Your Brilliant Bird Bags

Creating A Design

If you missed out on the opportunity to participate in the rescheduled free adult craft activity ‘Brilliant Bird Bags’ on Saturday 6th September, here are some pictures of what you missed out on!

Drawing!

Designing A Bag

Bird Drawing

The bags in the making!

The Resist

Laying Out With Wool

Laying Out With Wool

Laying Out With Wool

Moulding Wool Around Resist..

Laying Out With Wool

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Moulding Wool Around The Resist

Creating A Design..

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Creating A Design

Almost ready!

Almost Ready

Almost Ready

Almost Ready

Almost Ready

Almost Ready

Almost Ready

Almost Ready

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah!

Sarah’s favourite!

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah!

These seamless bags are stunning made without any sewing at all. Quite clever really! Watch out for a flock of bird bags wandering around Trowbridge and across Wiltshire or even beyond.

Why not come along and see the exhibition before is finished on Saturday 27th September?

Be inspired to make your own ‘Brilliant Bird Bags’ at home, then send them to us via twitter @TrowMuseum.

If you are interested in bringing a group of adults or students for a craft activity please do get in touch with Sarah Jane Kenyon, Exhibitions & Arts Officer on 01225 751 339 or email sarah.kenyon@trowbridge.gov.uk to discuss what we can offer!

All photographs were taken with permission from participants.

Ta Dah Brilliant Bird Bags Is Rescheduled!

Silly Goose

Sarah is pleased to announce that the rescheduling of  ‘Brilliant Bird Bags’ will now take place on Saturday 6th September, 1-4pm.

Please note those of you who had a place booked on Saturday 17th May will be contacted first  regarding the new date of the craft activity. We hope that you will be able to make it!

If not then any remaining spaces will be offered out generally. If you would like to go on the waiting list for ‘Brilliant Bird Bags’ please e-mail Sarah Jane Kenyon, Exhibitions & Arts officer on sarah.kenyon@trowbridge.gov.uk or call 01225 751 339 to leave a message for Sarah.

Seamless Bag

Owl Bag

Butterfly Bag

In the mean time why not come to the Musuem to see exhibtion, be inpsired!

Why not have a go at felting at home? You could make shoes or use the principle of resist felting to create a seamless structure! Send them to us via twitter @TrowMuseum.

Happy crafting!

Your Origami Birds

 

Ducks

Origami, a traditional art requiring the folding and manipulation of paper dating back as far as 17th century,  possibly even further. The oldest unequivocal documentation of Origami is a short poem composed in 1680.

Origami starts with a flat piece of paper, which you fold in a particular way which creates a finished sculpture.

What is really fascinating is that the sculpture is produced without cutting or gluing the paper. It’s like magic,  something flat becomes three-dimensional!

Origami

Origami Japanese Art of Paper

To create Origami sculptures light weight paper such as ‘Origami paper’ is used as it holds creases well.   Normal weight paper that you might use in your printer, is heavier and does not hold creases as well.

If you missed out on the opportunity to participate in today’s free craft activity ‘Origami Birds’, here are some pictures of what you missed out on!

Duck in the making…

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

Ta Dah!

Ducks © Trowbridge Museum

Ducks © Trowbridge Museum

Owl in the making…

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

© Trowbridge Museum

Ta Dah!

Owls © Trowbridge Museum

These ducks and owls are fascinating! Made from folding a piece of paper. Watch out for them flying around Trowbridge and across Wiltshire.

Why not come along and see the exhibition?
Be inspired to make your own ‘Origami Birds’ at home, then send them to us via twitter @TrowMuseum.

If you are interested in bringing a group of adults or students for a craft activity please do get in touch with Sarah Jane Kenyon, Exhibitions & Arts Officer on 01225 751 339 or email sarah.kenyon@trowbridge.gov.uk to discuss what we can offer!

All photographs were taken with permission from participants.

Inspired By Wool Samples

Ceramic Tile Wall Pieces

One of Jan’s favourite objects in the Museum is quite a humble and unglamorous thing; a largish sheet of paper, folded in two, with 15 squarish loosely felted pieces of wool on each half.

