Finding follies

Hello!

It is shameful that I haven't written a blog for so long, but I am going to excuse myself just this once as we got the keys for our beautiful new house on July 5th, so before and after was a little hectic and my studio consisted of a pile of boxes. I'm incredibly pleased to say that I have been upgraded from working in our living/dining room to having use of the spare room now, which is just fantastic after nearly two years of having to pack my work away every evening! I now get to look out of the window at my little garden, swooping swallows and the backs of the houses on our quiet street by the river in south York.

The new studio

It's great getting back to papercutting too, after a little break. My exhibition 'Down Hidden Tracks' draws ever closer and I am miles away from covering all the subjects I want to cover, let alone getting on with publicity and working on the catalogue. I am getting a some help though -  having met some lovely people from the Folly Fellowship at North Yorkshire Open Studios in June, I was very excited to be contacted by them this week and told that they would like to do an article about me for their summer magazine. This will be my first ever magazine feature, and it's brilliant knowing that it's going to be read by folly lovers. I hope I'll get to meet more members at the exhibition in September.

Before diving head first into northern follies however, I have a few pieces left to finish for the Itch gallery in Oakham, Rutland. I got one completed earlier this week, of a striking structure in south Lincolnshire called Belmont Tower. The tower can be seen from Belton House down a 2 mile long tree-lined walkway, and I have wanted to work on it since I first started researching follies. I chose to make a flat collage of this one and loved the contrast of sharp lines and flowers/trees.

I have just today finished cutting one of my most difficult subjects to date - the Triangular Lodge at Rushton. This mind boggling building was built by Thomas Tresham, a devoted catholic, and the folly's design is excessively influenced by the number 3 (presumably in reference to the holy trinity). Three sides, each measuring 33 feet, three stories etc, right down to the tiny ornate details.  I have not found it easy to draw and cut this building and I strongly suspect I will be having another go in the future, but this is how it's looking so far.

Well, I think I will get back to work, more updates very soon.

Rosie

Further afield....

Hello there!

Well, North Yorkshire Open Studios is done for another year. It's amazing how much intense preparation leads to an event that just whizzes by. I had a great time though, we had a fantastic number of visitors through, many of whom bought my brand new cards, and who allowed me to persistently publicise my exhibition Down Hidden Tracks. I'm feeling very positive about the events ahead, the first being Art in the Pen in August.

This week I'm enjoying the nice feeling of having got a big event out of the way, and being able to focus on something else. And at the top of my list is a small collection of work for the lovely Itch Gallery in Oakham. I have had my work in the gallery for about a year, and I keep finding exciting subjects in the area to work on. I was very excited to discover that a folly tower I have long admired, Belmont Tower in south Lincolnshire, was actually fairly close by, thus giving me an excuse to start a new picture. I have decided to go back to my flat papercut collage format for this piece (though given the stunning views towards the tower from Belton House, I'm sure I'll be doing a pinned piece soon), and have reached the end of the cutting stage today, so I thought I'd give you a preview.

Belmont Tower, Lincolnshire

The tower can be seen from the hall at the end of two mile long tree-lined walkway. The brickwork is stunning, as are the windows (which do look at little like eyes). The tower apparently used to have an arch either side of the main archway originally, but these have been demolished, leaving this slightly bizarre structure, nicknamed 'Lord Brownlow's Trousers'.

I've also finished a couple of pieces destined for Fountains Hall this September in the last week. The first is based on the lovely pond-side view of the Mausoleum at Castle Howard, the second completes my Terrace Temples pair, based on the leafy walkway at Rievaulx Abbey.

The Mausoleum from the pond, Castle Howard

The Terrace Temples ii, Rievaulx Abbey

That's all from me this week, have a lovely weekend.

Rosie

London Baby!

Hello!

I'm in the big city this week enjoying a few days of galleries, museums and shops that are too posh for the likes of me. And maybe a bit of work. Last week I managed to get a couple of new pinned pieces finished and ready to drop off at the lovely Itch Gallery in Oakham, Rutland while on route down south.

I had another go at recreating the lovely Normanton Church on Rutland Water.

And the beautiful Fort Henry at Exton Park (photos taken in early morning sunlight on friday!).

We arrived in London on Saturday afternoon (via Oakham and the retro OK diner on the A1) and enjoyed a visit to the busy and bright Winter Wonderland fair in Hyde Park. Then on Sunday we had a leisurely wander around Spitalfields market in the hope of finding some Christmas presents.

Today I'm knuckling down to a bit of work, getting started on some new pieces intended for the Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge. There's a distinct chance that I may give up and make some papercut Christmas pressies though...

After London we are heading down to the Isle of Wight for a few nights, then back up north at the end of the week. By then it'll nearly be Christmas!

Don't forget you can browse most of my latest pictures at Masham Gallery, as part of the Treasure exhibition.

Have a good week!
Rosie x

Back to Normal

Hi!

The last few weeks have been very busy, what with the preparation for North Yorkshire Open Studios, and then the event itself. I was really excited about my first open studios event and I wasn't disappointed; we had plenty of visitors, all really enthusiastic, and a good few sales too!

I can't believe that after all the preparation it is over so quickly, but now there are more things to focus on. I have just entered my first ever printmaking competition, BITE, I have another event to prepare for , Art in the pen in skipton, and I have work to do for a lovely gallery in Rutland, called the Itch Gallery, who will soon stock a selection of my collages and prints.

Right now I'm also preparing for my final workshop this term. Basic Beading and Jewellery Making is this Saturday at ArtisOn, after which I will be having a teaching break for a couple of months before I return with another papercutting course in September.

Busy busy!

Rosie x