Daily paintings to music - new Instagram project

Hello hello! So I said I wasn't going to do any more online marketing this year until I had a larger collection of art, but hey I've changed my mind!

I'm currently mainly Pinteresting my new works here: https://uk.pinterest.com/Lauralongprint/laura-long-prints

Feel free to follow me and pin away. I have also just this week become addicted to the wonder that is Instagram and am using that to document my latest daily project, a painting a day.

My printmaking is quite detailed and 'tight' and I've not been painting for ages now. So I've come up with this looser outlet where I paint my own intuitive response to a song of my choice everyday. The photos aren't perfectly polished Insta shots, but that's not the point. They are quick, real photos taken often at night on my phone of my equally quick paintings. I'm hoping to go deeper with my abstract watercolours and maybe come up with some inspirational ideas to bring into my printmaking.

If you want to follow my daily paint splodges I'm @lauralongprint on Instagram. Here are a few taster photos of the week so far:

New work in 2015

Hello anyone who is still out there reading this. I've not posted for some time now but I hope you're all still out there. Christmas 2014 was crazily amazing, I co-organised my first print fair, helped set up a Christmas pop-up shop full of local artists and designers and sold out of a couple of editions of prints! (well they were short runs..)

It was my best Christmas yet for exposure and sales, but I have to tell you that I still need to work a 'day' job to pay the bills, and in November last year it was also time to start a new 'day' job. This has meant much less time for art-making, but I hope it will work out to be a more sustainable way for me to live in the long-term.

As a result of all these changes, I have decided to make 2015 all about getting better at my art and focusing on new personal work. This means this little blog will probably be even quieter and I am going to pretty much abandon all forms of marketing until I have a decent body of work to show you.

In the meantime, here are a few peeks of works in progress and some breathtaking mountains that I recently climbed.

Axolotl in progress

Pen-y-ghent - playing with colour
© Laura Long 2015

Red Tarn - The Lakes
© Laura Long 2015

© Laura Long 2015

© Laura Long 2015

Lunar Lumber, 2015 - woodcut
© Laura Long 2015

Leeds Print Fair at The Corn Exchange - 1st November 2014

So I've been a little quiet on the old blog lately, but for good reason as I am now pleased to present to you my newest creation, the Leeds Print Fair!

I've gathered together the best printmaking talent in Leeds to bring you fine art linocuts, screenprints, etchings, monporints, printed textiles and much more. There will be prints and homeware gifts priced to fit every budget which will make treasured gifts – one off pieces that nobody else will have.

For further details see www.facebook.com/leedsprintfair or our blog leedsprintfair.wordpress.com

Only 3.5 weeks to go, I'm getting so excited about this now I might burst!

Chapel Allerton Arts Trail 2014

Just a quick update to say I'm taking part in the Chapel Allerton Arts Trail. Opening night is tomorrow, 6 - 9pm at Inkwell. See local art in 18 venues along Harrogate Road, from Inkwell to Further North, plus street theatre and music tomorrow evening.

The trail runs until Sunday 31st August and I have some work up at venue no.11 Crust & Crumb Bakery. Go here for a trail map: arts trail map 

 Come along and sample some tasty cake, see some of my new works and even enjoy some free music on the main festival day, Saturday 31st August. See you there!

Recent Press on running a creative business

I was recently interviewed by the lovely Cristina from Sombras Blancas Art & Design about my experience of running a creative business. She made my fab logo when I was starting out as logo design is not my strong point. She was wonderful to work with and if anyone needs a new logo, I'd recommend her! Check out the full interview here

Shop Local! Etsy Team Leeds Pop-Up in Fabrication, The Light, Leeds

Exciting news folks, for this July I'm going to be selling some of my wares in a real bricks and mortar shop! My books and prints will be featured along with 11 other lovely sellers from Etsy Team Leeds at Fabrication Crafts in The Light Shopping Centre, Leeds.

I'll be in the shop on Thursday 10th July between 10.30am - 3.30pm if you'd like to come have a chat and see my work in the real.

Louise Billingham from MLSoW (My Little Shop of Wonder), part of Etsy Team Leeds has written an article which showcases each featured maker. Click on the image below to find out more.  I particularly like Louby Kapow's comic book bows.


As Louise says, "you know it's good because it's made with love!"
 
Check out the Team Leeds pop up shop page at:
www.facebook.com/events/300593800107798/

Having a great time at my first bookbinding workshop & scaling big big heights for some new work

So far June has been crazy in an amazing way. I'd been thinking about running some creative workshops for a long time, and then one day someone just said to me, 'why can't you just set up your own workshop?' And I realised, there was nothing stopping me apart from me! So I put up a sign, and in the end people came!

We had a lot of fun and my students made loads of lovely little books. I'm so impressed at their productivity. Having to move the venue to my home/studio actually worked really well too. It was relaxed, cosy and great to be able to have tea breaks out in the garden with the birds singing in the trees.

Here's some pictures from the day. Can't wait to build on this further at my next workshop for the Leeds Waterfront Festival. I'll be there on Sunday 29th June doing a free taster workshop from 10 - 12am!

I also climbed Steel Fell, Calf Crag, Gibsons Knott & Helm Crag last week up in the Lake District. Now I'm brimming with inspiration for an art series about walking in the wilderness. Watch this space!