Wessex Textile Artists

We've been busy setting up the new exhibition for the Wessex Textile Artists at Highcliffe Castle, nr Christchurch, Dorset. Tomorrow is 'Meet the Artist's Day' and we will all be there, ready to show you our work and talk about the pieces, if required. On the other hand, some of us, possibly moi, might be skulking in the coffee shop, where the cakes are rather good. Seriously, we'd love to see you and I shall be blogging tomorrow with pics of the event and the work. Here is a taster.
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Maggie Hills makes these delicious little landscapes - and she's moving into chickens! All will be explained tomorrow.

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If Maggie's keen on chickens I am, as you all know, rather fond of fish. especially fossil fishes so some of my pieces are based on these. They also tie in with my title line for this exhibition which is 'Articles of Faith'. The fish is an early Christian symbol - the others are more obscure. I'll show you on tomorrow's blog.
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I was also asked to include my piece 'Binary Humanity' which went to the Susan Lenz exhibition in the USA. Not sure that it fits in articles of faith as it is all about the internet. I guess we all have to have faith in it working, since we depend on it so much.
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Do come to Highcliffe tomorrow if you can make it. I have a couple of free passes (it costs a small amount as an admission charge). If anyone local is interested, email me for details maggie@workshopontheweb.com and I'll meet you outside.
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Thank you so much for all the messages about Stevens. I am sad but feel it was the right thing. Stevens was a terrific mouser and Smudge is doing his best to keep up the tradition. However, he hasn't quite grasped the fact that it's not supposed to be a social occasion. Here he is having a chat - it's all a bit like Garfield, isn't it?

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I'm still looking for the Silhouette cutter, Wabbit - sounds good. I shall run it to earth soon, I hope. I'm going to be loaned one of the Bernina stitcher/cutters which sounds most exciting. I have lots of ideas and will report on my progress. Because of Italy, it is likely to be the beginning of June before I get my hands on it.
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Love the idea of the handwritten blogs Gina and Gill. Of course I remember that workshop, Gill - but the one with you that I most remember is when Val came to give the class a talk on computer design. She was telling us how she never paid for software - then we introduced her to 'the old bill' sitting in the audience! I still laugh about that one.
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Mags R - let me know the name of the cutter if you remember it.
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I had a lovely email from Anji Holroyd, who had just sold this great piece at her open studio event. It's quite big and she was very flattering about how Workshop on the Web helped to put it together. Thanks Anji - it's a great piece.
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I shall be back tomorrow with news of the exhibition (or Thursday depending on the state of exhaustion). I'm also hoping to have news that finally Sue Rangeley's book will be with us - it's being loaded on a lorry as we speak, so this weekend it should be available. Fiona and I have been putting together some super give-aways for early-bird orders so get on Fiona's 'let me know' list fiona@d4daisy.com.