Seasons greetings

As per normal there's a big gap between postings. I've been working on an idea for a couple of weeks - and it'll be a couple more be i start to get close to finishing. If it all goes wrong I'd rather its a private matter! The start of December was busy with a few commissions, including the piece in the picture. This was a wedding aniversary gift - designed remotely by text, mobile phone photos and telephone conversation, all with care not to spoill the surprise. I was able to mis-match pliers which were worked into the heart shape with some heat and some carefully applied force. Joined with a recovered nail, and mounted on a worn shackle, spanner and a few links of chain.

Fell over...

The server developed a fault and stopped working last night. Now it feels better and is playing nicely. I think it was caused by Santa geting all the elves to look at my work!

 

Heres a picture of some of the artwork from the Barton pop up shop.

Not just me.

I said that the Bartons Pop-up shop had more work than just mine and heres a picture to prove it. This wonderful clock is made by Travis Kelly - the design is inspired by plant structures. The shop is open Thursday to Saturday, 10 - 4, until the 17th.

Barton pop up shop opens

I'm very pleased to say that Bartons of Chilwell, Nottingham have allowed 'us' - artists from Notts Creative and Shed2 - to take over a former car show room for a short run to Christmas, selling our creations to the good folk of Chilwell, Beaston and anywhere else our customers come from. Saturday was our first day and to was great to see people coming through the door, saying nice things about the work, and parting with their money to purchase wonderful work. We'll be open Thursday to Saturday until the 17th December. I'll post some more photos, but for now - its all mine...

Christmas is coming

Are they the scariest words known to man? (Or is that men?). I'm happy to say I am working on a few commission that will be completed and delivered in the next week or two, before looking ahead to start on a large piece or two. Should you be considering purchasing an interesting piece of sculpture as a present please ask sooner thaner than later as time is just begining to get tight!

 

And one question. If you are a creator of web sites using search engines to find websites that are already out there. Having confirmed the site can be found how interested are those web site owners likely to be in your services when your main selling point is getting found by search engines?

Crafts for Christmas

Returning to the studio today after last weeks Craft For Christmas at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. I had a wonderful, met lots of lovely people and sold lots of my work. Big 'thank you' to all of those who came along, more thanks to those who spent their money with makers and sellers and finally more thanks to the team at Rural Crafts who managed a great show.

Reary to go.

Whatever you may think as you take a glance at the picture it really shows me getting ready for Crafts For Christmas at the Yorkshire show ground in Harrogate. There are more birds than a Hitchcock movie, all different and awaiting new homes. Open Thursday to Sunday - come and see me!

Farewell to the Carnival of Monsters

The Carnival ended on Saturday and our little shop has closed its door for the last time. From my point of view the event has been wonderful - lots of sales and lots of lovely comments.

I would like to thank everyone involved - the small team behind the carnival, Simon at Bartons, and everyone who sat in the shop and did an outstanding job selling my work.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

Carnival of Monsters - Number 55

Our shop! Come and look, (then purchase lots of wonderful handmade goodies)... Only open with the Carnival of Monsters - until the 29th October. Mon to Sat, 12 til 6.

Seed Gallery

Until the 5th November I, along with some creative friends, have some selected work at the Seed Gallery, just off the Market Place, Crich. It's a new gallery, tiny, and full of wonderful art work.

Frailloop on tour

OK these are not solo shows but all have some of my work in there somewhere.   15 to 29 October - www.carnivalofmonsters.co.uk/ located at the former Chilwell Barton Bus Depot.   7 Oct to 5 Nov - Inspired - http://www.seedgallery.co.uk/exhibitions_and_events.html - Crich, Derbyshire.   8 Oct to 12 Nov - Flash Trash - http://www.hardinghousegallery.co.uk/exhibitions.html - Lincoln   And don't forget the Christmas Fair at Harrogate   10 to 13 Nov - http://www.ruralcraftsassociation.co.uk/craftsforChristmas.asp

Pleased to say that frailloop is now powered by Good Energy - electricity from 100% renewable sources. :-) .

