IT’S BATHTIME FOR DESIGNER JANE’S COLONY OF MOTHS!

Textile designer Jane Deane has a ready supply of silk to create her work – she raises her own colony of moths in the bath at her Devon home!

Jane from Tavistock uses the tub to house a number of different varieties of moth including the Bombyx Mori, which is recognised as producing the best quality silk - but she also has a variety of wild silkmoths that she uses in her creative work.

All the moths are allowed to complete their short life cycle and it is the discarded cocoons, from where the silkworm caterpillars emerge as moths that Jane uses to make a variety of textile products.

Jane’s passion for silk moths began when she had the opportunity to attend a 10 day course with the leading artist weaver Sue Hiley-Harris.
“Moths are quite extraordinary creatures and I became fascinated with the way they begin life in an egg the size of a pinhead, emerge as a caterpillar and then spin a cocoon in which to metamorphasise into a moth, “ said Jane, a resident artist at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity in Princetown.

“It is such a short life as they immediately mate and lay eggs for the next generation before dying. It is a quite magical process though and even after all these years of keeping silkworms I still find witnessing their life cycle as awe inspiring as when I first saw it.”

By spinning the silk instead of reeling it, Jane can ensure her moths are able to live out their natural lifespan. Reeling the silk would involve using the cocoon before the moth had emerged as it requires the single thread from the cocoon to be unwound intact.

To spin the silk, Jane removes the protective gum the caterpillar excretes to harden it by boiling it in soap flakes with a little washing soda. She then stretches the softened cocoon over a plastic pudding basin and allows it to dry before dyeing it and then spinning a thread.

Alongside her own products, which she creates using natural and synthetic dyes, Janes offers talks on the silk moth processes and workshops in spinning, weaving and dyeing. All these are her main disciplines, she also does paper-making, batik, embroidery, knitting and braiding.

She was recently invited to join the Society of Dyers and Colourists and is also a member of Frayed Edges Weaving Group, formed in 2004 for the graduates of Bradford College of Art and Design, which exhibits nationally.

Opened in March and supported by a number of organisations, including The Duchy of Cornwall and Devon County Council, the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity offers low cost workshop space on two floors and is helping boost the local economy by connecting local businesses with other key industry sectors.

The artists and creative practitioners take part in workshops organised by the centre, but also stage their own sessions with smaller groups in their own studios. Anyone wishing to find out more about all the workshops on offer should telephone the centre on (01822) 890828 or visit the website www.duchysquare.org where contact details for all the artists can be found.

MOOR GIFTS TO CHOOSE FROM AT LATE NIGHT FESTIVE SHOP

The Duchy Square Centre for Creativity is getting in the festive spirit with a late night Christmas shopping event where scores of creative gift ideas will be available for purchase (Thursday 26 November 10.30am -8.30pm).

More than 100 people turned up to the recent launch of the Moor Presents exhibition, and Thursday night marks a wonderful opportunity for visitors to the Princetown centre to buy unique gifts with an artistic and creative flavour.

All the gifts are one-offs and have been created by the resident artists and creative practitioners at Duchy Square, as well as other talented makers living and working in the Dartmoor area.

A whole range of present ideas will be on display, including, furniture, jewellery, paintings, weavings, textiles and quilts, with many at affordable prices.

Philippa Smith, Gallery Manager at Duchy Square, said: “Visitors will be able to shop at the centre right up until Wednesday 23rd December, but this Thursday marks the only date dedicated to late night shopping, so we are expecting a busy night.

“It is a great opportunity for visitors to find everything from small stocking fillers to larger items created by some of the most talented artists working in the Dartmoor area.”

Late night shopping will be followed by a fundraising coffee morning Saturday 28 November (10am -1pm) in aid of the Help for Heroes charity then on Thursday 3 December (5pm -7pm) by a festive filled Christmas singsong by pupils from Princetown Primary School around the Xmas tree at the centre.

The event is an opportunity to thank villagers and local traders for the support they have given Duchy Square over the year and there will be plenty of minced pies and mulled wine on offer.

There is also the chance to book places on a variety of workshop sessions to be held by resident artists and other creative practitioners based on Dartmoor. Sessions include a rag rug course, textiles, weaving and dyeing, silver clay jewellery making. Bauble making and a Christmas wreath making sessions will also be available to give the workshops programme a proper festive feel.

