A Wonderful Day

Oh I have so much to write about today!! It has been a great day here in Nottingham, the sun is shining and it is beautiful and I seem to have a permanent smile on my face today - for many different reasons!

First off - I finished the piece here on the left - and I am really pleased with how it came out. Called 'The Twilight Rehearsal' I think I just managed to get all the atmosphere and dreamy quality that I was aiming for in this piece. I really feel I am moving forward in my art and redeveloping my style - not too disimilar to the work I created in art college but possibly more refined, more thoughtful and inspired by my own imaginations and dreams. I will be listing her in my etsy art shop as soon as I finish updating here.

I have a few more pieces to just add the finishing touches so hopefully will manage to list those today also.

And the next thing! Well, I made it down to my studio today for the first time in what seems like forever! At first it felt very strange as it has to be said I have never felt that comfortable there, but then I have never made much of an attempt to 'make it my own space'. It has always been underused and I have only ever really done costume work there and leatherwork. So I had kind of kept it as a functional space rather than an inspiring place to be. It is a small room but very bright but with no ventilation and the windows don't open!

So here I shall take you on a wee tour! This is the main worktable where I usually stand to do leatherwork, pattern cutting ect.

Underneath is where I store all my dyes, varnishes etc - oh and the absolutely necessary kettle! Next we have the small table which I have claimed for art materials, paints, brushes etc.

Above we have my sewing table. I actually have 2 sewing machines (both Bernina's - I am unbelievably lucky as they are the best I have ever used!). One of course is at home and will be kept for fabric duties. This one will now be just for my artwork, which I often stitch over. However I use oilbars and inks etc so feel I should keep that seperate from any potential of damaging fabrics!

So in an effort to finally personalise the space I have begun to cover the walls with all manner of things which inspire me (you may recognise some elements from my recent pieces.) I am a real collector of images and have files and files which i refer to in order to create my artwork. I tend to take pose from here, an arm from there, a wing from this bird, a leg from that doll and somehow I draw these images and mould them into a final 2 dimensional piece which reflects the image I am trying to create in my mind. I usually draw onto tracing paper first, then draw over this onto carbon paper before finall drawing blind and freehand over the carbon paper so that I cannot see what is happening underneath and therefore I always get a suprise (pleasant or otherwise) when I lift up the paper to see what has been created.

Behind me in the areas which I haven't photographed is my easel which Mark took down to the studio today as it had been folded up in a cupboard since I moved here (our flat doesn't have the space for it). It is actually the easel my dad bought as a teenager going to art school in the 60's and hasn't been used properly for years so required alot of de-rusting and oiling today for me to get it to stand properly, however it is now working like new! I also have a clothes rail for hanging costumes and storage boxes.

So there you have it! It may not be luxurious, nor a vast space, but after taking all my art stuff down there today I have decided I do love it after all. It is my space for creating and dreaming (and I pay a pittance in rental!) and once I begin hanging up the doll parts that I have in boxes and begin working on the 3d sculptures and mixes media objects and dolls that I have planned - well I think I shall never want to leave! Unfortunately the building is due to be demolished in a couple of years to make way for new developments, but my dream is that by then Mark and I will hopefull have been able to buy a house where I can have a large room as a studio. Of course my ultimate dream is to have a house with a garden big enough to build a purpose built studio - but that is a long way off!!! But do you know what? I think it may happen. It may be a few years down the line but it has been my dream for ever and so I think it is a great thing to work towards!

The final photo here is paper and canvas board in various stages of preparation to begin working on tomorrow. I have a technique that I have used for years in preparing my backgrounds and achieving the aged and antiqued look that I love so much and it is so wonderful to have the space to prepare a few pieces at a time!

And so to the final bits of news.... we booked our summer holiday yesterday - I shall blog about that tomorrow - I am ever so excited and can't wait to show you where we will be staying.

But the final news and I daren't even dream that this may be a possibility.....but Anda, one of the etsy admin contacted the UK etsy gang through our forum thread about the possibility of a few of us going over to the etsy labs in December for a trunk show!!!!!! Now we are all so excited about this - I can't even imagine I would be able to afford it but how amazing would it be!! There is alot of buzz in our wee forum thread about the possibility of doing summer shows to help raise funds and all manner of other ideas.....so I believe anything is possible!

And on that note at the end of this rambling post I shall end here - and wish you a glorious day whatever you may be doing!

Comments

[Holly]

I LOVE your work! Just purchased two pieces from your etsy site. Your work is so rich with an amazing dream-like quality that I adore. I love art that has a Parisian feel... yours definitely does!

Thank you so much for sharing your art with us. I can't wait to see mine person.

All the best to you,
Holly
Venice, CA

[Craftymoose]

I love your work space...someday soon, I'll photograph mine-although there is alot less of it!

How wonderful that you were invited to go to the trunk show--so was jewelstreet! How great would it be if you two could meet!

Dream big!

Thank you,too, for all of your kind comments on my blog!

[Craftymoose]

Forgot to say congrats on being on the Home page!

[KSV]

I love your Twilight piece. Have you ever heard of the Twilight Singers? They have some good music that is nice to listen to when crafting. Not all their songs, but the majority are good easy listening. I love your work space. Can I live under your table? There are definitely not cool places like that in Tucson. Lovely work!

[stilettoheights]

I love, love, your studio!!! You should add a but more eye candy to the place as well, I love the photos on the walls, but perhaps some half done sketches and things that are drying, set up a shelf for them.

That us what I did, and once I get your cards they will be there too.

[jungle dream pagoda]

I am soooo thrilled to be able to see your studio! I can just see the doll parts hanging from the cielings! The absolute BEST kind of eerie/beautiful. You need a comfy ,but beautiful couch or chaise,for contemplating your ideas,I'll bet that woyuld make you never leave!

[Ulla]

Gillian, what a treat to see where you work! You are lucky to have such glorious light... I really enjoyed hearing about your process too, wonderful to see all those Inspiration clips hanging up... and those unfinished 'antiqued papers' are truly yummy... perhaps you can give us a demo sometime? I am very very tempted by your puppet piece, but will hold out to see your other works - I think... I cannot wait to see what you will create 3/d - doll like - in your fabulous studio!!! So when do we get to see a photo of you???

[lou]

oh!
i love your studio! if only i had THIS much space to begin with i would be happy!

and i relate to what you say about your work too - it is wonderful when this feeling reaches us, when we can see the direction the work is taking, and it has reached that stage of perfectly expressing the worlds within our minds.
so many reasons to celebrate!
and the new work is delightful indeed, haunting, ethereal yet elegant.
just beautiful!

[aimee]

Your workspace is much cleaner than mine. Seems larger too. Your dream of a studio is the same as mine except I have the house I just need to rebuild the back addition. No small task indeed.

Trunk show! Hooray! My team is having a trunk show in June. Isn't this so much fun? I hope you get to go.

[Stephanie]

It is really fun to see your studio!

And this is my favorite sentence of the day:

"It has been a great day here in Nottingham...."

I am sure you are as sick of people getting excited about the Nottingham/Robin Hood thing as I am about the Lancaster/Amish thing, so deepest apologies to you. But that sentence really did give me a thrill.

(feeling like such an idiot now.)

[Katie]

I really, really love this piece. I really want to buy an original painting from you. Keeping my fingers crossed that I can get this one.

[Marjorie]

You studio is so inspiring! And how amazing if you all got to do an Etsy show!!: )