A photograph of a wall intstallation of 5 paper swifts attached to dark blue ribbons of papre that curl and twist in and out from the wall

Autumn starts with an exhibition in Portadown, Castle Espie and London

As we head into autumn, I have not one but three exhibitions coming up. Two in fact are opening this weekend, so I am double booked! My summer evenings spent running round Bangor in search of swift nests have inspired this piece entitled “Screaming Party” which will be showing in Portadown. As part of “Paper Magic”

Meanwhile, some of the insects from the summer will be heading to London for the Natural Eye exhibition and a couple of others are off to Castle Espie.

Brent geese have already started returning to Strangford Lough and it will soon be time for me put on the layers and turn my attention back to drawing the winter birds.

North Down Birdwatching Club Display

With the winter migrants in mind, if you find yourself in Newtownards, call in to the Visitor Information Centre. There you will find the latest display by North Down Bird Watching Club which celebrates the winter wildlife of Ards and North Down.

The display features photos by some of our talented club photographers, information produced by the club, some knitted wildlife and taxidermy specimens kindly on loan from NIEA, including this fabulous mute swan!

Find out More…

Paper Magic Goes to Portadown

Saturday 14 September -Saturday 26 October 2024

The Belfast Artists in Paper Society (BAPS!) are back with another celebration of all things paper. This time we have taken over the beautiful gallery space at Millenium Court in Portadown, with a fun, vibrant show that celebrates paper art in all its wonderful forms and features papier Mache sculptures, collages and large scale mixed media pieces.

Join us for the official opening :Saturday 14th September at 2pm

To customise ‘Paper Magic’ for the Millennium Court, we have each created new pieces in celebration of the pioneering work of Portadown artist, Ann Acheson. During her volunteer work for the WW1 war effort she helped develop the papier Mache ‘Acheson Splint’ to speed healing of broken limbs, a precursor of the plaster cast. You’ll have to come along to see what we all came up with!

blue square with 3 images of paintings of a kingfisher, boats and a highland cow. white text reads kilmood Art Club - Art Exhibition

Kilmood Art Club Annual Exhibition at Castle Espie

Saturday 14 September – Sunday 6 October

The other exhibition opening this weekend will be Kilmood Art Club at Castle Espie. I will have 2 pieces included. The show will be officially opend by local artist Kathryn Callaghan this Saturday, 14th, at 2pm

Unfortunately, I won’t make the opening as I will be at the opening in Portadown! However, I will be doing my sitting duty in the gallery 10am to 1pm on both the 21st and 29th of September. On the 29th there will also be the next pop up by North Down Craft Collective, with another three makers setting up their stalls in the foyer. So well worth making the trip down!

Find Out More

Workshop at the Craft Room

Robins and Blue tits are the designs we will be making at my next paper bird workshop at the Craft Room in Newtownards. Come and have a relaxed informal morning learning a few simple paper cutting and folding techniques and go away with two paper birds made with your own fair hands!

Tuesday 24 September 2024
10am – 12pm

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

The Natural Eye Exhibition

17 Oct 2024 – 27 Oct 2024 – 10am to 5pm, closing 1pm on final day

I am especially excited, (and also a bit intimidated), about this years Natural Eye Exhibition as it will be my first year exhibiting as an associate member of the Society of Wildlife Artists. This year my labels will read Adele Pound ASWLA!

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be framing my 6 pieces, packaging them up and shipping them to my friend and fellow artist Kate Wilson who very kindly will deliver them to the mall on the receiving day.

Then I will be booking myself a trip to London to see the show and catch up with friends old and new. It will be a welcome break before the christmas madness begins in earnest!

Visit the Mall Galleries Website

New product alert – Goldfinch Bauble!

Last but not least, a new bird will shortly be joining my paper flock – Goldfinches!

Look out for them appearing in Craft NI and The Craft Room in the near future!

Autumn starts with an exhibition in Portadown, Castle Espie and London Read More »

The Busiest Month of the Summer

Adele / 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!

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

Adele / 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!

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

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 »