For full details of the Christmas events calendar and to book places on the workshops, contact Duchy Square on (01822) 890828 or visit the website www.duchysquare.org where contact details for all the artists can also be found.

Opened in March and supported by a number of organisations, including The Duchy of Cornwall and Devon County Council, the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity offers low cost workshop space on two floors and is helping boost the local economy by connecting local businesses with other key industry sectors.

The artists and creative practitioners take part in workshops organised by the centre, but also stage their own sessions with smaller groups in their own studios.

WEBSITES:
www.duchysquare.org
www.integria.net

Sonny Jim Saves the Night!

Sorry I have not been in touch recently. I have been away and came back to problems.

We had a bit of a fright last night. Sodoff and Buggeroff - the Geese, where late going to their house, which is the island on the pond, and Mr Foxy who was looking for his tea nearly had "catch one get one free"!





But Sonny Jim the Shetland pony was very brave, and galloped to the rescue and saved the night.

Must go as stile work to do. A pigs tidying is never done!


Dave.

Interested in Arts And Crafts on Dartmoor? Click here to visit our website.

Autumn at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity

Welcome to the autumn season of exhibitions and courses at Duchy Square.

We have had our Royal visit and think HRH Like what he saw. We certainly enjoyed meeting him and his party.

As life settles down to the season of ‘mist and mellow fruitfulness’ we hope to have something of interest to you.

Our next exhibition in the Main Gallery @ Duchy Square comprises the award winning work of a collection of pewter craft makers. Some are recent graduates of South Devon College and some more established metalworkers, all of them very gifted... Come along and be amazed at the beautifully crafted items on display.

In the Upstairs Gallery @ Duchy Square we are very proud to present the watercolours of local wildlife artist Jennie Hale. Her diaries may be well known to some of you, but few of us have had the pleasure of seeing large original watercolours by Jennie. To accompany this we have a collection of new ceramic pieces also on display.

Our courses are taking off and we have a very varied collection. Everything from wreaths, dyeing and weaving to feltmaking and rag rugging. Come and give it a go!

For more information please visit our website www.duchysquare.org

Meet Dave!

Jacqueline Welby is a resident crafts maker at the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity in Princetown, Dartmoor.

Jacqueline would like to introduce you to Dave!

Let me introduce my self ; my name is Dave and I am told that I am a Kune Kune pig.

I was born in September 2003 and my mummy's pig name is Rose, and my daddy's is Freezer.

When I was 10 weeks old I went to live at Watergate Chapel, which is the only home I can remember. I have a very nice Peggie home which is green with a floor, door and back window, and have lots of yummy grass, roots, as well as the fruit, veg, sugar beet and oats that my human family give me each day.

I have to go now as it is feeding time and I must get my share. I will introduce you to my friends later.

Dave.

Telephone Jacqueline on 01364 631221
Mobile : 07881456608
Email : moorsewing@yahoo.co.uk
Website : www.moorsewing.2day.ws

Click here for more information about Duchy Square Centre for Creativity.

Studio Sessions in September / October

COME ALONG TO THE DUCHY SQUARE CENTRE FOR CREATIVITY AND MAKE YOUR OWN PIECE OF FINE SILVER JEWELLERY TO TAKE AWAY ON THE DAY!

PLT Designs,

Duchy Centre for Creativity

Princetown

07765512061

lisa@pltdesigns.vpweb.co.uk

TASTER SESSIONS - £35

Taster sessions introduce you to Silver Clay. You will have the opportunity to design, create, fire and finish 1 - 2 pieces of fine silver jewellery. Price includes 10gms clay, use of all tools and firing. Coffee/Tea, cake/biscuits.

(Findings such as chain, cufflinks and earring wires can be purchased at a small additional cost.)

Thurs 17^th Sept 10am - 1pm

Thurs 24^th Sept 5 – 8.30 pm

Thurs 1^st Oct 10am – 1pm

Thurs 8^th Oct 10am – 1pm

Fri 16^th Oct 10am – 1pm

Thurs 22^nd 0ct 5 - 8.30pm

Fri 30^th Oct 10am -1pm

PLEASE NOTE YOU CAN BOOK YOUR OWN TASTER SESSION TO SUIT YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS - GIVE ME A CALL TO ARRANGE!!!

