Fantastical Birds workshop

The Foxlowe Arts Centre - Sunday 26th May.

A fab day was had by all at the Fantastical Bird workshop run by the very talented Chris Thompson. 'Bird wars' had begun between Gwen and myself in the run up to the workshop...what to take?? tins, frames, boxes, found objects, what/who is the inspiration for the little birds,  whats the story behind them....Chris birds are amazing and the quirky tales that he bases them around make them so good. He says...

"Fantastical Birds, they give a lot of love and will brighten your day"..they most definitely do.

We made birds, ate cake, ate lunch, sat in the sun, drank tea and had lots of fun and left with our own little feathered friend to take home with us.

 Mr Thompson ...bird maker extraordinaire and leader of the amazing workshop.

www.warmigloo.net/

'Gerald' by Chris Thompson

Gerald waited for his girl by the gas works wall, unfortunately he forgot the gas was turned off and he had to borrow his sister Millys coat. 'Hussar' for Milly and her rather fetching coat that was also practically warm.

'Mildred' by Chris Thompson

"Mildred tried her hand at decorating balloons but found a job checking the peckability of tops with bottoms not wanting to move to far away from the sea she was pleased that the job was with Messers Thompson, Thompson and Hipkiss, 'Beach Bottle Top Peck Check Company', Beach Road, Beachley BB13 5NZ". 

....Bird makers in action!

'Polly in Pyjamas'... Suzanne Mellor

...my little birds, Polly,  story started in Liverpool in 1901 when Polly arrived at Liverpool Docks and then somehow ended up travelling to my grandparents farm - 'Manor Farm' in Hulme-End, Manifold Valley. Polly spent most days in the back yard near the milk house and charmingly shouted at the famers  ...'bugger off' and 'your nothing but an old faggot!' Dont know where she got that from. Polly's days ended when she got caught in a bad rain storm  and now has lived (stuffed!) in a box in the farm kitchen on the dresser ever since. She sits, silently now,  surrounded by photos of my cousins and I like part of the Mellor family!! Polly is dressed in fabric from a pair of never finished 1940's pyjamas sourced from the treasure trove of things my Grandma and Aunty Dot have 'acquired' over the years..or 'a load of junk that needs throwing away' as my Aunty Dot describes it!

'S.A.S'...Gwen Emery

'Disco Diva'...Andrea Tilbrook

Un-named!...Mary Worwood

 

The days fantastical collection of Fantastical Birds

The fantastical bird makers!

'Paper Trail - York' by Deborah Bowness

Whilst wandering through the beautiful steets of York I came across this outdoor wallpaper installation by artist Deborah Bowness. Deborah Bowness creates inspirational wallpapers and it was really intersting to see them in a subway under the railway bridge.

Paper Trail extends the canvas beyond interior walls and onto Britain’s streets, bringing the heart back into our cities. This is Deborah’s attempt to create the largest outdoor art exhibition the UK has ever seen.
Paper Trail is continuing is journey around the country. York will be the next city to be decorated with wallpaper installations. The exhibition will be on show throughout the month of May.

inspired by...music & lights

'we are inspired...'   our 'thinkingartsidetheblog' blog is about being inspired...so having had a 'fallow period' of inspiration from art exhibition visits recently my recent 'inspiration' has been from watching live music...and seeing the amazing lights...a definite art & design project in the making. The photos are from various gigs...Foals, Django Django, Two Door Cinema Club, I am Kloot, Miles Kane, Palma Violets, Peace....and show the amazing colour and patterns from the stage lights.

HOT TREND: DIGITAL PRINTS:  ....the photographs of the lights at the gigs made me think of using the imagery to create digital prints - a current trend seen at London Fashion week.

'Digital fabric printing is “probably the greatest innovation of 21st-century fashion,” Christina Binkley declared in the Wall Street Journal last month. The “vastly improved digital printing technologies allow designers to innovate while beefing up their brands,” she says.

