tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38741095732514793592024-03-05T03:39:39.241-08:00Little Moments of Wonder - The Art of Sarah Louise EwingSarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874109573251479359.post-30453677664150241262015-11-27T04:19:00.002-08:002015-11-27T04:19:33.547-08:00Forever Autumn<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>November has tied me to an old, dead tree. </i></div>
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<i>Get word to April, to rescue me.</i></div>
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I realise that I have not posted anything on my blog for quite a while. I don't know where time disappears to at present. We are about to enter the very last month of the year, yet it seems only a few weeks ago that we were celebrating Christmas. Anyway, I apologise for my absence.</div>
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The weather is slowly beginning to turn. Autumn stayed with us for quite a while this year. We were lucky to have the rich, golden treasure of autumn leaves on our trees for longer than expected, before the winds came. This really is the most spectacular of the seasons, which we had the gift of enjoying much longer than expected.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">You might recall Luna, the hare which I had the pleasure of creating back in the late Spring, for Framemakers Gallery in Cirencester? It was painted and displayed as part of the towns annual Hare Festival. </span></div>
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<i>Cirencester, or Corinium as it was called in Roman times, is the only location in all of the United Kingdom where hares have been found depicted on the remains of Roman ruins. Many animals have been found within Roman murals - but only in Cirencester will you find the hare. </i></div>
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Now that the festival has come to a close, the gallery and I thought it would be a lovely idea to auction Luna off in aid of a charity. The gallery have very kindly let me chose which charity I would like to support and, of course, I have chosen the Alzheimer's Society. Some of you may know that both of my parents currently suffer with this devastating disease, so it seemed only right. The auction is still running and will close at the start of December. I must thank the gallery for their fantastic support and I do hope we will raise a few pennies for such a worthy cause.</div>
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Earlier this month I had an invitation from Greg Spawton (Big Big Train) to come along to Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios to watch the band record parts of the new album, <i>Folklore.</i> It was a really fascinating experience : not only to see a recording studio of such legendary status (what an amazing place!), but also to get a little insight into the process of recording an album. Whilst I was there, the band were laying down the brass parts for certain tracks. It really was an honour to be in the company of such enormously talented musicians as Dave Desmond, Ben Godfrey and the rest of the brass section. Their sound was rich, warm and, well, huge!</div>
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After the day's recording was done, we all enjoyed a lovely dinner courtesy of the studios' catering team and were able to begin a few brief discussions regarding artwork and branding for the new album.</div>
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I was then able to expand on these initial discussions a few weeks later, when I met up again with band members Greg and David to talk about the album in more depth. It was a great meeting : we looked more closely at certain narratives and themes which run throughout the album. I have come away with a clear idea of how the album art might look and have already begun sketching.</div>
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This month has seen me working on a number of commissions - which means that I am unable to post photographs, as I suspect that a number of them will be Yule gifts. I have also been busy creating some new hearts for my Etsy shop - which will be re-stocked this Sunday (November 29th) at 7 pm. Hopefully these will make a nice, affordable Christmas presents.</div>
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I have also been having great fun with clocks! These will be lovely little 6 x 6" original works which function as clocks. The battery run clock parts are quartz, with a hanger on the back ready to mount on the wall. I am not sure if I will have any ready for Christmas though. I don't want to rush them, ensuring I spend time getting them just right. They will be available via my Etsy shop and exclusively through one or two of my galleries.</div>
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So December will be here in a few short days. I quite like the advent of Winter : the chance to draw the curtains, light a candle and be cozy inside. But I also love my walking at this time of year: my partner and I walk regularly. Cold, sharp, bright days are the very best days to go walking. The absence of leaves on the trees make for a very architectural landscape. I am lucky enough to live in the heart of the Cotswolds, one of the most beautiful parts of England. There is no better way to appreciate this beautiful land than on foot.</div>