COLD ENAMELLING - £65 NEW!! NEW!! NEW!!!

Add colour to your Silver Clay. Design, create, fire and finish a piece of fine silver jewellery which you will embellish with cold enamel. Practice your enamelling on pewter bezels – these make great pendants or keyrings! Price includes 10gms clay, use of all tools and firing; pewter bezel and enamels for two pieces. Cofffee / Tea, Cake / Biscuits. Local cafes serve great lunches or bring a packed lunch.

Sat 10^th Oct 10am – 4pm

Sat 24^th Oct 10am – 4pm

PRIVATE STUDIO SESSIONS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES ARE AVAILABLE TO BOOK. PLEASE CALL LISA OR CONTACT DUCHY SQUARE TO DISCUSS.

DEVON’S COUNTRYSIDE AND COAST ARE THE INSPIRATION FOR HEIDI

Prints and paintings inspired by Devon’s amazing countryside and beaches will be the focus of an exhibition of new work by Heidi Koenig at the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity (3-26 Sept, open daily 10am-5pm)

Heidi’s contemporary abstract prints and paintings will be on display in the downstairs gallery at Duchy Square in Princetown, which is also playing host to one of a series of taster exhibitions by members of Devon Open Studios in the upstairs gallery.

Devon Open Studios is the largest open studio event featuring the work of more than 230 artists and makers across 11 venues between September 5-20 , including the five taster exhibitions.

Along with Heidi’s exhibition, around 30 members of the Open Studios event will have their work on display at Duchy Square, which joins Exeter Phoenix Galleries, Kennaway House, Sidmouth, the Flavel in Dartmouth and Great Torrington’s Plough Arts Centre as the venues for the taster exhibitions.

Born in Germany in 1964, Heidi, who lives in Exeter, attained a first class honours degree in Fine Art Printmaking at Brighton University, before going on to study for a Postgraduate Diploma of Fine Art Printmaking at Slade School of Fine Art.

She has staged a number of solo exhibitions over the last decade, including the CCA Galleries in London, Oxford’s Inspires Gallery and at a number of venues in the Westcountry –the Viewpoint Gallery at Plymouth College of Art and Brownston Gallery in Modbury in the South Hams.

Influenced by the works or Rothko, Frankenthaler and Matisse, Heidi is recognised as one of the strongest artists to graduate from the prestigious Slade School and her enigmatic and energetic images are in demand worldwide.

“Inspiration for individual pieces is driven purely by observation and physical experiences,” said Heidi.

“When I set out to paint I don’t have a conscious viewpoint of how I want it to turn out -the image evolves as I paint, taking me back to the places that I have been and the sensory information that I have absorbed.”

Opened in March and supported by a number of organisations, including Duchy of Cornwall and Devon County Council, the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity offers low cost workshop space on two floors and is helping boost the local economy by connecting local businesses with other key industry sectors.

The artists and creative practitioners take part in workshops organised by the centre, but also stage their own sessions with smaller groups in their own studios. Anyone wishing to find out more about all the workshops on offer should telephone the centre on (01822) 890828 or visit the website www.duchysquare.org where contact details for all the artists can be found.

WEBSITES:

www.duchysquare.org

www.integria.net

AUTUMN’S THE SEASON FOR GETTING CREATIVE

There’s a chance for young and old to get artistic at the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity.

The resident artists and creative practitioners based at the centre in Princetown have drawn up their Autumn programme of workshops, to give people of all ages the opportunity to unlock their creative flair.

The autumn programme follows on from the hugely successful summer series of events at Duchy Square, which included a special bunting day community workshop, when people helped give the centre a bold splash of colour.

Once again, the new programme offers a varied selection of artistic and creative disciplines and gives the people the chance to tap into the skills and knowledge of some of the centre’s creative practitioners.

There’s the chance to learn contemporary card-making with Doris Smith Rolli on Sept 18th, followed by a Big Draw Masterclass on October 10th.

