I've taken part in both the Bear Flat and Widcombe Art Trails recently.  It has been lovely to be alongside other talented artists and makers, sharing our experiences, sharing tips and suggestions for making, presenting and selling our work.  Meeting people - whether browsing the trail or buying work is lovely too and we are very grateful that they participate - it wouldn't be an art trail without them!  But for me, this year has been particularly exciting as I've made new connections with people I hope to collaborate with in future, to help realise my vision for the next phase of my marvellous mosaic journey.  If all goes to plan, 2020 will see me delivering regular workshops and making mosaics for outside - wall pieces and mosaic sculptures for gardens.  By Sunday evening I was exhausted but excited - like a small child after a party - with a 'goody bag' full of new possibilities!  

2015 was a very special year for me, as my partner and I got married in July.  Of course, our wedding was never going to be a mosaic free zone, and I made this piece to illustrate our wedding stationery. It has now been framed and is hanging in the hall way of our house. If you know anyone planning a wedding in 2016, this could be a lovely original touch for 'save the date' cards, invites, order of service booklets etc - with the added bonus of a piece of original artwork as an additional memento of the special day.
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And it’s been a good start to 2016, with two commissions underway.  I’ve completed a small Union Jack splashback for a cloakroom.  The client wanted an English rose motif in the centre and I tried cutting this in different materials – stained glass and ceramic tile.  It was good to test out new skills I’d learned on short courses during 2016.  It’s always good to try something new.  And I’m about to start a small piece inspired by my ‘alliums’ mosaics - looking forward to the challenge! 

I've been updating the website lately - it has been a couple of years since I originally put it together and I didn't think that the navigation was as useful as it could be, so I've been shuffling things around and adding some bits and pieces - including a bit more about me as I realised it seemed a bit anonymous.  Why does it always take so long though!  So, now need to lock myself away in the studio to finish work for the Widcombe Xmas Fair in Bath on Saturday 21 November.  After that, my mosaics will be in the lovely Bear Pad Cafe in Bath until Christmas.

Also need to get cracking on designing our Christmas card for 2105 or they won't get printing in time to send.  Here is a picture of last year's card, just to brighten up this post and get you in the mood for thining about buying Xmas presents!

I've been lucky enough to spend a short time in Ravenna in Italy recently.  It is famous for its mosaics - amazing Roman and Byzantine examples - but also for contemporary mosaic work.  It has a famous mosaic school, established to revive the skills necessary for restoring historic mosaics, but by the middle of the 20th century the artists moved on to designing and making contemporary mosaics too.  Ravenna now holds a festival every two years, with exhibitions of work by mosaic artists from across the world.  These cover a wide range of subjects, styles and materials.  I'll post more pictures in due course, but here are just a few examples of the lighter side of the art of the mosaicists in Ravenna - witty pieces and in spite of their informal subjects, still executed with great skill.

I'm working on a commission at the moment for a mosaic that will be a surprise present to mark a milestone birthday.  (Shhh! It's a secret!)  Within the overall design, I've been asked to include item which reflect the life and interests of the person it is meant for.  This is always one of the challenges - time consuming but also great fun.  It provides endless opportunities for rummaging in car boots and flea markets; and on ebay.
Among other things, I'm told that this person likes to play croquet, so I was really pleased to find this fantastic vintage brass table croquet set.  It was still in its original setting.
The watch cases came in a box of old watch parts that I bought a while ago.  I am going to put photographs in these.
I get quite excited when things start to come together and an really looking forward to seeing this piece finished with all these different elements included.
Pictures will follow!  In the meantime, to see how this has worked on other mosaics, you can look under the 'commissions' heading on the site.

I have some work at the Time & Space gallery in Combe Down in Bath, alongside some very talented artists and makers.  The gallery is like the Tardis - it looks tiny but it is amazing how much is inside!  Do come and browse the wonderful selection of cards, prints and paintings, jewellery and ceramics.  Plus fantastic mixed media collage work by Ele Nash.......which has really got me thinking about the points of overlap between collage and mosaic.....where one ends and the other begins, when both can use such a variety of materials?  Hmmm.....

From 23rd March to 3rd April, alongside four other very talented makers in a diverse and interesting show.  Do come along and see us.  We will be holding a private view on the afternoon of the 23rd March - you are welcome to join us for a glass of wine and to browse the work on display.