You can use it I'll never show it...

I had the most hilarious conversation with Sandra Austin during the week of Bloom about the possibility of using a small process painting that I considered not finished and not worthy of developing...
I'd been working with The Community Garden Network with a few things recently. Mainly because Dee of Greenside Up and I, are mates. We've gotten to know each other the last few years via social media and well yeah we are firm friends and business associates now. We got to know each other via twitter a couple of years ago and then started meeting up regularly with a small group, Dee is the kind of person whom gives so much to community and her work the sort of person you'd bend over backwards for.
Anyway I spent the pre-Bloom Tuesday yarn bombing their show garden for Bloom 2013 with a group of 12 teenage girls from Navan. Great bit of fun although I did feel the pressure to get it done and looking good.
The great news is the yarn bombed tree was getting a response, which is fab!

The Community Garden Network Bloom 2013 postcard garden build.

The funny conversation I had with Sandra that Wednesday evening centred around the background board which is painted cream and was considered too blank.

The Community Garden Network Bloom SHOW Garden work in progress

After tossing around a few ideas via text and email that afternoon. I stood in my studio and dug out a lightly yellow painted canvas with mono printed leaves in blue and green on it. Took a photo of it and emailed it to Sandra as a possibility for the background. She loved it! 

While discussing it Sandra checked with me if I was okay to have a canvas outdoors for five days... my response 'yes its a light painted acrylic on canvas I'll never show it' then I burst out laughing! erhmm Bloom has an expected 80,000 visitors to attend  as Sandra pointed out and here am I saying I will never show it. 

These are the images from when I was making it.

Dee has written a great post http://greensideup.ie/bloom-2013/ and you can read my posts over on my CreativeDynamix blog here.

We agreed in the end the piece did n't work and reverted back to some yarn bombed items. 

I still don't think the canvas is very good, must ask Sandra if she wants to keep it! 

Just thought you'd appreciate the story... 

The shape of things

Sometimes all you can make is the shape of something...

I sat last night in the studio wanting to paint - but being fatigued I sat listening to silent brushes, unopened tubes of paint and flat unmoving paper. I finally reached for a map from recent travel. Have you heard of that theory the only way to fold a map is the wrong way. Well I considered that and then I went to making boxes which I often do when working with people.

With the very creased and used map it was a little trick to fold. I wanted sharp crisp lines.

Sharp folded corners I created a box

The process and looking, photographing went something like this...

Opposite

I loved the total contrast, the smooth lines of a random crunched up ball of paper. While turning and looking it presented areas of intrigue. the contrast of print, folds, light and dark.

X - Design Museum, London

Further observation, sitting with the object. Processing. There is no depth of field with the i-phone camera app - the shoots were a simple record. I think the paper playful exploration might be worth a longer study and a decent camera. The making of something 3D with my hands translated into images through lens based work is a reflection of process. 2D - 3D - 2D negative positive space moving between structure and composition.

folded depth a hint of culture

Again pulling the paper not caring in the end demanding the used disposable map deliver on some vague promise of the shape of something

almost floral

the promise was subconscious but I expected something concrete. The issue was how fast was the creative enquiry delivering?
On typing now I am reminded about the Visual Theatre Workshop last year and when painting was too flat.

just reshaped, same map

And so what of it? I pulled the paper it ripped a little, I wanted it to stand... did it look like something? Did I care? After all its just some paper play.
The map is no accident either the paper playfulness is a way to prototype thought, action and  further exploring the 'texture of my map'.

handmade in Ballygarrett Art Studio

I started clearing my studio again today... as I came across things I tried to stay focused. Rubbish, recycling, books, shelves - fabric, wool ...Oh my favourite skein! + a tiny crochet hook.... ah I have to make something... one thing. So I sat and I crocheted this little sweet heart. You will find a different photo of it on Facebook.

Heart felt research. Roisin Markham 2012 ©

I love the fibre with its thin wool with loops on it and I love working with it it felts divinely too. as you can see from this image of a cowl I created in 2010.

Handmade with intent.
Roisin Markham 2010 © 

I make little hug tokens mostly out of felt but I'm exploring other materials...

