Snow school and other stuff

I have just deleted a half written post which I typed up late last night...Wow it was negative. I must promise myself never to update our blog after watching a double RTE news session (kids insisted on getting the weather update at 6pm and 9pm to see if schools would open today - this meant my sitting through all the depressing headlines TWICE, the melancholy of it all was actually nearly soothing), followed by Primetime and the odd flick over to Gift Grub wallowing in incompetent Irish politicians going down, followed by Newsnight and then a bit Vincent Brown to top things off - What was I thinking off! It must have been the warmth from the fire that wouldn't let me escape the awful inertia; not even to make a cup of tea or two.  The whole meaning of 'wallowing' hit a new stratosphere with me last night. My blog started off something like this 'The winds of change are thrashing and banging off walls of doubt that won't come crumbling down.., I can't even go on. Spare myself the morto!

Thankfully today is a new day. The sky is laden with snow - light, fluffy big and small dots are falling, falling and the schools are not role calling, calling.....

Studio in the snow

Last weekend's workshop had to be canceled due to the snowy conditions. Let's see what the weather has in store for us tomorrow and then we will make a decision about this weekend's workshop. Such a pity to have to cancel the Christmas Card and Gift Screenprinting workshop - so many ideas and plans and last year these Christmas courses really exuded festive cheer and warmth.

Specs and lab dips for OLD RECTORY collection.

However, studio life is busy. As you may have gathered from our homepage we are launching a range of children's clothing, simply call OLD RECTORY. Our ambitious launch date of November 15th has been and gone but we are getting there one step at a time,  There are 6 strong print designs on their way to 'strike off' as I write. The screens are opened and hundreds of metres of natural organic cotton are soon to be transformed into the USP of our product (excuse the Enterprise speak - that means our Unique Selling Point) - our Print. It's a competative market, the kids clothing business, but we are so excited to have got this far in the production process and with due diligence, hard work, patience and lashings of luck we will present our range at Bubble -  http://www.bubblelondon.com/ this coming January 30/31.

It's been great fun so far creating our prints, Without wishing away time, I can't wait to have the finished collection in our hands ready to present to the public. Of course, the list of to do jobs is longer than all the arms and legs in this house, but each step of achievement is a far cry from the head lock paralysis of back to back current affairs programmes on RTE.

Sample' Garden' print

Una Sealy's life drawing workshop

'A garden on the Coast', by Una Sealy

On Saturday morning we welcomed figurative artist, Una Sealy to the studio. Sahoko was unexpectedly called else where and Una, her colleague kindly took the helm of tutor for the day. Una and Sahoko are fellow artists at the RHA in Dublin and it was our privilege to learn from Una her unique perspective on life drawing. Una's teaching and drawing is full of vigour, colour and energy and she directed students in finding scale, dimension, weight and much much more in their drawings. A busy and stimulating morning was kick started by a series of quick sketches to ease tension, shed the shackles of everyday demands and let the mind flow; followed by our model striking longer poses which our students interpreted though the medium of a rubber onto an already charcoaled, blackened sheet - a very useful exercise for an artist as you're working from dark to light instead of the more assumed light to dark.

Rudiments of scale

After my job of preparing and serving up vegetarian lunch was complete, I decided to join in the afternoon session of drawing - a bit rusty and inhibited would be an understatement in describing my life drawing skills at the moment, but very quickly the mental 'to do list' of everyday life faded and my minds eye focused on our model's pose. Well, that's it, I'm determined now to get back to some drawing, so much so that I rushed into Hopkins Toy Shop yesterday and bought a blank canvas for my next painting - it's going to involve a Georgian window, the view down onto the valley and our vintage Silver Cross pram; I'll let you have a peep when it's finished. We really enjoyed Una's visit and hope to see her again, maybe even for some landscape classes in the early summer months of next year.

 

'Carpet City', by Una Sealy

Kid's Print Club

On Saturday morning we ran a kids print workshop for 3 fabulous student's from Enable Ireland. Owen, Adrian and James designed and printed their own unique t-shirts and also got to see the workings of the dark room and the screen wash-out area. Our hens, horse and baby guinea pigs were also given a 'show and tell', by The Old Rectory resident boys - always good for a distraction when artistic expression becomes too intense! 

T-shirt colour choices were carefully considered - it was only James who was temporarily disappointed with having to settle with yellow as we didn't have a red t-shirt in his size, this was soon forgotten when he lifted his screen to get a first glimpse at his cosmic scene of a rocket and shooting stars. Genuine surprise, broad smiles and delighted 'wows', were the boys reactions to their great work - well done, and I hope boys, you enjoy wearing and showing off your own groovy. wicked and deadly tops!

Cool t-shirt prints by Adrian, Owen and James

Meanwhile, I printed up a couple of gifts for friends. Very simple and quick designs, inspired by the last of our autumn days - gathering chestnuts etc. Red squirrels are getting a lot of attention right now as the grey squirrels get the bad press. The reds have been in serious decline in Ireland and Britain for some time due to the loss of their natural habitat(trees) and competition with the greys which are bigger and stronger. 

