Getting stuck in

There's so much to do in my studio.  I have a bit of a butterfly brain and sometimes find it difficult to stick to one task, so nothing gets finished quickly.  And when I'm working, I'm afraid everything gets turned upside down in the search for materials!
 I have also set myself two new projects: a larger USA flag, and also the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Both of these are sketched out onto their supports.

I've been sorting out the US stamps and trying to decide which to use.   I found an old book called United States Stamps and Stories - The exciting saga of U.S. history told in stamps, issued by the US Postal Service in 1972.  It's a great little reference guide giving backgrounds to the US presidents, historical events and facts about US landmarks. Many stamps have been issued featuring the Statue of Liberty, presented to the people of the USA by the people of France on 4th July 1884.   Obviously, I'm trying to include as many different stamps as possible but am limited to those which are predominantly red, and blue - the white bands on my flag will probably be left blank.  The first president of the USA, George Washington (president 1789-1797)  luckily appears on many red definitives and there are numerous blue Statue of Liberty stamps to choose from too.   Other US presidents I can include are  John Adams (president 1797-1801) and Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809).

The hunt is still on for a stamp of Franklin D. Roosevelt. It would be great to include him as he was a life-long stamp collector. My little book quotes him as saying, "The best thing about stamp collecting is that the enthusiasm which it arouses in youth increases as the years pass.  It dispels boredom, enlarges the vision, broadens our knowledge and in inumerable ways enriches our life.  I also commend stamp collecting because I really believe it makes one a better citizen."     There are many US stamps which promote the hobby so, in the absence of FDR,  I will also try and include on of these.

Haute couture on the Eiffel Tower

Haute Couture, or High fashion takes on a whole new meaning!   I'd been thinking about the Eiffel Tower as a possibility for a stamp collage, and having drawn it out, took some time to get started. Quite a daunting but indeed challenging project! The next stage was to search through the stamps to find suitable ones to make up the structure, but I hadn't really considered the complication of the iron-work and no French stamps I had seemed quite right.  Then I realised I would need to cut the stamps to resemble the metal structure of the Eiffel Tower. In my search  I found several of the 1953 - 55 National Industries and Literary Figures issue which includes a 30F illustrating the Haute Couture industry, showing a model with the Place Vendome in the background.  You may be able to spot her leaning over the tower platform! Her dress also makes up some of the ironwork.
Trees  in the form of the green definitive Marianne stamps from 1945 to more recent issues have been used to resemble the trees that line the avenue leading up to the Tower.
It's funny how things come together!

 
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Stamp and Coin Mart includes article about my work

The January 2013 edition of Stamp & Coin Mart (published 14/12/12) includes an article by Tim Clegg.  Tim runs the Torbay Stamp Centre and has a keen interest in keeping the hobby of stamp collecting alive.  He's recently written a book called "Stamp Collecting Unhinged" and having read and reviewed this great little book, Tim and I have been in correspondence and he has discovered my own rather different take on using stamps.

Many diverse interests can be combined successfully and his article describes how  my interest in stamps and art have come together, as well as an interesting project by a postcard collector who bought a collection of very old envelopes with heavily postmarked stamps on and is aiming to create a " three dimensional design" with them.

The picture in the centre is one of my recent stamp collages, which I have called "The trawler Marianne". Take a close look at the sails and you will see why.

Christmas Wreath

I've been making my own Christmas wreaths for many years and it's really easy!  All you need is a wire coat hanger, and some florist's wire (or fine wire which is strong but easy to cut).  Gather anything you can find including holly, evergreen foliage, ivy, clippings from fir trees, yew etc.  I even used a few of the lower branches of our Christmas tree which was just a bit too tall.  

You need to bend the coat hanger into a circle with the hook at the top, then wind your greenery around it, at the same time fixing it in place with the wire. Either cut into manageable lengths and knot regularly or use the wire on its holder , wrapping it round as you go. It can be a bit fiddly but you soon get into the swing of it!   You can decorate your wreath with pine cones, either left in their natural state or sprayed or painted with gold or silver paint or glitter.  Add a ribbon, and your wreath is ready to hang on your own front door! 

My first stamp album

Making stamp collages and exhibiting has brought me into contact with a lot of people who were childhood stamp collectors but gave up the hobby.  Most find it fascinating that I'm using stamps to create pictures and I have had some lovely appreciative comments about the way the stamps are being used to good effect.  Some people have kept their old stamp albums in the hope that their families will take up the hobby but this doesn't always happen I'm afraid.  One or two friends have given me their albums and I occasionally receive a packet in the post from someone who has read about my work and is kind enough to send me stamps they want me to have and make good use of. I was recently presented with this lovely little album, which is  the very same as the one I had as a child, a little blue album with a ship on the front, very much like the Blue Peter emblem!

It contains stamps mainly from the  1960s and many are the same as the ones I had myself.  My collection outgrew the little blue album's 6750 spaces, and I later began to specialise in a few countries and themes, but was so pleased to see this one again!     

The Art of Shorthand Exhibition by Tracy Spiers

I first met Tracy Spiers when she called in to my studio in Stroud  during an  Open Studios week-end in June 2010.  Tracy was very interested in my pictures and we chatted easily about how it had all come about, and shared our experiences of the Access course at Stroud college, which she had just started and which I had completed 10 years before.  She asked if she could come back to do a proper interview and write an article about me for a future edition of Stroud Life.   Little did I know then how talented an artist Tracy is in her own right!  A journalist of 25 years, wife and mother of five daughters, Tracy  completed the Access course and is currently doing an HND in Fine Art.

As a journalist, she has used shorthand throughout her career and this has now combined with many of the other skills and art forms she has mastered to create a fascinating body of work.  The Art of Shorthand is  at Kendrick Street Gallery in Stroud until December 31st, and you can meet Tracy on Friday December 7th at the gallery between 6 - 7.30 pm,  at Stroud's  Goodwill Evening.

Dove of Peace

Another popular Christmas card design features the Dove of Peace.  I made my dove card  from stamps of the world and it's available now in several outlets including Made In Stroud, in Stroud, Gloucestershire,  Taunton Stamp shop in Bridge Street, Taunton and also the Torbay Stamp Centre.

The card is an A5 sized card reproduced from an original stamp collage design. The Dove carries an olive branch, in its beak.