TRWBM 1987.13 © Trowbridge Museum

This is a card of Cheviot wool dye samples, c1960  (TRWMB: 1987.13 ). Jan found the mosaic effect of the squares very pleasing. She liked the fact that they were made of felt, but loved the fact that each square sported a sticker with a hand-written number on it and the numbers are not in order!

TRWBM 1987.13 Detail © Trowbridge Museum

TRWBM 1987.13 Detail © Trowbridge Museum

Jan was excited by the challenge of transforming an object made of paper and felt into clay, indulging her love of texture and detail whilst capturing some of the character of the original. The velvet under glazes which she likes to use were well suited to reproduce the soft, blended colours of the woollen cloth.

Ceramic Tile Wall Piece © Jan Lane

Jan love’s typography so she found it great fun making the numbers, a decorative element within the design. The frames were imprinted with information about the card of Cheviot wool dye samples. The factory it originated from etc., but the words are also part of the visual appeal, the letters are beautiful in themselves – the ampersand, an added bonus!

Ceramic Tile Wall Piece © Jan Lane

Ceramic Tile Wall Piece © Jan Lane

Ceramic Tile Wall Piece © Jan Lane

Ceramic Tile Wall Piece © Jan Lane

The smaller piece developed the idea a little further. The numbers relate back to the card of Cheviot wool dye samples  (she selected those nearest to the colours of the rainbow) but she chose to place them beneath the tiles to give a bit more scope for surface decoration relating to each colour.

Ta Dah!

Ceramic Tile Wall Piece © Jan Lane

Ceramic Tile Wall Piece © Jan Lane

Why not come along and see the exhibition for yourself?

Match up the numbers on the ceramic tile wall pieces with the wool dye samples!

Don’t forget everything in the exhibition is for sale ‘Affordable Art’

Your Bird Brooches

Ta Dah

If you missed out on the opportunity to participate in today’s free adult craft activity  ‘Bird Brooches’, here are some pictures of what you missed out on!

Drawing!

Owl Drawings

Bird Drawings

Bird Drawings

The brooches in the making!

Making A Brooch

Making A Brooch

Making A Brooch

Making A Brooch

Making A Bird Brooch

Almost ready!

Almost Ready!

Almost Ready!

Almost Ready!

Almost Ready!

Almost Ready!

Ta Dah!

Really enjoyed it – very friendly and helpful leader – thanks very much!

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Brilliant session, really informative and generous with the materials and help. Lovely to spend afternoon with others, crafting. Thank you!

Thank you. Lovely to do something new for myself rather than the children.

These brooches are stunning with a hint of vintage, accessories with beads and buttons! Watch out for a flock of bird brooches on display in Trowbridge and across Wiltshire or even beyond.

Why not come along and see the exhibition?

Be inspired to make your own ‘Bird Brooches’ at home, then send them to us via twitter @TrowMuseum.

If you are interested in bringing a group of adults or students for a craft activity please do get in touch with Sarah Jane Kenyon, Exhibitions & Arts Officer on 01225 751 339 or email sarah.kenyon@trowbridge.gov.uk to discuss what we can offer!

All photographs were taken with permission from participants.

 

Your Comments On Mockingbird Keep Flying In

Brooches © Jan Lane

Jan and Sarah thought it would be nice to share more of the comments written by you the visitors!

Thank you Jan. Such a pleasure to see more of your work and the link with all the georgous textiles. I love the colours and textures you use.

Bird © Jan Lane

Bird © Jan Lane

Bird © Jan Lane

Excuberant and quirky!

So beautiful and orginial.

Felt Owls © Jan Lane

Single Bird Brooch © Jan Lane

2 Bird Brooches © Jan Lane

Heart Brooch © Jan Lane

Really lovely. Gutted I couldn’t do the workshops, as they are booked. Best i’ve ever seen. Will buy some brooches!

Why not come and see the exhibition yourself, and leave your own comment?

Cranes Migrate From A Beaded Flapper Dress

Crane Drawing © Jan Lane

You may have noticed by now that Jan rather like making birds!

Cranes have long legs and rather long necks. Apparently there are fifteen species of Crane in four genera. Some Cranes migrate over long distances others do not.

