Welcome to our all-too-infrequently updated little blog about goings on at Art Van Go - art suppliers to the stars.

Thursday 20 September 2012

Bobby very kindly agreed to take some photos of the work produced by her students yesterday and email them to me so you can see how their designs have progressed.  Continuing from the still life drawings they did on the first day, using print blocks, and introducing colour -













Really good to see the designs develop!
If you want to have a look at the Workshop Programme, the link is HERE

Wednesday 19 September 2012

I called into AVG yesterday on my way past after hours.  I mean, I rang the doorbell, I didn't break in or anything!  Not only were Viv and Kevin still there, but Bobby Britnell was there after the first day of her late Summer School.  I took a sneaky photo of the work so far ...
The students did some drawings from a still life, and then added tone and pattern.
They are going to select a small area to make print blocks which will then be printed onto paper, and later fabric before finally being hand stitched.

I also had a look at the current exhibition in the gallery 'Making Stories' which is on now until 20th October.
It includes work from three artists, 
Sue Pegg who combines layered surfaces of handmade paper, wax and plaster with ephemeral themes worked in muted colours with words and stitch.


Hilary Murfin who constructs papier mache vessels, 


(they might not look like vessels, but that's just my photos, I'm afraid!)

and

Aran Illingworth who makes almost three-dimensional textile appliqued canvases, which focus on the the predicament of women's poverty.


There are still one or two places left on Marian Murphy's workshop this coming Saturday 22nd, making a small stitched album on the theme of "Seashore" - it will make a lovely personal reference source for future projects.

Sunday 2 September 2012

New Workshop Programme

In case you didn't already know, the new Summer/Autumn Workshop programme is out, and AVG staff are currently poised to take your bookings.  Well, actually, not at this very moment, as it's Sunday afternoon, and even Art Van Go staff are allowed a couple of hours off on a Sunday.
Click HERE for the workshop programe

The first workshop is this coming Wednesday and Thursday, 4th and 5th of September, and there are still some spaces available!  Make the most of this opportunity - Lynda's classes are always very popular and this one sounds very exciting - using thermofax screens, masks and stencils with various mediums to create a small book.  Having enjoyed previous classes with Lynda Monk, (and loving little books) I would definitely be booking this workshop myself, but I have tickets for the Paralympics on Wednesday.

If you like to see some examples of Lynda's work, check out her blog here and, if you haven't used thermofax screens before, they are a really easy way to try screen printing, and Lynda brings a huge selection for students to use.
Highly recommended!