I have a new place for you all...its called  'Mumsgotabusiness' and is one of four supportive websites run by and inspirational lady called Heather Bestel who as she writes herself is a  mum, therapist, author and award winning business mentor.

Her website is chocker-full of advice, links and most importantly support for those of us running a business around a family, its great to know that there are so many of us.

 
Each Monday, Heather features a 'Monday Mumpreneur'  and I am that mummy on Monday March 5th.  Will give you a nudge to remind you all.

As am sure you are aware, this week is half-term.  The babes are home, the house a bomb-site and still the business needs to be attended to.  How?  Erm..here are my hints...

Work in 5 minute chunks (ahem..lets me honest and call them chunkettes eh?)  Do not and I repeat Do not keep your house as a homage to cleanliness like during term-time when its just about manageable.  Its not going to happen...therefore, relieve yourself of your own self-imposed standards of tidying-upness and leave the capsule...go out.

On your return, continue to leave the house a state.  Babes are happy doing a game/dvd/any activity that works and get your butt back on your computer..not in the kitchen...get that work done.  

On the slide down to tea, bath and bed thats your time to do the whizzing about...in other words and am sure you have sussed it now..my advice is to devote those precious moments to work instead of trying to remain in any sort of control of the house during the holidays..frankly I find it amazing how much one can get done in chunkettes of time...

Happy holidays team 

Sam x

I quite literally have no idea where this week has gone - I mean really...Friday?  How on earth did we get to this end of the week already?

Monday, Tues and now Weds too,  I am in the studio squirrelling away, happy as can be - packed lunch in the fridge - lost in making new works until about 2.30 when I leave for home, via the nosh shop to get the odds and ends I need for supps - also perhaps via the framers to collect or drop off summat - absolutely love it, and quite frankly who wouldn't?!

My best part of the day is when packing the studio at the end of the day and getting ready for the next session that I'm there, I begin to think about the children and being home when they get back from school - what to make for tea, etc etc - what after school snacks, what veg can I hide in the evening meal and what pudding follows...(pudding?  this is a new addition to our evening meal, given that my bionic boy is hungry constantly from about 4-7pm..pudding is my way of saying "kitchen is now closed' good eh?)  I digress.

Ah yes...that feeling of having gone out and done something, anything to get my creative brain used - even for 5 minutes.  I have always been a doer, a get up in the am and get going.  In fact I believe that in order to be a sucessful sole-trader/self-employed person/freelancer/mumpreneur type person the golden rule is this......you have to learn to self-start.

Self-starting is tough, but self-starting on an hourly basis is even tougher.  The good news is that it can be learnt and the brain can be switched to 'I am now going to switch off that Mrs Minus in my head and get on with the next bit, and then the next bit, etc etc'  until a feeling of achievement creeps in and hey presto...you feel bloody marvellous as there are actually some marks on the paper.  The actual artwork might be crap but you feel on top of the world.  Tidy the studio, leave the artwork on top of the desk and LEAVE THE ROOM!    On entering the next day you are pretty much guaranteed to walk in fresh as a daisy and think - 'Gosh that's not half-bad actually' and off we go again...nice.

My week this week has been filled with workshop offers.  The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea have asked me to run one at the Spring Fair...its looking pretty good to go.

More soon...

Pressing Stuff and other printmakings

Ever since the darling husband and I installed the very-heavy etching press in my studio on the biggest, most cracking hangover last Sunday, I have been eating, thinking and sleeping drypoint printmaking as am stupidly inspired.

My printmaking mentor and great friend, Jo de Pear very kindly lent me her press to make my own prints in my studio.  This for a printmaker of Jo's stature is a bit like your most best cook ever lending someone her oven to make thier own roast in - you get the picture.

I know this is a small image but if you click on Jo's name it will take you bang into this page on her website.  This work is called 'Button Hooks and Brushes' and is an ode to an Aunt of hers, representing things she loved on and about her dressing table.  So touching.  We sold many of these in the gallery when I had it.  Unsurprisingly too, they are divine works.    Its a big print at 60 x 115cm and each print is  editioned and made by Jo herself.    They are priced at £460 each and in fact, I think I may need one myself.  Photo Etching with Silver Leaf...I wouldn't have a clue.

So...my own prints, ah yes.  Blissful.

The process is the the thing for me.  Drawing is immediate and sometimes I work with my eyes on my left hand, not on the paper in order for 'happy accidents' to occur.  When making prints my hand is forced not to rush, the process is the king.


Images of new works coming soon...


Sam

A party Galore with bessie mates and a new press...does it actually get any better?

We had the best weekend ever....another one. 

Not only have the babes gotten to an age where I don't feel like the most evil mother in the world to leave them for a night, but they are gracious enough to get excited about going to Grannies for a 'sleepover'.   Result.

All hail the Grannies.  Not wanting to take the Michael ever, its bliss to see them getting all organised to have the children.  Planning is done a few days before (by Granny) - this time it was 'going to the cinema at home' (little one isn't big on the movies as its a bit dark - dur?!)  Anyway.. 'Dumbo' and popcorn was a winner all round - the husband and I were free for 24hrs...Yay!

Our mission was to get into London, have a ball, collect an etching press (not a massive thing at all..honest guv) take it back to my studio on a massive hangover and install it - easy.


We had a ball, saw lots of great pals we haven't seen for a long time, danced like loons and mingled with lots of new faces - bliss.  Bed by 3.30am.


The next morning with our tongues stuck to the top of our mouths we breakfasted in style, drowned ourselves in coffee, waved our cheerios and jumped on the M3 to get to studio in Andover by 1'ish.  


2hrs later its up to me and the husband to get said press out of the car without actually maiming ourselves horribly.  Its truly heavy.  Two stainless steel rollers and one bed...on our raving hangovers we did it.  Not only did we get it in and set it up without an argument - (quite something for this type of venture) but on the way home we hit Sainsbury's to buy pie and mash - the only cure.


Proper lovely to see the babes and we had a love-in for the rest of the evening.  A family movie, pie, mash and peas and everyone in bed by 8.30pm.


Woke with lots of inspiration to get up and in the studio to use the press.  Borrowed some cleaner and gave it a really good going over - shining and new I began work.

The babes and I have just got in. 

DD is doing the washing up  (Oh Lordy the water everywhere but being an encouraging mum have decided to leave the kitchen) and ds is on the telly doing games and having the life independance and general brains sucked out of him for a good hour or so.  I rather love this hour from 4-5pm when we all get in.

Life is good.  Am officially now a Mumsnet blogger which am really pleased about as I utterly believe in the good that Mumsnet spreads and allows- in terms of connection to other human beings.  Having babies and being a parent is sometimes freaking complicated and Mumset allows you to get 12 pieces of advice on practically any subject matter at any time of the clock - much needed occasionally.

Gutted gutted to be missing this do this evening   http://www.timeout.com/london/around-town/event/251285/celebrity-come-draw-with-me   boo its going to be fantastic fun but hey...it wasnt meant to be this time.

On the v positive side though, I am working with a pal of mine whose blog am in love with.  Its called 'Recipe Junkie and the attack of the Custard Creams' and is by a lady called Sally Sellwood.  Her tales of daily recipes, two babes and three-legged dog are just brilliant, do dip in. 

Also on the agenda has been my doing an Art workshop for 'The Clatford Art Society'  I LOVE doing these as I shake up the contents of the 20 or so, mainly elderly members, although not entirely of course.  Anyway, you would absolutely not think it as all the participants are willing and gung-ho to give my drawing exercises (which lets face it are utterly bonkers...but they work!) a go.

Its my thrill to see the whole class buzz with fun as the hours produce some ace works - jazzing up the sizes and dimensions of our work.  Its great fun and roll on March 7th when am doing the next workshop there called 'Outside in'. 

Marvellous stuff indeed.

Boo am sad and gutted to be missing this event, double triple gutted as its my favourite activity in my favourite gallery in the whole wide world - still - big sniff in and off to the positives we go. 

Perhaps it wasn't meant to be for me but I strongly suggest to you dear reader that you keep an eye on this lot - they are working wonders.

http://www.campaignfordrawing.org/bigdraw/comedrawwithme.aspx

I spent the nicest morning in my studio working on some drawings that I am hoping will compliment a friend of mines blog. 

It was lovely to get drawing again, I came out of the studio with a great big ink mark across my face - to which my darling daughter asked me why I had painted a black moustache on my face - you couldn't make it up sometimes!

