What's Been Going On...

Well.....lots and lots and lots and lots actually....and as most followers and readers of my blog are also friends with me on Face Book....I won't re-hash the more personal news here. However, first off, new direction and with the rethinking of my business and the need to actually not only pay my bills but also at some point in my life make a living out of it, I've started with the repainting of the Gallery...

Many paint swatches and much dilemma as well as being terrified of picking a neutral, neutral that would go with just about anything....All the shelves were painted too, so at last I feel like the whole place comes together.....much like my old place in Darlington.

The pale shelves set off the Concertina Books wonderfully.
And are just as suited to the Paler pieces of work....

As they are to the brighter pieces.....

All in all, I'm happy with the result. I have taken down old, worn out and jaded pieces of my work that no longer reflect my work now and the services available. Now, in between working I need to rehash the store room, which was originally a store room come office. I feel creatively stifled sometimes and I need to reopen my space. A good weekend and a skip seems like a good idea lol. More blogging and more photos will follow, until then, keep your Creative Spirits flowing,

Meanwhile if you want to follow me on FaceBook CLICK HERE

Brightest Blessings,

Sue xxx

Yule is fast a coming....What Is Love?

The studio has been busy. Building and designing the new website is a task unto itself. So many decisions to make and the overall look and end result have to be decided upon before you even start. There’s still a lot to add in the shop section and each item listed and categorised correctly to avoid confusion. It’s a steep learning curve.

I have made and finished my Yule Cards…….

 

But the snow has fallen thick and fast; making walking on the icy paths treacherous and nigh on impossible, so whether they will actually reach the post box is another matter.

 

Here is one of a number of canvas commissions I undertook…..

 

The background is Acrylic Paint textured with cling film and the writing is done simply but effectively with silver pen. There is some multi coloured iridescent power on the top for added impact, this is subtle and only shows when it catches the light in a certain way. …ok back to the Website building. 

Lettering Art on Canvas - Rumi Quotation Let The Moving waters Calm Down

I've been working on a canvas today...... (Click on the pictures to enlarge)
Tomorrow (or should I say today - judging by the time!) I will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of two very good friends of mine Mrs Mog otherwise known as Amber Moggie or she who shall not be named (it;s all part of the mystery she tells me) and Mr Mog otherwise known as The Woodworker extraordinaire!

Now way way back in June Amber Moggie blogged about this shawl isn't it amazing and as I already have two shawls made by her, but neither of them Red, I just had to have it! That was the start of my 'Red' phase...and something that seems ongoing with me. Red is the colour of passion....hmmm not much happening in that department, but I seem to have an uncontrollable urge to buy RED stuff! Anyway, here is a sneak preview of the canvas I have done for her in return.

It's 16" x 20". Acrylic paint with silver pen and the lettering is done in FW Acrylic using a folded ruling pen and Brause nibs....specially flown in from the USA as I'm left handed and they have to be cut specially. No one supplied left handed Brause in the Uk and I find Wm. Mitchels terrible. I'm too heavy handed for them.

I've done a few Rumi Quotations lately and never even realised that this was one of his....just goes to show, you're never too old to learn something new!

Anyway, I just thought I'd share it with you before the presentation (*grin*)

I'm planning on doing a few stocking fillers both canvases and prints which will be sold as stocking fillers. As my website is down I'll post on here when I add them to my other 'Inspired by Script' blog and they're up for sale.

We Are All Creative!

Oh yes we are....EVERY single one of us!

Keep away from people

who try to belittle your ambitions.

Small people always do that,

but the really great make you feel

that you, too, can become great.

Mark Twain

I *love* Mark Twain quotations and this one reminds us to follow our bliss, despite others telling us otherwise.

I hear time and time again people say...'Oh your work is lovely, I 'wish' I was creative.... but I'm not', well have I got news for you, WE are ALL creative, each and every one of us. We are born creative. As children we play. We create pictures on paper and patterns in sand, we build things and make things. Only as adults we unlearn to create.

If you have an inbuilt desire to create (and I think there is more need for that today than ever before) then there is absolutely nothing standing in your way.

Our creativity is sparked by many things, it can be a simple walk in the park, a visit to an art gallery or craft show, some pretty colours contained in wool....so many things. You really have to leave behind your fear of being wrong, making a mess of something and get rid of that belief that you are not creative. Forget that past criticism that made you feel so useless at what you were trying to do.

My art teacher told my mother I would be better off taking another subject at 'O' level than art, for I had no talent, not even for Graphic Design...Well Mr Kettlewell (who happened to specialise in sign writing himself!) BAH ****-in humbug to you!!!! Ha Ha Ha!

