Sharpen your cutting skills with an offer from ArtisOn...

Hello!

Lovely materials for collaging....

If you've been following my blog at all I would like to think that you are a fan of papercutting or collage (because frankly, the stuff on here that's just about me is pretty boring). If you have taken an interest in working with paper, and have ever entertained the thought of trying your hand, please allow me to alert you to a fantastic opportunity that you may want to treat yourself to...

This year I am running some brand new workshops at ArtisOn, the creative studios near Masham where I have been teaching one day courses for the last few years. As well as my popular papercutting course, I will be introducing a special collage course exploring this fantastic medium through projects inspired by some of the great collage artists. I will also be introducing a new further papercutting course, allowing those with a little bit of papercutting practice to hone their skills and take the next steps to mastering the medium.

Learn how to use recycled and unlikely materials...

The lovely people at ArtisOn have decided to celebrate this trio of papery workshops with an enticing offer:

Book my beginners papercutting course 'The Art of Papercutting' on March 10th, and my new collage course 'Collage: The Power of Paper' on March 23rd, and receive a whopping  

50% 

off my second papercutting course 'Further Papercutting: Handcut Cards and Decorations' on July 6th!

Thats right! Why not dive in to the world of paper art with 3 lovely days of relaxed learning, delicious food and socialising with fellow paper lovers? In each course I will take you through a number of inspiring projects, introduce you to essential materials and show you the world of papercutting and collage through the work some great artists. All this is intercut with regular coffee breaks, biscuits, cakes, and a delicious lunch. All in a beautiful rural setting. I know I'm biased, but honestly, you'll have a great time. So why not take advantage of this exclusive offer while you still can?

Mid-workshop in ArtisOn's main studio...

Some collage results!

For more information, visit the ArtisOn site and read more about each workshop, or contact via my website.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Rosie

Pencil to paper

Hi!

This week I've been spending a lot of time researching subjects all over the country for various galleries.In the next few months my new pinned papercuts will be popping up in Haworth, Newcastle, Cambridge, and some brand new pieces in Masham Gallery. It's a great excuse to spend time trawling the internet, scanning maps and going out in search of the perfect folly. It also means I have a lot of drawing to do.

I never used to be a big fan of drawing - I've always liked the idea of having lovely sketch books bursting with beautiful illustrations, but in reality I was never pleased with my drawing style and frequently abandoned new sketch books after 'spoiling' them with one bad doodle. Recently however I've really started to like my drawings, and now a detailed line drawing of my new subject is an indispensable part of the process. As well and making sure I have all the proportions and composition right, I like the fact that I have a proper example of 'prep' - something I can compare the final papercut to, or pull out if I ever want to tackle the same subject again. For the last year or so I've been doing all these drawings on A4 office paper, something I enjoy using as it's such an easy surface to work with, a good size for my pinned pieces and it's cheap! But as of this week I finally decided to take the risk of starting a proper sketch book- one that hopefully I'll be proud of. Here are a few snaps of my drawing collection...

My style of drawing reflects my style of artwork in general - I don't like to use shading, and instead prefer to reduce a building or landscape to a series of solid lines, and then create depth another way, whether it be through the texture in the paint, or as with my recent work, the arrangement of the cut paper. I can attribute this style to my first term at university, when I discovered the work of a Scottish artist named Chad McCail (whom I was lucky enough to have a tutorial with) whose paintings and drawings are incredibly detailed, yet simplistic looking due to their lack of shading and tone. As well as introducing me to gouache paint (which I love and use exclusively now), he also made me realise that I didn't have to try and draw everything in that sketchy, still life way that I'd been taught in school. I loved the idea of flattening a landscape and ending up with lots of solid, clean shapes, which apart are completely abstract, but fitted together create a scene.I have worked with lots of materials and in totally different styles since then, but I ended up returning to those original ideas years later, and they shape my work today.

Tenby Harbour, 2012

The first two subjects to enter the sketchbook are for pieces going to Cambridge Contemporary Art in April. The Wimpole Folly which is just outside Cambridge, and the Round Church (drawings below). This week I also finished a piece for the Imaginarium Gallery in Haworth - The Beamsley Hospital.

Better get back to my drawing, have a great weekend!

Rosie

New year plans

Happy New Year!

I was intending to have written my first blog of 2013 before now, but I'm pleased to say that I've been pretty busy so far this year.

Being January, my first unexciting task is tackling the annual tax return. But luckily I have plenty of more interesting things to get on with too, such as getting some pinned papercuts ready to deliver to The Heart Gallery this weekend. It's a beautiful gallery filled with some fantastic work, and situated in the heart of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire. The Heart gallery was one of the very first places to display my work 4 years ago, so I'm really pleased to going back. I've made three pieces inspired by the local area;

Gibson Mill, Hardcastle Crags

Lund's Tower, Earl Crag

and The folly in the woods, Cottingley

Next month I shall be taking some work to The Imaginarium Gallery in Haworth, so I am already planning some more West Yorkshire pieces.

I was really excited to be contacted last week by the Cambridge Contemporary Art gallery, who have invited me to take part in their April exhibition this year. It is such a gorgeous gallery that I had the pleasure of visiting in 2011, and I have wanted to have some work in there ever since. It also means that I have an excuse to research all the beautiful buildings in and around Cambridge, and maybe do a piece on the Wimpole folly, an amazing tower nearby.