Sometimes its the most simple simple simple drawings that work the best.  These are tiny drawings in pen and ink but when up on the screen they take on a whole new dimension - its nice to see a drawing come alive - for want of not sound too arty!

Anway, the big news is that this coming Thursday,  I am going to an event that I am so excited about.  Its called 'Come Draw with me' and is a 'Big Draw' event at The National Portrait museum - imagine that?   My favourite thing to do in the whole world (draw) in my most favourite ever museum (NPG) wowzers.  There are going to be celebs there too - but I have always been utterly crap and knowing whose who so I have no ideas of becoming anyones new best mate!

Pencils out everyone!

Sam

This year and we are in with a bang. 

Darling Husband is working his socks off back in tellyland where he belongs and I am betwixt home and studio running about like a looney trying to make all ends meet - don't be fooled, I am in my element and loving it.

It was darling daughters birthday this week and all had to be as magical possible on a shoe-string for time and funds dedicated to this very important cause.  Delighted with her new scooter  (my toes are flattened now from her zooming up and down the hallway) nice to see her so excited about going out though - just as long as the scooter comes too of course!

'The Londonisms' are going guns and have had some fantastic feedback from those that have seen them.  My favourite comments have been  from pals and clients that say they have pulled up the names at work, and then sat giggling at the names all day - this is music to my ears.

Have added some more to them this week, including my personal favourite which is 'Cockatiel Wharf'  (this works on so many levels!)  More to follow next week and then the week after and so on until I run out of ideas - am not really anticipating this is going to happen though as they just keep flooding out.

First meeting next week regarding some products using the names too...and...dearest pals...some t-shirts especially made to wear with my website on the back - free to all those that promise to wear them day in and day out...no washing now!

Sam x

Its delicious getting my hands dirty!  Not maybe delicious as in yum let me eat it - but oh so nearly!

Its been a really interested beginning to the year. 

Firstly the printmaking equipment that I borrowed from my very wonderful pal Jo de Pear (amazing printmaker) has led to all sorts of wonderful new directions as she absolutely new it would.

Further to Jo inspiring me to get printing, my wonderful old 6th form college Peter Symmonds in Winchester allowed me to go in and use thier press in the printmaking studio.  I spent a wonderful day there yesterday, (the first of many I hope!) it was utter bliss.  Me, a printmaking studio, radio 4 and tea!  The two ladies that run the studio were just wonderful and gave me all sorts of hints and tip that I had forgotten.

I came out of my blissful experience with lots of good work that am really excited to follow!  Will attach a couple of my spoils here for you to see.

Finally, its been such a great week as I have met another really wonderful Artist that lives locally to me, really locally, like in the next village, Micheldever.  Her name is Ester Coombes and her work is forward thinking, light, joyful and quite simply ace.  She makes wonderful 'upcycled' works which means bringing new life into old things.  Drawing onto old teapots and making them into something new is such a wonderful idea - you have to see some of her work - its divine. 

I found her on the fab website 'This is Your Kingdom'  which hails all things local by getting ace and interesting people to write about local places that they love.   She had written about her village, hence the connection being just up the road.

Ester and I met for lunch and we enjoyed a thoroughly inspiring couple of hours together - how amazing to meet such a kindred spirit just down the road?  Mind you it is just outstanding where we live so I shouldnt really be surprised - just happy!

A really great start to the year.

Sam

Aaargh, I need to get back to my drawing board!

I get inspiration from working and making things and when am feeling a bit glum the best thing for me to do is get my hands busy.

Am finding really hard to get going! 

Perhaps I need to commit to some dates.  Number 1 rule for an Artist is to give yourself something to work towards...

Introducing....my collection of Londidioms. 

Having lived in the big city for a large chunk of my life, we both love and miss it muchly.     Priced out, recession affected and ready to move to the warm hug that the countryside offered, we left London some 3 years ago and now live in the lovelyness of Hampshire.

So this is my parting gift...our terms and tickles of London places...40 in total so far...

Enjoy x

Wowzers it was so good to get into a museum again...its been so busy recently I have missed going out and gawping at some of the wonderful things in our museums again. 

Today, after a full and happy Christmas holiday we spent the day in Oxford.  Am on a mission to get into towns more and see what they have to offer by way of culture!  Living rurally now I forget just how much I need imput as does any artist and today I got some in spades.

We did the old park and ride, catching the bus into Oxford town centre - bonza as I really have no idea of where to head at all.  The children LOVED the bus (and actually so did we)  We met our pals in the Pitt Rivers Museum..and sucked in all the items and thier stories.  Loved it all.  Reminded me a little of The Horniman Museum but am guessing the similarities are such that two kindly world collectors shared their collections at around the same time, they probably would. 

The Horniman Museum in South London was a Godsend on those horrid rainy days where you desperatly need something to do with bionic toddlers - it was our regular date place to see mates and hang out in the coffee shop.  Full to the brim with stuffed animals, I loved it and so did my babes.  During the last year or two of my plodding around with overstuffed  buggies they added an aquarium in the basement, all hail The Horniman, I miss it muchly.

Anyway, onward with today.  I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it.  Also thoroughly enjoyable was seeing it all through my children's eyes too.  Leaving the Pitt Rivers Museum feeling slightly spooked out by the shrunken heads (eugh!) we headed off to Wagamamas for noodles...nice.  Full and feeling internally smug at the huge queues waiting to get in..off to the shops for some retail therapy with a teenager that needed a new handbag.  Two tops later and one nice dress I spotted we met up with the boys at Shakespears, where they were feeding the children hot chocolates...phew we only just got to them in time for a near-last slug. 

Next up off to The Ashmoleon.  Beautiful, Beautiful.   We took a  wonderful look at the Dutch painters of the early 18th Century.  The gallery was full and busy which is great to see.     

Gawping lovingly at the masterpieces on offer (too many to list) came to a sharp end as my daughter (4 yrs) announced to the gallery that she needed a poo (nice) and we whizzed off like lightning.

A fab day all round and excellant to suck in some culture...

Its been ages as have been busy sending out all my NotonthehighSt orders - people seem to be print crazy which am delighted about.

The Winchester Discovery Centre show was good...apart from the Winchester Hospital going up in flames on the same night - (no one was hurt thank goodness) so sadly this rather put the kaibosh on a packed evening as noone could get in or out of Winchester - boo.

That said those that did make it were very complementary about the works and a good few sales came about too - yay.

Then came the pre-Christmas family sickness bug - ugh.  Darling Daughter first, me second..(apart from feeling poorly it was rather nice to stay in bed for two days).  Am now feeling better...a good half stone lighter and raring to go for the Christmas week...well sort of!

Getting very excited about printmaking too now.  Have bought my waterbased inks (Akua) its called and my 'scrim' arrived today too.  Very very exciting!

Here is the link to my short film

Having been a self-employed Artist for 15 years now, I have lots of first-hand experiences on do's and don'ts in my industry. Here are the benefits of my ups and downs which I offer up with love and good wishes that you find the motivation to continue. Being an Artist is all about hard graft and dogged determination. Money is sporadic, it can be a lonely living to make and it takes ages to get established...all true. However...to do what you were plonked here in the universe to do is the holy grail, follow your dream...keep going, don't give up...perhaps just get a part-time job alongside for a little while...its not rocket science and it doesn't mean that you will have failed. Tough times, tough galleries.

When I had my own gallery, we were approached by Artists alot. A gallery can't run without work to sell...if they choose to work with you its because they see something special in you...this has to continue for the gallery to take that punt. They need to know that whilst you have beautiful work in your collection that you approached them with...you can make more and will continue to do so.

There are certain things that you may overlook and its these that I aim to point out. Some may be obvious but all are from the heart.

Keep going fellow Artist...

Only another day to go until I get to wear my new dress especially purchased for my show!  (am very excited - its a lovely dress!)

The wine is bought and I can't begin to list the gazillion things that i have to do tomorrow...eek!  Mum arrives tomorrow...phew!

Looking forward to it very much.

AND...I have the beginnings of a whole new collection and idea...am wriggling with tension in my tummy when I think of it as I know its going to be a biggie.....its all to do with   Signs....that the only clue for now!

yay

I am humbled, truly.

My darling husband is full to the brim of passion for the arts and culture.  On every trip out he is taking photos or telling us the potted history of this (usually music related) something or that band.