And to a VERY well known top calligrapher (she who shall not be named and shamed here on my blog and in public) who told me I would be better off doing anything else than calligraphy... here's the two fingered salute to you too. Oh and I remember the poor timid ladies that came into my classes, cautiously telling me that they weren't sure whether they could learn calligraphy or not, because they were...LEFT HANDED!! Dread the thought....they said it like it was some catching disease...almost whispering it, you cannot imagine the look on their faces when I slowly learnt forward, with a pitiful look and said.....'So am I! It's great isn't it, we're one of only 10% of the population' *wink*

So, don't let ANYTHING or ANYONE stop you....the world needs us creatives and remember, if there were no creative people, nothing and I mean NOTHING would be developed and new things would just not happen.

For To Create,

Is To Touch The Spirit!

What is the difference between a Calligrapher and Lettering Artist?

When I tell people what I do…. I wait…. For the stunned silence that follows. After I say “I am a Calligrapher and Lettering Artist” there is always an uncomfortable period of silence, as if the person asking is searching for something positive to say. It’s then usually followed by “What’s a Calligrapher?”. The never ask about Lettering Art. I’m always surprised that in this day and age not many people know what Calligraphy is. Calligraphy dates back to the 6th century and even before that… so it’s not exactly a ‘new’ thing.

I work from my studio ‘Inspired by Script’ in a small market town in North Yorkshire UK. My fellow calligraphers and lettering artists in the US and around the world don’t seem to have this problem. Chinese and Islamic Calligraphy is considered an Art Form and is held in high regard. Perhaps the use of computers makes is oblivious to ‘Hand Lettering’ these days, however many of the fonts on your computer are designed by Calligraphers (Did you know that?) Chances are, if you are a Calligrapher, you did and if you aren’t you probably didn’t.

I use the tern calligraphy to define ‘Formal’ lettering with a particular name for the style, it is regular and consistent and is most useful for Weddings, wedding Albums, and Certificates.

Lettering Art however is freer and lends itself more to expression and personality. Among it’s many uses are mixed media work on canvases, packaging, fun and personalised gifts. Both Calligraphy and Lettering Art can be used together (like my cards here) to create contrast and gain attention in the piece of work.

So I suppose, Calligraphy is what I ‘do’, Lettering Art is what I create.

Sometimes it's one, sometimes both. Whatever the difference, it's a life long passion of mine and far more interesting than the silence that follows the question "What do you do" deserves.

When the Creative Spirit goes AWOL

Sometimes my ‘Creative Spirit’ goes AWOL. It’s at times like these when I get out some blank canvases and just paint. I paint with no set theme or idea in mind and just see what happens. Then, I have a stack of pre prepared canvases ready for when the Creative Spirit returns. Sometimes this is just a quotation that I feel I need to write and the canvas is returned once again to it’s resting place. It’s started but nowhere near complete.

After sometime, something will spark an idea off in me and off I go. I thought I would share the before and after pictures with you. I’m sure people think that we, as calligraphers, labour and stare at canvases for hours on end, or have a repertoire of ideas just ready to commit to the substrate, but I’m sure there are many like me who have to sit and wait patiently for the idea to come. Once it has arrived however we can do it to death… until once again we return to the resting stage. I’m sure this is to stop us going mad and keep things fresh and appealing both to ourselves and our clients.

DREAMS CANVAS

Size: 16" x 20"

Acrylic, Ink and Paper on canves

Retail: £50

Detail

More Detail

Below: SPIRIT CANVAS

Size: 11.5" x 32"

Acrylic, Ink and Paper on canves
Retail: £60

Detail

I certainly don’t make a fortune out of my work, and more or less live hand to mouth. I sell my work for far less than I should, but I LOVE my work and would rather someone have the pleasure of it than have it sat around gathering dust. I know at least, if someone buys my work, the very fact that someone likes and appreciates that little part of me that goes with it, is worth far more than any financial recompense. Most calligraphers I know do not charge enough or get reimbursed for all there hard work… not in the creating of the ‘thing’ but in the many hours, weeks and years it takes to become a good calligrapher or lettering artist.During a discussion once, we agreed we could become a brain surgeon quicker than we can become a calligrapher….but it would be half as much fun!

Commission

The above is a commission . Unfortunately the photo

doesn't bring out the strength of the colours used.

The above canvas is painted in Acrylic and the word

spiritual is in Copper paint which looks lovely when it reflacts the light

Elemental Canvases

Canvases with prepared Acrylic painted backgrounds 12" x 12"

A few weeks ago I got it into my head to buy 20 canvases....just for the hell of it . I have a lot of canvases at the studio but these all seen to be large and absolutely no use to take to camps to sell. The idea is that I will paint these canvases for the Pagan/Spiritual market and not aimed for the general market. That way I can be 'true to myself' and I'm using it as a form of market research. ISince Oakleaf Camp isn't until the end of July I think I'll put them in my Etsy Shop. The Purple Pixie.

