ANOTHER month whizzes by and as lock-down rules are starting to ease (at least in England) I find myself reflecting on this strange time and the challenges and opportunities it’s brought. I’m still very uncertain about when I’ll be able to go out and deliver workshops again, I think a lot will depend on what happens over the next few weeks, hopefully we won’t see a big rise in cases and we will be able to slowly ease our way into a new normal. I have a number of events scheduled for September but who knows whether or not they’ll go ahead!
Whilst I still don’t know when I’ll be able to physically go out and deliver workshops this strange time has given me the opportunity to look at other options. As I shared with you last month I’ve started delivering online sessions which aren’t quite the same but which do have their advantages. I’ve got two workshops coming up in July, Inventive Sketchbook Making on 3rd July and Textile Jewellery: Suffolk Puffs (rescheduled) on Saturday 18th July which still have spaces if you’d like to join me. They’re both great for using up scraps and bits and pieces and neither requires any fancy equipment.
Learning how to use technology has been a big theme of lock down for me. I’ve got my online Folksy shop up and running and I’ve even learnt how to link this shop to my Facebook and Instagram accounts. It’s been a steep learning curve and quite a challenge but it’s satisfying to see my work online and to be able to share it with people. I’d love you to have a look and let me know what you think.
This weekend I’m excited to be taking part in The Guild Dumfries’s Online Pop Up Market. I’ll be around on social media sharing my work, chatting and hopefully selling some of my work along with a whole host of other talented makers and creatives. I do hope you’ll pop by and say hello. I’ve tidied and even hoovered my studio specially!
Much of my lock down learning has been based around technology but I’ve also had time to do some more hands on learning and I’ve loved having more time in my studio. Way back before this all started I did a drypoint printing workshop at the lovely Linden Print Studio (obviously closed at the moment but well worth a visit when it’s back up and running.) I really enjoyed it and a few weeks ago I succumbed and bought myself a die-cut machine to use as a mini at home printing press.
Since then I’ve been having so much fun experimenting with making printing plates from the perspex of old picture frames and even juice cartons. I really like drypoint as it’s very much a drawing based process but you also get to make an edition of several prints, for me it has the positives of both drawing and print making rolled into one. Basically, you scratch your design into a surface, ink it up and then run it through a press, the pressure of the press forces your paper into the scratches thus transferring your drawing. It’s so exciting peeling back the paper once it’s been through the press to see if it’s worked.
I’m looking forward to a lot more experimenting over the coming weeks and who knows what else I’ll learn along the way? Until next time, stay safe and stay creative!
Helen
Artist and Creative Practitioner
www.delicatestitches.co.uk
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helenwalsh@delicatestitches.co.uk
