Finally got round to downloading photos from the fab preview evening at Bondgate Gallery on Friday night. Despite the bad weather there was a good mixture of folk brave enough to turn out so a huge well done to them all!

As you can see from these pics the gallery has a very welcoming glow which is also reflected in the welcome from gallery owners Lynn and Eric. We were greeted with a choice of vino or soft drinks and nibbles and the atmosphere was lovely. So a huge thanks to Lynn and Eric too!

Outside looking in!

What particularly struck me was the eclectic collection of artists. This I think you will see over the year as each artist has the opportunity to showcase their work. You will be able to experience a great variety in styles and media so hopefully there will be something there for everyone.





As a taster to whet your appetite here are some examples from the preview exhibition:-

Collette Lau

Collette Lau

John Hebborn

Sandra Mark

John Hall

Sharron Blackmore

Graham Hodgson

Mine!

I just love these so had to put them in too!

           

 

That's me posing, courtesy of Lynn Thompson :-)

I thought I'd post some wintry pics today as we're covered in the white stuff, and I'm not talking dandruff here. These two are my artwork:-

Winter Trees

Sketch work

 













                                                                     

Winter Trees

By William Carlos Williams                Photos from around Sadberge where I live ...                       

All the complicated details

of the attiring and

the disattiring are completed!

A liquid moon

moves gently among

the long branches.

Thus having prepared their buds

against a sure winter

the wise trees

stand sleeping in the cold.  

                                                                         

our snowman and Salem our crazy cat!                                                                                                

                                                                   

Yesterday enjoyed a lovely pot of tea for two with Mike at Cafe Nest and picked up my Alfred Meakin Teapot painting to deliver to Bondgate Gallery in Bishop Auckland, for the preview evening 5-8pm on Friday 18th. It should be a good evening and am looking forward to catching up with a few people. The schedule of North East Artists for 2013 is as follows:

 

Feb       Sandra Mark                        Aug           Neil Bage

Mar      Jean Duffitt                            Sep            John Hebborn

Apr       Jen Wyse                              Oct             Collette Lau 

May      John Hall                               Nov            Graham Hodgson

Jun        Sharron Blackmore              Dec             Paul Thompson

July       Shelagh Brown                     Resident:     Eric Thompson

I have highlighted the links to artists with websites so to find out more about them just click on their name. I should also mention Lynn Thompson who has put all this together and works so hard to promote art in the North East, so a BIG THANK YOU to Lynn.




Neil Bage

John Hebborn




Collette Lau



Sharron Blackmore

 

Well I got up which is always a positive...

have been at NeST again today for a workshop on 'The 3 Fundmentals of Business' delivered by Paul Harper. Got a few helpful tips and enjoyed the whole networking experience.

However, I now have to introduce you to the lovely (break a leg) Catherine Howard who manages NeST Gallery and is totally not happy with me as I haven't showcased her work yet! Oh, the pressures of blogging.

Oops wrong one... 


                             here we go.....        

 Catherine is a vibrant and talented Designer, Lecturer & Textile Artist specialising in Design, Print & Embroidery as well as a keen photographer. You can find her here catherinehowarddesigns.com/

  

 Catherine is also very approachable and has been a great help to me with regards to exhibiting so with that in mind any would be artists/crafters out there I know you will be made to feel most welcome and offered professional and supportive advice.

 

You can also find some more examples of her fab work on Facebook including her latest colourful  project 'From India with Love'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Not at work 'til 5pm today and the sun is shining so the camera is out!

My first image is of my oil painting 'Fruit Bowl with Sunflower Tablecloth' which I feel is now finished. The bowl is a Wedgewood that I picked up at a sale at St Cuthberts, Darlington where I sing in the choir. The tablecloth... well I had to have it, as I love sunflowers and there it was in Lidl saying 'please take me home', as tablecloths are want to do! Back to sunflowers...  sunflowers turn to follow the sun. Their open faces symbolize the sun itself, conveying warmth and happiness. If you are interested in the symbolism of the sunflower this is quite an interesting site www.whats-your-sign.com/symbolic-sunflower-meaning.html. You will see it is not just devoted to the sunflower but covers a wide range of symbolic meanings.

So here it is...

Fruit Bowl with Sunflower Tablecloth
©Jennifer Wyse 2013

... and then as I was sitting here blogging I saw my own little Winifred Nicholson on my windowsill, another love of mine (Winifred Nicholson that is, not windowsills - although they do have their uses!). How wonderful.

This week I have to make sure I have 3 pieces to deliver to the lovely Lynn at

Bondgate Gallery in Bishop Auckland


  Bondgate Gallery
Bondgate Gallery will be opening a 'Guest Artist' space in February, highlighting a different North East Artist each month of the year. There will be an 'Introductory Opening Exhibition' from the 19th until the 25th January 2013 highlighting a few pieces of work from each artist for the coming year. Bondgate Gallery are hosting an Open Night on 18th January from 5pm until 8pm and we would love to see you there :)

Am really looking forward to this event and am hoping it will be a great success. I will be artist of the month for April.



Have also been in touch with Keith from http://www.printsforartssake.com/ as someone is interested in a print of The Lighthouse - Crinan. Keith has a great website of quality prints which is well worth a visit.

Another positive day! Finished High Force - Autumn. This can be seen in February at www.barnardcastlenest.org.uk/Gallery/  along with Spring, Summer and Winter.

Have also submitted three pieces for the 5th Annual Open Exhibition at http://emptyshop.org so finger's x'd.The deadline for entries has been extended to 14/1/13 if any of you out there fancy submitting too. These are the the three I have chosen to submit.

Have had a great day today at.....http://www.barnardcastlenest.org.uk/Gallery/  with the lovely Eva Zandman and Jill Campbell. Thanks girls for all your photo and Gimp help! Eva has her photographic studio based at NeST and Jill is a fellow artist. It was great to chat to other creatives and I learnt some useful technical stuff too :D

Whilst there I thought it would be a fab idea to showcase an artist's work each time I'm volunteering. So this week I decided on... Lindsey Starborn. Yay my first showcase! Please bear in mind I am new to blogging and things don't always end up in the right place!



Lindsey is a member of NeST, Teesdale Artist's Network and Interfacearts.

Inspired by nature and her Celtic ancestry, Lindsey describes her work as 'an emotional response to season or weather, places or people that move me....this natural beauty, timeless but ever changing and the other worldliness and the spaces in between'.

http://www.lindseystarbornart.com/

As you can see Lindsey is a very talented lady. Not only a painter but also able to throw a few pots:D

 

 

 



 

 



Happy New Year one and all! Let's hope it's a good one.
Must admit am feeling a tad fragile after a fab night at Louise's munching buffet food and drinking too much red wine, but hey ho :D 

Added this one to my Redbubble page earlier. Have been learning how to take high resolution photos to get better quality images so I hope it works!


http://www.redbubble.com/people/jenwyse63/works/9797980-walking-to-roseberry-topping