Events

banner image showing a paper wasp nest sculpture on a white background with Text detailing the exhibition title and dates

Happy New Year

/ Events, Exhibitions, News, Workshops

Happy New Year!

I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas break. As life returns to normal, I am gradually emerging and turning my attention to the year ahead in my usual haphazard and unplanned way. As always, there is plenty to be getting on with.

The new year has started rather well with my paper wasp nest being accepted into the Royal West of England Academy Open exhibition, which has the theme “Paper Works”. It is also an excuse for me to book a short trip to Bristol to attend the private view and see how others have interpreted the theme. Bob, of course, is delighted to hear that another trip is being planned!

Getting my drawing head back on again

Despite the cold and wet weather, I have managed one trip to the beach with my paints. This black headed gull was paddling furiously to try and coax a snack or two out of the wet sand. And a heron stood stately in the shallows.

The Society of Wildlife Artists have an exhibition in April, but the deadline for me to send my list of pieces is next week. 

Getting my comic drawing head back on again!

I will also be starting work on a new cartoon for the LD Comics online comic fair. That will be for another post as the fair isn’t until July. However, the first deadline to have something to show for myself is the end of February so I need to crack on with it! Watch this space.

Upcoming Workshops

Closer to home, the winter and spring is all about workshops with three coming up in the next few months. read on for more details, and please feel free to forward to any friends you think might be interested!

Winter Paper Bird workshop at Rowallane Gardens

My first workshop of the year will be at Rowallane Gardens National Trust. We will be making Robins and Bullfinches to bring a little bit of colour to the dark wintery days.

Saturday 18 January

10.30am – 12.30pm

Rowallane Gardens, Crossgar Road, Saintfield, Ballynahinch, BT24 7LH

The cost of the workshop includes entry to the gardens, so fingers crossed for a nice day for making birds in the morning followed by enjoying an afternoon in nature!

Book Now

Paper Bird Workshop at the Craft Room

In February I will be back at The Craft Room in Newtownards for another workshop. By then we will be looking forward to the spring, so I thought we would make great tits and coal tits, two of the first to start singing, so we will also have a go at learning the songs.

Saturday 15 February

10am – 12pm

The Craft Room 24a Frances Street, Newtownards, BT23 7DN

Tea and coffee will be available to keep you going!

Book now

Paper Bird Workshop at Aghalee Village Hall

My final workshop of this spring is a bit further a field in Aghalee Village Hall. If you are in that area, or willing to travel this is a great opportunity. The cost is very low as this workshop is subsidised with funding obtained by the local group to deliver a program of art and craft activities to the community.

Saturday 29 March

2pm – 4pm

Aghalee Village Hall, 6 Lurgan Road, Aghalee, Craigavon, BT67 0DD


if you are interested, please email [email protected] and leave your name and number. They will get back to you as soon as they can.

Happy New Year Read More »

Adele Pound photographed next to her pieces exhibited at the Natural Eye Exhibition

London Adventures and Christmas events

/ craft fairs, Creative Peninsula, Creative Peninsula, Events, Exhibitions, News, Uncategorised

Back from London and into The Christmas Events

Bob and I are not long back from our annual trip to london for “The Natural Eye”, the annual exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists. It was great to catch up with friends and the wildlife art community once again. I was pleased to find I had been hung in the main gallery this year, and also had an image included in the Catalogue. The physical show is now finished, but all the pieces from the show can still be viewed on the Mall Galleries Website.

Now we are back and set to launch ourselves at the festive season.

View the Natural Eye on Line…

Bob Contemplates More Travels

As well as the the exhibition, we took ourselves off to the Natural History Museum for the day where we visited the “Birds Brilliant and Bizarre” exhibition. We enjoyed pressing buttons, felt a humming birds heart beat and Bob tried out a swiflet nest. As well as the obligitory souvenir pencil, we also picked up “The Inside Out of Flies” by the Natural History Museum’s very own Erica McAlister. Can’t wait to delve into that!

But we have one more adventure lined up. We will be off to Harrogate to visit the UK’s largest comic convention “Thought Bubble”, something I have been wanting to do for a couple of years.

We will report back, but in the mean time, read on for our upcoming events in November and December…

Ulster Watercolour Society Annual Exhibition

6 – 17 November 2024
11am – 4pm each day (closes at 1pm on 17th)
Merville House, Merville Garden Village, Newtownabbey.

The Ulster Watercolour Society Annual Exhibition continues until Sunday 17 November at Merville House. I have 2 framed, and 4 unframed pieces on show.

