AA2A

On tuesday I was awarded the AA2A residency scheme to develop a SHARING the MAKING project at the University of Salford. New samples will be ready in time for Christmas if all things go to plan. Happy designing, happy planning, happy weaving. Must let Walter and Diego know! exciting times ahead...

Lawrence Neal

I had the great privilege to meet chair maker Lawrence Neal recently at his workshop in Stockton, Warwickshire. Rushes were collected from local farms and riverbanks and dried in the corner of the room. Timbres were sourced from well managed woodlands and the whole experience was like stepping back in time to the delights of traditional craftsmanship. Lawrence seems to exude pride in his practice, as he is continuing the craft past down to him from his father and I don't blame him! beautiful chairs... just lovely! Go visit!

Chipping Camden

I paid a visit to The Guild of Handicraft last week hoping to enjoy the delights of the 'Hart' workshop. Hart Gold and Silversmith is the last remaining studio of the The Guild of Handicraft which was established in 1888 by C. R. Ashbee.. Sadly the workshop was closed but I manage to peak up at the door and inside the window into this incredible space. The company is still a family ran enterprise... lets hope that I can catch them next time!!

unpacking

Treasured samples made the journey across the channel from France to Manchester. Tea's and decoctions to aid digestion, to help lower blood pressure, detoxifying materials a plenty.

Shottery Grammar School for Girls

No sooner have I set foot on English soil and I am off again. Not too far this time, just down to Shakespeare country to spend some time with some English speaking students! Many thanks to printmaker Ann Taylor. Collographing, screen-printing, painting, and mono-printing. Days filled with owl stamps and merit badges. An interesting experience was hand... I didn't think I'd be hearing an assembly again!

au revoir

A difficult goodbye to our Provencal home. Organisation and tessellation the last nine months accumulation. Ordering things and compartmentalizing equipment we return to england full of anticipation

Collecting Walnuts

printmaking today

Bruce Mau -

A good friend handed me 'An incomplete Manifesto for Growth' - By Bruce Mau. 

I thought you may like to read what I founds inspirational!

'Allow events to change you. You have to be willing to grow. Growth is different from something that happens to you. You produce it. You live it. The prerequisites for growth: the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.'

 

St Michel L'Observatoire

cuir & accessories

We travelled to St Martin to visit our friends. As luck would have it we stumbled upon master-craftsman Mr Alain Bayle. Beautiful leather goods on display and his atelier was located just next-door. Store and workshop... all rolled into one. I can't imagine anything better myself! 

portrait print one

I have been working a lot recently on my etching press, thinking about people, the uniqueness of expression and human spaces, where people work and what they do. I have found a great deal of fascination in the concept of an 'open studio.' Artists, designers, craftspeople and artisans are studious in their pursuits mainly behind closed doors. I wish to investigate through the medium of print exactly what those spaces offer, what curiosities exist within and how the magic of making work happens. In the coming months I will be gathering research and compiling a 'maker-ambassador' database for SHARING the MAKING. I will be collecting artist and maker interviews and also crystalizing prints to document the unique maker-spaces. 

Aztec colour inspiration

Home-grown delights

Nothing can beat making a delicious meal for friends and family cooked, grown and originally sewn by your very own hands. Here at SHARING the MAKING we believe in taking our time to do something well. Nature takes time to develop and grow its harvest and we pride ourselves on taking time to prepare good meals. There is nothing better than sharing what you have taken time to make.... nothing! 

Handmade Moccasins by Miss Rose Choules

A few weeks ago we have a visit here at Carluc by the talented shoe designer Rose Choules. I have always loved Rose's work and I decided to commission her to make a pair as a gift for a good friend in France. Here you can see the beautiful results... tres chic pour Natalia! Stay updated... we hope to be working with the footwear designer later in the year! Until then check out her website www.rosechoules.com. Here's to SHARING that MAKING!    

Bundles being sent to Manchester

Herb labels

patchwork inspiration

experiment

aztec designs

the first collection

Paper pockets and planning infusions

I am currently working on a collaboration project with Lucy May Schofield on the 'Made' collectives' response to Manchester Museum's herbarium. Developing remedies for the criticisms past lovers have made of her, I am currently selecting the finest provencal herbs which also grow native to the outskirts of Manchester. 

I have learnt such a great deal from fascinating herbalist Jesper Launder about his herbal crafting methods. I hope to finish parcelling the plant samples and decoctions later in the week, before sending them over to Miss Schofield's studio!

milk thistle, mistletoe, st johns wort

added detail... repeats

exploring colour

Print Pattern Design

thinking time... drawing time...

Candide/Voltaire

I'll faut cultiver notre jardin' - Simple work is good medicine for those battered by life.

Collections

Pagan Rome - in its belief that the work of one's hands can reveal much about the soul - 

The principle of Christian retreat was founded on the conviction that the further a person can get from obsessing about the material things, the closer he or she will come to discovering a timeless inner life not of human making.

c'est fini and il n'y avait pas

inky fingers, inky bags, inky cardigans, inky pencil-cases.

Potage and Fabrique a la Groupe Scolaire

On Tuesday I nervously completed my first SHARING the MAKING workshop. Seven eager minds, two different languages, lots of spirit and concentration! Translation intermittent, design flare shown, notes in books and inky fingers.... fun all round.... I await next weeks projects!

pride and dignity

la groupe scholaire en France

Everyone remembers their first day at school. For me the first day only got better and today I was asked to return to la groupe scholaire for SHARING the MAKING workshops - all in the name of good fun. share and make. niceness! 

a technique for conducting a particular way of life