Time to say - Merry Christmas, Happy New Year - and Goodbye

Well, its been a very long time, hasn't it.
Not that my posts here have ever been very frequent I'm afraid.
The thing is, I have moved - to Norfolk, just over a year ago now, which is absolutely  lovely ...

Yep, they ARE seals ....

AND the Household Cavalry (different beaches, different times, obviously!)

I have lots of time to spend with my family, and for walks on the beach ...

However, the downside is that I'm not able to pop into our favourite fabulous art emporium as often as I used to, so we've decided its time to wind up the blog.

But, for much more up-to-date news on what's happening you can check out Facebook, and there's a new look website HERE, (where you can now shop online!) and of course you can sign up for email newsletters, for all the latest on workshops, exhibitions and other exciting events (sign up on the homepage of the website)

So, sorry I'm not been very active here, but I just wanted to say a belated goodbye from me, and to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy,and healthy New Year!

Love Gill xx

Workshops with Alex Waylett

Myself and my friend Lynn live miles apart and consequently don't see each other that often, but now and again we take the opportunity to book onto a workshop at Art VanGo to have a lovely day being creative and catching up.  So, on Wednesday we joined some other lucky ladies to take part in a machine embroidery workshop led by Alex Waylett.

As a bonus, we only needed to take our machines and threads, as Alex supplied a huge rainbow of fabulous fabrics, not to mention extra threads for us to use and glitz in the form of sequin and beads etc.

Firstly we chose our fabrics, then snipped, layered and machine stitched, using zig zag and automatic patterns.  We then made the resulting sumptuous fabric into little freestanding 'boxes' 

If that wasn't enough, we went on to make cards with the 'offcuts'  - I think the first two are mine and the third is Lynn's but don't sue me if I'm wrong!

If you missed it, the good news is that Alex has two more workshops coming up in May, and if you're quick there are still some spaces.  

The first one is on Friday 8th May - entitled 'Pebbles' 

click HERE for more details 

and the second one, on the following Friday 15th May - 'Embroidered Clutch bags'.

As an example, here are some beautiful bags made by the ladies of North Herts and Beds Embroiderers' Guild under Alex's guidance.

AND, if you decide to book onto both workshops, you can use the 'Pebbles' fabric made in the first workshop to construct into a clutch bag the following Friday, and then you'll end up with something like this

Mine's the one with the pink heart, surprise surprise.  I don't have much call for an evening bag, but it looks SO pretty left on the shelf (much like me.)

In Residence - tomorrow

In Residence

29th November 2014  10.30-3pm

Clare Bullock

Lynda Monk

Sharon Osborne

This is the last 'In Residence' of 2014 so come along  and share

thoughts and ideas while you observe these inspiring artists working

in the gallery area.

Drop in any time to see the artists at work in their respective areas - 

feltmaking; thermofax printing; mixed media and stitch!

There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and exchange ideas with 

other visitors in this relaxed session.   

There might even be a mince-pie or two......

(if I can steel myself to buy mince-pies in November) 

but certainly there will be a cuppa!

As usual, there is no charge for the In Residence sessions - just pop in!  

New Exhibition - knot.just.stitch

We have a new exhibition in the gallery - 

knot.just.stitch

Jen Henley, Joan Noble, Celia Smith & Susie Stone

knot.just.stitch formed in September 2011, meeting monthly at Jen’s home in Ealing, London W5. They are four friends who met through workshops at Art Van Go. 

They say ..

"We wanted to develop our work with monthly workshops under the guidance of a tutor and were fortunate to have an outstanding tutor, Amarjeet Nandhra, agree to work with us. Amarjeet is a well-known textile artist who, with Dawn Thorne, runs the Windsor School of Textile Art in Bracknell.

As a group we have grown in confidence and are beginning to find our own voices.  Our work uses varied approaches and techniques, many learnt during workshops taken at Art Van Go.  Amarjeet challenges us, as we challenge ourselves. The diversity of our work, demonstrates an exploration of mixed media whilst trying to push our personal boundaries"

I don't have any images for you - but having seen the work of these textile artists in the past - come along, you are in for a treat!

Summer Sizzler Exhibition

Just a small preview of the fabulous work that is currently exhibited in the gallery - all from the Tyttenhanger Painting Group,

Jill Rolfe -

Malini Croxson -

 Jenny Stratfold -

and  Donna Chamberlain -

The exhibition is on now and runs until 4th September.

Gina Ferrari Workshop

A few weeks ago, my friend Lynn, as mentioned in previous post, and I attended a lovely machine embroidery workshop entitled  'Stitches and Doodles' with tutor Gina Ferrari a few weeks ago.

(See more of Gina's work on her blog HERE)

(I did mean to post pictures of it straight away, but you know how it is.....)

Gina showed us examples of the things we could achieve with the machine 'doodling' technique she was showing us.  The notebooks would make fab gifts for arty friends -

Whilst for the more romantic amongst you -

and then for the Domestic Goddesses -

Or canvases to adorn your walls -

The students were wide ranging in Machine Embroidery experience - my friend Lynn, as a couple of others, had done little or no machine embroidery, and there were others who had done loads - but trust me, you always learn something new from Gina.  

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of Gina demonstating Machine Embroidery - she must have been unusually camera shy, so I'll have to use this recent off-duty photo of her -

(Gina's the one on the left)

I did, however,  remember to take some photos of the samples and 'work-in-progress' that the students produced -

A record of the day -

Lynn took to machine embroidery like a duck to water (I nearly typed 'horse to water' but I think I was mixing my metaphors)

 - this is all her own work ....

and in fact, when I next saw her at AVG she showed the book cover completed

 

See what you can achieve at a Gina Ferrari workshop!  

Gina will be back at AVG on Tuesday 9th September, teaching another Machine Embroidery workshop using collaged fabrics.  If you look at her blog you'll see some brilliant bags that she has made with this techniques.  Make a note of this one - it's an addition to the Workshop Programme!

It would be lovely if you left a comment - then we'd know if anyone is reading this - thanks!