Save that Date: Art in Action 2013

Everyone who enjoys watching artists and craftspeople at work, won't want to miss Art in Action  at Waterperry House, Oxfordshire  this year (July 18th- 21st). 


Once again we will be transporting our workshop to the Metalwork and Jewellery section of the event, and hope old clients and new will visit and watch us "in action". Both Gordon and I will be on hand to explain our techniques, talk about possible commissions, and show off new work from the studio.

Come say hello!

Over the Moon!

Swan in Flight

We couldn't resist getting our most recent design out in the sun for a photo shoot. This swan in flight is a reworking of an earlier design from the portfolio, and will be available for purchase soon. We started this design at "Art in Action" last year, so only 6 months from start to completion! I love it in silhouette over the moon cardinals. It reminds me of the Felix Neck t-shirt I had in the 70's (did we have the bumper sticker too?)...I am sure their logo used to be a swan silhouetted over the sun. Anyone remember?

More pictures to come!

The Montagu's

No acetylene today, so no playing with fire. Sourcing acetylene gas has been a real problem since the BOC accident in Bristol a year and a half ago.  I wish the suppliers were better at keeping the customer "in the loop". We changed over from BOC to Airgas last year after finding pre-ordering and waiting (and waiting!) for acetylene nearly shut us down. But we went to exchange our empty cylinder this morning, to be told there is none to be had...anywhere. Oh dear, not again! To get some idea of the rumours surrounding both the BOC accident and the current supply shortage, check out this forum http://www.ukwelder.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t10597.html
It would be dreadful if acetylene was phased out, as propane proved a huge frustration when I demonstrated at Art in Action last year. Like baking a cake with a hair dryer.

So today was a day of chiselling and shaping on the block. Above are the finished halves of the head, beak and right thigh of a large Montagu's Harrier Hawk. I love the heat patina...that splash of orange and pink and red.

Gordon, on the other hand, has been burning paint off a window today. All in preparation for our imminent studio move. We have nearly sourced all the windows for the granary, even if they are a bit of a mish-mash. 

Hot off the bench- Blackbirds Weathervane

For all those clients & friends who responded to our request to join LinkedIn, Thank you.

Big news: Two of our weathervanes have been selected to compliment The American Museum in Britain's opening of "The Compassionate Eye:  Birds and Beasts from the American Museum’s Print Collection". This exhibition will feature works by some of the great American artists from the mid-20th century. The show will run from 10th March - 1st of July 2012. See the museum's website for more details about the exhibition. This is a great excuse to visit Bath, see Claverton Manor and view our monumental weathervane of Liberty, commissioned last year by the Museum to celebrate the opening of the new Folk Art Gallery.

We have 3 weathervanes in the studio on the go ( as well as several spec peices in preparation for Art in Action): a goose in flight, a barn owl and a quintessential English weathercock.

Speaking of weathercocks, here's an antique English one that I adore...look at the true patina on it, and the wonderful rivets & bullet holes in the tail.

Barn Owl and the Whale

Barn Owl Weathervane in Progress

We used the open studio event h.Art, to show-off our new gallery space, which finally has light thanks to a restored mill window from Leominster Reclamation. Removing a section of the second floor has created a sublime space to be in. Lucky weathervanes!

Heat is the hot topic this month, with winter just around the corner & the wood stove still "homeless". We are eyeing the tin-store as a winter studio option (I think the word the Duchy used to describe it was "condemned").

It needs SO much work (who's idea was it to move into this enormous can-of-worms of a property?!).

Still, I stand in there with the doors thrown wide open, looking out at the field & imagine the walls painted white and the wood stove fired up...

The September workshop was a bit terrifying, but a great success. Advertised as a one-day introduction to Metalsmithing, it took students through the full range of our processes. A lot to teach in a single day. I could be heard pushing everyone to "hit it harder" & "really whack it"...wonder what the h.Art visitors in the gallery thought was going on up there! Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, though; lots of laughter & coffee and we had a great smorgasbord of a lunch. Most importantly the work produced was delightful, and everyone wants to come back for more. Watch this space for dates and times.  

So what's on the workbench you might ask (the hints in the title of the blog)? We are on the finishing stretch of a hovering Barn Owl weathervane (he's waiting for his face & talons). And one of our personal favorites from our original numbered series, the Humpback Whale weathervane, is taking shape.   

The Montagu's Harrier Hawk weathervane, which was the star of the show at Art in Action (Waterperry House, Oxfordshire) back in July is now on our website on our new-look Sale pages. 

And lastly, we finally received our copy of the Magazine Antiques (July/August issue) with the article about the American Museum in Britain. There's a fabulous picture of our Lady Liberty Weathervane in the gallery (with it striking "Pompeian red" walls), and all the background to the commission is explained. As it's written by the Museum's curator Laura Beresford, she explains how she found us at Art in Action last year :"...drawn to their tent by the soundscape of hammers colliding with metal sheeting and Karen's mellifluous American accent. A good fairy guided my festival-weary feet that day"...mellifluous? I thought I was just loud!