The Human Form

Happy to have been invited to exhibit some of my sewn life pieces in the is exhibition. Starts today and runs util the 31 October.

Artists: Rachel Collier-Wilson, Michael Cook, Tony Hall, Lyn Hodnett and Andrew Smith

Preview: Saturday 3rd October – 3-5.30pm

Gallery Open: Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday 11am-4pm

Address: The Old Station Gallery, Peak Shopping Village, Chatsworth Road, Rowsley, Derbyshire, DE4 2JE

Email: theoldstationgallery@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOldStationGallery

Twitter: @OStationGallery

Another life

Another life. #lifedrawing #drawing #instaart #creative #pencil

A photo posted by Rachel Collier-Wilson (@rachelmcw) on Sep 30, 2015 at 11:20am PDT

Back to like drawing after a bit of a break. Really enjoyed the session. Loved using the pencil to observe the body.  

Festival time!

I'm excited to have a stand at this event: 

The Old Station Gallery is excited to be hosting it’s inaugural Arts Festival in 2015. The festival will showcase the work of over 30 of the regions Artists and Artisans. The event will also provide entertainment for visitors via music and dance. There will be an Arts & Crafts station for interactive arts & crafts workshops, children will also have an opportunity to have their face painted.Visitors may also have a henna tattoo. All of the entertainment and activities at the event are free.

In addition to drawings, cards and digital prints, I've been printing up some block prints, I've even made some doggy bags.

When: Spring Bank Holiday, 10 – 5pm, Sunday 24th & Monday 25th May 2015.

Where: Within the Peak Shopping Village, including the Old Station Gallery itself.

Cost: Entry to the event is free.

Address: The Old Station Gallery, Peak Shopping Village, Chatsworth Road, Rowsley, Derbyshire, DE4 2JE

Cat nap disturbed

I know others have this problem...paper on the table...cat instantly attracted to it as a bed for the day. The only solution - draw the damn cat!

This is our cat Tia. She's pretty friendly unless you disturb one of her (many) cat naps. I usually avoid using too much colour as I get carried away, this time I managed to restrict my pallet and hopefully still retain the energy of the drawing underneath.

Walkley Christmas Craft Fair

 

I have a stall here : Walkley Craft Fair. Further details including directions on their website: Walkley Community Centre

 Or just follow the penguins....

New York Sketch Book

We were lucky enough to travel to New York for half term and travel back on the Queen Mary II. Pretty exciting. We had a fantastic time in the Met. Saw more Rembrant's than I have in the last ten years, there was an excellent Cubism exhibition and some wonderful tapestries shown alongside the preparatory sketches for them. We oohed and ahhed over the colours and details. I made a couple of sketches, of course I had to draw a lion outside the NY Public Library. My family were not that keen to visit but as it was such a lovely building the complaints were short lived. As a bonus, there was an exhibition of Turner's prints for me to enjoy. 

Check out my new Facebook page

I've created a Facebook artist's page. There are more pictures to enjoy than you can shake a stick at. Liking and sharing will be much appreciated with the added bonus of news of my creativity and more pictures.

Rachel's Facebook page

Froggatt Show 2014

directions

We get home from NZ and I realise Froggatt Show is the next weekend. I thought we would have missed it. I quickly dash of an email to the organisers and arrange a stall. Yay - there's room. I love the idea of chatting about art, listening to brass bands and admiring locally grown vegetables all on the same day. 

We have our gazebo, no need for the usual paste table as sturdy tables are helpfully provided, we bundle art, child, dogs into the car and set up.

Setting up

We have a very pleasant afternoon chatting to neighbours, chatting to people interested in my art, chatting to people interested in the dogs, listening to the brass bands eating cake and ice cream and avoiding the showers (not too many of them fortunately).

I hope I can get a stall next year, and also get our acts together to enter some vegetables / crafts / cake competitions.

Holiday sketchbook

I managed a few sketches whilst visiting family and friends in NZ. Such a creative place, almost make me want to paint landscapes. (almost)

Cow with giant fluffy ear

I love working with ink and living in an area surrounded by horticultural stuff. Meet one of the neighbours!

Textile time

A day trip to London to primarily see this exhibition was entirely worth it. 

Artist Textiles Picasso to Warhol.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...again!

We were lucky enough to have spent the first week of half term in Cromer...I did a little bit of sketching, landscapes are not normally my thing. Fun though.

Curbar Art Show - Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May 10:30 to 16:30

I'm taking my sheep to market this time: Curbar Art Show will be held in Curbar Primary School. Professional and amateur artists exhibiting in a wide range of mediums and styles including sculpture and pottery. Tea, coffee and cakes available and light lunches.

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May 10:30 to 16:30

£1 entry fee

Feeling sheepish

I've been looking at Henry Moore drawings, always loved his sheep. So...trying to get in touch with my inner Yorkshire self, I set about with pen and ink to draw some of the locals. Despite being Derbyshire sheep I think we made good progress.

Taking the cows to market

Two craft stall opportunities in one week! The University of Sheffield had a week of the Art of Work and invited creative types to have a stall one evening. I shared my stall with two other library staff (what a creative lot we are) and had a great evening. It was lovely to see other University staff and their creative efforts, ranging from photography, jewellery and baking.

This weekend the local Guides were having a coffee morning and invited us to sell crafts to raise funds for daughter's Guide trip in summer 2015. A completely different demographic but equally fun to do. 

 The 'Totes Amaze Bags' sold really well at the Guide coffee morning.

A little bird told me

I've been playing around with a bird sketch to add to the block 'library' for totes amaze bags...thinking of totally tweet bags...made a drypoint print as well...here's the proofs. Loving the green foliage, gives some depth to the bird.

Chip off the old block

This weekend has mostly been about printing tote bags. My daughter and I need to make and sell craft items to raise money for a guide trip she's doing in 2015... tote bags seemed a good idea. I want to call them 'Totes Amaze Bags' but apparently I'm not allowed.

Robot love and dogs

I've listed these paintings on Folksy...

Purple dog - acrylic on canvas 

We have a lovely old greyhound who is officially 'blue'. He's often the inspiration for drawings. I thought he would appreciate being represented as a purple hound!

Robot love - acrylic on canvas 

I was making some decorations for a friends little boy and drew this robot for him, I thought it would make a lovely illustrative painting for a robot enthusiast

Yellow dog - acrylic on canvas

This is inspired by a drawing of our little dog Molly. She is often sniffing for exciting smells - when she's not dashing around that is! She is pale cream in colour and the yellow exaggerates her natural colouring and tendency to stand out against the background.

Who let the dogs in?

I need to make a painting of a Jack Russell terrier for a friend… I do a kooky drawing, love this, I make a start on the painting...it's a little ruff (excuse the pun) but has promise. I appear to be stuck in a dog drawing phase - could be worse!

Skater

When I was a student I made a pencil drawing inspired by a wood engraving by Agnes Miller Parker "Down the River" and used it as a Christmas Card for my Father. Recently, whilst clearing out his possessions, I found the card, kept with all of my letters and the photographs I'd sent over the years. I remembered what a lovely image it was. Using my drawing I've created the print "Skater" trying to capture the simplicity of my pencil line, using linocut to refer back to the original process of wood engraving.