Find out More…

Christmas Pop up Shop and Twilight Shopping Event at North Down Museum

I am happy to say I will be displaying my work at North Down Museum again this year. Join us on the evening of 28 November for an evening of twinkly lights, music, artists demonstrations and shopping. The museum will be festively decorated, the museum café will be open serving food and drink and visitors will be able to explore the museum and purchase unique gifts in a completely different way.

The shop is free to visit during normal museum opening hours right through the festive season and into the start of the new year.

Wednesday 20 November 2024 – Sunday 5 January 2025
Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm, Sunday 12noon – 4pm
Closed Mondays

Twilight Shopping Event:
Thursday  28 November 2024, 6:00 – 8:00pm

 Find out more…

The Creative Peninsula Christmas Fayre

This year I am again taking part in this popular fair which made its post covid comeback last year. Be inspired to purchase the perfect, unique, handcrafted Christmas gift in the opulent festive setting of the Georgian and Sunburst galleries of Ards Arts Centre.

Seasonal interludes, complimentary gift wrapping and festive refreshments.

Late Night Shopping Friday 6 December 4pm – 8pm
Saturday 7 December 10am – 4pm

Find Out More…

North Down Craft Collective Aim for a Big Finale at Castle Espie

The year long collaboration between North Down Craft Collective and Castle Espie will culminate in a Christmas Craft Fair on 8 December. Over 20 makers, myself included, will be setting up their stalls throughout the centre. Entry to the centre, and the cafe is free, so why not join us for some festive shopping!

Sunday 8 December 10am – 4pm

Find out more…

Boom Studios celebrates its 10th Birthday (Again!)

Boom Studios is celebrating its 10th birthday this year. We have already had one celebration exhibition, but we are going to do it all again in the studios themselves.

You will be able to get in for a nosey during our Open Studios event to coincide with the Bangor Christmas light switch on Saturday 23 November. The two Boom buildings will be open from  12pm – 5pm (don’t forget about us in Boom 2!)

There is even talk of a special birthday zine….watch this space!

www.boomstudios.org.uk

London Adventures and Christmas events Read More »

The Busiest Month of the Summer

/ August Craft Month, craft fairs, Creative Peninsula, Creative Peninsula, Events, Exhibitions, News, Workshops

Where are the Insects?

As the wet summer continues, I have been having quite a struggle to find insects to draw. Numbers seem to be much reduced from the last few years, perhaps because of a cold, wet spring and the unsettled weather we have been having. 

I have however,  managed to track down a few bright orange soldier beetles, and these small black and gold beetles which appeared for a few brief days near the beach in Millisle. I have tentatively identified them as Lagria hirta and have completely failed to depict quite how iridescent they were. The book describes them as “covered in fine hairs” which also fails to convey that they appear to have been dusted with the finest of fine gold powder!

Logo of North Down Swift Conservation Group featuring a drawing of a swift with Gold text in a white circle

The Mad World of Summer Swift Surveying

This summer I have also joined North Down Swift Conservation Group for their first year of swift surveying in Bangor. Finding a nest site is only possible by being in the right place to see a swift go into a nest, which they do just before dark.

We are a strange sight often in the middle of the road, looking at the eaves of peoples houses with binoculars. The residents twitching their curtains suspiciously must be very baffled to then see us pointing at the sky and going round in circles until we bump into each other, or fall over!

Exhibitions opening

Exhibition Wildlife Art takes place in Gordale Garden Centre on the Wirral on the last weekend in July, and on line for the rest of the year. 31 July sees the launch of the Creative Peninsula exhibition in Ards Arts Centre and with it one of the busiest months of the summer! Read on for what I’ll be up to for the Creative Peninsula Festival and August Craft Month.

Exhibition of Wildlife Art 2024

The Annual Exhibition of Wildlife Art is an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. It is held at the Gordale Garden Centre on the Wirral, at the end of July .

The physical exhibition runs for one weekend, but the online gallery, which I am taking part in, is now live and will remain so for the rest of the year.

View the 2024 online Gallery

Exhibitions, Fairs, Workshops

The Creative Peninsula is Northern Ireland’s premier celebration of professional Art and Craft, making August the busiest month of the summer.

This thriving annual event has been taking place for over 20 years and showcases the best work from professionally practicing artists and craft makers who reside in the picturesque Borough of Ards and North Down.

I will be taking part in some of the festival events and will have pieces in the  two festival exhibitions:

Creative Peninsula Exhibition at Ards Arts Centre

Thu 1 August – Sat 31 August
During Arts Centre opening hours
Find out more…

Creative Peninsula Exhibition at North Down Museum

Tuesday 30 July – Sunday 22 September
During museum opening hours
Find out more…

Visit the Creative Peninsula Website
Paper blue tits hanging on twigs in a white plant pot on a white table top against aplain neutral background

Creative Cafe at Castle Espie

Join me for a Creative Cafe at Castle Espie Wetlands Centre where you will make your own paper bird decoration. we will learn some simple paper cutting and folding techniques to cut and assemble a paper bird decorationWe’ll be making Robins and Blue tits.

