Kunstroute Tholen

In Tholen today and tomorrow there is an art trail (kunstroute)....studios are open and artists display their creations across the small harbour town. Plenty of music and street performances too! In the KunstCentrum (art centre) we'll be performing with Bittersweet @ 15:00 (classic Jazz and French chansons) Friday and Saturday...

 ...and demonstrating how etchings are made.....

how much is that camper in the window?

The market season has finished for us now which feels a bit mixed. It takes its toll carrying all our stuff to the market every week and being nice to everyone with big smiles all day long! But I do love the direct contact with people and the challenge of trying to make a good and attractive display... so that's it for another year. We couldn't help ourselves last week and spend some of our takings on these two groovy tin vans from one of the other stalls. The blue one has a cute surf board on top too with little openings for our business cards. And now here they are on display in the shop window alongside a few of our recent paintings...

hand in hand

We were on the historical market in Veere again today with our artwork and etching press demonstrating how etchings are made and I took these pictures of the children wearing the local costume. The little chap above was really tiny! We had a good day, only a bit of very light rain and plenty of visitors. Looking forward to next Tuesday when we're there again.

the etching press prints

Yesterday we were in Hellevoetsluis, just south of Rotterdam (in the Netherlands) demonstrating how etchings are printed...here are a few photos. It was lucky that we were inside because every now and then the heavens opened! 

The etching plate is being inked in 

 and covered with handmade Somerset paper

 then pulled through the press....and....da daa...a VW camper caravan

Tomorrow we'll be in Veere again.

dreamy landscape 'letter box' watercolour paintings

Today we will be demonstrating how etchings are made at an art market in Hellevoetsluis and I've made these new 'letter box' watercolour paintings of meditative landscapes for the occassion. Come and say 'hi' if you're in the neighbourhood!

clogs and ice cream

The sun was shining today and it's feeling more like summer. The art market season has begun for us and we've just returned from the first historical market in Veere, here in Zeeland (Netherlands). The etching press was packed too along with the clogs and we were demonstrating how etchings are printed most of the day. 

It's a market full of people wearing the local costume and displaying traditional crafts such as basket weaving, wool spinning, rope making etc, and selling local produce. 

Zeeland is made up of several islands joined together with dikes, dams and tunnels and the costume varies in the various regions. The main difference is the design of the cap and the top.

We'll be there every Tuesday in July and August. Come and say 'hello' if you are in the neighbourhood!

Art Market in Ooltgensplaat

On Saturday we attended an art market in Ooltgensplaat, a small town south of Rotterdam. It was quite cool, but the sun did shine most of the day, luckily. Here are a few photos of our display...

 We took the etching press along too and demonstrated how etchings are printed:

Kunstroute Tholen (art trail) 2012

Today atelier28 celebrates her 9th birthday which means is't the 10th year that we've participated in the art trail in Tholen. Tholen is at her best during this time and the whole town is full with music, art and merriment. 

Jan de Viet played at the opening on his harpsichord which Francesco decorated... 

...and the art centre was filled with work, large and small...

...with a table displaying work from the watercolour and painting classes. 

Plus a selection of etchings from the etching workshops. We had a lovely, if not exhausting, couple of days!

art market in Tholen

Today there was a small art market on the market square in Tholen. I packed up the bike and trailer...handy living so close. We had bright, warm sunshine all day...at last some summer weather!

art market in Middelburg

We had a great Sunday on the art market in Middelburg, by the Abbey. Here are a few photos of our stalls. We were, of course, demonstrating how etchings are made too... 

We're in Veere again on Tuesday...

more photos from the Historical market in Veere, Zeeland

Every Tuesday we've been demonstrating how etchings are made on the historical market in Veere, Zeeland (the Netherlands) wearing, of course, the local costume. Here are a few more photos from the last few weeks...