Migrating Cranes

Have you ever seen flocks of Cranes and wondered why?
Well, this is because during the non-breeding season they are being gregarious!

Felted Crane With Fish © Jan Lane

Cranes © Jan Lane

The dippy Cranes on display in Mockingbird are fairly close copies of those on a wonderful embroidered flapper dress from the Museum’s archive collection.

Flapper Girl With Make Up On

Flapper Girl Dancing

Flapper Girl Smoking

Believe it or not, in the 1920s “Flappers” were a new stylish youth of women. You would have noticed this new look about town; young women with short bobbed hair, makeup on, smoking and even listening to Jazz or going dancing.

Flapper Dress © Trowbridge Museum

Flapper Dress © Trowbridge Museum

Flapper Dress © Trowbridge Museum

This 1920s flapper dress (TRWBM: M400), on display in Mockingbird, would have been the perfect outfit for a night out dancing. It is part of The Morrison Collection and is heavily decorated with beaded birds, butterflies, flowers and a Water Lilly pond hem.

Monet Water Lilies 1916

The Water Lilly pond reminds me of a series of oil paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet. Do you see the likeness?

Mockingbird encourages visitors to see the Museum collection beyond a resource for learning about the past. To see a Museum collection as surfaces with a display of construction, decoration, shape and design. To be inspired!

Why not visit the Museum to see the flapper dress close up and Jan Lane’s felted Cranes!

Be quick before they fly away!

Your Beautiful Birds

Bird

If you missed our ‘Beautiful Birds’ craft activity today here are some pictures of what you missed out on!

The birds in the making!

Making A Bird

Drawing

Wooden Blocks

Wooden Block

Almost ready!

Almost Ready

Bird In The Making

Colouring In

Bird

Ta Dah!

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Ta Dah

Wow, what a stunning display of birds that will be flying home with their makers!

Why not come along and see the exhibition?
Be inspired to make your own ‘Beautiful Birds’ at home, then send them to us via twitter @TrowMuseum.

If you are interested in bringing a group of adults or students for a craft activity please do get in touch with Sarah Jane Kenyon, Exhibitions & Arts Officer on 01225 751 339 or email sarah.kenyon@trowbridge.gov.uk to discuss what we can offer!

All photographs were taken with permission from participants.

Beautiful Birds

Beautiful Birds © Jan Lane

Come along to the Museum and make a start on your own little flock of birds inspired by Jan Lane’s exhibition ‘Mockingbird’.

Your fluttering birds will be the creation of lolly-stick legs, card, paper, and glue. You will use pencils and collage to decorate a ‘Beautiful Bird’ that shall fly home with you.

Bird Illustration © Jan Lane

Bird Illustration © Jan Lane

Ceramic Bird © Jan Lane

Bird Illustration © Jan Lane

Single Bird Brooch © Jan Lane

‘Beautiful Birds’ is running on this Saturday, 14th June, for ages 4+. Please per-book a session in advance by calling 01225 751 339.

Please note if you are coming along on the day that sessions are limited to 12 children per session so might already be full! See FREE Children’s Craft Activities for the full programme of craft on offer.

Why not come along and see the exhibition, be inspired to be creative! Please follow the blog and Jan on Facebook!

We hope to see a flock of you on Saturday 14th June.

 

Your Comments On Mockingbird

Bird Illustration © Jan Lane

Bird Illustration © Jan Lane

Bird Illustration © Jan Lane

Jan and Sarah thought it would be nice to share the comments written by you the visitors!

What a wonderful exhibition. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed a look around and booked on a workshop!

Bird © Jan Lane

Absolutely love your ceramic birds, they are charming and quirky.  I love the textures and colours – hmm they are just scrummy to look at. You are very talented. Thank you.

Owl © Jan Lane

Amazing and beauitful. The owls are the best I have ever seen. Loved them.

Visiting from California. Very interesting to see how inspiration is channeled from the seemingly mundane or prosaic into such original or whimsical artistic expressions.

Bird Illustration © Jan Lane

Amazing work as always! Love all your sketches too. Wonderful how you’ve incorporated all the items from the Museum’s collection.

Why not come and see the exhibition yourself, and leave your own comment.