Currently an endangered native Irish species, the red squirrel deserves to play the lead role for a while, especially with that tail! - a design to take further when I have the time.

A couple of gifts

Family time in the studio

Aunties and cousins travelled from as far as Australia to gather for a reunion at Ballard Farm. Given that our family is of a modest quantity, the presence of noise, laughter and fun was evidence of a really good time. Whilst the men took to the golf course the ladies stole a morning at the studio; of course this turned into a day as nothing starts in a hurry after a long session round the kitchen table the night before! After overcoming the fear and dread of 'original' design, we all got the creative juices flowing and had fun at the print table.

Maureen and Stephanie pulling a print

No pressure, even through we're all going to take a photo of your print.

Auntie Maureen test ran the studio for wheelchair users and was very pleased with the space and the ease within which she could move around.

Stephanie and Auntie Maureen - pleased!

There's something so exciting about lifting you first screen and realising your very own creation. Each and every print that comes through the studio carries something unique and special to that person who created it.

My Godmother Patricia and Auntie Frances creating their own teatowels

So who ever said teacher doesn't have pets?! No pressure on James and Cuan, but they did us proud at promoting our 'Kids Print Workshops' at the Tinahely show. They were delighted with their 1st and 2nd prices and have now got commissions from their twin brothers to print up a dragon and space scene for them also.

James and Cuan scoop a 1st and 2nd for their printed t-shirt designs at the Tinahely show

Coco is delighted to join our print sessions. She know to keep a low profile and can make a cosy foot rest whilst taking an afternoon nap under the table.

Babies and dogs are welcome too - I think!

Introduction to Screen Printing

Madge, Melissa, Clodagh and Ruth, wonderful students at our latest textile printing workshop

Life Drawing with Sahoko Blake

Sahoko Blake's workshop

As well as being busy during the week with the logistics of endevouring to launch our 'kids range' of clothing, weekend life at the studio is dynamic and happening. 
Last Saturday our sunlit space was fizzing with creative spirit and energy under the relentless and inspiring tutelage of Sahoko Blake - what ever the artist's equivalent of 'writers block' is, Sahoko can draw you (excuse pun) out of that state and get things flowing again or simply teach a beginner the rudiments of observation and interpretation through an array of mediums. What ever your standard is or reason for attending her workshop I promise you, you will sleep well that night after a thoroughly stimulating day.
As for myself, kitchen antics were all go throughout the morning. Lunch was served up to well earned appetites and included a cursory gesture from the The Old Rectory vegetable garden - the summer yields of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and lettuces are winding down but not gone yet! Don't worry, we won't leave you hungry - plenty of potatoes, fresh eggs, leaks, chard, cabbage and other delights to fill their space.

Many of our students have commented on and enjoyed my ' Broccoli and almond soup'', so I'd like to share this recipe with you. I call this 'my' recipe but actually my sister, Louisa, who is a stalwart of vegetarian cuisine, passed it on to me.
During the summer months when broccoli is in abundance in the garden, this is a very handy soup, although it is generally during the colder months that we feel like preparing soup, anyway full of goodness and warmth share it with your family and friends any time of year.
Like all recipes you can alter quantities or suit your particular tastes when seasoning but if you stick to the following measurements I don't think you'll be disappointed - that is if you like broccoli!

You will need -

30g of butter
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
225g of potatoes
75ml of white wine
900ml of vegetable stock (not too strong)
2 heads of broccoli
75g of blanched flaked almonds
A handful of chopped parsley (optional)
Salt and pepper
Cream/creme fraiche (optional)

To garnish (optional)

Toasted almonds
Chopped parsley

Method

Peel and roughly chop potatoes. Slice onion and chop/crush garlic. Measure out stock and roughly chop broccoli heads into individual florets (include a generous stalk with each)
Now heat up a large saucepan and melt the butter. Quickly add the sliced onion and soften. Be careful not to let it burn - continious mixing insures it won't stick. Add the chopped or crushed garlic and mix, again it's important not to let the garlic burn.

Then add the potatoes, stock and white wine

Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes,. Now add the broccoli florets and cook for around 8 minutes. Try and catch the broccoli before it looses it fresh green hue and gives that boarding school lunch smell!
Whilst the pot had been simmering I would have lightly toasted the almonds on a tray in the oven (about 5 minutes, depending on temperature of the oven). I cook on an Aga, so the top of my Aga toasts the almonds in 5 minutes maximum.

Now add about 2/3 of the toasted almonds (and cream if you like - I don't) to the pot which has been removed from the heat.

Blend in a food processor and return to the pan to season with salt and pepper. Gently reheat.

To serve ladle into bowls. You can garnish with some chopped parsley and the left over toasted almonds. A small teaspoon of creme fraiche into each bowl is delicious also but not essential.

(on one occassion making this soup for family, I omitted the potatoes and just added torn up brown and white bread into the mixture in the blender - this gave it the thickness and consistency that the potatoes offer - it was equally as delicious. Basically, I was too lazy to go out to the garden and dig up the potatoes.)

Bon appetite

Porto, Portugal - September 2010