Melanie Uys

Filigree Fish

2011-09-29T13:23:00.000+01:00

I've been thinking of a new symbol to cut into my lino-block, something to compliment the filigree heart I have been working with for a couple of years now. I think I have found it in these gorgeous little fish charms, hope to incorporate them into some monoprints I made yesterday at the Porthmeor Print Workshop.

Dryads......

2011-09-20T12:06:00.003+01:00

Inside the Balloon Room at Tate St Ives

2011-08-13T11:35:00.009+01:00

We finally made it into the fabulous installation at the Tate St Ives. I've been promising the girls for ages and we were walking past yesterday so grabbed the moment. It was the best £6.50 I've spent in ages, as you can see they loved it. I thought the little one would be a bit freaked out by it, the balloons are about 7 feet deep in places, but she only held my hand for a little while before taking off, swimming and shrieking through the room.

It's chaotic and does bad things to your hair. You can feel the staff struggling to retain control over the piece and lots of people prefer to observe rather than participate. But we loved it!

Watch our film by clicking here

2011-05-25T10:17:00.003+01:00

We have been showing these two collagraphs by Michele Wright for a while now and I am happy to say that they have been flying away to new homes regularly!

"Three Choughs" (above)

and "Cornish Chough" (below)

are both available to buy from our website

www.uysgallery.co.uk

Michele's studies also attract photographers and bird-lovers and I recently met

Mike Anders from Penzance

who now sends me beautiful images each year from his trips to the Lizard Peninsula

Just thought I'd share them with you this morning.......

New Installation at Tate St Ives

2011-05-20T09:56:00.003+01:00

Here is a glimpse of the new installation at Tate St Ives

by artist Martin Creed

"Half The Air In A Given Space"

The circular sea-facing gallery is filled with balloons

which is such a joyful and playful idea

The exhibition continues until September 2011

I can't wait to get myself lost in there!

"A Small Family is a Happy Family"

2011-02-17T15:05:00.002Z

Playing with stamps, old letters and embroidery today to create this intricate little samples. Thoroughly enjoyed it and I like the way you can draw with the stitches.

The title comes from the tiny print on one of the stamps from India. I agree with its sentiment entirely :-)

x x Happy Funny Valentines x x

2011-02-10T12:06:00.013Z

Lots of love to all of you x x x

Here are some Valentines inspired doodles made by me just for you (honest!)

watercolors and sequins on hand~made tea~leaf paper

(very messy to make but they smell lovely......)

I hope you all get something special this weekend !

New Work by Anita Klein

2011-02-04T10:35:00.003Z

I adore these new hand coloured drypoints by Anita Klein ~

the composition, the strong line and the rich use of colour all appeal to me very much. She is able to use a simple theme many times without losing any of the appeal or freshness of image. Strong, direct yet highly personal. Hope you enjoy them, too.

2011-01-22T13:05:00.002Z

I always seem to enjoy the slideshows in The Independent whilst I am browsing on-line and end of there almost every day. I love their choices of subject and the images are strong.

I had to share this one, though. I find it riveting!

1,ooo Art Journals Project

2010-11-17T11:13:00.004Z

We have a special offer on our website throughout November

FREE DELIVERY ON ALL ORDERS!

And as there are only two weeks left of the month (how did that happen?)

I'm just reminding you before time runs out................

www.uysgallery.co.uk

New Monoprint Off The Press

2010-11-09T14:46:00.002Z

I have been working on this monoprint for a few weeks now, down at the Porthmeor Print Workshop. I needed to inject a bit of colour into my work! I used Speedball water based inks.......just as well as this photo was taken after pull number 7 where I nearly lost the lot due to not checking the tension of the press........

.......luckily Michele Wright was quick to help out, she helped me recover, and after one final roll through the press, here is the final piece drying. Now all I have to worry about is the framing........

St Ives Well~Wishers Textile by Andrea Carr

2010-10-06T14:31:00.004+01:00

I was pleased to be able to give a piece of artwork to be included in this large textile piece by St Ives artist Andrea Carr. She had collaborated with a friend of mine Jo Mayes to create a performance art piece based around St Ia Well, close to the Tate Gallery and Porthmeor Beach.

