A line in thread

 Here is a post I pulled out of the drafts folder. The photo's I took at an Art Exhibition at The Ropewalk on Saturday. Jane Walker is the artist. She uses stitching and painting in her pictures. Here is a bit of blurb about her. 

Jane Walker is a Sheffield based artist who studied at the Royal Academy Schools graduating in 1990. Her artworks are influenced by cities and form abstracted urban landscapes, often drawing together painting and musical performance-based artworks.

I make 2-D art work, that relates to landscape painting. For a long while I made drawings of cities, now the work is abstract. I put structures in the surface then gradually fade them with horizontal lines. When the upright structures have become too difficult to see I put in new structures and repeat the process.

The small canvases are £80 each. I looked closely at them. They are all about stitches and texture, layered with paint. Can I make something like this. Should I try replicating her work. I neither like or dislike her pictures. My imagination has drawn a blank. The techniques she uses are interesting, that's all I can say about them. 

I had a chat with a man who was also viewing this exhibition. He went to art college years ago so it was interesting to get his perspective on this. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Open Studios Weekend

Sitting in Michael's studio on his comfy sofa, I notice something hanging above the messy shelf. He still has the cd/cutlery creation I gave him years ago. 

What is Michael working on at the moment. Two donkey heads. 

A photo of Michael and Helen Scrimshaw from a previous visit in 2016, ten years ago. 

Another photo from 2013, showing Michaels amazing dreadlocks. His hair is even longer now, and Helen's pigtail reaches almost to her knees. 

What is the open studios at the Ropewalk? Blimey, have I been going there for 20 years!

Saturday, 18 September 2010

Ropewalk Studios Open Weekend

I've had a very pleasant afternoon. My friend Julie came round and we went to the Ropewalk at Barton. This is a contemporary arts and craft gallery near the Humber Bridge. It was originally part of a rope making factory which closed in 1989. The building is almost a quarter of a mile long and has galleries, a shop, coffee lounge, and a theatre for the performing arts.

It also has eleven artists studios, and today they were open for anyone to drop in and have a chat. This only happens on two weekends a year, and last year I met such interesting people, I was quite excited to go again this year. The artists are very friendly and are happy to answer all of your questions, so me being the nosey parker that I am, I had lots to ask.

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There are some lovely ceramics on display at the moment. If I had loads of money I might buy some. 

Pru Green is celebrating 60 years of making pots. 

There is another exhibition on at the moment. I took some photographs and will post them soon. Jane Walker uses stitching and painting in her creations. Something I might dabble in. Interesting to see it close up. 

Weather a bit dull at the moment. Sunday morning and I am sitting here in my winter clothes. Not looking forward to the winter months. Never mind. If I keep busy it will soon pass. 

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

Gallery at Doddington Hall.

 Casting my mind back to Friday the 28th of August, I was at Doddington Hall. There was a lot to see, the Outdoor Sculptures, inside the hall, the walled gardens, the kitchen gardens, a walk around the lake, and the fabulous Farm Shop. These are the last photo's to post. The indoor Gallery. 

I love this one. Created by Ruth Moilliet. It is called Eryngium. It will cost you £18,500. Aluminum and stainless steel. 

Bradley Parrott created Falco. £1,100 if you want to buy it. 

Seamus Moran created this artwork. His mediums are resin, iron, steel, leather, and brambles. The price of this is £10,000. 

The Monarch of the Stag was created by Andy Carr. It is made by repurposing cutlery. 

Rachel Ducker created this wire figure with blow away hair. There was a big version outside near the entrance, plus several smaller versions in the Gallery. This life size sitting lady will set you back £6,200. The smaller versions are £490 each. 

That's caught up with the 2026 visit to Doddington Hall. 

My previous visits can be seen in these posts. 

September 2024

September 2024

September 2025

This morning I went to Coffee Morning at the club, then I went to the Retail Park to stock up on cat food and some other bits and bobs. I was going to do some litter picking but it was raining. 

I wonder what tomorrow will bring. 

Apologies for the comments hiatus, but I am enjoying the freedom of not having to referee the nitpicking nasties. I can see that people are still reading so that's fine by me. Everyone is welcome. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

A new picture finished

It's been a while, since I started making flowers. Didn't know how many to make, or what I was going to do with them. I put stems on them because they would look nice as a bunch in a vase. Then I changed my mind and removed the stems by unpicking the stitching. I thought a picture would be a better idea. I already had this frame. I have put them under glass. It measures 12.5 inches by 15.5 inches. Each flower is stitched onto the background through the centre of the button, and on the tip of each petal. 

Now that's done and dusted I need to start looking for another idea to keep my sewing fingers busy. 

I did an Aldi shop at 8pm tonight, and I must say it is a lot more pleasurable to do it later, rather than playing dodge the trolleys. Remember that lockdown thingy when I went at 9pm. I might go back to that routine again. 

Signing off for tonight. More tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona

More Doddington Sculptures

 What do you do when you are battered from pillar to post, when people throw stones at you, when people laugh at you because you made a mistake? This has happened to me many times over the years. To kick someone when they are down is becoming the norm, even more so since the Governments plandemic took hold a few years ago. Bullying is a control mechanism for socially inadequate people to bolster their own fragile self esteem. They get off by stamping all over somebody who gets in their way. 

If you are subject to extensive bullying I want to offer you some hope. So, in answer to my question, you reject the naysayers, the nasties, and the nit pickers. They don't belong in your life. You pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and keep going. You build an invisible wall around yourself. You have the tools to process what is important in your life. One day their defenses will crumble as they navigate their way through yet another disaster. My navigation skills have seen me thrive and survive so far, and they will continue to do so right to the end. 

And now I will add some photo's to this post. These I took yesterday at Doddington Hall, around the garden.  

Robert Marshall. £7,500. View his profile. 

Enjoy your Saturday. Toodle pip.   ilona

Sculpture at Doddington

A quick decision had to be made this morning. I've had Doddington Hall marked on the calendar for some time. After all the rain we had overnight, what is the weather going to do today. I watched, it's cloudy with a faint trickle of sun trying to breakthrough. Shall I risk it. I had a cooked breakfast, and thought, yeah let's do it. I got to Doddington Hall just after 1pm. The Sculpture exhibition is on until September the 6th, so not much time left. Enter through the main gate, entry price for house and grounds is £13 50. These are the first exhibits you see in front of the house.  

I seem to be drawn towards metal work at the moment. Some intricate designs and patterns can be achieved if you have the right tools. I wish I had made a note of the exhibit numbers and the artists names, so I could put a price on them. Wait a minute, I've just found a page on the Doddington Hall web site, Meet the artists. 

This piece is called Man of Elm and Flower, by David Cutler. It will set you back by £7,950. A combination of elm, and steel. 

Side view. 

Penny Hardy created this piece. Little boy seated will cost you £4,750

I like the side view. 

Rachel Ducker is the artist who created this. It will set you back £6,200. 

It's getting late. I'll be back tomorrow with more photo's. 

Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.  ilona