Ferrers Centre

What did you do:

 I went to the Ferrers Center home for arts and crafts in Staunton Harold north Leicestershire.  I looked at the work of three artists while I was there.

I looked at Dawn Maciocia

I looked at  Emma  Stones wire art pieces. 

And Kevin Shepherd

Where did you do this:

I went to the The Ferrers Center home for arts and crafts in Staunton Harold north Leicestershire. It is a a collection of art galleries and artists workshops/shops/outlets.  With a coffee shop, and other craft shops too.

When did you take part and who took part with you:

I took part on the 19th of November. And I took part with my Family and Friend Heather. 

Did you do research in advance?

I checked the website before we went to find out opening ties, and see which artists were displaying their work at the time. I knew I liked the work of some of the artists displaying already, and others I found when I got there.

I searched on http://www.ferrerscentre.co.uk/

Did you learn anything new?  

I looked at Dawn Macocias work.

I love her work because she created a really nice picture from a large variety of patterned paper and materials that she has put together to create an animal or creature, with a really interesting background the lady i did for my silver award was called Helen Hallows and i still like her art and she does mainly landscape but this lady does animals. Which is very clever and refreshingly different.

Her work inspires me to think about my work and how i could include some more materials. And i could make more visible shape or animals with the materials i am using.

Did you create anything new or use this opportunity to create your final piece of artwork?

 I wanted to practice my collage for my final piece and improve my collage technique to add something different from other artists.

I looked at Emme Birds work.

When I went into the art Gallery. I was looking at Dawn Maciocia Art. And next to it was Emma birds wire art.  I saw it and liked the way it looked and wanted to have a go for myself.

I was thinking i could make some small wire pieces and add them on top of other materials within a mixed media  piece.

Did you learn anything new:

I learned that you can make anything with wire. It all is down to your imagination you can even make creases in trousers and it has inspired me to try it for myself. I am hoping to create some wire pieces and add them to my own mixed media photography pieces.

Did you create anything new

Yes I created some wire art pieces, inspired by Emma bird.

I created two birds from wire.

Describe your experience: 

Kevin shepherd had his own studio on the the ferrers centre site.

I walked into  kevin's workshop and all on the walls were his paintings and drawings we  had a talk with him and had a look at his cards. He had a half finished painting of a Pheasant on his workbench, and lots of lovely prints of his work , made into cards. We bought one of his cards.

Did you learn anything new?

I learnt that it is possible to not fill the whole canvas with a painting, and yet it can still look amazing if it's done correctly.  For example he had painted a bunny on a long thin canvas and used the paintbrush to create splatters underneath the bunny that  looked like a road, then under the splatters was a large chunk of blank canvas which also added to the feeling of the bunny running towards you as if hopping along a road.This painting by Kevin Shepard is not the actual one we were talking  about. This painting does have a very similar effect just in a different direction. This has made me think of my  own work maybe it could look really effective.

I don't always have to  have to use the same shape of canvas i can use different shapes and put   different things on it like landscape. 

Did you create anything new or use this opportunity to create your final piece of art?

 I used the collage, wire and the paint techniques that i learnt from other artists i studied along with the skills that i learnt of udemy. And David Hockney and put them all together to create my final piece.