New space and new faces.....

The builders have finish!! It has been a long time in the planning stage but we have finally got a new space for our card business. A small but functioning garage conversion is the now home for our stock with a space for our new team of card makers. Helping us out over the summer months we have two young ladies joining the business. Welcome to Jenny and Lindsey.

 

Jenny Alderson is creative 16 year old who has just sat her GCSE's. Jenny is a brilliant artist herself and enjoys painting,  visiting exhibitions, listening to music and is a talented musician herself playing the violin in the North Tyneside Youth Chamber Orchestra. Jenny's favourite gallery is the Salt Mills in Bradford. I've just checked out their website and they have a great David Hockney exhibition on at the moment called Fresh Flowers, it looks worth a visit.  

Lindsey Small has also just finished her GCSE's and is progressing onto A Level Art next year with ambitions to progress to be a high school art teacher. She is a fabulous artist, with a very individual style. She is deeply inspired by surrealist paintings and altered reality. Some of her favourite artists include Ben Tour and Mark Ryden. Musical Lindsey plays the guitar and violin and loves to go to gigs and festivals. She is heading off to Leeds festival at the end of the Summer to see bands 30 seconds to Mars and Frank Turner. Ross and I are being educated on music and its great to have something new to listen to while we work!! 

You are never too young to get creative!

My own creativity has been on the back burner lately since the birth of my baby boys but I decided enough was enough. It was time to get the paints out again! It's never too early to introduce children to a bit of mess and creativity. As you can see Fraser has a  more expressive style where as Finley took his painting more seriously. 

I am planning to get back to some real painting in the Autumn with a bit of helpful babysitting from their grandparents:-)



Time for tea.

Awaiting us at the studio last week was our delivery of new mugs from Dunoon Ceramics. Last year I worked on three new coastal village paintings for Dunoon and it is great to see the finished products!

The mugs are now available to buy online through our webshop, through Dunoon stockists nationwide or find us at a craft fair this summer.

Spring in our step.......

Spring Fair 2011 at the NEC Birmingham is upon us again. Ross and my brother Jason travelled down yesterday to set up our stand in the Greetings Card hall. Ross is going it alone this year as I am at home on maternity leave looking after our boys who were recently discharged from the special care baby unit. I love the work they have done on my stand and thanks to Jason for making the new "Wishart" sign!

It has been a busy time lately but we are looking forward to the year ahead and hope to gain lots of orders at the show. 

New designs on our stand this year include our garden bird collection.

For trade orders contact Ross or Joanne through the contacts page of the website. Thanks  

Ouseburn Open Studios

Another exciting weekend for your diary! The 26^th – 28^th November is set for the much anticipated Ouseburn Open Studios. I have vivid memories from last year of anxious queuing outside the Mushroom Works, a rampage when the doors were finally opened and then, not what I would call an altogether civilized, buying frenzy! Definitely the most hectic art exhibition I’ve ever experienced! With the great success we had last year, I can only imagine what this year will bring us.

For those of you who have yet to make it to the Ouseburn Open Studios, allow me to explain what this exciting weekend beholds. Within the hidden treasure of Ouseburn, eight creative venues will be opening their doors to the public creating a great opportunity to talk to the artists within their studios. Most of the venues this year will be hosting workshops, artist led demonstrations or other activities for all the family. There is also a huge variety of affordable work to buy from paintings, sculpture, jewellery and prints. Following on from the success of last year, Mushroom Works will be hosting their 20 x 20 exhibition. Artists create a 20cm squared artwork at a price of just £20! This is such a popular event for early Christmas present hunters, but it’s too good an opportunity not to grab an original artwork for yourself too! I limited myself to buying 3 pieces last year for presents, however 2 of them are now hanging proudly in my bedroom!

Every spare moment Joanne has had over the past few months has been spent preparing her 20 x 20s. Here’s a sneak peak of one she’s been working on.

All the information you need is on the Mushroom Works website at www.mushroomworks.com

The opening times are:

Friday 26th November 6pm-8pm (preview night at Mushroom works only)

Saturday 10am - 5pm (all venues)

Sunday 11am - 4pm (all venues)

Hopefully see you all there!

Written by Katie

Biscuit Factory Preview Night

As Joanne is otherwise engaged with some new additions to the family, I thought I would keep you updated with news of their recent events. 

The Christmas spirit was definitely in the air at the Biscuit Factory on Saturday evening. The new Winter Exhibition 2010 was officially revealed and with the great turnout the night was a great success. There is such a variety of work by local and national artists being showcased. Among the much-loved Newcastle landscape paintings and hare sculptures, there is a large collection of pieces from new artists to the gallery. 

 With people browsing for early Christmas presents, sparkling wine being handed out and frost on the windows, it was a perfect night to browse some artwork! On the ground floor, Joanne was set up with her very own exhibition space. It was great to see her work placed in yet another gallery and gathering the interest of eager buyers. Three of her originals were sold before the new exhibition was even officially opened! As you can imagine Joanne and Ross have led a rather hectic life over the past month after the arrival of two little boys! So it was great to see Joanne again, showing off the new originals in her collection. All that’s needed now is to prepare ourselves for the chaotic Ouseburn Open Studios! Wish us luck!

Written by Katie