Gillian Lee Smith

You may have already seen this.......

but one more time wouldn't hurt now, would it? It certainly makes me smile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2EypojAng8

Workshops

Ah well it is lovely to be back into the blogging malarky - but 2 posts in one day? Well I never!

But I just realised that I am so behind in plugging  a few things that are coming up and if I don't get onto it now the time will have passed by and it will be a retrospective post if ever I even got around to that!

So I am teaching a variety of workshops at the Debbie Bryan Shop & Studio each with a basis in book-binding and journal making,

The next and imminent workshop is this Saturday 12th September 10.30am and there are still a couple of places available.

 

Inspired by the Nottingham Lace Market Heritage Open Weekend this workshop will explore techniques for bringing the texture and delicacy of Nottingham Lace into a beautifully bound journal. Explorations into architectural details inspired by this historical area, transferring old images and photos, printing with lace and utilising stencils and stitch you will end the workshop with a highly personal and atmospheric hand bound book which can then be the basis for further explorations.

All materials are provided and the cost is £45 for the full day.

If you are interested in a place then you can mail me at [email protected] - but be quick as it is only this weekend!

I have a few other dates coming up before christmas and you can find more details of the different themes and dates here.

The last workshop was so much fun and the books produced were really exceptional with everyone finishing the day with a delightful personal journal which they could add to and work into over time. I am so looking forward to this weekend!

You looking at me?

You looking at me?, originally uploaded by gilfling.

After our plans to go camping last bank holiday week had to be shelved due to Mark not being well we did actually manage a day out to Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire. A lovely day out and much needed time together during this very busy month for me where Mark is likely to feel quite neglected as most of my weekends are taken up with work.

Twycross is a wonderful zoo with such emphasis onconservation and a particular interest in primates although there are so many other wonders to see. Every animal is 'my favourite' when I am standing watching their antics and behaviours but I have always loved owls and their wordly wise demeanor. The meerkats had us returning to their enclosure again and again and really I could have stayed watching their family gatherings all day.

There was a baby elephant born just 4 weeks ago who was comical in her performance for her adoring audience and as ever the gorillas just moved me to tears. I have often found them difficult to watch (although watch them I will, as I am so very fascinated by them). I have always found them sad and melancholy creatures and worry that they are just so aware that they are in captivity -although I was pleasantly reasurred this time to read that actually their melancholy facial expressions are a sign of contentment. 

I was so tempted to take my sketchbook but as this was a 'date-day' you know sometimes you just have to leave it at home!

A lovely, educational, satisfying day out indeed.

Something to make you feel......

Realising that this blog is so often 'me-centred' I just have to direct your clicks to here. This incredible photographer just takes my breath away. His new images pop up in my flickr friends stream always just when I need to see outside of myself and know that there is a whole world out there which makes me feel very small....in a good and necessary way.

I won't say any more but go look and read and wonder. And if you are anything like me, prepare to have your heart broken just a little, each time.

Playing Catch Up

Detail of Hidden Memories II, originally uploaded by gilfling.

Hello there!!

Well now that the summer is coming to an end and the breeze has a definite coolness to it (was it ever hot? did we ever really have a summer? - it is oh so fleeting here in the UK) - I am really hoping to get back into the habit of blogging again. The page in my ever-present-could-I-live-without-it-notebook is taunting me - the one with the heading 'Things to blog about' and the list grows ever longer although not everything on it is even entirely relevant or interesting now that the moments have passed by.

                        

Ho-hum! Life is good, busy but good. I haven't really caught up with taking photos of our new home and in truth when we haven't even really finished unpacking it seems as if those photos might have to wait a little while longer. My new studio space is just blissful - I am right at the top of the house and now have all my painting and sewing necesseties in the same place and it is easy to shut myself away in this 'room in the roof' and potter and plan and work away to my hearts content. The hours go so quickly and it is easy to forget the time. So there is new work slowly appearing although I do feel as if I am in a transitional phase after a long period of hibernation as far as my artwork goes. But really, there will be new things to reveal oh so soon.

                                         

I have just picked up a few pieces of work which were in a group exhibition which are now listed in my etsy shop - all developmental pieces really although they are individual works in their own right. I am hoping that the ideas will become something more in the near future. You can see a detail of Hidden Memories I above and a few of the others here, but for more details then pop on over to the shop.

I do have exciting news coming up - 2 exhibition opportunities and also more dates for my forthcoming workshops - but I shall save those for other blog posts to come!

Take care and enjoy the last days of summer.