Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is gradually settling into the new year, it's back to work for me today and so I am planning the year ahead and reflecting on 2013.  I have to admit the last year has been a challenging one with larger artwork sales varying hugely from month to month but the end of year saw some fantastic sales for some galleries that stock my work so hopefully things are turning a corner.  2013 was challenging in other ways here too, but in a good way, with the introduction of new products requiring more computer based design work than I have ever done before....it was a steep learning curve!  The hard work paid off though with the introduction of a new range of tea towels and some beautiful chairs upholstered with my fabric design.

The new products have been very well received and I am excited to say that cushions and scarves will be following very soon!  

So on to planning the year ahead!  The big plan is to continue to expand the range of digitally printed homewares and accessories alongside new screen printed pieces and I have some exciting new ideas for the original artwork too so lots to get started on.  My first show is the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate so I intend to have everything ready to launch then with a new look to my stand this year.  I love doing this show as it's a rare chance to catch up with other artists/designer makers and see what everyone is working on, a real inspiration.

But first things first, before the new stock arrives I am having a major clear out in the studio to free up some space and reorganise things once again to try and work on the different areas of my business more effectively.  It's always a challenge to fit in all of the different areas that I work in, from large screen printing frames, messy dyes and pastes to sewing and finishing areas and a clean area for screen printing the lavender bags and wooden pieces, not to mention a packing area and somewhere for the computer and printer!  But I intend to try so I will be having a January sale on the website of some older work/samples/pieces that I find in the sort out!  If you want to know when things are becoming available you can either follow me on twitter @catheringreen (no 'e' at the end of Catherine!) or like my facebook page.

Also for all the makers out there I will be MAKING MYSELF get rid of any books, materials, picture frames....basically anything that I no longer need and will be putting these on Ebay in the coming weeks so if you want to grab a bargain watch out for those too!

SO.....January is the month to get those new ideas finalised, plan everything that I want to achieve into the year ahead and have a major sort out to make everything work much more effectively in the process.  What does everyone else have planned for 2014?????

Screen printing

I am gradually getting back into the swing of things after the summer holidays and have started on some new screen printed work today so thought it would be a good day to add a few pics to the blog.  I had a busy day on Friday getting all of my images prepared and exposed onto screens ready to start printing today (lots of lovely mark making with lids, sticks...whatever came to to hand!).  I bought some new fabric to  start on this collection of pieces as it will form the start of a new range of work, ready for the Country Living Christmas Fair in Harrogate, so it needed to be readily available when more is needed.  I will be taking all of my original devore pieces to the show but wanted to add to this with the more affordable work (Christmas present prices!) which has proved popular in the past, such as the printed applique work.

This pile is the order in which everything arrived, and the order in which I picked each colour.  I started off with sensible shades and as you can tell everything just got brighter and brighter!  Here are a few pictures of the process...

 

I have been having fun printing and over printing ready to cut the fabric up and piece together into some lovely, bright lavender bags and artwork in mounts.  Here's one I made a couple of months ago as a tester for something with a winter theme...

I will post some more pics when I have finished some more designs in the brighter colourways but will just leave you with a picture of an old letterpress drawer which is going to make a rather nice display for my badges etc with a bit of tlc......

And then it was gone...

No sooner had I got the gallery all organised than it was almost empty again.  Most of the work, 14 pieces to be precise, has gone to The Arc in Chester along with the full range of prints, cards and a selection of mini pictures.  The whole point is to get work out into the galleries and sold but I do like it when my little gallery space is bursting at the seams with work and I can show people a range of work.  Of course the only answer is to get working on some new pieces...such hardship!

I have also started planning for Christmas and will be in full production of screenprinted goodies over the summer ready to get selling in the Autumn.  I have to find things in the summer that I can do from home with the long school holidays so I will be exposing some screens at the studio and setting up a little studio in the kitchen to print away at home....I might even get printing in the garden if we ever see the summer this year!

So, for now, I am getting up to date with orders and exhibitions, the to do list is gradually getting shorter and I can see the July finishing post in sight.  I have dropped my three pieces of work at Holmfirth Artweek which starts this Sunday and a collection of cards and badges and have made a start on pieces for new exhibitions, so all that's left now is to get the studio tidy and I will be something resembling organised...surely not???

