A Festive Sharing

During our Back To Books Friends, Volunteers and Management Christmas gathering in The Mollie we were invited to participate in the Artspace Sculpture Network New Year Brunch 2015 an opportunity to connect with artists and studios locally, nationally and internationally. Artspace is run and curated by Susan Williams MRBS and is located on Stamford Rd which also falls within our project postcode area so it seems an ideal way of connecting the area between KBA and The Green Patch.

Artist and Project Coordinator Carole Miles 

Susan Williams

Friends from Beanfield Artists and Corby Community Arts, 

The Old Water Tower Brigstock, Gallery 202 and Artspace

Phiona Richards

Everyone brought food to share, explored The Green Patch, enjoyed exchanging news and ideas in The Mollie and left feeling excited about participating or visiting Susan's  Sculpture Network Brunch.

Fabulous Fabrication Day in Litchborough

As part of “Marking Our Tracks - Wellbeing Walks Further Afield” Remake Remodel strand, members of Back To Books worked with artist Carole Miles at Licthborough Village Hall, rifling through old fabrics and lace trims and generally having a lovely time.

Some tea towels and other pieces from Invisible Threads came to light and were given a new lease of life by entirely new owners! We spent the day using recycled materials to sew cushion covers, hats and bags.

There is always such good conversation, so much laughter, lots of news, life stories and a great sense of community spirit amongst the participants whenever we bring the project out to this side of the county! It may have been cold, grey and wet outside but inside the room was buzzing with life and energy!

Stevie Way Group Panel Complete!

Field and Fence Panel - Grouting

After much painstaking work it was finally time for Carole Miles and Lucy Anderson to grout the Field and Fence panel. It is also at this stage it's very easy to think ......

"Oh my goodness, where has the all the colour gone!"

as the tiles temporarily disappear beneath the layer of grout. Because it was such a warm day it was also important to work swiftly and not allow too much excess grout adhere to the surface. Once they had checked that all the gaps had been filled, the grouting team set to work gently removing all the unwanted grout from the panel whilst ensuring that they didn't remove too much from between the tiles.

After the washing down was complete and the grout had had time to set, it was time to do one of the most pleasurable jobs, buffing and polishing the surface. It is at this point the tiles reveal their individual and collective beauty. 

Ta Dah! 

Field and fence - panel number five is complete!

Detail

The aftermath - tools and gloves soaking

Lucy and Carole checking diaries to see when work could continue on the remaining panels. It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago Lucy had never worked with mosaics before and now she is raring to get on with another panel. Bravo team!

Back To Books Shednologist Lucy Anderson - Fields and Fences Panel Progress

The Field and Fence panel has become something of a passion for poet Lucy Anderson and she has been a regular shednologist in Carole's studio this summer.

This is Lucy's first experience of mosaic making

every week the panel grows a bit more

During the course of the afternoon there is much tea, talk, a bit of singing and if Carole is very lucky, some new poems to enjoy!

We can't wait to see it when it's finished.

Carole originally intended this sheepdog

seen resting along the Valley way to feature in the panel

but later decided to edit him out in favour of  a simple slice of coutryside. 

If you would like to read some of Lucy's poems, visit the Made in Northamptonshire Shop before July 26th where her work responds to the drawings of artist Minnie Teckman in the collaborative exhibition drawn from Minnie's Project Dogwalk. Here is a link to a blogpost about the exhibition. There are also many lovely things to buy in the shop made by artists and craftspeople in the county.

Litchborough Panel Continued in the Studio

Here is an update on the Litchborough group's panel which is now back in carole's studio and almost complete.

Stevie Way Panel continued in the Studio

Here's a progress report on one of the panels begun at Stephenson Way and continued in Carole's studio.

Shusha Walmsley came to help

and found the experience

relaxing and engrossing!

The panel also took a trip to Alstonefield were Carole was involved in a walking residential.

The completed panel then returned to her studio and is now ready to grout.