I've also spent some time this week researching and applying to some more creative events. I am going to be enjoying my second year of North Yorkshire Open Studios in June, but I am also hoping to take part in Art in the Pen in Skipton again in August, as well as the Saltaire Arts Trail and the Art Market in Holmfirth. Fingers crossed I am successful...

So as you can see, with this lot plus the Paperworks exhibition at Masham Gallery and my joint exhibition with Charlotte Morrison, Down Hidden Tracks at Fountains Abbey in September, it's shaping up to be a busy year. I better get back to work!

Have a great weekend!
Rosie x

Festivities

Hello!

Next week I probably won't be blogging - hopefully because I'll be under a pile of chocolates and tasty drinks, excitedly waiting for the big day. I'm spending Christmas in Masham this year, and have my fingers crossed for snow. I just wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas, and hope that you'll still fancy following my news and ramblings in 2013.

And speaking of the new year, I have some exciting (and challenging) things coming up, all of which I'll be explaining in more detail as they get closer. For now here are a few events to keep in mind...

From the start of the year I will have some new pieces on display in the Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge; a beautiful and eclectic shop in a wonderful town. Also if you are in Harrogate in January, make sure you check out the fantastic Harrogate Open exhibition at the Mercer Gallery, which features my papercut 'Sea Houses', on display until January 20th.

In May I shall be exhibiting new pictures alongside an amazing selection of fellow paper artists in Paperworks, an exhibition I am organising at Masham Gallery. Artists include Sarah Morpeth, Jennifer Collier and Claire Lindley.

Catch me alongside Charlotte Morrison, Josie Beszant and Ian Scott Massie in the North Yorkshire Open Studios again in June. This will be my second year taking part in this great event, and I will be displaying work and demonstrating papercutting at the ArtisOn workshops again.

In September I take on my biggest project to date; a joint exhibition with ceramicist Charlotte Morrison within the beautiful grounds of Fountains Abbey. Down Hidden Tracks will feature lots of new work from both of us, and I will be there for much of it some come and say hi!

And of course, I shall be running a number of craft workshops at ArtisOn, courses in collage and papercutting new for 2013. For more information or to book a place, visit the ArtisOn website.

Hopefully I shall have much more to tell you throughout the year, so watch this space. For now, have a great festive break!

Rosie x

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

New places and new work

Hi!

It's amazing how long it takes to really get back to normal after a week away - I seem to have spent the last few weeks not really concentrating and finding the prospect of Christmas far more interesting than work. Having said that, I've got a decent amount done, and am pleased to say I'm soon to have my work in a few more places, so I can't complain!

I've finally turned my attention back to printmaking, having got so carried away on a wave of pinned papercuts that the old lino has been shelved for some time. Given that follies have started to completely dominate my work I thought I'd give one a go in print, and have come up with this piece. It's my third picture of the Temple Folly, near Swinithwaite in Wensleydale.

The Temple Folly, Wensleydale

I'm pleased to say that my linocuts will soon be on display in a brand new store called Chirpy in Chapel Allerton, Leeds. Chirpy is a lovely little place, stocking quirky home items, prints, and lots of lovely accessories created by independent suppliers. The store opens this weekend, and owner Harriet will be there celebrating, so if you fancy joining her visit the Chirpy website to find out more. I will be dropping my work off next week, and I'm really excited to be part of an exciting new project.

I am also really pleased that I will be supplying the Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge with some new pinned papercuts as of early 2013. Back in 2008, when I had just started making and selling a few collages, Alison at the Heart very kindly supported me and included some of my pieces in an exhibition. 4 years on, my work has changed a huge amount (though having said that I'm still obsessed with maps and gouache paint) and couldn't be happier to be taking some pictures to such a lovely gallery, in one of my favourite towns. All I have to do now is find some exciting subjects in the west Yorkshire area to re-create in papercut form!

If you fancy having a closer look at my latest collection of work, my pinned papercuts, they are currently in Masham Gallery as part of the Treasure exhibition. So if you're stuck for a Christmas present for someone with exceptional taste, you know where to go....

The Fox Tower, Brough

Thats all from me, have a good week.

Rosie x

Travels East and West

Hi!

I'm probably going to be spending most of today trying to unpack and tidy things after 9 days off, most of which was spend away, but I thought I'd send out a little blog about what I did on my holidays first...

Last weekend we went back to Saltburn, on the North East coast, for a few days of walking along the windswept beach, losing money in the arcade, and eating/drinking too much. Saltburn was as beautiful as ever and this time we got to use the water powered cliff lift which was very cool.

After recovering from our weekend at home for a couple of nights, we set out on journey number 2, this time heading west to the Lake District, for a couple of nights near Ambleside. Slightly damper weather this time, but still a wonderful little holiday with stunning views (and again, lots of food and drink). And I even got to see a couple of follies, like Claife Station (below), just above lake Windermere.

Back to work now, and my first job is to start preparing for my final workshop of 2012, which is in two weeks time. I haven't been paying much attention to the shops and tv, but it seems that Christmas really has landed and my workshop, Handmade Christmas Decorations and Papercraft, will certainly get you in the festive mood. Spaces are still available so check out the ArtisOn website if you're interested.

Lastly, my latest collection of work, which I've been generally referring to as my 'Pinned' pictures, will be on sale in Masham Gallery as part of their Treasure exhibition from next week, so if you're intrigued to see them close up, now's your chance!

Have a great week x