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

‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE ARTY WITH MOOR GIFTS TO CHOOSE FROM

Christmas is coming early to the Duchy Square Centre for Creativity where visitors can enjoy a whole variety of events in the run-up to the festive season, beginning on Saturday 14 November.

The central theme of this year’s festive calendar will be the Moor Presents exhibition, where visitors to the Princetown centre will get the opportunity to buy unique gifts with an artistic and creative flavour.

It is a rare opportunity to purchase one off gifts created by the resident artists and creative practitioners at Duchy Square, as well as other talented makers living and working in the Dartmoor area.

There is something for everyone with a whole range of gifts on display, including, furniture and floristry, jewellery, paintings, weavings, textiles and quilts, with many at affordable prices.

Philippa Smith, Gallery Manager at Duchy Square, said: “The emphasis is on quality presents available at a range of prices, which means there will be something for the casual buyer, the serious collector and anyone with an interest in contemporary art.

“Visitors will be able to find everything from small stocking fillers to larger items created by some of the most talented artists working in the Dartmoor area.”

Alongside the Moor Presents, the upstairs gallery at Duchy Square will be hosting an exhibition to showcase the talents of members of the Tavistock Embroiderers Guild, which will be on display from 11th to 21st November.

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.

There is a late night shopping evening on 26 November and December 3rd will mark a high point in the festive events as Duchy Square hosts a carols and mince pies evening to thank the local community for its support. There will be a festive singsong around the Christmas tree and children from Princetown Primary School will also be performing.

Visitors will be able to Christmas shop at the centre right up to Wednesday 23rd December.

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 http://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:
http://www.duchysquare.org/
http://www.integria.net/

Landscape Painting Tips For Watercolor Artists Part 1

Landscape painting is just one of the many workshop and course subjects available at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity.

One of the biggest challenges beginners face with any type of art, is the ability to really connect with the creativity that is inside of them.

It's difficult in the beginning to just let go and paint from your heart and soul. Your mind is being filled with techniques and systems for approaching painting, which in my opinion, tends to drown out your inner creativity.

Learning techniques is essential, but there should be a point where you begin to draw from your own creative imagination.

When painting a subject, whether it is a person or a landscape, it is important to first observe your subject. You have to get close and personal to what you are painting.

If you want to learn how to paint great landscapes, then you should spend time near the area that inspires you to paint in the first place. Only then can you really understand how to transfer what it is you see to canvas.

Take a ride out to the area you wish to paint. Bring along some pencils and paper. The best way to become really intimate with the scene is to just spend time there doing some sketches. This will really force you to observe what you see and burn the image and the environment into your
senses.

Click here for more information.

Enjoy Arts And Crafts

If you are looking for a way to enjoy a little relaxation or perhaps to spend a couple of hours with friends, think about making arts and crafts a part of your life, here at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity, in the heart of beautiful Dartmoor.

It is true that arts and crafts is a broad, non-specific thing. But that is the beauty of it. Basically, taking time to explore new arts and crafts means you get to be creative and have fun in any way you want to.

One of the best ways to learn new arts and crafts is to sign up for a class. There are many arts and crafts courses and workshops covering a whole variety of topics on offer at Duchy Square.

Are you interested in learning how to paint, knit or weave? Or maybe you would rather learn to make your own jewellery. Regardless of what kind of arts and crafts you want to explore there should be a class that fits the bill. If you have no idea what you want to do, perhaps it would be good for you to start exploring the world of arts and crafts by looking first at the classes that are offered and then simply choosing one.

Spending time doing arts and crafts of any kind is a great way to relax. We all know how busy work and home become. It is so easy to get swept into the routine of all that needs to get done that we forget to take time out for ourselves to enjoy something new and fun. Arts and crafts are a great way to sneak away for a while, and make something you will want to treasure at the same time.

Doing arts and crafts together with friends and family is a great way to spend quality time while doing something everyone enjoys.

Is there an important holiday or a special event coming up that you need to remember with a gift? If so, use arts and crafts to make the perfect present. Think about the person you are making the gift for and then use your free time to relax and enjoy arts and crafts. There is never a better gift than one that was made with love.

Click here to find out what classes and workshops are coming up at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity.

Art Instruction - Portrait Painting

Tips & Techniques from Duchy Square Centre for Creativity.

Being able to capture the likeness of a human being on canvas, using paint, is certainly a sought after accomplishment for many new painters. It can also be somewhat challenging. This article will cover some of the more basic portrait painting tips & techniques and help lessen some of the confusion many beginners face. With practice, you will soon be painting portraits like the masters.

If at all possible, I highly recommend you paint your portraits using a live model as opposed to a photograph. There is simply no substitution for painting from life.

Painting a successful portrait is all about how you observe the subject. You want to study the subject as a whole. Study the bone structure and try to see shapes and planes. Do not try and paint every little detail exactly as you see it.

For beginners, it is probably best to start out with a lighting effect where light and shadow are in high contrast. This will make for a much easier painting.

Focus on one section at a time. Finish each section before moving on to the next.

Keep the darks of your portrait at a thin consistency while your lights should be painted on thickly.

Many beginners struggle with mixing flesh tones, I know I did when I first started painting. Remember that skin comes in a variety of colors & textures, so there is no specific formula for mixing flesh tones in portrait painting. You will have to experiment and practice, until you find the right color mixtures for any particular subject. Never purchase any pre-mixed flesh colours. When mixing your colours be careful not to over mix, which can deaden a colour.

Try and repeat the colours and values in your painting to create balance.

When painting hair, don't try and paint every individual strand of hair. Look at the hair as one object and then paint the lights and darks. Paint the hair in the direction of the shape of the head.

The muzzle area of the face (the space between the nose and mouth) is generally the same colour as the flesh but cooler.

When painting backgrounds, don't make them too detailed or busy. If you do, you will draw focus away from your portrait.

Add bits of colour where the shadow meets the light in your portraits.

Fleshier parts of the face are generally warm and bonier parts of the face, like the chin for instance, are generally cool in colour.

The white in the eye is not white. To get an accurate colour for the white in the eye you can take the subjects basic flesh colour and then lighten it with a gray made from black and white.

I hope these portrait painting tips & techniques have helped. Portrait painting can be difficult, possibly even frustrating in the beginning. Never give up and keep practicing. You will get the hang of it.

For details of courses and workshops available at Duchy Square, please visit our website.

A Brief History of Quilting

The art of quilting is just one of the many arts and crafts on offer at Duchy Square Centre for Creativity.

Quilting is not something new to this world, it has been around for centuries, but still there is no confirmation about the exact origin.

According to the historians, quilting, piecing and applique were widely used for clothing, decorating and furnishing at home in ancient times.

There is a common belief that quilting originated in China and Egypt at the same time. The oldest quilted garment found till now dates back to somewhere around 3400 BC.

Back in the 11th century, the crusaders picked up a type of quilting from the Middle East and brought it back to Europe. During that time, quilted piece of cloth was used by the Knights to give them extra cushion under their armour.

The Romans were the pioneers in introducing quilted bedding, which was used as a mattress. Europeans got hold with this idea and stuffed sacking between two-combined mattress. It was in the 15th century when the Europeans found quilting as a necessity when they were troubled by cold winds in the winter season.

The very first quilts were made of few layers of cloth that was attached together with running stitches. Quilt Frames came into existence as it was difficult to stitch many layers of cloth together. Europeans, blessed with these frames started to create quilts that were more decorative, more finely stitched.

The 19th century marked a great period of quilting in Europe and America. People in villages would come together and make one or more quilts in an afternoon.

For more information on quilts and quilt making, visit - Duchy Square