Open Studios Re-visited

Right, are you ready for another Textile Jaunt? OK, check your look in the mirror and come with me!

          Lynne K and I set off through the sunny Norfolk lanes towards our first stop at Foulsham.

The lovely Shepherd's Hut Studio of Sally-Ann Rainey. What an incredible setting this is, restful greenery, and some very entertaining chooks of different varieties.

Sally-Ann paints these delightful ladies (and the occasional chap!) capturing their endearing personalities to a tee!

                     Also lots of other lovely things inside........................   .....................

 This gorgeous cushion came home with me. Drat, I meant to take a photograph of its big sister, the rag rug I bought last time I was here; it keeps my feet warm while I'm at the kitchen sink!

And here is lovely Sally-Ann herself, who treated us to refreshing elderflower juice to sip as we browsed. I hope the weather holds for the family celebrations later on this month, Sally-Ann!

Next stop, as we meandered our way northwards, was to re-visit Pauline Wrighton at her magnificent studio at Hindolveston.

                     I have told Pauline once or twice that she is living my fantasy life!

 
Pauline works in a number of different media, cloth, yarn, thread, paper and ink, using a variety of techniques. She exhibits and sells her work, and also runs workshops for small numbers.

                                    Pauline discussing her work enthusiastically with us.

I was particularly taken with a series of collographs, which she had printed on this wonderful old mangle - this seems to be a leitmotif in my blog-posts recently, doesn't it??

 This is an incredible piece of work, which my photograph does not do justice to. The Award winning piece was created by using tiny scraps of fabric laid down on a fabric ground much in the same way as a pointillist painter might use brush-strokes. Lynne and I are hoping to join Pauline for a workshop soon to have a go ourselves.

 Outside we went to re-acquaint ourselves with Pauline's gorgeous Haflinger mares. Gentle, friendly creatures, they ambled across to us for a fuss and a few handsful of fresh grass. What wouldn't I give to have this paddock at the bottom of MY garden!

Then we were off again, further north into High Norfolk, to the village of Glandford, near the river Glaven. Our destination was theArt Cafe, seen in the header photograph, owned and run by Roo Sangster-Bullers (I was once almost her Health Visitor, and years ago her husband purchased from me, as a gift for Roo, one of my Wacky Waistcoats; we later met and she commissioned another. Small world, living in Norfolk, it really is!)

Here we consumed a hearty lunch and people watched for a while. Then we popped next door to the Birdscape Gallery. Incredible art-work to be found here, with the emphasis on lino-prints - I was in heaven!

I particularly liked this running hare, by  Harriet Mead. I did ask about taking photographs and was given permission, but took too many to include here, and also wasn't able to remember the artists' names. I did buy a beautiful book though - perhaps will show you that some other time.
Then, we set off again, meandering up through Stiffkey before dropping back down to the Creakes, in order to pop in on Stitch & Bitch friend Yvonne Autie for a cuppa, and a chat.

Finally, back through more lovely sun-dappled lanes to Lynne's home where I left her to return to mine.

An absolutely fabulous day, weather did us proud, and such a pleasure to be able to meet such wonderfully creative people and feast our eyes on their work. I hope you managed to hang on in there with me - this has been a long post! Thanks LynneK for driving, and for your great company.