Quilt collection at the American Museum ... and on US stamps

The American Museum at Claverton, Bath has a wonderful collection of hand made quilts from early 1800s to modern times. You can get in very close to examine the intricate work which is on display in the Quilt room and regularly rotated to ensure that the quilts are maintained and preserved at their very best.

I'm hoping to combine my interest in stamp collage, with making my own stamp quilt, but in a much smaller size, suitable for framing, having been inspired by this great collection. I have a large amount of US stamps which will be just perfect - just hope I've got as much patience as the American quilters obviously had!

The stamps shown below depict one of the quilt motifs seen at the Museum.  I also came across other memorabilia in the museum which has been the subject of US stamp issues and will feature these on a different post.

Embroidered detail from a patchwork quilt  on display in the American Museum in Bath

I was pleased to see this design as I had recently found a set of US Stamps depicting this popular basket motif
(see below)

Nine patch quilt

I'm always interested to see fine hand-crafted items and these quilts are very special!

Cheltenham Open Studios - including venue No 49 at All Saints Church, All Saints Road

Rose window by Edward Burne-Jones

It's not often I get to exhibit my work in such as beautiful location as this! As part of the Artshape team, where I assist with classes on a regular basis, I was asked to take part in Cheltenham Open Studios for the first time this year. All Saints Church is a very welcoming place and we met some lovely people this morning!
It's always a pleasure to steward a mixed exhibition and see other artists' work but the added bonus today was to see the permanent works of art which belong to this church, and the beautiful stained glass windows, including one by Burne-Jones.  The exhibition includes work by tutors, volunteers, and students of Artshape and provides the opportunity to see their work in a very spacious setting. The exhibition is open every day from 10.00 until 16.00 and runs until Sunday 16th June. (There is a service on Sunday morning but the exhibition will be there until the afternoon.)

A wall of stamps ...

A friend of mine recently commented about the increasing amount of stamp themed soft furnishings and decorative items on the market.  I think this is a really good thing as it is raising the profile of stamp collecting generally and the interest in stamps, and how beautiful they can be.  They always make a great talking point.k
I came across a website called www.purlfrost.com which features bespoke wallpapers which have stamps themed to include Ships, Flowers, Cycling and Sport.  I'd love to have one of these designs on one of my own walls.

Or if that's a little too much, perhaps a cushion or curtains made from fabric printed with a postage stamp design.

Alternatively, you could just hang one of my many stamp collage originals or prints on your wall. Ships are always a popular subject so take a look at my Ships section to see the various designs which I've created.   These are available as prints, both on paper and as a canvas print, sized as required.    

 The S S Robin  stamp collage 

Saint Martin of Tours - 326-397 AD

In Oxford last week-end and I noticed a small statue of St Martin of Tours I had not previously seen.  It is located next to the Carfax tower, which is the only remaining part of the old St Martin's church demolished many years ago to make way for street alterations in the city centre.

Some time ago I was working on  a series of stamp collages featuring Saints and St Martin was one of the small number I completed. Having researched his life I discovered that his father was a high ranking officer in the Roman army and encouraged his son to enlist at the age of 15, the terms being that he would stay in the army for a minimum of 25 years. Although Martin was not happy to be in the army, he was said by the biographer Sulpicius to have been a model soldier. Martin encountered a beggar outside the gates of Amiens and cut his cloak in half to give to him.  Soon after this, he had a dream in which he was called to give up life in the Roman army to become a soldier of Christ.  Happily he was allowed to leave the army and subsequently became Bishop of Tours in 371.  He is the patron saint of beggars, outcasts, horsemen, soldiers, tailors and innkeepers.

Statue of St Martin next to the Carfax tower in Oxford city centre

Mixed media collage with stamps, showing St Martin cutting his cloak in half to give to a beggar outside the walls of Amiens

This image is also as a card and high quality print on paper. 

Other Saints in the series currently include St Francis of Assisi,

St Nicholas of Myra and St Joan of Arc. 

Coronation Postage stamps issued in 1953

When making my stamp collages I try to include stamps relevant to the theme and the Union Jack commemmorating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and her Coronation in 1953 includes both the red two and a half  penny (D) and  blue four penny (d) stamps issued the day after the event. I'm often asked if any of the stamps are very valuable and haven't to my knowledge every included anything very rare. The souvenir pull-out supplement in yesterday's Daily Telegraph carried an article about the stamps. It states that "415,034,000 of the 2 and a half D stamp " were issued!  Also, during the month of the Coronation a special postmark was used  with the crown and the words, Long Live the Queen - this was only used at some of the larger post offices in the UK.
My collage includes the 4d blue and the  red 2.5 D which, has been postmarked with these words!