Today, while sitting at my computer WILFING (that is 'what was I looking for') I ended up on his flickr page and website.

There is so much beautiful work on there.  His collections of things like 'London by Mobile Phone' is just so touching.  He talks about lo-fi images (only because his mobile phone camera is crap!) but only because its what has at his fingertips - it bothers him nuffin though - he is not a geeky got-to-have-the-new-techy-toy sort of man... much more of a show-me-a -second-hand-store-and-I'll-show-you-the-treasures kind of man.    I am blessed.

More to follow but his website is www.carlstickley.com

Absolutely chuffed to bits with our new film which tells the story of one of our family art days.

It was a great day with wonderful creativity oozing from everyone. 

Our day began at 1oam and we worked until lunch with a run-about break in between (for a good few rounds of 'Whats the Time Mr Wolf' with myself...I love it!)

Lots of coffee, teas and snackettes in between our making at the tables.

The children loved it all...tired, happy children at the end of the day...result!

If you are interested in our running an event for you...get in touch and lets chat it over...call me on 01256 773 552.  There is an art event for everyone.

FAMILY ART DAY FILM  (Click on)

Hello...

This is the link to my new film FAMILY ART WORKSHOPS  enjoy!

I am delighted to introduce you to Gloria.  She is a highly talented artist that works in Acrylic and on canvas.

Enjoy her work! 

We had the best day.

I think this was my most successful workshop of all.  Starting out with a slightly ouvre name of the day - we began with drawing exercises to loosen up...I forget which ones exactly now but short 15minute exercises to get us going.

We had a great team of people for the day.   Some experienced and some absolutely not.  The most scary part for anyone beginning is the first few drawings.  I have been known to hold the hand of this person and quite literally draw along with them, enough to fill the page - get the page filled and off we go onto the next drawing.

About 2 hours in, I sprang a surprise on my workshopee's when I informed them that we were going to do a new drawing - in gardening wire!  No joke!

Lots of gasps and 'no-ways' but with some oh-so-gentle persuading, they were off.

This exercise truly surprised me.  The two people that joined the group only that morning, having not done any artwork at all for years and years excelled in this. 

The works produced were just fantastic.  Framable.

As an outcome of this exercise I have one lady now going onto into jewellery and silversmithing...she just doesn't know it yet!

The afternoon was spent collaging.

Paper collage and mixed media is a marvellous way around drawing, or rather into drawing.

I respond very well to this medium and enjoy it hugely.  Its very forgiving and you can arrange things in a way that you can't with paint.  I find it hard to explain but this attached work 'Pooches Parlour' is perhaps a good example.

Light, joyful fun.  Detailed in some places but not others and easy easy to amend, lovely.

We all agreed that our drawing workshop had been enormously successful.   Happy clients left, which in turn made me joyous.

Am really looking forward to today.  I have asked each attendee to bring something to add to the still life so we are going to spend the first 15 mins putting together the items..marvellous stuff.

I am taking some zinc to draw on too...am really really excited about getting back into the print room...bring it on!  Some still life drawings on old bits of zinc should warm the cockles nicely.

More later..

I am delighted to show you some of the artwork from my great friend Justine Smith and some of the works from her forthcoming show with Waterhouse & Dodd in London. 

Am very proud to say that Justine and I go back a long way.  We shared studio buildings from 1996 until about 2000 when I left to open my gallery.  As you can imagine we have been through alot together and of course I am always interested to see the changes and directions in her work.  I mega-applaud Justine.  She has the unique ability to work unassisted for months and months in her studio, working through an idea - to emerge at the end of it with a gob-smacking piece of work equally as beautiful as it is charged with political message - an unusual mixture.

All my girls (as I call them.) I adore and admire.  They include, Katie Turner, Jo de Pear, Melanie Bowles, Emma Vere Hodge, Sophie Goldstraw and Julianne Lavery.  Will be bringing news of each of them as we go but for now Congratulations Justine, we are all very proud.

Justine Smith, London-Gallery Exhibition

From 26 October to 18 November 2011

Thank you for a fab day on the farm. Well done to you and all your wonderful helpers - I've been raving it about all week!  The kids had lots of fun and its inspired them to get making for Christmas!    Amanda

On the road again and off with our next event...I love it!

I have a small solo show at The Winchester Discovery Centre, outside the workrooms.  Am really chuffed to be showing at such a great place.  Especially as Winchester is the city that I grew up in..the library was a big part of my childhood. 

The WDC is now a completely different place.  Its busy!  The times that I have been there each desk has been busy as...children enjoy events galore there and there is a cafe too.  Next to the cafe is this wonderful theatre and two workrooms that said workshops take place in.  My own children love to visit the libary now...I find it very inspiring, if only to stand in front of all the postcards laid out on the tables showing the gazillions of things to do, en famille or on your own.

My exhibition is going to have a mix of my works in.  Some suitable for Christmas gift but am not going into this show with that intention.  The reason being is that a:  by the time December comes most people have thier pressies bought and wrapped (yeah right in our house!)  and b:  artwork isn't really the type of thing that one buys folk for pressies...its a quite a decision.

More to follow...

Free money anyone?  "I like money!" says Mr Crabs (Spongebob)

I think that money is ethereal, its like the sea washing in and washing out...nothing confirmed or in one place for more than a day or two it seems.

We have all enjoyed money too much apparently, spent away on the good things that built up into massive debt, which apparently (again) is all our fault..not the banks that forcefeed us debt as the norm.  In fact to continue my rant I absolutely hate it when I call my bank to find out my balance only to be told that I have £....available... available?  No...I want to know how much of my own money -my own I have in my account - debt was/is for everyone and readily accessible...spend money that you haven't yet earnt...go on...store up some s£%** for the near to medium future and if you are really unlucky...for aeons to come...horrid.

We like every other family have been effected by the recession.  Job losses, chasing payments, long periods of naff-all work and extreme nail biting at how on earth we are going to meet all the montly bills.  But then... we enjoyed all the good bits too.  Before the crash when we had a regular wage going into the bank we used it to the very enth...we had a fab house in a fab part of London.  Long boozy Sunday lunches after Sunday walks around the fabulous park that we lived next too.  We loved it, all of it yet we knew it wasnt really us..not really truly....a bit like living in the telly now I think about it.

A sharp turn out of London came when we ran out of cash.  We sold our fab house in a fab part of London by merely putting an advert in our local fab postoffice..we could have sold it 5 times over privately.  Our only happiness was that a really nice man moved in.  A widower whom we knew would be very happy in our fab house, with our fab view.

We bounced out of London to our chosen place.  Dealing with removing every item we own to a smaller house.  Our stresses became less frequent but more intense I think.   The work for DH became dry, which of course made for long periods of us both in said smaller house.  The summers were the hardest I think.  6 weeks of us all being here, 4 very large characters in largish bodies trying to get on with something productive to make ourselves feel better and like we have achieved something with our day.  One thing that I will give us is that DH and I are never, ever short of something to be getting on with...workwise that is...you should see our airing cupboard, and as for the bathroom...really.

So what did I have in mind when I drew 'Free Money'?  I think its just that - anyone want some free money?  Its the antidote to whats going on now, the downturn, the stress, the dull toothache that  most of us are feeling on a daily basis - I wanted to turn it on its head - come on, pitch in, help yourself - its there for the taking.

Its 2. 5 years now since we moved from our fab house in our fab part of London to where we are now and now I love it.  I dearly love our small house with the 4 large characters in it.  I love where we live and the people that are in our lives daily now.  Of course my daily heartache is missing all my girls that I spent the past 20 years with day in and day out, but we are making it work - our friendships are still as strong and no we didn't shrivell up and die because we moved out of the M25! 

'Free Money' is about the delicious blips that come to us unexpectedly.  The £2o you find in your jeans, the act of kindness that just turns up.  We are all well.  This is the real money..the health of our 4 beings in our little unit.

We are lucky, really lucky.  Hurray for families.  Hurray for friends, Hurray for marrying the right person, Hurray for lovely children.  You can keep the money...we don't need it.

Sam

Aw we had such fun, it was a super day for all.

We had 68 children and 40 adults making, gluing, sticking, painting, beading, looking, interacting and working together.

Eri (Eri Urishidami, a wonderful stained glass-maker) and I set up the barn on the Tuesday so come Saturday morning we were all ready to go. 

