The Contemporary Craft Fair!

I have returned from the Contemporary Craft Fair in Bovey Tracey, Devon! I was a part of the One Year On section which included many graduates from around the UK. This was my first craft fair so I was nervous to see what the general public thought of my work and of my concepts in ceramics.

We (Myself and a friend, Sally) travelled down Thursday morning, and arrived at around midday. Once we'd arrived it was all systems go from the off, trying to unload everything from the car in the hot sun! I had designed the storage unit to not only present my pieces in a stand, but also as the storage for the pieces in the car. Although everything was measured, we had a slight problem with the boot entrance being smaller than the measured inner of the car. Because of this, it was difficult to get the whole set in, but we managed, only just!

After re-painting the unit and placing all the pieces ready for the show we had a few hours to find the hotel, (which was another mission!)

Here is an image of the stand just before opening for the private view

I had some great feedback from the private view, some people intrigued with the method, some people wanting to touch the pieces and even some saying that it was unique and they had never seen anything similar before, which was lovely! 

The next few days of the fair were great, I got to know some of the other graduates with stands, talked to a lot of people about broken and re-constructed crockery and sold a decent amount of pieces. It was a lovely weekend weather wise, with the ideal festival weather throughout. The Fair was at Mill Marsh Park which was a great setting as there was plenty of room, and lots of activities for all! 

I have felt recently as if I've been making the work for so long, creating new pieces and constantly in a different stage of the making process with many pieces, so it was great that I could show people what I had been up to in the past year and just show off my work a little! 

The event also gave me confidence to carry on with this body of work and to make new pieces. It has also inspired me to apply for more fairs and events within craft, so it was a great experience all round! I'm already excited for my next fair! 

To finish, here are some very tall women from the Contemporary Craft Fair:

Tea for five?

I'm currently still making for the Contemporary Craft Festival. I need more storage for all my pieces, and I've finally completed my tea set! :)

The images I have are not the best quality but the pieces are not yet fired, so I will hopefully be buying a fade backboard soon to take more professional images.

Here is my studio at the moment in all of it's glory. Bit messy, but productive:

I have started adding a firing to each piece by marking my signature underneath, I wasn't sure to start with whether it was worth it, cost wise for the pieces, but I felt as if it was an important part of my pieces looking more professional. 

Here are some of the current tea sets, only half fired, but you get the idea. I think after my pieces all being finished they will work well as a whole, but they will also compliment my other pieces from my degree show. So, hopefully I will be able to present the pieces together. I have been thinking about the design of my stall, but I have yet to finalize and measure these ideas. Here's a half finished tea set for you to cast your eyes on. :) 

Current proposal and exhibitions

I have been a busy factory the past few months, getting stock ready for an exhibition at the Contemporary Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey, Devon in June. I've been creating new pieces that will link together to form a tea set. As you've seen my cups and saucers previously, I won't go into too mucn detail about these. They are the same concept as my degree show proposal. Here they are:

 

I'm really excited to exhibit at the Craft Fair as I have volunteered many times for a simliar craft fair in Newport, I love the atmosphere and the quirky, original designs of different artists. I will be in the One Year On section with other graduates and I'm looking forward to displaying my work professionally.

 

I've been making a teapot as a centre piece to my body of work. It was a good test of what I have learnt in Univeristy as the mold had many undercuts and became a seven part mold! Here is one of them before being bisque fired:

 

 

I've also been working on a milk jug to go with the set, which I've freshly cast today for the first time! It's so great to see my work developing and soon I will be able to say that I have a full teaset! Here is the milk jug that I have also been working on:

 

 

My work is currently at The Counting House in Porthgain with my Sterling Silver and Porcelain Hand-Made Jewellery amongst other artists. If your around the area, go and have a look!

 

 

I was lucky enough to be asked to talk at MOMA Wales in Machynlleth at the beginning of April. I went through my journey from school, to foundation, to university and the many various projects I had to my current work. It was lovely to present my work in my hometown, slightly nerve-racking but I enjoyed explaining my processes and how my mind works through inspiration from other artists from different artistic movements, from Cubism to Deconstructivists and the Constructivists.

 

 

 

My kiln has been amazing, and it was such a great buy off ebay! I fire every other day nearly now, and it's so easy as the kiln sitter automatically turns the kiln off when it hits the right temperature.

 

I have a few things in the pipe line ideas wise, as I want to create similar jewellery pieces to my 3d objects as I don't think my hobby jewellery compliments my ceramic pieces. I look forward to seeing how this works. I also need to create a display for my exhibition in Devon, I have so many different ideas for it, but I'm constrained due to the fact that everything must fit into my car, so it will have to be a clever design! I've been creating new sketches that I wanted to use as transfers for my pieces, but I can't decide whether I want to leave the pieces white or whether the transfers will add to the work. I have tested one piece, but I find it difficult as I can't really see how effective it is without using transfers on all of my work! I'll leave you with a sketch of my teapot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eluned Glyn. www.elunedglyn.com

 

 

New developments

I've not written for AGES! I've been developing my new website with online shop that links to paypal. Have a look at www.elunedglyn.com, some feedback would be nice too if you have the time! I wanted to create a website that would have all the separate information clear and easy to find.