My children often play in the well water as it falls down on to the beach to create a natural waterfall and pool so it is a place very close to my heart. The textile was used to make a beautiful dress which was worn by a dancer who walked from this sacred site down to the waves.

It is currently hanging in St Ives Library alongside some collagraphs made by a handful of local children who were lucky enough to enjoy a printmaking class by Rachael Kantaris at the Porthmeor Print Workshop. I think she had encouraged their use of colour beautifully.

My Entry

2010-10-06T14:15:00.003+01:00

Now the St Ives September Festival is over I can catch up with a few updates I have been planning to do, this was my entry to the annual "Spot The Artist" event which has become so popular. I heard that some people were so determined to get their chosen *bargain* (each anonymous, unsigned piece sells for £35) that they chose to spend the night outside the Arts Club, ensuring their place at the head of the queue when the doors opened at 9am!

2010-09-02T15:17:00.005+01:00

Eek, I just posted my (late) entry to the annual "Spot the Artist" event, organised by the St Ives Rotary Club. If I'd looked at the names of some of the other artists who donate work before I posted the envelope I would probably have changed my mind!

Last year the event raised over £6,000 for local charities, including Shelterbox whose work I very much admire. Unsigned, original works of art are available to buy at just £35 each.

The event takes place at the St Ives School of Painting. Viewing will be on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th September with the sale itself on Sunday 12th September from 9am - 12 noon. I can't wait to see the exhibition.

2010-08-21T16:08:00.005+01:00

I'm delighted to say that a drawing of mine (left) has been selected as part of the St Ives Well Wishers Project ~ it will be included in a procession as part of the St Ives September Festival and as far as I can gather it will be presented on the train of a tailor made designer dress!

Find out more at St Ives Well Wishers ~ I will tell you more as I find out myself!

The drawing itself will be on display in the gallery throughout the Festival as part of the Open Studios Programme. Many thanks to Andrea Carr, Elise Langley and Jo Maynes who have worked so hard on this idea, I remember chatting to Jo about it well over a year ago. It will be very exciting to see the results and I LOVE the fact that the kiddies will be so involved.

"Aching Wing"

2010-08-20T16:09:00.002+01:00

I just finished a new linocut which kind of sums up how I'm feeling at the moment ~ the town is so full there is no room to spread out!

We all suffer from aches and pains in our lives and this is my response to that. Gravity pulls on our bodies throughout the day and this is a reminder to myself and the viewer to take care of ourselves.

The Smallest Studio in St Ives?

2010-08-10T13:12:00.004+01:00

I have been thinking about the St Ives September Festival and have decided to be included in the popular Open Studios event this year, more details to follow as I get more organised. I do, however, have the tiniest space......... maybe I should use this as a Unique Selling Point! This photograph was taken standing in the doorway after my big print~off last week.

"Sulking Mermaid" and "Moody Angel" are continuing to sell really well through the gallery and can also be purchased from the website, click here if you would like one for yourself.

"Filigree In Blue" (SOLD) and "Filigree~Adagio"

2010-08-03T11:52:00.004+01:00

I've uploaded a new photo of these pieces as I don't think I did it properly last time! Thanks for the nod, Lesley! St Ives is PACKED with visitors and it's turning out to be a very busy season. I hope you are having lots of sales and interesting conversations down at the other end of the town as well!

http://www.artspace-cornwall.co.uk/

http://www.uysgallery.co.uk

Commission in Blue

2010-07-30T18:40:00.000+01:00

A customer asked me if I could make her a piece of work the other day ~ it feels like my first commission in a looooonnng time! She saw "Filigree and Shadow" (complete with red 'sold' sticker) and liked it so much I could only say 'Yes!' She had a very definite idea of how she wanted it to look, so it took me three attempts to get it right.......... She even chose the stamps she wanted me to add to the finished piece. Here are the works in progress......

