Supporting your supporters!

Tina Francis - Journey - Photo Martin Christie

I have work in two exhibitions that open this week.  The first is called Down to the Bone and is being held at Onca Gallery here in Brighton. Onca Gallery works to raise funds for conservation projects through it's exhibitions, it is a fantastic space with a main gallery and then a smaller space down below that leads on to a small courtyard.  Exhibitions here are always well received and the quality of the work means that they are well attended.  The Down to the Bone exhibition is being curated by Sara Abbott, Sara is a fantastic artist who uses her skills to paint large and small scale dog portraits in oils.  She absolutely loves dogs and through her work has donated a large amount to charity, I especially like her portrait of Haatchi who won the Hero Dog at Crufts this year.  Sara has really been supportive of my work and so I am glad to support her by adding my piece to her exhibition - good luck Sara!

My second piece is in The Zeitgeist Open at ZAP at ASC Studios.  I am sort of astounded that I got into this exhibition there are so many fantastic artists who will be exhibiting.  I dropped my piece off on Thursday and was met by the power duo that it Annabel Tilley and Rosalind Davis,  I was on my way to London Design Festival and feeling a little bit jaded thinking about my round London trek but 5 minutes in the company of these women charged my batteries - they seem to give off energy!  I have been really supported by ZAP this year and love what they do for everyone involved, alongside the Summer Show and the Open they also run educational events on a regular basis all this and their own practices too!

So if you are in Brighton please do drop into Onca Gallery from 25th - 29th September.  The ZAP Open runs from 26th September to 5th October and is part of Deptford X contemporary arts festival 27th September to 6th October.

Summer still here in our hearts!

All images copyright Tina Francis Tapestry 2013

I don't know about you but it seems that now the kids have gone back to school we have to give up on summer, I say lets try and eek it out a bit longer or at least until my friend Sarah Watkins has got married.  Sarah runs ParentSkool which teaches people how to look after their newborns, it's a great company and is going from strength to strength with courses opening around the country.

Speaking of learning it has been back to the drawing board for me over the last few weeks as I start to get some new designs ready for The Knitting and Stitching Show this will be the first time that I have exhibited at Alexandra Palace and it really is quite nerve wracking, I am dreaming of shelves and display stands!  A few of the new designs are shown in the photo above.  
I will be in the textile gallery and someone who taught and encouraged me to become a textile artist will also be there, she is Kim Thitticai one of the hardest working people I know just check out her diary and events page!  Going on Kims experimental textiles course meant that I was able to gain a place at Morley College on their Textile Foundation Course, I love the way she uses colour and texture in her work and also how she encourages people to experiment. If you are coming to Knitting and Stitching Show be sure to check her out if you have not already.

It's a great time of year to start thinking about taking up a course at night school, without these courses I would not have been able to start my business.  The thing about going to night school is that all the people who go want to learn and are generally a good old bunch.  Why not join a textiles course in your local area and see where it takes you.

Off to carry on preparing!