Christmas Exhibitions, New Cards and an Apology...

If you subscribe to my newsletter, you can skip this blogpost, because it's essentially a copy and paste I worked really hard to ensure that my blog and newsletter are both on-message.

Firstly I'm taking part in two Christmas Exhibitions, at two of my favourite galleries: Fox and Worthington (in my hometown of Bridport) and Rostra Gallery in Bath as part of the Bath Christmas Market - my work will be available in their wooden chalet (now doesn't that sound cosy?). Available to buy will be all the usual suspects - Singing Birds, Egg Men, Cheeky Sprouts etc... And by popular request, I have made some more Russian Dolls, although I have tweaked the design a little.


I've also had two new card designs printed - you know, for Christmas. They will be available to buy at Fox and Worthington and I've also listed them in my Folksy and Etsy shop. Two Brussel Sprouts giving each other the side eye and my alt. Santa creation - Caspar. 

Lastly, an apology.  My Etsy shop.  Is virtually bare.  Which is good for me because it means that I've sold lots of things lately, bad for you because it is unlikely I'll get time to make many more things before Christmas as I have a couple of nice commissions that I need to finish asap.  But if that situation changes I'll let my newsletter subscribers hear first - you can sign up to receive a (non-spammy, infrequent) copy over there in the sidebar.  

Jerwood Makers Open 2013

A quick post to spread the word to anyone who might be interested in entering the Jerwood Makers Open 2013.

Jerwood Makers Open is designed to commission and showcase new work by emerging artists working in the applied arts. Five commissions of £7,500 will be awarded to artists to create new work, which will be exhibited as part of the JVA programme at Jerwood Space, London.

This initiative offers makers at the early stages of their careers an opportunity to develop their creative ideas independently of specific commissioning structures. Artists will be chosen by an independent selection panel and must be UK resident and within 10 years of graduating or setting up their practice. The deadline for entries is 12th November 2012.  Further details about the Jerwood Makers Open and how to enter can be found here.

Launched in 2010, the Jerwood Makers Open follows on from The Jerwood Applied Arts Prize which ran for 11 years (1999-2007) in partnership with the Crafts Council, and Jerwood Contemporary Makers (2008-2010).

I've always found the work of Jerwood prize winners to be innovative and progressive, and have particularly kept my eye on the glass artists. Two of those that have interested me the most have been Heike Brachlow (2011) and Helen Maurer (2003).

Theme & Variations III - Heike Brachlow (2010)

Theme & Variations I - Heike Brachlow (2009)

Theme & Variations I - Heike Brachlow (2009)

Heike Brachlow works in cast glass, which she colours herself in order to get the subtle variations in tone.  Often her pieces seem to defy gravity and have a temporality and fragility which is deftly counterbalanced by the chunky, solid glass components.  You can read more about her process and inspirations here.

Helen Maurer works with glass and projected light.  Glass pieces and found objects are placed together on a horizontal glass shelf, like a stage set, and when light is projected through them, a new image is created on the wall above and below.  She explains her work in further depth here.

Relay Overlay - Helen Maurer (2012)

Eclipsed by the Boy - Helen Maurer (2011)

Loop - Helen Maurer (2002)

Contemporary Stained Glass Egg Men Decorations

These are the finished Egg Men, which are now available to buy at The Stained Glass Museum Shop, along with lots of my other designs.

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I'm having a bit of a re-think about my "business".  While I've been bringing up small children it has been a great way to maintain my skills, keep my mind occupied and learn how to use social media.

But frankly, it's a hobby that pays for itself, and not what you could call a business.

Don't get me wrong, I am very proud of what I have created so far.  It has grown out of tinkering in the workshop late into the night and doodles on the back of till receipts in cafes while Isla napped in her pushchair, and the kindness and support of all the other amazing creative people I have met through blogging and selling online.

But now my children are both at school I need to find a way to make a living from it again.

So I'm planning a few changes here and there: phasing out some designs that aren't profitable, making new ones that are and, unfortunately, increasing some prices slightly (this is largely down to the recent increase in price on the Polish mouthblown glass I use).

This will be happening over the next few months, but not immediately and there are several "in stock" items in my shops that will remain at the same price.

I'm excited about coming up with more designs and nudging things in new direction, and turning my hobby back into a business.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Through The Round Window so far, I feel like a new chapter is ahead...

Pattern & Colour at RAMM

Yesterday we visited the newly re-opened RAMM at Exeter

It's a lovely museum -  just big enough and small enough to 

keep little minds (and feet) busy and interested.

Lots of weird and wonderful things to look at.

Some great reference material for me too...

Pop-up Shop

I'll be taking part in this Pop-up Shop event at The Pie Factory

in the hip n' cool Old Town, Margate, Kent between 16th - 23rd December.

There'll be lots of fab makers and doers joining in, including Ohh Deer, 

Rachel Loves Bob, Tri and Gull, Sanna Panda amongst others.

A great chance to pick up some last minute Christmas presents.

Exhibition

I've just finished and delivered a number of pieces for the Rostra and Rooksmoor Gallery in Bath as part of their All Wrapped Up exhibition.

I've included a new design, Crofter's Cottage, which was inspired by a recent re-watching of one of our favourite family films, "Ring of Bright Water".  If you haven't seen it, I recommend it, although it is a rather more tame version of the true story of Gavin Maxwell, his otters and his time at Sandaig (a remote part of the Scottish mainland).  The trailer below does not really capture the charm of the film (largely due to the awful voiceover man)

The cottage in which he lives is a derelict but idyllic Crofter's Cottage.  Typically, they are single-story, whitewashed dwellings with a tiled roof, like this one.

My version is a re-working of my original Woodcutter's Cottage.   Having spent a bit of time researching crofter's dwellings, I'm rather tempted by the idea of staying in one for a long weekend.  Tucked up by the fire on a sofa a bit like this one...

The exhibition also features Rebecca Coles incredible papercut butterflies,  Emily Lawlor's gorgeous mosaics and Claire Halifax's silkscreen cityscape prints.  Go and see if you're in the area!