We had 6 tables of activities:

Monster-Making

Beading & Jewellery

A big farm collage

Mask-making

Model making with Pipe cleaners

Tractor Drawing

I chose these activities so that they were suitable for all ages (with adult imput & guidance, hence the working together bit).  These activities really got the creative juices flowing from the little ones, it was lovely to see.

All arrived promptly at 10am and we got to work pronto.  Tea & Coffee, juices and biscuits were there for the taking on paper cups that we wrote our names onto so as not to keep using new ones. 

The hours flew.  Lunch was arranged for 12.30pm .  At about 11 I took all the children out to the field for a guided game of 'Whats the time Mr Wolf' and 'Hot chocolate'  (this is when someone at the front looks away as the line up of children try to get to said person as quickly as possible - however said person can turn around at any time...when they do you have to freeze..if you are seen to move you have to go back to the beginning line)  I loved it!   Am often to be seen playing with babes...my own children need anti-bionic-ing on a regular basis so am used to getting them to shake it all off and move it move it for a bit! 

Back to the barn for more making. 

Treasures were beginning to get finished now so we had a moving gallery.  This is when I took said item, held it high with the artist (child) in the other hand with me as we showed the entire barn to lots of 'Ooohs & Ahhhs'.  This is really important as it not only makes the child feel extremely proud and good about what they have made, but it allows the others to see what items can be made.  All the parents played along beautifully whilst busily making and gluing with their own little ones.

Lunch was served at 12.30 and Parsonage Farm had really worked hard.  Home-made (& home-reared) burgers ensued along with all the pickles and yummys that go with it.    Home-made cakes followed which were just delicious and we were ready to go again.

1.15pm saw us having another runabout with all the babes and back to our tables for 1.30.  More beautiful objects were made and our day was beginning to draw to a close come 3pm.  All of the babes at this point were shatteroonied at three...decamp, de-art material, pack up and homeward bound for us all.

A bit more to follow about how we can arrange a similar day for you.

Marvellous stuff!

Sam

'Hi Sam.  Thank you so much for an amazing day!  You worked so hard my girls and I loved it - especially 'Whats the time Mr Wolf'!    Nicky.

'Thank you Sam we really enjoyed it, as did the children and my mum!!  Well done you!"      Sophy

We are now fully booked and I am very much looking forward to our day.  My car is jam-packed full of art materials and my husbands study (or homage to all things rock - as I like to call it!) is also full to the brim of monster-making stuff, paints, papers, beads, etc etc.

I have had such a great response.  Its now time to turn my attention to the next 3 workshops.  My plan is to offer things that my wonderful clients have expressed interest in.

So far am thinking: 

A drawing trip into Winchester, perhaps to The City Museum to draw some of the amazing medieval pots, coins etc...its a lovely place to visit.

A 'Dads & Daughters' Art Workshop.  Now, when I say 'Dads & Daughters' its probably going to read something like this:    'A DAD'S & DAUGHTERS (& sons too but it sounded lovely) DAY ART WORKSHOP.  How's that? 

Other workshops that am in the middle of composing:   'Drawing into Design'  A 2 day workshop consisting of taking our drawing studies into Abstract paintings or textile designs - love the idea of this one.

Righto...enough for now!

Roll on Thursday..

Dear Samantha

I just wanted to write to thank you, on behalf of the Longparish Playgroup Committee, for your extremely kind donation for our auction which took place last week.  In total, we auctioned off 40 Lots and had an extremely successful evening, raising a massive £2230 for our village preschool.

Thank you so much for your generous contribution

With best wishes from Nicky

We had a great time yesterday.  There were 10 of us in total and much was learnt...by my students and by me!

We were painting in acrylic onto canvas, both on the easels and on the table.  Our still life was simple and we concentrated on taking what we saw in front of us and playing around with it. 

Composition was a big part of the day, and to come in from the other angle totally.  Artists we looked at were Mary Feddon RA and Elizabeth Blackadder both breathtaking artists.

By the end of the day we has some great paintings.  Acrylic is a tricky medium to get going with, its immediate and not nearly as forgiving as Watercolour.  That said it does have the wonderful advantage of being able to paint over a trouble-spot immediatly.  Acrylic paint is a form of plastic so once its dry its a non-permeable surface on which to begin again, a massive advantage.

I was really pleased (wearing my tutor hat) to see the increase in confidence in the room by the end of our workshop.  All seemed to be pleased with what they had produced either in drawing form or paint. 

Next up...'Getting to Grips with Drawing' on November 15th.  I have 5 spaces left for this day.  Please email me or see my 'art classes' page for more details.

This coming Thursday sees our 'Drawing & Painting for Everyone' Art workshop day which I am really looking forward to.

We are going to be doing short drawing exercises which are fun and get us to limber up without being too precious.  Then (after coffee and cake) we will get onto slightly longer exercises to get us ready for an afternoon of painting our still life.

The afternoon session sees us full from lunch, freshly reared and cooked on the farm.  I believe we are having a stew for lunch, now that we are in proper Autumn)   So then, its straight into Painting our still life on canvas.  I am taking Acrylic paints as I think they are delicious to work in.

Our workshop times are 10-4pm and I currently have two spaces left to join us.

Artists that we will be looking at will be:

Elizabeth Blackadder  (See below picture, just beautiul)

Mary Feddon

Alfred Wallis & The St Ives Painters.

Yum x

Hello everyone!    All events are held at the very very beautiful Parsonage Farm in Upton, North Hampshire.

Many thanks to everyone that came along to our 'Free Art Taster Sessions'  we had a ball, met some lovely people and have another Free taster day scheduled  for   19th January 2012.  (bookings are being taken now)

Herewith our next events that I hope you will come along to.  All events are suitable for all levels, beginners & advanced too.    Firstly we have our 'DRAWING & PAINTING FOR EVERYONE' day on Thursday October    6th.      This art workshop is going to be a blast.  Working from a still-life, we will be both working on paper and canvas.  Come & have a go, closely guided by Artist Samantha Barnes.  10-4pm, £45.  All art materials are provided.    5 places left

Next up we have:

our 'FAMILY DAY ON THE FARM' on Thursday 27th October Half-term activity day.  We are very excited about it too.     Arty Activities include sculpting animals      mask-making & drawing farm equipment         (beloved tractors too!)  & visits from the farm animals too.   All art materials provided.  £12 per family.   A home-reared Farm cooked lunch is  available too at  £5 per adult, £3 for little ones.  (Vegetarian options are also available)

All events are bookable by contacting Samantha Barnes on

www.samanthabarnes.co.uk
01256 773 552 or 07891 698 847

Thats enough for now...will be back to inform you of more events planned for December.  Many thanks, Samantha Barnes

hursday 27th October Half-term activity day.  We are very excited about it too.     Arty Activities include sculpting animals      mask-making & drawing farm equipment         (beloved tractors too!)  & visits from the farm animals too.   All art materials provided.  £12 per family.   A home-reared Farm cooked lunch is  available too at  £5 per adult, £3 for little ones.  (Vegetarian options are also available)

Wowzers - we had a fantastic day!

Thank you to everyone that came for our first taster session day at the farm.  It was a real success. 

Our day began with coffee on arrival (of course) and soon we were down to it.  Working from a still life, everyone there was nervous of the blank white paper to begin with.   I wanted everyone to get drawing immediatly so we started with a 'free drawing' exercise, closely followed by a series of short 10 minute drawings to find our feet. 

By the end of the 2 hours, we had some great drawings in pencil and charcoal.  Lunch was cooked in the barn as we worked and all were disappointed that we had come to the end of the session.

The afternoon session followed the same format and some lovely drawings were made. 

Our next session is a week today, Thursday 22nd September.  I have a couple of spaces left for the afternoon, email me to book in.

Well done everyone!  Raring to go now on our first day proper which is October 6th.  Its a one-day workshop called 'Drawing & Painting for Everyone'.  Spaces are filling up already and we are on our way.

This is my favourite bit - waiting to see if it works as a print.  As often happens, I work on the original, feel less than heartened about it - negative negative negative!  I make myself give my work to my wonderful printer and he works his magic by scanning them and printing them out on his wonderful printer on wonderful paper.  They come back on a disk and i have some printed...I whizz home, set them all out on the table and be with them for a while. 

Particually delighted with the piggiwinkles - hurray for 'Finckley Down Farm' here in Hampshire.

More to follow...