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When I am not painting, walking is one of my very favourite ways to spend my time. Walking, I am able to clear my head and have learnt to be completely in the moment. It has given me a very strong connection to my landscape, my environment : this beautiful, precious place which informs and inspires all my work.</div>
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So wrap up warm and get out into the countryside. Fill your lungs with the clean, sharp air, get some daylight on your face. Take in your amazing surroundings, no matter where you live, and let them consume you.</div>
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Sarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874109573251479359.post-17011219118839748782015-09-01T04:21:00.000-07:002015-09-01T04:21:40.819-07:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Make Some Noise</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Having hoped for an improvement in the weather now that my studio scaffolding has come down, I have been bitterly disappointed. August has been really rather poor from a meteorological point of view. As I sit here and reflect on the past month, it is September 1st and there is a decidedly Autumnal feel in the air. We are beginning to baton down the hatches for Winter already. Even my colour palette is sensing the change - as I move more towards Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber and Copper. Of an evening, I am already smelling woodsmoke on the air here in Gloucestershire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But the past month has certainly not been without spectacular moments when I have, as Nathalie Marchant once sang, felt a shaft of light make its way across my face...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On August 15th, I traveled to London to see <a href="http://www.bigbigtrain.com/" target="_blank">Big Big Train</a> play live at the prestigious Kings Place. I have had the great honour and pleasure of working with the band, on their artwork, since late 2014. And I had been waiting for this day to come for a <i>long</i> time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh my, the band did not disappoint. It was a truly magnificent performance and a very special evening indeed. To coin the cliche "there was a lot of love in the room" would not be inappropriate here! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was obviously one particular song which I was waiting for - <i>Wassail</i>. What I did not expect was to see my painting of the Green Man blown-up to epic proportions and used as a back-drop for the song! It was a huge moment for me - and I recall looking up to see Kathy (the very lovely wife of Greg Spawton, band founder member) grin and give me the thumbs up! I bit back tears and the word "proud" doesn't even come close.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had the great pleasure of meeting many of their fans (or Passengers, as they should be referred to) - what a super bunch of people. I also had the chance to catch up with Greg, Andy, David and Danny from the band. Alongside Kathy, they all made me feel such a part of their BBT family. You know when you think back upon something and it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside - well, that. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz3zVb-0holSaqjBj9gEntbD_uyhhc4fcUJ31_3JnX_up_-kxd-io2Sa2htXQhNGjMeAS6PCdBfqdauH51EK3tFXOK75u-TggpBp0HiAuNfNUTkLpXJbz5iEdS4J0dXpLbCNveVrgba8/s1600/Big+Big+Train+LIVE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz3zVb-0holSaqjBj9gEntbD_uyhhc4fcUJ31_3JnX_up_-kxd-io2Sa2htXQhNGjMeAS6PCdBfqdauH51EK3tFXOK75u-TggpBp0HiAuNfNUTkLpXJbz5iEdS4J0dXpLbCNveVrgba8/s320/Big+Big+Train+LIVE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fabulous photograph taken by (c) Willem Klopper 2015.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The other warm and sun-filled moment of August was being able to announce that I have a new art-related "family" in Scotland : <a href="http://www.robertsonfine%20art.co.uk/" target="_blank">Robertson Fine Art</a>. Robertson's have galleries in Glenrothes, Dollar and Dunfermline - and are about to open a fabulous new gallery in Edinburgh at the end of September. They are also super active within the Scottish interiors market and can often be found attending events. For example, they will be launching my work at the <a href="http://www.aberdeenartfair.co.uk/" target="_blank">Aberdeen Art Fair</a> (Sept 4-6, Music Hall, Aberdeen) and have other outside events planned over the coming months.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddHjphkp4MQFIocZxkBerMwujqo9DijVs6Xf5RnvCBeqIxZMbXPbUh1Ujrh45keK2Dxm_stxaji2z1GKPm8CCj9R5aY4d14MH2LTyoSCqMy__kv0c16X4x3fKmFI6lO3AEEaWZyJ2uH0/s1600/12+x+24+Blue+Into+The+Stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddHjphkp4MQFIocZxkBerMwujqo9DijVs6Xf5RnvCBeqIxZMbXPbUh1Ujrh45keK2Dxm_stxaji2z1GKPm8CCj9R5aY4d14MH2LTyoSCqMy__kv0c16X4x3fKmFI6lO3AEEaWZyJ2uH0/s320/12+x+24+Blue+Into+The+Stars.