Finding Inspiration

For the past few weeks I've been uninspired and unmotivated, which is beyond frustrating. And so this post is filled with a few of the things that I've been looking to in order to find that elusive inspiration.

1) Rob Ryan YouTube videos. I love Rob Ryan. He's an endless inspiration, not least because his work has been adapted to many mediums including ceramics, textiles and jewellery. In the handful of videos on YouTube he comes across as a genuinely nice, down-to-earth guy (phew!).

 Handmade Portraits: Rob Ryan.

2) Books. I am a huge bookworm so of course I would turn to books in my hour of need. 'Papercutting' compiled by Laura Heyenga is a good collection of temporary paper cut artists. I also have a few Rob Ryan books (naturally), but the book that has inspired me of late is 'The Crafter's Guide to Papercutting' by Emily Hogarth. 

L) Favourite papercutting books - R) Artwork cut from a Hogarth template

3) New kit. Recently I've picked up a few new bits of kit, including: Swann Morton no. 3 handle, 10a blades, bone folder, 160gsm card, and a metal ruler pinched from my dad's garage... As the saying goes a poor craftsman blames his tools, but the art of papercutting does require a few basic but essential tools.

Swann Morton no. 3 handle with 10a blade - artwork cut from Hogarth templates

4) Visiting craft fairs. It's really important to get away from your desk and see what other crafters have been busy creating... While craft fairs are a great excuse to eat cake, they are also invaluable for gathering ideas on how to present products and considering fair pricing. My favourite fair to date was the Summer Market at the Roundhouse.

L) Summer Market at the Roundhouse, Derby - R) Carla Dodsley ceramics at Bird in Borrowed Feathers mini market, Nottingham

5) Friends. Friends who already have very full lives, but are still pursuing further exciting ventures... If that's not the ultimate inspiration, I don't know what is.

Where do you find inspiration?

Until next week...

-Karen

The Origins of Paper Cutting

Paper cutting is an ancient craft originating from the Far East. The oldest surviving paper cut is a symmetrical circle from the 6th century found in Xinjiang, China.

In China, papercuts were originally used as patterns for embroidery. Modern papercuts are chiefly decorative; entrances decorated with paper cuts are supposed to bring good luck. Red is the most commonly used colour.

Work by Pan Qiuai

Kiri-e is the Japanese art of paper cutting. Papercuts in Japan were originally used as stencils for printing textiles.

Work by Aoyama Hina

Eventually the craft traveled along the trade routes to Europe where monks and nuns painstakingly created religious texts boasting elaborate cut designs. Many early European papercuts focused on religious symbols.

By the 17th century paper cutting had become a folk art form in Germany. Designs were often created by folding the paper, producing symmetrical black on white images.

In Britain and France, people began to use paper cutting to create silhouette portraits. The first silhouettes were drawn life-size: produced by lighting the model's head with candles, and drawing the shadow on to paper. These were coloured black, cut out, and mounted on white paper.

 1778

Papercutting continues to be a unique and varied craft. Papel picardo (the Mexican art of paper cutting) is frequently used to produce decorative banners. Similarly, Swedish homes are decorated with paper cut flowers at Christmas.

Papel picardo

In China modern paper cutting has become a commercial industry, and continues to be popular during Chinese New Year and at weddings.

"Today, artists continue to breathe new life into this art form and push it forwards, while still retaining the traditional key elements - paper, a cutting tool and their imagination."

- Emily Hogarth

Image credits:

Red bull: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/22/content_10395515.htm
Aoyama Hina: https://designramblings.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/papercutting_aoyamahina.jpg
Religious: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/fc/6c/9c/fc6c9c69973956911f1580efcfc8afe9.jpg
Symmetrical black on white: http://livinginnyon.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Paper-cut-1.jpg
Silhouette: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papercutting
Papel picardo: http://plentyofcolour.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/plentyofcolour_papel_10.png

Until next week...

-Karen

Summer Market

On Sunday the Summer Market took place at the historic Roundhouse in Derby. Featuring over 100 stalls, outdoor plaza filled with food and drink, and prosecco bar, it was a very busy market!

My pick of the stalls and how you can shop them:

Busy Little Things
Busy Little Things is a clothing range of 'high quality gorgeous children's clothes'. I was drawn to the fun, colourful patterns which included flamingos, beach huts, and summer flowers! Available in sizes newborn up to 9 years old.

Website: busylittlethings.co.uk

Cocoa Tabby
Two words: gourmet chocolate. Handmade in Derbyshire, Cocoa Tabby's emphasis is on 'exceptional flavour and texture'. Flavours include strawberry and cinnamon, chilli and lime, and salted caramel. Yum!

Website: cocoatabby.co.uk. 
Concession: Concession in Design @ 44 on Derby's Sadler Gate.

Carly Dodsley

Fired in Stoke-on-Trent, Carly Dodsley's ceramics include fish and birds designs. I particularly like her coasters featuring popular cocktail recipes! Dodsley is committed to producing 'tableware that is decorative, functional, desirable and durable'.

Website: www.carlydodsley.com
Concession: Concession in Handmade Nottingham.

Sticky Mix Ltd
Sticky Mix offer a range of cake and cookie mixes, each handily packaged in a single brown paper bag! Mixes are priced at £6 and include white chocolate and cranberry flavour. For those with allergies, there are mixes which are gluten free, dairy and soya free, and dairy, soya and egg free.

Website: www.sticky-mix.co.uk

Letterbox Lane

Leanne of Letterbox Lane wants to 'keep the tradition of letter writing and correspondence alive'. Her hand illustrated vintage plates, printed artwork and handmade cards proved popular at the market!

Website: letterboxlane.bigcartel.com 
Concession: Concession in Design @ 44 on Derby's Sadler Gate, and in Handmade Nottingham.
 

Sunshine Van!

The Christmas Market will be on 7th/8th November. 

See you there!

Did you visit the Summer Market? What did you buy?

Image credits:

All images are my own except...
Busy Little Things: Both photos from the Busy Little things facebook page
Carly Dodsley: L) Carly Dodsley Ceramics facebook page
Letterbox Lane: R) letterboxlane.bigcartel.com/products

Until next week...

-Karen