A chip off the block - Lino printing

Exciting news, I'm leading a one day workshop at Newcastle Arts Centre on the 12th December!

I'm really excited (and a little nervous) about doing this workshop as I love lino printing and it will be great to spread the word about this lovely print technique. It will be a fun and relaxed workshop,where we will look at the design of your plate, as well as cutting and inking techniques. We will also explore how you will be able to use your new skill at home and other surfaces you can print on. 

The workshop is well timed for Christmas so you could come and make a gift or card, alternatively you could make a plate for any occasion so you can enjoy using it at home.

For details on how to book your place please visit http://www.newcastle-arts-centre.co.uk/

A selection of my lino plates.

First post of 2014!

Happy New Year everyone and I hope 2014 treats you all kindly :-)

It's been a little while, I know and I'm sad I've neglected my little blog, but things at Ballistic Owl have been a bit busy on the run up to festive season. As previously mentioned in my Ink, cards and robins post, I've been working my four days in the fabulous Details art shop. It has been lovely to help people with their purchases of arty gifts for loved ones to open on Christmas day.

If you love creating things then why not drop by and see what we have! Details is a great place to get all the media for your projects and we have a frame shop on the premises so you can have your master pieces framed. Stock includes, papers for all media, oil, gouache, watercolour and acrylic paints, pastels, pencil crayons and canvas. We also have lino and printing ink, so those of you who print can get supplies too.

Details is part of the Newcastle Arts Centre and is located on Westgate Road just around the corner from Newcastle train station. The lovely gift shop is at the front and sells work by local artists and designer makers, as you walk through the gift shop you'll see the gallery space and then Details itself.

Details art shop, full to the brim of great art materials.

The other activity that has kept me busy involved preparing my work for a gallery in Sunderland called Creative Cohesion, an art collective that converted an old garage near Sunniside  and are now promoting many creative practise's in the Sunderland area. They organise workshops, markets and loads of other great stuff for all ages to drop in and do something creative, from glass blowing to sewing.

Here are a few of the pieces I took down and enjoyed working on and are available to buy in the gallery.

 Bird in the flower bed. Ballistic Owl 2013

 Green Humming bird. Ballistic Owl 2013

Autumn Owl. Ballistic Owl 2013

A collection of screen printed home accessories. Ballistic Owl 2013

I'm now working on new projects and in the process of creating a new textile piece, as well as drawing and being inspired by some of the photos taken on my new camera. Here's a couple taken on Christmas day at one of our favourite nature reserves.

 Nuthatch having a spot of breakfast. Ballistic Owl 2013

Sprucing up the feathers. Ballistic Owl 2013

Thank you for popping by and hopefully it won't be so long between posts next time!

Ink, card and robins.

There have been some changes in routine here at Ballistic Owl, for those of you who follow me on Facebook you will already know why, but for those who don't, perhaps you could join in the owly fun over on www.facebook.com/BallisticOwl. I post updates as and when they happen and little studio bits and bobs, as well as inspirational images from my travels about the region. 

Anyway for those of who don't know I now have a job four days a week in the fabulous Newcastle Arts Centre  in Details art store. It's a great place to work and I've met some lovely people and starting to recognise the regular customers. The shop stocks a vast array of media and materials from tracing paper to artist quality oil paints and anything inbetween.

I've been enjoying my time in the studio more as time here is more concentrated than before, but in a good way. It means I have to plan my activities such a this week,  where I've been making my own Christmas cards, something I've not done for a while. I had a great day printing and getting the ink out and covering the room with prints on Monday and had already made a start on my robins, but did more of those on Monday afternoon while my prints dried. Today (Friday) I've finished off my robins and I'm now assembling my cards, with the wishful thinking I'll get them written on Sunday!

Screen printing session

First few robins being made

All felted and outlines stitched (sure there's a pattern in there somewhere!) 

A finished card!

I've also been enjoying drawing (with a little purchase from the shop!), I love drawing and I've got loads of media to play with, but these pencil crayons are beautiful. They're Faber-Castell polychromos and beautifully smooth to draw with and blend well too. There's 120 crayons in the series and I have 47, so I may be on the look out for the others too!

An evenings entertainment.

So remember if you want to keep up with my studio snippets pop over and find my page on Facebook or follow on twitter. I will continue to write my blog with news too, so do keep popping by.