Swallow Studios
Craft Workshops for September 2009
Annyalla, Castleblayney. 042 9746614
August 26, 2009
Evening Classes Are Back Sept 2009
Learn how to use the sewing machine that’s under the stairs!
And pick up tips on how to get a professional finish for your garment.
- all materials supplied.
- all materials supplied.
July 6, 2009
Update on Summer Evening Classes
Our summer evening classes finished a few weeks ago and it has taken me this long to write an update. I have been busy making my LizzyC Sheep which I must say are selling very well. And of course I was galavanting on my holidays too, enjoying a road trip in the Canadian Rockies with my husband……a long time dream of his.
So to the classes……….well we did tapestry weaving, silk painting and felting this year and I must say it was a very enjoyable and productive five weeks. I taught the tapestry weaving and it was great for me as a weaver to work in a different technique and it is something I hope to explore further in the future to develop my own work.
I actually ’sat in’ and participated in both the silk painting and felting and I have to say I really enjoyed both. Although I studied textile design at college, somehow I missed both of these techniques, so it is never too late to learn.
My colleague Louise lead the silk-painting class and it was great to learn how paint behaved on silk and it has whetted my imagination as to the possibilities. Louise and I have collaborated on commissions for a while now so who knows how we might develop this in the future. We all made a silk scarf using a somewhat unusual technique with a great element of surprise….and I have hardly left it off since, it came to Alberta with me and I wear it around my neck, plaited into my hair or tied up with my ponytail. And of course since it is turquoise and purple it suits all my clothes too!
Felting was something I had always wanted to try, I suppose the notion of working with fibres really appealed to me so I was very keen to participate in Colette’s classes, and it was great! Colette has a great humourous way about her and she kept us all in craic and we weren’t long relaxing and getting into the fibre and the suds. On my first piece I was still in a ‘weaving’ frame of mind and somehow I produced something which faintly resembled a Monet print on my studio wall…so I decided to keep this piece over until the last night when we would do needle felting, and I would ‘ work into it’. So felting brought me from the abstract by ‘taking a line for a walk’ to the ’somewhat’ representational ‘Artist’s Garden at Giverny’. Everyone seemed to enjoy the classes, teachers and students alike and we had a laugh along the way. Creativity is good for the soul! And I will get some pics up soon.
Watch out for our Autumn classes starting in September.
May 16, 2009
An Irish Woolly Jumper!
I recently decided to take my LizzyC Sheep Brooches a step further and develop them into a range of greeting cards which I could sell on the internet. So yesterday I sat perched in the sun armed with my watercolours and brushes and set about designing my first card, aptly named “An Irish Woolly Jumper”. Each card has a magical little sheep brooch attached.
So you can take a look on the website and I’d love to hear what you think of it!
April 9, 2009
New Blog for Sulis Art and Craft Collective
Sulis Art & Craft Collective set up it’s very own blog site !
I choose to write in this lively colour today because it is the colour of Elaines hair, the first thing that struck me when I met her in the Sulis Design Center last year. Elaine is the manager of our project and we are all indebted to her for her vision and hard work in making the project a reality.
I do not calim to be an expert in blogging by any stretch of the imagination, but I offered to share my little bit of knowledge. So off we went and set up the blog. I am hoping that all ten artists will contribute and interact with eachother and the world wide web via our blog. So to practice what I preached, I am going to add the Sulis Blog to my blogroll and get things moving! And I am inviting all you Suliseens to get blogging and spread the word.
There are ten ‘crazy artisans’ in the group….and we say crazy ’cause of the economic times during which we choose to set up our collective gallery in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. But hey we are creative people, why would be sit back and let the ecomonic woes of the world swamp us?
March 23, 2009
Louise Loughman Art on Silk
Louise Loughman launches her online shop with Etsy.com
Visit www.ArtonSilkbyLouise.etsy.com to see Louise’s new online store where she is showing her beautiful silk wallhangings. She draws her inspiration from The Book of Kells and Celtic myth and legend. She also works to commission and has created beautiful artworks based on Irish Castles and heritage buildings.
February 13, 2009
Watch Video Liz Christy – Stories in the Making
Video Liz Christy – Stories in the Making by Crafts Council of Ireland
A series of short films have been made by the Crafts Council of Ireland called ‘Stories in the Making’. These short films were made as a pilot project and I was lucky enough to be part of it. It is wonderful to have a professionally made film that will help me get across the story behind my work. Often it is not easy to inform the customer how much of one goes into crafting our works and this film will be a tool to help me achieve this, hence I have posted it on YouTube and have begun to spread the word!
The films were launched at Showcase in Jan 2009 by Rosanna Davidson, former Miss World and you will see when I post the photo just how tall she is……and how vertically challenged I am! Anyway my feet reach the treadles on the looms, so that is the main thing and I can do my little bit to make the world place of colour. So take a look at the film and if you know someone who would like to see it, please do pass on the link.
Liz Christy with Rosanna Davidson & Una Parsons, CCOI at the launch of 'Stories in the Making' at Showcase 2009
Video Liz Christy – Stories in the Making by Crafts Council of Ireland
A series of short films have been made by the Crafts Council of Ireland called ‘Stories in the Making’. These short films were made as a pilot project and I was lucky enough to be part of it. It is wonderful to have a professionally made film that will help me get across the story behind my work. Often it is not easy to inform the customer how much of one goes into crafting our works and this film will be a tool to help me achieve this, hence I have posted it on YouTube and have begun to spread the word!
The films were launched at Showcase in Jan 2009 by Rosanna Davidson, former Miss World and you will see when I post the photo just how tall she is……and how vertically challenged I am! Anyway my feet reach the treadles on the looms, so that is the main thing and I can do my little bit to make the world place of colour. So take a look at the film and if you know someone who would like to see it, please do pass on the link.
Liz Christy with Rosanna Davidson & Una Parsons, CCOI at the launch of 'Stories in the Making' at Showcase 2009
Liz Christy with Rosanna Davidson & Una Parsons, CCOI at the launch of 'Stories in the Making' at Showcase 2009
February 11, 2009
Sulis Art & Craft Collective
Always conscious of the need for artisans like myself to work together and support each-other, I have joined the Art & Design Collective which is based in Sulis Holistic & Design Centre in Carrickmacross. This initiative was led and is managed by Elaine Hoey who is a multimedia artist. The aim of the collective is to create and promote the highest standard of original handmade Arts and Crafts in the region. The EU has declared 2009 as the European Union Year of Creativity and Innovation and this is what you will find at Sulis where these resourceful artists work together to promote an age of ‘thoughtful consumption’ of goods that have been ‘imagined, designed and made locally with passion. And with this in mind, a very special promotional evening is planned for Thursday Feb 12th in time for. A wonderful opportunity to get a delightful handmade gift for your sweetheart! Come along, and enjoy a glass of wine and some chocolates with the artists! St. Valentines Day
November 17, 2008
www.lizchristy.com
To visit my online shop please click on www.lizchristy.com
All the scarves in the online store are now carried in stock and will be despatched within 24 hours of receipt of payment.
