So why blog, I ask myself? Well, my blog is a creative journal which helps me to reflect and take stock of where I'm going and hopefully to inspire and teach.
I love teaching and my most rewarding moments in teaching have always been when I have felt that the student has become empowered in some way. One of my early students (in 1984) was Lulu, who was 80-something and she came along for the company and to write out and illustrate her recipes. Her calligraphy was so mish-mashed and no particular style but it was wonderfully naive and took on its own life and I really grew to love Lulu and her work. Another student was having a hard time emotionally and came to "take up a hobby" and she stayed with me for 6 years. Some students outshine me and some move on to other arts, having gained creative confidence in themselves. Teaching has always been a big part of my life and to teach and inspire are definitely one of my blog aims.
See 11th February post: Why I love teaching (filed under articles)
For some time I have been wanting to reconnect with the artist in me, not necessarily under the lettering umbrella and so it has been invaluable to have to articulate what is important to me in art and calligraphy and I'm enjoying (in a scary way) fleshing out my big project "Rope of Words" with you. I have many regular readers who have been very encouraging and I depend on you to tell me if I go off-track...Thanks so much to you all. And please keep the comments rolling in.
I was inspired to start the blog when I decided not to apply for a 6-month Calligraphy residency at the VandA - which was granted to Cherril Avery - appropriate and much deserved. I wanted to apply but I knew that if I had been given it, I'd get exhausted travelling to London, suffer from information overload, obsess and become a rubbish wife; even if the outcome was exciting.
I felt that I would do better to cocoon myself, draw on the resources I already have and open my work up to scrutiny in a gentler way, and still be a nice wife. And also continue to have my grandchildren aged 9, 6 and 3 over once a week. I'm pleased with my decision. The blog has helped me do a "residency" at home.
So this year, I have designed a font - "Elva", done Nautilus and begun a companion piece, made good headway with my book "Art Calligraphy and Geometry", begun my artist's book, Rope of Words, produced a lino-cut and screen printed a tie. I've done 12 orchid paintings, a Thistle and entered a piece for the Free the Word exhibition - this will be revealed in early October, but here are the two that, in the end, I didn't enter. I'll give the behind the Scenes story when the exhibition is happening.
The next stage of my blog is fast approaching.
The page is having a face-lift, but should retain its friendly, easy to access appearance.The comments section will hopefully work better, which has been poor so far.
I am going to introduce a Limetrees-Studio Club with downloadable courses (but will still continue giving behind the scenes info and tips on the blog).
The website will change name to www.limetreesstudio.com because the new system with a different provider will be better and easier for me to upload stuff.
Watch out for this at the end of September and write down the new address now!
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