found ampersand number 5

I am confronted by ampersands continually - and have stopped photographing those made by my own curly hair, by elastic bands, and by pieces of bailer twine on the floor of the stable yard, but I rather like this one.

It's a piece of string tied to a stable door. You can just make out the horse behind it, with a warm stable rug, and a bed of straw.

I think that one of the reasons we love ampersands so much is that they occur naturally, all around us!

letterpress. ampersand. doomed lovers.

In the midst of making jolly festive things for Christmas Craft Fairs, I suddenly had a brainwave about a letterpress ampersand picture. Here it is, in its box frame, lounging against a sumptuous quilt.

 I have printed some of my ampersand collection onto very nice textured paper, and printed on the mount as well. I think it looks rather jolly from a distance, but when you look closely,

the ampersand joins famous lovers, all of whom are

as the printed title explains!

Excellent, now I can get on with knitting finger puppet Santas to put on collage gift cards - but the cards reference sponsorship and Coca Cola, so perhaps the doom isn't quite behind me!

Crickhowell Craft Fair, 23rd November, Clarence Hall, Crickhowell.

Christmas Fair, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, weekend of 30th November and weekend of 7th December.

Christmas Open Studio, Print Shed, Madley, 29th November to 2nd December.

Found Ampersand Number 4

I am beginning to think that ampersands appear wherever there are curly or bendy things to make them! This one appeared on the floor of the stable yard, when I dropped a piece of bailer twine, and I took the photo with my phone.

I have decided not to record the ampersands my curly hair continually forms as it falls out under the shower! And those made by elastic bands too.

 

SO much easier than my found alphabet project!

Found Ampersand Number 3.

Number 3 in my series of found ampersands was very close to home.

It's the lead from my camera. As I plugged it into the computer to download some photos, there the ampersand was, all curly and beautiful.

If only all beautiful things were so easy to find.

 

found ampersand. number 2.

When I posted my first found ampersand on the blog on 17th June, I didn't really expect to find any more. However,  I found another this morning!

It's a little indistinct, but nevertheless rather extravagant and curvy.

 

Now I'll tell you where I found it.

I have a mane of curly hair, and the ampersand formed itself from one of the hairs that escaped from my head into the bath this morning as I stood under the shower.

I apologise for taking you into the bathroom, but I have a feeling found ampersands don't come along very often, so I must record them when they appear!

found ampersand number 1

Opening the car door in the car park this morning I saw a rather lovely ampersand on the ground.

I have decided to make it number one number one in a new series of found ampersands. I fear it may be a while before I find another.

ampersand obsession. update.

My ampersand obsession has flowered with the help of my friend Rachel.

We are collecting images to make a zine.

An andzine, of course.

It's a huge subject.

We could be at it forever. With an ampersand, you never have to stop

floral ampersand. haiku.

Ampersands keep the seasons flowing. Here's my haiku;

open ended
seasons passing &
leaf & bloom & fruit & seed
& seasons passing

I have been drawing aceo floral ampersand cards to take to the fair at the Diffusion Festival Publishing Weekend in Cardiff on 25th & 26th May.
www.diffusionfestival.org

I am really enjoying my pointing finger pen nib. 

haiku. linocut. then & now

 then & now
reaching out for - for -
plodding through present moments,
now turning to then



  My ampersand obsession continues to grow. Here is a linocut, which, with lots of its friends, I will be taking to the Fair at the Diffusion Festival Publishing Weekend in Cardiff on 25 & 26th May.
http://www.diffusionfestival.org/

Very exciting.
I am particularly fond of the headscarf.

Haiku, ampersand obsession

I am absolutely devoted to the ampersand, and can't stop printing, drawing and thinking about them.
I am also amassing an impressive collection of letterpress ampersands, a small selection of which are pictured here. My camera lens isn't large enough to photograph them all in one place.

ampersand obsession
and ampersand and -
devouring fullstops, endings
there are no last words