Two mosaic making workshops, one using everyday objects people can find and bring in, are part of the ongoing schedule and there’s also silk painting, dyeing, precious metal clay jewellery making, weaving, printmaking, quilting and embroidery on offer. Get into the festive spirit too with a ‘Baubles for Christmas’ workshop.

Tracy Hill, South West Regional Manager for Integria Ltd – which operates and manages Duchy Square – said the workshop sessions had proved a popular way to help locals and visitors alike to feel part of the centre.

“There is a real buzz around Duchy Square at the moment and the workshops are really contributing to that buzz,” said Tracy.

“It’s a chance to learn a new creative skill, but also helps local people in particular feel a real part of Duchy Square and what we are doing to connect businesses and breathe new economic life into the village and surrounding Dartmoor.”

The one-day workshops cost from as little as £10 to £35 and will mostly be held between 10am and 4pm.

Opened in March and supported by a number of organisations, including Duchy of Cornwall and Devon County Council, the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity offers low cost workshop space on two floors and is helping boost the local economy by connecting local businesses with other key industry sectors.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the workshops on offer and to book a place should telephone the Gallery at the centre on (01822) 890828 or email gallery@duchysquare.org

WEBSITES:

www.duchysquare.org

www.integria.net

Swarovski Crystal and Lampwork Beaded Necklace

Today I made this beautiful necklace and fantastic pair of earrings. They are made using swarovski crystals and lampwork beads. The crystals give a fantasic sparkle.

To read more about swarovski crystals, click here.

Why not keep in touch via Facebook?


Visit my webpage at www.duchysquare.org

The Story of Duchy Square Centre for Creativity (so far!)

A short (but perfectly formed!) video to explain how and why Duchy Square came about.




For more information, please visit our website at www.duchysquare.org or telephone 01822 890828.

Jane Deane - Jane Deane Textiles

Whilst Anne is using her exciting new machinery, and others are making jewellery, embroidering, felting, painting and weaving, I am happily playing with fibres and yarns in my studio at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity.

I have several students coming for spinning, weaving and dyeing courses, and next week I have two Dutch ladies coming to learn creative yarn design. We will spend four days designing and spinning yarns from source material that they will bring with them or that we will choose from the moor. These sources might be found objects: flowers, pine cones, stones, etc., or they might be photographs, sketches and the like. We have masses of coloured fibre to work with, as well as naturally coloured fleece, and have a variety of different fibres, too. Apart from wool, I have cotton, flax, bamboo, tencel, recycled plastic bottle fibre, camel, yak, possum, silk....the list goes on!

On Saturday 8th August there is an Indigo Workshop, 10-4. We will be trying out different ways of stitching, tying, clamping, rolling and otherwise torturing cloth before dyeing it in the vat and seeing what happens. When we have done lots of samples, students can choose which they like best and use that technique on a silk scarf to take home. There are still some places available on this course, so if you've never experienced the magical and dramatic indigo experience, now might be your opportunity! Places can be booked through the Gallery.

The following weekend, 15th-16th of August, I will try to bring some silkworms up to the studio. I have a student coming to dye madder with me, and he is very interested in my silkworms, as indeed are many people. So I thought I might take this opportunity to bring a few to work.

Jane

Anne Middleton - Part of the Country

People ask what goes on at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity - how long have you got? This is my first blogging experience and I hope it will give an insight into the busy, varied lives of artists and craftspeople. We turn our hands to a lot of things and love it. So here we go - behind the scenes!

I have a workshop at Duchy where I have my equipment for framing pictures, I am working towards my qualifications with the Fine Art Trade Guild. I publish artists' work, put on exhibitions and I am also a mosaic artist.

I have just pulled out a couple of photos quickly to illustrate that one minute I could be putting an exhibition and the next I may be working in school showing children how to make their drawings into mosaic pictures that they fix into concrete to go on their walls.

This week we were filling in the screw fixing holes and polishing 152 panels - that's 304 holes - no finger nails left and sore shoulders but the four murals look great. I also taught a mosaic totem pole course at the weekend, framed some old watercolours and made some oak frames that were hard to cut, the oak was very old.

In my mosaic studio I am getting some exhibition work together so lots of experimenting, thought processes and sketches, it is coming together now.