Thursday 8 August 2024,
10:00am –  2:30pm

Fee includes includes materials, a cuppa and a tray bake, plus access to the Creative Café/Visitor Centre only. For access to the full site an admittance charge applies

Book Tickets

Highlighting the vibrant local craft scene right across the island of Ireland. August Craft Month provides unique opportunities for people to get involved to learn about, make, see, and buy craft this summer!

Presented by Design & Crafts Council Ireland and Craft NI.

Below are the craft events in August that I will be taking part in. you can also see all the events happening across Ireland on the August Craft Month website.

Paper Bird Workshop at the Craft Room

My August paper bird making workshop at the Craft Room has now sold out, but we have added another date in September, We will be making robins and blue tits!

Tuesday 24 September 2024
10am – 12pm

To book email the Craft Room at: [email protected]

Killinchy Community Summer Fun day

On 17th August I will be taking part in the Community Fun Day at Killinchy Presbyterian Church Hall. There will be plenty going on  besides the fair – donkey rides, a party bus, an owl show and more!

Saturday 17th August
2 – 5 pm
£3 per adult, £2 per child
Killinchy Presbyterian Hall
Craigarusky Rd, Killinchy, Balloo, Newtownards BT23 6QS

poster forKillinchy community fun day featuring summer images such as Marquees, hot air balloons and icecream cones

Craft NI Exhibition at Festival of Making

The Folk Museum’s Making Festival returns on 17th &18th August for a weekend of craft demonstrations, hands-on activities, musical performances and film screenings.

As part of this years festival Craft NI are curating an exhibition of local makers using heritage crafts in a contemporary way. I will be exhibiting a piece in the show.

Saturday 17th August
& Sunday 18th August 

Find out more and book tickets

North Down Craft Collective Summer fair at Castle Espie

Sunday 25th August
10am – 4pm

Over 25 makers will be showcasing their work as part of North Down Craft Collective’s ongoing collaboration with WWT Castle Espie.

Entry to the visitor centre and the award winning Kingfisher Cafe, as well as the fair, is free. The visitor centre is on one level with wheelchair access. Free parking

For access to the full site an admittance charge applies

find out more at North Down Craft Collective’s Facebook Page

The Busiest Month of the Summer Read More »

A page of gull studies in pencil and watercolour

Workshops, a fair and a New Craft Kit

/ craft fairs, Events, News, Workshops

Getting Ready for the Spring to be Sprung!

Easter is behind us, but the weather has only just realised today that it is time to stop blowing us sideways into a hedge! This has put a bit of a halt to my fieldwork trips to the beach over the last 2 or 3 weeks. Fortunately there is always plenty of admin to be getting on with while I am waiting for better weather as the end of another financial year has come around. To start off the year I have some workshops, a fair and a new craft kit!

New pieces online

The drawing I did manage to get done earlier in the winter has, however, enabled a refresh of my pieces in the Scottish Ornithologists Club online shop. You can see the shop here:

https://www.the-soc.org.uk/collections/art-shop

A quick trip to Norfolk

The last week in March found me getting a quick trip away to London and Norwich. A much needed break and a lovely catch up with old college friends. I was, of course, accompanied by the famous Bob! A drive out to Blakeney Point on the North Norfolk Coast brought us sightings of marsh Harrier and dark bellied brent geese. Both not often seen here. And a visit to the lovely Birdscapes Gallery to see their exhibition of Society of Wildlife Artists work

Trying my hand at lithography

While I was away, I also had an opportunity to spend an afternoon trying my hand at stone lithography. This is a facinating and slightly magical process that allows very free drawing and mark making to be captured in print form and, as such, is right up my street.

I was very fortunate to have the expert guidance of Simon Burder of Oaks Fine Art to keep me right. Basically I had a very enjoyable time playing with some crayons and then followed instructions! The result was this little print of a curlew, a bird I have sketched quite a few times this winter.

a small image of a lithograph drawing featuring a curlew in front of rocks and seaweed with 3 starlings in the background on the rocks

Where you can find me in the next few weeks

Back in the studio, there is plenty to plan for in 2024. Later this year I will be part of large exhibitions in Whitehead and Portadown, but in the meantime, here are a few local events coming up in the next few weeks:

May Day Celebrations in Holywood

The popular May Day celebrations in Holywood will take place on Monday 6 May bank holiday.