I've just started a new job at Re-Create, Cardiff and Vale Play Services Association in Ely. My position is Merchandiser and Resource Assistant and my role is the day-to-day running of the scrap store and ensuring cleanliness and organization throughout I also answers any queries regarding Re-Create's hire equipment and arts & crafts. I'm enjoying my new job so far, learning a lot about different aspects of running a shop every day, and the hours are great as I'm able to carry on making on my days off. 

Since my last blog update I've fired my new kiln twice, (both successfully!) It's a great little kiln and finishes within 6 hours which is great. I've been working on a tea set, which I now have 5 cups and saucers. I only need to make a teapot and we're rocking! I'm enjoying my making at the moment and have found my rhythm in making.

Over Christmas I exhibited in the Aberystwyth Christmas Craft Fair, which was great for people to see my work, and feel as if I've gained a lot from this experience. I'm hoping of exhibiting in a few exhibitions again this year. I will be blogging more often, although it was meant to be a New Year's Resolution! 

Here is an image of my glazed cups from the last firing.

CARDIFF OPEN PRIVATE OPENING

Just a quick post to inform you all that my work will be showing in the Cardiff Open with the Cardiff Arts Collective for the Cardiff Design Festival. The opening is Friday the 5th, from 5-7pm and will be there for around two weeks. Really excited to see my work amongst other mixed media art, not only ceramics. 


11, High Street, Cardiff. 
10-5.30 daily, 1-27th of October. 

Have a look at their website:

http://www.cardiffartscollective.co.uk/#/

Exhibition opportunities!

Hello! Sorry it's been such a long time since I've written a post! I've been very busy, creating a facebook page firstly to join both my blog, my work and my friends, I also want to finish a website but not quite finished it yet! 

My work has just come down from the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff which was successful and I enjoyed having my work in such a public place, it was a great experience for me that so much of the public could see the work. I felt a great sense of achievement that the museum I spent time in sketching and taking images for inspiration wanted to show my work. 

I have now split the work into two groups, one has just been handed in for the Cardiff Open which is opening on the 1st of October until the 27th, in a shop near the Castle. This will have three shelves of work with fifteen pieces in all. 

The other group of pieces will be moving to Milkwood Gallery, from the 12th of October for two weeks, over the Made in Roath Festival. They will take their place nicely on the old fashioned dresser in the front of the shop. 

Another project I have in the pipeline is the Aberystwyth Arts Centre Christmas Craft Fair from the 26th of October until the 6th of January. Here I will be selling a collection of ceramic pieces and my hand-made Sterling Silver porcelain jewellery. If your around it's a great place to buy some individual, personal christmas presents for all your family and friends! 

I have been making new pieces to add to the collection of Minimus Maximus, so more seven and eight part molds in the new studio. Some great news, the new kiln was delivered today! So excited to start firing and create the tea set that I've been planning for a while now. 

I'm pleased that there is an interest in my degree show work, and love the idea of having many different bodies of work, from my Minimus Maximus range, to the Welsh Heritage pieces I want to continue from my second year to my porcelain jewellery. Well, we'll see how it all goes! 

Degree Show Success

Well, it's been a busy time! After my work visiting London for the New Designers Fair in the Business Design Centre and Art in Clay, Hatfield House I've been applying for competition and exhibition opportunities. I also graduated this week with a First Class Honors and had a lovely day at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

My work is currently showing in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, for the Contemporary Makers Showcase. It will be there until the 1st of September. I'm proud to be showing my work there, as it was such an inspiration to my work, that of the Swansea Pottery Lustreware and the Cambrian Pottery, Swansea.

I'm setting up my own studio space too, which I'm excited about! Just trying to get all the cobwebs out, then it's time to get making! I will be creating new designs of cups, saucers and teapots hopefully to add to the many jug designs from my degree show. 

I will also be showing my work on the creativeGAPS website, which is a great showcase for people to see my work. www.creativegaps.co.uk.

After the degree show I felt a bit deflated, working so hard towards an outcome and not having anywhere straight away to carry on making, but I'm happy to be continuing my work in the studio I have now. 

I will be exhibiting at the Made in Roath and Cardiff Design Festival, showing my work at the Milkwood Gallery in Cardiff. I love this gallery so it's great to be showing my work there. Here is their website, check them out! :)

www.milkwoodgallery.com/ 

I'm happy with the reaction towards my work, and have had some great comments on how to improve and develop the concept. 

That's all for now. I'll leave you with a picture of my studio, mid-painting and moving in!! Happy times!