The Old Rock Factory, Blackpool

The other day I went to Blackpool on a mission: attending a press day at the Old Rock Factory on behalf of Redeye. Although I was really looking forward to meeting the people there I felt slightly ambiguous about going to Blackpool as my last visit to the city was not entirely satisfactory. 

It wasn't long though before I had a massive smile on my face. After the initial hurdle of finding my way through all the building works and locating The Old Rock Factory I was greeted by the absolutely lovely Linzi Cason who is one of the workshop leaders. 

The first thing I noticed were the brightly coloured stairs. I know this is quite random but I love it when people personalise stair cases and it reminded me of the nice colours on the steps of the Royal Exchange Theatre when Mini Betsy was in Rats' Tales. 

Linzi introduced me and the others to the wonderful Robin Ross (of Key103 fame I found out later, I can be excused I hope, I am not from this part of the world) and we set off with cameras in hand for a walk around Blackpool. It was a little wet and very windy but that didn't detract from the enjoyment and the great company.

We started off taking some pictures of architecture and sculptures to see if that would be something we could use for our screen print workshop later and I particularly found the Comedy Carpet fascinating.

After the walk we went back to Linzi's studio where she has a fabulous collection of old camera's. We chose our two images to work with after lunch and I settled on the "Do you think marriage is a lottery?" image and the last photo I took of the door of the studios. 

Never having done any screen printing before it seemed like there was an awful lot to remember but Linzi and Robin were brilliant and helped along the way. They seemed to work some magic with normal printer paper and cooking oil and machines that make fabulous screens (I won't explain how as A. it is too complicated and B. it is such good fun that you need to experience that yourself!) 

                                       

I tried out a couple of colours and mixes and these were the results. I was quite pleased with them really and would love to see one day if portrait photos work well too. It is a fabulous way of playing with your images and making work. 

I came away feeling most excited, especially about having been at the workshop, meeting lovely people and getting to know a completely different side to Blackpool and revising my memories. I would love to go back again to see them and I can thoroughly recommend the workshop.

If you would like to have a fantastic day in Blackpool like I had, get in touch with them here.

Tatton Park Biennial

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

This Easter holiday has been a completely different one from last year's for various reasons, one of them being the weather. Today was meant be a nice day so I decided to take the monkeys to Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YPS). After a good start of the day with a lovely cappuccino in the presence of the wonderful Mr G. we set off in the sunshine, with coats and one umbrella, just in case (my Rob Ryan one to keep in style with YPS!). Not long after we passed Stockport it started pouring down and it didn't stop until lo and behold, 4 minutes away from YSP when blue sky and sunshine appeared magically.

Monkeys pleased and very excited when we got there. Although they had been looking forward to seeing the sculptures, still impressed from a visit to Chatsworth House some time ago they were slightly embarrassed by the 'rude' sculptures along the road to the car park. They are at an age (nearly 8 & 10) where, what they call 'the rude bits' should not be on display for the eldest and produces a wave of giggles for the youngest.

Anyway as soon as we got out of the car they were delighted to see 'Big Bertie' or The Horse is a Noble Animal as it is titled, commissioned by Marcia Farquhar and carved by Anthony Dew, a Master Rocking Horse maker near York. Originally made for a show in Tatton Park it now lives at YPS.

Regular readers of my musings will know that I like to take the monkeys out of town during the holidays and take them to places where they don't get to go on a weekly (or even monthly) basis, what with girl monkey's acting, singing and dancing there is not much time left at times apart from pretending to be a taxi driver.

We had a glorious day today and marveled at all the sculptures and trees. The monkeys had both taken drawing materials and sat down at various times to draw the Henry Moore works and write about what they saw. They were most impressed by Anthony Caro and Eduardo Paolozzi, remarking that at school they really only learn about Picasso.

We visited a couple of the galleries, in particular the Underground Gallery was fabulous as this is where the current Joan Miro exhibition is installed. The monkeys LOVED it. We stayed for quite some time, watching footage of the master at work, dissecting the work, examining the use of colour and how to apply it with your fingers. They were both greatly inspired and will go back to school next week with essays and sketches.

Walking around the lake we got to the sign of David Nash' Seventy One Steps and what better way to check how many there are than to walk. They both shouted there weren't 71 but either 46 or 48. Needless to say I had to see this for myself, sure enough there were 71 (what else?!?), counting skills were left in Manchester today!

At the end of our visit I was really pleased to see this work, which is part of The Bee Library by Alec Finlay. This project was launched to coincide with World Book Day 2012 and comprises 24 books about bees and bee keeping and once the artist has read a book it will be transformed into a bee nest. These works will be installed around the YSP from May I believe. We'll have to go back in the Summer to try and find them all. I had heard a bit about the artist from my lovely colleague so was excited to see the work 'in the flesh'.

Alec Finlay - The Bee Library

And just when we felt it was time to go home, heavens opened! Looking forward to a next visit. This is such a wonderful place to go and only 1 hour drive from Manchester. Anyone with kids will be able to keep them entertained here for a whole day, there is a parking charge of £5 and donations at your own discretion. Well worth a visit!

Half term mayhem

One half of the term flown by, a few more days and then the monkeys will come home singing Christmas carols. Alongside Beatles songs though, they are practising these for a themed 80th anniversary celebration at school. Girl monkey is busy practising her jive and looking forward to her sixties outfit. Anyone got one in the wardrobe for a petite 7 year old? All I've got is in her favourite houndstooth pattern but was my grandma's so clearly a little big.

The half term started with a fun 70's party organised by one of our friends to celebrate her birthday and wedding anniversary but also to raise money for a very worthwhile cause. She is going to undertake a major challenge cycling in China. Money will be raised for the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Trust to fund medical research at the Wolfson and Weston Research Centre for Family Health in London. Very noble especially since she has just given birth to her fourth child!