The town centre will be transformed into a pedestrianised hub of activity centred on the town’s historic Maypole with displays of dance by local school children, and other traditions such as the Bonnie Baby competition and the crowning of the May Queen!

colourful logo of Art on the Rails

Art on the Rails


Art on the rails will be part of the bank holiday event with stalls in the main street

You will find me somewhere among the Art on the Rails stalls from 10am – 5pm

More details can be found on the Ards and North Down Borough website
Merry May Day promotional image. White text on a light blue background with a stylised maypole and council logos

Two New workshop dates

A photograph of paper birds hanging from beech twigs inserted into a white ceramic pot. Red text reads"Paper Bird Making Workshop, Tuesday 21 May 2024, 7-9pm, the Craft Room Newtownards

Paper bird making

My next paper bird making workshops will be at The Craft Room in Newtownards on Tuesday 21 May from 7 – 9pm

This will be a very relaxed and informal couple of hours. I will introduce you to a couple of useful tools and a few simple cutting and folding techniques. Hopefully everyone will go away with a Robin and a Blue tit. There are still places available. Bookings can be made on the Craft Room NI website.

Tuesday 21 May
7 – 9pm
The Craft Room, Newtownards

Book the Workshop

Bug Drawing workshop

On Saturday 15 June, I’ll be doing bug drawing workshops in the Walled Garden Bangor.

These will be 2 one hour drop ins. I will have some bugs from the garden ready to observe and draw and a selection of materials to use. You are welcome to bring along your own sketch book and materials if you wish

Sat 15 June 2024, 11:00am – 12:00pm

Saturday 15 June 2024, 1:00 – 2:00pm

Bangor Castle Walled Garden

Valentine Road
Bangor
BT20 4BT

FREE (pre-booking recommended)

Find out More

The contents and packaging of a craft kit to make a paper blue tit are laid out next to each other

New Kit now available!

While developing the materials for the workshops I have also come up with another kit to compliment the make your own Bob kit.

Now you can also make your own blue tit! These are already available in The Craft Room.

Workshops, a fair and a New Craft Kit Read More »

The Seasons of Bobs is fast Approaching! Christmas Craft Fairs where you can find me this year.

/ craft fairs, Creative Peninsula, Events, Exhibitions, News

I am just back from a trip to London where I attended the 60th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists. While there, I also received the wonderful news that I have been elected as an associate member of the society. This news makes me both proud of this achievement and humbled to be counted among such illustrious wildlife artists, both past and present. It is also a joy to be part of this welcoming and supportive community of artists united by their love of nature and their desire to express and communicate its value through the work they make.

Now I am back in the studio and busy preparing for all the events in the next few weeks. Its Bobs favourite time of year and he is much in demand! Bobs in shops, make your own Bob workshops, Bobs at festive craft fairs, you name it! This starts TOMORROW with the Boom open studios, which coincides with the Bangor light switch on

Boom Open Studios and Light Switch on

Boom Studios is open part of the Christmas Passport Trail this Saturday! Come to our open day from 12-4pm and get your passport/stamp. Enjoy a workshop taster, refreshments and visit the artists working in their studios – we’ll finish up at 4, plenty of time to go down and see the lights switch on!

Lots of fun happening in Boom 1, but dont forget to have a peek in Boom 2 – next to the Heart Foundation shop. Ill be there 12 -4.

Free to attend event. Costs may apply to some activities.

Programme for the day:

5.30 pm The Switch On of the Christmas Lights at the McKee Clock arena

12noon – 7pm | Festive Bar and Food Village, Queen’s Parade car park

1pm – 6pm | Indoor Festive Market, Main Street (former TK Maxx Building)

Promotional image for North Down Museum Christmas Pop Up Shop
Promotional image for Late Night Shopping event at North Down Museum Christmas pop up shop

Made in AND – Pop up Christmas shop at North down Museum

The very popular pop up shop will once again be taking over the galleries and cafe at North Down Museum. This event is fast becoming a local seasonal tradition. Don’t miss the special late night Shopping event on Thursday 30th November! Join us for an evening of music, artists demonstrations and shopping. The museum will be festively decorated, the coffee shop will be open serving food and drink and visitors will be able to see the museum and purchase unique gifts in a completely different way.

North Down Museum, Bangor

Wednesday 22 November 2023 -Sunday 7 January 2024

Late Night Shopping Thursday 30 November 6-9pm

Museum opening times
Tuesday -Saturday 10am-4:00pm
Sundays 12noon-4:00pm
Closed on Mondays

Find out more…
Promotional image for Creative Peninsula Chrstmas Fayre

The Creative Peninsula Christmas Fayre Returns!

