My Mother, My Muse

It is with a sad and heavy heart that I write this blog, after a four year battle with cancer my mother passed away peacefully on the 11th May surrounded by her family at St Luke's Hospice. Throughout my mothers painful battle she never stopped encouraging me to follow my dreams, explore my creativity and believe that I could be all that I want to be. 

When I look back over the years I was amazed at how much art work I have created where my mother has been my muse, my inspiration, my motivation and driving force. She has collected bottle tops, cartons, saved her crosswords, modelled for me and collected inspirational images for years - often clogging up her tiny flat all for the sake of art! Never once questioning my motive, just trusting in my judgement.

 One of my earliest memories is of going to a second hand market and being given 50p to purchase some cloth to make something out off.

So it is with this blog that I want to say thank you mum, for being you, for always believing in me and hopefully instilling in me all that you hoped and dreamed of for me, God Bless and sleep tight, love you x

Here are just a few of the many pieces inspired by my mother.

1 up 1 down, M.A Installation

Live, Life, Here M.A Installation

Live Life Here, M.A Installation

What is a Mother, M.A Installation

 Mums Ops, Paper Myths 

My Brave Mum's Survival, Paper Myths

Kinafters and Kinshafters, Paper Myths

Love will see you through, Frottage drawing

Mother Miro, Newspaper, carrier bags and acrylic paint

Detail, My Cup Runneth Over. Newspaper and acrylic paint

My Cup Runneth Over. News paper and acrylic paint

Every Twist and Turn. News paper and acrylic paint

Aerial View, Mothers Mask. Radio Therapy mask, prescriptions, felt, embroidery thread

Side View, Mothers Mask. Radio Therapy mask, prescriptions, felt, embroidery thread

Mothers Mask. Radio Therapy mask, prescriptions, felt, embroidery thread

Side View, Mothers Mask. Radio Therapy mask, prescriptions, felt, embroidery thread

Autumn. Water Soluble Crayon on Paper

Miss you x

Work of Art Private View

The WOA Gallery on Hampton Court Road Westcliff is an upcoming art gallery owned by Rob Masters.  WOA stands for Work Of Art, but also can stand for the sound you make when you walk into the gallery space. 

Every space contains a treat for the viewer's eyes, with each wall being utilised in the gallery  to promote and showcase works by local artists. With an eclectic mix of works that boasts photography, oil painting, mixed media, jewellery, pottery, typography, printing and abstract art - a visit to the gallery is a must for any art enthusiast.

The Work of Art Gallery on Hampton Court Road Westcliff

 Here are some of the pieces of work that caught my eye...

"Wait" by Sharon Stone, I love the raw emotion in this stunning oil painting

Lisa Horner works in typography and illustration. These pieces are made by digitally scanning in hamma bead letters

Donna Phelps works in mixed media, exploring the combination of different materials to express her visual concepts

Sandra Clarke creates organic natural form prints using a range of techniques including lino printing.

Amazing jewellery by Celeste Cook

Bird 3 by Matt Spink, I just loved the colour and texture in this painting, glorious

The WOA Gallery is open Monday to Saturday every week. To find out more about the gallery, the artists or to enquire about exhibiting at the gallery check out the WOA website www.welovewoa.co.uk or contact Rob Masters at welovewoa@gmail.com or call -07817264420

Love Series

Since January I have been enjoying working in my own studio. I cannot explain how peaceful and happy I feel in my space, creating planning and teaching.
Now that I am all settled in, over the past few days I have been working on a series of drawings ready for an up coming exhibition. I thought I would give you a sneak preview of a few of the drawings.

"I'm Yours" Water Soluble Crayon on paper

"Singing Heart" Water Soluble Crayon on paper

"Love Ice-Cream" Water Soluble Crayon on paper

Framed and mounted drawing

Original drawings will be available priced at £95:00 framed, prints available £45 or £60 framed. For more information contact Lisa at lisamart@hotmail.co.uk

New Year, New Studio

This January I have been working really hard with a lot of help from my husband and lovely family - to move into my new studio. The explosives Laboratory at Wat Tyler Country Park.

One of the parks few remaining buildings from its time as an Explosives Factory, The Laboratory has recently undergone an £80,000 refurbishment as part of the Heritage Interpretation Project which has seen a complete transformation of the park over the past five years.

Following the refurbishment, the building will now be used as my new arts studio offering a range of classes for all ages and abilities and children’s art parties for birthdays, celebrations and weddings.

 

I am looking forward to creating some larger scale drawings in the new space

I am looking forward to being able to exhibit not only my work but work by other artists as well as finally have the space to continue some projects I have had to shelve over the past few years.

This was the start of a project a few years ago, hopefully I will now beable to complete the project

Run by the British Explosives Syndicate and owned by Swedish Industrialist Alfred Nobel (he of the international Peace Prize), The Laboratory was severely damaged by an explosion in 1916. The result of this can still be seen in the colour contrast of brickwork on the building.

Restored because of its heritage integrity, the refurbishment project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and whilst the outward appearance is unchanged, the building has been fully restored internally with double glazing and under-floor heating, making it an ideal venue for the new studio.

Putting up the work

 

My working end of the studio, doesn't that look nice

 

Finally plenty of storgae space for all my bits and bobs

 

Some of my work on display

 

Teaching end of the studio, starting to take shape

 

 The Laboratory Arts Studio will open to the public on the 12th January 2013. For more information visit  www.1thelaboratory.blogspot.co.uk or email the_laboraotory@hotmail.co.uk