Octoberings..

How did two months pass since my last blog post? I've no idea. Well, I guess a lot has been happening over the summer so that might have helped. The Folksy Summer School was definitely a highlight. Tons of friendly and enthusiastic crafters eager to learn new skills and practices, in the beautiful setting of Ecclesall Woods in Sheffield. I just demonstrated linocut and took part in a panel discussion about selling, but probably just enjoyed most just being around lots of talented crafty people! I also got to meet Cecily Vessey, whose work I have now discovered. She is a great artist/illustrator. I highly recommend checking out her website!

me and some of the Folksy Summer School contributors

My solo print exhibition has now ended. Big thanks to Cat at Artfelt for organising it. Almost all prints sold, so that was nice!

So, right, a few updates....

Events
I have a couple of fairs coming up this month, and then a whole load in November and December.

Saturday 5th October 2013, Pretty Dandy Flea, Vintage Warehouse, Nottingham - I did this event earlier in the year, in a different location. It was really great, lots of quality craft and vintage goods, and a brilliant soundtrack. What more could you want?

Saturday 26th October 2013, Mary's Marvellous Craft & Vintage Market, St Marys, Sheffield - Pretty much a staple in the Sheffield craft/vintage calendar, always excellent and with wonderful food too.

Saturday/Sunday 9th/10th November 2013, The Art Market, Holmfirth. They put on two of these a year, and they are definitely worth a visit. A very art-focussed event, usually with some fantastic ceramics.

Saturday 16th November 2013, Sheffield Print Fair 2013, St Mary's, Sheffield. I have helped organise this, so might be a bit biased, but it looking like it'll be a pretty exciting event! 38 artist/printmakers on-site, and print demonstrations throughout the day.

Friday - Sunday 22nd-24th November 2013, Christmas Arts Market, Harley Gallery, Welbeck, Notts. I'm quite excited about this one. I've never been, and I hear good things!

Saturday/Sunday 30th Nov/1st Dec 2013, Kelham Island Victorian Christmas Market, Sheffield. The big one. I borrowed a top-hat for this last year, as you have to dress in Victorian costume, and I ended up liking it so much I bought it! Apart from that it is probably the most festive thing you can imagine.

Saturday 8th December 2013, Mary's Marvellous Craft & Vintage Market, St Marys, Sheffield - Pretty much a staple in the Sheffield craft/vintage calendar, always excellent and with wonderful food too.

There might be more too, so i'll add them if they pop up.


Sky Arts Portrait Competition 
This is now due to be broadcast on Sky Arts channel from the start of November. I'm featured on it, but can't tell you much more (yet)!


Carfield Primary School
I recently came up with an idea to try and raise some money for my local primary school. I have produced an A3 linocut poster-print of a view of the school. This will be for sale very soon through the school and my Folksy shop, and 50% of all profits go to the school to raise money for trips, workshop and general art supplies. Here is the print in its two variations:

 

...and relax (kind-of).

Hi there

I've been a little slack on the update front over the past month or so. Sorry about that. I'll try and blame the fact that July was a bit nuts. Yes, that was it. Must try harder, though.

The busyness entailed a whole heap of craft fairs, a workshop, a big print order to put together (for Museums Sheffield) and my appearance on the Sky Arts TV programme 'Portrait Artist Of The Year'. I can't say any more yet on the latter (!), but it will be screened in the Autumn and I'll let you know when its on. It was a lot of fun. I can tell you that!

Anyway, here is what I've got going on in August, and the start of September..


EVENTS
Sat 10th & Sun 11th September 2013: Folksy Summer School, Eccleshall Woods, Sheffield. Folksy have organised an event for around 150 crafters to come along and learn new skills related to making and selling craft. I am taking part, demonstrating linocut, and also taking part in a 'selling masterclass' panel discussion.

Sat 7th & Sun 8th September 2013: Art In The Gardens, The Botanical Gardens, Sheffield. The annual art bonanza is back very soon. It is a great event, in a beautiful location, and lots of art to look at. 

 














Sheffield Print Fair 2013 - On Saturday 16th November, a new group (including myself) called 'Sheffield Printmakers' is putting on 'Sheffield Print Fair 2013', the first event of its kind in this city. It will feature the best print work from the region, 32 printmakers stalls, demonstrations and food & drink. It will take place at St Mary's Church on Bramall Lane. Sheffield design agency Dust kindly designed the advertising for us, and it looks really great!

If you are an artist/printmaker, and you'd like to apply for a stall (and possibly demonstrate your printing techniques) please go to www.sheffieldprintmakers.com. The deadline to apply is 30th August.


EXHIBITION
My solo exhibition at Sheffield Children's Hospital (in the Long Gallery) is on until the end of September 2013. Of the 30 prints, there are only 5 left available to buy! If you're interested in seeing them you can view/buy them online. There will also be a silent auction for a one-off hand-pressed print of 'Psalter Lane View', held in September.


NEW WORKS
I have a couple of new works to show you. All are available from my Folksy shop, selected shops/galleries, and at fairs/markets:

'The Folk Forest No.3' (limited to 100 copies)

'Sheffield City View No.3' poster-print

'Sheffield City View No.3' linocut print

on Holiday!

Not a proper update this, but I'm on holiday from Sunday 28th July until Sunday 4th August, so my online shops will be closed during this time, and I'll have very limited access to email. 

Going on my first beach holiday for about 10 years!

Cheers

James

New stockists!

June has brought about two new stockist for my work:

Firstly is Chirpy in Leeds, West Yorkshire. It is a lovely independent lifestyle design store, full of interesting objects and pictures. It is located in Chapel Allerton. If you are in West Yorkshire, I suggest you check it out!

