WORKSHOP - Portraiture at Scarborough Art Gallery

A lovely portraiture workshop yesterday at Scarborough Art Gallery, this was a day of School workshops with 80 year 5 pupils. We concentrated on a technique I use in my own paintings, ink and watercolours with an extra special spray with a water squirter... the spraying was highly popular needless to say!

Victorian Day Portraiture Workshop at Scarborough Art Gallery lead by Karen Thompson.

SMT Portraiture Workshop.

SMT Portraiture Workshop.

PRESS - Crafts Magazine, Directory Ad

Brilliant to be in this months Crafts magazine advertising the Crafts Council Directory. This is the second issue on the trot that has used the advert with the image of my heads... 

UPCOMING - Platform Open

Three of my Tureen Heads will be winding their way over to Harrogate later in the month for the Platform Open, this is on the weekend of 3rd & 4th October at Morphets.

Morphets of Harrogate, 6 Albert Street, Harrogate, HG1 1JG. 

opening times: Sat 3rd Oct 10-6pm, Sun 4th Oct 10-4pm

WORKSHOPS - October/November

Upcoming Workshops at Crescent Arts, I'm running some beginners classes and also joining forces with Print maker Dawn Brooks to offer some experimental sessions with printing and plaster.

WORKSHOP - Dinosaur brooches at the Rotunda Museum

Some great little dinosaur brooches made in the last of the holiday drop in sessions today... there are three activities to keep the little ones busy... badges, brooches and sculpture, everyone seems to be attentively making all three things!

Dinosaur brooches made at workshops in the Rotunda Museum with artist Karen Thompson.

EVENT - York Art Gallery Interpretation

Very excited to have my Michael Gove busts featuring in the York Art Gallery highlights from the Rainbow wall of colour. I'm one of 4 objects selected from the blue colour range by cabinet curator Fiona Green...

  

WORKSHOP - Badge Making at the Rotunda Museum

A lovely and very busy badge making workshop at the Rotunda Museum in Scarborough today, I took in with me my trusty badge it machine (which I use for all of my badgered badges). These drop in sessions will also be running over the next two weeks and will be based around the theme of the Rotunda so will be featuring lots of dinosaurs and ammonites. I'll have my badge it machine with me next week as well as some other goodies...

Drop in badge making sessions at the Rotunda Museum in Scarborough.

Small selection of some of the badges made today.

PRESS - Clare Twomey 'Manifest:10,000 Hours' Book

I seem to have made it into the York Art Gallery's book for Clare Twomey's Manifest: 10,000 hours commission. I was busy with my AA2A+ residency with York College and York Art Gallery at the time and I helped to make well over 100 bowls for this. Still, bit of a surprise finding myself and the lovely Becky Ridsel from York College within the pages :-) 

EVENT - Gove busts in CoCA display at York Art Gallery

I'm very happy to have some work included in the opening of the CoCA galleries at York Art Gallery. Some of my Michael Gove busts from the Goveshy are in the Rainbow wall of pots. There are also two Gove busts in the handling collection for people to pick up and look at, as well as two of my porcelain sandwiches. Thoroughly enjoyed the launch and seeing the wonderful delights that the galleries hold. Will definitely be spending a bit of time in York Art Gallery over the coming year.

  

EVENT - Staithes Studios

Some of my work has wound its way over to Staithes for the opening of the lovely new venture by Ian and Stef Mitchell. Staithes Studio is opening in time for the Summer Solstice. you can find one of my Trilogy of Death's for sale there alongside some of my mugs and cups. http://staithesstudios.com/

WORKSHOP - Sea Monsters at the Rotunda Museum

My first Sea Monster workshop at the Rotunda in Scarborough produced a host of wonderful creations. 61 students, year 6. We primarily used sticky back coloured vinyl sheets and cardboard. Here's a little selection of the days output... another one tomorrow!

          

     

    

EVENT - Launch of Crafts Council Directory

Today is the official launch of the Crafts Council Directory, the advertising today goes a little something like this....

The Crafts Council Facebook Page

The Crafts Council Twitter profile

Brilliant advertising for my Tureen Heads I would say! Thanks Crafts Council... Check out my directory profile using the following link: 

http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/directory/maker/karen-thompson/

WORK IN PROGRESS - Fiona Green Charger

A detail from my latest work, this is from the Fiona Green charger, Fiona is collection facilitator for art at York Museums Trust. The image is a reference to the Thomas Toft tyg that is in the ceramics collections in York, I have also included two other objects from the collections on this charger... I will reveal the finished object at a later date.

THE FAMILY - 7th May... Election Day

Thursday 7th May.... Yes, voting day... Yes, cast your vote for my dad Dave Thompson... Oh that was  1970! 

PRESS - York Press, Toast Exhibition

A piece in today's York Press about the Toast exhibition at the New School House Gallery in York. 

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/leisure/exhibitions/12933894.Toast__School_House_Gallery__Peasholme_Inn__York_until_May_9/

EXHIBITION - Toast at the New School House Gallery

I was approached to show some work in a group exhibition at the New School House Gallery in York, the exhibition 'Toast' is curated by five fine art art students studying at York St. John's University. There are five artists in total showing work and the exhibition runs until the 9th May 2015.

 

Karen Thompson's Charmology Head II at Toast, New School House Gallery, York.

EVENT - Cups Available From Scarborough Art Gallery

Some of my mugs and cups are now available to buy from Scarborough Art Gallery... Selling fast! 

Karen Thompson's Cups available from Scarborough art Gallery.

http://www.scarboroughmuseumstrust.com/#!scarborough-art-gallery/c4u3

AA2A 'Plus' - Painting The Fiona Green Charger

In the composition of the Fiona Green Charger I am including three objects from the York Museums ceramics collection, these are a Thomas Toft tyg (YORYM:2001.8239), a Merete Rasmussen sculpture and a curious object which was sitting on a bench one day when I visited the stores of which I have no further information.  All of the images of the teasers shown here are at the pre final firing stage, the images have been painted directly onto the unfired tin white glaze and will be subject to change as the piece is fired.  

Thomas Toft Tyg. 

Merete Rasmussen.

Random

Karen in the studios of York College painting the Fiona Green charger.

Computer tower on the desk of YMT stores.

AA2A 'Plus' - Introducing The Fiona Green Charger

The first charger I'm making in response to York Art Gallery's ceramics collection is to feature Fiona Green, the collection facilitator for art. My charger will take direct reference from a delftware charger decorated with a portrait of Queen Anne. This piece is from the 1700 - 1720 period. 

Queen Anne Charger - York Art Gallery (YORYM:2000.2672).

Fiona Green, York Museums Trust, collection facilitator for art.