FIDDLING WHILE ROME BURNS

by Valda

They say the world can turn on a sixpence. And so it goes.

As things stand and with our lives seemingly unravelling by the minute, what better diversion could there be than reinventing our logo? Nobody ever said life was fair and so, as my much-maligned partner ploughs through the veritable admin mountain visited upon us by the Covid cancellations and/or postponement of so many sold out tours, I get to push colour sliders and play around with fonts.

I should point out that the logo represents an idea that we have been tossing around for some time but as it is now looking as though we will be confined to our respective houses for the foreseeable, it makes good sense to develop these plans while time is on our side. 

So. Creative Touch. Already in place is our 'Classic' workshop/tour program, and the more recently launched ‘Creative Growth’ initiative. What is the reasoning behind ‘Creative Touch’?

I have spent several years learning about the gilding process and how it might be applied to various substrates. Doug has recently gone off on another tangent and has been investigating mark making and how he might integrate them with his photographic output.

It seems boundaries exist to be pushed and re-examined and the freedom that we have for blending traditional fine art printing with mixed media techniques opens up limitless possibilities.

With this in mind, Doug and I are planning a series of workshops where we investigate the opportunities that exist for those interested in developing a more tactile involvement with their printed images. We intend to cover gold leaf work in various forms, cyanotype, the application of cold wax, PanPastels, collage, mark making and much more.

Materials will be included and so, for logistical reasons, (which dovetail nicely with the current disinclination for most of us to travel), we will hold the workshops in the UK. Some shorter offerings will take place in my studio in Sussex (accommodation available close by) and a longer retreat-type tour is being planned for Cornwall - a place that has attracted artists for hundreds of years because of the quality of the light and the stunning landscape.

If you are interested in being informed of the launch of these new ventures, click below to email us.