For Binkley, the printing revolution means that the textiles print isn’t just the new big thing, but is becoming more important and more recognizable than the logo in the branding of fashion companies – whether it’s Prada, Pucci, or Jil Sander.Digital printing technology “is enabling creative individuals to get their ideas out and on to fabric,” she says.

Because designers now rely on digital technology – from Photoshop and illustrator to digital photography – digital printing is “the tool” that works best with that, says Locastro'

 http://www.fashionising.com/industry/b--digital-printing-and-fashion-23077.html

Patternbank

This is a great website that aims to keep you up to speed with the rapidly evolving world of print, pattern and apparel graphics...a great resource for inspiration for trends

http://patternbank.com/london-fashion-week-springsummer-2013-print-highlights-part-1/

Photoreal print ... Experimental photoprints ... Digital Fractured prints – Mirrored and Repeated visuals

Matthew Williamson S/S 2013

Antoni and Alison S/S 2013

Aminaka Wilmont S/S 2013

Photography inspiration...inspired by lights

 

http://www.robertrheadphotography.co.uk/gallery

Robert Rhead is a United Kingdom based fine art landscape photographer. Living within the Peak District provides an abundance of photographic landscapes and therefore constitutes a large proportion of his work. Further afield Robert can be found traveling the lengths of the UK frequently in his 1967 VW camper to photograph the beauty of the English landscape.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Light-Photography/5848605

ARTFINDER website - inspirational art daily.

 

 

Artfinder is a fantastic website to discover artworks by emerging and leading artists - www.artfinder.com

 

...... you can browse by variouse 'filters' from looking at editors picks, the weeks best sellers, whats new on artfinder, gallery of the week, 60 seciond interview, feature stories..such as 5 artists to watch in 2013, styles and trends in art, contemporary photography, street art, abstract, landscape, vintage, print, painting....etc! The magazine section is Jam-packed with artists stories, exclusive interviews,
insider tips and beautiful collections to fire your imagination

 

TOP TIP!

 

.......if you register with Artfinder you will get an email each day of  new art or like on facebook to also get updates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ex Leek College art student Laura Allen launches Prototype magazine

http://prototypemag.co.uk/

An ex Leek College Foundation Diploma in Art & Design student has launced a fantastic magazine called 'Prototype'. Laura left leek College after studying on the Foundation Diploma in Art & design and went on to do Foundation Degree in Business and Marketing for Fashion at Stafford College.

'Eye-catchingly unique in shape, prototype magazine is a piece of artwork within itself which stands out on the shelf. Open its beautifully high-quality paper pages to reveal a playground of awe-inspiring artwork, bound together with love. We personally select the most dreamy photography, quirky illustrations, thoughtful words, and inspiring people to fill the pages of each themed issue. It is full to the brim of wanderlust, tales of triumph and handmade delights. 
 
prototype magazine is an independently run, home-grown magazine dedicated to helping to promote those practicing the creative arts, and for the reader offers a unique compilation of all which will inspire them. It is for the one who has creativity in their soul; the ones who have tamed it and the ones who want to explore it.

We are an arty magazine to help promote you, or to drink coffee to.

   

issue 4: wanderlust

prototype magazine began as a college project, by a young girl inspired by beauty and the creativity that surrounded her. She wanted to capture it, and compile it into a piece of artwork – and so prototype magazine was born. A year on, prototype magazine has evolved, growing in its sophistication, quality and contents.

Each issue is created independently, bringing the most inspiring artwork together under a thoughtful theme. prototype magazine is not something to throw away when you’ve finished flicking through, it is something to save on your bookshelf, pass on to friends, reference, or place on your coffee table for all to see.  Passionate about print, we have selected the finest paper for the beautiful artwork featured to grace. Square in shape, this magazine will definitely catch your eye and is a piece of artwork within itself'.