The finished monoprint "Filigree in Blue" is now wrapped and awaiting collection. I have also framed another "Filigree ~ Adagio" and it is currently on display in the gallery.

"Girl with a Bird"

2010-05-18T13:41:00.000+01:00

I'm so excited to have finished this today ~ A portrait of my eldest daughter inspired by a recent outing to our local sanctuary,

Paradise Park.

I must have taken about 10 proofs to come to this, unusual for such a small linocut (it's only five inches high) but I was very definite about the expression I wanted to capture ~ halfway between joy and mischief. I love the way they are really looking at each other. Despite it's public title, this one will always privately be known as "Maia and the Bird" in my heart.

"Filigree and Shadow" (SOLD)

2010-05-12T14:15:00.000+01:00

Monoprint and Collage

"Filigree and Echo" (SOLD)

2010-05-12T14:14:00.002+01:00

I've been trying something new this week and have been startled by the effect of the subconscious mind on my art. I spent some time in the hospital last week with my youngest daughter whilst she had an ultrasound on her heart. Obviously an emotional thing. Then, once in my studio, I found myself making an intricate heart shaped linocut.

I then began playing with drawing inks and what was incredible was the marks that were appearing on the pages. As I let the two different coloured inks run over the page, they began to mimic the shapes of the chambers I had been scrutinising on the ultrasound screen.

(Added 2nd September 2010 ~ I just sold this piece of work to a young couple from New Zealand,

they particularly liked the tight curls which reminded them of Maori tattoos ~ LOVE IT!)

"Filigree and Gold" (SOLD)

2010-05-12T14:12:00.000+01:00

Monoprint and Collage

"Five for Silver" (SOLD)

2010-04-30T13:23:00.001+01:00

A photo of the finished collage before I put it into the frame ~ I'm so glad to have finished it before the Bank Holiday Weekend as we are expecting a lot of visitors to St Ives.

The magpies are collaged, the tree ended up being collaged too, as the charcoal didn't look strong enough. I used coloured drawing inks to colour vintage music paper and a watercolour wash in the background. The silver twists through the tree represent luck, spring and blossom and are made from sweet wrappers that have been pressed inside a book since Easter.

In the Window for Beltane

2010-04-30T13:20:00.000+01:00

"Five for Silver" as it looks hanging in the gallery window, in time for May Bank Holiday Weekend, I hope you all have a lovely Beltane x

"Five for Silver"

2010-04-26T12:41:00.000+01:00

I've started a large scale piece today. I found this collage I made a while back and I want to scale him up and reproduce him five times. I'm not sure how I'll do that, either by collage or linocut. It feels like a good challenge, though. I've made their new home, already, a large, bare~branched charcoal tree over sheets of vintage music paper. The finished piece will be about 30" square so it is a move away from the small cards and lino's I've been working on for a while.

"Red Fish, Blue Fish"

2010-04-26T11:13:00.000+01:00

"Old Fish, New Fish"

2010-04-26T11:12:00.000+01:00

"Moody Angel" and "Sulking Mermaid"

2010-03-25T13:55:00.000Z

Linocut made a while ago, that I'm just beginning to edition

New Linocut finished this week

"Big Breeze"

2010-03-10T11:29:00.002Z

2010-03-10T11:29:00.001Z

2010-03-10T11:28:00.000Z

Party Bunting

2010-02-20T14:43:00.000Z

Ooh look what I found ~ bunting know~how!

Hearts and Websites

2010-02-03T10:41:00.000Z

I've been busy making valentines cards to sell in the gallery ~ I feel right at home working with hearts and love and all that ~ so all is flowing well in that corner of my world

I have also been putting together a website for my husbands ceramics, we often sell his work via e~mail so this site will make that a lot easier to do. I have control over the site so I can update the images as new work comes out of the kiln.

www.uysgallery.co.uk

"Tattoo Heart"

2010-01-20T11:50:00.000Z

Stitched Heart

2010-01-20T11:49:00.000Z

Layers of collage over a love song

"Reaching Out"

