The Birthday Party...

Mollie wasn't sure about birthday parties.

She sometimes didn't know what to say and she wasn't very good at games.

Her dress wasn't sparkly and she couldn't afford a big present.

So she put on her rabbit ears and took a deep breath.

When she walked into the room full of noise and people and music,

she noticed another girl in rabbit ears, and she knew it would be alright.

I've really been enjoying making these collages and I'm thinking of having some digital prints in my online shop next year, including this one maybe.

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well, I'm leaving the present wrapping until the very last minute (as usual!)

festive wishes to you chuck 

X

Hip! Hip! Hooray! It's A Hope & Elvis Workshop Day!

Last weekend was the Mrs B's collaging workshop weekend at the fabulous Hope & Elvis.

'Mrs Bracken, Miss Briar And Friends. Collaging With Vintage Papers' was the focus for Saturday, so out came the pencils, paper and glue...

I displayed some of my examples along with other types of my artwork.

Hope I didn't go on for too long!

(At least there was cake!!!!!)

Some of the group chose to use the template kit that I'd created to base their animal characters on, and some chose to design their own from scratch.

After the very difficult task of selecting just the right pieces of vintage paper from all the goodies that were available, characters began to emerge...

The afternoon slipped by in focused concentration...

Here are some of the beautiful results of the day's snipping and creating, (please accept my utmost apologies if I didn't photograph everyone's, the day went by in a whirl!)

There were so many wonderful characters and stories that emerged...

I am always stunned at just how differently everyone's work turns out and I couldn't believe how much these amazing ladies created in just one day!

I feel very proud indeed!

I also want to say a huge thank you to my lovely Mum for baking the most delicious cakes and to Jean from t'village for the fab pastries.

(I think that Louise looks rather happy about the cake situation too!)

I'd also like to thank the wonderful Louise Asher for organising everything and for looking after me so well, to my mate Sam who helps me before I even know that I need help, to Magie for the most gorgeous dinner and to Emma for looking after us all the whole day through, whom I'd also like to thank for so kindly allowing me to include some of her photographs in this blog post.

(Emma Pearson is an extremely talented designer and photographer and can be found on Instagram @ab0utemma )

Night Owl...

Sometimes you have to rebel a little.

A few days ago I had a huge 'to do' list and, guess what...

I ignored it!

And so I allowed myself a 'play-day' in my studio.

I didn't know what I was going to make.

I only knew that I was going to splash a lot of paint around and do a lot of cutting and sticking!

(I also didn't plan the stilettos, but she insisted!)

I think I'll bring her along to my Hope & Elvis collage workshop weekend, she looks like a bit of a party girl!

Mrs Whipple...

Mrs Whipple ran a boarding house for retired circus and music hall stars.

She would listen intently to their stories as she served their breakfasts,

and would sway from side to side as they sang their songs at supper time.

Sometimes, when she swept the floor she would find an old sequin glinting on

the scullery tiles,

and Mrs Whipple would become misty-eyed and sigh longingly to herself.

This is another one of my collages that I'm possibly going to make into giclee prints, hope you like her.

Wishing you a very happy Sunday me dears.

x

Imbolc ...

When the first day of Spring arrives,

she will whisper to the birds,

and the creatures,

and the flowers.

She will gently shake the branches of the willow tree

to wake them from their slumbers.

And she will prise open the petals of the snowdrops

to tell them that she has returned.

Just as she promised she would.

I hope you like this collage, especially on such a snowy day!

I'm hoping that I will be able to sell prints of my work in the near future, I've really enjoyed making them.

Hope you're keeping warm, I'm sure that Spring will arrive soon!

x

Snip. Snip. Rip. Rip...

I never know where my work will end up, and this piece began as a sketch of a hare's head.

You can't beat drawing on old paper, the texture is so velvety and soft.

For the past few months I've really enjoyed drawing and collaging.

I think that preparing for workshops ignites your own creativity and makes you explore new techniques and ways of working.

The torn edges of the paper began to influence the overall atmosphere of the collage, and a slight Miss Havisham quality began to emerge...

Does she seem lonely and heart-broken, or liberated and free to do as she pleases?

Maybe she'll tell me her story one day!

The Queen Of The Moon And The Stars...

As the sun begins to rise, the Queen collects the moon and the stars from the sky.

She carefully wipes away the tarnish left behind by the night

 and makes them gleam again as she gently polishes.

I'm hoping to make prints and cards of the recent collages I've been making, and I'm also facing my fears and trying to learn the basics of Photoshop!

It's all rather a steep learning curve right now but that's all part of the fun isn't it!

Hope you like!

X

The King Of The Magpies...

In May I am teaching a couple of collage workshops at the ever so lovely Hope and Elvis.

I'm really looking forward to teaching these brand new workshops and have been preparing in earnest.

I love magpies so much, they are the true 'dandys' of the skies with their extravagant plumage, but their feet are very tricky to draw indeed!

I really enjoy combining drawing with cut paper collage, especially when its beautiful vintage paper!

They take quite a long time to piece together, but I enjoy playing around with the different papers and twiddly final touches.

I hope you like the 'King Of The Magpies', I might even got some prints made in the near future...we'll see...

Hope you have a lovely creative day chuck x