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have already sent a number of pieces up to Gordon Robertson and his team - and of course am really excited to develop the relationship further.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well that's it from me for another month. My September will be focused on preparing work to supply to my galleries in readyness for Christmas. Yes, it will arrive frighteningly quickly! But in the meantime, keep your eye on my Etsy shop as I have a few new little gifting items which will be going in over the next few weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have a wonderful September.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love, Light & Peace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sarah x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><b>Audiobooks I have enjoyed in the studio this month:</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- The Final Confession of Mabel Stark : Robert Hough</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- The Lovely Bones : Alice Sebold</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Sarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874109573251479359.post-53661867335186700892015-07-31T03:01:00.001-07:002015-09-01T03:17:28.863-07:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Sounds of Laughter, Shades of Light</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">It is the last day of July. Summer seems to be slipping away very quickly this year. If you were happy, wrapping yourself in the blissful warmth of the summer sun, only to find it swept away by driving rain and autumnal temperatures, you can probably blame me. We had scaffolding erected at the start of the month, to carry out works on the roof and dormer window of my studio. From that moment on, the weather has been unpredictable and disappointing. Sorry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Looking back, it has been a really busy month for me, with lots of getting out and about, which I love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">July has brought sunshine in other ways. You might recall that I painted a ceramic hare for the Cirencester Hare Festival (currently on display in <a href="http://framemakersgalleries.co.uk/">Framemakers Gallery</a>, in the town). Well I was lucky enough to attend the opening night of The Names of the Hare exhibition at the <a href="http://www.newbreweryarts.org.uk/">New Brewery Arts</a> centre. The exhibition features work from some of my favourite artists ( </span><a href="http://www.catherinehyde.co.uk/">Catherine Hyde</a>, <a href="http://hannahwillow.com/">Hannah Willow</a>, <a href="http://www.tamsinabbott.co.uk/">Tamsin Abbot</a>, <a href="http://moonlightandhares.blogspot.co.uk/">Karen Davis</a>,<a href="http://www.celestineandthehare.com/"> Celestine & The Hare</a> and Gloucestershire's own fabulous Dinny Pocock). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAySpQVq3-UzfB9SyDhpbW1jbFNqDVFEt3vHGIoW50bQ6F0kXsSLO9CE_BFkyN9D1ZZ_Djtw91DAZfch0jzkftuAH1d-emMp5ISdetvwqKynkl6H5YixganVCeRc203yNsZ9a8cyEQFG8/s1600/new+brewery+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAySpQVq3-UzfB9SyDhpbW1jbFNqDVFEt3vHGIoW50bQ6F0kXsSLO9CE_BFkyN9D1ZZ_Djtw91DAZfch0jzkftuAH1d-emMp5ISdetvwqKynkl6H5YixganVCeRc203yNsZ9a8cyEQFG8/s320/new+brewery+2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I am sure the other ladies wont be offended if I were to say that the real star of the show was, of course, the amazing <a href="http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/blog/">Jackie Morris</a>. During the evening, Jackie treated us to a reading from her brand new book, The Wild Swans (a companion piece to East of the Sun, West of The Moon). She shared some of her new, beautiful illustrations and anecdotes upon life as a writer, illustrator and artist. I even got the chance to leaf through some of her sketch books. What a treat! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF7hYK_wiFCdyQFQORgo7M-WRazrra-LD_6ISn5KJZ_jXMvFtuYeI4w7pLsSZj2tot_LGxCxLV4ZEBJB3sc88JYgBvJSW40YOpjCqUn8t9_DgKb3qZHwOtTrMl-eJuDqyF161OnXE-jY/s1600/new+brewery+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNF7hYK_wiFCdyQFQORgo7M-WRazrra-LD_6ISn5KJZ_jXMvFtuYeI4w7pLsSZj2tot_LGxCxLV4ZEBJB3sc88JYgBvJSW40YOpjCqUn8t9_DgKb3qZHwOtTrMl-eJuDqyF161OnXE-jY/s320/new+brewery+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The exhibition really is stunning. I would highly recommend going along for a peak. The atmosphere is warm and magical and the work is simply gorgeous. I cannot sing its praises highly enough. It runs until September 19th. So plenty of time to get there. Cirencester is a beautiful town too (okay, I am pretty biased, I know...) Here is a couple of photos of some delicious Tamsin Abbot pieces, which I covet badly. Badly...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAq_nUrVKVCcDLu-oiW5rSlKQGt2eRpO3PgJYNNDeBbwUmDeC_G91gNyrSAjd0CvATmciBJ0WFTeBjgXmTvquSrkSFybr2uzw6Nq8VZWygQYSByLXHm1iSZ8PdCR-Ir24Cds39oC9oV4/s1600/Tamsin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAq_nUrVKVCcDLu-oiW5rSlKQGt2eRpO3PgJYNNDeBbwUmDeC_G91gNyrSAjd0CvATmciBJ0WFTeBjgXmTvquSrkSFybr2uzw6Nq8VZWygQYSByLXHm1iSZ8PdCR-Ir24Cds39oC9oV4/s320/Tamsin+2.jpg" width="135" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVFqCbUSWp4uLAcKGTlbvYYg5U11EPaev3EYfASI1SLga3P-hKrriwqS-I297oYIjbI5vl7ZSL3NYOEg5WK_U0lp-azgQsyfiRE4CoGVI_3BwkAWsjiYtl4TkhkPJEyX3_pjN8pH2aWw/s1600/Tamsin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVFqCbUSWp4uLAcKGTlbvYYg5U11EPaev3EYfASI1SLga3P-hKrriwqS-I297oYIjbI5vl7ZSL3NYOEg5WK_U0lp-azgQsyfiRE4CoGVI_3BwkAWsjiYtl4TkhkPJEyX3_pjN8pH2aWw/s320/Tamsin+1.jpg" width="216" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This month also brought an unexpected but lovely invitation from Gordon and the team at the <a href="http://www.prema.org.uk/">Prema Arts Centre</a>. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2gv8Mb9Ie5mlJVwnbqQ5YBjpgO9x1q8eFG5EkR_1L4oB9ArnmaRwihEv6vCPQXwNsCBUf1FNygX1Xhu9aeZHvLTLTG-A4Ivxs1m2LRVu2NiZW0Qcv5v3mLyTO_gSTnFQU7kVtMUUhL4/s1600/prema.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2gv8Mb9Ie5mlJVwnbqQ5YBjpgO9x1q8eFG5EkR_1L4oB9ArnmaRwihEv6vCPQXwNsCBUf1FNygX1Xhu9aeZHvLTLTG-A4Ivxs1m2LRVu2NiZW0Qcv5v3mLyTO_gSTnFQU7kVtMUUhL4/s1600/prema.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gordon got in touch and asked me if I would like to come and visit, meet his team and consider the prospect of an exhibition with them. The centre is in the next village to me, Uley, and has an enviable nationwide reputation for staging some amazing live music events, exhibitions and workshops. Housed in an old methodist chapel (and currently under-going some incredible refurbishment), Prema really is an amazing space : workshops, studios, a breath-taking exhibition space and a fabulous cafe. I had a great morning with Prema, they were welcoming, warm and collaborative. So now I just have to get my thinking cap on : I know the where, I just have to work out the when and the how!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Much time this month has been spent hand embellishing the Green Man prints in readyness for the <a href="http://www.bigbigtrain.com/">Big Big Train </a> concerts at Kings Place, London, next month. In fact the last of these prints will be taken down to my framers this afternoon, to be put into their mounts. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyo2wGBRQPsR0p7ywMFRBUkW2xZlIBFRE82ptxbWgy7NnBIMM1lWrA5EcJMzvp69KtOIWkq_ARBsL_N3fq-cKfwTAiPf1LWOpvn9fvUWqt1q3PwrbLCxfqiwd0qIGOlCgMj63qjQ2pY8/s1600/BBT+hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyo2wGBRQPsR0p7ywMFRBUkW2xZlIBFRE82ptxbWgy7NnBIMM1lWrA5EcJMzvp69KtOIWkq_ARBsL_N3fq-cKfwTAiPf1LWOpvn9fvUWqt1q3PwrbLCxfqiwd0qIGOlCgMj63qjQ2pY8/s320/BBT+hand.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They are a limited run of 25. Each print is unique in some way and all have been signed by me and come with a certificate of authenticity. Once in their mount, they look really great. I do hope the BBT fans like them! </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Note: at the end of August, I will be running a competition on this blog to win an Artist's Proof of this print. the competition will only be available to members of this blog. So don't forget to sign up!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">New collections of my pieces have gone into <a href="http://framemakersgalleries.co.uk/">Framemakers Gallerie</a>s (throughout the South/South West) and also <a href="http://www.theacorngallery.co.uk/">The Acorn Gallery</a> (Pocklington, Yorkshire) this month, which is great. It's so nice to refresh my displays with new work. I have launched a number of smaller pieces, which I am hoping people will respond well to. The new works are primarily 8x8" or 12x12" (image size). This makes them not only easier to find space for on your wall, but they also retail at sub £500, which has got to be a good thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I am currently working on a selection of new pieces for a brand new gallery chain in Scotland (more to be revealed on that very soon). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVggoj8eLxcDthZqcdyIup7yC877hQmYsHN2dAkLud5GV6MacLp06G5WfSHY0uyo1wiQ9m4Ztp9YUAkFQnZmkET6yiCIQzi7-ccWX9PqSNsMxAT6z1CALnY8-E11xmNXsCevplE2WVuTA/s1600/NEW+work.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVggoj8eLxcDthZqcdyIup7yC877hQmYsHN2dAkLud5GV6MacLp06G5WfSHY0uyo1wiQ9m4Ztp9YUAkFQnZmkET6yiCIQzi7-ccWX9PqSNsMxAT6z1CALnY8-E11xmNXsCevplE2WVuTA/s320/NEW+work.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am also turning my thoughts towards Christmas (yes, a bit of a swear word when you consider it will be August tomorrow!). However, I have to plan early and am scheduling new small gift pieces (hearts, pebbles etc) for my Etsy shop (nice stocking fillers) and also working up some Christmas Card designs. I would really like to have everything in my Gifting line in my shop by mid October. We will see!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't let my round up of July close without mentioning the most fantastical, magical night I spent at<a href="http://www.giffordscircus.com/"> Giffords Circus</a> - who decamped on the village green at Frampton On Severn yesterday ( just up the road). Giffords is a wonderful old-fashioned Victorian circus, <i><b>without</b></i> the animal cruelty. As soon as you step on the the site (let alone into the big top), you are whisked away to a simpler time, a magical time, a place from somewhere deep in your memory. Here is a quote from Nell Gifford, which says it all:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I held the jewel of my childhood up to my eye,</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and through it I saw ponies and a dressing-up box</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and a tent.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And that was Giffords Circus"</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So that's it from me for this month. Try and enjoy the moments of sunshine, where you can (don't worry, the scaffolding comes down on Wednesday. Summer will return then!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love & Light</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sarah x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><b>Audiobooks I have enjoyed in the studio during July</b></u>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- A Boy & A Bear in A Boat - Dave Shelton</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- The Behaviour of Moths - Poppy Adams</span></div>
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Sarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874109573251479359.post-41720973257413670212015-07-24T08:45:00.001-07:002015-11-27T05:28:57.176-08:00<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Part 4. Raise Your Roots! Hear me Tree!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Andy Poole had asked me to further to develop the Green Man imagery for the Wassail EP. Of course he had already featured strongly on the cover image - the King of the Orchard, the God of the Forest, he who should be worshiped and appeased in the hope of a fruitful apple harvest. The band felt it would be interesting to integrate the Green Man further into the visual cues representing Big Big Train's latest musical adventures. The Green Man is such an enduring image. Variations can be found in different cultures throughout the world. Always representing the cycle of growth and rebirth - it felt like a very comfortable fit for the band, as they step forward into a new chapter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I set about drawing up a larger, more detailed version of the GM head from the EP cover. I asked the band if I could include a few more elements of nature, woven into the image - to in some way link back to BBT's previous songs (a nice way to represent the circle of life - old to new, to old). Greg liked the idea very much - and so I chose a Tortoiseshell buttefly (song: Curator of Butterflies), a Ladybird (song: Uncle Jack) and a bee (there isn't a song for this, I just love bees!!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once a graphite and ink sketched had been worked up and approved by the band, I could set to work painting the final piece. Obviously certain elements would need refining for the final painting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the same time, the band also asked me if I would look at a revised logo for them - something a little more in-keeping with direction of their latest work. Inspiration for BBT's latest cannon had taken a step into a new chapter - away from the steel, steam and industry of English Electric and more towards the natural world, the rhythm and pathways of our folkloric fabric. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here I chose to revisit the magpie which had featured in the Wassail crown, circling the Little Eve & Little Adam image on the EP cover. However, I needed to find a visual cue which would work well in black and white and also on merchandise. Inspiration for this came easily - as I made my morning cup of tea. My cottage looks out over rolling fields. From my kitchen window, every day I see a family of rooks sweep across the meadows, seeking food. They provide such a strong silhouette against the sky. For me they represent nature and the land. They survive in spite of everything we do to destroy our environment. They adapt and change. A little like our folklore. It adapts and changes, as we do, but is ever present. Perfect! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wanted the actual logo itself to have quite an organic, genuine, homespun feel. So all these elements were hand drawn and inked - nothing was created using a computer of any sort. It would just have been too clinical. I wanted all the Wassail artwork to have a feeling of authenticity - it just felt right and in-keeping with what the music was trying to communicate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So as I write this, I am taking a break from hand-embellishing the Green Man prints which have been created to celebrate Big Big Train's upcoming concerts at Kings Place in London. The merchandise has now all been released for sale, featuring my imagery. I have seen photos of the Wassail EP cover which have come in from all over the world and pictures of BBT fans proudly wearing their BBT Green Man t-shirts. And it has been the deepest joy. I feel blessed to have worked on such a wonderful project, with such a lovely group of people - and such warm and enthusiastic fans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tickets ready please, passengers - see you all on August 15th!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Sarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874109573251479359.post-30772600213148521492015-07-12T01:47:00.001-07:002015-07-12T02:08:29.341-07:00<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Part 3. Bough & Leaf Bear Fruit A Plenty</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So David and Greg returned some feedback to me concerning the initial concept painting for the Wassail cover. Overall they were very happy with the idea, but wanted a few tweaks and changes made. Having lived with the image for a few days, I also had a few of my own.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">David was very keen to see a little more (painterly) tension between the two figures and also to match them closer in height and age. In terms of composition this was certainly a good decision. So I made little Eve slightly older and little Adam slightly younger. I turned them to face each other and also made it much more obvious that she was offering him the apple. Would he be tempted? We also decided to make the snake more obvious, peering down over little Eve's head - illustrating that he was having an influence over her actions. Once these tweaks and changes had been discussed and agreed, the lads gave me the go ahead to start painting proper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I decided to use a traditional piece of stretched water colour paper for this painting. This is because the ground takes the paint in a certain manner. It can give a natural luminosity, if handled carefully, which I thought would be appropriate for this painting. I sketched out the piece in pencil first.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For this piece I used Golden acrylic paints (fluid), Winsor & Newton inks and FW acrylic inks. I absolutely love using ink. It gives a glow like nothing else. It is horribly unforgiving, of course. One mistake and you've had it. Overall I chose a cool colour palette - the piece is set in winter after all. But I knew that the rosy glow of the apples would warm the piece up. So I then began painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This piece was such a joy to paint (as have all the BBT pieces been). It allowed me to move away from my usual strong, graphic style and indulge the detailed part of myself. Parts of it felt a little like completing a botanical/wildlife illustration, which was just lovely to work on. I think the Magpie was my favourite little addition - and he also sparked an idea which was to come in very handy a little further down the line.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The final piece went off to Andy Poole at the end of January (if memory serves) and I was really delighted when the band members messaged me back to say that they all loved it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At this point I felt really quite sad. For me, the Wassail project was over. It had been so lovely to work on, allowed me to explore and indulge a different part of my painting set. It had also been a great experience working with Greg, David and Andy - nicer fellas you could not wish to meet. So with some sadness, I took a step back and closed the chapter on Wassail. Until about 2 weeks later when Andy got back in touch and said "Um, you know your Green Man? Well, we've all been chatting and we were thinking we'd like to explore him a little further. How does that sound?" It sounds great Andy! So out came my paint brushes again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874109573251479359.post-76679476218707221542015-06-06T06:45:00.000-07:002015-06-06T07:20:30.378-07:00<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: #660000;">Part 2 : Secret Squirrels</span>.</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having set upon what I hoped would be a strong concept for the cover, I now needed to work up a very rough illustration so that the band could understand where I wanted to take the image. So I spent the next few days pulling together reference material. I always find it helpful to spend time doing this properly. It's important to have everything you need so that once you begin sketching out, you have everything you need close at hand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have built up quite a little library of reference books in my studio. The best place to find them is charity shops and second hand book shops. So I pulled together those which I thought would be useful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next thing I needed to do was address the fact that there was to be a figurative element to the image : David had asked for a young girl and boy to be featured, cast in the roles of Adam and Eve. My little library would not help me here and so I needed to source a reference "from life". So I called upon my good friends Sam and Bev and cryptically asked if I could possibly "borrow" their children for an afternoon! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alistair and Bea-Bea were my wonderful models for Little Adam and Little Eve. They were very excited to hear that they might appear on the cover of a CD! What with that and the strategic use of 2 bags of sweets, we had a very fun afternoon, dressing them up in Winter woolies, cutting apples in half to reveal the "5 pointed star" and generally posing around whilst I took lots and lots and lots of photos.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I left and handed over the bags of sweets, I made Alistair and Bea-Bea promise, promise, promise to be Secret Squirrels. They must not say a word to anyone about the record cover, who it was for or why we had just spent the whole afternoon playing with half an apple. And to their absolute credit, they were little gems and kept their word for what would end up being 5 months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in the studio, I began sketching out a very rough design. I didn't want to spend long on it: the purpose was to give Greg and David a good enough sense of where the piece was heading and also to enable them to specify likes/dislikes and suggest other elements to include. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David had mentioned somehow including an Adder, which has a strong pagan association but, in this instance, could also represent the Eden snake. So I wound him through the wreath, in and out of the apple blossoms and Wassail cup. Over-looking the entire scene is the Green Man - strong and powerful, the King of the Woodland/Tree Gods. I gave him a beard made of leaves, to allude to the ideas we sometimes have of how God is depicted. So there are a few elements of the painting which have a dual role : they represent both traditional, pagan symbols but also those from the story of the Original Sin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following piece was laid down very quickly, with bold washes of ink. There was no desire on my part to give an accurate rendition, just to give a flavour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I emailed the initial image off to David and Greg, kept my fingers very tightly crossed that they were able to share my vision and see where I wanted to take the painting - and then waited...</span></div>
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<br />Sarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3874109573251479359.post-13266702116692086922015-06-03T09:09:00.000-07:002015-06-03T09:09:45.772-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here we are again. I have lost count of how many times I have tried to relaunch this blog. But this time I promise I will try to be more disciplined and post regular stories, wips and photos from the studio. However, it is the perfect time to try to get back in the saddle, as I have a wonderful adventure to recount. I am going to split the story into several sections. But here is the first. Got your mug of tea? Okay, here we go...</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>Part One : An Unexpected Christmas Gift</u></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In late December of last year, I was contacted by Gregory Spawton, founding member and bass player for the rock band <a href="http://www.bigbigtrain.com/">Big Big Train</a>. Who are they? Well I am sure many of you will be very familiar with their wonderful sound. But for those who are not, if your speakers are turned up, then you are listening to them right now (as they are the feature music on my Wikiplayer).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNvB36RLVjk4724tsg3cp0PfHXvQGydrxc7ioUc3nvPGsHrcoUXFzUS83KasKvOz5Ieqvai8MfXz4nZx14mIx3YqUcFbnOU2PRtcRSOI4uIHIOz6hlzzhU8DcgHTf5fU2CdkuoC71n8c/s1600/BBT+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNvB36RLVjk4724tsg3cp0PfHXvQGydrxc7ioUc3nvPGsHrcoUXFzUS83KasKvOz5Ieqvai8MfXz4nZx14mIx3YqUcFbnOU2PRtcRSOI4uIHIOz6hlzzhU8DcgHTf5fU2CdkuoC71n8c/s1600/BBT+2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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Greg asked me if I would be interested in the idea of producing a painting for the band, for an upcoming EP release. I have been a fan of BBT for quite a while now. I just love their soaring sound and the strong narrative which runs through every song. They were once described as the "musical equivalent of the Olympics opening ceremony" - and I still can't think of a better way to sum them up. So Greg's request felt like the biggest and best Christmas present <i>ever</i>. Trying my very best to sound as breezy and nonchalant as possible, I said "Yeah, sure. No probs" ..... and then ran around my front room, jumping for joy.</span><br />
