Gelli printing - a guide to my process.

A few people have requested that I share how I make my prints - hope this helps!

Gelli printing workshops...

A new and slightly scary departure for me - gelli plate printing workshops in our local village....so this morning was spent preparing.  Being as it's Mother's day soon and everyone knows what a tulip looks like I've decided the first session is going to be based on tulips, although obviously people can choose something else....  So tonight I have put together a set of step by step instructions with photographs about how I work. Thoroughly enjoyed playing again! So here are a few of the photos of the process. I can't wait to see how the class interpret tulips!

Charcoal fell sketch.

While the weather is unnaturally warm I stole an hour and went up to sketch on the way to Fellside.

Storm on the Solway x 2

Well after a fabulous week off walking in the Lakes, it was back to work today. So after work I squeezed in a couple of oil and wax paintings ....unusual formats for me as I usually do this popular painting in an elongated landscape format. These were on boards rather than canvas too...no idea how, or if, to frame them! I think I'll modify the top one a little too tomorrow - more contrast and a bit of work on the pink distribution.

Has spring sprung?

With daffodils out and an abundance of ladybirds around it is hard to remember it's still only February!

...and this was March 3rd last year!



Today we walked round the High Park loop from Ireby ....and there were plenty of flowers out...scary!

Violets, dog's mercury, groundsel, celandine, bittercress, barren strawberry, red campion, opposite-leaved golden saxifrage, red dead-nettle, daisy, primrose, dandelion and chickweed.

The snowdrops across  the road from Ireby Old Church.

Ireby Old Church.

Great Calva and Little Calva

Another good walk yesterday - work is going to be a shock on Monday! Tried to park up at Peter House Farm, except the parking was all taken up, so parked at the junction at Cassbeck Bridge just to the north. Up along the Cumbria Way to Dash Beck and then along the track towards Skiddaw House - a very easy way of gaining height. At the point where the track crosses Dead Beck a path takes you up to the summit of Great Calva. Great views, although it was hazy in the unseasonable warmth and sunniness. From Great Calva an obvious track leads across the bog but peters out, so head for the fence where the path once again becomes apparent and leads to the summit of Little Calva. From there we followed the fence and onto the shoulder that leads down to White Hause. We then headed down to Dash Farm, but the gate leading through the property says 'No right of way' so we followed the intake wall back up towards Dash Beck where we were able to cross and return to the original track to return to the car.

Dash Beck.

Dash Beck - the source of our water! 

Looking down to the Skiddaw House path from Great Calva.

Great Calva.

Little Calva with Great Calva behind.

Descending to White Hause and looking across Bassenthwaite Lake.

After crossing back to the path.

Thamnolia vermicularis on Grasmoor.

Part of the reason for yesterday's walk was to spend some time on the summit of Grasmoor looking for Thamnolia vermicularis... I can't remember if I have seen it up there, if Dad had found it up there or if I was told it was up there. Anyway it was a reason for a good walk and I am delighted to say we found at least 8 small patches of it - I can feel a lot more walking and a lot more research coming on!

Thamnolia...

Looking out across Whiteside Edge with Thamnolia just below the point of my trekking pole. 

Eel Crag and Wandhope.

When I went up Sail, Crag Hill, Grasmoor etc with Molly last year - Click here we kind of forgot to do Eel Crag and it's a Wainwright. So yesterday, with a good forecast Steve, Rocky and I set off to do Eel Crag, ...and we added in Wandhope - a 'peak' Molly and I had looked at and thought it looked like it should be a Wainwright...and indeed it is. Yesterday we weren't constrained by time so we were able to tick it off - to be honest we just wanted to extend the walk as the weather was so balmy for February! After that we went up Grasmoor, far better going up the grassy side than straight up the path! Lovely club mosses! After that we went down to Coledale Hause and then across to the High Force mines  above Force Crag before descending to the main path down Coledale Beck. A cracking walk ending in the Coledale Inn where the dog promptly fell asleep!

Coming up out of Braithwaite, looking back to Skiddaw.

Barrow Door.

Eel Crag.

Scar Crag - below Crag Hill. 

Club mosses...

Grasmoor...

From Wandhope into Central Lakes...

Looking down to High Force mine...

The entrance to High Force mines - above Force Crag mine.

Looking back towards Force crag mine. 

High Pike ....in search of 'White Worms'.

It would appear that this is quite an important record ...We've always known this lovely montane lichen to be present on High Pike, but it hasn't been formally recorded in the area, so yesterday it was off for a quick trip to get the photographic evidence and an accurate location for it. Despite being a less than appealing day at home five miles away and it was gloriously sunny! Apologies for the phone photos - it was so dull at home I didn't take the camera!

'White worms' Thamnolia vermicularis just below the summit of High Pike. 

The 'white worm' lichen - Thamnolia vermicularis.

High Pike summit.

First frogspawn.

The resident heard of fell ponies.

Eider ducks at Seahouses.

A quick nip into Seahouses for a very late lunch and some eider duck photography.

The first set of photographs were taken in the harbour - the second on the northern side of the town where kelp had collected in an inlet and was being smashed around by the waves. Plenty of turnstones at the base of the cliff - the black-headed gulls flew up before each wave - the eiders just dived straight through.