This Year sees the welcome return of the Christmas Craft Fayre in Ards Arts Centre after an absence of 3 years due to the Covid pandemic. The gap has been filled by a Christmas pop up shop for two years, but we are all excited to have one of the best fayres of the season back in our schedule,

Come and enjoy the opulent festive setting of Ards Arts Centre, with seasonal live music interludes, complementary gift wrapping, and festive refreshments! Take time out of the busy shopping crowds and get your December shopping campaign off to a great start.

Ards Arts Centre

Friday 1 December 4 -8 pm
Saturday 2 December 10am – 4 pm

Find out More…

North Down Craft Collective at the Court House, Bangor

My final event for this year will be at the Court House,Bangor. North Down Craft Collective will be returning for a third collaboration with this great venue in the lovingly restored Court House in Bangor.


Sunday 10 December 2023
The Court House Bangor
12 – 5pm

Find out more

Don’t Forget to Support your Local shops!

In the flurry of Fairs and events, it is easy to forget about your local craft and art shops that are there all year round. Here are a few where you can find some of my work. Get out and support them this festive season!

The Seasons of Bobs is fast Approaching! Christmas Craft Fairs where you can find me this year. Read More »

Summer Festivals and Exhibitions Galore!

/ August Craft Month, Creative Peninsula, Creative Peninsula, Events, Exhibitions, News

With Creative Peninsula and August Craft Month about to kick off, I won’t trouble you with a long introduction. Suffice to say there is a lot going on and not just what is listed below. You can check out all the events on offer for you delectation and delight this summer via the Craft NI and Creative peninsula websites and, while you are at it, have a look at the summer events in Boom Studios!:

August Craft Month

Creative Peninsula

Boom

Oh and one more little plug – I am very happy to say that some of my new original drawings from earlier in the year are now rubbing shoulders with some very fab wildlife artists in the Scottish Ornithologists Club online shop.

Exhibitions

Exhibition Wildlife Art

This is a great and well established weekend exhibition of wildlife art taking place in Gordale Garden Center on the Wirral Peninsula from 28 to 30 July. This year I am taking part remotely and have 8 pieces in their online gallery which goes live on 28 July. All the pieces will remain available for the rest of the year.

Visit online Gallery

Creative Peninsula Exhibition at Ards Arts Centre

The exhibition opening and official launch of the Creative Peninsula festival will be 6.30 – 8.30 on Thursday 27 July and includes an opening talk and demonstration

This year the exhibition has a theme – “Inspired By”. No prizes for guessing what I am inspired by, but you’ll have to come along to se exactly what I came up with as its a bit different.

Thursday 27 July – Thursday 24 August.

Find out more and book

August Craft Month Exhibition at Craft NI

I am delighted to be taking part in this exhibition. Again its something a bit different, so you’ll have to wait for the exhibition before I reveal it! Why not join us for the official opening and late night art in the Gallery on Thursday 3 August from 6-9.

Thursday 3 August – Friday 15 September 2023

Monday – Saturday 10 -5

Late Night Art Thursday August 6pm – 9pm

Find out More

Creative peninsula exhibition at North Down Museum

Another of my winter bird drawings from the beach at Millisle will be showing in this exhibition, Bangor’s Creative Peninsula celebration of local artists and crafts people.

Thursday 3rd August until Sunday 4 September

during museum opening hours

Find out more

Craft Fairs

Creative Peninsula Twighlight Market and Arts Night

This event has a new twist this year being an evening event. The usual mix of local crafts people and artsits, myself included, exhibiting, demonstrating and selling in a one night only craft village in Conway Square, with live music, and drop in childrens crafts with Boom studios. Meanwhile the Arts Centre will be buzzing with creative goings on where you can see demonstrations and even try your hand at a new skill.

Friday 4 August

4 – 9pm

Conway Square, Newtownards 4-9pm

Free Event – Find out more

North Down Craft Collective in the Court House

Following from our very successful fair at Christmas, North Down Craft Collective will be back in Bangors Newest venue for an August Craft Month Event.

I’ll be at both these fairs with my all my usual stuff and a new thing or two to tempt you with!

Sunday 20 August

12 – 5 pm

Free event – find out more

Workshops and Demos

Sketching Landscape and Wildlife

On the afternoon of Sunday 30 July, I’ll be hosting a relaxed sunday sketching workshop at Cockle Row Cottages in Groomsport. This is a free drop in event, I will have some materials to use, but feel free to bring along your own weapons of choice! Here’s hoping the weather is kind to us

Sunday 30th July

2-4pm

Cockle Row Cottages, Groomsport

Free event – find out more

Make a Paper Bird Workshop, Newtownards

For the Creative Peninsula festival, I have a paper bird making workshop now available to book. We will learn about some basic paper cutting techniques and tools. You should come away with at least one paper bird decoration.