Open House /Art Weekend at Thurgarton

Hello everybody! This weekend a selection of my smaller pieces will be in Thurgarton - a little village about halfway between Nottingham and Newark on the A612. A small group of artists have been allowed to show their work in a real house and its garden. It's a lovely setting and helps you to see what pieces look like in the real world, rather than (in my case only!) a grubby studio. If you would like more information please email me.

Studio Time

At last I've been able to spend some time back in the studio. The Gardener's Bothy at Stauton Harold kindly gave me a pile of old tools to play with. This bird is part of the results. Now time to spot the tool!

Eco Art China Tour 2011

I'm very pleased to be one of the artists involved in this international event. Should you wish to visit the address is - Yueda 889 Plaza, Shanghai.

Frailloop at Eco Art China Tour 2011

At Yueda 889 Plaza, Shanghai, if you want to visit!   I'm very pleased to be one of the artists involved in this international event.

Back from the Mont

This week I've been rebuilding the Mont Canal on the edge of Wales. I had a toy to play with too. Moved tonnes of earth, 100's of blocks, laid some carpet, and some more carpet. Didn't finish it. :-(

Art in the Pen...

...takes place this weekend at the Skipton Auction Mart. Lots of artists and their work held in the cattle pens. Come and buy!

sculpture in the sanctuary

The next event with my work is "sculpture in the sanctuary" which is at Reg Taylors Garden Centre, just outside Southwell, Notts. More information can be found at http://www.sculptureinthesanctuary.co.uk/.   Got to get ready for "Art in the Pen" in Skipton - an art fair in a cattle market (but no cows). Open Friday evening, then during the day over the weekend (12 - 14 August).   And as a little extra I have been asked by the Cupola Gallery in Sheffield for a few pieces for their 20th birthday exhibition - starting 5 August.   Busy, busy, busy!

Woodpecker

This little bird is fitted to a plate (not sure what it did but came with useful holes pre-drilled) which attaches to the wall/shed/tree. Bolt legs, bits of box section become the body and head. Bits of sheet for the wings and tail. More old bolts and screws form the neck, beak and hair. The eyes are punch outs. Put it all together and looks what hatches out.

Half time

Two days done. Two to go. Half way through the Patchings Art Festival and it's going well. Lots of visitors so far. Hopefully there will be more to come. It has been fun to watch peoples reactions to the gas bottle scooter and the lowrider bike. Big thank you to Adrian and Trinity Forge for his help to enable me to work a couple of bars that will enable me to complete a musical sculpture. It was nice to work hot metal for a change, but I still favour cold.

Patchings Art Festival

This week is the Patchings Festival. It runs from Thursday and Sunday. There is a good range of craft stalls, together with a huge amount of art goods - more paint brushes than you can shake a stick at!

Thanks

Thank you to everyone who came and saw me and my work over the weekend. It was nice to see you all - and hear those compliments! On to Patchings Festival next!

Derbyshire Open Arts

Will I've still got to do a few things done in the morning before I can claim to be ready, but it is the chance to see a real artists studio. And mine is more real than most! On the plus side I now have warm water to wask my hands, with tiled splash back and mirror (so I'll know when I'm about to go out with a dirty face! I'll be open 11 til 5. If everyone visits the studios in order it'll be while before folk get to number 150.

Derby Open Arts Trail

Getting the studio ready for this event that runs over the Bank Holiday weekend. Hopefully I'll get lots of visitors that really want to see a metalwork studio in the raw! It's a bit like revision for an exam - you write lists of jobs to do and draw a timetable planning out how do them. And then you try to cram it all in at the last minute.   At the moment thats not quite true. I have boxed in some of the water pipes. And I'm thinking very hard about ordering a water heater - which I plan to fix shortly after delivery...   Open on 28, 29 and 30 May, from 10 to 4 (later if busy). Satnav to DE7 5HX will get you there.

Photos

Need to work out a better way to get the photos up on line, but here is a little something to be getting on with.

sorry no photos...

