Well, I’m home alone for the first day with our new little addition – Arthur the miniature schnauzer puppy! Otherwise known as Arthur Daley, King Arthur, Arf a cucumber!!!
He came home with us on Saturday and had the best bank holiday weekend ever. Such an intelligent cheeky little chap, we love him to bits already.
gilhoolie is still open for business as usual although I may have to make lampshades when he’s sleeping or when the boys get home from school to start off with. But that’s fine. It’s been good to slow down and just watch him growling at pine cones and chasing his tiny blue tennis ball around the patio in the sunshine this morning.
I promise not to bore you with too many cute puppy photos but I’m afraid he may become a bit of a celebrity on here as he keeps me company while I’m working.
Restoring a treasured lampshade for a client has to be one of the best things I get to do at gilhoolie.
Jules from Flackwell Heath had two 1960s, very unusual shaped lampshades that her mum had bought many years ago. They were looking very sorry for themselves but still in use by Jules.
The lampshades were originally made from silk fabric stitched to cardboard and then stitched again to a metal frame. I’ve never seen anything like them and totally understood why Jules wanted to revive them if at all possible. You certainly wouldn’t be able to find replacements in a high street shop!
The whole process started with Jules sending me photos and measurements of the two lampshades. As she isn’t far from Maidenhead we met up and talked about options for fabrics and I checked that the frames weren’t misshapen so that I could reuse them. All part of the service 🙂 Jules sourced a beautiful orange silk fabric that would look amazing when the lampshades were lit. Most fabrics are fine; you just don’t want to choose anything too thick or fabric that frays really easily.
Here is one of the original lampshades – a bit torn and battered as you can see, but the frames were fine.
Original 1960s lampshade ready for gilhoolie restoration
The lampshades were taken apart so that I could use the cardboard as a template for cutting new PVC for the new silk fabric. What a lot of dust and quite a tricky operation to make sure it all came off in one piece – it was over 50 years old after all! You can see the panel goes round in a spiral but the two ends don’t meet so this had to be taken into account.
Very sad looking lampshade frame
Quite a lot of patient, careful work (and breath holding!) later and the lampshades came back to life. What a transformation! (Scroll down to see). Always exciting when I stand back and look, especially when I know how treasured they are.
Jules was really pleased with the result and said her mum would’ve been happy too. I love a happy customer! To top it all off she gave me an original 1960s lampshade book that was in her family as a thank you gift – what a lovely surprise. It’s the little things and gestures that can make your day!
You can see the lampshades below in my workshop, and then in Jules’ garden when she got home, on the original 1960s vintage glass bases.
If you have a lampshade you would like restoring just get in touch with photos and measurements and I’ll get back to you.
Shiny happy new lampshadesLooking even more happy on their original bases
I discovered The Henley on Thames School of Art last year – when I was looking for something creative to do that fits around working and making lampshades.
Thank goodness I discovered it! What a lovely place it is! It’s a warm, welcoming, sunlit studio at the back of Hart Street, with a little courtyard. You’d never know it was there, unless you spot the little sign at the entrance to the alleyway…
Last year I attended a ‘Drawing and Painting from Scratch’ course with Max Hale. I know it’s ridiculous, considering I have drawn quite a few commissions for people, but I’ve never been taught how to draw and I found the tips Max shared with us incredibly eye opening and oh so helpful. “Ah, that’s why artists hold out their brushes to measure!” I said to myself… And simple things like drawing a line of symmetry first. Bit of a light bulb moment! (or 2 ha ha!) You can see the lines of symmetry in my drawing below.
Drawing I like. But I have to say, I found the acrylic painting really hard and don’t have a lot of pieces to share on here. This one was all about shade and I found it easiest as you didn’t have to think about mixing different colours yet.
The next one was a bit more tricky although it looks fine from a distance, but then all the great paintings are like that too aren’t they?!
So that was my adventures with drawing and painting from scratch. Max was a brilliant teacher, very patient and knowledgeable, an amazing painter too.
For the last ten weeks I have been attending a life drawing class. Such fun! I have always wanted to have a go but always been too scared, which is crazy, I’m not the one naked after all.
We were thrown in at the deep end on week one, but that’s the best way to learn isn’t it? Have a go, draw big, free and loose – so different from my usual drawing style which is very intricate and detailed and precise. Over the weeks we have had a go at using charcoals, various pencils, conte crayons, ripping bits of coloured paper and ink (my least favourite!)
Jo Harris took the class, along with her adorable dog Lulu, who likes to sit with the model, especially when there’s a lamp giving out heat! Jo is a very talented illustrator who is also really lovely and friendly and a really good teacher (with a great taste in music too, very important when you’re drawing!) I have learnt an awful lot, but still lots of practicing to do which is why I have signed up to another term.
We destroyed most of our work in this class as it was all about having a go and not worrying about the outcome. I loved that idea! I did keep a couple though. Hopefully my drawings next term will be an improvement and I’ll want to share more…
If you’re looking for art classes in the area look no further, you won’t be disappointed. And if you’re a bit wary about life drawing, don’t be, it’s all just shapes after all!!
Drawing by tearing pieces of flesh coloured paper – very very difficult, and he didn’t even have a moustache!Drawing with conte crayons
As I live on a main road I thought it would be a good idea (and excellent free advertising!) to put a sign on my front wall, telling passers-by about gilhoolie.
Finally, after lots of deliberating on the general design and size, it went up at the weekend. Yay!