Secondly, there is Number Four Gallery in St Abbs, in the Scottish Borders. It is a comtemporary art and craft gallery, selling ceramics, paintings, prints and stained glass. Again a lovely place, run by some very friendly people, in a spectacular location!

June is an odd month..

Primarily as my birthday is at the end of it, and, er, this year it is apparently a rather significant number...Some of my news is rather odd too...

Exhibition!
I have my first ever solo print exhibition opening this week. It is kindly being organised by the lovely people at Artfelt @ Sheffield Children's Hospital. The preview evening is on Thursday 13th June (6-8pm), and it then runs until September (viewings by appointment). The exhibition will feature 30 pieces by myself, including 15 one-offs that I've not sold/shown previously as hand-pressed prints, and all work is for sale. Also exhibited are a selection of prints done by patients at the hospital, who could choose to use my prints as a starting-point if they wanted. They've done some really great stuff!


Events
I'm taking part in The Art Market in Holmfirth on Sat 29th (8-10pm)/Sun 30th June (10-5pm). I have taken part in this event a few times, and I love it. The location is great, people super-friendly, and the selection of art and crafts really special. For the occasion I've done a 'Holmfirth View', which I'll be launching there. I hope they'll like it!

Television News(!)
Well, somewhat unexpectedly, I have been selected to appear in a TV programme, called 'Portrait Artist Of The Year', which is going to be shown on Sky Arts in the Autumn! It is presented by Frank Skinner and Joan Bakewell, and the competition is to whittle down a group of 80 artists to four, then one who, will win a commission to create a portrait of writer Hilary Mantel. I've got to go down to Cardiff for the filming of first round in early July. Life gets surreal sometimes...

May-hem!

Apologies for the hilarious pun. I try my best.

I'm a bit late with a May update, as we're over halfway through it. I'll get a move on. Phew...

Events
Next weekend, Sat 25th-Mon 27th May 2013 I'm taking part in the Saltaire Arts Trail, at their Makers Fair in Victoria Hall. It is the first time I've taken part in this 3-dayer, and I'm more than a little excited. I've taken part in the one-day events in the Autumn, but this is truly the mothership. Loads of really great contemporary arts and crafts. It runs 10am-5pm each day.

I'm also taking part in an art auction on Thurs 30th May, entitled '10x10'. It is to raise money for the Article 25 Haitian Earthquake fund. For the project, each artist chosen (100 in all) was given a grid reference on a Sheffield map, and told to interpret something within it. I got a place called Clay Wood and created a one-off edition of a new print of a tree I saw there. The event starts at 7pm at Old Sharrow Junior School, with all profits from the auction going to the charity. There is also supposed to be some musical entertainment and food/drinks, so pop down if you're in the area and get your bidding arms limbered up!

 























Commissions
I have a couple of recent commissions to show you. 

Firstly, I was recently asked to produce a linocut for the Sheffield Children's Festival 2013, to be used on their publicity. I chose to create a hot-air balloon scene, having always been fascinated by them as a child. I also sneaked a bit of Sheffield in to the picture too. See if you can recognise it!

Alsongside the festival, I have produced a very limited poster-print of the image for the Museums Sheffield shops. I have produced two versions, in slightly different colours, and each are available in Weston Park Museum and the Millennium Galleries, limited to 25 of each design.

Next I was asked to produce a linocut for a benefit music CD to raise money for Portland Works in Sheffield, entitled 'The Sound of Portland Works'. It is where Stainless Steel was invented, so historically a very important place! Recently it was saved from the bulldozer by a group there determined to save its heritage and keep it going for the dozens of craftspeople who still work there, as well as a fair few musicians too. The CD features a selection of music from groups/artists who practice/record there (including my group 'The Big Eyes Family Players').

Lastly, I have created a logo for a new independent record label based in Sheffield, called Little Owl Records. They will be releasing 7-inch singles and putting on shows in the city.

Thats all for now...(Next month, new solo exhibition and The Art Market in Holmfirth!!!)

New Meersbrook print and Open Up Sheffield 2013

Well, hello...

NEW PRINT
I've just completed a new landscape print, I'm pleased to report. It is based on a view in Meersbrook, Sheffield (my 3rd one in this area). 'Third Meersbrook print?' I hear you say..I'm not just being lazy, honest! I do love living here, but it is mainly my third one as there are so many interesting views from around here. Meersbrook is situated right at the top of one of the seven hills, so everywhere you look is a maze of roofs, trees, chimneys and more!

Anyway, this new print is a little bigger than most of my previous ones. It is a hand-pressed one, with the print roughly A4 in size, printed on A3 size paper, in sage and warm-grey. Hope you like it! It was a lot of fun to make. It is in my Folksy shop at:

http://folksy.com/items/4364623-Meersbrook-View-No-3-2-colour-linocut-print

OPEN UP SHEFFIELD 2013
I'm taking part in the Sheffield open studios event this year, and this time at my home-studio. It takes place on Sat 4th/5th May and Sat 11th/Sun 12th May, and my space will be open from 11am until 5pm. I will be setting up a mini-gallery (with framed and unframed work available) and working on some new work during this time, so come and have a look. Oh, I'll also be providing some wine (and other refreshments) and cakes!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the 'open studios' concept, it is basically when a number of artists open their workspaces to the public to come and have a look and maybe buy work. A lot of people plan a tour of art they might like, using the Open Up catalogue, which can be found in shops/galleries all over the city. All of the information is also available on the Open Up website (www.openupsheffield.co.uk). There are over 100 artists taking part in the Sheffield one this year.

More info on how to find me is at:

http://www.openupsheffield.co.uk/artists/Green_James.php