this is how it feels...

"Flourish" is about letting go, allowing growth and not hiding from the world. I want it to say: "This is who I am, I'm going to fly and I am not apologising!" It taps right back into my concept of "Acceptable Flesh". (See " Not Whining But Screaming ") Oh for all of us to feel nurtured, nourished and valued unconditionally irrespective of our physical or monetary status! I suppose it is more the way I want to feel than how I am most days. Exuberantly aspirational... " When I think about how I made this piece it seems like I threw everything at it; highly textured painted canvas, fragments of polychromatic silkscreen printed calico, constructed silk fibres, dyed mulberry bark, mixed threads. And it's red, shoutingly RED! Because it had to seem bold and unapologetically blooming. Exuberantly alive. To view more of this artwork, see it on my website here: http://www.maggieayres.co.uk/gallery/flourish.htm

With being fairly new to Facebook and all its seemingly arcane workings, I was quite unprepared though hugely pleasantly surprised when my "win a notebook" competition achieved 105 shares. I have received some really lovely positive comments too. It has been so heart-warming and I am really grateful to everyone who took the time and entered to show support. So here is the big announcement... ...and the winner is Maggi Birchenough! Congratulations! As a thank you to everyone, I have arranged a 20% discount (£2) on the soft back version of my notebook until Sunday. http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/3380405-graphite-ink Thank you!

Creative potential at the heart of all... or The paint does it by itself... "Core" is important to me for two reasons. It was one of the first pieces I made when I moved into my studio just over two years ago, remaining in my mind as a revolutionary time. Yet more memorable still was the beginnings of a new way of working with paint that has carried me on ever since. I had been using an acrylic structuring paste for some years already that had allowed me to add texture with fibres and threads to my canvases. It was only when I started to paint "Core" that I realised how porous this made the surface as the acrylic paint (mixed wetter than usual) was bleeding out like watercolour. A door opened enticingly! I proceeded to water down my paints even more, laid the canvas on the floor and poured colour in tentative streams from above to splash and puddle and swirl. I added more sprays and drips of water to encourage movement. Quite often there was a flood over t...

There is currently an exhibition at The Artroom in Dumfries of textile work in response to the life and work of poet Robert Burns. Eight Spring Fling artists, including me, are showing work at this new exhibiting venue until February 23rd. Our pieces are so varied in both technique and style yet I think complement each other so interestingly. Gloamin Grey by Maggie Ayres Mine is called " Gloamin Grey ", taken from the poem The Lea-Rig. (Gloaming is the Scots word for twilight). It is suspended in the space and casts shadows against the wall behind. I wanted to make the hanging light and airy to evoke the magical in between time of day and night. Detail of Gloamin Grey I worked the piece using a mix of dyed silk fibres (tops, throwsters waste and laps) and merino wool tops with Solufleece dissolvable stabiliser and free machine stitching. I also incorporated some split silk carrier rods and rows of hand stitching. The Lea-rig is one of my favourite Burns' song...

I have created a notebook, which features 10 of my graphite and ink drawings to inspire your own imaginative explorations along with 28 blank unlined pages for sketches and musings – also available for sale at blurb.com: http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/3380405-graphite-ink Graphite & Ink by Maggie Ayres | Make Your Own Book . For the chance to win a free copy then you need to make sure you have "liked" my Maggie Ayres Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/maggieayresart and then you need to "share" the post about this draw I will randomly draw the winning name on Monday 18th Feb. Good luck!

For months now I have been aware that my website - www.maggieayres.co.uk - needed to be overhauled and revamped. With huge thanks to my ever patient and indulgent husband Kim , the latest incarnation is born and I present it to the world with chest fair bursting with pride! The main attraction for me (and I hope for visitors) are the new gallery images which are enhanced by the clean uncluttered look of the site. Big white space always does it for me! I love the fact that it is an uncomplicated doorway to the rest of my online presence including Pinterest and Facebook. It keeps everything simple and that suits me well.