STUDIO - Westpier Open Studios

We are all opening our studios today for last chance Christmas shopping #openstudios #today #afterdark #westpierstudios #scarborough #westpier YO11 1PD

STUDIO - The Power of Experiences Film for the Crafts Council

I was invited to take part as one of the makers exploring the experience market by the Craft Council. Sarah-Mace Dennis put together a very beautiful film looking at 4 different makers/groups and the Craft Council recently put the film up on their website and youtube page. I’m 9 mins 12 seconds in if you want to jump to find me although I wholly recommend watching the entire film as it’s so beautifuuly made and I am in such good company. Thanks so much to the Crafts Council and to Sarah for putting this film together.

The link to the film is below:

https://youtu.be/c_O6PGQ8FOg

WORKSHOPS - National Tree Week

Some lovely sessions throughout Ryeldale for #nationaltreeweek Thanks to the Small Grant Funding from Ryedale Council I was able to run 'A Badge of Honour for Trees' workshops at Pickering Library, Norton Hive Library and St. Joseph's school. Many thanks to Ryedale Council for awarding me with one of these Grant's.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORKSHOPS - Ryedale Small Grant Funding for Tree Week

Brilliant to hear I've been selected for Small Grant Funding from Ryedale Council to run some workshops for National Tree Week, I'll be in Pickering Library 11.15am - 12.30pm and Norton Hive Library 2.15pm - 3.45pm on 4th December. these are free bookable family sessions, please contact the libraries to book directly 

ARTIST TALK - Designing your Future, Crafts Council

Earlier this year the Crafts Council recorded me speaking about my practice for their new professional development cohorts,  this was funded by Crafting Europe and the recording has just become available for the public to watch this week. The Crafts Council have put it on their website and Youtube page. I'm thinking of doing a seperate video just compiling the er's um's and erm's 😂

 

 

 

OUT & ABOUT - Gong Practitioner Course

Last weekend was the first session of my gong practitioner course with Sheila Whittaker in Devon... Amazing! I've thought about doing this course for 5 years and I'm thrilled that I've taken the plunge... I'm a gong fanatic!! It's very powerful healing work and I'm looking forward to being able to offer this vibration therapy when I graduate next year... I'll also see how it unfolds with my art as I feel they will play a part at some point too 😀

 

 

 

 

WORKSHOPS - Botanical Drawing at Pickering Library

Really lovely day running a botanic drawing workshop at Pickering Library for MakeMore Arts, there was lots of enjoyment and some brilliant reactions... yay!

 

STUDIO - Crafts Council Filming

It was lovely to meet Sarah Mace-Dennis recently who was in my studio filming for the Crafts Council. They are putting together a short film about the experiences and art workshops that I run from my studio. Looking forward to seeing the film 😁

 

 

 

 

WORKSHOPS - Selby Abbey

The final workshop this week at Selby Abbey as part of the HSHAZ (High Street Heritage Action Zone) project with Selby Council. The exhibition in the Abbey featuring all the work made in the workshops runs until the beginning of September. It's well worth a visit!

 

Workshop - Drawing Experience from my Studio

A lovely family came into my studio today to take part in my drawing experiences, these are bookable 1 hour sessions that are available daily, up to 5 participants. They produced some amazing artworks and had a great time :)

 

WORKSHOPS - Selby Faces, Selby Abbey

 Great little Selby Faces workshop today at Selby Abbey... Eden Taylor Draper, a young actress in Emerdale Farm was born in Selby. Sections of Get Carter, the feature film with Michael Caine were filmed in Selby too...  

EVENT - Selby Abbey Exhibition

Myself and Eleanor from Selby Council have installed an exhibition within Selby Abbey of 'Selby Faces' artworks created in the workshops I ran at Selby High School and Selby College. I'll be running another 3 workshops over the forthcoming weeks within a beautiful room at Selby Abbey. The artworks created in these workshops will also be added to the exhibition. 

 

DRAWINGS - Traditional Ice Cream Cart, Thornton-Le-Dale

 

DRAWING - A2

Size A2 - Watercolour, ink and acrylic on paper

STUDIO - New Windows

Just has some lovely new windows fitted in my studio in time for the winter... What the studio makes up for in view it lacks in insulation!! Brrr... Hope this helps, although as it's a listed building the council haven't put in double glazing and have had to keep them true to their Georgian style.

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!

 

WORKSHOPS - Cannon Hall, Barnsley

As part of Barnsley Museums 'Cracking Ceramics', I have spent the last couple of days at Cannon Hall in Barnsley running very popular drop in workshops. 

 

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! 😍

 

EXHIBITION: Biscuit Factory

 
Lovely P.V. to the opening of the new Biscuit Factory exhibition in Newcastle.

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.