North Down Craft Collective

The Seasons of Bobs is fast Approaching! Christmas Craft Fairs where you can find me this year.

I am just back from a trip to London where I attended the 60th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists. While there, I also received the wonderful news that I have been elected as an associate member of the society. This news makes me both proud of this achievement and humbled to be counted among such illustrious wildlife artists, both past and present. It is also a joy to be part of this welcoming and supportive community of artists united by their love of nature and their desire to express and communicate its value through the work they make.

Now I am back in the studio and busy preparing for all the events in the next few weeks. Its Bobs favourite time of year and he is much in demand! Bobs in shops, make your own Bob workshops, Bobs at festive craft fairs, you name it! This starts TOMORROW with the Boom open studios, which coincides with the Bangor light switch on

Boom Open Studios and Light Switch on

Boom Studios is open part of the Christmas Passport Trail this Saturday! Come to our open day from 12-4pm and get your passport/stamp. Enjoy a workshop taster, refreshments and visit the artists working in their studios – we’ll finish up at 4, plenty of time to go down and see the lights switch on!

Lots of fun happening in Boom 1, but dont forget to have a peek in Boom 2 – next to the Heart Foundation shop. Ill be there 12 -4.

Free to attend event. Costs may apply to some activities.

Programme for the day:

5.30 pm The Switch On of the Christmas Lights at the McKee Clock arena

12noon – 7pm | Festive Bar and Food Village, Queen’s Parade car park

1pm – 6pm | Indoor Festive Market, Main Street (former TK Maxx Building)

Made in AND – Pop up Christmas shop at North down Museum

The very popular pop up shop will once again be taking over the galleries and cafe at North Down Museum. This event is fast becoming a local seasonal tradition. Don’t miss the special late night Shopping event on Thursday 30th November! Join us for an evening of music, artists demonstrations and shopping. The museum will be festively decorated, the coffee shop will be open serving food and drink and visitors will be able to see the museum and purchase unique gifts in a completely different way.

North Down Museum, Bangor

Wednesday 22 November 2023 -Sunday 7 January 2024

Late Night Shopping Thursday 30 November 6-9pm


Museum opening times
Tuesday -Saturday 10am-4:00pm

Sundays 12noon-4:00pm
Closed on Mondays

Promotional image for Creative Peninsula Chrstmas Fayre

The Creative Peninsula Christmas Fayre Returns!

This Year sees the welcome return of the Christmas Craft Fayre in Ards Arts Centre after an absence of 3 years due to the Covid pandemic. The gap has been filled by a Christmas pop up shop for two years, but we are all excited to have one of the best fayres of the season back in our schedule,

Come and enjoy the opulent festive setting of Ards Arts Centre, with seasonal live music interludes, complementary gift wrapping, and festive refreshments! Take time out of the busy shopping crowds and get your December shopping campaign off to a great start.

Ards Arts Centre

Friday 1 December 4 -8 pm
Saturday 2 December 10am – 4 pm

North Down Craft Collective at the Court House, Bangor

My final event for this year will be at the Court House,Bangor. North Down Craft Collective will be returning for a third collaboration with this great venue in the lovingly restored Court House in Bangor.


Sunday 10 December 2023
The Court House Bangor
12 – 5pm

Don’t Forget to Support your Local shops!

In the flurry of Fairs and events, it is easy to forget about your local craft and art shops that are there all year round. Here are a few where you can find some of my work. Get out and support them this festive season!

The Seasons of Bobs is fast Approaching! Christmas Craft Fairs where you can find me this year. Read More »

Summer Festivals and Exhibitions Galore!

With Creative Peninsula and August Craft Month about to kick off, I won’t trouble you with a long introduction. Suffice to say there is a lot going on and not just what is listed below. You can check out all the events on offer for you delectation and delight this summer via the Craft NI and Creative peninsula websites and, while you are at it, have a look at the summer events in Boom Studios!:

August Craft Month

Creative Peninsula

Boom

Oh and one more little plug – I am very happy to say that some of my new original drawings from earlier in the year are now rubbing shoulders with some very fab wildlife artists in the Scottish Ornithologists Club online shop.

