Summer Studio Art News

Hello there!  (first I must apologize for the lateness of this post- it is the newsletter that I sent out prior to the Black Sheep festival and maybe an incentive for some of you to sign up for my newsletter? Though I promise to try to keep better time with my posts here soon : ) Here is the sign up form, if you would like to get mail a couple times a year from me. ) I hope you are keeping cool and enjoying the sunshine. Yes- somehow all at the same time ; ) This year has brought lots of wonderful things my way and I thought I might send you a note to let you know about some of them and to invite you to a few things coming very soon. My work has been morphing more and more into the fibre art world with all my hand stitching, quilting and patch-working over the past number of years. This Saturday (July 7th), I will be showing a few new fibre art pieces at the brand new Black Sheep Festival in Elora. There will be lots to see and do- you can find all the details here. I will be set up inside the Elora Art Centre- please come say hi. A good selection of my larger format fibre art pieces are being shown at Langdon Hall right now until the end of September. I am thrilled about this opportunity to have my work in this gorgeous setting and can’t wait to hang out with the work at one of their famous barbeque series events soon. You can find out details about their events here. Recently I had the opportunity to teach monotype to a delightful group of print enthusiasts through Print London as part of a month long print series. My workshop was in the middle of the screen print and paper cutting workshops. The whole thing culminated in a paper mural of all the various work, layered and edited to create a coherent installation piece highlighting the various techniques and a mash up of all the various participants’ work. The teaching work made me nostalgic for spending more time in the studio with others. If you are interested in joining me and some other lovely print people for some open sessions of printing, please let me know. I will keep the sessions at a maximum of 5 people per day so that there is lots of press time. You are to bring your own paper and the rest is included in the $45. fee. The days for open sessions are Thursday, July 19th, Saturday, July 21st, Tuesday, July 24th, Sunday, August 12th and Saturday Aug.18th- all days are 10am-4pm and will depend on the temperature of the studio. It is often fine working in a warm studio but occasionally the heat does get quite high and we would need to postpone. Please get in touch with me to confirm your space through my email link at the bottom of  the page.  This Summer also finds Chris and I spending some time dreaming about our future studio space and making plans and sketches about how this wonderful new project will take shape. We will take lots of photos and keep you posted on the progress because there will definitely be a celebration when it is complete. If I don't see you soon, I wish you lots of lazy Summer daydreaming kind of days, hopefully somewhere with a cool breeze. best, Tammy

All images are copyright © *Tammy Ratcliff 2018 All rights reserved Our mailing address is: 123 Woolwich St. 3rd floor Guelph ON

Working with my husband

Hello hello! It has been some time since I posted here and lots has kept me busy in different ways, but now is the time to sit and tell you a bit about it.
You might remember I have been working at Wyndham Art Supplies with my husband
for a period of time to help the store through some big changes. My session of full time
store management lasted into almost 2 years now and we can't believe how far we have
come in that time. It is pretty scary dealing with so many major changes all at the same 
time but almost immediately their was a huge payoff. Things are better than they have
been in many years. We have an amazing team of talented people who we are so happy to work with. Our new website is working well, growing every day, and we are getting close to our 25th anniversary! Working together again has been good for both of us, once we figured out some rules about how much home time can be spent on the store. So much is about balance!

It is easier for me now to shift into my previous behind the scenes work with some new 'off the floor' fun jobs to keep me involved. This allows me to balance more studio time with my work at the store. I am also working on scheduling that encourages Chris to spend more time with his art practice- this has been very exciting.

Please come check out some of our recent work at the RedBrick Café in downtown Guelph. They have coffee, tea, beer, wine, snacks and often live music and other fun stuff. It is just a really nice place to hang out and take in some art in a leisurely fashion. It was also really fun hanging a show together... maybe more of these in the future...

Here are a few photo teasers of work in the show. My in situ phone pics are mostly too fuzzy to post but I will share the best of the lot.

These are just to give you and idea of the show and how our work hangs together. (We think, pretty well : ) Please let us know what you think.

This is Chris's 'four o'clock shadow' acrylic on terra skin on panel. I love this one, it completely puts me in a state of mind of being on holiday somewhere. Wandering around in a new city in the afternoon, taking my time and looking up at the foreign architecture. 

This is my 'love rays' mixed print and washi piece with hand stitching. There are five works like this in the show. I am really enjoying pushing my print work on fine washi in more of a textile direction. Actually I am not sure what direction it is yet but I really like sewing all the printed pieces of washi together better than pasting right now. 

