very creative. I'll post it here first of course, just as soon as it's finished and scanned in. I'll post the flyer here too when I get a copy of it.

For now here's some of my favourite pics from the park.

Love and Light
xxx

Mythic Coastline Competition

2010-09-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

Formy shipwreck, with more than a little help from my imagination.

Mirabel in the Autumn Forest

Well, what a frenzied weekend of paper, paint and a very messy flat as I worked very hard to do 2 new paintings for a competition. A friend told me about it just recently and I only had the weekend to get everything done. I really like working to a deadline though, and I like having some kind of brief to work towards. Too many possiblities sometimes end up with nothing getting done, as I think I've said before.

Of course it would've helped if my scanner had worked when I came to scan them in! As it was I used my trusty new camera to take a (slightly less than sharp) picture. They were a bit dark as I didn't finish till late last night but I'm hoping they're acceptable to the judges. When I get my scanner working I'll post some better quality images.

The competition is to illustrate a childrens book provisionally entitled 'Between the Moon and the Earth'.

xxx

A few pics....

2010-09-07T02:40:00.000-07:00

Me with some ongoing work in the background.

This is an older piece of work that I like and that a lot of people commented on the Derbyshire Open. It was inspired by Japanese screens. I produced a lightbox using this image that hangs in Blackburn Hospital in the waiting room. I'll try and find the picture from the paper and scan it in and post it here. A lot of people that see my work say they love my sense of colour, that it very healing! That made me feel good:D

This is my stencil design after I started using it for some small paintings. They should be finished soon so watch this space.

Love and light xx

Finally....

2010-08-31T00:38:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have finally managed to create my own website and Etsy shop:D For someone who loves using good old fashioned materials, pens, pencils, paint and paper, this is quite an achievement!

It's meant to be easy using an online site builder but the first one I tried, 123, I just couldn't get the hang of, so I switched to vista print and their process was really straightforward thankfully, even I managed it:D Can you tell how pleased with myself I am? It's 8.45 in the morning, I'm at work, and I'm grinning.

Please take a look and let me know what you think.

http://www.tracyemmacupitt.co.uk/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TracyEmmaCupitt

Love and light xxx

New pics and ideas

2010-08-24T02:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have a plan! It's been a bit of a stressful time lately really, I've moved house, again, (the last place was too cold in the winter and I detest being cold), also, there is looming redundancy due to Government cuts in the public sector, my job finishes at the end of September and there's not a lot out there to take it's place.

After much reflection and procrastination (one of my key skills!), I've decided to take a part time post with a drop in wages but also finally get myself into gear and open up my etsy shop and create a website for myself in the hope of actually reaching the people out there in the big wide world that would love to buy my work. I know you're out there somewhere! I have beautiful work to offer and it will will be just right for some people, so I just need to start believing I can do it and just do it. I'm going to try at least, and not only am I going to try but I'm going to enjoy trying, I'm feeling really positive about everything despite the fact I shall be very poor for a while!

So, I'm currently sat designing my website and uploading my pics, I'm not a professional website designer so I'm using an online tool, it will be suitable for my small needs at this time, and in the future, who knows?

I'll keep you updated.

meanwhile, some more pics....

This is how the triptych looks as a whole on my wall, I do believe each piece stands on it's own too though.

My beautiful new Buddha statue in my living room, I found it in a local charity shop and I can't tell you how happy I am with it, he's just perfect:D

Detail of the Japanese Obi fabric I have hanging by the side of my window (to the right of Buddha), so pretty:D

Much Love XXX

Life-Drawing Class, Matisse Style

2010-08-06T02:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pics from the life modelling I did a couple of weeks ago. It was a lot of fun, I so enjoyed being in a studio environment again, it was great seeing the fantastic work the artists produced. I miss Uni so much!

I hope I get asked to model again:D

xxx

Long time no see

2010-07-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

My poor neglected blog how I've missed you, and there will be further huge gaps probably as I've just moved into a new flat, so no internet for a while after the next few days:(

I've been busy packing, moving, drawing, going on holiday (to the new forest which is just beautiful).