Life is full of textures

Summer Camps for Children

Offering children creative fun during the summer!

July, 10am - 12 midday
21 Monday & 22 Tuesday Model Making
23 Wednesday & 24 Thursday Print Making
27 Monday & 28 Tuesday Animation with Sandancer studio

Ages 5+. Younger siblings can be catered for on request with parents stay and play option.

If you would like a specific activity or session for your child, family or a group of friends email me; ballygarrettartstudio at gmail.com.
And yes that includes if it rains for days on ended or your at the wits end and you need to get the kids out and about to do something.
Book a creative adventure at Ballygarrett Art Studio!

Information to follow on adult summer camps... well why should the kids have all the fun.

Art and craft shops

In the Gorey, Co. Wexford Byrnes on the main street stock art materials but I find the range limited and expensive, try the Bookstation down the road, Tesco and Lidil (when they are running art material promotions) offer good value in art supplies. All these places sell off craft supplies and bits and pieces to clear stock and make way for new products coming in. So if your around the town drop in and check what's on offer.
If your looking for an art shop near you check out your local http://www.mykidstime.ie/ for listings.

These are the places I recommend and purchase from
Premier Arts and Crafts, Greystones or Bray, Wicklow. For contact details http://www.premierartsandcraft.ie/ no online shop. Both shops in Bray and Greystones are excellent. They also stock great craft fun stuff for boys and girls that are excellent value and make good gifts.

Hopkins Toymasters, Wicklow Town. Established since 1850 so there is no building number you will find them in the middle of the main street, car parking for customers to the rear. Great shop worth a detour from the N11 or a trip all by itself. Toys, books, stationary, great craft and art supplies. They offer great value and will order products for you. Very friendly.

Evans, Dublin for map and address http://www.kmevans.com/ no online shop which is a shame but an excellent shop & they will deliver. They offer great value. I used to go there as an art student and still go there as an artist and teacher.

http://www.corkartsupplies.com/ good online shop. If your unable to get to an art shop and need supplies, have access to the internet and have a credit card this is the place for you. If you don't have a credit card you should check out 3V as an option for online payments. If you go to Cork make sure you check this shop our its great.

http://www.craftsupplies.ie/ Great little site. if you never buy anything from the site go look at the buttons - so cute, so cool!

Thrifty art supplies

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on art supplies to enjoy art!

If your kids like to cut and paste get them to make collages with a glue stick and a pile of magazines. Reuse old postcards, magazines, newspapers (great for cutting out words for kids that can’t write yet). Second hand shops are great for old magazines at affordable prices. The doctor’s surgery, dentist and local hairdressers are all good sources for these magazines when they are finished with their stock. Try to get a mixture of topics and avoid real trashy celebrity magazines.

A list of potentially useful items:

• Newspaper
• Postcards
• Magazines, flyers, newspaper supplements – for colourful images and coloured paper for collages.
• Cardboard from cereal boxes makes great card for art projects
• Buttons. When recycling clothes cut off the buttons and keep them in a jar they make interesting additions to pictures- Lids. Twist top cartons lids like the ones used for litres of milk or juice cartons. Even the two litre milk cartons can be used. Jar lids can also be used.
• Tissue paper. From new shoes boxes or wrapping. This can be used to paint on, layering over images and for making flowers.
• Cotton wool
• Twine or an assortment of wool and threads
• Feathers
• Straws
• Ice cream sticks
• Easter egg wrappers – great opportunity to collect different coloured foil.
• Brown or white paper bags
• Egg cartons
• Toilet roll inserts

Commercial craft bits & bobs that kids like. Keep an eye out in your local stationary shop, local supermarket or book shop for when they discount craft items and keep a small stock. Or you can go to one of the on line craft suppliers and stock up.

• felt pompoms,
• googly eyes,
• pipe cleaners
• Glitter, glitter glue, glitter gel, sequins, sequin mesh - all colours
• Stickers for younger kids, it can be old out of date supermarket promotion stickers, hold onto them. The kids can always colour over the original content.

Keep all the craft materials in a box including scissors, glue and tape.

Teach the kids to clean up as part of the activity that way you don't get left with all the clean up.