EVENT - National Saturday Club Yearbook & Exhibition

Ah... I feel very privileged to be one of the National Saturday Club Trusts Masterclass Alumni, I'm in exceptional company! This yearbook is amazing to read through and to see all the amazing things that have gone on throughout the year with the National Saturday Clubs.  

AIM & CLICK - Scarborough Joke Shop

I just love this Joke Shop in Scarborough, as a youth I remember being transfixed by the Joke stall at Newcastle Quayside Market every Sunday, I would have loved a shop like this then...

EXHIBITION - Northbound

I'm back again for a second year at the NORTHBOUND Pop-Up Exhibition in Newcastle Central Station. This time I've brought along 4 of my A1 watercolour and ink portraits. I'll be here today until 4pm

OUT & ABOUT - Rachel Ara

I really love this self evaluating artwork by Rachel Ara, this is currently on display at the Whitechapel Gallery, I first met Rachael at the Aesthetica Symposium and what an inspirational artist she is 😀

Rachel Ara - This Much I'm Worth

EVENT - Presenting Certificates

What a lovely experience presenting Bradford College students with their National Saturday Club certificates with Sir John Sorrell. Really looking forward to the opening of the exhibition at Somerset House 😀 

Karen Thompson and Sir John Sorrell present Bradford College certificates.

STUDIO - Big Cat Little Cat

I had my little chum in the studio with me today... As I was cutting this tiger shape out of clay he decided to leave his imprint 😺

EVENT - Cracking Ceramics Display

Some of the work we produced during the ceramics workshops run inside Cannon Hall as part of the Cracking Ceramics funding have gone on display inside Cannon Hall. The work was selected and co-curated by myself and Barnsley Museums  

 

EVENT - An Apple for the Teacher

Was really chuffed to be presented with this gorgeous hand crafted wooden apple, this was given to me by the National Saturday Club Trust for the Masterclass I ran with the Bradford Club.

MASTERCLASS - National Saturday Club

I was invited to run a Masterclass for the National Saturday Club Trust at Bradford College of Art. What a lovely day. Bradford College had requested that I show them the techniques I use for my Paintings and illustrations. So after my Artists talk we got stuck in. A great group who were enthusiastic and talented. Thanks for inviting me…

Photo Credits: Rob Thompson / The Saturday Club Trust

NEWS - National Saturday Club Masterclass

I’ve been invited by Lady Frances Sorrell OBE to run a Masterclass for the prestigious National Saturday Club Trust. I’m very excited about this project and feel extremely honoured to be asked to take part.

WORKSHOP - Cannon Hall

A great couple of days running clay workshops for Barnsley Museums. Two beautiful days in two beautiful rooms at Cannon Hall, amazing building and grounds. The theme of the workshops was based around fairy houses and faeries inspired by fairyland, an area within the grounds of Cannon Hall.

NEWS - Cracking Ceramics at Cannon Hall

I've been approached by Barnsley Museums to run a series of Clay Workshops over eight days around the Cracking Ceramics! project which they have secured external funding for. This is a 2 year project and to start with I'll be running some family drop in workshops at Cannon Hall around the theme of fairyland.

MakeMore Arts

I’ve been approached by MakeMore Arts, a newly set up Arts Provider in Ryedale to work with them on forthcoming projects. This is an exciting collaboration and I’m very much looking forward to being part of the team.

EVENT - Badges for Sale

I've had some of my large portraits made into 38mm metal badges 😀

Curious Curiosities - International Cat Day

THE FAMILY – Candidate Posters

Voting day again and I have recently come across the posters from dads progressive candidacy days… I am fascinated by everything about these, from the print makers information to the feel of the paper, the quality of the print and the colour of the font. I can imagine them being churned off a huge machine.

WORKSHOP - Day of Clay

I'm really looking forward to running this clay bust making workshop (inspired by my Michael Gove busts) for York Art Gallery for their Day of Clay. It's a drop in workshop so feel free to pop along and get modelling.

 

 

EVENT – Porcelain Sandwich on display in Arts Council Reception, Leeds Offices

Ha ha… News has just reached me that one of my porcelain sandwiches is out on display in the reception of the Leeds HQ of the Arts Council offices, this apparently has moved with them from the Dewsbury office where it was also on display… The lovely chap there who took a photo of it for me in situ also said that it was a conversation piece 🙂 Very happy to hear about this little piece of news and amazingly it ties in with National Sandwich week it would appear!
Looks like it’s a an egg mayo one!

EXHIBITION – Big Draw Illustrations

I'm very proud of the exhibition which has just gone up in Scarborough Art Gallery. This is a selection of work produced by the children in the Big Draw workshops I ran at the end of last year. The exhibition is on until 14th May, so if you are in the area pop in and see some of the lovely, inspired illustrations drawn by a mix of Year 2 - Year 6 primary school children.

WORKSHOP - ARTS AWARD, Clay Bust Workshop

A lovely couple of days running a clay bust workshop as part of the Battersea Arts Centre, Scratch Fund. This was in conjunction with Scarborough Museums Trust and Arts Award. The clay bust workshop was hugely popular and there were some amazing little characters created over the two days. I’ll be running another clay bust workshop later in the year at York Art Gallery for their ‘Day of Clay’.

     

        

OUT & ABOUT - Angelic Reiki

Very enjoyable weekend in which I received this! Nicely timed as I am a year into my spiritual healing course (half way through) and was looking for another big push forward. Very much want to explore magnetic healing next (not to be mistaken for healing with magnets) but can't find any courses in the uk... will keep looking :-)