Exhibitions

Exhibition Wildlife Art

This is a great and well established weekend exhibition of wildlife art taking place in Gordale Garden Center on the Wirral Peninsula from 28 to 30 July. This year I am taking part remotely and have 8 pieces in their online gallery which goes live on 28 July. All the pieces will remain available for the rest of the year.

Creative Peninsula Exhibition at Ards Arts Centre

The exhibition opening and official launch of the Creative Peninsula festival will be 6.30 – 8.30 on Thursday 27 July and includes an opening talk and demonstration

This year the exhibition has a theme – “Inspired By”. No prizes for guessing what I am inspired by, but you’ll have to come along to se exactly what I came up with as its a bit different.

Thursday 27 July – Thursday 24 August.

August Craft Month Exhibition at Craft NI

I am delighted to be taking part in this exhibition. Again its something a bit different, so you’ll have to wait for the exhibition before I reveal it! Why not join us for the official opening and late night art in the Gallery on Thursday 3 August from 6-9.

Thursday 3 August – Friday 15 September 2023

Monday – Saturday 10 -5

Late Night Art Thursday August 6pm – 9pm

Creative peninsula exhibition at North Down Museum

Another of my winter bird drawings from the beach at Millisle will be showing in this exhibition, Bangor’s Creative Peninsula celebration of local artists and crafts people.

Thursday 3rd August until Sunday 4 September

during museum opening hours


Craft Fairs

Creative Peninsula Twighlight Market and Arts Night

This event has a new twist this year being an evening event. The usual mix of local crafts people and artsits, myself included, exhibiting, demonstrating and selling in a one night only craft village in Conway Square, with live music, and drop in childrens crafts with Boom studios. Meanwhile the Arts Centre will be buzzing with creative goings on where you can see demonstrations and even try your hand at a new skill.

Friday 4 August

4 – 9pm

Conway Square, Newtownards 4-9pm

North Down Craft Collective in the Court House

Following from our very successful fair at Christmas, North Down Craft Collective will be back in Bangors Newest venue for an August Craft Month Event.

I’ll be at both these fairs with my all my usual stuff and a new thing or two to tempt you with!

Sunday 20 August

12 – 5 pm


Workshops and Demos

Sketching Landscape and Wildlife

On the afternoon of Sunday 30 July, I’ll be hosting a relaxed sunday sketching workshop at Cockle Row Cottages in Groomsport. This is a free drop in event, I will have some materials to use, but feel free to bring along your own weapons of choice! Here’s hoping the weather is kind to us

Sunday 30th July

2-4pm

Cockle Row Cottages, Groomsport

Make a Paper Bird Workshop, Newtownards

For the Creative Peninsula festival, I have a paper bird making workshop now available to book. We will learn about some basic paper cutting techniques and tools. You should come away with at least one paper bird decoration.

Tuesday 1 August

7 -9 pm

Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards

Alfresco Art

Another free event. This one always has a lovely relaxed Sunday vibe enjoyed by makers and public alike. Get yourself a brew from the Coffee Cure at North Down Museum and enjoy seeing local artists and crafts people demonstrating their skills in the courtyard. I’ll be there from 12 -2 pm, but there will be more makers in the afternoon.

Sunday 6 August

The Courtyard, North Down Museum, Bangor

12 -4pm

Make a Paper Bird Workshop, Lisburn

If you can’t make it to the Creative Peninsula paper bird making workshop, there is a another opportunity as I will be delivering it again in Lisburn as part of the Island Arts Centre August Craft Month Program. Bookings are now open.