I'll share a few pics from my hols and some shots of my latest work:D

Also, I just did some modelling today (my first time) for an art workshop run by the the very talented artist Ghislane Howard and her equally talented husband, Michael. As soon as I get some photos from Michael I'll put them on here (don't worry, I was clothed!).

Learn more about Ghislanes work here on her website.

The beginning of a new geisha drawing.

A new stencil based around my photos of cherry blossom.

I've already started using it so more pics to follow:D

The beautiful town of Lymington.

The walk back from Bucklers Hard.

A waterfall in Exbury Gardens. A beautiful place well worth a visit but get to the gates well before the publicised time of 6 o clock because we got there at 5.53 only to find the plcae deserted and the gates locked! We had to climb over the fence, leave the car in the car park and get a taxi back to the guesthouse!!

Just off the beaten track in the new forest.

xxx

Sally Kempton

2010-06-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

It's been really slow at work lately (there's so little work that we're actually getting made redundant soon), that I've been relying on art (I sit at my desk and draw) and the writing of Sally Kempton to carry me through each day. I love reading her articles, she clear and gentle and makes a lot of sense. Here's a passage from the article I read today that struck a chord with me.

'The power of beauty and pleasure--whether the beauty of a human face, the pleasure of a good meal or a work of art or an ocean--is that it arrests us. The distraction and restlessness that often cuts us off from full engagement with the moment temporarily dissolves, and we are fully present--our consciousness literally aroused by the experience of something beautiful or delicious. That moment of inner arrest or arousal, the "Aha!" we feel, is a realization of the state that yogic sages call the bliss of wonder. It's the meeting point of sensory and spiritual experience. It's both the fruit of and the avenue into a fully awakened life.'

You can find more of her writing here http://www.sallykempton.com/home.html

The photograph of the Buddha was taken by me in Japan, Buddha and Blossom, two of lifes inspirations:D

xxx

Pics from the paper.

2010-06-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the pictures taken for the local papers:D

They were taken in Simon Parkins Studio space, one of my favourite places! Simon also gave me lots of good advive about my portfolio and I now have lots of things to think about.

There was a follow up in last weeks paper too, I'll scan in the photo and post it soon as I get a chance.

xxx

Derbyshire Open Arts 2010

2010-06-03T15:54:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful weekend, the Derbyshire Open was really good fun! I met lots of new people and caught up with some old friends, sold some work and got really positive comments from everyone who visited.

Add to that the fact I'm off work and the weathers warm and sunny and I'm a very happy cat indeed:D

I know the other artists in Glossop who participated also had a great and successful time.

Here are a couple of photos of how my house looked with all the work up for those that couldn't make it over xxx

My cherry blossom papercut in the window, lots of

people loved this.

My bird series was also very popular.

My front room.

The dining room with my portfolio on the table. It's quite a big house but I have too much work to put up!

The 2 Blue Landscape paintings sold also, in fact I could

have sold them twice over!

Cute bunny pics:D

2010-05-10T02:13:00.000-07:00

These cute bunny pics are for my friend, Kazuko, in Japan! Hope you like them.

I found them on Cute overload.

I've been painting this weekend too so expect to see some new work on here just as soon as I get a chance to scan them in!

xxx

Derbyshire Open Arts 2010

2010-04-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce that I'm participating in this years open arts in Derbyshire!

http://www.derbyshireopenarts.co.uk/

I'm on page 5 of the brochure, alongside a very talented friend, Simon Parkin.

To see more of Simons work click here.

Other superb artists exhibiting in Glossop include:

Adrian Holt http://adrianholt.co.uk/

Linda Irving http://www.lindairving.co.uk/

Joanne Bleaden www.joannesflowergarden.blogspot.com

Wendy Smith aheartofglassuk@hotmail.com

Carol Greaves www.skeins.co.uk

Lovely people all:D

I'm exhibiting in my home, which will be open to the public for 3 days over the last bank holiday in May, 29th-31st, 11am-5pm.

Everyone's welcome to come and have a look and stop for a chat and a brew:D

There may even be cakes!

xxx

A few new pics I'm working on.