My laptop has taken sick. Nice man at computer shop said they don't make clockwork ones these days, so I should consider a new one. Didn't say I have one right here for only... No photos until I can get the next one sorted.   Lots of completed work. Cat on a tall panel. Dog standing on his hind legs looking through a short panel. Couple of tall flowers. A hanging sign (to be completed by Garry Jones).   Now how do I hang a landrover door from a wall? Needs to be open a foot too. Another one to watch out for - again to be completed by Garry.

Ant on the road

At the crack of Dawn this 'little' ant was loaded on to the trailer and hauled North. It was a shame I was off to Donington to pick up the pieces - it would have been wonderful to follow it up the M1 just to see how people reacted... Thanks Drew!

life after bctf

Glad thats over... No orders but lots of interest. Normally I take a wander around the show and see something that makes me go WOW. And vote for it for an award. This year - nothing. There were lots of individual pieces that were good, but not to the standard of previous years. One or two stands I could not understand why they were there. I don't want to advertise them otherwise I would point the finger of shame! Onwards and upwards. Follow up on the chance to exhibit some larger pieces around the country - so watch out for more news. Next event will be the Derby Open Art Trail at the end of May. Come and see me at work...

Coming soon - BCTF

I'm working hard trying to create my stand for the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate. It's a big one for me. My fifth year there and I've bought a larger space than before. I can bring bigger pieces and more work, with the cunning plan of bring in more business - more galleries to stock my work, more orders and commissions, and the chance to have my own show/exhibition.

winter trees

Well here is the first new piece. The breezeblock wall gives some scale. I have some ideas for some new, wall mounted work - is it working?

holiday over

Sorry for another long gap in blogs. Having returned from a weeks holiday in Cornwall I now know how much I needed the break. It's surprising how things creep up on you and you just don't notice. I now have to get down to some serious work in the studio so I have something to show at the BCTF in Harrogate. Cornish opening hours!

Come and see

My new studio is up and running. You can only tidy to a point and I was missing sculpting too much. Please come and see me at work in my wonderful studio at Unit 5, The Ropewalk, Station Road, Ilkeston, DE7 5HX. I'm just behind Ilkeston Motor Factors and almost in the canal!

Moving slowly

Another week gone and more of the contents has travelled to Ilkeston. The office is getting messy. The studio space is filling with useful bits of steel.   Half the retail park over the road is closed following a few days of strong winds. Just a few leaves blowing around our forecourt thanks to the shelter from the canal bridge.

Progress

Well the new studio has:- an office - built new walls, all painted including floor and ceiling. toilet - all painted - just the finishing touches. studio space - all painted.   Just need to move the contents.

building and painting

This week I picked up the keys for the new studio and then spent the rest of the week cleaning, building, painting and fixing. Too cold to paint some days - the can says don't use if the temperature is below 5C. Given the water outside froze before it hit the drain it was colder. Got to be finished by the end of next week so I can begin to move in and sculpt again.

New Studio and Beetroot Tree Gallery

This week I am a jobbing builder and painter - sculpting is having a little rest while my new studio takes shape.   Thursday night 7.30pm at the Beetroot Tree. Come and meet some of the artists who make up C10, whose work is 'In The Frame'.

Frailloop has a new home?

I think I've found a new studio. At the moment its just an open space with one little room... Don't forget 'in the frame' at the Beetroot Tree Gallery. It starts in the morning and runs to the 23rd. This Sunday between 3 and 5 come a meet the artists. All artwork 'in the frame' is just £30.

In The Frame

Last year I was lucky enough to be sellected to be part of 'Nottinghamshire Creative 2' - a development program for a range of artists run by Notts County Council. The group has won the Beetroot Tree Gallery (well two weeks of it) and 'In The Frame' is the result. 10 different artists working together, each producing 10 pieces of work, 100 in total, with each piece costing a bargain £30. The show runs from 11th to 23. With in this you can come and meet the group on Sunday 16th between 3pm and 5pm. In addition a sellect band (and me) will be at the gallery on Thursday 20 between &.30pm and 10pm.

New Year, new studio

Wanted - studio space for me! About the size of a double garage (as a minimum) with level access located somewhere between Nottingham, Mansfield and Ilkeston. Domestic power is good. I can get noisy so no close neighbours who work nights might be a plus too. If you have some space, or know of a space that might work please contact me.