Summer 2018

Summers always start very busily here in the studio and then, thankfully, things ease off and I can take things just a little bit more easily for a few weeks before the Autumn and Christmas events begin.

The season began with a first visit to an occasional event: the craft tent at The Ely Cathedral Flower Festival. This involved several long sessions at the table but, with all the fellow stallholders around, it was great fun and a great success. The weather was lovely and there was Pimms on tap just round the corner from us:

The 2018 July Open Studios were very successful. Competition from Wimbledon, The World Cup and the effect of the heatwave were all threats but, as it happened, I often very busy and sales were very pleasing. Thank you to all who came and I hope that you enjoyed seeing the work and how it is made. My studio was open for three weekends and it was a pleasure to show the presses and work that often does not get an airing:

 Here was one unexpected visitor who came in, posed for this photo and then allowed itself to be carried outisde to a nearby rose bush:

In recent years, I have been pleased to have been asked to exhibit at the Old Fire Engine House,in Ely. This normally happens every other year and this year's show opened in early July and carries on until the end of August so there is still time to visit and see how my work looks when framed and grouped on the walls of a pleasant domestic setting. The food here is also very good!

Sales have been very good and unframed examples are available to take away with you, or framed work can be collected at the end of the exhibition.

The exhibition continues until the end of August.

Another place where you can see my work at the moment is in the wonderful Craft Centre and Design Gallery in Leeds. Fifty of my engravings are on display there until 27th October as part of "The Wonder Of Woodcuts". I still have to visit and I will write more when I return. I am looking forwards to going there very much as the range of work that they show is remarkable. In the meantime, here is a link:

http://www.craftcentreleeds.co.uk/the-wonder-of-woodcuts

and here are some photos from their website:

As at Ely, unframed examples are available. The work will be on display until 27th October 2018.

Finally, I was very pleased to hear that "Garden Plants For Bees" is not only one of my engravings accepted for the forthcoming SWE touring exhibition, but it is also the winner of the Sheila Honigsberg Book Illustration Prize. I remember Sheila well and it is an honour to win an award in her name: