Pause before Open Studios

Last week I realised that I needed a small break - just a brief day or two away from things to recharge a little and clear my head before Cambridge Open Studios. I don't often spend nights away from the family, maybe three or four times a year, and I usually stay with a friend or am exhibiting at a show. This time though, I went alone. I spent 36 hours here and it was utter bliss - so very, very quiet and so near the beach. This little house is full of pebbles and rows of rustic wall pegs. There's a duck egg blue teapot and Neal's Yard shower gel. If I was able to to type an enormous grateful sigh I would do it here. Thankyou so much to Mr Pebble and to Vic and Gail. 

Whilst there I spotted this field of poppies in a gap in a hedge between Stanhoe and Burnham Deepdale. The red was so intense that it seemed to hum and buzz. It was an astonishing sight. My iPhone doesn't seem to have been able to deal with the red terribly well, but I rather like the smudgy, painterly effect in the distance.

I admit to taking my tools and bead stash with me (carried in a fabric bucket made by Tracy). I made one or two pieces using the tiniest collections of drilled shells, inspired by the beautiful piles of shells I saw on Hunstanton beach (see above). In the coming days I will be bending many pieces of wire, curating tiny groups of vintage beads and buttons, making silver berries, flowers, leaves and birds, finding just the right accompaniments for antique lockets and working on two brand new silver clay designs (requiring smallscale trigonometry and the drawing of small diagrams). 

For the last couple of years I've noticed with delight that visitors often loiter in my studio. They sit, chat, drink tea and sometimes bring portable craft projects with them. Groups of strangers have had conversations about bats, gardening and the importance of craft in their lives. It's wonderful. Please feel free to pop along, bring crochet/knitting/sewing with you and chew the fat. 

I'll be open for the second (13th/14th July) and fourth (28th/29th July) weekends of Cambridge Open Studios and travel/contact details are here.