Tuesday 1 August

7 -9 pm

Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards

Book Workshop

Alfresco Art

Another free event. This one always has a lovely relaxed Sunday vibe enjoyed by makers and public alike. Get yourself a brew from the Coffee Cure at North Down Museum and enjoy seeing local artists and crafts people demonstrating their skills in the courtyard. I’ll be there from 12 -2 pm, but there will be more makers in the afternoon.

Sunday 6 August

The Courtyard, North Down Museum, Bangor

12 -4pm

Free event – find out more

Make a Paper Bird Workshop, Lisburn

If you can’t make it to the Creative Peninsula paper bird making workshop, there is a another opportunity as I will be delivering it again in Lisburn as part of the Island Arts Centre August Craft Month Program. Bookings are now open.

Saturday 19 August

10.30am-12.30pm

The Island Arts Centre, Lisburn

Book Workshop

Open Studios

Bangor Art Tour and Tipple

Join the Creative Peninsula team for a tour of Bangor’s creative spaces. Starting at North Down museum, where you will find me doing a short demo of paper crafting, then on for a peek behind the scenes at Boom Studios and Seacourt Print. With drinks along the way!

Wednesday 2 August

8-9 pm

Book tour

Summer at Boom

Come and get a nosey round Boom studios, meet and chat with some of the artists in their studios , and see what we get up to all day. I’ll have my studio, over the road in Boom 2 open, so why not call in and say hello!

Saturday 12 August

11am – 5pm

Free event – find out more

Open House Festival evening Art Walk

Join Boom Studios Director, Marainne Kennerly, for a tour of creative spaces in Bangor and a glimpse into the vibrant artistic life of the city. I’ll be in Boom 2 waiting for a chat!

Thursday 24 August

6.30-9.30pm

Book Tour

Summer Festivals and Exhibitions Galore! Read More »

Things the Same and Things Different

/ Events, Exhibitions, News

Now that the dust (and glitter!) has well and truly settled from Christmas, I thought I had better wish you a belated happy new year! January is usually a time for retiring to the back office to have a think and a plan and this year is no different. I have been trying to make some improvements to my website, including a new hosting, which was every bit the headache I expected! Thanks to Boom studios website club for keeping me on track with this!

I am also between three studios, my old home studio, my current very small space in Boom and (at least in my head) a bigger space in Boom that I hope to get into in February or March. Box packing, runs to the dump, trying to persuade fellow artists that they might have a use for my old tat and figuring out how and what to move from A to B to C! Hopefully most of this will be resolved by the end of March.

In between all this, I have been trying to take advantage of the fact that I now live walking distance from the beach by getting out and doing some fieldwork. I would like to get some good drawing days before the wintering birds head north to breed. Above is one of my first efforts, a lovely stonechat I watched feeding in the heaped up seaweed at the top of the beach!

But in the meantime, things are already getting quite busy! This weekend I will be doing my first fair of the year in Belfast and two group exhibitions are opening in February which mean I have to put the studio packing aside and turn my attention to them!

Fine and Dandy in the Titanic Hotel

The Fine and Dandy Market is at long last returning to Belfast and I am very happy to be taking part in the first one. They are starting big with the Titanic Hotel. You can find me there with my paper birds on this coming weekend Sunday 5th February. Table 38, Drawing room one!

Sunday 5th February

1- 5pm

Titanic Hotel Belfast, 6 Queens Road, Belfast, BT3 9DT

Find out more…
The Fine and Dandy Market
The Titanic Hotel

A Valentines Day Opening in Bangor

the North Down Craft Collective are once again organising a spring exhibition to showcase the wealth and diversity of talent and skills that their group has. North Down Museum are kindly hosting us in the Coffee Cure cafe space.

The show opens on 14th February and some of the artists, myself included, will be there that morning for an informal opening. You are most welcome to pop in,  meet the artists, peruse the artwork and have coffee all in one place!

‘Regeneration’

14 February – 26 March

North Down Museum Cafe, Castle Park, Bangor, BT20 4BT

Informal opening:

Tuesday 14 February 10am – Noon

Find out More…

North Down Craft Collective Facebook Page
North Down Museum
The Coffee Cure

The Hypno Bunny Returns!

If you missed the Paper Magic exhibition in October at Craft NI, Fear not, for we are going to do it all again! Paper Magic will be at the Sunburst Gallery in Ards Arts Centre Fom 23 February until 25 March.

If you did catch us in Belfast, do check the show out again as there are a few changes. We have two new exhibitors joining us – Aimee Magee and Simon Hall. Since a couple of my pieces from the first show sold, I will be exhibiting a few of my Catalan Butterflies pieces that were created as part of a collaboration with poet Laurence O’Dwyer. That collaboration came about as as result of my being awarded a bursary from Ards and North Down Borough Council for a residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, so I am pleased to have the opportunity to show part of that work here. 

