Access Art Papercraft Workshop

In May I will be working in partnership with Access Art leading a paper engineering workshop in Cambridge. During the workshop participants will explore the use of collage, paper engineering, stencils, mixed media and other practical approaches that can be used in sketchbook work. Throughout the day you participants will have the opportunity to produce a sliding picture, iris folded image and mixed media collage creating a visual documentation of new techniques learnt and reflecting their own ideas.

If you are interested in taking part in this workshop email info@accessart.org.uk of have a look on the Access Art website www.accessart.org.uk/events/

The workshop will take place on Saturday 14th May 10am-1pm at Burwash Manor, Cambridge http://www.burwashmanor.com/

Gretal and Hansel part 2

One day on and the petals have dried out, changed shape, curled up, lost their softness becoming brittle and changed from a vibrant red colour to a deep dark plum.

The piece has become a lot more sinister and 'dark'. Somehow the cottage seems more desolate and the trees more menacing than before.

I would be interested to see how the petals would had deteriorate if they had been pressed and dried out prior to having the butterfly images cut out. Although if the flowers were pressed before hand their natural form and beauty would already have been manipulated.

I have enjoyed making this piece and watching it develop and change tone, but I think I will spend some time and remake a version of this piece, using a larger piece of Strong card for the base. Stronger embossed card for the trees and cottage and experiment with the use of dried and fresh petals and leaves.

Gretal and Hansel

For this blog I have been putting on images of previous work, trying to bring the blog up to date to my current practice.

This weekend I started work on a new piece, using paper engineering techniques - looking at new ideas. The pictures in this blog show a clinical white sterile woodland scene - reminiscent of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretal. This crisp image is broken up by the stamped butterflies made out of red rose petals. A beautiful flower that has been brutally 'punched' using a craft hole punch. The discarded off cuts have been piled up leaning against a collapsible cottage. The brilliant red looks savage and violent against the stark white background, spilling out towards the edge of the page.

I enjoyed using petals (a first for me), they added a delicate, silky, natural and smooth texture to the harshness of the stiff manufactured embossed card. I will be interested in seeing how these deteriorate over the next couple of days. This was a 'first draft' at this piece, looking at how to create multiple layers and structures that collapse when folded in half. I used two piece of chip board for the base, but will use a single piece scored to create the central fold for future pieces of work as I found the break in the middle of this piece too distracting.