Saturday 19 August

10.30am-12.30pm

The Island Arts Centre, Lisburn


Open Studios

Bangor Art Tour and Tipple

Join the Creative Peninsula team for a tour of Bangor’s creative spaces. Starting at North Down museum, where you will find me doing a short demo of paper crafting, then on for a peek behind the scenes at Boom Studios and Seacourt Print. With drinks along the way!

Wednesday 2 August

8-9 pm

Summer at Boom

Come and get a nosey round Boom studios, meet and chat with some of the artists in their studios , and see what we get up to all day. I’ll have my studio, over the road in Boom 2 open, so why not call in and say hello!

Saturday 12 August

11am – 5pm

Open House Festival evening Art Walk

Join Boom Studios Director, Marainne Kennerly, for a tour of creative spaces in Bangor and a glimpse into the vibrant artistic life of the city. I’ll be in Boom 2 waiting for a chat!

Thursday 24 August

6.30-9.30pm


Summer Festivals and Exhibitions Galore! Read More »

Things the Same and Things Different

Now that the dust (and glitter!) has well and truly settled from Christmas, I thought I had better wish you a belated happy new year! January is usually a time for retiring to the back office to have a think and a plan and this year is no different. I have been trying to make some improvements to my website, including a new hosting, which was every bit the headache I expected! Thanks to Boom studios website club for keeping me on track with this!

I am also between three studios, my old home studio, my current very small space in Boom and (at least in my head) a bigger space in Boom that I hope to get into in February or March. Box packing, runs to the dump, trying to persuade fellow artists that they might have a use for my old tat and figuring out how and what to move from A to B to C! Hopefully most of this will be resolved by the end of March.

In between all this, I have been trying to take advantage of the fact that I now live walking distance from the beach by getting out and doing some fieldwork. I would like to get some good drawing days before the wintering birds head north to breed. Above is one of my first efforts, a lovely stonechat I watched feeding in the heaped up seaweed at the top of the beach!

But in the meantime, things are already getting quite busy! This weekend I will be doing my first fair of the year in Belfast and two group exhibitions are opening in February which mean I have to put the studio packing aside and turn my attention to them!


Fine and Dandy in the Titanic Hotel

The Fine and Dandy Market is at long last returning to Belfast and I am very happy to be taking part in the first one. They are starting big with the Titanic Hotel. You can find me there with my paper birds on this coming weekend Sunday 5th February. Table 38, Drawing room one!

Sunday 5th February

1- 5pm

Titanic Hotel Belfast, 6 Queens Road, Belfast, BT3 9DT

Find out more…
The Fine and Dandy Market
The Titanic Hotel


A Valentines Day Opening in Bangor

the North Down Craft Collective are once again organising a spring exhibition to showcase the wealth and diversity of talent and skills that their group has. North Down Museum are kindly hosting us in the Coffee Cure cafe space.

The show opens on 14th February and some of the artists, myself included, will be there that morning for an informal opening. You are most welcome to pop in,  meet the artists, peruse the artwork and have coffee all in one place!

‘Regeneration’

14 February – 26 March

North Down Museum Cafe, Castle Park, Bangor, BT20 4BT

Informal opening:

Tuesday 14 February 10am – Noon

The Hypno Bunny Returns!

If you missed the Paper Magic exhibition in October at Craft NI, Fear not, for we are going to do it all again! Paper Magic will be at the Sunburst Gallery in Ards Arts Centre Fom 23 February until 25 March.

If you did catch us in Belfast, do check the show out again as there are a few changes. We have two new exhibitors joining us – Aimee Magee and Simon Hall. Since a couple of my pieces from the first show sold, I will be exhibiting a few of my Catalan Butterflies pieces that were created as part of a collaboration with poet Laurence O’Dwyer. That collaboration came about as as result of my being awarded a bursary from Ards and North Down Borough Council for a residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, so I am pleased to have the opportunity to show part of that work here. 

We would like to invite you to join us for a opening preview of the show on Thursday 23 February from 7pm until 9pm.