Its all go for the Village Hall Art School.

The first taster session day is a week tomorrow and its looking busy!  Final meeting this coming Thursday to plan the day and the lunch!

Its going to be enormous fun!  I have a few spaces left for the afternoon session, please email me for booking a place.

A major success. 

Am tired out, highly motivated and considerably richer from Opening my studio for 7 days over two weekend. 

I had over 60 visitors which am delighted about (considering we are pretty rural) and had over 25 works sold.

My art workshops are going guns too.  The days are getting booked up really well.   I think we are about three quarters full now.

Am also considering running some Corporate Art Workshops too...merging my love of art and love of business.   Food for thought and some good research to be done there.

Will keep you in the loop.

Saturday I was ready, ready to be busy.  The gazebo was up, the children's paints were out, the balloons were up and then...came the rain.  Buckets and buckets of it...boo. 

My heart was nearing my boots but it needn't have been.  Clients you are wonderful, thank you so much for coming out to see my new work.   It was wonderful to meet you all and wonderful to see so much work going onto new homes.  Saturday I was happy at closing time.

Sunday I was elated though!!  From 10am sharp I had a wonderful stream of visitors and my feet didn't touch the ground until 5.30 when I had sold lots of paintings, had a swift change into my party dress en route to my nieces 16th birthday party...happily sozzled in the wee hours, it was a tough start to today.

More of the same next weekend.  I am open Thursday to Monday...can't wait to see what happens - anything it seems!

Its happening and fast!  Am so looking forward to my classes, the first of which is 13th September and the spaces are getting booked up fast.

The children and I have been putting up our posters all over the place (have been swelling with pride at seeing them all up too!)  We have so many workshop ideas to offer, including decoupage, glass applique and perhaps papermaking too.  These will be with a wonderful Artist called  Eri Urishidani whose main identity is stained glass.  Do drop into her website.

Still on the poster mission as am so proud of them and the are so pretty!  The bottom of the page sees lots of tags that one can rip off to take the number home.  This is an old art school trick when other students were looking to fill rooms, lost sausages, etc etc!  Takes me back big time! 

We had a fab day on wednesday at 'The Art Barn' in Whitchurch.  I took two workshops for children, both 2.5hrs each.  The title was 'The Great British Summer' and we chose 3 different themes to work on.  1.  A Day at the Races.  2.  A Summer Fete.  3.  A Summer Picnic.

We worked in acrylic paint with some collaging too.  The children each had an A2 (and some A3) canvas art boards and they loved it.  I too even did some painting myself!

A fab day all round and lots of happy parents and children at our results...here are some of the results...lovely. 

Well done everyone!

Its been busy as, just as we like it.  Summer has begun big time and along with daily trips to Finckley Down Farm to wear out the babies, I am getting very excited about my 'Artists Open Studio' in a couple of weeks, its promising to be great fun with lots of visitors.  If we can book a sunny weekend that would be great.

My Art workshops are filling up nicely too.  Am so looking forward to them.  Am most excited about doing them at a farm.  All those wonderful animals to draw.  Don't forget my free taster sessions on the 13th & 22nd September.

Wow I have so much to tell you, other than to say that its busy as can be and just the way I like it.  Opening a programme of Art Workshops at a wonderful farm here in Hampshire under the name of 'The Village Hall Art School'  more to follow!

Out today x

We had a fantastic day today at Parsonage Farm in Upton, Hampshire where I was selling my work as part of their 'Farm Fest' Summer Event. 

It was a great show, busy with lovely people.  I think the lovely clients were a reflection of Parsonage Farm itself and all that it stands for.    Below is the entire front page of their website which I have copied for you as it says all that you need to know about this very special place.  This is the place where Carl and I are going to get our meat from now, just lovely.

Enjoy reading below and do dip in to their website.

Much love Samantha

Welcome to Parsonage Farm

We are John and Sarah Mills, and we are based in Upton in a beautiful North West Corner of Hampshire. We've been here since 2000, when we inherited it from John's Aunt, Grace, but it's been in the Mills family since 1935. The farm has changed a good deal since then, the cows are no longer fed with hay hurled from the back of Grace's old mini as she drove around the field every morning, and what was home to calves collected in an old Metro is now a workshop and a butchery. John feeds the cows now, who are always so eager to pull the bales off the tractor that he can barely get the string cut first! We still collect a few calves from local farms, just in slightly more suitable transport. We now have our own breeding herd and eventually hope to fully breed ourselves, currently we have Grandmother, Mother and daughter cows grazing here. 

The farm house is a little different since we took over too. We were terrified of taking over the beautiful listed house, complete with a flock of chickens roaming free and wild cats living under the granary. It's only marginally less busy now, having replaced the chickens and cats with our two dogs and two grown-up children, who when they're not travelling and working help out on the farm and make nearly as much noise as the cats.  The kitchen's always busy with people coming and going, drinking tea, or with Sarah preparing fresh herbs for our sausages, or just cooking the sausages for hungry hoards. We're really pleased with our new quarterly food and craft markets, we held the first one last Autumn and had a fantastic turn out of people and businesses. John was so busy preparing for it that he had his jumper on back-to-front! We were really into the swing of it by the Christmas market and we can't wait for the next one in the spring followed by the Farm Fest in the summer with live music and lots more local businesses joining in.

 

The nice thing about being a fairly small farm is that we have complete control over what we do. Ethics, environment and quality are extremely important to us. Everything apart from the slaughter of our animals is done here, John takes the animals to slaughter locally so there's less stress for them, but all the jobs are done at the farm from rearing calves, feeding, breeding and packing to butchering. There's never been any chemicals used on the soil here, we keep calves with their mothers, and our Gloucester Old Spot cross Saddleback pigs are grown slowly, so that they can enjoy a diet supplemented with all sorts of kitchen scraps or fallen apples from our ancient orchards, tossed in by visiting children!

For more information on our meat, farm and methods please click on the other links or pop by the Farm Shop on a Saturday morning. If you're lucky you might even get a cup of tea!

Sarah and John

"Just to say that scruffpuss has arrived safely and is really lovely thank you very much. I can not wait to hang him on the wall and he really makes me smile".

June 2011.

http://tinyurl.com/6zy6jzq

I am often being asked to show a short film of my studio.  Herewith the first of a few, rough and ready!  Am not going down the line of shooting and reshooting a gazillion times so here it is...enjoy and please comment!

Am working on some new works, paintings that are much smaller in scale than my usual.   I'm trying to reduce the size to increase the impact. 

Am bringing the size down and seeing where this takes me.  This new collection is all about family.  The celebrations and rituals that are so important to us all.

Working on a smaller scale is going to be a mega challenge for me but here is some immediate inspirations...ah Mattisse...

I had a wonderful trip to deliver some paintings to ' The Mackenzie Gallery' yesterday in Teddington.  This gallery sold my first ever painting some 20 years ago now and I will always have a soft spot for it.   The Mackenzie Gallery have a wonderful stable of artists featuring some beautiful works.

I took my daughter with me (3) so it was to be a limited stay in the gallery!  Its sometime since I have been into a gallery what with Carl normally doing the runs in and out of London these days so it was a real pleasure for me to be there myself.

Normally time is of the essence, especially if the gallery is busy - you drop and run (or I do anyway) but I had some new works to show that are in the beginning stages so I asked to show them.  I really enjoyed getting some feedback and left feeling inspired to carry on this new idea and try out lots of new ideas with it.

On the way home we dropped into the heated open air swimming pool (its warm as toast 365 days of the year) to pretend that we were on the Med somewhere.

A snooze on the way home (for wee gal) and a lovely day was had.

'Two Dogs Set Sail' is a really interesting point for me.  Its an original painting in Acrylic and on a small canvas of 20 x 32cm (about A4).  I bought it home as I do most of my paintings to hang in one of my children's bedrooms for a while...(to make sure am happy with them - or perhaps more importantly, they are!)  and my son (nearly 7 now) will not be parted from it.

I like the way its a night scene, working well for the above the bed thing.  Its nudging towards a new departure of story-making paintings...where are they going to?  How did they get there...am excited about where these paintings will go from here.

I have in mind that I need to work on some more girlyish themes..am thinking about 'Little Red Riding Hood'  hmmmm.

Its June already.  We lost broadband for a couple of weeks and are due to come back on at the end of this week - I can't believe what an impact this has had on us.  Carl (lovely husband) and I have been bereft!  No web updates, etc etc..emails on blackberry only..just about kept al the balls in the air but its been a fight.  Thank you all my lovely clients for your understanding and patients.

We did the 'Surrey County Fair' this week which was great fun.  What a day!  Our stall looked fabulous, I even had some clients asking if they could by my cloud bunting...might be for sale soon!

It was great fun and is the danger with many of these shows, I can come back laden with goodies from all the other wonderful stalls.  Working these events is such fun and you always make pals of your next door neighbours.

We made good sales and I said a fond farewell to some of my originals paintings that were sold - am finding it harder and harder to part with them!

Into full time mummyhood now for the half term...will be back online in a few days and have some great images of the show for you.

Tada!!  Arrived today and looking fabulous, much better than even I had expected.  The Pantones of the colours have worked beautifully and am so excited about getting them out on sale. 

I have 'Wedding' fever!   I guess its the big one recently that has got me going - I mean...that kiss!  Very sweet.

Am considering doing a couple of Wedding Fairs this winter and perhaps doing a couple of wedding commissions.  Could be very sweet having a painting of your own special day...could also be reused as Thank you cards too...

We had a fab day on Monday at Hurstbourne Priors May Day Fair.  Darling Husband and I had stands next to each other, his selling books & my selling my artwork...I was not prepared for the intense feeling of competition I would feel when his stand was full and mine not!   

We had a ball, pals, family and lots and lots of clients came to see us.  Lots of sales and lots of smiles...bliss!

Roll on the next event... The Surrey County Show, May 30th at Stoke Park in Guildford.

Dear Artists...

So..things go quiet, ugh.  In my experience its the months of January, July, August that are as dead as can be.  If you are in a big city there is a general exodus in the Summer and January...flat as a do do as everyone is on saving pennies/diets/ exercise regimes etc...this does nothing to help the sales of our all important artwork.

Its hard to find the gumption to get out those brushes or make more of your artwork during these times...the phone is quiet and its generally all a bit shite...I know..been there..alot and only since I became a parent have these dead times been really quite nice - am older now and can predict and use the down times to my advantage but many have the times been that I may have just packed it all in, given up the ghost only for the phone to ring 3/4 weeks later and am back in business.  This art gig is seriously one up and down ride - forever.

So...my nudge to you is to keep going.  Keep making your work and GET YOURSELF BOOKED IN OR ENROLED FOR SOMETHING. 

Seriously, we all need a deadline and something to work towards.  I have no snobbishness about what it could be...a self-organised show in Cork St, or a coffee morning stall at your local school for their fundraiser (these are some of the best places to sell at..more to follow on this later) Perhaps a competition -  Just get yourself something to work towards, it concentrates the mind and gets you making, not thinking.

Gosh I am so happy with these! 

Bless my Dad for working so hard and making them for me.  These make up my kit for getting out to all the shows this summer which I have been booking up readily.

I have been working hard on visualising my stand ( SO hard for me, I have no idea how interior designers/set designers do it) to make the maximum impact.  I knew my clouds would feature big time but had no idea how.    I wanted some  gorgous arty bonkers stand that the likes of me would perform an elbow-fight to get into and...I think I am almost there with it.

Making artwork for suitable for childrens bedrooms for me is a double whammy, its work that work for my own children but also work for me - do I like it?  Would I have it in my own living room...these are my guidelines and values..very important...

I had a fantastic day yesterday teaching at 'The Art Barn' in Whitchurch. 

The Art Barn is an inspirational place based just off the A34 at Whitchurch.  Run by the partners that own 'Quiddity Fine Art' and run various Art Fairs, The Art Barn is a beautiful studio, in beautiful countryside in which you can produce beautiful artworks!

They offer all sorts of courses for Adults and Children and is definatly worth a look in at thier programme as there is absolutely something for everyone.  Well done them!

See my 'shows' page for thier link.

Its holiday time...wahey!    The babes are off school & nursery and its time to play. 

Its so hard to switch off from work and I ofen end up with scrambled brain syndrome...you know the type of thing..packing a picnic (we LOVE our picnics), making sure the children are hydrated in the hot weather, cutting cheese, finding blankets and camping chairs, stopping ww2 going on in the sitting room whilst automatically finding 'Super Trouper' again from Mamma Mia for DD to dance to on the coffee table...and where is the football?

WHILST...

thinking if those chickens I was working on last week worked, does the Farm piece need more green grass?   Must phone that client that was interested in the such & Such piece...how about the next workshop...did I get enough yellow card!!   AAAgh!

Would I change a single second of it...not a chance!

Happy Easter Holidays!!

So sad to miss the Parsonage Farm event, thanks to a nasty bug that swept through our entire family...apparently it was a fantastic day.

Will absolutely be there for the July Event!

This weekend sees the 'Parsonage Farm'  Mothering Sunday Show here in Sunny (lets hope!) Hampshire.

Am very much looking forward to it and have some ace new prints to show along side my all new collection of greeting cards.

My 'Uber Lovely Mummy' greeting cards have been selling like hotcakes, especially from my NOTHS page.

Am also working with my wonderful web-designer, tinkering with my website to allow purchases to be made via Merchant banking.  Am very much hoping to be offering payment by Visa, Mastercard, etc etc soon...bring it on.

Other news is that my work is now selling in a gorgeous wee gallery called 'A little Bird told me' in Buckinghamshire...web link to come soon.

We had such fun! 

Saturday just gone saw us making, gluing, colouring in, cutting and sticking!   Lots of great stuff was made and the children went home with their bags stuffed to the brim of arts and crafts made for thier Mummies!

Well done the Dads!

Fresh from the shops...

I have been having a wonderful time clearing out my studio - a proper Spring Clean! 

Having taken oodles of stuff to the dump ( no paintings I have to say!) I am feeling much renewed and ready to get going on some new work.

Signed up to do 'The Hampshire Artists Open Studio' in August - I really have to make it half way decent...got lots of 'planning' time before I have to clean again now!

Phew!

Oh yes..thats me! 

As from 22nd of March I will be working two days a week at BCOT and am very much looking forward to it. 

Its a busy full wonderfully creative place and am so looking forward to getting back into the print room with the students.

More to follow as I learn it! 

I found these in a shop in Andover...how exciting!!

Its been crazy busy - just the way we like it. 

Seems like ages since I have been into my studio getting on with what I was put on this planet to do!  Ah yes, half term.

Am knuckling down to the planning of this years shows and events that we will be attending to show at.  Not an easy feat but one that is coming together nicely.

Watch out for the listing which will be posted soon.

Happy Monday everyone!

My work has been accepted to take part in the Christmas 'Country Living Show' at Islington Business Design Centre, 9th-13th November.

Am most excited to have been accepted and am cooking up all sorts of wonderful things to take with me and sell...

Will keep you informed along the way.

Sam

OMG...Vogue, April issue... I am in Vogue!!!

Very excited to say that I have an animal going into this issue of 'Vogue'.  Its an advertorial for children called 'Playtime' and lists all things wonderful for children.  Covering children's garden toys, fancy clothes and I think...I may be the only artist - Gosh how lovely.

Coming out soon

OMG...Vogue, April issue... I am in Vogue!!!

Very excited to say that I have an animal going into this issue of 'Vogue'.  Its an advertorial for children called 'Playtime' and lists all things wonderful for children.  Covering children's garden toys, fancy clothes and I think...I may be the only artist - Gosh how lovely.

Coming out soon

Am now signing up to all the shows to take my wares to!  From village fetes, to NEC Spring Fair next February 2012. 

Thus far I am doing the Hurstbourne Tarrant Fete in May, I have also applied to take part in The Country Living Fair...be lovely to take part in this show I very much hope to get into it.

Life is great.  Am working hard on the new collection of greeting cards, aprons and teatowels.  Am really looking forward to commissioning them.

Am very proud to be selling my cards in my first Waterstones Branch.  Carl delivered the order on Friday and next week I shall be sauntering in undercover to see them - its a wonderful moment for an artist! 

Basingstoke branch next, then Winchester & Salisbury...and then the world!!!!

My acrylic on canvas paintings are being used in a new two-part drama, 'Point of Rescue' based on the highly acclaimed novel by Sophie Hannah.

Point of Rescue stars Olivia Williams  in the lead role of DS Charlie Zailer and Darren Boyd as DC Simon Waterhouse.  Point of Rescue is made for ITV by Hat Trick Productions. 

The story goes...when Geraldine Bretherick (the Artist)  and her five-year-old daughter Lucy are found dead in the bathroom of their luxury home, the case divides new DS Charlie Zailer and her DC Simon Waterhouse.  Is it murder, suicide or something even more sinister, and how watertight is the alibi of the husband Mark?    Most exciting edge of seat stuff!

Artwork by Samantha Barnes is featured as Geraldines..To mention few...herewith a taste...all are acrylic on Canvas and not all are yet sold.  If you are interested in purchasing a painting have a look in the 'Paintings and Prints' section of my website.  Alternatively call Samantha on 01256 773 552.

Am utterly delighted to report that my greeting cards are soon going to be donning the shelves of Waterstones the booksellers.  The Andover Branch are the first with hopefully Basingstoke next, Salisbury and then Winchester...I have always loved Waterstones!

I have been having such a lovely time working on some designs for boys party tablewear.  Its been lovely thinking up and researching new ideas. 

What a lovely combination - working in my own studio and running my art classes and workshops too - I should have begun these years ago!

It was the first class in my Childrens Art Classes on Saturday and am delighted to report that they were wonderful.  We had such fun.  The drawings that the children made were outstanding - we also broke our concentration every 20 minutes or so to runaround in the hall, make like paint brushes (that is freeze with arms above our heads)  and yomp around the garden looking for things to draw - we had a ball.  This coming week:  Cut & Collage!

How wonderful!

Well who knew?  Its been the most inspiring Christmas lead up, feeling cracking due to all the orders that have come through...its been fabulous and very affirming that I am producing the right artworks!

Really looking forward to our 'Family Christmas Art Workshop' being held here in Overton on Wednesday - I made a sign to put outside of my house...(see below) and its been a hit!!

Now I must get on with making those crowns but the children to adorn with stickers and sparklies!

On the 9th December we did our 'Come & Make Christmas Stuff' craft workshop in The Community Centre in Overton.  We had such fun.  A big massive thank you to Marion Sweet who prepared all the craft materials and made such beautiful things for us to follow - she is so talented! Also a lovely thank you to those that came along to the workshop itself - we had a lovely time.

Everyone had a fab time and took home a bag full of goodies to use year after year...the pub afterwards was good too!

'Family Christmas Drop in' next on Wed 22nd...marvellous!

Feeling inspired to make some more work for my 'Writing Collection' coming out with Peartree Heybridge Ltd at Spring Fair next year.  I have been having such fun in the studio getting in a right old mess!  You should see the studio floor!

I have been delighted that ITV have recently hired over 18 of my acrylic on canvas paintings to use in one of their two part dramas.

Coming out in the Spring, 2011.

Its been a few busy months.  Family life and work life have had us on our toes.  I was really very sorry to pull out of last weekends 'Lainston House' CLIS Christmas event, enormously sorry to any of my clients that came along to see me.  Events beyond my control.

Have been working hard though on some new work.  Am currently working on a large 1 x 1m painting all about the Village Summer Fetes - events close to my heart!  I love them and they are so much fun.

Am booking up courses too - or rather they are getting booked up fast!  My one-day workshop in Stockbridge is looking good and only last week we have decided to offer a 'Come and Make Christmas Stuff'' do which is going to be so much fun!  I am working with a wonderful Lady called Marion that is brilliant at making 3D things and am really excited about the courses we are offering - thankfully, it seems..so are you!

All the best - Samantha Barnes

I am delighted to announce my next Art Workshop. 

On Saturday 19th February, at Stockbridge Town Hall in Hampshire,    My course is entitled, 'Bring Out Your Brushes!'   and is a  one day workshop aimed at those that have enjoyed Painting and Drawing in the past but haven't had the pleasure of doing any artwork for some time.    Could be years, could be days...all are welcome.  Dig out those brushes and bring any materials you may have lurking about in your cupboards!  (Perhaps not oil paints on this occasion though).  Novices and Advanced are welcome for a fun day of rediscovery.

This course runs from  9.30 - 4.30pm.  To book  please call me on 07891 698 847 or email me on info@samanthabarnes.co.uk.  The cost for this day workshop is £35.00 which includes light refreshments.   Full workshop details are available. 

Saddened that my CRB check is still not back, my course at Peter Symmonds has been handed over to another tutor - a real shame, I was so looking forward to cracking on.

Well, in light of this I have some new dates in the diary to look forward to.  These are: 

All at Peter Symmonds College in the Art Department.  To book, please call ACE (Adult Continued Education at Peter Symmonds College) on 01962 886166.

Am also planning to offer some of my own dates for teaching Art Workshops.  The first of which is Saturday 19th February, at Stockbridge Town Hall.   It's entitled, 'Bring Out Your Brushes!'   This one day workshop is aimed at those people that have enjoyed Painting and Drawing in the past but haven't had the pleasure of doing any artwork for some time - could be years, could be days...all are welcome.  Dig out those brushes and bring any materials you may have lurking about in your cupboards!  (Perhaps not oil paints on this occasion though).  Novices and Advanced are welcome for a fun day of rediscovery.

This course runs from  9.30 - 4.30pm.  To book  please call me on 07891 698 847 or email me on info@samanthabarnes.co.uk.  The cost for this day workshop is £35.00 which includes light refreshments.   Full workshop details are available. 

These are my new greeting cards ready and waiting for the Christmas Fairs.  £2 each or 6 for £10.

All the acrylic on canvas prints that I had in my studio have gone to part of a two-part of drama for ITV.

Coming in the Spring...featuring 18 artworks in total.  Marvellous!

Its been ages since I have written anything down.  Have been too busy in my wonderful new studio , settling in and moving things from one space to another - and then back again!  I love it!

Am very excited about this piece.  Its been ages and ages since I worked in cut and collage but have really enjoyed it.  This is 'Doggies Day Out' and am about to start work on 'Pooches Parlour' which is going to be its sister work!  What fun!

'Dinner?'  Drypoint Print by Samantha Barnes

Here are a collection of new works freshly back from the framers and ready to go onto various shows throughout the Autumn...enjoy!  First up..'The Shopping Parade'.

Send them out, forget about them and send out some more - keep on sending out!  Do not stop sending out!!!!  EVER EVER EVER!

Righto, now that I have that off my chest we can begin. 

Having been in this business for some 15/17 years,  I know the system well.  Unusually I know both sides of the story - submitting my work to a gallery and the otherside of being the gallery and looking through our submissions to select potential Artists work to exhibit.

So, as an artists first (as I am now solely) sending out is a part of my trade that I and every other business just has to do on a daily basis.  When I was on the dole and brassic (seems like yesterday!) I would work into my budget at least 15 letters for every two weeks.  Somehow I just seemed to know that unless people saw my work - how would I ever get to sell any?  

Today thankfully all is made so much easier with the internet and online artist submissions.  The very same etiquette remains the same...send out a nice letter - entitle your email 'Artists Submission for (whatever) gallery'.  Nice cover letter and I suggest about 6 VERY LOW RES images.  Low res is important because the gallery doesn't really want to be spending ages downloading yours when they have a gazillion things to be doing at once. 

Now, I am quite sure that I don't need to be saying this (as of course you are most savvy and worldy-wise) but there are many very basic things that one can so easily forget (things that can blow your chance out of the water in an instant) these are:  Your full name, address (if sending out) email and telephone number - I know I know but invariably when I had my gallery it would always be the artists we liked that put no blinking contact details in - I promise you, this is the most annoying thing to a gallery. 

Secondly, entitle your jpgs with at least your name.  If you are sending out proper (eg mailing) give dimensions of works in cm - (length by width is standard).  Also include the medium (acrylic, watercolour, etc etc) and also what your work is on (canvas, paper, board, etc etc)  So for example, I would write:

'Doggies Day Out'

Mixed Media on paper (Cut & Collage)

cm x cm

next to my print out or in my email - making sure the gallery knows what your painting is called and what its made of.

Lastly, I would encourage you to give some sort of indication of pricing - what did you sell your last work for?  You might like to say something like:

I am happy to discuss the pricing of my works with you.  For your reference, my most recent sales have been around the £...mark.   (MAKE SURE YOU LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS YOUR PRICE TO THE CLIENT - NOT YOUR ARTIST PRICE)

At the risk of sounding like 'Mrs Minus' I would now encourage you not to expect a reply - or only one with your submission in it.  Its horrid I know but if you expect it and see it as an everyday part of your trade it gets easier and easier.  I would heavily suggest that you send out an SAE if you are mailing and if you are emailing, ask at the bottom of your email for a quick line to 'confirm that they have received your submission'.