Spring Workshops

Lots of busy busy starting to happen in the studio in preparation for 
a few different printmaking workshops. I have dusted, mopped, decluttered and even painted the floors! It feels fresh and ready for Spring. I will be offering an open session for independent projects on Wednesday mornings and evenings to start April 16 and run for four weeks. Also 2 monotype and chine collé workshops, both running on two Sunday afternoons. 

For the month of June, Myles Calvert will be the resident artist in my studio. For three of those weeks, Myles will be hosting some etching workshops that you may be interested in.  You should have a look at some of Myles artwork here on his website.

Please find all the details below and if you have any questions please contact Myles or myself. *(Myles at mylescalvert(at)gmail.com and myself at info(at)tammyratcliff.com)

Spring Printmaking Workshops  

in my super sunny studio

Open studio, semi-independent sessions in printmaking

An open printmaking session on Wednesdays in my downtown studio to begin on April 16th. 

These Wednesday sessions are an opportunity to work in a print studio with an etching or book press creating monotype, drypoint or relief prints. You are welcome to start new projects or bring previously etched and prepared plates for printing.

This is not a formal class but an opportunity to work on individual projects semi-independently. I will be present for support and any technical questions.  Previous printmaking experience is preferred.

You will need to bring your own paper for printing but ink, newsprint, gloves, and a monoprint plate, etc. will all be supplied.  If you are working on a specific plate you are welcome to bring this as well.

*Class size is a maximum of 5 people so there is plenty of opportunity to use the press.

evenings x 4 weeks 7-10pm, April 16, 23, 30 and May 7   

$120. +hst 

or

daytime x 4 weeks  9:30am-12:30pm, April 16, 23, 30 and May 7  

$120. +hst 

Monotype/ Monoprint workshop with chine collé

This workshop is open to the beginner as well as the more experienced artist, with a focus on water based etching inks (Akua and Charbonnel) for monotype printmaking using the etching press. We will explore the many ways in which we can create a one-of-a-kind painterly print; additive and subtractive methods of applying ink to the plate surface, the use of brayers, brushes and stencils, chine collé, texture transferring, multiple plate printing and registration.
Monotpe printmaking can be a very spontaneous and satisfying way to work and often inspires work in other mediums because of quick results and the variety of techniques used.  Lots of wonderful papers and only the best of inks will be available for inspired experimentation.

*Class size is a maximum of 5 people so there is plenty of opportunity to use the press.
All materials, refreshments and a light lunch are included. 

Sunday May 4th 10am- 4pm $110. +hst
Sunday May 18th 10am -4pm  $110. +hst
or both

2 Sundays in May 4th & 18th, 10am-4pm $180. +hst

opening for Artefact/ Artefiction

Here are a few photos from the opening of Artefact/ Artefiction last Thursday evening at the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre. 

There are missing titles and details, with some shots taken by peeking between the people who started to fill up the gallery space. These photos are just to give you a general feel for the show and hopefully a desire to visit and see the show in person. There really is much to see and I will be going back soon to leisurely enjoy the wonderful work.

Thank you to my wonderful son, Odin, who took many photos for me while I was busy trying to catch up with everyone.

detail of 'Sometimes it Seems Like Too Much' by me

work by Jay Kronenwald

cake sculptures by Fiona Kinsella

work by Fiona Kinsella

'Blanket (for dreams of hanging gardens)' by Tammy Ratcliff

work by Susan Detwiler

'Homme Fatale' by WhiteFeather

work by WhiteFeather

works by Dana Holst

work by Dana Holst

All photos by Odin Ahlers

Work In Progress

 Just some shots in the studio of works in progress.  Lots of taking things apart right now, rearranging pieces and then putting them back together in a new composition.  Having fun again and getting itchy to wipe some plates soon...

Paper & Lace

Opening this Friday 7 -10 pm. If you are downtown Guelph that evening, you might want to check out some of the other events going on as part of FourthFridaysGuelph.ca.

Paper and Lace

Tammy Ratcliff and Pam Lobb
'Paper and Lace'
-print based mixed media works-
at Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art
31 Quebec St.
Guelph, ON
519-821-9068

opening reception in conjunction with FourthFridaysGuelph.ca
on Friday June 22nd, 7- 10pm
hours: Tues.- Sat. 11- 6pm or by appointment

"Both artists are extremely disciplined in their craft and have perfected a
uniquely detailed approach to the application of layer upon layer of
tissue, printed Japanese papers, and fabrics. The work is sculptural,
delicately floating in box frames."

image: Tammy Ratcliff, 'sweet nerines in blue' etching monoprint
        with chine colle, 22" x 30"   2012