2010-04-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

Winter Pics

2010-03-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

We had lots of snow in Glossop this year, it was beautiful, silent, otherworldly, and very frustrating as it caused chaos on the roads and with the local trains! I loved it though, and I had a gorgeous new green hat and scarf knitted for me by my friend Kazuko to keep me warm!

I love them:D

Problems with computers have meant it's been a while since I said Hi on here but I'm back now and will posting more regularly again.

Hope you like the pics

Love and light xxx

Getting the hang of things

2009-10-30T17:47:00.000-07:00

One of the photo's taken by my friend, Matthew Hart, at The Oakwood. I wish I could direct you to some of his other work but I don't think he has anything posted online yet.

Can't wait for the opening night!!!

Exhibition of My Work

2009-10-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Exciting news, my exhibition at The Oakwood in Glossop is going full steam ahead:D
Here's the poster for the show featuring some of my new drawings. It's been a while since I've simply drawn, no messing about with paints, or colour, just a black pen on white paper, it's been lovely and I intend to do a lot more work in this kind of style. It's a good contrast to the way I paint, which can be very spontaneous and expressive.

I also posed for some pics with one of my drawings, which I hope to see in my local paper next week, I'll post a couple of them later. Good times!

Anyway, everyone's welcome to attend so hope to see you there:D

Love and smiles xxx

Denis Jones

2009-10-07T14:29:00.000-07:00

My favourite song at the moment is called 'Beginning' and it's sung by this guy, Denis Jones.

I'm really happy about the fact he'll be playing in Glossop at the Oakwood in November, yay! So excited:D

The video's a little quiet so turn it up!

I'll post some new work within the next week so stay tuned:D

Love xxx

Recent Stuff

2009-08-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm still Alive:D

It's been a while since my last post and I do apologise, moving country, moving house and starting a new job kinda takes it out of a girl! I'm now settled in my new house with my friend Dave and so far everythings very good:D
Our house is quirky, it has no straight lines anywhere, it came with furniture including a HUGE dining table which has already been christened with a few parties and lots of good food and drink.
I love it, which is such a huge contrast to the last house I lived in in England and I can't tell you how relieved I am. Liking the place where you live is pretty essential to general wellbeing.
Anyway, as soon as we get the internet connected I'll upload some pics on here.

ARGHHH!!!

Tomorrow night I'm to play live at my local pub, The Globe. I'm in a state of nervous excitment and sheer terror, I can't decide whether I'm looking forward to it or not. It's my friends birthday party and it'll be a great night, but I have this kind of phobia about being in the spotlight.
Hmmm, hopefully pics to follow of my successful debut.

ART

My 2 paintings never made it to the exhibition:(
I have had a friend enquire about buying one of them which is great, only I always feel a little awkward about asking friends for money so I've not pursued it yet.
I'm currently working on a black and white drawing inspired by Geisha and Japan which I'm really enjoying and can't wait to share with you. Who know's it may end up being my first print in the Etsy shop I'm thinking about opening:D

Hugs xxx

Cherry Blossom

2009-06-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to share some of my favourite pics of the cherry blossom in Japan:D

Enjoy xxx

Beautiful Papercuts and little things

2009-06-28T03:03:00.001-07:00

I made it on time!!!

So I made it to the art gallery yesterday with my two watercolour paintings by the skin of my teeth (what a strange expression really). I've had a few days when every little thing seems to go wrong, from papercuts (to fingers, not the beautiful art of papercutting), computer stuff not working, no jam for my crumpets arrrggghhh!!

Beautiful Papercuts!

Talking of papercuts, please have a look at my gorgeous papercuts above, I was experimenting with different white papers, cartridge and watercolour paper (which is very hard on my fingers).

Anyway, I should know by Thursday if my paintings were accepted for the exhibition or not, so wish me luck and send me lots of hugs if I don't make it this year.

It's the little things that make or break you some days and I found myself being inordinately wound up by things out of my control, like the amount of people in Manchester yesterday when I was rushing to the gallery, and the Jesus bands and rappers (not to offend anyone in a religious sense but it was so musically bad), ouch.

Today is a new day though, in fact each minute is a new moment (oh god I'm such a hippie:D), so lets turn this thing around, yay:D

Love y'all xxx

New Photographs on Flickr

2009-06-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

I've just been uploading some of my photos to my Flickr site.