We would like to invite you to join us for a opening preview of the show on Thursday 23 February from 7pm until 9pm.

Paper Magic

23 February – 25 March

Sunburst Gallery

Ards Arts Centre, Conway Square, BT23 4NP

Opening Preview: 

Thursday 23 February 7pm – 9pm.

Find out More…
Ards Arts Centre

Birdwatchers in the Tourist Office

And finally, during March, North Down Birdwatching Club will be having a display in Ards Tourist Information Centre to promote the club and the bird life of the local area. Along with other club members, I will be contributing a few bits and pieces. We have some talented photographers in the club, so do pop in and have a look if you are passing!

Ards Visitor Information Centre
1 – 31 March
31 Regent Street, Newtownards, BT23 4AD

Find out more…
Newtownards Tourist Information Centre

Things the Same and Things Different Read More »

Insects all over the Place this Autumn

/ Events, Exhibitions, News

There is a nip in the air and it seems summer may finally be over. I hope you had a good one and managed to enjoy the good weather. I have been busier than ever, and not complaining despite nearly losing sight of myself a few times! I am hoping that once the dust settles and I get the chance to reflect on all the activities and hard work I have put in this year, I will find I have made some progress. But in the mean time, there is plenty to be getting on with, Autumn may be upon us, but I am taking a few summer vibes on into September and October…

Paper Magic, Belfast

Opening this week at Craft NI in Belfast, Paper Magic promises to be an eclectic and slightly bonkers exhibition by 5 artists working in paper (yes, I’m not the only one!). I am very happy to be exhibiting along with Sue Cathcart (of Mr Papers fame), Susan McKeever, Jayne Cherry and Emma Whitehead (of Top Floor Art fame!). I have chosen to make my pieces about wasps because they invented paper. And pigeons, because I like pigeons. There will also be collages, strange hats, butterflies and a giant rabbit, Don’t miss it, we may never see the like again!

Official Opening: Thursday 22 September 6-8pm

Late Night Art: Thursday 6 October 6-8 pm

Keep an eye on Craft Ni social media for workshops and demos taking place as part of the ongoing entertainments!

The Natural Eye, London

The Natural Eye is the annual exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists. It is probably the UK’s most prestigious wildlife art exhibition so I am delighted to report that 4 of my aphid drawings which some of you may have seen in Ards arts centre in June, have been accepted into the show this year. It gives me the opportunity to show alongside some of the finest wildlife artists working today, many of whom I am in awe of! It also means I am planning my first trip to London since before Covid and looking forward to catching up with some friends and fellow wildlife artists.

13 – 22 October 2022

10am – 5pm

The Mall Galleries, London SW1

https://swla.co.uk/news/the-natural-eye-2022

Catalan Butterflies, Waterford

At the end of October, I will be returning to the Waterford Imagine festival with poet, Laurence O’Dwyer. Last year we presented work in progress from our collaboration “Catalan Butteflies”. Larry asked me to create pop up butterflies in response to some of the poems in his collection inspired by his travels in the Pyrenees and a Catalan field guide to butterflies that he bought along the way. The Imagine festival kindly provided us with further funding to present more developed work at this years festival. Larry’s collection is to be published in the near future and I am also happy to report that an image of my piece “Vanessa Atalanta” is to be used on the cover. 

An evening of music and spoken-word poetry and pop up butterflies!
 

Friday 28 October at 6pm

Christchurch Catherdral, Waterford

https://imagineartsfestival.com/catalan-butterflies/

Insects all over the Place this Autumn Read More »

Creative Peninsula and August Craft Month 2022

/ August Craft Month, Creative Peninsula, Events, Exhibitions, News

It is that time of year again when all we go just a bit art and craft mad! The Creative Peninsula, Ards and North Down’s major art festival, launched last week with the opening of the exhibitions in Ards Arts Centre. There is also an exhibition in North Down Museum. I have a piece in each. There is plenty going on. You can check out all the events on the Creative Peninsula website or pop into the Arts Centre and pick up a booklet

And its not just Ards and North Down, August Craft Month is also under way. This year Craft NI are working with the Design and Crafts Council in Kilkenny to highlight events North and South. You can see everything by visiting the Craft NI August Craft Month page.

https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/
https://craftni.org/augustcraftmonth2022/

I am pretty busy over the next few weeks, so take a deep breath – here is my list!