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Greg and David Longdon (lead vocals) sent me a very rough, stripped down cut of the song in question, along with all the lyrics. David explained the story behind the track and a little of the lyrical subtext. So whilst every other artist was putting their paint brushes down for the holidays, I was hard at work coming up with some concepts for the cover.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlfsCAKpbZyPfUsSGAvKm_poOjAnWIvvkw6cenRfk4DwtpQwT5YF4oSj_HZPQNzDsrgU6jejhaJfHrdlE_hyLurvzJh05EiY0cLD28tMW3SUHp92zT6lQZzEozoYDdUdmxYweicBwek8/s1600/wassail+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlfsCAKpbZyPfUsSGAvKm_poOjAnWIvvkw6cenRfk4DwtpQwT5YF4oSj_HZPQNzDsrgU6jejhaJfHrdlE_hyLurvzJh05EiY0cLD28tMW3SUHp92zT6lQZzEozoYDdUdmxYweicBwek8/s1600/wassail+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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The song is entitled "Wassail" and takes inspiration from the age-old tradition of the apple wassail. One of the fabulous aspects of this project has been the opportunity to do some research into a folkloric tradition - a subject which I can happily disappear into for hours!.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Wassail ceremony (thought by some to date back to at least the 1500's) takes place at the start of each year. A little cider from last year's harvest is kept to one side. On the night of the Wassail (usually on Twelfth Night), the cider is warmed and placed in a special cup (or wassail bowl). Whilst in the orchard, the cup is passed from person to person, each taking a swig and toasting the tree spirits. The last of the cider is poured on the roots of the apple trees, along with slices of bread or toast - offerings to the Gods of the orchard. Often a Wassail Queen is chosen and she is crowned with a wreath made of ivy, yew, fir and other winter evergreens. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEt1NkhPDh7WIfFvy966shauSuRjXyWUaIbVVn_alKonw3KWs3DjK8HosCz9Vq17LZXK1DaLq6GStdpGshZYFSK9AjK9pKiUhI5kGYEBFCcY3SSX33g7zZi-7WZ4UxYTG0nPzNCYFfgU/s1600/wassail-queen-toasting-wassail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEt1NkhPDh7WIfFvy966shauSuRjXyWUaIbVVn_alKonw3KWs3DjK8HosCz9Vq17LZXK1DaLq6GStdpGshZYFSK9AjK9pKiUhI5kGYEBFCcY3SSX33g7zZi-7WZ4UxYTG0nPzNCYFfgU/s1600/wassail-queen-toasting-wassail.jpg" width="256" /></span></a></div>
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The Green Man is honoured and celebrated. This was thought to bring health and abundance to the orchard, so that come the Autumn a bumper harvest was to be had. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcRezBH-Jm9ab0egbbtene4rpu7MggPgN-ob_SNF6CdoUiqZr_vFIUGrR6oIdzz2xfQvayL9iu9DEzzGjBO3PlARuKXRdeQqXwHB182rXTu7WI0Enehkonnpv9c6QCkkd2vQDQqweWM8/s1600/thatchers_wassail024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcRezBH-Jm9ab0egbbtene4rpu7MggPgN-ob_SNF6CdoUiqZr_vFIUGrR6oIdzz2xfQvayL9iu9DEzzGjBO3PlARuKXRdeQqXwHB182rXTu7WI0Enehkonnpv9c6QCkkd2vQDQqweWM8/s1600/thatchers_wassail024.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lyrics were interwoven with a very clever nod to the biblical story of Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden. As we all know, there can be no more significant fruit than the apple!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So with all this wonderful material to work with and a guiding hand from David, I set to work trying to find a way to represent all of the above.
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First off, I made a list of what I wanted the image to say/represent and what feeling I wanted it to project:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- a sense of abundance and plenty</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- fertility and the hope of a good harvest</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The Green Man - the "king" of all tree Gods</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A feeling of tradition/folklore/paganism</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A strong link to nature - and the sense that we are all part of one big cycle of life, death and rebirth</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David also requested some features :</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A winter scene, representing the traditional Wassailing period of the calendar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- A young girl and boy : her to be tempting him with an apple (the Adam and Eve story)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After some initial sketching and mucking about with ideas, I settled upon the image of a wreath made up of apples and apple blossom. It represented everything I wanted to say and could also double as the Wassail Queen's crown. It also left me a space in the centre in which to represent David's narrative. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, as the New Year chimed in, I set to work on a preliminary work-up for the lads to review...</span><br />
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Sarah Louise Ewinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14225077557103731327noreply@blogger.com2