Just trying to keep up!

Hello everyone. I hope February finds you well and in a creative mood. Teaching A.T.C's at the York Embroiders Guild last Saturday and we had a hoot, thanks to those who attended. That was the second session there this year. I am afraid I will not be doing another A.T.C class there for a while, but I will be doing an Altered book class with guild members in April, more details later. If you are not in the guild but would like to attend an altered book class I will be running them regularly at ARTefact from April this year. Check out my website at,artefactory.org

I never take enough photos at these sessions, always remember at the end and run round last minute! Must try harder!

Ephemera ETC.... group working hard on altering books, Children's boards books here at ARTefact, couple of Saturdays ago and starting on The Altered Book Bibble.

Wonderful folders for all our hand outs.

Fabulous board books in all shapes and sizes.

And Tina has made her lunch box, yummy!

I am playing with molding and paper clay at the moment making dolls heads to turn into jewelry.

I do happen to have a lot of these heads, I just love them.

Filling in the eyes.

And making a mold

I am also playing with altered books......

Enjoying these pictures.

Don't forget if you go on face book, I have two pages there, ARTefact and Joanne Wilson, Please call in and have a look, my class schedule is on ARTefact if you are interested. all the best see you soon                                                                   

I love playing with dolls.

Of all shapes and sizes, not to mention materials. Recently I have been playing with paper dolls and I and am hooked again..., such a compulsive personality.

These one were downloaded and then I glued them to black card for strength.

Limbs a plenty.

I also wish to make various paper dolls from my muse, Eunice Zilmer.

I photocopied the original, then enlarged her.

Cut out body parts. You need three pictures the same to create a doll with limbs.

Just need to add paper fasteners or rivets.

And wings of course.

Also been painting. I want to design my Halloween and Christmas cards for this year, and I want to get on with it.

And Christmas..

Sketch done in little book I carry around with me for when I get inspired.

Transferred onto a bigger page

Starting to paint

Also this week Maisie turned sixteen, who would believe that?

Sweet girl. x

What Inspires You?

Due to some technical problems I can not show you the items I had in tended, normal service will be resumed soon! So I thought we would have a chat about this instead. Please don't worry about the site, my in-house computer whizkid has promised to sort it all out for me.

This is a question I was repeatedly asked by a group of students recently. What inspires me to create art? Most things I think! I do tend to take inspiration from allot of things, the weather, patterns in the street and in architecture.  Costumes, old and new, I think that is why I don't specialize and rather dip my toe in so many craft ideas. I suppose the main inspiration to me is History. I love history and old things. As you know I can not keep away from Antique's fairs and carboot sales, then there are the charity shops! Most of my work I age, by one process or another, I just prefer it like that.
Not only do these things inspire me, but they make me happy too, which brings me to the face book group activity that I am taking part in, "My 100 days of Happy". Post a picture every day of things that make you happy. These do not have to be expensive or out of the world things, they are the things that make you smile everyday. When you go around looking for these things you do realize what a blessed life you lead. Yes there are things that test your resolve and sometime try your patience to the extreme but life is good. Smile!

I love Victorian sentimental paintings. For me it is the colours they use,.....wonderful!

If a little over the top!

Two for one here with the Light Of The World in the back ground!

And the faces are so sweet.

the velvet on this gown is stunning.

Statues, Don't blink!

Then there are shelves of inspiration and indeed item to add to work

I love green and purple sheep!

and stuff!

And books, how much more inspiration do you need?

Up and coming classes at ARTefact,

Backgrounds for Journals, April 23rd.

Altered Books, Getting Started, April 28th

Altered Child's Board Books, April 30th.

Paper Dolls, May 5th.

I will show examples of these on the next blog. x

email me if you would like more details, joannemwilson@hotmail.co.uk