Sunday we spent the afternoon/evening in Blackpool, admiring the lights. The monkeys loved it, all the glitz and colour. Girl monkey's friend observed that many girls were wearing very short skirts in the cold weather, what could we say?

Monday we were off to London, the monkeys were going to stay there for a few days. For me it was only one night and some works of art later before returning to a slightly colder Manchester. On the way there the little ones discovered Doodlebuddy on my phone and created numerous art works themselves. Some actually more challenging then the Turner Prize works I went to see at Tate Britain although I shouldn't really say that as I am keen supporter of Modern and Contemporary Art. I did feel slightly underwhelmed at the Turner Prize exhibition though. Three out of the four artists did impress me however I had expected more of it. Anyway it's too late in the day to think about this now. Tomorrow will be my second day of book keeping seminars and I need to prepare for the Vintage & Craft Fair so I better leave my screen alone now.

Sleep well peeps!

Mini Masters Yves Klein session

I cannot believe that we had the last session of the first year of "Mini Masters". Most of the little ones will go of to school now but luckily a couple will be coming back in September. We had a lot of fun, explored many artists and movements and on top of that enjoyed a piece of cake at the same time.

Our last session was based on the work by Yves Klein. We talked about the Monochromes, International Klein Blue (the colour of paint especially made for the artist), the furniture and the reliefs in the pictures. The "Mini Masters" then chose their favourite colour and started to build up a relief. One way of replicating the reliefs in Yves Klein's work is to use little cotton wool balls. I never knew they painted so well and created such a beautiful surface. I should have thought beyond clouds, snowmen and Father Christmas before.

Needless to say we had a number of purple and pink pictures but there were also some yellow and blue.

I had a lot of fun talking about art with the little ones. I hope "Mini Masters" helped them to develop a love for art and creating art themselves.

Visit to my old home patch

What happened to my frequent blogs? Not entirely sure. I do know that my brain has been doing overtime and that I have not been able to focus but I'll keep all that to myself.

Just watched "The Reader" and as I am so emotionally drained after that I have no energy to think so here we go...

The monkeys and I went on a little trip to London in the last few days and we had an absolutely fabulous time. Whenever I go back I just find my whole time in the capital sheer luxury. The weather for starters is always better than it is up North and is also nice to be "home" and seeing some old friends. The monkeys had a ball in the playgrounds; there was the massive sand pit in Holland Park, the fabulous pirate ship in Kensington Gardens and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain which they left, completely soaking wet from top to toe.

They couldn't stop going into the Whole Foods Market and walking up and down the High Street and I of course went back to my old favourites Ranoush Juice (my friends!) and the Exeter Street Bakery where they sell sweet pizza : raisins and lots of sugar on a pizza base basically but oh so yummy.

On Sunday we went on a river cruise to Greenwich. We had a fabulous guide who was not only very funny but also very knowledgeable. I should have asked his name because he is worth mentioning. I learnt a lot more from him than in the ten years I lived in London.

The banks of the Thames are absolutely fascinating. The juxtaposition of buildings old and new is at times awe inspiring at others plain ridiculous. It is amazing to think that 10 or 15 years ago a lot of the land was barren. Currently there is still a lot of building work going on.

The guide pointed out all the buildings old and some new....

Then there were the Dutch (effeweg.nl...). They are everywhere. Always.

I loved the red and white polkadot wrapped trees on the South Bank by Yayoi Kusama. For some reason this little group reminded me of the Supremes, must have been the big hair do's (don't ask, the mind has funny ways!).

.... and the yellow stair case of the Hayward Gallery.

More wrapping around the Tower Bridge.....

(detail of Tower Bridge)

One sight that sadly is not wrapped anymore is the Albert Memorial. When I first moved to London it was covered for restoration and I was always very keen to find out what it looked like (had not discovered Google at that point, if that existed anyway). When they finally took the "Christo" off it I was so totally and utterly disappointed that I wished the restoration had lasted a few decades longer. Undoubtedly there are quite a few eyesores in the capital but for me it has to be the Albert Memorial.

Now we are safely back in Manchester, chasing dreams or perhaps I should have said ghosts, as that feels slightly more appropriate.

The first two weeks of the holidays have passed so quickly and yep let me mention it again : before we know it is Christmas time again....

Mini Masters explore Nikki de St Phalle

What happened to the heat wave? Just got used to this lovely sunshine and now I feel like putting the heating on. Also what happened to the academic year? It has flown by. One more session and it will be the last of the first year of Mini Masters. I haven't been a good blogger recently so I failed to write about the sketchbook session but here are some images of the Nikki de St Phalle workshop. I absolutely love her work, just looking at her works really cheers me up and her sculptures and mosaics are very appealing to children. Most of her well known works are very colourful, bold and shimmery. 

As a starting point for our session we took one of her Nana sculptures and traced around it to form a template for our clay work. We used air drying clay which has a lovely texture and is easy to mould for little fingers.  With the clay we filled the template, building up the 3D figure. 

With a tooth pick we then added texture and/or decorations. 

Finally we painted the sculptures and most of the Mini Masters mixed some glitter into the paint. We used ordinary ready mix paint on the still wet clay. I find that air drying clay can be painted really well when still wet as you do not get any cracks. 

I've got some ideas for the last session but won't spill the beans as I know some mums might be reading this post!

Finally just wanted to mention that my items are now being stocked at Chelsea Flowers in Wilmslow. I am very excited, dropped off brooches, necklaces, bracelets, postcards and a cushion this morning. Do go and have a look if you live nearby. Look forward to some feedback!