Home from TT holiday :)

I have never been to the Isle of Man before much less to the TT race week.
It was great fun despite the weather.
Sports photography is hard work though, I am much more accustomed to a subject that, if it isn't stationary, doesn't move very fast. At least not compared with 160 miles an hour!
Guy Martin seemed to be the people's favourite with lots of people hoping for a win for him.
He had a couple of podium finishes but a wheel nut flying off put stop to his Superstock race. Unbelievably we captured the moment. Our group found the offending nut, reported it to the Marshals and Guy was stopped a little further round the course.

You can see the nut against the white line just behind the rise at the back of the bike.

Garden Border

I know, no posts for ages then 2 come along at once :)
Just to let you all know, I have a shop on Artfinder (Janice Ayers). I will be having a 48 hour sale tomorrow and Thursday. The shop will then be closed for a week while we go on holiday :)
This is one of the pictures on there showing the view of my garden border a couple of weeks ago. The forget-me-nots lasted for ages and are just going over now.

Bees in the Garden

It was lovely to have a long weekend and be able to slow down a bit :)

Bees are having a hard time at the moment so I like to keep a good range of flowers they like in my border. At the moment they are particularly keen on the pale Aquilegia (Columbine). I noticed some holes in the spur of the petals and suspected a pest of some sort. In this case however, it was the bumble bees. In the photograph you can see where the bee has punctured the petal to get at the nectaries designed for an insect with a longer tongue. It doesn't help pollinate the flower this way, but as these are such prolific seeders I think we will still get plenty of new plants.

In the garden - Mother Squirrel

On the conservatory window we have one of those stick on bird feeders. It's great for watching the robins pop in and out and the pigeons can't get at at it.
The other day we were surprised to see a squirrel shimmy up the drain and try to get at it from the roof. It didn't do very well so we took pity and put some food out at ground level. Sure enough it came back and spent quite a lot of time eating. Somehow it seemed desperate.

 After we looked closely at some of the pictures we took, we realised why. It was a nursing squirrel and probably very hungry. We have taken pity and put a little food out each day. She deserved it for the bravery she showed - I was sat inches away to take this photos with just a pane of glass between us.

Wordless Wednesday

Across the Bay

This is a painting I completed yesterday. It is a view across the bay to Barmouth. I am fascinated by dramatic skies so wanted to keep that as the main focus of the work, subduing the landscape to the minimum of detail.

The sky itself was painted wet in wet with just indigo and alizarin crimson with the light gap in the clouds lifted out with scrunched up kitchen paper to give soft nebulous edges. A second lifting gave harder edges for contrast.

The mountains and town become one except for the tiny lights along the water’s edge. These highlights were scraped out gently with a scalpel blade and dotted in with cadmium yellow.

Sky studies are a great way to loosen up with watercolour painting. Add a little landscape detail at the bottom and they make great sketches to give as art cards J

Ladybird on Forget Me Not

Just hanging around.
I think this photograph will have to be a new addition to our photo card range.
I think it would be great as a print for a child's bedroom too.
What do you think?

In the garden

 We had been wondering why some things in the garden seemed to move overnight of their own volition - this cheeky grey squirrel may be the culprit. This one looks very well fed!
So far we know of at least 2 grey squirrels that visit the garden - the other is much smaller and shyer.
Interestingly there is still a law in England that says they should be reported when seen on your land. That could generate some paperwork :-)

New work and a new outlet.

A few watercolours completed this week now available on Art Finder 

New Beginnings

Sometimes I think life is a series of new beginnings. Since I last wrote such a lot has happened.
I am now a proud Grandma to Miriam who was born some 3 weeks early on 1st April. She is absolutely gorgeous :-)

We have moved house to a lovely location with a great garden and a studio for me.

We have opened at Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts.

Now is time to take stock and enjoy all the new changes.

On the move.

This week is going to be a bit on the busy side - we are moving house yet again.
I'm hoping very much that this will be the last for a very long time.

On top of that I'm busy raising funds so that we can open our Gallery at Ferrers Art and Craft Centre.
This project is something I believe will help lots of emerging crafters and artists. For a monthly subscription they will be able to show their work, learn the business side of a career in the creative industries and have the opportunity to run classes and workshops all for less than the cost of a hall for the day.

Ferrers is a busy centre with lots to interest visitors including an award winning gallery, crafters studios, beautiful surroundings and two great cafes.

We aim to open on March 8th - your company would be much appreciated :)










If you would like to support us and get a fantastic reward in return ( worth more than the amount you pledge!) then take a look at our crowdfunder page
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/mag1/

A taste of Summer.

These are just a few of the photographs we will be showing alongside paintings, jewellery, textiles and more in our new unit.

Would you like to be able to take great pictures with your DSLR? We will have courses for that too!

Help us set up a great exhibition and teaching space at Ferrers Art and Craft Centre on the Derbyshire/ Leicestershire border.

You can help by pledging on our Crowdfunder project page

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/mag1/

A DSLR skills workshop is one of of the rewards for pledging and will take place around the beautiful grounds of the country estate the centre is located in. Grab a spot now :)

Crowdfunder Project

Today is the first day of fundraising through Crowdfunder for our Mercian Arts Gallery Project

You can read all about it here

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/mag1/

We are looking to raise £3,000 to set up the unit at Ferrers Art and Craft Centre as an exhibition space for Artists and Crafters looking to move from a hobby to a career.

The first step on this path is always difficult - getting galleries to show your work. We aim to make that transition easier by providing exhibition and teaching space as part of a co-operative. We all pay towards and help staff the space.

As part of the local community we also provide workshops and classes at very reasonable rates.

The great thing about Crowdfunder is that the project is not just asking for money for nothing but providing rewards for pledges of money - you help us get off the ground and we pay back with the reward you choose.

We only have 48 days on the programme, so please pledge as much as you can.
And don't forget to come and visit us with some moral support :)

Ferrers Art and Craft Centre - New Gallery Studio

Yesterday we spent a lovely afternoon wandering round Ferrers Art and Craft Centre and it's environs.
This is a fabulous place to visit with a number of Artists and Craftspeople working and exhibiting in the transformed coach house courtyard. The centre is set in a working country estate in Staunton Harold, with way marked walks into the neighbouring nature reserves and other places of interest. It's any easy trip from Derby, Leicester, Nottingham,Burton and Lichfield.
The fantastic news is that we have taken a unit and will be opening for business the second weekend of March. We are looking for other creative people to share in the space, where we can exhibit our work and run classes or workshops.
                                                                     

If you are interested in joining us, leave me a comment and I will get back to you. This is an ideal opportunity if you are looking to start selling your work.

If you come and visit, please drop in and say hello, kettle is always ready :)

Opening Weekend 8th/9th March


Happy Creating

Janice x

New Horizons

I have some fantastic news :)

This morning my application for a craft unit at Ferrers Craft Centre at Staunton Harold was accepted.

My plan for the unit is to find a group of artists and designer makers to share in the space.

It will be a space for selling and showing work and for running small classes or groups.

The craft centre is full of working artists and designers and attracts a great number of visitors. It's a beautiful location in the grounds of a working estate where people visit for extended lengths of time.

Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Burton and Ashby De La Zouche are all within easy travelling distance.

I will start to set the space up next week.

Are you an Artist or Designer Maker in this area? Are you looking for a permanent base for your work and space to run classes? Or would you like your work sold by us on a sale or return basis? If so, just leave me a message with a contact e-mail and I will forward you all the information.

Better start getting organised :)


Janice