Click here or on my mosaic to the right to have a look at all my wonderful photo's of a wonderful year in The Far East:D

Painting in the East and playing guitar in the West:D

2009-06-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

It doesn't happen very often but here's a rare pic of me actually playing in front of people, I know, radical!!!:D

I'm trying to take the advice of the wonderful Havi Brooks and her duck Selma, to gently expand the boundaries of my comfort zone, lol, phew.

I'm adding some pics of me and my old friend Brian painting on our travels too:D

It was such fun, even when we didn't think we'd make it through the next hour because of the intense sun and humidity.

In Laos, at one of the most beautiful temples in the world, Wat Xieng Thong, we were sat painting very early in the morning (coolest part of the day) when an older guy came and sat down with a painting he must've started the day before. He turned out to be a well known award winning painter from from Chiang Mai in Thailand. His name is Charoon Boonsuan and I talked with him and admired his painting. He was apologetic about possibly ruining my view when he set up his easel and gave us some postcards (which I must get from Brian and post them here, they're beautiful).

Lovey guy, I hope to go to Chiang Mai and visit him in the future.

Hugs to everyone xxx

White Cherry Tree and Tokyo In The Rain

2009-06-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

I did promise to scan all my work in when I returned from Japan and put better quality images up, but alas, my new multi-function printer/scanner/photo-copier is refusing to scan. I don't understand why and I'm not happy about it and shall sit and sulk until a kind friend comes and sorts it out for me:(

Ok, sulk over for now just because I'm really excited about having finished the two watercolour paintings I've been working on and I've bought two frames today and have been cutting mounts for them and getting them ready for a competition I want to enter. The deadline's on Saturday but I still have to buy hooks and stuff and finish the framing.

Anyway, here are my finished (as far as any artwork is finished) paintings. I also really like just the left hand side of Tokyo in the rain all on it's own and I'm considering whether or not to chop it in half, any comments or opinions appreciated.

xxx

Tokyo in the rain

2009-06-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Well, somewhat trepidatiously I've begun painting Tokyo in the rain!! Oh how I wish I was sketching from life but I'm still here in Manchester, same weather though! I say trepidatiously because I'm not used to painting Cityscape's and it's scarily different from my usual beautiful flowers and faces (which I love painting:D)

At times I think I'm completely ruining the painting and at other times I quite like it.

It's almost at the point where I need to stop, but it's not quite there yet I think.

It's pretty much bed time now, I want to paint some more but it'll have to wait till tomorrow now.

xxx

New Painting - White Cherry Tree

2009-06-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

So I've actually got myself together enough over the the past couple of days to make a start on a new painting!!! Why is it that most artists will put off doing the thing they love most? It's very frustrating. The things I did to avoid making a start include cooking a full on roast dinner (lamb with all the trimmings), doing masses of washing up, cleaning the bathroom floor, going shopping, watching southpark and playing guitar, anything in fact to avoid the scary void of new white paper staring back at me when I've not painted for a while.

And then I get I get started and of course I really love it:D

I Thought it was finished earlier and I took off the masking tape (I love doing that), but now I've decided to add a bit more detail to the foreground on the left hand side. The painting is of a beautiful weeping white cherry tree in the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, like most of Kyoto in cherry blossom season it gives you the feeling of stepping into a more beautiful, enchanted fairytale of a world. Have I mentioned before how much I love cherry blossom;D

Anyway, here it is so far.

xxx

Memories

2009-06-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a good day, I 've spent most of it going through my photographs from the previous year trying to sort them out and see which ones might act as some inspiration for painting. I have over 2000 pics and I've narrowed them down to 200!

I'm planning on entering a watercolour competition, the deadline's in 3 weeks and I want to do some new work based on my travels. I've not painted for about a month so I hope I'm not too rusty.