Paper Magic

23 February – 25 March

Sunburst Gallery

Ards Arts Centre, Conway Square, BT23 4NP

Opening Preview: 

Thursday 23 February 7pm – 9pm.

Find out More…
Ards Arts Centre


Birdwatchers in the Tourist Office

And finally, during March, North Down Birdwatching Club will be having a display in Ards Tourist Information Centre to promote the club and the bird life of the local area. Along with other club members, I will be contributing a few bits and pieces. We have some talented photographers in the club, so do pop in and have a look if you are passing!

Ards Visitor Information Centre
1 – 31 March
31 Regent Street, Newtownards, BT23 4AD

Find out more…
Newtownards Tourist Information Centre

Things the Same and Things Different Read More »

Creative Peninsula and August Craft Month 2022

It is that time of year again when all we go just a bit art and craft mad! The Creative Peninsula, Ards and North Down’s major art festival, launched last week with the opening of the exhibitions in Ards Arts Centre. There is also an exhibition in North Down Museum. I have a piece in each. There is plenty going on. You can check out all the events on the Creative Peninsula website or pop into the Arts Centre and pick up a booklet

And its not just Ards and North Down, August Craft Month is also under way. This year Craft NI are working with the Design and Crafts Council in Kilkenny to highlight events North and South. You can see everything by visiting the Craft NI August Craft Month page.

https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/
https://craftni.org/augustcraftmonth2022/

I am pretty busy over the next few weeks, so take a deep breath – here is my list!

Creative Peninsula in the Square and Alfresco Art

Creative Peninsula in the Square

Friday 5th August 11am – 5pm

This is one of the main events of the Creative Peninsula. Conway square, in front of the town hall, will be transformed into a tented art and craft village. Come down and meet artists living and working in Ards and North Down.

https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/whats-on/creative-peninsula-square

Alfresco Art

Sunday 7th August 12-4pm

This event is a favourite with artists and visitors alike. Spend a relaxed sunday afternoon in the courtyard of North Down Museum in Bangor watching local artists demonstrate their skills Maybe even try your hand at something yourself. And there is nothing better to go with alfresco art than alfresco refreshments from the Coffee Cure. I’ll be there from 12 making a variety of paper birds.


https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/whats-on/alfresco-art-north-down-museum

Photo: Janine Boyd

Workshop – Developing Skills for Sketching from Life 

I’ll be running a workshop at Ards Arts Centre to help you develop your drawing from life skills. There will be lots of short drawing exercises and plenty of paper and pencils to play with. Weather and time permitting we might go out into conway square to try and put it all into practice. It will be challenging, but hopefully fun as well!

Wednesday 10 August 10am – 1pm

If you are interested, you can book a place on the Creative Peninsula website here:
https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/classes/developing-skills-sketching-life-adele-pound

Creative Peninsula at the Ulster Folk Museum

Saturday 20th August 11am – 3pm

This is a new event for 2022. I am looking forward to spending the day demonstrating how I make my paper pigeons. You can find me in the school house!

https://creativepeninsula.andculture.org.uk/whats-on/creative-peninsula-ulster-folk-museum

North Down Craft Collective Pop up in Comber!

The North Down Craft Collective will be taking over a pop up shop at 4 Castle street, Comber from Tuesday 16th August, until Saturday 20th August. There will be different makers in residence each day from 10am – 4:00 pm.

I’ll be taking my turn on Wednesday 17th August,do call in and say hello if you are passing!

http://thecraftroomcomber.com/whats-on/north-down-craft-collective-at-comber-pop-up-shop/

Creative Peninsula at Boom Studios!

Now that I am part of the Boom studios family, I also get to join in with their August events as well!

Open Studios at Boom

Boom studio artists will be opening their doors for the Creative Peninsula. Call in to meet and buy from the artists, and get a look inside Bangor’s creative hub.  Due to other commitments I will be there on Sunday 14th of August only this year.

