Following on from my previous post on the Open Studios we visited this weekend, here’s more from the second studio, hosted by sculptor Mark Hodgson who opened his garden and invited us to wander around to view his amazing items, and they were amazing.
The spade heads were amusing, and a great way to ruse old garden tools and more. While they were fun, I can’t see them in my future garden plans, which I think MOH could be a little disappointed by, but I do see one or more of Mark’s scrap birds in those designs, so that’s a definite watch this space.
They are great fun, and involve great skill - but it was the birds that really caught my attention. I can imagine one (or maybe more) on the fence posts of the trellis around the heat pump. And maybe it’d keep the crows slightly at bay, who knows?!
ROBIN
HAWK
So don’t be surprised if one of these metal scrap birds appears at some point in the future!
And a dingle dangle
It’s always hard to leave these Open Studio events empty handed, but often it’s hard to choose just one thing! Here it was one of the dingle dangles made by Kate Sell, a mosaic and fused glass artist, and there were many to choose from. I opted for a tiny Christmas tree design in a gloriously sparkly green oblong and very tactile piece of glass. I’ve plans for it to be our new Christmas tree ornament of 2024, though at the moment can’t quite bring myself to store it in the garage with the other decorations - let’s just hope I remember it in a few months time!
I also left with a couple of Mark’s wife Amy’s succulents to add to those I brought home from Gardeners’ World Live earlier in the summer - I already know my next challenge will be how and where to store them overwinter. Amy’s advice was shelter and some cover, but that they wouldn’t like no light, so that rules the garage out - unless I can get MOH to put up a shelf or rig up some Heath Robinson solution in front of the windows on the door!
So two great visits, with plenty on display from a small number of local artists. Do look out for Open Studio events near where you live, or where you’re visiting, and do pop along I know it means the world to the artists, and they’re even more pleased if you are able to buy some of their work, now or in the future.