I really enjoyed the process of sorting through everything and it bought back some beautiful memories:D

Now I'm sat listenng to my friend Dave mix his tunes and prepare his DJ set for Saturday at The Globe - Stop making Sense. I think I'm gonna be doing some dancing on Saturday night, yay for creative friends:D

Me and my mum

2009-06-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

I've not long come back to Manchester after a visit to see my mum in Shropshire. I've not seen her for over a year as I was in japan so it was a lovely reunion and she's delighted to have me back in the country! Kazuko, my friend from Japan, has asked me to put some pics up so she can see what my mum looks like, so here goes, some pics of me and my beautiful mum in Ironbridge.

xxx

Things I love

2009-05-27T04:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, so in my last post I mentioned the importance of the small pleasures of life and then I went and illustrated it with fabulous photo's of Mt.Fuji (known as Fuji san in Japan - Mr Fuji), which is quite a big, fantastic pleasure really. So I decided to contemplate the things that make me smile in my daily life.

I love blossom against a blue sky, wild flowers, silhouettes and shadows of trees, Helens chocolate cake with a nice cup of Earl grey, bluebells and forget-me-nots, cats (especially ginger ones!), good manners, dancing in wild abandon round my living room, live music, playing my guitar and getting the flow of a piece just right, Daves giggle, good quality heavy watercolour paper-especially with handmade crinkly edges, watching a good movie, being given a good hug by a friend, smiling at people for no reason and having them smile back, kindness, sitting on a hill in solitude, warm air on my skin, vibrant colour, delicate hues.....

The list is just endless really and so I think I'll be doing more posts on things I love:D

The beauty of life

2009-05-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

Thomas Moore wrote that "ritual maintains the world's holiness. As in a dream a small object may assume significance, so in a life that is animated by ritual there are no insignificant things."

I am coming to realise that art and music are the rituals of my daily life that keep me sane(ish) and that give depth to my life. It can be very difficult to live a creative life in a climate that doesn't seem to appreciate it but what the hell, I appreciate it! I appreciate that I'm able and willing to create a life for myself that is creative and beautiful and rich and that I can enjoy the small things in life which can be the most beautiful.

The difficulties are part of that, if I had no difficulties how would I ever relate to anyone, we'd have nothing in common and I'd probably be insufferable.

I'm beginning to see the extent to which we do create our lives basically, and I want to create something good:D

I shall leave you with some photo's of the stunning flowers below Mt. Fuji (shibazakura) and one of the poppy field in kurihama where I used to live.

xxx

Japan I miss you!!

2009-05-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

My time in Japan was a really wonderful experience. That's not to say it was always easy, sometimes it was a struggle being away from my family and friends and all the things I love about home. On the whole though, I have absolutely no regrets about my decision to go away for a year and I couldn't have chosen a better place. Everyone is so friendly and warm, there is virtually no street crime or intimidation and therefore as a girl travelling on her own it's a wonderful feeling to not have to worry about all that crap.

Of course it's also very beautiful and has managed to keep hold of many of it's traditions whilst fully embracing the future. I'm sure there are problems when you delve deeper, nowhere is Utopia (yet!) but I sure had a fabulous time and was blown away by the generosity and warmth I found there. I wholeheartedly recommend a year in Japan to anyone genuinely interested.

My next few posts are just going to be lot's of my photos I think, of friends made and missed and everything I found beautiful:D

xxx

I'm home!

2009-05-22T03:26:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, greetings from England:D

I 've been back a week now and I'm still adjusting, Japan to England is far more of a culture shock than England to Japan. To be fair the grey and rather wet weather hasn't helped matters much but still, the wonderfully warm welcome I've recieved from my friends has more than made up for it!

So far I've been catching up with people and getting as many hugs as I can:D

I've also been checking out galleries in Manchester as I'm determined to get an exhibition together inspired by my recent travels and adventures. There's a few galleries I've got my eye on but first I need to gather all my art stuff (currently scattered at various peoples houses) and work up some of the sketches I did whilst I was away.

There's a lot to do and I have so many photographs to share which I will upload on here over time.

Anyway, for now here are a few pics and a video of the wonderful Mose FanFan from my first weekend back in Manchester and Glossop xxx

Bangkok Pics

2009-05-03T03:45:00.000-07:00

Bangkok can be wonderful and it can be very irritating, especially when it's hot and tuk-tuk drivers keep trying to rip you off. Anyway, it's last day in Bangkok today, back to Japan tomorrow, yay:) I'm really looking forward to being somwhere colder.