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August
10am – 12pm
2pm – 4pm

Boom Studios pop up in Bloomfield Shopping Centre!

For the whole of August Boom studios will be taking over a unit in Bloomfeld shopping centre. You will be able to see and buy work from your friendly local artists who work in Boom studios in Bangor.

The shop will be open Thursday to Saturday for the month of August.

https://www.boomstudios.org.uk/news/creativepeninsula2022

Creative Peninsula and August Craft Month 2022 Read More »

North Down Craft Collective and Friends back at Castle Espie

Ten artists selected from the exhibitors that took part in North Down Craft Collective’s Christmas Fairs at Kylestone Nurseries are showing their work in the Graffan Gallery at Castle Espie WWT Centre this February.

I am showing my cartoon “Sanderliiing” and three little field studies. There will be paintings, watercolours, ceramics and more in what promises to be a beautiful showcase of the talent and skill of local makers.

The exhibition is open Sunday 6th – Sunday 27th February 2022, 10.30am – 5pm daily (Cafe closes at 2.30)

We will all be volunteering to steward the exhibition for a few hours each day, so there will be someone on hand to chat and answer questions across the middle of most days. Any sales can be dealt with by Castle Espie staff at reception. Entry is free to the cafe and gallery. If you want to say hello, my days and times are:

  • Wednesday 9th February 11am – 2pm
  • Thursday 17th February 11am – 2pm
  • Wednesday 23rd February 11am – 2pm

Keep an eye on the North Down Craft Collective social media to see who is going to be around each day.

The other artrists in the show are: Jenni Robinson Art, Jude Fenton Art, Figment Ceramics, Patricia Millar Ceramics, Ruth Osborne Art, Alison Hanvey Ceramics, Mark Clendinning, Wild Earth Studio, Pretty Crafty Ceramics.

North Down Craft Collective and Friends back at Castle Espie Read More »

Exhibitions, Fairs and Pop up Shops

Here is a quick run down of where you can find me and my work in the run up to Christmas this year.

The Ulster Watercolour Society’s Annual Exhibition

There are still a few days to see the Ulster Watercolour Society’s 44th exhibition at Merville House in Merville Garden Village. There are unframed works available as well as the framed pieces. I have two of each in the exhibition.

The exhibition will be open
Wednesday 17th November – Sunday 28 November.

(closes at 1pm on the last day)
11am – 4pm daily (including Saturday and Sunday)

http://www.uws.org.uk/exhibition.html

http://www.mervillehouse.org/


Christmas Market at Kylestone Nurseries

Saturday 27th November
9am – 5pm

I am looking forward to being back at Kylestone Nurseries, Groomsport, for the grande finale of the North Down Craft Collective Christmas showcases. There will be 25 makers feeling festive in the glass houses where there will be plenty of space and ventilation. Bangor Ladies Choir will be serenading us at 11am, plus the nursery will have locally sourced christmas trees for sale!

Before the 27th, there is, of course, another showcase of 5 makers on 20th November. You can see which makers will be there by following the North Down Craft Collective Facebook page.


Christmas with the Creative Peninsula

Creative Peninsula Christmas Edit Pop-up Shop and Exhibition


Saturday 27 November – Friday 17 December 2021

Monday – Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Late Night: Thurs 9 and Fri 10 December

Ards Arts Centre

There will be a chance to meet some of the makers, though, as we are all volunteering to man the show in Ards Arts Centre. If you want to come and say hello , here are the dates and times that I will be there:

Tuesday 30th November 1pm – 4pm
Friday 10th December 6pm – 9pm
Tuesday 14th December 10am – 1pm

North Down Museum Christmas Made in AND

Wednesday 24 November 2021 – Sunday 2 January 2022

Museum opening times:
Tuesday -Saturday 10am-4:00pm, Sundays 12noon-4:00pm, Closed on Mondays.

North Down Museum


Exhibitions, Fairs and Pop up Shops Read More »