Vintage Portuguese embroidery patterns inspire new collage work ...

In  Lisbon recently, we visited  the flea market  in the Alfama district, a colourful and bustling location, and I found these attractive 1960s embroidery and tapestry patterns, which open up to large poster size and could possibly be framed as such.   

I covered some notebooks with one of them, and am now taking inspiration from an image of a pretty flower basket from the cover of another to make a series of collages using stamps from many countries.  The stamps I'm using for the borders are from Ukraine and all depict leaves and fruits. To create the basket work for two of my collages,  I've used George VI definitives which have a great pattern,  almost like wickerwork . 

Flowers and foliage are cut from stamps with floral images, or made in the shapes of leaves and flowers.  It's a work in progress,  but at least I've made a start after a period of artist's

Japanese Watercolours - sale of work by Katsumi Harada in Chippenham

When we decided to go to Japan on holiday almost two years ago, I wanted to try and learn a few basic phrases in Japanese, and was very lucky to find an amazing teacher, Junko Lake, who has become a very good friend as well as continuing to teach me!  We've had some wonderful times together, and recently visited the Hokusai Exhibition at the British museum.  I learned that her late father, Katsumi Harada was a very talented artist too. She has many of his beautiful watercolour paintings which I have also seen and admired. Unable to keep all of them, as there are very many, Junko is having a sale of some of these small pictures shortly, on two separate dates.  She hopes that others will appreciate the beauty of his work and that his name will live on in this way!

Here are the details of the forthcoming sales in Chippenham:

Open Studios Stroud - my studio in Bisley Road open on both week-ends 6-7 and 13-14 MAY

With a working studio comes a lot of mess and general untidiness and I always feel I have to sort it all out in readiness to open to the public on the Open Studios week-ends! And this is about as good as it gets!  Those in charge always say "People like to see it how it is"! but they wouldn't get through the door if I left it exactly as it usually is!  I've been busy hanging framed original stamp collages, prints and  canvas prints. Full details of access to my studio appear in the Open Studios brochure www.sva.org.uk  on page 31  and mine  is listed as venue no 21. The Lawn, 132 Bisley road, Stroud, GL5 1HL .  Please park in the main part of Bisley road as we are on a narrow lane with no additional parking places. It's short, picturesque walk along and only takes a few minutes! Black and yellow signs point the way!

Tomorrow, March 14th, is White day in Japan

Having had correspondence and connections with people in  Japan recently, I've come across the festival called White Day which occurs every year exactly a month after Valentine's day, on March 14th.  In Japan on Valentine's day it's the girl who gives a card or present to a man, often chocolates, sometimes onces she has made herself! On White day the man reciprocates with a gift such as white chocolate, or flowers, or indeed any type of gift pretty gift.

I recently made a White Posy from stamps, so here it is .. Happy White Day!

Love the postmark, Darling!

I set myself a goal and have just achieved it, which is a good feeling - just completed  another heart stamp collage!It looks simple, but seems to take much longer than you would imagine to find the right things to make up the design.

Happily, I  found a stamp from a letter which was obviously posted in Darlington,but only has the first part of the word on the actual stamp and in a Heart, the word Darling seems very appropriate!

Hearts and flowers - three stamp collages recently commissioned

Several weeks of work on  three stamp collages pieces commissioned by an overseas client have now been completed, and I can now wind down for a fortnight's holiday.
Hearts and flowers and baskets of flowers!

Flowery heart stamp collage by Rachel Markwick

Pink Rose bouquet  Stamp collage by Rachel Markwick

Baskets of Flowers  Stamp Collage by Rachel Markwick

Flower Basket Patchwork quilt stamp collage

I've finished work on this stamp collage, based on the flower basket patchwork quilts of yesteryear.  Instead of using fabrics as the traditional quilters did, I've used my own materials, stamps and envelopes to complete my paper collage design, which is approximately  20 inches square. I've used American stamps depicting roses and Spring flowers, as well as stamps featuring the many designs showing the US flag for the baskets.

I've tried to take care to have the flag the right way up as I understand there is a certain flag etiquette, although I don't really know how strictly this is adhered to in the case of  artwork, but I do like to try and be respectful!  George Washington (5c), John F Kennedy (13c)and  the Statue of Liberty also appear in this quilt, which uses as background  for some of the squares the insides of envelopes - nothing goes to waste! Instead of a fancy herringbone stitch I've used the edges of the airmail envelopes to join the patches.
The picture will be finished off with a white mount and frame. Prints and cards will also be available shortly.

Stamps blow away in the wind!

One of the down-sides to stamp collage is that I can't work outside! Having spent an hour "filing" my stamps this morning I ventured out into the sunshine, wishing that I could do some of my stamp collage work outside, but it's just not possible. I tried it once and found that all the stamps were blowing all over the garden - such a frustrating experience! Unlike an artist painting "en plein air" I'm just not able to put stamp to paper out in the open, having to make full use of my wonderful studio space, which at least has a great view over the are in Stroud known appropriately as "The Heavens".

Taking my coffee into the garden I find that the yellow tree peony is coming into bloom, and the scented viburnum is covered in blossom. Parrot tulips of various varieties in their planters are a perfect picture, and the sunflower seeds are emerging. Lavender and euphorbia love our hillside garden and don't seem to need much maintenance, just the occasional bit of clipping. Walking round my own garden has inspired me to create another another stamp collaged garden , so now I'm back to filing my flowers, foliage and architectural and landscaping stamps ready to create another garden picture.

With Stroud Open Studios Site 12 festival coming soon, I've also been busy framing, making cards and getting prints ready for sale in my studio which will be open on the two week-ends of 12-13 and 19-20 May or at other times by appointment.

Tulips are coming out in my garden ... and in stamp collages too!

Tulips are some of my favourite flowers and making these was great fun! I've never been to see the tulips in Amsterdam but enjoyed the wonderful display at Cerney House gardens in Gloucestershire last year. Hope to revisit soon.

There are five Stamp collage tulip designs all of which are available as prints or small canvas prints and greetings cards.

Secret Artist - Secret Garden

You can now see a print version of the original Secret Garden I donated to the Museum in the Park Secret Artist project. I so enjoyed making this that I've decided to make another one, but it will look very different as I'll be using different stamps - could do a "Spot the Difference" game when it's finished maybe!

New year, new work in readiness for the Open Studios Festival in Stroud which is a month earlier this year. Dates for your diary: Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th May 2012, and Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th May. 11 - 6 pm each day. My studio is in Bisley Road and all details will be available in the Site 12 Brochure available nearer the time. Over 90 artists took part last year and this will be another exciting event. Just remember: MAY, not June this year though!