Anyway, here are some pics from the wonderful side of Bangkok.

xxx

More Joy!

2009-04-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

It turns out that Audrey Kawasaki, one of my favourite artists, is doing her 1st show in Japan whilst I'm there! Wow, can't wait to see her new work:D
You can see her work here and read her blog here
I'll try to take some pics to share.
Happy viewing xx

Joy!

2009-04-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

I've finally found a pc that can upload some pics!!!! Yay!!

I'm in Laos and have been on the road now for about 6 weeks travelling around Japan, Cambodia and Laos. To say it's been wonderful would be a bit of an understatement, it's truly been a six weeks full of wonder and I have lots of catching up to do.

I have to admit though, I'll be glad to get back to Japan (and even Britain) where it's cooler (no I haven't been possessed or anything, it's still me)!

First of all some pics from Laos.

I'll be travelling to Bangkok later on the night train!

Love to everyone reading this xxx

Jin Young Yu

2009-03-01T03:10:00.000-08:00

I've just discovered this amazing Korean artist called Jin Young Yu on one of Stella Im Hultbergs blogs, lovely distractions.

Stella recently did an interview with Jin young yu for Arrested Motion which you can read here.

It's an interesting read and the images are captivating and unsettling.

Young yu says of her work "My works are about people who, instead of getting along with others, choose to keep a distance from them, and be invisible or be left alone unconcerned. Instead of trying to fit into the world, they climb into a space of their own and reject other people’s intrusions".

She explores themes that are close to my heart and my own experience and so I find her images to be very thought provoking, and more to the point, emotion provoking.

Hope you look at her work further. Enjoy.

xxx

Yuka's dance night in Yokohama

2009-03-01T02:34:00.000-08:00

Last night I was invited to Crib in Yokohama by Yuka, one of the teachers I work with. I don't know where she gets the energy after teaching a class full of 6 yr olds every day, but in her spare time she likes to dance and is part of a dance team.

I went with some other teachers and had a great time, I loved the dancing and the 80's outfits! It was good to listen to some great music played through some proper speakers too instead of through my laptop. As soon as we arrived and the dj was playing a reggae set I knew it was the place for me:)

Go Yuka Go!!!

xxx

Momoyo sans wedding dinner

2009-02-27T05:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went to a french restaurant with some teachers from work to celebrate Momoyo sans marriage. The food was certainly delicious, although I'm not sure how many french restaurants serve lotus root!

I had a lovely time so thanks for the invite Momoyo san and congratulations:D

Judging by the stories told tonight around the dinner table it seems that Japanese men are more romantic than British men! if you think differently let me know! xx

Blind me

2009-02-27T05:23:00.000-08:00

Hello, this post is for Phil who's requested the chords to my song, Blind me. So here's a quick demo of the fingerpicking. Can't wait to see what you do with it Phil:D
Happy playing xx

RRRooM Music

2009-02-23T03:50:00.000-08:00

A top night was had by all at RRRooM yesterday with some excellent live music and great company. The first band to play, were a delight, music from the heart, laid back but with a definite danceable groove. Then there was a duo who had everyone doing impressions of a Japanese cat! I also enjoyed listening to the guy who played guitar and a sanshin, he sang an original song first with the guitar and then switched to the sanshin (a traditional Okinawan 3 stringed instrument that predates the Japanese Shimasen and sounds a little like a banjo) for some traditional Japanese songs.

Thanks go to Youske (not too sure of the spelling) too for playing some great tunes on his decks.

I also played one song with Koji's band which, although I was horribly nervous, I really enjoyed and it was great playing with other musicians. One of the nicest compliments I got for my playing was when Fuji san told me my music sounded like clear water and that he'd pictured a beautiful big lake while I played, I'm happy with that:D

Eye candy from the books in the art shop

2009-02-21T03:44:00.000-08:00

I was rather naughty taking these photo's of the art books in the art shop but I simply can't afford any more books, no money and no space in my suitcase:(

I couldn't resist these images though, they're so beautiful and so wonderfully painted, nihonga style I think.