2010-01-20T11:45:00.000Z

Small collage using collagraph

Anita Klein

2009-12-21T10:54:00.000Z

Celebrating Angels

2009-12-18T11:11:00.000Z

Merry Christmas Everybody x x

2009-12-18T11:08:00.000Z

"I'll protect you from the hooded claw,

keep the vampires from your door,

when the chips are down, I'll be around,

with my undying, death defying love for you"

2009-12-18T11:07:00.000Z

More hand~ stitched Christmas cards which are selling well through the gallery

Another Festive Friday in St Ives

2009-12-12T15:15:00.000Z

We attended a Lantern~Making Workshop with artist Billy Wynter where we made these beautiful lanterns with willow and paper

First Festive Friday in St Ives

2009-12-04T13:04:00.000Z

I made this patch to celebrate the first of three Festive Friday's in St Ives ~ tonight we are keeping the gallery open late, like many other traders, to catch a little bit of late~night~opening business. I'm looking forward to seeing all the town lit up and looking pretty, the kids are joining in too as there is a rumour Father Christmas might be visiting tonight..... Lots of people have made a lot of effort in St Ives this year so I think it will be special, I hope it is a success for all involved.

The patch is more sweet~smelling chocolate wrapper embroidered onto a batik patch, I love the spontaneity of this one.

2009-12-04T13:02:00.000Z

A patch I made today using some of Carolyn's materials and a chocolate bar wrapper ~ I'm enjoying using all the sweetie wrappers we have around at the moment ~ they smell so lovely while I am working with them!

"Peace On Earth"

2009-12-04T12:59:00.000Z

Patchwork Christmas Card I made yesterday

2009-12-02T13:43:00.000Z

"Celebrating Angel" by Anita Klein ~ a favourite image of mine

Peace on Earth

2009-11-20T10:45:00.000Z

A quick assemblage I put together before packing up for the day ~ very bold, but it helped me ascertain my theme for any christmas cards I create this year ~ Peace on Earth

2009-11-20T10:41:00.000Z

More Victoriana with layers of net and embroidery detail ~ I tried to be more sensitive with colour than I usually am ~ I have a tendency to be loud and proud which isn't to many people's taste!

2009-11-20T10:34:00.000Z

I really enjoyed embroidering these little beads around this Victorian Scene, they remind me of sleigh~bells.

As I was doing it I found myself thinking about how many Christmas traditions actually originate from this time and were initially uniquely middle~class celebrations.

"Twinkle, Twinkle"

2009-11-20T10:31:00.000Z

I began playing with some of the christmas material Carolyn gave me yesterday and I had a lot of fun making some simple patches ~

2009-11-19T17:06:00.000Z

Textile Heart by Carolyn ~ Thank You !

Carolyn's Giveaway

2009-11-12T14:50:00.000Z

I was very touched today when Carolyn hand~delivered the textile art heart I won on her recent giveaway ~ she gave me a beautiful handstitched purple heart with a little silver bead on it and it is beautiful! I will post a picture of it tomorrow.

She also gave me a huge bundle of red and purple materials which I can't wait to look through ~ but I am saving that pleasure until tomorrow as it's nearly school run time and some things you shouldn't rush.

Thank you Carolyn xx

~ ~ Pinned Hearts ~ ~

2009-10-26T13:21:00.000Z

Quilted patch with collaged hearts, safety pins and found beads ~ ~

the advantage to having two small girls is that I find beads and little lost things everywhere but they are too precious to throw away ~ ~

so they find themselves pinned to my patches ~ ~

"Two Fishes"

2009-10-26T13:18:00.000Z

Quilted patch with net, collaged fish, safety pins and beads

"Fishes"

2009-10-26T13:11:00.000Z

Quilted patch with collaged fish, safety pins and beads

2009-10-26T12:55:00.000Z

"Love~Letter"

Quilted Textile (SOLD)

2009-10-26T12:46:00.000Z

I am a working mum ~ I love collage and textile art ~ but I have lost my way and haven't created anything new for twelve years.

That's beginning to change ~ I hope this website helps me x x