2015 Winter Open Exhibition at Water Street Gallery, Todmorden

I have 3 diorama woodcut prints on show at the Water Street Gallery in Todmorden as part of their 2015 Winter Open Exhibition which now runs until 31 January 2016.

I made the decision to paint the plywood box frames I had made to give the work a more finished appearance. It was well fiddly!  Here's 'North Country' on my studio wall without the glass in to avoid reflections.

I really enjoyed looking at a wide variety of different works in this show; you can spend ages there as in addition to the two ground floor rooms, they have opened up the basement into an extra very well lit gallery space.

Artsmill Winter Fair 2015

This is 'Bright Field' a charcoal drawing, 500 x 500 mm and is one of 3 large drawings I've had accepted for the Winter Fair at Artsmill in the David Wright Gallery, Linden Road, Hebden Bridge HX7 7DP.  The selling exhibition is on from November 25th to December 18th.

I am pleased to be taking part this year and the show looks set to be of a high standard judging from the list of exhibiting artists. The preview is on Sunday 22nd 2 - 4 pm and I'm looking forward to seeing a range of good work.

Anna Gibson, a colleague from my studio space, also has 3 works in the exhibition, and we both have images chosen to be on the poster so feeling optimistic.

Reeds and River Greetings Cards

Now available from my on-line shop, a set of four greetings cards featuring the reed beds and riverside at Cromwell Bottom a nature reserve on the river Calder near Brighouse in Calderdale.

The place name 'Cromwell' means crooked spring/winding stream (according to my somewhat superficial research) which seems fitting for the lay of the land there still.

The reeds are a problem at the nature reserve because they are so invasive and a team of volunteers have to cut them back each year, or the wetland areas would be completely choked. As an artist, I find them beautiful both as a subject for artworks, and to use as a drawing tool since reed pens are very easy to make.

Poster inspired by Russian Stamp depicting Shukhov Tower

The design for my poster was influenced by this wonderful Russian stamp from 1979.  The Shukhov Radio Tower was designed by Vladimir Shukhov and built around 1922. Its still just about standing but is an endangered building according to Wikipedia.

The tower itself is an amazing hyperboloid steel structure as you can see in this public domain photograph below by Arsenyev.  However, its the great colour scheme and graphic impact of the stamp design that really grabs me - so typically Russian it seems to me.  I can't find any mention of who created the artwork, only that it belongs to the USSR Postal Service.

Festive Open Weekend at Brooklyn Studios in Hebden Bridge

The first weekend in December - Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th 2015 - I'm opening my studio along with the other artists and makers.  All welcome and looking forward to seeing old friends and new.  I'll be making my popular mulled cider and spiced apple warmer to fill the studio with the scent of Christmas and bring some cheer if the weather is chilly.

I've created this poster and based it on one of my reservoir tower drawings with digital embellishments so its like a kind of beacon, beaming out energy.

Calderdale Hills and Valleys Greetings Cards

Another set of greetings cards now available at my on-line shop with Big Cartel. These ones feature the hills and valleys around Hebden Bridge and are reproduced from original images on repurposed manila envelopes and security envelope inners, using a hand made pen made from local reeds.