It should probably be bigger but it’s a start, and all those people waiting in traffic outside might glance sideways and see it…
My work often comes from clients who have searched for lampshade makers online but I also regularly take orders from local interior designers. Annabel Smith owns a small interiors studio in Wooburn Green which is where I first met her a few years ago. I’ve been making lampshades to go in her home and for her projects ever since. It’s always exciting to see what fabric Annabel has sourced from her travels to be made into a lampshade.
About Annabel (from her website):
An ex-magazine shoot stylist turned interior designer, I relish the challenge of creating rooms that last. Exposed to beautifully crafted interiors by the best in the business, I learnt the importance of heritage, in tandem with innovation, as key to a successful scheme.
Visit www.annabelsmithinteriors.com to see Annabel’s amazing portfolio of interior design work. She’s also launching a destination-inspired homewares online shop soon, sign up here – Telescope Style.
You can see some of the colourful lampshades I have made for Annabel below.
Get in touch if you’d like to add a pop of colour with a fun gilhoolie lampshade!
Mini candle clip lampshades in turquoise herringbone fabric
Large drum lampshade in blue and white fabric
Oval drum lampshade in embroidered cotton – positioning was vital!
Large pink rose drum lampshade for a silver base
Really big copper lined drum lampshade with Scion fabric outside
I recently realised my gilhoolie website wasn’t mobile responsive so it was time for a new one. The original one first started in 2011, can you believe it?! (I can’t!)
After several weeks of testing here it is. Not an awful lot different really as it was working how it was, but I hope you like the new layout and fresh new header images. Check out the new ‘Testimonials’ page – more coming soon.
We discovered this National Trust property quite a few years ago and have been going back regularly ever since. It is definitely one of my favourites – the house is quite small and incredibly homely; you can imagine the Brunner family living there. And the gardens (with it’s ancient wisteria) are very English and beautiful, surrounded by lush rolling hills. Perfect for an escape from the hustle and bustle, with lunch or a cream tea in the lovely cowshed tearoom.
It’s one of the places I never get bored of visiting, so I knew it had to be on my list of local buildings to draw.
Here it is:
Greys Court, National Trust Property, near Henley-on-Thames
This one was quite tricky, with lots of detail in the brickwork. I particularly like the green benches! 🙂
I’ll be displaying this one on my stand at Art on the Street on Saturday, 17th June – come and see it / me! You’ll be able to buy a gilhoolie print or order a personalised drawing of your own favourite building.
When I was younger people used to go on pub crawls quite a lot. Now the number of pubs in our towns is decreasing and being taken over by coffee shops and restaurants. I really like coffee shops but there’s nothing like a British pub; for a cosy night out in the winter and a great pub garden and a glass of Pimms in the summer.
We decided to go on a pub crawl a few weeks ago with friends; instead of our usual trip to a local restaurant. It was so much fun! Everyone chatted to everyone else while we were in the pubs… and while we were stumbling from one to the next. Whereas we’re usually all sat at a long table; only able to talk to the handful of people near you. Luckily there were only six pubs so we didn’t have to drink too much (I’m a bit of a light weight!) – there were thirteen in the same stretch of road in Cookham years ago!
These 2 pubs aren’t my locals but they are in Maidenhead and they’re in lovely old buildings. The good thing about being an artist is it makes you more mindful of what’s around you and what would make a good subject to draw. I look up a lot too, for some odd reason I love old chimney pots and roof details…
I’ll be printing these out and bringing them along to Art on the Street on Saturday, 17th June – come and see me!
The Hand & Flowers, Maidenhead. With gilhoolie patterned sky.The Bell, Maidenhead.
This week I thought I’d share with you a few photos of the lovely lampshades I have made recently. I’m afraid the picture quality isn’t great; I don’t usually have time for a proper photo shoot before posting them off or handing them over to clients! I really should though as they look much better in real life…
Most of these have been made from scratch but some of the tapered drums are lampshades that have been recovered – if you have a lampshade you like the shape of I can take it apart and remake it with new PVC and fabric. Just get in touch for more information and prices.
Very quick blog post today I’m afraid. I’m not sure where the week has gone, feel like I’m on a bit of a roller-coaster really. But I didn’t want to miss writing on here. It’s so easy to get out of the habit so I must make sure I find time.
I know I mentioned in passing a couple of blog posts ago that I’m taking part in this local art event but I thought it was worth it’s own post really so here we go.
Art on the Street CIC is an award-winning social enterprise committed to providing opportunities for artists. Twice a year we showcase over 100 stands of fine art, prints and photography being sold direct from the artist, to a backdrop of fantastic entertainment – music, performances, free workshops, activities and street food.
I’ve been before and often found several artists whose work I really like; there’s a lot of talented people out there. I always think they have a lot of guts to stand up and show off their work in front of everyone.
And now I’m doing it too!
No big deal though; I’m sharing a stand and going to treat it as a day out, hopefully the rain we’ve been having lately passes by then! It’s on Saturday, 17th June, put the date in your diary and come and visit me… please!
Okay, so I’m treating it as a day out… but I still want to produce some really good work that’s worth showing. The idea is to concentrate on my house commission drawings this time. I’ve done an awful lot of them so I’m going to pick my favourites and try to draw some more in the next month. Then people can order commissions on the day.
I’ve also been working on some of my drawings of local buildings this week. Below is the Cliveden drawing I completed quite a while ago. I decided to add my patterned sky to see how it looked and I’m playing with other patterns too so I’ll post those another time. I absolutely love going to Cliveden; never get bored of it. My kids do though – they refuse to come now, must be all the times I took them when they were little, ah well, more scones with cream and jam for me! 😉
I’m sure I’ll write more about what I’m working on for Art on the Street so watch this space, or do come and see me on the day.
