I have just returned from Urchfont Manor in Wiltshire, a truly inspirational day and lots of exhibitions and opportunity to shop. When I woke up this morning, I grabbed my laptop and cup of tea and planned to have a lazy time surfing the blogs......... then I read Maggie G's blog, and realised it was July 1st and the Urchfont Open Day. So quick shower and putting the face on, and breakfast and off we drove..... great day.
On the way to Urchfont - I saw this- If you click on this picture, it will enlarge and you can see the little birds the thatcher created on the ridge of the thatched roof. Obviously his signiature, as so many of the thatched roofs in this area have these. Do you use an individual signiature on your work? Something to think about.
Lots to see at Urchfont , I started by sending dh to buy the homemade cakes, chocolate fudge cake and apricot and cherry. Yum Yum.
There was a lovely small exhibition of Val Campbell Harding' work in the sitting room at the Manor, and appropriately showing the work of many of her students. It was a taster of the exhibition we will see at the Knitting and Stitching shows, that Maggie Grey and Jane Lemon are putting together. Click Here and scroll down the page to see details for the K & S show..
Here is one of her A2 teaching boards.
Maggie tells me thay have completed about 16 A1 boards of Vals teaching samples so far. Quite a mommoth task and I for one am very grateful to them both for undertaking this work. I know that Val was a prolific worker and inspired so many of us with her books and her many courses.
This is a piece of work that Maggie did last year with Val ( isn't it beautiful), and apologies to Jane, I neglected to photograph her fantastic bag. If you look very carefully on the table, you can see it its circular, maroony red with tassels.... exquisite.
Next I went to the Stable yard, great exhibitions there and it was good to see Sian Martin. Sian had her masterclass exhibiting as well as her Distant Stitch students. It was lovely to have a chat and see that Sian was exhibiting alongside her masterclass. Fantastic work, always an inspiration, as I am sure all her students will agree. If you are interested in the City and Guilds course, Sian does teach as an online distance tutoring package - for details click here, as well as at Urchfont Manor.
Sian runs a summer school for her Distance learners every summer at Urchfont Manor, and I know that this year they will have Maggie Grey as a guest tutor as well. It starts tomorrow, and I bet they will have a great time, must admit I feel very envious of them. Maybe Maggie will be able to tell us a little more about it on her blog when she returns on Wednesday.
It was also great to meet Jenny, who knew who I was, because she reads my blog, what a small world....... Hi Jenny, you will have to start blogging now! If I remember rightly, Jenny is a machine knitter. Hope you enjoyed the exhibitions and the atmosphere as much as I did.
In the Masterclass exhibition there was some truly georgeous work. Have a closer look at Val Williams shoes.... can you see the creepy bugs. She is a gifted artist, and works extremely hard too.
and.......... isn't this jug amazing?
Here is a small selection of other artsits. Just wish I could show them all. Hopefully you will be able to see their work in the future.
Patricia Hubbard
Carol Griffin
So what did I buy, as always there are wonderful traders in attendance. Well from Art Van Go, I bought some art supplies, and Myfanwy was there too, of Winefrid Cottage, and also Artway ( who used to be Pennies from Heaven) and I bought some lovely hand made paper from them.
Status Quo are playing at Wembly now.... can you hear me singing..... ? rocking all over the world... yeah!!! Here we go...... laptop is jiving........ wow..... great stuff!!! Can only be Status Quo. No good got to get up and rock!
More later......................................
6 comments:
That was wonderful Maggie, thanks so much for sharing it all with us.
Yes thanks for that look at the Open Day. Hopefully I'll be able to go to next year's.
Thank you for the excellent review!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Yes I'm doing the Certificate with Sian at Distant Stitch, I started in March and I'm really enjoying it
Maggie -sorry to have missed you at Urchfont and thanks for your summary of a great outing too. Thanks also for your message re the embellisher - I am now torn. Where did you get your Babylock - somewhere in Wilts or Glos so I could have a look at a real one? Anna
Thanks for sharing all these wonderful works of art, Maggie. Although I live near I have never been to Urchfont. I really should go to the website and see what courses are on offer.
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