Lots of end-of-the-year goings-on (snappy title, eh?)

 
















Sheffield Print Fair 2013
As one of the organisers of this event, I'm more than a little excited, especially as there is only a week to go. It takes places on Sat 16th November, 10am-4pm at St Marys Church on Bramall Lane, Sheffield. 36 artists, print demonstrations all day. Whats not to like?!

We've had a nice bit of coverage in the press (Creative Review/Design Week/Now Then mag and more) so we are hoping for a busy day. For more info either go to www.sheffieldprintmakers.com or the Facebook event page.



New Prints
I have three(!) new prints to show you. 

 

















Firstly I have a hand-pressed version of 'Fox In The Snow'. This was only previously available as a poster-print, but I've now decided to create an edition of 100 in black ink. Folksy shop page for 'Fox In The Snow'

Secondly I have a couple of new donkey prints. They are both two-colour hand-pressed prints showing donkeys up to more mischief. 
Folksy shop page for 'Donkey Hide & Seek'
Folksy shop page for 'Watching The Wild Donkeys'

Art Market Award
I've just got back from the Art Market in Holmfirth. (As ever) it was a brilliant event, tons of amazing craft and art, and to my surprise I won a prize! It was for 'Outstanding Artist', chosen by stonemason/artist Celia Kilner.


Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year TV show
I have been told that the episode of this TV show that I am featuring in is on Tuesday 26th November 2013. It is on Sky Arts 1 at 8pm, and repeated a few times after that. Tune in if you have Sky, and watch me hopefully not make too much of a fool of myself! Programme page

Folksy 'Revealing Craft' book
Folksy, photographer India hobson and design agency Dust have created a wonderful book entitled 'Revealing Craft' showing the lives behind the people who do art and craft. It features several artists (including meself, and our cat Otto) and looks like a really beautiful piece of work. Here is where you can help. They have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the making of the book, and you can contribute to help it happen, and also get a copy of the book and all sorts of extra too. For more info and to contribute go to:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jamesboardwell/revealing-craft


Events

These are the events I am taking part in up until Christmas.


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 7th 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.

PHEW!

Three-colour print

So, I thought it was about time I attempted a 3-colour linocut. I have tried printing with three colours before, as a reduction linocut, but never one with three separate lino plates. I was a little unprepared for how tricky it would be! Working with one or two colours is fairly easy to visualise beforehand, but with three colours I just found it realy hard to imagine what colours would work. I had a go at several colour combinations before settling on these. I'm very happy with the result, but started off with some pretty ghastly colours (which I certainly won't be showing!).

I had this thought in my head wondering what donkeys dream about. I settled on the idea that their dreams are probably quite abstract, so tried to put that idea into a print. Hope you like it.

'Orange Donkey Dream' - 3-colour linocut print (Folksy shop page)

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...