Yave weaving-Trinindad Cuba

I managed to approach a local Palm weaver with my best Spanish and asked for some classes in a type of basket weaving using small palm leaves called Yave, which are picked a dried for two hours and then used to make different artifacts. A great time and really hope to adapt and use this technique in some way for my work.

Working with painter and sculptor Martha Jimenez- Camaguey Cuba

I spent some time with established and renowned Cuban artist Martha Petrona Jimenez- www.pprincipe.cult.cu/artistas/webmartha/
A truly great time learning some skills in ceramics and a great opportunity to spend time with an artist from Cuba. I made the link with Martha before I left the UK, through a connection which Derby UK has with Camaguey Cuba, as they are both the midlands of their countries. Martha hopes to make it to England in the near future to establish links with Arts and education. As example of Martha's work >top>.

A day in Teotitlan de Valle

Went to a village near Oaxaca, Mexico, called Teotitlan de Valle, which is renowned for its natural dyeing and hand weaving. Spent time with a family seeing how they produce the yarns and use natural dyes to weave with and create all sorts of artifacts. I couldn´t resist buying a beautiful orangey yarn dyed with Cochineal to knit something with!
I leant about many kinds of natural dyes and how they fix the colour with lime juice.
There are lots of other villages around Oaxaca, each known for producing different crafts e.g basket weaving, wood carving, black pottery. I am doing a week of much needed Spanish school but I hope to visit some more villages throughout the week.

Arrived in Mexico City!

Arrived in Mexico City on Sunday. Had a busy few days exploring the city-love it! The people are so friendly and it´s not half as polluted and scary as the write ups say!
So much to see and do-espicially art galleries. Visited Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo museums. Frida Kahlo´s was right up my street set in a beautiful part of the city, with colourful houses and tree lined sunny roads. I´m starting a sketch book to document my findings and will post some pictures when I´ve been here for longer.

Last commissions before I go!

Picture outside of my studio before I pack everything away. These are some last private commissions I've been working on.

Last minute jobs!

I'm currently getting ready to go off on my adventure at the end of Feb-lots to do!
Getting last minute orders finished for 'Serendipity Paris' and 'Eco Age'. I've also just finished an exciting design consutancy project for 'Peel the Pamplemousse' designing sustainable wrapping paper-in shops from Winter 2010.