'Like' on facebook and receive up dates of new additions to the magazine.

https://www.facebook.com/prototype.mag

Prototypes issue 4: 'Wanderlust' features the fashion design work of another Ex Leek College Art & design student Laura Millward. Having completed a BTEC National Diploma in Art & Design and a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at Leek College Laura went on to study for a BA (Hons)in Fashion at the University of Derby. Watch the video to see a behind the scenes look at a photoshoot of her final degree A/W collection ' Earthernware'.

Laura now works as a designer for River Island.

      

*DESIGN AT RIVER ISLAND* FASHION | ILLUSTRATION | PRINT

              

Laura Millwards video: behind the scenes of her fashion shoot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9xVeTTR-IA

Laura Allen

'Entrepreneur Laura Allen is aiming to boost the profile of creative businesses and artists from the West Midlands with the launch of a new magazine.

Prototype magazine, founded and run by Staffordshire University graduate Laura, aims to provide a platform for emerging talents from the region to showcase what they have to offer.

Laura, 22, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: “There are so many unearthed creative talents in the area which this magazine aims to promote, while for those who enjoy art - this is a beautifully made magazine to read, save and cherish.”

She started the magazine while studying a foundation degree in Business and Marketing for Fashion at Stafford College, with the magazine initially focusing on Staffordshire based artists, before expanding to promote artists, designers, and makers from the West Midlands'.

http://www.staffs.ac.uk/news/prototype-magazine-aims-to-boost-creative-industry-tcm4250748.jsp

Ideas worth spreading: TEDTALKS

 

 

I 'stumbled' across TED Talks whilst googling 'creativity' on the internet! Having watched some of the talks I am hooked on this site; the mission statement of TED is great (see below)  and the talks are inspirational - check out the TED website and get watching! The talk by artist Janet Echelman  (see video below) is amazing - definitely watch that if nothing else...in my humble opinion! worth having a look/listen ...over 1400 talks to select from...can always switch them off if not 'inspiring' you!

TEDS mission:

Our mission: Spreading ideas. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So 'we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other'.


TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. ...over 1400 ted talks!
http://www.ted.com/talks

The Creative Spark - http://www.ted.com/themes/the_creative_spark.html

'Need a burst of inspiration? Wildly creative thinkers share ideas, strategies and warmhearted encouragement to let your genius out'.

'How are we inspired? Where might our imaginations take us? What does creativity look like in its wildest form? These clever, invigorating speakers plumb the wellspring of invention. 

Janet Echelman found her true voice as an artist when her paints went missing -- which forced her to look to an unorthodox new art material. Now she makes billowing, flowing, building-sized sculpture with a surprisingly geeky edge. A transporting 10 minutes of pure creativity.

 

  

 

 

 

...watch the video to hear Janet Echelman talk about her inspirational 'journey'.

 

 "Eat, Pray, Love" Author Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. 

 

 

 

 

Writer, director and producer J.J. Abrams' exuberant talk explores the nature of storytelling, the changing face of filmmaking and the possibility that mystery is more important than knowledge. Artist and programmer John Maeda shares stories and observations about what complexity has taught him about simplicity, and how their relationship inspires him. Meanwhile, designer Philippe Starck explains how his iconic creations come by way of the primordial soup.Golan Levin shows off his "software art": spellbinding audiovisual experiences that incorporate eerie sonic textures and tangles of color that move with life of their own. Pianist Jennifer Lin, just 14 when she performed at TED, confects stunning, virtuosic compositions on the fly. And illustrator Maira Kalman considers the role of knowledge (or lack thereof) in the creative process -- and concludes that daydreaming is the best job on Earth.

Don't miss game designer Will Wright's preview of Spore, in which players control the evolution of custom-designed critters -- and colonize a galaxy. Or the dancers of Pilobolus, who suggest a mutating organism that grows mouths and legs, slithers, drips like oil and turns itself inside out. And be sure to visit actor Anna Deavere Smith, who delves into history, crime, race and culture by channeling the voices of four authentic American characters'.