Well Hello Out there !!!! long time since I blogged. So what have i been up to for all this time. I have been very busy. I have joined a networking group which is brilliant ,I have met some amazing people all with a passion for their businesses. there is a Plumber,builder ,Photographer, architect,accountant,sports therapist,mechanic god and so many more quality companies.one of them being a charity helping individuals to live independently. they are called Ruils and are based in Teddington, a

fantastic charity. well I now run an art and craft workshop for them in the Whitton Community Centre every week with another starting in April in Barnes. I love it, its a great atmosphere and such lovely students of all levels and abilities.

I have also been doing some commissions some of which are .... mugs for ushers at a wedding,a life size frog,  

a ceramic portrait of a pet dog, 6 porcelain soup bowls, mini tea mugs that travelled all the way to India, Roman lamps for a villa on the IOW, handmade personalised bags,personalised Christmas cards, door plaques,campaign poster many more.....

My own workshops at the community centre have been rather slow in January and Feb but are now starting to pick up again The Saturday especially. i am still doing my private tuition for degree, college and home schooled students.

So all in all not much time for any thing else, I have though joined slimming world and having massage to try and  lose some weight and it is working be it slowly.lost 1.5 stone so far ...just another 6 to go????????

well I am tired enough to go back to bed for an hour or two as I started this again at the crack of Dawn because i couldn't sleep ....tooooo much going around the brain sparking off all those neurons.

so bye for now promise I will write more often.. and will update the website with more pics of students and my masterpieces .

Hello . Soon Christmas will be here and a new year, mornings and nights already are dark 'Again'. so how can we combat that?  well !!!  come and do a workshops make some Christmas presents. take your mind off that bad weather and come in from the cold and be creative-- you could even make your own presents- there is still time..  SO

come to a workshop, times and details are on the website - take a look..

Halloween is here too, so we will again be painting scary faces scars and skin flaps for your trick and treating.

so if you are around Whitton and need a scary makeover.

See the website for dates and where we will be....  for the details. 

I am also doing some Winter craft fairs -so if you would like a special present come and see what I have to offer porcelain, paintings and fabric bespoke gifts such as the garlic holder below or any of the other great ideas .

details of the venues are on the website.... on the Whats on page. 

Hello . Very soon Christmas will be here and a new year again, the mornings and nights already are dark. so how can we combat that?  well !!!  come and do a workshops make some Christmas presents. take your mind off that bad weather and come in from the cold.

Halloween is here too so we are painting scary faces on the 31st for you trick and treating.

so if you are around Whitton and need a scary makeover

see the website  

for details  Click ARTBOXuk 

at the ARTBOXuk

Well its been nearly a year that we set up the ARTBOXuk in Whitton. I cannot believe that it has been that long already. I would like to say a big thank-you to all the artists that have showcased this year in the gallery,and a really bigger one to those artists who have given their time to help in some form or other be it looking after the gallery ,window displays or running workshops. Then a huge thank-you to Terry for his support and accepting the 12 hour shifts I spend at the workshops.Without us as a team we wouldn't be so successful.. I know this year has been very hard work and I personally have spent many a 12 hour shift doing workshops. 

The response from the workshops and gallery of work has been unanimous, The community love us.they say please carry on and stay.they said we add an exciting interest to the village. 

We now have 30 artists showcasing their crafts and its lovely hear the comments that the community make -- such as -you have such lovely things in the shop and 'the prices are so reasonable.

Here is looking forward to the future years.

  

de-stressing  own-time... Lots of young students are taking advantage of developing their skills as they are now starting their coursework for GCSE's and A levels.Also we are now getting noticed and lots from good word of mouth.
Some adverts will be in the Southern Guardian soon to publicise the gallery and workshops telling everyone what we do here.
The sewing machine service started really well and we had some excellent feedback about our mechanic unfortunately is in suspension just as it started to get known. The mechanic is away abroad,contract working for a year. However he will come back and resume the service. 
We have a new email solely for ARTBOXuk which is now active 
                                  [email protected] 
The gallery phone number remains the same - 

Hello everyone - ARThouse Open Studios is now under way, and we have had an excellent response at my own studio and at the gallery in the high street. Thank-you to every one who has helped so far especially Jean who has work like myself,tirelessly to make it all run smoothly. We have a lovely display of work in the gallery and a wide range of fully tutored Art & Craft workshops. We now offer sewing machine servicing and repairs,which is very popular.

The 'Arty Partys' are very popular and are a great success.we have done some silk painting . sewing  Banners, making clay animals and cup cakes.

come and visit us at the gallery -15 the high street Whitton TW2 7LA and see what we are offering....... see you all soon XX

Well summer is here at last and The passing community are looking up and around instead of hiding from the wind and rain. Lots of passing trade and lots of the local community joining the workshops. and loving them....We have had wonderful reviews from them - the quality of teaching and variety of the art and craft disciplines.

Half term went by so quickly we hardly have had time to change the window displays.

The Next venture for us is on Saturday when we are helping to host a Tea pARTy for the charity  'United Response'  This is a charity that supports People in the community who have learning difficulties. We will be doing some demonstrations of different crafts which you can try, They are ones we teach here at the workshops in the ARTBOXuk. there is also a display of our work which the public can buy.

This Event is on 14th June @St Edmunds Churh Hall,  Nelson Road  Whitton

 from 3pm - 6pm

Then we are Hosting our Open studios at the end of June with the Richmond Open House Studio Exhibitions. Starting 27th June 2014 to 6th July 2014

We shall be having taster craft sessions at some times during these dates.

We also now have an In house Sewing machine mechanic who will service and repair your machines. Just bring them in to the gallery/workshop premises.

Talking about sewing machines I taught a lovely 9 year old young lady her first sewing lesson on a beautifully decorated old singer hand propelled machine. She did so well and produced an original designed cushion for her dad (for Fathers Day) well done....  You will be able to see the photos in the students gallery on the website soon (permission to use them granted by her mum) 

Finally I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to read and to reply to the blog- I love reading your messages and it is so nice to have returning reviews . Please keep them coming . It gives the inspiration to keep writing and sharing what we are doing and what we are planning to do in the future.  Please look on the website too and give us your thoughts and any ideas you may have for us to improve

our service

Happy Crafting

Sylvie

XXX

Hello everyone ,

Thank-you all for your lovely messages i really enjoy reading them - Don't forget to suggest any ideas you might have to help us get even better.

April has started with some better weather and has brought the community out into the High Street and -hence they are starting to notice us (even though we have been here now for 12 weeks) The response s to the project we are offering is just getting better and better we have increased the numbers joining and inquiring about workshops . We are still a long way off our targets but I know it takes time to get established so we have kept the reduction in price of workshops at £20.

I just want to say a big thanks to all the support we are getting from the participating community and also to the few hardworking artists who help in the gallery and workshops.it will always be appreciated

We have a program of activities now on a fixed regime and some new added ones for the EASTER break. details are on the events page of the website.

We have now 23 Artists and craft-people showcasing their work ,which impressed our visitor - Vince Cable MP. who came to the village just to visit us. we explained how we cant get a grant to help us - Because this non profit organisation has already started - why you say? what logical reason? NO there i'snt one? The community like the project, But the ARTS COUNCIL.LOTTERY, will only fund something that is untried not trialled and that may not work. the fact we have researched, tried,and put our own money in to see that it will in time be successful is not good enough to Warrant a grant to help us survive the first year. How Daft is that. Your view would be good to hear!!! well i am out of page - so better stop now and do some paper work--AHHHHHHHH...regards S