Making a Day of It

I consider myself very fortunate to work with a fantastic group of makers and artists and getting to visit them in their studios is a real treat. Because I exhibit the work of makers and artists from all over the UK, a lot of the creatives I work with are often based too far away to drop in on, but there are some who are not too far afield - or too far apart from each other - to allow me to visit them all for a catch up.

First stop on my day out was just south of Truro on the edge of Restronguet Creek where Lucy Spink has her lovely home and studio. I showed Lucy's work for the first time in the summer and it - especially her long/short necklaces - proved extremely popular. It was a necklace that lead me to discover Lucy: earlier this year I admired the necklace a young woman who visited the gallery was wearing, on enquiring where she got it she told me about Lucy. Lucy and I got in touch with each other and thankfully she was as keen to work with me as I was with her.

Lucy works with tools that she inherited from her grandfather.

I'm really pleased to be showing Lucy's work again in the Christmas exhibition, 'All That Glitters,' and it was great fun to sit around her kitchen table and choose the pieces for the show - and maybe one or two that might be a Christmas present to myself.

From the idyllic waterside of the countryside to another watery spot in the centre of Truro. Remon Jephcott's studio is in the Old Bakery overlooking the river - and the Cathedral - minutes from the centre of town. Remon originally had a studio here a few years ago before deciding to work from home for a while and it was interesting to see the changes since my last visit. Although not as shiny and upgraded as the studio buildings at Krowji in Redruth, the Old Bakery has loads of charm and feels like it has a real community spirit among the various artists and makers based there.

Remon Jephcott in her studio[I've shown Remon's work in every one of my own exhibitions - and can't really imagine a show at The Byre without her. Her highly individual and stylish work, with just a gentle wink to the macabre (flies in the bottom of a 'mouldy' cup) always attracts attention and a wry smile. Her fruit, especially the apples - often featuring a silver fly - are hugely popular; I was once asked by a client if I was going to have cherries from Remon in the next exhibition, when I told her I was she asked me to keep the 'mouldiest' one aside for her, as she wanted to give it to her husband for his birthday!

With a box of wonderful pieces under my arm - including the gorgeous berry tea cup pictured above and two ceramic robins (very seasonal) I headed off (quick rush around the retail delights of Truro first!)to my next port of call.

I hadn't worn earrings for nearly twenty years but I had my ears re-pierced last year almost entirely because of Tracey Falvey. I had treated myself to two of Tracey's colourful box necklaces and began to think how much better they might look complemented by matching earrings... one trip to an ear piercing studio later and I now have quite an expensive earring habit.

Tracey Falvey in her studio

After a few wrong turns down those wonderful Cornish roads with grass growing down the middle and which seem to get narrower with every few metres, I eventually came to Tracey's small but perfectly formed (and tidy!) studio in a restored farm outbuilding not far from her home in Tywardreath.

Tracey works in recycled silver to create her 'box' work. She then uses bright enamels to colour the interiors - the effect is so attractive. [caption id="attachment_144" align="alignnone" width="650"]With another box of some fantastic pieces from Tracey my trip west was over; a treasure trove of delights to show in All That Glitters - and a few of my own Christmas presents mentally ticked off the list!