birds and mosaics, mixed media adventures

Well my blog has been a little neglected for the past few months, so thought about time I shared a little of what I've been up to.

During the Summer Skyeworks Gallery had a charity exhibition and this was one of my pieces, made from collage, paint and paperclay. My little blackbird was voted one of the exhibition favourites and is now available as a card. a proportion of the card sales are to go to Scottish Autism.

Time and tide cards

My little blackbird was the first time I had mixed paperclay with collage, but I had made several other bird paperclay mosaics over the Summer.

And new for the festive season, little Robin Mosaics,

Messages in the Breeze, Summer Solstice

Begining of a new piece.

Hello patient blog readers, as usual my poor blog is a little quiet these days, although I am not.

This is the beginning of a new commissioned piece which I have just finished. Virtually all  my pieces start off this way, lots of layers of torn paper.

A while back I did a canvas called messages in the breeze, it was inspired by the old folklaw tales of dandelion seeds being carriers of messages for those loved ones we have lost. This is a new take on the idea, still including the dandelion seeds but using a moonlit sky. The photos show the canvas at various stages.

 And finally..... finished, Messages in the Breeze, Summer solstice.

CD sizes mini crofts!!

Well lots of bits and bobs this week, all however with a theme.

Over the past year I have made more steps to get myself 'out there' and this has been paying dividends!

I have submitted four CD sized pieces for the Inchmore Gallery winter exhibition.

This is a lovely idea where mini artworks are displayed inside clear CD cases. The finished pieces are all priced affordably and make great Christmas gifts.

I visited the gallery last weekend and met Jane Owen Inglis the gallery owner, both to drop off the CD sized pieces and three other large canvas collages which were accepted for their winter exhibition.

mini crofts

Inchmore gallery Inverness

cd sized sewn crofts

the Inchmore is a beautiful airy gallery converted from a lovely old church.

It has a wonderful presence and sense of history and is set near the shores of the picturesque Beauly firth in northern Scotland. I am delighted Jane was so enthused by my work and really appreciate the opportunity to show my work in such a fantastic setting.

The winter exhibition opens on the 22nd of October. I will post details nearer the time for anyone who fancies a trip to a lovely part of the world.

My mini crofts are made from sewn paper, silk and some fabric paints, a bit of everything in other words!

Finally as a little teaser here is a WIP photo of one of my pieces which will be in the winter exhibition.

Work in progress

I will share the finished Mr Fox soon, he does look a little different now in his full winter coat :)

Eagle bowl

Long time ago my followers may remember my mermaid bowl...

                                                                                                                                                     

mermaid bowl

                            


Well i hadn't done a collaged bowl for some time and I wanted to try something new. So here we have my eagle bowl! Made with torn paper and acrylic paint on a papermache substrate. I made it to hang on the wall rather than sit as the bowl shape collects the light and it reflects the gold on the sea eagles feathers. Skye is the home to a couple of eagle species, Sea eagles inhabit the cliffs surrounding Portree bay where little boat trips go out on eagle spotting trips. I've been on several, one in particular saw the eagle fly right down over our boat, a magical experience!

The idea began in my sketchbook

then was painted in black gesso

Then I added the paper fragments

Beneath the surface...

The world is a very different place...

All is not what it seems.

Mixed media on canvas.

mosaic croft houses

Long, long ago...well to be honest in April i think, I gave you a sneaky look at my little paperclay mosaic pieces. 

Well I haven't got round to showing you what I actually did with them!

I know, I know... should have explained a little sooner, but better late than never.

They became these little 'croft house mosaics' all individual and unique.

Made from my hand cut paperclay tiles. I stamp, carve and paint each tile then fit them together like a little jigsaw.

Little beads and jewels are also set in the clay

Detail

Detail

And finally presented box framed and ready to find new homes.

Watching and waiting in blue

Firstly I will say that my blog is as always a place where I show my weekly arty meanderings, I don't get personal or political. However in the real world I am hugely passionate about politics and  how they affect each and every one of our lives.
 Within the U.K the past week has been tumultuous, turbulent and tempestuous. I was saved from  losing all sense of sensibilities by an email via facebook from a lovely lady in Australia who had seen my collage watching and waiting last year at Skyeworks Gallery when she was on holiday on the island. The original watching and waiting sold but she wondered if I could make something similar.

watching and waiting

    So, as a wonderful diversion from watching our political representatives become similar to rats fighting in a sack I set to work making a new watching and waiting in blue.

            
Started making lots of layers of paper and paint on a 10inch x 10 inch wood panel.

and ...... Mr hare is finished !!

 
Now on route to his new home. I'm sure the climate will suit him better in Australia, Its a bit stormy in the U.K at present!!

Hoping the next few weeks bring some sort of calm collective perspective.
                 

Moonlight croft

 Moonlight croft was inspired by a late August evening last year, The photos I took then create even now such strong memories of the scent of meadowsweet heady in the still warm air. There were not many still warm evenings last summer but this was one of them. Perhaps because of the very wet weather last summer there were an abundance of wild flowers.

I like digitally messing around with my photos to give me ideas around colour and composition and this is exactly how moonlight croft began.

Other new bits and pieces are on the go this week. More little croft houses stretched on wood panels. Made from sewn paper.

And other smaller pieces... mini crofts!!
Perhaps wee homes for fairies!

Other news, I have finally float framed my Buttercup hare, It was In the gallery for a wee while but I thought It really needed a frame, so I sent it to the framers and.... Ta dah!

Much better!

Spring croft houses

spring croft

More pieces from my pieces of Skye exhibition. I was emailed this week by a lovely lady called Jen who came to visit me during my open studio day . Last summer her niece visited the Island on holiday and saw my work in one of the islands Galleries, my work is available Skyeworks gallery, The old pier gallery and the Glenview gallery, she pondered over it but didn't buy anything, got home and wished she had bought a piece. So when she heard her Aunt was holidaying on the Island told her to try and find a piece of mine to take back to her. The pieces in the gallery were all new and Jen did not know what to choose, but in the end she chose this framed piece 'croft in spring'. It is made from paper sewn onto a calico backing, little houses played a big part in my pieces of Skye exhibition. Well it seems her niece is delighted, and I am thrilled she has a little piece of Skye to remind her of her holiday.

my textile pieces in skyeworks

little croft houses fill the mirrored shelves

This piece is a combination of sewn paper and acrylic paint

 The houses in the north west highlands have a distinctive feel to them. They seem to nestle down into the hillside, their walls sparkling white, I never tire of painting them or photographing them.

little house at Elgol

As a PS I have finally succumbed to pressure ( Being a staunch Luddite and technophobe) and am now on Facebook as Morag Archer Mixed Media... feel free to drop by, the link is at the top of my side bar. I doubt I will be the most prolific social media devote but I will aim to try harder. :)