I will leave you with a glimpse of the sun taken in a lovely woven structure in the gardens at Dunham Massey, lets hope it reappears again soon...

Gallery

I've had a sort out in the new gallery space and it's looking almost how I want it so here are a few pictures taken using the Instagram app on my phone...

Been busy.....

So it's been a while, no surprise, since I wrote last and I have moved to a new studio...again!  I had just about got myself organised when my husband, who had the office above (and connected to) my workshop decided he could no longer manage without central heating and informed me that he had spotted a lovely old building up for rent.  So....to cut a long story short we are now in the centre of Gomersal, opposite the Co-op!  Mark has a smaller office at the front of the building next to my 'gallery' room and I have the studio which runs the length of the building.  We have a kitchen area and small outdoor space at the back and it seems to be working rather well, and it's WARM!  We have the luxury of central heating and I have found this makes a huge difference to drying times and the central location means lots of passing visitors.  We are excited about getting some lovely banners and signage outside the building, hopefully next week, and I will take some photographs then.  Even though we have been here since the end of January I am still not quite organised (shock!) but have finally got the gallery area to a point where I am happy with it so I am getting there.

One of the reasons for taking so long to get organised in the new space is that I did the British Craft Trade Fair again in April and got a pleasing amount of orders from the show meaning that I am extremely busy until the end of July (see website for more!).  It certainly seemed quieter than in previous years but new enquiries and order increased so I think the genuine buyers were still there!

Well I think I have rambled enough for one post and I will try my very best not to leave it as long in the future.

I will leave you with an image of a new piece of work that I am really pleased with...

Mini Artwork

New mini artwork is now available in my online shop!  I have created some smaller pieces recently to add to the shop in time for Christmas in the same style as my larger pieces but these are individually screen printed to allow for repeats of different designs.  Each piece is printed onto previously dyed fabric so each is unique as the pattern and colour on each piece of fabric is different.  So far the wren design is proving the most popular...take a look and see what you think......http://catherinegreen.co.uk/Online-shop/Mini-artwork-collection.

It has been a while since I last blogged (surprise, surprise!) and I have been caught up in the pre-Christmas madness as usual.  The exhibition at Leeds Craft and Design Centre is now up and I have been so pleased with the response to my working, selling all 4 of the first delivery of work....happy days!

I have also got an exhibition of my work at The Black Swan Hotel in Helmsley through Gallery Beyond in Nunnington.  I am told that my work can be seen in the newly decorated bar and has gone down very well with a few comments on Twitter already.

New work is also now available at Finestra Gallery in Kirkby Lonsdale as I made a long awaited trip up there to restock.  It's been really difficult finding time to get out recently with orders to fulfil; I sent work to Bluestone Gallery in Wiltshire with my parents who were going on holiday down that way!  But I am finally catching up and am on track to be up to date for Christmas.

Just a quick mention before I go about Holmfirth Art Market.  I was lucky enough to be selected to show my work here in November and was pleasantly surprised at how well the day went and how many sales I made.  The stand was set up fairly quickly as the access to the indoor market was great and the visitors were all very appreciative of the work on offer...the only slight hiccup was when my Mum managed to spill a cup of coffee over my new clean covers.....but we aren't allowed to mention that (oops!).

Here's an image of one of the mini artworks.....bye for now.

August News

Yet again, it's been a while but I have been busy making a few changes to the studio that I am quite excited about!  The studio next door to mine at the Old Tannery became available recently and it was just too good an opportunity to miss.  Not only does it offer extra space but a separate room looking onto the front of the building, which I can use as a permanent display area, and also a loo, making it completely self contained.  When I start running workshops again it will be a fantastic space to work in with a separate area to relax and enjoy lunch and my existing studio will be used as a wash out area.  I have already made a few changes to the space creating a whole wall of storage, those who know me will now why (major hoarder), and adding a small partition wall to the front to partially screen off the working area.  I have also been going a bit mad on Ebay and buying a few vintage furniture pieces to dress the display area.....any excuse for a bit of retail therapy!

The new space will be finished and fully functioning by the end of the summer holidays and I am planning on a launch date of the 17th/18th September as I have decided, after changing my mind many times, to take part in HOST again this year, so hopefully I will get a few visitors to come along and enjoy the new space with me!

Here's a picture of a fairly new piece of work as I can't do a blog post without an image....