A Little Bit Of Random and Things I Learnt (by sarah)

Saturday was the last day of my Science-Art Exhibition and I went along to the Arts Cafe to meet with friends who were coming along to see it and too work on my visual poetry journal.

At five o'clock I took it down - this happened alot quicker than putting it up. Nothing other than some post cards sold but quiet a few people came along to see it.

The main comments were, 'I really like that picture but I am a student or out of work or have just been told my contract wont be renewed...' There simply is not the spare money at the moment for your average person to buy art. Other artists have said they have had similar. But it wasn't really about the selling it was about the exhibition - however I would have liked to recoup the money spent on frames etc... but that is not money wasted as I now have a bunch of framed pics.

Also I learnt that framers can be unreliable, bought frames are rubbish and flimsy and looking into it we have decided to make our own in future.

Other things learnt are - some spray mounts are better than others and price is not an indicator of which is which. Do not mount on grey card as everyone thinks you've just put it straight on the frames back board - I assume the same goes from brown. Get frames that leave a boarder around all sides of the picture as it looks better.

Severn Print are amazing life savers and even if lots of people say they are going to contribute and take part in something most of them will pull out as the event nears.

Alaric is amazing at getting me out of such a pickle with trips to buy last minute canvases to paint and so much more.

The whole thing would not have been possible without my parents help and of course Centre Arts who helped me sort the mountings out when they slipped that first day and didn't shout!

I came back somewhat deflated from the gallery having missed the Bristol Minni Maker Fair and the meal afterwards with friends - though other friends had tea and cake with me at the centre which sort of made up for it

Also Seth and Tanu came home with Alaric and we had a lovely random time with Seth making my guitars sound much better than I can ever make them

Mary’s First Easter Bonnet :) (by sarah)

Ok so I was a bad Mummy and forgot that Mary needed an Easter Bonnet for Nursery - so out came the easter stickers and one of Jean's old hats.

Jean and Mary spent ages decorating it! With Jean actually helping rather than just taking over too!

Of course Jean then made an Easter trail around the house with the left over stickers and worse she asked me if she could and I didn't click this would mean they would be stuck all over the place! She was so excited that we should all come and find them too! Good job we haven't decorated the walls yet!

Also Mary refused to wear her Easter Bonnet but wanted everybody else to wear it! I have vetoed the pic of me so you're only getting this cute one of Jean!

Spring Creativi Tea (by sarah)

Sunday saw the first ever Creativi Tea - I had wanted to run them last year but never got around to it what with all that moving mand festivals and what not.

So I invited people, and got tea stuff ready and baked cakes.

Lemon and lime - lime sponge with lemon butter icing and lots of butterflies Which Al's cousins gave me

I made sandwiches - ham, cheese and humous to cater for vegi and vegan and meat treats people. And I had crisps in butterfly bowls because I am me and the house is infested with the creatures

And then it was time for people to appear - I wasn't sure what people would want to be doing as I'd said bring your own project or tell me what you want to learn. Most people turned up with writing so were clustered in the lounge.

There was a variety of writing going on from poetry to prose, to essays to novels to short stories to computer programming. Even Jeany got in on the act writing and illustrating a lovely story about a mutant girl and her dad.

People were being very British about not actually taking the cakes until Jeany broke the icing (literally).

In the kitchen sewing and knitting occured - mainly Alaric finishing off the bag he began making me at Centre Arts during a sewing course I sent him on as his valentines day present.

I was sad I had some people drop out due to weather and moto bikes breaking and fuel costs and writing events but it worked really well. Extra nibbles even arrived with people Having noisy/messy stuff in the kitchen and the quieter stuff in the living room worked really well.

I am planning on running one of these a season If you want to be invited to the next one let me know!

Here are more pictures of cakes as I know you all love them

Recipe will be appearing on Salaric Cooking soonly.

Easter Snow (by sarah)

It's the Easter holidays and it is snowing so after dropping Mary off at the Nursery my dad helped me take some photos of the hills and things. This one is my favourite:

Followed by this one of cracking ice:

And then this one I took with the idea of portals or the Door to December:

I quiet like this one of a farm house as well - the sheep and colours say spring but then there is snow on the hills:

Then we have bleak landscapes mostly taken on extreme zoom!

Click through if you want to see bigger images or go to the here on my photo blog.

An Artsy Cheltenham (by sarah)

Yesterday I went into Cheltenham to meet with one of the directors of the Cheltenham Poetry Festival to sort out what I was doing for the festival. I was already doing the Slam but I'd suggested I could take some photos of the events with my new camera.

They loved the idea and I have scored my first ever press pass. Last year with the old camera I took photos of events I happened to be at and some of the artists then used the photos I had taken for their websites and profile pics and what have you so this seemed a logical step forward. I may also be performing at a couple of other events at the festival.

I am also working on a new novel project so spent the afternoon working on that resulting in only 10 pages being written - I think I am out of practice!

I then wondered around in the twilight looking for low light level type photos to take

I really like the way this one above came out I sort of want to draw him now.

I love stone statues in strange lighting.

There is a sad manic-ness in these horses again they make me want to draw them.

Today is also the last day of the Science-Art Gallery at Centre Arts so I shall be in there from 12:30 till 5 pm so if you're kicking about do pop in. It is the arts cafe and there is tea and cake