Making a Bolt for it

Tomorrow I am going to the BOLT exhibition in Kenilworth. This is a super group who do some wonderful work - Jean Littlejohn is their mentor and a member of the exhibiting group - so it is very flattering to be asked to open their exhibition. I am practising my opening speech on the cat. This will make sure that it is not too long - the cat has a short attention span.

The invitations are great - computer printed and tacked to felt - see below.

I first saw their work at the Art Van Go Studio in 2005, so I know we are in for a treat. They are at the Jane Powell Art Studio until 11th August (not Mondays), so if you can get there, you'll love it. One reason why I enjoy seeing this group is that they show their sketchbooks, which are delicious artworks in their own right. I'll try to get some pics to show you.

It has been a very busy day today, tying up lots of loose ends. So much, in fact, that it's time for some bullet points. So far I have:

• Finished proofing September's Workshop on the Web (great issue)


• Finished Harry Potter (great ending)


• Finished the text part of the 'Image to Stitch' book (took great effort)


• Put together another of the boards of Val's work for the exhibition (great work)

Here are a couple of the pieces from the Val box. There is so much that I don't know if these will go in. Jane Lemon and I wanted to show some of her teaching pieces and this is a good example. The piece below shows lots of textural snippets, from scrim to lace, embellished on to acrylic felt. It could be zapped to add more texture and this is shown at one end. The pieces could also be stitched down if you don't have an embellisher.

Then the whole thing is painted with white emulsion paint. Yes, the stuff we paint on the walls. After this, it is coated with black Quink ink which reacts with the emulsion to give a lovely blue-grey colour.

When dry, a little gold paint gives that finishing touch. Good, eh?