It’s been several months since my last artwork article and I thought I would respond to SB’s request for more articles by submitting an update on latest purchases etc. Hope you enjoy it.
You may recall me mentioning a brief visit to York in part 3 of my “Holiday in Scotland” series last year. Whilst there we came across a shop run by Gerard Hobson, a printmaker. Gerard creates his prints from linocuts but rather than using colour when creating the print he hand paints each one afterwards, meaning each print is unique – a technique we hadn’t previously come across. Gerards’s shop (now since closed – he still sells from his website) was full of prints and other items carrying his designs (see picture below).
Having nosed around all the prints on view we chose a framed print called “Tsi-kuk”, which now takes pride of place in our lounge.
I have since purchased 3 smaller prints, one of which occupies the down-stair cloakroom (we haven’t decided where the others are to go yet).
Roll forward in time to mid-June this year and Mrs Reggie and I spent two very enjoyable days at the Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey. The event runs annually here, with two additional events in Cheltenham (March and October). With over 200 makers presenting their creations, there really is something for everyone.
On the first day of our visit, the weather was forecast to be one of the hottest days of the year and so it proved. In fact, it was far too hot as the marquees became like mini ovens and after a few hours we were forced to head back to our accommodation, returning the following day when the conditions were far more suitable for browsing.
The first item which caught my eye was a linocut print by a local artist, Nigel Grist. “Four and Twenty Blackbirds” is a clever play on words and the overall effect of the design pleasing to the eye. It’s now taking place in a recently decorated room (but now in a black frame).
Some hours and a hundred or so stalls later we spotted an unusual lamp being displayed on a furniture makers stall. The design appealed to us and was ideal for replacing a lamp which we had been looking to swap for something more suitable. The maker, Peter Lanyon, creates some rather nice furniture and other items from wood, some of which can be viewed here:- https://www.peterlanyonfurniture.co.uk/
We finished off our trip there with some other prints from another maker but I will leave them for another article once they have been framed.
Part 2 will feature some glass art.
© text & images Reggie 2021
