Countdown to Chelsea

Only seven weeks left until I go to the Chelsea Flower Show…so much to do and so little time to do it.

As the weeks slip by and I cross off another week of my planner I can feel myself getting more worried and less excited by the prospect of undertaking the biggest show of my career. 

When I started making sculptures after the end of my degree it was a dream of mine to one day show with the RHS and in-particular Chelsea Flower Show, now that dream is about to become reality the weight of it feels immense. 

A couple of nights ago, I awoke at 2am with my head swimming with all the things I needed to do, other projects that needed to be wrapped up, people to ring and email. So out came the to-do-pad, and everything that I had been thinking off was written down across the coming seven weeks. I felt better straight away and began to feel my head clearing.

So far I have crossed out a few things that have been completed for this weeks schedule and it feels really good to cross something out. There is something about placing a tick next to a task, it fills me with satisfaction every time and happily shout out to anyone nearby “that’s another one of the list”.

So Chelsea, what will happen when I get there, will I feel like Dorothy when she gets to the Emerald city? to be continued…

Couriers v's personal delivery

Trying out new methods of getting sculptures around the UK.

Over the last few years when ever I have been involved in an exhibition I have personally hired a van and travelled to shows to deliver and install my work in person. Often this can take a day or two to complete depending on where in the country the work is being shown. 

But since I took on the challenge of creating a stand for Chelsea Flower Show my time has been very limited and I still need to get my work shown in other exhibitions and can’t afford the time to deliver in person.

So I have enlisted the help of a local courier to deliver my work on my behalf, all seemed a good idea until it came to the work being collected and I suddenly became very anxious about handing over my work. I got flustered trying to explain the best way to handle the work and although I had every faith in the courier to deliver my work safely and securely I could not help but worry. Do all artist’s feel this way?

Another first for me was a sculpture garden sending their own member of staff to collect my work, I felt a bit better with this arrangement as they have experience dealing with art on a day to day basis. It still felt strange though waving off the van knowing that someone else would be putting my largest piece of sculpture together when it arrives at the venue. What if they don’t put it together properly?

Oh dear I have rambled a bit, I will let you know how the sculptures are when they arrive at their destinations… to be continued.

Green Garden Project-Workshop 4

A great sculpture making session with some lovely pieces being created.

The 4th session of the Green Garden Project saw the participants sketches and photographs from the trip, taken into ideas for forms and shapes that could be used for sculptures, then following on to become ideas for the finished sculptures.

The frames of mild steel were created at the studio, as the risks to the participants to create the metal work were too great.

The participants created willow bands to create a strong frame that sits upon the metal frame. On the framework was woven a second layer to join up all the bands and to create a further framework for the final sculptural layer of willow.

Everyone who took part worked well with the willow and created strong frames, some have already begun starting to add their decorative layer.

Photos to follow next week!

Green Garden Project-Workshop 3

What a great day out, lots of sketching and inspiration.

This the 3rd instalment in the Green Garden Project, saw the participants visiting the nature reserve for some inspiration, taking photos and sketching.

We had a lovely walk to the bird hide to take in the scenery and wildlife and also made full use of the visitors centre and their nice coffee and biscuits. It was  a hit with everyone who came along and had them all raving about it all the way back to the art rooms.

Some of the comments from today:

“I’ve tried my best and finished 3 sketches, It’s been a really wonderful day, really enjoyed it and I’m definitely coming back next week”

“Really enjoyed it and I’m glad we came along”

“Brilliant, nice to get out. I really appreciate it”

“Very nice, lots of interesting things”

“I thought today was fantastic and a great way to get people together and get people out who don’t usually go out a lot.”

“A perfect environment to go to, the space, no traffic and being able to talk”

“I really enjoyed being outside, I love the outdoors!”