Show and Tell 2010

I can't believe it is a year since I blogged about the last Alton Art Society exhibition, "Show and Tell". Where does time go? This year's exhibition kicked off last night with the private view and runs until Sunday.

Since joining the Art Society about 7 years ago, I have always exhibited ceramic pieces that I have made, usually selling two or three pieces. Last year, I decided to take a break from ceramics after many years, to pursue my love of textiles. Last year's entries into the exhibition were half ceramic and half felt. This year, I have entered four felt pieces, two handbags, a felt bowl and a set of felt oak leaves with acorns.

Despite having a whole year to prepare some pieces to enter, I left it somewhat to the last minute as usual. I sent off my entry form a month ago with only a vague idea on what I was actually going to enter. Well, one bag was made, one bag needed altering and the other two pieces were figments of my imagination!

A few weeks ago, I felted a dish from Shetland wool. I wanted to make a piece that gave a nod to my ceramics past and so designed a shallow dish in cream wool with some dark brown streaking to echo previous glazing techniques I have used, as well as Japanese raku. I have to say, I was really pleased with the result.

In the past I have also made ceramic leaves in various forms, so decided to felt some oak leaves. Last year, I entered a large felt sycamore leaf which sold, so I thought I would make something similar. Having made three felt oak leaves, I realised that they just didn't work on their own. They needed more to make sense.

The night before I had to drop my exhibition pieces off, I had a mad plan to felt a couple of acorns. Having thought about it, I realised that three loose leaves and a couple of acorns wouldn't really work either, so decided to try to wire the whole lot together into a more naturalistic form. Amazingly, the whole lot came together and worked really well, so well in fact that the piece sold at the private view last night!

Hopefully I will get some interest in the other three pieces before the exhibition ends. I will definitely make some more leaves, I have a couple of cunning plans knocking around in my head. I really must try to get them made in the next year though and not wait until the night before next year's exhibition to finish them.

Show and Tell

As mentioned before in my blog, the Alton Art Society annual exhibition was held from 1-4 October this year, in the Assembly Rooms. This was the 78th Annual Exhibition and the variety of work this year was even more varied. Whilst the majority of exhibitors are amateurs, the standard of work is very high. Some members have even exhibited at the Royal Academy in the past.

The show consists mainly of framed worked including watercolour, oil, pastel and ink. However, there is a growing number of 3D artists as well, who work with clay, wood, textiles and glass in varying forms. The variety of work on show offers something for everyone. In the past, I have exhibited ceramics with good sales results. This year though I thought I would exhibit three textile pieces and only two ceramic pieces.

The smaller ceramic piece, was a real afterthought. When I fired it, the ash glaze looked really awful, so I had to glaze it again and refire it. Second time around I still wasn't happy with it and threw it in the bin. My husband told me it was too good to throw out, so I kept it. I only got around to putting the gold edging onto the dish the night before I had to hand it into the exhibition.

When I popped into the exhibition half way through the second day, both ceramic items had already sold, as well as my felted leaf. On the last day I returned to invigilate the exhibition and found that my felt vessel had sold too. It is such a buzz discovering you have sold your work. When I checked the sales book, I found that the local fine art gallery had bought my porcelain dish with the dripped glaze. I will have to sneak in there and see how much they are selling it for!

I can't wait for next year's show now as I have got so many new ideas for felt pieces that I want to try and create. No doubt the year will fly by and I will be panicking that I haven't got anything finished.

Alton Art Society Exhibition

I've been a member of the Alton Art Society for just over 5 years and like to participate every year in their Autumn Exhibition. This year will be the 78th exhibition for the Society.

For the past 5 years, I have exhibited my ceramic pieces quite successfully and have achieved a number of sales. Each year I try to enter six pieces, which is the maximum allowed for 3D, and usually sell 2 or 3 items. Last year, 3 of my ceramic pieces made front page of the local newspaper which was really pleasing.

This year, I am only going to enter a couple of ceramic pieces which I have ready. I was going to enter some ceramic leaves I made but I sold them earlier in the year at another local exhibition. As I am taking a break from ceramics to concentrate on textiles, I thought I would enter some textile pieces instead. I have decided to enter a felt bowl, felted vessel and I have also just finished a felt leaf. As the ceramic leaves proved popular, I thought a felt leaf might do well too.

Hopefully I shall have some success again this year and sell a couple of pieces. The exhibition is 1st - 4th October, at the Assembly Rooms in Alton, Hampshire. Everyone is welcome and entry is free.