Author: Lucy Wray

I explore and develop waste materials to create art from salvaged resources.
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Manchester Museum Visit

Lucanus Cervus

#entomology | I have a date with Manchester Museums Entomology Department!
After a super conversation about bugs, the folks at Manchester Museum invited me to come and meet their entomology team. I’ll be able to study the collection up close with a view to creating a range of bugs for their retail shop.
I cannot wait. Watch this space.

This is all thanks to @artisanmadeuk for creating the opportunity for me to meet the buying team for Manchester Museum. They saw my work and loved my ethos.

As a kid, I always loved visiting the Natural History Museums in Bolton and Manchester. It was a time when no one seemed to realise the public was aloud in. I pretended I was indiana Jones as I sneaked around the Victorian glass cabinets. Good Times.

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Promotion at Picnic in the Park

To promote our pop-up shop in Astley Park Coach House we attended the event Picnic in the Park and invited everyone to get creative and make a festival flower.

The event was well attended and we facilitated the making of over 200 flowers. It brought back memories of when I used to be a community artists back in the day.

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Horticultural Inspiration

Inspired by a recent exhibition commission and looking forward to new opportunities created during the Artisan Made UK Trade Fair, I set off on an exploration for inspiration at my local RHS garden.

I can’t wait to start creating these botanical blooms as three-dimensional salvaged masterpieces.

ostiospermam jucundom
Siberian Bugloss
Brunnera macrophylla
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Popping

Back in April I posted about ‘Making things happen’, well my excellent friends and I have organised a Pop-Up shop to celebrate Lancashire independent handmade business. We plan to showcase around 20 local artists and makers work in June.

The game is afoot ( as Sherlock would say).

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Botanical Bliss Art in Bloom

I’m very honoured to be  part of  the latest exhibition at Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge.
Botanical Bliss Art in Bloom runs from May 3rd to July 27th.

I have created three pieces, especially for the exhibition, as well as some favourites from my current range.

Heart Gallery is a stalwart of the Contemporary Craft world. I first met Alison, the owner, at the beginning of my Contemporary Craft career, when she was giving a talk about approaching galleries: the do & don’ts. Since then, it has been an ambition of mine to stock her gallery.
A couple of years ago, that ambition became a reality, but the novelty hasn’t worn off, I’m still thrilled when I’m asked to exhibit.

Remember to support your independent high street shops

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New Stockists

Thanks to the great face to face opportunities created by Artisan Made UK* (Uks only exclusively handmade trade fair) in March, the trade orders are starting to trickle out.

This lovely batch of goodies is heading off down to Buckingham to a stomping independent high street shop called freya Jones Art and Craft.

www.freyajones.co.uk

Is a small independent business myself, I have nothing but admiration and respect for the brave soles who run creative highstreet shops.
As an artist, I am proud to supply these independent businesses and help create a bit of individuality to highstreet towns.


“From every £1 you spend on a local small independent business, 75% goes back into your local community.”
Mary Portas

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Making things Happen

If you want something doing…
I had been thinking for a few years about the limited opportunities for contemporary crafts in my home county of Lancashire. Don’t get me wrong there are the odd venues and galleries spread thinly but nothing to match the likes of Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Greater Manchester, Art in the Pen in Yorkshire, or even Pop-Up in the Palm House in Merseyside.
I’m not sure why this is because there is a wealth of creative talent. We all just traipse over the boarders.

Astley Park

So I had an inspirational power walk with some of my local creative friends (sarah buckett and Wild Botainia), and we hatched a plan.

There was a lot of blue-sky thinking, dreaming of a local arts centre hub, events, and creative movements.
We settled on a pop-up shopping experience to kick things off.
Our local council (Chorley & South Ribble) was extra supportive by giving us an amazing venue for free and promoting the event on their digital platforms.
Housed in the Astley Park Coach House, Astley Pop-Up was born.
From Saturday the 13th to the 21st of June, we will be showcasing the work of 19 independent makers/ businesses.

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New Product Experiment

I’ve been experimenting with a new way of creating pet portrait commissions.
I’ve had a few requests for my coloured digital sketches, so I decided to give it a go.

Happy customer

I created a digital sketch of Scrumpy the cat, and I sent it to the printers.
When I received the prints back, I couldn’t resist working into it a little more with coloured pencil.

Working on the print base

My intention (when I get time) is to add a little more embellishment with machine and hand stitch.

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Creative Workshops

It’s been a long time coming (9 years), but I was finally persuaded to deliver a workshop on creating a piece of art in my style.

Tunnock’s Robin

Sue from a local craft group called Chorley Charitable Crafters persuaded me to deliver a workshop for her and her group.

Creating

It’s given me a taste for facilitating creative adventures……

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Botanical Bliss

I have been invited to exhibit at Heart Gallery’s new exhibition, Botanical Bliss. Opening on Sunday the 10th May.

Researching wildflowers

I was thrilled to be included in this exhibition because even though my current work doesn’t focus on flora and fauna, I’ve been researching and exploring  behind the scenes.
I’ve had the intention for a while to create some plant life pieces, and this exhibition has given me the push I needed.

Daisy Daisy, give me your answer…

I will be showcasing a small collection of completely new pieces and intend to develop more in this range.