WORKSHOP - Clay Bust

I love running Clay Bust workshops in my studio, this chap made by a lady in a workshop today really made me smile... he ended up with a moustache!

 

EVENT - The Tin Shed, Gallery

The guys who I usually do the Artfests with in Newcastle at the Monument/Grainger Street have just set up a new website called 'The Tin Shed', I've been included as the first Gallery artist and will also be taking place in the first online summer Artfest starting on September 1st. I wish them the best of luck with this new endeavour, head over and check it out...

https://www.thetinshed.co.uk/karen-thompson-ceramics-paintings

 

WORKSHOP - Marmalade Meowie

Marmalade Meowie was a little creation created by a gentleman in a workshop run in my studio today. what a charmer he looks 😆

DRAWING - Ring Leader

RING LEADER - Watercolour and Ink on A1 Paper

OUT & ABOUT - Riverside FM

Just been sorting though some bits & pieces to put together a presentation and have come across this old postcard and magazine article, I worked on this short licence RSL community radio station in 2003 and 2004, presenting from Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. It was a great experience and very enjoyable.

UPCOMING - Young Maker Support session

I'm looking forward to this online crit next week, thanks to the Crafts Council for asking to run one of their young makers support sessions. Looking forward to seeing the projects they are all working on.

INSPIRATION - Aldous Harding, First Album

Looks like this is the chosen apocalypse album... I can't stop listening to it, and red vinyl too! 😍

 

DRAWING - Subject to Change

STUDIO - Creating Portraits

Had a super and creative evening tonight in the studio with some friends... Myself, Nina and Astrid spent the evening taking turns to create A2 portraits using watercolour and ink. With these portraits you never know what is going to happen, I start with the eyes and then create the nose, the mouth, then the hair and lastly adding the chin and clothes. I have no idea if I'm creating a man or woman or child until I stand back and look at the finished painting.

I find the full process fascinating as once the face has come together I get a very real sense of who the person I've just made up is, often feeling strongly a name associated with them and an occupation.  

    

       

EVENT - William Woods, Harrogate

It was great to see my work on display in William Woods in Harrogate today. They have had my pieces in for a while now but it's been the first opportunity I've had to get over to see them on display. I was really pleased that I had the opportunity to see them there as they look rather spectacular in the high end interior design environment.

   

WORKSHOP - Model a Clay Head

Started running some 'model a clay head' workshops from my studio recently, it's been fun having a few folks in modelling each other. This couple came in for a romantic weekend 💓

WORKSHOP - Last Stroke Unit Session

Today was the last in the programmed series of workshops I've been employed to run in the stroke unit at Scarborough General Hospital. I've really enjoyed these sessions and have found them very rewarding. 

WORKSHOPS - Coastival 2020

A busy couple of days running two full day workshops for Coastival 2020, the seagull brooches proved hugely popular with parents and children alike and it was lovely to see lots of happy faces all proudly wearing their mini masterpieces. 

 

WORKSHOP - Mono-printing at the Stroke Unit

Lovely little mono-printing workshop in the Stroke unit... this was a very challenging and also a very rewarding workshop today for the patients.

OUT & ABOUT - Carla O'Brien

This installation by neon artist Carla O'Brien at the Birmingham Festival of Light really cheered me up, I love neon as an art form....

UPCOMING - Christmas 2019

That’s this years Christmas Card sorted. Been meaning to make one on a healing theme for a while… So happy holidays everyone 🙂

WORKSHOP - Christmas Cards at the Stroke Unit

In today's workshop in the Stroke unit we made some very beautiful Christmas Cards, it was a very interesting day for me, this amazing card made by one the patients who had lost the use of her left side really made an impact on me. I was fascinated that she would not engage with the left hand side of the card, the decoration which she put on the tree was all orientated towards the right hand side. I find the brain ever fascinating.

UPCOMING - Open Studios

We are having a Christmas Open Studio up on West Pier, so please do come and join us for a little mulled wine. You'll find us all on the balcony of the clock tower on Scarborough's West Pier (next to the RNLI).

The Badgers of Bohemia (number 11), Captain Ants and Nina Hughes (number 10) and Karen Thompson (number 14) are all throwing open their doors and welcoming everyone on Saturday 14th December  

WORKSHOP - Christmas Sparkle

A few busy days working for Create Arts Ltd and Scarborough Council running elf making workshops at the seasonal Christmas Sparkle event, here's some that made me smile

               

           

 

WORKSHOP - Stroke Unit

This little penguin made in a workshop today in the Stroke Unit at Scarborough hospital really made me smile... I'm really enjoying running these workshops.

DRAWING - On Glaze Tile

I sold this tile at a recent Art Fair, I would love to focus on experimenting with surface decoration at some point soon in my ceramic work. 

OUT & ABOUT - Pigeons

Hmmm... I wonder if I'm encouraging the pigeons outside my studio a little too much!?

WORKSHOP - Stroke Unit Workshop at Scarborough Hospital

Pat's drawing was a bit of a star in today's Stroke Unit workshop, this workshop was inspired by Quentin Blake and it was great to see everyone get so much from the session. It's hard to believe that Pat had never really done any drawing in the past, this gave her so much confidence!

WORKSHOP - Ryedale Folk Museum

I really enjoyed running some Stone Age to Iron Age clay workshops at Ryedale Folk Museum recently. I even got dressed up for the part, think the costume may be making an appearance on this years Christmas Card. 

AIM & CLICK - Highland Cow

I love Yorkshire 💓 Always brilliant photo opportunities await, this was taken at Levisham, a really special and beautiful place.

NEWS - Hospital Workshops

I've just joined the team at York NHS Teaching Hospitals as a freelance artist to run a series of workshops in the Stroke Unit at Scarborough Hospital. It’s the first time I’ve delivered workshops in this kind of environment and I’m really looking forward to working with patients at the hospital to aid in their recovery. I’ll been programmed in to run these workshops in the Stroke Unit at Scarborough Hospital until February 2020.