New Year’s Reflections

 This year I decided NOT to take too much on, so that I would have more time to paint and print. But what’s the saying about ‘good intentions ‘ ?

Although I have mountains of unsold work, and some of it still unseen by UK  buyers, I wanted  to have new work for the Artists at Home, Open Studios event, in June.  Once that was decided there seems to be no stopping !   For quite a while now I’ve been interested in ‘reflections’  and posted some of the water pictures I did .  I have just finished a  32 page sketchbook, as part of one of the projects for the Brooklyn Art Library ( www.arthousecoop.com) and it sparked off a whole series of ideas from photographs and collages.

In February I am taking part in a collective show with Espacio Nomadic at the Menier Gallery in Southwark, March I hope to have a couple of pieces in the Friends of Holland park annual event,  May I’m doing the Parallax Art Fair again (now at to Chelsea Town Hall – smart move !)  and then that brings me to the Open Studios in June…….no pressure then.

Santa’s workshop

We had a lovely time yesterday in the downstairs workshop/events area of the Christmas Boutique – recycling cornflake cartons by cutting them into tag shapes, then applying acrylic paint or gesso, inscribing or printing christmas slogans, adding glittery peel-offs….or all of the above !

People are still coming in and looking surprised….pleased….and quite a few are envious. There seems to be the eternal cry of ‘ I want a shop like this’…. and even ‘I want to live here’ !

Well, there are two mattress-shaped cubbyholes downstairs that Santa might give up…..

Popped -Up !!

The Christmas Boutique that my daughter Lucy has set up, was miraculously put together in THREE days, and opened last night. I wondered why these ventures were called ‘Pop-Up’ !! About 60 people came for drinks and delicious nibbles, and actually spent a bit of money on  our goodies – many thanks everyone. Today it opened to the general public, and apparently one chap ‘popped in’ only minutes after opening and snapped up two knitted cotton bags, by the Cutout Girls. He had been watching our setting-up progress, with interest apparently.

We have handmade cards, silver jewellery with freshwater pearls and semi-precious beads, brass bookmarks that your Dad or Grandfather would really like, some superb vintage silk scarves at only 10 quid (there’s even a Louis Feraud 1970′s one), embossed metal cards and tree decs from Nicaragua……..in fact there might be new things coming in every day . There are also a few Steampunk bracelets when I  can find them !

Thursday evening it’s open til 8pm, and in the ‘events’ area, on the  lower floor, there are planned poetry readings and  music. We were so pleased that Charlotte Reed came to sing last night, accompanied by her boyfriend (from the group 80 Quid) They were both terrific and it gave the basement a Speakeasy atmosphere !!

Saturday afternoons there are planned creative workshops – cardmaking, collage etc….

RED CROSS FAIR

Tomorrow I shall be setting up my stall at Kensington Town Hall, for the Red Cross Christmas Fair. There will be 70 fabulous stalls , and it’s being opened by Patricia Hodge.

Entry to the Preview evening  16th Nov., tomorrow  5.30-9pm, is £20 – BUT that includes drinks and canapes throughout the evening. Thursday  10am-4.30 is £5 on the door or £4 if booked online (www.redcross,or.uk/fair )

I will have handmade collage cards, silver earrings with semi-precious stones, brass bookmarks, silver bracelets with coral, freshwater pearls and amethyst beads. Also Curio Keys – now I know you’re dying to know what those are ! In fact my usual, hotch-potch of different and collectable goodies. If there’s room on the board behind me there might even be a few etchings  or paintings.

Lovely surprise….

I was thrilled to hear yesterday that I am shortlisted for the Artist of the Year Award, of the A & I magazine !! OK , still up against 49 others , but in with a fighting chance I reckon.

Should you wish to vote for my picture, ‘Oasis’, please go to www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/artist-of-the-year

Also been given a trial of a profile page on their Portfolio Plus , from which I can sell works, which is rather good.

www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/taniabeaumont

I now have to get it sent off to Dulwich Picture Gallery for inspection .

I am now stuck into ‘craft’ work for the next event on my calendar. In fact probably the last event this year , unless something else rolls up. I am having a stall at the RED CROSS CHRISTMAS FAIR, Kensington Town Hall - evening of 16th and all day 17th November.

My daughter Lucy is hoping to set up a Pop Up Christmas shop during December – so watch this space for details of that – I’m sure she’ll let me put some ‘stuff’ in it !

synchronicitous choice ?

Palace Dawn

    The Palace Art Fair is organised by the same people who do the Brighton Art Fair – one of the most successful fairs around, that’s been going for years.

Coincidentally I have just finished off two oils that I started last year – Palace Dawn and Palace Lights. I sold another, a monoprint,  in Abu Dhabi called Minarets and Domes – but was in fact also based on Brighton pavilion. Fortunately the couple who bought it were not put off by that fact , having initially thought it was somewhere exotic !

Six days…..

    Just 6 days to go til I set up at the Palace Art Fair, next thursday.

www.palaceartfair.co.uk

I have quite a big space, and over the past week I’ve been finishing off  and framing up a few new pieces. I actually hung 28 works at the Untitled Fair, in a slightly smaller space, but perhaps this time I can give the pictures a bit of breathing space.

They seem to be doing a very good job with publicising the event, and I have spotted adverts in most of the major art publications – thankyou for that.

When I originally applied to exhibit , I thought it might be a bit cold in October in a big marquee, in the Fulham Palace garden…..but we’re having an Indian summer, so it might be rather nice.

Now, what shall I wear………….

Recycling old work

  This is the new ‘Souk’ screenprint over the top of an old sugar-lift etching that I did about thirteen years ago !  (left)   I also printed it over a collage of newspaper pictures . 

Nice surprise

I am pleased to report that I am in the Winners Showcase, again, on Artslant – that’s the fourth time.

French Laundry Etching with watercolour

It’s only just dawned on me that this picture has got ‘washing’ in too – anyone would think I was obsessed with the stuff. If the truth be known,  I would happily only do the laundry when there’s nothing left in the wardrobe to wear !!

Today, I have been pleased with the different backgrounds that I’ve screenprinted the ‘souk crowd’ onto. I did in fact mess up a few old etchings yesterday, that I was recycling, but today worked out.   Yaaay.

More lines !

Haven’t really done any work for a week or so, as there have been more pressing things to be dealt with. Like my husband’s hip replacement ! He watched a film of the whole procedure, online, to get himself prepared…..needless to say, I didn’t !  He’s doing brilliantly – 5 days after the op and he’s home, up 66 stairs to the 3rd floor. Today, down those same stairs, and walked around the block .  Bionic or what !

So I painted another washing line, to get back into work mode !