I have just got a hot vacumn press which is a lovely shiny red magic machine that flattens out the work and puts various finishes on it ready for framing. It needs to be kept dust free and there isn't enough room in my workshop at Duchy so I have it at home at present. I do wonder whether it could do the ironing??!

Also this week I finished off framing two mosaics that are going up in the Parish Hall here, one of them was inspired by some material I bought at the Centre.

There have been lots of visitors to Princetown, even in the summer rain - and some people I met on holiday in France last year called in - we had camped next to each other and they came from Tavistock. The new exhibition was going up so lots of bustle about. Oh... and not to forget the bunting workshops, the children have had fun and so have we - wishing for sunshine for Princetown Carnival this weekend. Sorry not to be there but Lisa (the silver lady) is running a course for Part of the Country in Moretonhampstead and I will be looking after them all. Bye for now.

Please visit www.duchysquare.org for more information.

Amanda helps pupils achieve ecology award.

PUPILS at an Ivybridge primary school have enjoyed a series of ecological art workshops with Amanda Pellatt, who is a resident artists at the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity in Princetown.

Youngsters at Erme Primary School worked closely with art and ecology expert Amanda, before the end of the school year to help them "connect with their environment through the arts".

Teachers said that Amanda played a key role in the school's bid for eco-status through the workshops.

Amanda organised activities for about 100 children as part of a social arts practice initiative focused on the River Erme Valley, where she lives.

The school is seeking eco-status, a Government-backed initiative aiming to ensure every school is sustainable by 2020. It is an international awards programme that guides schools through the process to help embed eco-principles at the heart of school life.

During three sessions at Long Timber Woods, pupils from Years 3 to 6 at the school used their imaginations to pretend they were hearing sounds from the environment through a cardboard ipod made by Amanda.

During the fun sessions, the children also went bug hunting, framed leaves to make art and created an eco-web, showing how all the flora and fauna in the environment connect to each other.

It was the first time Amanda has worked with a school as part of her project in the River Erme valley. She said "The idea is to help people re-engage with their local environment and get to know it in more detail using the arts in all its forms as a catalyst. I wanted to give the children the opportunity to take part in fun activities on an eco-theme that could really help them in their bid for eco-status."

The project - entitled River Erme Valley, Mouth to Source - is an extension of Amanda's Masters Degree in Art and Ecology.

For more information go to www.duchysquare.org

FIRST STEPS EXHIBITION
CELEBRATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF
CREATIVE TALENT IN THE SOUTH WEST

Duchy Square Centre for Creativity, which opened earlier this year in Princetown, is hosting a joint exhibition during August 2009 of some of the best of this year’s graduating students work from Plymouth College of Art and the University of Plymouth’s Faculty of Arts.

The exhibition is titled ‘First Steps’ and celebrates the next generation of creative talent in the South West. The exhibition showcases art, design and media work from the College and the University’s Faculty of Art’s most recent graduates.

This is the first time that the college and university have collaborated on an exhibition like this with the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity, and it is hoped that these joint events will become a regular occurrence.

Because the work this year from all of the graduating students was of such a high quality, it was a really difficult decision to select pieces for the First Steps exhibition. But everyone agrees that the final choices look great in the Duchy Square main gallery.

The Duchy Square Centre for Creativity is managed and operated by Integria Ltd, the creative consultancy which is helping to nurture artistic talent by providing a diverse range of practitioners with an outlet to promote and sell their work. Supported by a number of organisations, including Duchy of Cornwall and Devon County Council, the centre offers low cost, workshop space on two floors and is helping to boost the local economy by connecting creative businesses with other key industry sectors.

The First Steps exhibition opens with a Private Viewing on Wednesday 29th July from 6pm until 8pm, and will then be open until Monday 31st August. The exhibition is free for all to attend.

For further information please contact Duchy Square Centre for Creativity on 01822 890828, email gallery@duchysquare.org or visit www.duchysquare.org.

Bunting Making Day Pictures

Duchy Square Centre for Creativity, in Princetown on Dartmoor recently hosted a fun-filled Bunting Making Day for locals, both young and old.

Some of the fantastic results from this very succesful day can now be seen decorating the Arts and Craft Centre in preparation for the village carnival day which is held on the first Saturday in August.

More pictures ..........




For more pictures and information, please visit www.duchysquare.org