I make paper mâché jewellery, although it looks more like enamel than paper mâché. It's lightweight and waterproof. My images and working methods are my own ideas and techniques that I have developed over the last 20+ years. I aim to bring the 18th century techniques of the masters of the art of English Papier Mâché into the 21st century using modern paints and resins.
April - Moving out of one very small studio and into another.
May - Work continues, London, Chelsea Flower Show, Capri.
June - Capri.
July - Move into new studio.
August - Working long days with plenty of space - bliss.
April - My time in my studio at Seale Hayne in South Devon came to a natural end simply because I needed much more space to work in. I am no stranger to change, in fact I really like it and actively seek it. I like the challenges it throws up and the new things learnt.
I moved temporarily into what really felt like a cross between a cattle market and an industrial block in an Eastern European country in the 1950's. Of course I exaggerate.
It was an experience, the reality was - a dawn chorus of early morning expletives, large white vans randomly parked in front of the front door, torn rubbish sacks ravaged by ravenous seagulls, fly tipping, heavy metal music reverberating around the unit. It was open plan. And numerous burst pipes, flooding and a leaking roof in rainy weather. However I continued to work, imagining myself in a little studio overlooking the sea from via Tragara on Capri. It is amazing what a healthy imagination can achieve. I may even have a photograph or two. All in a days work.
May - To London to see my daughter, who is getting the gardening bug and hence we are both going to Chelsea Flower Show and marvel at reconstructions of old fashioned artisans gardens.
and a Gold for a huge installation of Tyvek paper flowers - rather up my street.
and to see the wonderful Bearded Irises.
and those of Cedric Morris, now rescued from obscurity and returning to Chelsea after an absence of over 60 years.
We went on Saturday - thats the last day when most exhibits are sold off to the public. Much excitement is displayed and even more ingenuity is required as one inevitably buys far to much for the boot of the car!
And then there are the Chelsea Pensioners in whose garden the whole show takes place every year.
I also went on a little foray to Hammersmith where William Morris used to live.
A beautiful old house needless to say -
The home of the Dove Press was also here down by the river. Thomas James Cobden Sanderson, along with engraver Emery Walker, established the Doves Press in London at the turn of the 20th century. Commissioned in 1899 by Cobden-Sanderson and Walker, punch-cutter Edward Prince’s single-sized 16 pt type, used in all of the press’s publications, was a key element of the Press’s influence on modern book design. Without doubt my favourite typeface, so I was fascinated by this story of one mans passion - Robert Green - and his remarkable recovery of enough type to re-establish it - remarkable story - http://www.typespec.co.uk/doves-type/
A great little pub here too - overlooking the place where the type was originally abandoned and rediscovered.
Also I have to share this lovely tribute to enduring love - a very rare commodity.
I have been making large papier mache platters. This process involves many layers of paper and glue plus extensive drying time followed by making and applying numerous coats of traditional gesso. My present studio is rather small for my requirements so is challenging. As a consequence I have been working in four different places - different processes in different places - lots of walking back and to. Soon I hope to be moving into a much larger and much sunnier studio where all processes can take place in the same space.
Sunny days call as spring unfolds at the allotment and by the river where primroses, wood anemones, periwinkles, violets, wild daffodils and the first bluebells are flowering. I am starting to make a series of plaques recording the unfolding year with flowers. The process is the same process as I have used many time over the years since I first pressed flowers into porcelain and put shards of coloured glass into the impressions before firing - my first product for sale in galleries when I was in my teens. I realized then that if I can sell one I can sell a hundred and one.
So the process is - roll out some clay - terracotta will leave traces of coloured stain that looks good. Press in the flowers that you have gathered. Then roll in with a wooden rolling pin. I have marked the edge here with a wooden frame though I prefer the less controlled edge of a free hand clay pinched wall.
Begin to carefully remove the flowers - use a pin to lift the stems.
Flowers removed and impressions left behind.
This is the example where I used a wooden frame. If you choose this method make sure to thoroughly apply a releasing agent - I use Vaseline. Frame repositioned and pressed into place. Clay drawn up around the sides to prevent Plaster of Paris from seeping out before setting.
Plaster of Paris poured into cover the clay - depth dictates thickness of plaque/tile.
I made a second impression from the clay without the wooden frame. I prefer this piece - without boundaries that are so defined. I have plans to make much larger pieces that can be hung in place over inglenook fireplaces - arches of old man's beard - wild clematis - catkins over grasses and wildflowers beneath. I will also take a silicone mould so that I can made repeats. Smaller ones will be made in chocolate.
We went up onto Dartmoor to watch the eclipse. I mainly wanted to record the light on the landscape rather than look at the sun/moon. It all began with cloud but cleared enough to see although via my phone I only have light and shadow.
To Hill House Nursery for tea and cake in the garden with friends and to pick up a couple of fruit bushes for the allotment. This little piece of heaven is on my way from studio to home so is a favoured place for meeting up. Photo taken from their website so not quite so abundant just yet.
New beds under way.
Fruit bushes in. When I began this allotment I had visions from flights of fanciful imagination of a form of idyll reminiscent of Marie Antoinette's farm at Versailles crossed with a various French Potager gardens, however I have come back to earth somewhat and am now more inclined to the side of the homely and very traditional ramshackled British Allotment. Although after conversations with fellow allotment holders/neighbours I can't help wishing that our planning laws were broad and generous enough to be akin to Dutch, Swedish and French Allotments where you are encouraged to spent the night and/or weekends in your shed. They are wonderful.
I am about to make a necklace using lots of the papier-mache baroque pearls that I make - To which I will add some faux -
that is made with epoxy resin - rough cut gems - I add acrylic ink to
get the right colours. I spotted this necklace and thought I could
develop the idea -
These
are faceted beads, I tend to prefer the rough cut ones. I am starting
with faux rough cut diamonds and papier-mache baroque pearls and may
well work my way through the mineral kingdom! they look like this -
Some papier-mache baroque pearls could also have colour added to resemble these -
rough cut raw sapphires are like this and papier-mache
pearls below. I think it could work with a few adjustments. Below is the real thing - uncut sapphires.
And here are the prototypes for the sapphire moulds - just simple pieces of gravel. So
first things first - I pondered how to make the actual shapes of the
resin 'diamonds' and 'sapphires' for a moment or two and then realised
that there was plenty of gravel outside my studio - I could make moulds
from that. I chose some different sizes and washed them in a plastic cup
with washing up liquid, shaking vigorously.
It
would probably be better to pop them in the cutlery holder in a
dishwasher, alas an appliance I don't have in my studio, in fact there's
only just enough room for me and I still haven't got everything in yet.
Need more shelves.
Stones
now washed and dried. I work on tiles or sheets of glass as a rule when
doing things like this. There are extensive renovations being done here
at Seale Hayne. The old student accommodation from the days when Seale
Hayne was an agricultural college is being improved to make comfortable
rooms for guests and for people coming to do workshops here. As a result
there are plenty of off cuts of tiles in the skip!
I use a two part epoxy molding paste called Siligum to make my moulds. The process involves mixing blue and white together.
You
have to work quite quickly as the mixed paste cures within 4 minutes.
It will then remain usable and flexible almost indefinitely.