Here the canvases are diplayed in their correct directions. The Fire Canvas is more red/Orange than shown on the photo.

EARTH In the NORTH
AIR in the EAST
FIRE in the SOUTH

WATER in the WEST

SPIRIT in the CENTRE

Saturday's Workshop

Canvas Workshop - Below is my canvas

Saturday morning...10am....rain and a broken nights sleep. Not the best way to start a workshop, but these folk know me and are very forgiving! lol.

After the statutory cups of tea and coffee, a catch up on the latest happenings and a quick demonstration on how I create my backgrounds, my able students went off and produced backgrounds of their own.
As time went on quotations were found that suitably suited their creative backgrounds. An impromptu mini lesson in painting on Wonder-web to create a textured surface that can be fixed to card as well as ironed on fabric to embed items onto. (Thanks Sarah!)

Jill decided to add these squares using this very technique! Unfortunately the photo is a bit light and doesn't do the actual piece justice. It's hard to see from the photograph but Jill sprinked glitter in this piece. you can probably see it in the top left hand corner. So I think she qualifies as a Glitter Sister!

This is Sarah's piece and she had informed us on the morning that she wanted to do a piece for a friend who was moving away and she needed to give her it on Monday!!! No pressure then Sarah? I'm sure her friend will be delighted!

And this is Susan's piece. Isn't it fantastic? The lettering suited this piece really well. It is common for calligraphers to emphasis one word as a form of contrast to the rest of the piece. Susan only had a very short time to practice the lettering for this piece and I'm glad that it worked.

I really enjoyed the day. It was a gentle day with no hurrying. I think everyone did so well, and I'm really proud of them. They didn't want their faces included in my blog, which is a real shame....but there again it's MY blog and would probably be afraid of being associated with the Purple Pixie!

We hope to repeat the day again as soon as all these camps are over and done with. Thanks girls...I really enjoyed the day.

Lettering Art On Canvas

What a way to start the day! A package arrived and I could hardly contain my excitement. Had I won the pools? Lottery? Well I might as well have! Some time ago…a few months in fact…I dropped my 2 favourite nibs on the floor beside my drawing board. Did they fall on the carpet that was put there to save breakages? Oh no! They fell onto the hard lino smashing one and bending almost double the other.
These nibs can only be bought in America and added to that I’m afflicted with being Left Handed so they have to be cut by hand. An email from the company told me that they were not in stock and would be some time…so I have been struggling on for months with substandard nibs and getting more and more frustrated by the day. I have only done calligraphy when absolutely necessary. Anyway, I’m happy to say that they are installed in my pen holders.

Mrs N. called me last night and suggested I do a piece of work to take down to Claire (Anna). Great idea! On the evening before Claire’s stroke she put on her blog a poem that she had written in her new journal. A poem called Why I wake early by Mary Oliver her favourite poet.First I thought about doing this in book form, but I wanted to do something that she could glance at often and would remind her of all the love that has been sent from around the world….so here it is! So my first job with my new nibs is for Claire!


The canvas is painted in Acrylics and the writing is also. I just HAD to add some sparkle and glitter and some sequins for added shine. I did it in wonderful bright sunny colours to light up her day every time she looks at it.
Below is a close up detail shot....can you see the sparkles!

Canvases

I don't know what came over me here. I wanted to do a piece of work that was 'true to myself. I make no bones about the fact that I can't paint or draw with any skill. I can however do a mean splashy background. The colours here are influenced by the colours in my bedroom. I had bought some interference (sp) and wanted to have a go and see if they worked on dark backgrounds. The effect is fantastic. Like butterfly wings. The canvas needs more lettering on which I will do at a later date when I find something that floats my boat.


My son Paul wanted to do a canvas to go in his new licing room to go with a rug he bought. The picture above is him hard at work and the canvas below is the result. I've never worked on anything this large before and I must admit I like the freedom and the space.
My canvas is sprinkled with glitter and has sequined stars glued on also. I'll post pictures of this piece as it progresses.
I suggested that Pauls piece was missing some lettering...to which he only smiled and laughed...I take that as a no then. lol

1st Commission from Website!

Well, the web site had only been up for just under 2 weeks and I got my forst commission. (Thanks Andrew). This is a canvas to gis wife who was due to give birth within the next day or so. As luck would have it the canvas was finished just before the safe arrival of their new baby daughter.

CONGRATULATIONS to them all!

Hand Lettering on Calico and Canvases

I love creating canvases.....here are a few

Lettering Art on Canvas

What a nightmare the last couple of days have been! Listing on ebay seems to get worse the more thay update it.

I've put a couple of canvases on, a couple of pictures and also added 3 items that I hope I can just relist every 10 days. I haven't done the shop yet....still trying to decided whether to call it 'Inspired By Script' or something else....hmmm will ponder a little while longer.
Anyway....here are some photos of the things up for auction