For someone who has no passion for driving, I've certainly packed in the miles recently.  With that, and using the kiln, I admit I'm not the greenest person around.  Still, I do try and cut down my journeys and those of others as much as possible.  Today was such a day.  

Kettering bound, I collected my work from the Alfred East Gallery and combined it with gathering pieces from other artists for the exhibition next week at LCB Depot Gallery.  Tucking in lovely soft vessels from Carole Miles, headed out to meet Sophie Cullinan for the first time to get her 'inflatable' work.  Look forward to opening that up.  Quick peek tells me that's pretty safe!

http://carole-miles.blogspot.co.uk

http://sophiecullinan.org/

http://www.lcbdepot.co.uk/event/makers-showcase

Hanging about between meets, I was rather spoilt for choice.  I don't completely deride Costa and Starbucks, coffee's well disguised but it's better than dishwater.  But two cafes that didn't bear that name?! Java java cafe or Kafe Bloc, and new vintage one opening very soon at Lollyrocket.  What's going on in Kettering?  For convenience and curiosity Kafe Bloc won - what a pleasant surprise - a cafe with character!  We need something like this in Northampton town too, please.


https://www.facebook.com/KafeBloc?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/lollyrocket?fref=ts

Then came another pleasant find from a meeting that nearly didn't happen.  New entrant Kelly Bull, an ex fashion student showed me some of her pieces - she does knitwear, but mainly her work is using latex - have a look.

http://www.kellybullfashion.co.uk/

The day ended with an interesting textural piece from Melanie King, student at Northampton Uni.  Now tired and in great need of sleep, but I'm enjoying this.

'Janting'.  Its a word that appeared in my vocabulary several years ago whilst still in sixth form.  I found it on one of my regular visits to the local craft shop to browse, aka purchase yet another tool and more materials that I would surely need to complete yet another project; one day.  It looks like this:

An Indonesian tool used to carry hot wax to mask out areas for batik, mine looks pristine clean.  Not for years of love and care - but like the fate of so many things, it's never been used.  So it was interesting chatting to a family at the demo at the NCCD today - mother and I both admitting to buying fabric stiffening liquid, unused still,  and I referred also to this tool.  Totally unexpectedly, her teenage son piped in to say 'Oh, I've used this at school' followed by an explanation of how it was used.  Inspired, I must now hunt for both things - I know where one is but the other?  I think it's in one of the many boxes labelled 'useful stuff' - because I have my very own interpretation of that very famous quote.

I find this a wonderful thing about interactive demos like this - it's a chance to chat to people not only about your work, but about theirs too.  Like this very lucky lady here who applied to a callout and has her work in the V&A for a few weeks. 

https://www.facebook.com/KathrynParsons.uk?fref=ts

And the musical gentleman who makes incredible paper sculptures out of old books, really inspiring his children at the same time.  Not forgetting the family that came by handling all the buttons and beads and finding names for them - loved that.  

I had a very satisfying afternoon at the NCCD once again.  That journey to Sleaford is becoming rather familiar!  How lucky for people living nearby to pop in for a drink and a bite at a place like this.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=460689910647166&set=a.22759227729...

January 10 2013, 1:13 PM  by nncmx
Just made a flying visit to the Place and Time exhibiton at Avenue Gallery.   Admittedly, I didn't give time to the video and sound pieces - I'll pop in again - but my favourite was the 'The Keeper' by Desmond Brett.  Think the whole concept of the exhibition was interesting - a research group making time and place to think about time and place!

http://aplaceintime.info/

It was good to see my one time mentor Professor Sebastian Blackie's ceramic quilts in the flesh and James Steventon's work from endurance running and endurance drawing.  And of course - books.  Graham Keddie.  I'm going to return to this next week.

It's true, I have been looking at an unhealthy number of stockings and hold ups lately.  Nothing saucy, no shades of grey!  Rather more interesting range of colours.  

Doors that locked forever on a section of Leicester's hosiery and knitwear industry will open up to welcome new creativity in its cultural quarter.  The old Charnwood building is soon to breathe new life after being cobwebbed since the 1990's.  'Makers' Yard is the oldest surviving hosiery factory in the East Midlands that's currently being restored into a dynamic and inspiring workspace for creative entrepreneurs, opening late January 2013'. 

http://www.makersyard.com/about-us-makers-yard

In a lead to this opening, I will be curating an exhibition and showing my work, helped with collaboration with other makers, at the nearby LCB Depot gallery towards the end of the month.

I was delighted at the opportunity to take some shots of the building before it gets mostly whitewashed.  Mmmmm! Delicious old peeling, scrubbed down layers of paint. Taking inspiration from this and of course the many stockings, the next few days will be rather busy!  I will post details - hopefully you will be able to visit the exhibition.  Trust this album works.

https://plus.google.com/photos/102644125362413360605/albums

Each time I moan at my kids to 'get off those gadgets', I have to remind myself how much I love them too (gadgets and kids), and the internet.  I can't do without them.  As a commited maker, I feel I should always be using my hands making making making.  Watching this interview made me wonder about some craftsmen who have always been, and probably spend most of their waking hours simply making.  

Japanese Film Director Takeshi Kitano talking to Shiro Tsujimura

Whereas I am someone who has always been a hobby maker while I worked for a few years in an office environment having to think about technology, processes, data, marketing, strategy, customers....  

Then that all stopped and I started making as a vocation.  Things I used to struggle with in the beginning as a craftsman have suddenly been made simple and accessible (though you do have to let go of some work and spend time figuring it all out) - contacting people, finding new markets, announcing events and products, taking payments, getting feedback, researching, making connections, finding pictures - it's all there, constantly evolving.  

And with that you also discover extremely quickly that

1. You're not the only one going through this dilemma and

2. Those ideas that you came up with that were oh so original and unique to you - well there are people who could well have exactly the same experience and notions and be making with the same inclinations and probably so much better

3. You've probably reinevented the wheel but so what - you learnt a lot, and probably also took slightly different paths

4. You've come a long way, but there's a very long, long way to go still.

A geek in making :)

Not sure when and how, but walking in fresh air and sunshine seems to have slipped out of our agenda of late.  Short and sweet, and very necessary.