Gypsies vagabonds and wild mad women

I have work in a group show that opens on Thursday 5.30 at Tactile Arts - Gypsies vagabonds and wild mad women!!

One of the pieces I'm showing is a handmade concertina book of dancing girls. I think I blogged about this a couple of months ago, and it did take weeks and weeks to come together. I'm so pleased I got it finished in time! Here are a few photos.

The girls are painted in acrylics with collaged paper dresses a bit like paper dolls, the front cover is a lino cut. On the reverse are silhouettes of the girls cut from scrapbooking papers.

April has been a bit of a disaster health wise. At the start of the month I strained my back pulling out weeds in the garden, and had to spend a couple of days in bed. Every time I start to get better I tweak it again, so over a week later I'm back in bed again. I think I have to admit defeat and really rest properly....

Dancing girls - a concertina book in progress

My last few posts have been about lifebook 2017, but I'm also trying to get some work done for a group exhibition I'll be taking part in in April.

Here is one of my works in progress, which will hopefully become a small concertina book

The first two pages finished.

Two more girls in progress.

Some backgrounds.

When I  started out I was thinking of those paper dolls you cut out of folded paper and they open out like a chain all holding hands. I was also thinking about paper dolls with paper outfits that we played with as kids. Once the pages are done I still have to work out what will go on the back and how to make the covers, so there's still a way to go!!

I took a break from lifebook this week as the lesson didn't appeal to me, each leson is separate so you can do as many or few as you like - it's nice not to feel that pressure to do it all.