August / September 2012 goings on..

Howdy

August was supposed to be a quiet one, but grand plans and all that. Still, I've had a little time to think about new works before the Autumn/Winter season grabs hold.

EVENTS

I'm taking part in the following fairs/events in August and September:

Mary's Marvellous Vintage & Craft Market, Bramall Lane, Sheffield - Sat 25th August, 10am-4pm. Great established Sheffield fair, with really good quality and variety of wares.

Art In The Gardens, Botanical Gardens, Sheffield - Sat 1st/Sun 2nd September, 10am-4pm. One of the biggest art events in Sheffield. It was great last year, so looking forward to it!

Makers Fair, Victoria Hall, Saltaire - Sat 8th September, 10am-4pm. Part of the Saltaire Arts Trail, and a fair that makers travel a fair way to take part in. Again, if last year is anything to go by, it'll be dead good.

Mary's Marvellous Vintage & Craft Market, Bramall Lane, Sheffield - Sat 22nd September, 10am-4pm. As before!


NEW WORKS

I've just completed a new landscape, and fairly recently completed a new bird linocut.

The 'Monsal Trail' is a view I came across by accident on the way back from a craft fair in Cheshire. I stopped the car, needing a little fresh air, looked over a wall and this was pretty much the view I got. I don't normally go for rural landscapes, but I just loved the drama of the scene. It took quite a while to complete, so I'm pretty chuffed now its done! The trail (actually in Derbyshire) is an old abandoned railway line that is now a really beautiful cycle and foot path.

'Terns' is just a composition of three seabirds at work and play. Beautiful birds. I'm certainly no ornithologist, but I find them fascinating creatures.

I'm now working on some new plate designs, a regretful donkey poster-print and hopefully some ceramic donkeys too (fingers crossed!). I'll keep you posted...

July magazine features

So, I mentioned a few posts ago that i was going to featured in a couple more craft mags in July. Well, here they are, Craftseller and Handmade Living. The feature in the first is about being a male in craft-world, and my experiences of it, and the latter is just my 'Whitby No.1' print featured in a seaside-themed spread. I'm very chuffed they wanted me!

Quite a Sheffield July..

Well, its already going on, so I'd better get a move on! 


After a month of travelling around out of town for fairs, this month is more of a Sheffield one..


On Saturday 14th July I'll be at the Banner Cross Family Festival at Banner Cross Methodist Church. It's not one i've been to before but I have heard lots of good things! Its runs from 11am until 4pm.

Folksy Fair Poster

The Folk Forest 2012 - souvenir poster-print

And on the following weekend (21st/22nd July) I'll be at the Folksy Fair in Endcliffe Park. This is part of 'The Folk Forest' music event, and it is the first time that Folksy have held a craft fair. There are going to be 35 craft stalls, all Folksy sellers, and it runs from 12pm-8pm both days. All very exciting!


Its going to be a busy weekend for me, because as well as selling my usual prints, I'm also selling souvenir 'Folk Forest' prints (as I did the linocut images), and my band (The Big Eyes Family Players) are also playing the festival on the Saturday too!


Then, the following Saturday (28th July) I'm running one of my linocut printing workshops at Cowlishaw Works. I'm blown away every time by what people end up with, and they seem pretty happy too (which is good)! The July one is full-up, but I still have a few places left on my workshop on Sat 15th September. Email me on jgprintworks@hotmail.com if you are interested.

'Leisure Painter' magazine feature

So, I was asked to create an article by Leisure Painter magazine to show how to do two-colour linocut printing. I did a one-colour feature for them last year. It was quite tricky actually writing down my process, as it is the kind of thing that I don't really think about when I'm printing my work! Anyway, I managed it, and showed how I created my 'Terraces' piece.


Here are some shots of the magazine. It is available at good newsagents and also online.

Self-portrait project

So, a friend of mine suggested that I have a go at doing a linocut self-portrait. They thought it might be interesting, and a challenge.

I ummed and arred and decided to have a go. I should say now that this wasn't in any way a vanity project. I don't particularly like looking at my face, and wouldn't expect others to too! However, I remember doing some during my A-levels, and then my degree, and how much of a challenge it was. To capture yourself in a way which satisfies yourself is tricky. Also, normally with linocut you can get away with a little mistake here and there, but if you cut your own ear off then it isn't going to work! i had to be ultra-careful on this one.

Below are work-in-progress images, and then the final print. I'm pretty happy with it, although it does look a bit like I've just got out of bed!

the finished self-portrait!

June/July happenings..

Hello people


Bit behind on my updates, but all been a wee bit hectic..so...


Fairs/Markets
In June and July I'm taking part in the following:


Mary's Marvellous Vintage & Craft Market, Sheffield - Sat June 16th, 10am - 4pm
The sixth one, and very much established in Sheffield as one of the best around, with great food too!


Nether Edge Farmers Market, Sheffield - Sunday 24th June, 12pm-4pm
I love this one. always really busy, with a great atmosphere. People filling up with strange foods, fine coffee and some art too!


Handmade/Vintage Fair/Dog Show - Sunday 1st July, Victory Hall, Woore, Cheshire, 10am-4pm
Vintage Escapades at in again, this time with a dog show as well! I did this fair back in March, and it was great fun. Weird and wonderful art, craft and er..dogs!


Banner Cross Family Festival, Sheffield - Saturday 14th July, 11am-4pm
A new one to me, this one, but apparently a great annual event, in a very nice part of town! Craft, food, music, games and hopefully a bit of sun too.


Possibly more going on too, so I'll add when I know...




Linocut Printing Workshops

My June/July workshops are now full-up, but I've just arranged another on Saturday 15th September, at Cowlishaw Works in Sheffield. 8 Places available, £35 per place, no experience necessary, and all materials provided, as well as tea/coffee/biscuits.


Email me on jgprintworks@hotmail.com if you are interested.


Dinosaurs!
I've just completed a new two-colour linocut of a Deinonychus. My son (who is 5) is rather keen on dinosaurs, so I thought I'd create one for him. When I'd finished it I asked him if I put copies in my shop and he said he didn't mind. So there you go!

Magazines
I'm going to be featured in three magazines in July. I've written a feature on two-colour linocut printing for 'Leisure Painter' magazine, a couple of my prints are to be featured in the shopping section of Handmade Living magazine, and there will be an interview with me in 'Craftseller' about being a man working in the craft-world.


I think that all, for now!

press, Holmfirth and forests..

PRESS!


I was in the Yorkshire Post (magazine) on 12th May! Very nice of them to feature me...Here is the clipping:

Its a bit blurry, but you can get the idea.
























FAIRS/MARKETS

My next fair is the Art Market in Holmfirth. I have sold there before and its a great one. Lots of really good quality and original stuff, and run like clockwork too! I'm there on Sat 10th June, 10am-4pm, and my pal Butterscotch & Beesting will be there for the first time too.


FOLK FOREST
As I did last year, I've been commissioned to produce the artwork for The Folk Forest music festival in Sheffield. It is part of the Tramlines city-wide festival, and a great 2-day gathering of folk-esque acts in beautiful Endcliffe Park (21st/22nd July 2012). I'm doing the posters and banners, as well as some merchandise and an exclusive art-print. Here is a sneaky peek at some of the artwork: