Feeling Blue...
But it's so beautiful!
Not that anyone is keeping track, but I’m a day late posting as I have been crazy busy setting up for my indoor (thank goodness) art market at 44AD in Bath - I’m exhibiting with some fantastic artists, and we’d love to meet some friendly faces if you’re in the area. And if you’re not, shop online - lovely nature prints, pics and paintings.
So, tell us! What’s been happening this week?
Well, actually I’ve been a busy bee…I finished a painting (yeah, yeah, it was only 15 cm square, but I think you know that I use inexplicably tiny brushes) and I made some cyanotypes….blue, blue, the loveliest blue (possibly my next favourite colour after red, subject to change).
Painting is my favourite.
I love painting more than cheese and chocolate. But those things also make the long hours painting much nicer. Here’s the latest little one in progress - it starts off a bit sketchy, but as the layers build, it really starts to come to life…
I’ve called this one ‘Lanate’ - meaning covered in wooly hairs - and just look at all that lovely mothy fuzziness!
Where’s all this blue you keep mentioning?
I promised blue. Blue as in cyan. Cyan as in otype. I had a good old play this week - I made a giant tin foil box, spent an evening in a dark room, bumping into tables and spilling water all over the floor, frantically dodging paper from car lights coming through the blinds, flapping paper in front of fan heaters, watching a clock tick very slowly and shouting at aforementioned tables. It was fun. OK, that’s not particularly fun, but the magic of watching my lil’ Lepidoptera appear when I put the exposed paper in water was fun! I used a UV lamp to expose the images, as reliable sunlight is in surprisingly short supply.
I kept a few deep blues as is, I collaged up another lot. I love the results!
Keeping it short and sweet this week….up early to man my stall - that’s the life of a market trader I suppose!
Any tips for running an art market much appreciated - keeping warm when standing next to an open door all day, opening phrases to engage customers (other than “Are you Team Butterfly or Team Moth?”, tips for keeping busy during a lull in people traffic….leave me a comment! Speak soon….
These blue images are lovely! I think I need further explanation on how you magically made these images in the dark! Are they some kind simplistic photographic imagery? My interest is piqued......another blog topic perhaps?
I usually keep things simple with a "Hi, how are you?" A lot of people tend to be skittish about vendors being too pushy so I like to take a hands off approach, unless they ask questions or want to talk more. I straighten up the booth and draw in my sketchbook during lulls. Hope this helps!!