Starting the big move.

It's starting to feel like I'm really truly moving into my new studio as today I dropped some books off at Cromford. There's no furniture as yet, so I carefully placed them on a windowsill. 

It also got me thinking that I have to really make this work. So far my studios have always been rent free, so I've been able to kick my heels back a bit. But now I have to make this space pay for itself which means that I will have to put into reality the workshops and ideas I have been dreaming about. 

The 'if I had the space...' Flights of fancy. 

The 'if I could just do... Momentary ideas. 

I have given myself the space, I know when I have the times, I just need to get on with the doing and that is the really scary bit, but I really believe that once I have done the workshops, events and artwork I've been planning for the last two years, I will be achieving my own personal ideal of success. 

Exciting blog entry...

I feel I should do a blog post to talk about my wonderful weekend at Studio 61, the atmosphere, the cake, the lovely visitors and all the SEO advice, get traffic to your blog blogs says you should make each post exciting and interesting to capture a returning audience.  They also talk about algorithms but I'd got bored by that point...

But to be honest, I'm way too tired and only capable of watching kittens and dogs. Or dogs wanting kittens. 

So this is my favourite clip on You Tube and probably covers the level that my brain is functioning at...

Upton Upon Severn Folk Festival

Up nice and early on a sunny Sunday in May, my family and I jumped on the Folk Friendzy coach tour down to Upton upon Severn in Worcestershire.  My daughters enjoy dancing with this side of traditional dancers and it also means I get to spend the day in wonderful little festivals around the country such as the Upton Folk Festival where 43 sides take part in a weekend of music and dance.

The parade through the town takes a good half hour and my two girls danced their way round before joining the arch which all the dancers pass through.  There was beer flowing, dancers clogging, sticks doing what sticks do best and hitting each other and musicians in every pub.  Next year, we are going to take the whole weekend and camp! Here's a just a few of my photo's from the wonderfully bizarre english tradition.

Morgan enjoying being part of the Arch.

Branwen - arms getting tired!

Slate Cutting Masterclass

Today was my first Masterclass in cutting slate and punching holes. We started with some welsh slate before moving onto the Spanish slate. Needless to say the welsh slate is harder!

I'm quite pleased with how it went even though I feel I have a long way to go!

I also now possess the proper cutting tools to continue with this and explore using slate in my mosaics.

Running And Sculpture at Kedleston

I decided to forego my usual Sunday lie in this morning for the Jog Derbyshire run at Kedleston Hall and I'm so pleased I did!

Over the last year or so, I've come to realise that every second is precious and should be lived to the maximum of enjoyment, a mindful approach to enjoying whatever you are doing in that particular moment.

So my joy this morning when my two favourite occupations were brought together, running through countryside surrounded by beautiful scenery and sculptures.

So not a run for me to get a personal best but definitely one of excitement as I stopped to listen on the Hear Here sculptures and to take the off photo.

I'm rather looking forward toJune's run already!

Craft sessions invite.

I've been looking around my house and current studio in anticipation of packing for my move and have realised that I have lots and lots of STUFF!

My house will feel really rather big and spacious after I move the big boxes of wool, clear the desk of framed artwork, empty the sideboard of fabric and remove all the broken plates and bits of ceramic off the windowsill... and that's before I've even got to my current studio!

Having realised how much art and craft resources I possess, I thought it would be nice to share some. So how about a coffee and craft session when I'm in the new studio? I could set up materials for people to rummage through and see what inspires them. I'd be interested to know if anyone would be interested in joining me for a session where we just play and explore with what is too hand, an expression session? I would be there to guide and offer suggestions with a small charge for the materials. If you fancy this or have any ideas for something you want to try, let me know and I'll see what we can do!

New Studio Announcement! We're moving to Cromford Mills.

Oh the unbelievable excitement!  I went with Emma Parkins today to sign a shared lease for our studio in the Cromford Mills complex.  Emma runs Junky Monkey an ethical art company who provides workshops in a wide variety of settings.  We have a lot of similar values and our working together compliments our styles, not only in how we live, but our belief systems and lifestyle.

We have lots planned together, not only in approaching schools to run workshops but to run some events in our own space, Unit 2, Building 16, not a very artistic sounding name, but with the massive variety of artists, such as Laura Ellen Bacon and Rachel Emmerson already in situ, we both feel ready to join this creative community.

This really came about because of my decision to say yes through March to opportunities offered to me.  It has really opened my eyes and widened my horizons by deciding to be positive for a whole month, I have decided to keep with the saying yes to opportunities, because it has really worked well for me.  It has made me happier, more excited about life, more open-minded and in touch with what I really want to be doing.  I've also been reading Marianne Cantwell's Book and doing some of the exercises on how to be a Free Range Human, living your life as though you love it.  Because let's face it, to paraphrase Alan Watts, it's absurb to be doing a job you hate to pay for a house and life that you are never in, while teaching our children that this is the way to live.  So I finish with Watts's question that stuck in my mind...'If money were no object, what would you do with your life?'  I am taking small steps to make money no object and loving every minute of it.

Our Window is just up there on the left...
 

Our Room with a View...

Time to celebrate with coffee and cake in the wonderful cafe.