my film for a little adventure!

i have watched some great films lately that were very inspirational; into the wild and away we go. it got me thinking about how the films we watch determine where we are at a certain point in our lives and the things we value and aspire towards. for example adventure, romance, drama, comedy... i know that i am at a point where i've just finished university and i just want to get out there and see the world, travel and experience life and all that it holds for me. its the first time in my life where i haven't been in full time education and its very exciting to choose my next step in life. as in the film into the wild, he feels like he has just been born into the world, as he is the one making all his decisions. i watch gilmore girls everyday without fail; it reminds me of me and my mum and how close we are, which is so special to me and i do love a bit of drama. i also love a good romcom as every girl does, hoping to be swept of her feet like in the fairytales :)

happy new year to all, lets hope its full of happiness, peace and love (hippy or what!) XD ...oh and not to forget the little adventures along the way!

Love and traditional textiles!

I had a fantastical Christmas with my family and I hope everyone else had a lovely time too! :) Its such a special time of the year, when families get together for one day and we all get in touch with people we have lost contact with, throughout the year. We should be reminded of the love of Christmas time everyday, because family and friends shouldn't just be thought about at Christmas but everyday of the year and its nice to let them know how much they are loved and cared about. I think a lot about people who are alone at this time of the year and hope that someone thinks about them- a neighbour, a long lost relative; just to give them a bell on the phone or pop round to say hi, because a little love can make a big difference to someones life.

Christmas has lots of traditions like trees, baubles, lights, crackers, wreathes, turkey, etc... I received some lovely pressies this year and some were making traditional textiles, with techniques like cross stitch and using a knitting doll. I also got a book with all sorts of techniques like soap making, rag rugging and floristry. I personally prefer handmade than machine-made, as you may get more done in a short space of time however hand-crafted techniques, that you take your time over, are more personal and heart-warming. You get a real sense of achievement and they make wonderful gifts that will last forever. The work produced reflects you as a person and the things you value. I remember some of these crafts as a little girl, my grandma used to spend hours teaching them to me and even though I forgot them quite easily, that time was special and I will never forget. Me and a friend have decided to meet up once a week to get creative with tradition techniques and join workshops. Crafts is very sociable and for everyone, whats better than meeting up with your girls, chatting about old times and creating beautiful things! xD

diaries to share

1st year of college sketchbook

i posted my cards and finished wrapping my Christmas pressies today! then i started to watch a film with my feet up an a nice cup of tea when i decided to look through my college work (in the hope of sorting it out!hehe) i started thinking that my best work was in my sketchbooks, instead of my final samples and so perhaps my sketchbooks could become my final pieces. the most enjoyable part of creating, is experimenting and finding new techniques. i love creating when you never know whats gonna happen and the surprises that occur. the best thing is that you can be as messy and unfinished as you like. being honest throughout sketchbooks is a must as your work is about you, if intended or not, there will always be an essence of yourself when ideas emerge. maybe sketchbooks are too personal for others to admire, but its what we all want to see- the real you. :)

post traditions!

dear readers

today i was thinking about how most people don't send letters and Christmas cards anymore and are turning to texts and emails to contact friends and family. i just love the excitement of opening a letter or card and not knowing who it's from. i have been sending letters to my friends recently, who i don't get to see very often and even though we text and call each other to catch up, there's just something special about a handwritten letter and personalising it with sketches and quotes. i really enjoy writing them too, all the memories come flooding back to me and this makes me smile and laugh. there is so much joy from from writing and receiving a letter, its a connection you both share forever. i keep all my letters and cards and i like to read them again and again, it nice to read times there are forgotten and the history behind letters that are hundreds of years old, completely fascinates me. i do love the Wallace and gromit stamps this year too. with emails and texts we end up deleting or losing them over time and so i just hope that we keep this tradition alive. :)

i wish you all a merry christmas and a happy new year!

love from

rachael

xxx

Tape sculptures!

We finished the tape sculptures a couple of weeks ago now and they are very successful. We spend the half term holiday displaying the sculptures around the school, some in hidden places. This was very exciting for the young people to find them when they returned. They made their own little plaque's describing the work in their own words and signed their names for everyone to see. We placed 'hoping for peace' on top of a tall cabinet looking out over the young people, as we thought this was the most undisturbed place and 'feeling lonely' was put outside in a corner, amongst leaves and under a shelter to keep it dry. The decoration of the sculptures ties in with the concepts behind each one. We were so proud of the young people who produced each sculpture in 7 hours, spread over 7 weeks. They have been given a fantastic opportunity to create something truly unique and inspiring and have achieved so much socially with their team members, as well as creative skills they can pass onto others! :)

This has been a fantastic challenge for me too. I came into this wanting to learn about teaching young people and I have come out of it with so much more; I have gained confidence with each session and learned so many new techniques and ideas, from working within a creative team and from the young people themselves. When I first started I was very shy and felt as though I didn't know anything, but from listening to and observing the other staff and volunteers, I gained my own personal style of teaching. By the last lesson I was just getting into it and felt more comfortable, with having got to know everyone. But now its onto my next challenge of Egyptian mural painting with 8/9 year olds and I know I have a lot more to learn....

Lisa Ellul

I went to the Great Northern Contemporary craft fair last Friday and there was some amazing work. One of the pieces that really caught my eye was Lisa Ellul's organically shaped ceramic vessels.

Light & Crisp!

Here are some images I took in my local park on a sunny autumn day! :)

I've noticed that I always slow down my pace of walking as soon as I enter a park, like I turn into relaxation mode. Is that just me??

Autumn sunshine!

I am thinking about starting up my own lighting business, with some new inspiration and designs. I loved the warm ambiance of my lampshades and I would like to carry this warm feel through to my next collection. Especially now its getting a bit chilly outside, I want ever house to feel like a home this Christmas and bring a light of new hope. I love walking outside in autumn 'I feel right at home' with all the colourful leaves, they brighten up a dull day....along with a little smile! :)

I am finally starting to write on my blog! It's been a few months now since graduating University and since then it has been a struggle to find a job. I have been meaning to start a new project but not had the time or motivation, from writing CV's and filling in application forms. I have just been offered a job and now it's time for me to get started! Hooray!!! :)



I have spent most of my time this summer volunteering. I was invigilating an exhibition at The Cube Gallery, in Manchester; welcoming visitors, telling them about current and up coming events and assisting in daily gallery management. The exhibition was called 'The Perfect Gallery', based on Christian Jankowski's exhibition at The Pump House Galley in London. The gallery is transformed into a sculpture in itself. There is no work up, just plain white walls. The artist wants people to look at the architecture of the building, as "...gallery architecture is often talked about more than the art inside it." Even though the space may sound quite cold and bland, it actually had a warm atmosphere. I enjoyed being part of the exhibition and I got a new insight into 'modern art'...the space had a real sense of new inspiration or a place to just think about the concept and what you think it may be...



Every Wednesday I volunteer with Youth Art Workers- Void Arts, in a primary school. The guys I work with are great fun and we are currently making life-size tape sculptures of the human body, based on feelings of Migration. Our groups our 'Hoping for peace' and 'Feeling Lonely'. The young people are fantastic, they make me laugh all the time and I always come back with funny stories to tell. The girls want there sculpture decorated with feathers and lots of glitter and the boys want flies and smelly rubbish...typical. They are really enjoying there Art lesson's and I hope to have some pictures up soon of the finished pieces.