Its boring, hard and thankless but its so important.  Keep going - some of my best shows have been gained this way.

So there you are...poised and ready to go - you have all the elements there...materials (new and arranged beautifully) peace & quiet, water at the ready and.......nothing...aaaargh!

Fret not - get drawing.  Rework an old drawing, refresh your memories with old sketchbooks but do not leave your desk/easel unless you have made some marks....and keep going.

What a brilliant Summer.  Have had a ball this summer in the English Countryside with the children.  Have been allover and visited some outstanding places.

Things happening?  Well, my new collection of preserve labels are due to be out in early November and are looking very pretty.  The kitchen textiles are hotting up and am very much looking forward to seeing the first batch. 

Shows this Autumn include at least six events..a list to appear shortly...

I am delighted to offer some workshop art days which I will be posting up shortly.

Over the years I have been asked if I run any courses, particually in drawing and painting and until now it has not been possible.

Come this Autumn I am going to be teaching a 'Watercolour for Beginners' Class in Winchester, ACE at Peter Symmonds.  This is a 12 week course which covers the basics of watercolour painting - we will be having lots of fun!  It begins on 20th September and I believe there are still a couple of spaces left on it...quick!

Further to this I am interested in running a one-day workshop in Stockbridge, Hampshire in October.   Once again we will be having fun and working to improve our drawing techniques - I will be advertising this course soon.

Please email me if you are interested and I will forward you details of courses as they are confirmed.

Each and every Artist has to self-start on a daily, hourly basis.    When working in solitude its up to you to start early and stay at your drawing board/desk/easel and stay there until what you set out to do is complete. 

My advice is to work regular hours.  It doesn't matter when these are but try to repeat the pattern that works best for you.  As an example, I have two small children and my day worked best as follows...up, children, bonkersness until school and nursery - drop off at breakfast club so I can be back at my drawing board for a 9am start.  Work until collection from nursery (about midday) - lunch with babe then she slept.  As she slept for an hour so did I!  This recharged my creative batteries for an evening shift.  Afternoon off, school collection, tea, bath, bed then back to drawing board at 7.30 to work until 10.30.    This worked for me and I continued this pattern for about a year. 

My example above shows that one can work around children BUT not to the extent that you get yourself exhausted..there is absolutely no point in this as everyone suffers.  Take what you will in terms of hours - perhaps you might only be able to carve out 2 clear hours aday - try to keep these regular and you will be amazed at what you can achieve during them.   Keep going....

Sketchooks do not have to be paper, they don't even have to be books.  They can be in whatever form you wish but the aim is the same..collect, collect , collect. 

Its really important to give weight to what you find interesting.  Textures, colours, typography, writings, images, etc etc... take them and squirrel them away somewhere for the future.     Now...I know this is not easy.  In an ideal world we would all have studios, overlooking the sea, high ceilings, white walls, storage galore, marvellous - but in the real world we can be squished into a corner of the house, children running amock, etc etc - but..the message is the same...keep and refer back and back again.

I have experimented in the past with my research keeping...my way now is to keep a joblot of those old school books in my studio (well tiny converted garage that I share with my husband and the rest of the household...but it works so mustn't grumble and all that!)  In these red books (lined so very much like school - keeps me young and playful) I keep everything - to do lists, money things, precious ideas that don't come around twice and in the sleeves I keep things torn out of magazines, collected out of a skip - whatever it is I keep it.  When I get back to my desk I transfer my treasures into scrapbooks whilst my vast pile of scribbles sit altogether on my daughters bookshelves..space is precious as I would imagine, dear Artist, you know all about already.

My what a wonderful place suffolk is. 

Visiting family and having my breath taken away by the seascapes.  Thorpness, Aldeburgh, Woodbridge.  Love it.  Photos and inspiration are being gathered.  Who knows...one day there may be some nautical themed work...

Hurray for Ingo Fincke, a lovely gallery on Battersea Rise in South London.  Today my lovely husband has delivered 6 new works to them to be included in their summer show...very exciting.

I have had such fun revisiting 'The School Run' on number of occassions this past week or two.  Its the end of term for schools all over the country and apparently teachers up and down the country are receiving one of my cards as an end of term Thank you = Wonderful!!

You can buy 'The School Run' Greeting Card from my Products section, they are £2 each.

I spent a fantastic day yesterday with Jenny Muncaster and Jill Maguire at 'The Colour Factory' in Winchester.

This is the most inspiring place.  Its a converted park-keepers lodge that now houses five artists making and selling their work.  The shop is situated in one of the rooms and the public simply tap on the door to come in and have a look at thier goods - brilliant.

Further to this it has a wonderful studio ('The Light Box') in the garden where they do one-day workshops, life drawing classes, corporate art days and childrens art parties.

Wonderful.

I had an excellant meeting today with 'The Hampshire Art Fair' people and most excited to be showing with them this coming year.

The exhibition dates are Sunday 7th October to the 17th - the details are on www.hampshireartfair.co.uk   (please visit my link page to click direct).  Am delighted to be showing my work at this show - there are some outstanding artists exhibiting (its quite something to be showing with them).

Delighted.  Please email me for invites...quick!

http://makeitdigital.blogspot.com/2010/07/painted-floor-skirt.html

This is the most gentle design from the outstanding textile designer and researcher Melanie Bowles.  To bid farewell to her students she has made a skirt out of the canvas left from the year, complete with paint stains and marks all over it.  

These are her own words about it:  

Inspired by my friend Sarah's blog Postcards from Battersea on 'Paint Shadows,' a series of photographs she took around the studio's at Chelsea one day. I decided to make myself a skirt, a kind of memory of this years left over paintmarks.

Have a look its fantastic.

Its so nearly there.  I have been working really hard on my new collection of preserve labels for launch in late Autumn of this year.  

Its a lovely project to do.  The first six that we made are doing very well, better than either myself or Henri (lovely business partner and fountain of all retail knowlege) dared hope.

Our wholesaler is very happy (hurray) and the orders are flowing in...brilliant.

For this new collection I am thinking bold and bright, cut & collage and jolly happy thoughts.  I have 12 designs for Henri and I to choose 6 from...fisticuffs stuff!  What fun...

Home-made is back and I am made up!

How lovely are these drawings?  Completed by Year 1 of my sons primary school...I LOVE THEM!!!  Creative juices are flowing - what a lovely table cloth...mmmm oil cloth.

How much would I love to create a collection of Samantha Barnes Tiles?!  

Watch this space!

Brilliant news from those wonderful people at Peartree Heybridge Ltd.  They are happy to make greeting cards from my 'writing' collection.  I am delighted.  

So simple it hurts this collection, but one I am very very proud of all the same.  The words are ones that I use muchly...not a darling in sight either...honest!

Everything about textile designing gets me bubbling with excitement.  I trained in Textile print at Edinburgh which I believe is evident in many many ways.

These designs were primarily produced for our preserve labels which are selling really well - having launched in February of this year.

Am working on a new collection and will bring you the results as they happen.

Its time to talk Mugs.

We were delighted to hear yesterday that sales of my preserve labels are going really well and off the back of this its time to think Mugs.

Off to Stoke we go (have always wanted to go and look around Stoke) and off we are going next week to talk mugs...

How exciting

I am delighted to report that my greeting card designs are now also being sold as postcards in Finland!!  How fantastic is that?  

In conjunction with my wonderful greeting card publishers (Peartree Heybridge Ltd) we now have a Samantha Barnes postcard range in most post offices throughout Finland - am chuffed to bits!

Here are a couple of samples...erm not too sure what they say though...any ideas anyone?!

'Project Workshops' Quarley May 2010.  

The past three days have seen me at a group show along with my best pal and wonderful artist Katie Turner (see links) We had a ball.  

I also had the wonderful experience of bumping into two of my oldest (and loveliest clients!)  Both from about 10-12 years ago and both have at least 3 works each.  I love meeting up with clients from my starter-years...may they be able to retire on their purchases!

I sold three pieces this weekend, including my scottie-dog drypoint prints - a lovely time was had by all.

Today I sold these through 'The Overton Gallery'.  Brilliant to see them both going to the same home.