I will probably go back to the shop and buy the book anyway!

xxx

Who knows where the time goes

2009-02-21T03:19:00.000-08:00

Anyone that knows me well will know the above blog title is one of my fave songs by Sandy Denny, and the sentiments conveyed are always relevant. My time here in Japan is speeding by so fast it's scary! There are cherry and plum blossoms on the trees already and it seems like autumn's only just passed. I'll be finishing my job here soon and heading home to England, where did the time go?

Anyway, here are some pics of the blossom (I'm sure there will be many more), it's lovely to see and feel and smell the spring:)

I also made friends with some new cats today, one at the temple and one in the park. When I first arrived in Japan the cats wouldn't say hello, but now I've been here for a while they're more friendly. Maybe I smell more Japanese and familiar now:D

xxx

A couple more quotes

2009-02-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.

Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.

And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy; And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields. And you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief.

Kahlil Gibran

'There's a crack, a crack, in everything, that's how the light gets in.'

Leonard cohen

Aguri Uchida

2009-02-10T23:12:00.000-08:00

I've just been sorting through one of my notebooks, it's mostly full of lists of things to do and doodles and budgets that I never manage to stick too:)

There are a few quotes from artists though, some poems that I've jotted down because I like them, and a couple of Buddhist prayers/meditations. I'm going to throw the notebook away because I'll be leaving Japan soon (woe is me) and I can't carry everything home:(

Anyway, I thought I'd put some of the quotes on here, sharing's good.

I'll add some images too from Uchida Aguri, a Japanese painter of the Nihonga style. Last year (before I started my blog) I saw an exhibition called 'The witches one times one' in Tokyo which included some of her work and I was blown away, the textures, the colour and composition, fabulous! The Nihonga style of painting is usually used to depict much more traditional imagery so it's interesting to see it used in a more abstract way.

Uchida was encouraged to "investigate the expressiveness of the internal states of human beings" by being advised to think about "the shadow of the spirits " on human skin.

Buddhist Prayer

May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind

be freed from their illnesses.

May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free.

May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending each other.

xxx

John Martyn

2009-02-06T06:09:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite singer songwriters, John Martyn, died last week. His sublime guitar playing has me in raptures and his lyrics were from the heart. He will be sorely missed and I regret that I never got to see him live.

Hear him play in this youtube link.

This is his website http://www.johnmartyn.com/

xxx

My birthday at RRRoom

2009-01-30T21:18:00.000-08:00

I spent my birthday at my favourite place, RRRoom with new friends, Gen san, above (what a beautifully kind face he has)! and the very kawaii Fuji san - see video if I manage to upload it ok, and of course, Koji and Kumiko san who are always so warm and wonderfully welcoming. Koji sans cooking was gorgeous as always and they even dimmed the lights when they bought me my birthday cake, which looked perfect until I smudged the writing, whoops:D

Tonight i'm having a girlie night out so expect more pics soon!

xxx

Old songs and new beginnings

2009-01-18T19:32:00.000-08:00

Just a quickie to share this myspace link here for 2littlewhos. It comprises of some old songs I recorded in Wales with my friend Steve Williams. We're hoping to get together when I get back to England to do some more recording which is really exciting:D
Steve has another myspace page here, which has some great tracks on it, please check it out if you get the chance.

Light and love xx

Portrait in colour

2009-01-16T06:42:00.001-08:00

I do love having creative friends:D
xxx

Random bits of artwork

2009-01-16T05:39:00.000-08:00

Just a quickie to share some artwork. My friend, James Chadderton, just did a portrait of me in black and white on his computer and I think he's captured me pretty well. Apparently someone accused him of only drawing robots so he's done a couple of portraits to prove them wrong! If you want to see some of his other work have a look at his deviantart page here.

I'm also adding the Lisa painting again because I've changed it a bit, it was too busy before. I have to say I'm not entirely happy with it still but I'm going to leave it as it is and try again I think.