Creative Peninsula in the Square and Alfresco Art

Creative Peninsula in the Square

Friday 5th August 11am – 5pm

This is one of the main events of the Creative Peninsula. Conway square, in front of the town hall, will be transformed into a tented art and craft village. Come down and meet artists living and working in Ards and North Down.

https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/whats-on/creative-peninsula-square

Alfresco Art

Sunday 7th August 12-4pm

This event is a favourite with artists and visitors alike. Spend a relaxed sunday afternoon in the courtyard of North Down Museum in Bangor watching local artists demonstrate their skills Maybe even try your hand at something yourself. And there is nothing better to go with alfresco art than alfresco refreshments from the Coffee Cure. I’ll be there from 12 making a variety of paper birds.


https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/whats-on/alfresco-art-north-down-museum

Photo: Janine Boyd

Workshop – Developing Skills for Sketching from Life 

I’ll be running a workshop at Ards Arts Centre to help you develop your drawing from life skills. There will be lots of short drawing exercises and plenty of paper and pencils to play with. Weather and time permitting we might go out into conway square to try and put it all into practice. It will be challenging, but hopefully fun as well!

Wednesday 10 August 10am – 1pm

If you are interested, you can book a place on the Creative Peninsula website here:
https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/classes/developing-skills-sketching-life-adele-pound

Creative Peninsula at the Ulster Folk Museum

Saturday 20th August 11am – 3pm

This is a new event for 2022. I am looking forward to spending the day demonstrating how I make my paper pigeons. You can find me in the school house!

https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/whats-on/creative-peninsula-ulster-folk-museum

North Down Craft Collective Pop up in Comber!

The North Down Craft Collective will be taking over a pop up shop at 4 Castle street, Comber from Tuesday 16th August, until Saturday 20th August. There will be different makers in residence each day from 10am – 4:00 pm.

I’ll be taking my turn on Wednesday 17th August,do call in and say hello if you are passing!

http://thecraftroomcomber.com/whats-on/north-down-craft-collective-at-comber-pop-up-shop/

Creative Peninsula at Boom Studios!

Now that I am part of the Boom studios family, I also get to join in with their August events as well!

Open Studios at Boom

Boom studio artists will be opening their doors for the Creative Peninsula. Call in to meet and buy from the artists, and get a look inside Bangor’s creative hub.  Due to other commitments I will be there on Sunday 14th of August only this year.

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August
10am – 12pm
2pm – 4pm

Boom Studios pop up in Bloomfield Shopping Centre!

For the whole of August Boom studios will be taking over a unit in Bloomfeld shopping centre. You will be able to see and buy work from your friendly local artists who work in Boom studios in Bangor.

The shop will be open Thursday to Saturday for the month of August.

https://www.boomstudios.org.uk/news/creativepeninsula2022

Creative Peninsula and August Craft Month 2022 Read More »

Exhibitions, Fairs and Pop up Shops

/ Events, Exhibitions, News

Here is a quick run down of where you can find me and my work in the run up to Christmas this year.

The Ulster Watercolour Society’s Annual Exhibition

There are still a few days to see the Ulster Watercolour Society’s 44th exhibition at Merville House in Merville Garden Village. There are unframed works available as well as the framed pieces. I have two of each in the exhibition.

The exhibition will be open
Wednesday 17th November – Sunday 28 November.

(closes at 1pm on the last day)
11am – 4pm daily (including Saturday and Sunday)

http://www.uws.org.uk/exhibition.html

http://www.mervillehouse.org/

Christmas Market at Kylestone Nurseries

Saturday 27th November
9am – 5pm
I am looking forward to being back at Kylestone Nurseries, Groomsport, for the grande finale of the North Down Craft Collective Christmas showcases. There will be 25 makers feeling festive in the glass houses where there will be plenty of space and ventilation. Bangor Ladies Choir will be serenading us at 11am, plus the nursery will have locally sourced christmas trees for sale!

Before the 27th, there is, of course, another showcase of 5 makers on 20th November. You can see which makers will be there by following the North Down Craft Collective Facebook page.

Christmas with the Creative Peninsula

Creative Peninsula Christmas Edit Pop-up Shop and Exhibition


Saturday 27 November – Friday 17 December 2021

Monday – Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Late Night: Thurs 9 and Fri 10 December

Ards Arts Centre

There will be a chance to meet some of the makers, though, as we are all volunteering to man the show in Ards Arts Centre. If you want to come and say hello , here are the dates and times that I will be there:

Tuesday 30th November 1pm – 4pm
Friday 10th December 6pm – 9pm
Tuesday 14th December 10am – 1pm

North Down Museum Christmas Made in AND

Wednesday 24 November 2021 – Sunday 2 January 2022

Museum opening times:
Tuesday -Saturday 10am-4:00pm, Sundays 12noon-4:00pm, Closed on Mondays.

North Down Museum

Exhibitions, Fairs and Pop up Shops Read More »