Newark Park exhibition cancelled but some of the work will be in Bristol instead!

Confirmation yesterday that the Newark Park exhibition is definitely cancelled, the house won't be open for another month at least due to water damage. Check their website for their news, everything is drying out but it takes time. So moving on - these 2 pieces are at the Guild at 51 in Cheltenham, some of the work will be at Transformations: Earth Matters, Bristol Guild 28th April- 19th May with Liz, Rosemary and 10 other artists and some will be at Rodmarton Manor in September with the Glos Guild show. It's a shame it won't all be seen together but it will get out on show and sometimes things don't work out as planned. That's life- Have a Happy Easter everyone.

Hedges and field edges.

 Still no news from the National Trust at Newark park but they are having a meeting at the end of the week and I should hear something on Monday. Meanwhile I am carrying on with this piece about the footpaths and hedges around here which I so love.

 After another snowy weekend and freezing mornings we have had some sunshine and there are shoots appearing on the edges of the lanes. The hedges still look bare and devastated by the machines that cut them so drastically and flay the branches. They will recover like a bad hair cut but Archie the old farmer next door who died a few years back used to cut and lay them so beautifully.

 It has been a struggle to find the answers for this piece but I am now filling in the field textures and am getting there.

 Finally my Christmas present from my son flowered this week

and I put a few primroses in a tiny vase to remind myself that Spring is just around the corner. ( a children's book about frog and toad asked yes but which corner?) Here's to finding that corner!

Feathers for Nature in Art.

My postcard for a fundraising exhibition for Nature in Art, Twigworth near Gloucester. It is a marvelous museum with a wonderful collection of paintings, sculpture, contemporary exhibitions all on the theme of Nature. They are hoping for over 300 A5 postcards to be exhibited April 24th- June 3rd. You buy a ticket for £30 and wait to see which card you have won. My feathers are pheasant, peacock and goldfinch. Please support the museum, if you have never been there it is well worth a visit - good cafe and they have artists in residence working there.

Lichen and a new little book.

 No news from Newark Park yet about the exhibition. So getting on with work for Transformations. I am looking at textures for this set of work and these lichens have instant appeal for an embroiderer.

 Oh the colours and textures of the different liverworts, mosses and lichens.

 Some of these found at Westonbirt aboretum and some are local to me. I think it is a sign of good clean air. They don't grow in polluted air.

 I took a little twig home to draw and embroider.

 Started a new book to show at the Transformations exhibition, this time in fabfic rather than on paper. I stiffened the fabric with gesso first for a stiffer, papery quality.

 French knots, eyelets, beads and tufted stitches.

on the final page is a Bewick swan flying home. They leave Slimbridge wwt this time of year to make the journey back to the Russian tundra.

More news and new work.

 News update  about the postponed exhibition - there was a burst pipe inside as well as water from the roof. The damage is extensive on the tudor side of the house but the exhibition room is untouched. However to get to that room on the top floor you have to get through the house which remains closed at the moment. The National Trust are hoping to open the grounds and tea room as soon as possible. They are still assessing the damage to the house and it remains closed until further notice. We were due to put up the exhibition on Monday and all the damage because of the thaw happened on the Sunday, the day before, so thank you kind folks but no damage to our work. Terrible thing for the house, the National Trust and all the wonderful workers and volunteers there. We wish you all the best in this very trying time. Will keep you posted kind readers, thanks for all your good wishes.

 Meanwhile I have been finishing sedimentary layers for the Transformations exhibition in April at the Bristol Guild.

And I started a new piece on Tuesday for that exhibition. I took a picture of it yesterday in the sunshine as I worked on it. I liked the shadows so much I have put in more tufted stitching to retain that texture. This piece is based on a local footpath that is ancient and seen years of traveling. It is layers of textures again like the rock strata. Time passing is the big theme here. This footpath was completely blocked by drifts of snow. Even with all the thawing I didn't get along it on Tuesday- still piles of snow.

Exhibition postponed, Newark Park closed.

Very sorry to say our exhibition has been postponed as Newark Park is closed due to flooding - water from  snow on the roof has come into the house. Will keep this blog updated but please tell anyone you know who was going to visit to check before they travel.
All of us rather glum but work goes on for the next exhibition at Bristol Guild in April. You know me by now- always stitching and working on new ideas!

Snow and exhibition preparations.

 My pictures arrived back from the framer before the big snow.

 I made some cards for the show and then

the beast from the East and storm Emma hit. Large quantities of snow arrived with drifts so in our country lanes no one is going anywhere. But we are snug and warm, plenty of food and firewood so just hunkering down and waiting for the thaw.

I have been totally distracted bird watching from my window, we put out boards on the snow this morning with seed and it is lovely to watch who comes. This female pheasant on the wall is well camouflaged and the colours are beautiful, it would make a lovely embroidery. The last time we had snow like this ( and with such low temperatures) was in Dec 1981 when my son was born. The village was cut off for a couple of days then. It seems unlikely that we will get to Newark Park on Monday to put up the exhibition as planned. Not really important, keeping everyone safe and warm is the important thing.