The other drawing is one I did in the cafe the other day, just doodling with no fixed idea in my head, just letting the drawing take shape by intuition, most enjoyable:D

As for the bunnies, that's a bit of a departure for me with regard to subject matter but I did it for my friend Kazuko san for a new yrs present, she's crazy about rabbits!

love and light xxx

I love RRRoom

2009-01-16T03:35:00.000-08:00

I'm so lucky to have found this great cafe called RRRoom in Yokosuka Chuo where the food is great, the company wonderful and the music sublime!!! Is there anything better than good music, people and food!! I don't think so but let me know if you think differently. My friends, Krishna and Ali, found this place by accident whilst looking for the library. I go there for a meal every week or two and meet up with some new friends. They also have a great selection of books to look through whilst you sit and drink their fabulous freshly ground coffee, mmmm, heaven.

On Jan 4th they had a mochi (traditional Japanese rice cakes) pounding party, where we all took turns to pound the rice to make it really glutinous and sticky, and then the chef, Koji, made some wonderful toppings for it using, amongst other things, Daikon and Kinako. It was a beautiful sunny day and very enjoyable to be outside eating! I was ther with Krishna and we were talking about how no-one does this kind of thing in England, there's not really a strong sense of community any more like there seems to be in Japan.

I love winter in Japan! Any friends back home reading this I'm sorry for the shock of that sentence! I surely never thought I'd utter the words 'love' and 'winter' in the same breath but there's a first time for everything:D

Winter in Japan is totally different from winter in England. In Japan it's sunny with clear blue skies almost every day!! In England it can get horribly grey and depressing.

Also, I've recently discovered that on a clear day I can see Fuji san (mt. Fuji) from my local park, Kurihama flower garden! How cool is that!!!!

Love and light xxx

Stella Imhultberg

2009-01-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

I just realised that Stella Imhultberg, one of my favourite artists, has a new address for her blog, take a look at her blog here, and her website here.
I adore her work, it's beautiful and sensual and sometimes a little dark. She creates a great sense of atmosphere in many of her paintings too, the women have a real presence and are very seductive.

Photoshop Work

2009-01-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures I did about a year ago after completing my photoshop course. I was quite pleased with them at the time and I was happy to have acquired some new skills. I just came across them whilst attempting to organise my laptop, it's far too crowded at the minute and is not running so well as a consequence.

They're not my usual style of work, what do you think?

Rokuro Taniuchi

2009-01-10T03:44:00.000-08:00

Last November I went to the Yokosuka Art Museum to see an exhibition on contemporary Japanese sculpture. The star of the show however, was a small exhibition that I didn't even know about in the annex by an artist called Taniuchi Rokuro. He was famous in Japan for his cover illustrations for a popular magazine called Shukan Shincho. The exhibition had a lot of his original paintings and they quite charmed me with their innocence. I really like his style and his sense of composition.

I can also recommend the museum itself, it's a lovely new spacious building on the coast and so it commands a good view.

New years

2009-01-10T02:04:00.001-08:00

Happy new year by the way!!! I hope it's a good one for all of us:D

I had a very traditional Japanese New yrs Eve, I was one of 108 people who got a ticket to ring the bell at midnight at the local Buddhist temple, thanks to my friends, Kazuko and Eichan!

It was very exciting for me as I queued up with the local people, including some of my students, who were, I think, very surprised to see me.

New years eve and the first 3 days of the new year are spent visiting temples and shrines (hatsu mou de - going to shrines for the first time in the new year), making prayers and buying fortunes (omikuji). If you don't like the fortune you get you tie it to a tree or wooden structure at the temple/shrine (being very carefull to not tear the paper) and then buy another one at another place!

New years day is also celebrated with a big feast as evidenced in the above pic, mmm, I love Japanese food! Kazuko san is giving the recipe for the shitake mushrooms so expect some experimenting soon:D

Anonymous Inspiration

2009-01-10T01:04:00.000-08:00

I just came across these lovely drawings whilst surfing the net and wanted to share them. The black and white work remind me a little of Mashimo Yuki, whose work I saw at the Tokyo City Opera gallery.

I can't read any of the information on the website though so I'm not even sure of the artists name, but here's a link if you want to have a look.

Lovely handmade christmas presents

2008-12-27T03:53:00.002-08:00

I was lucky enough to recive two handmade christmas pressies this year, a beautiful blue scarf knitted by my friend Kazuko Kayahana San (pictured above), and an equally beautiful necklace made by my friend in England, Helen Mcgovern.