S/S 2016 - Inspiration Blue & other Trends.

Hi again, so it is now the middle of March. Gosh time is flying and a bit too quickly for my liking.
Anyway, I was going to share this post on St.Patrick's Day last week as planned, but thought with the day that was in it everyone would be too busy having fun to bother reading my blog, so I decided to leave it closer to Easter and prepare it then.
So here I am!
This year for me is really all about new beginnings, new directions and deciding on what is working for me and what to leave behind.
By now, I have figured out what works and what products I have been creating work best for me.
I do have a tendency to jump around a bit, trying my hands at different things and it can become all a bit confusing. Sometimes it's best to stick to what you know, although it's fun to try other ideas and way's of creating designs but it just gets a bit much.
The theme of the Seashore has been an ongoing theme with me since ahem ... the year 2000, so yes 16 years of exploring the Seashore theme. Yes, Nature was thrown in from time to time, but I keep going back to the Sea.
I love the Sea, I live minutes away from it and I've always felt close to it.
Something keeps drawing me in and I never tire from it and to date all has gone well.

By now if you have been following my blog, you will know that I love research. Below are a few Images that I've saved to my computer via my Pinterest page. All images have the original credit under the photos on Pinterest. I don't own these Images but if you need to know where they came from you know where to look. I also have secret boards.
I pinned these to my board 'Trends 2016'.
It's funny, I usually don't follow trends and like to stick to my own taste in Colour and so on.
But surprisingly there is always a colour or two that pops up that I have used or might be thinking of using. It's strange!
However, I do buy at least two Interior Design Magazines per month, I would rather reach for these on a shelf to that of Fashion led Magazines. Although I do buy the occasional one just to keep up on what's new, as I do love my fashion too!
I love Interiors and secretly love programs such as 'A place in the sun', 'Escape to the country' and 'Fantasy homes by the .... wait for it... Sea!! I just love looking at houses and Interiors in general.
From time to time I would look at Trends, we had to do a lot of that in college for projects and in a way it is important to be on top of what is going on or in season. But in the end everything goes!
Luckily for me Blue is big this Spring/Summer 2016 and it will flow into Autumn/Winter as well so that fine by me! Colours such as Teal and Peacock Blue are huge. There are many other trends too, one I'm also loving is the 'Warm Metallic's' trend and you will notice that I have a love of Copper with Blue or Gold and Blue. (See Images below)
I use hints of a Japanese metallic yarn in weaving, it's a very fine yarn but has a lovely sheen to it and I also use gold and copper leaf and gilding pastes in metallic tones in mixed media and I've worked with copper wire.

So far this year, I've done some re-branding I have a logo (finally!) plus I got Vouchers done.
I've been developing some new pieces, see an example below.
Next stop now is to upload an online shop, one does exist on ETSY but all I've done so far with that ages ago was a public profile. Time to re-look at that, as from speaking to other designer pals it's a good thing to have.
This year I hope to expand my stockists, so far I have three altogether in Co. Wexford with two of these located in Gorey and probably adding more as time goes on in other counties. That's the long-term goal anyway and I have my heart set on something I've always wanted to do and I'm working towards that. I think or at least I know I am ready for it now.
I've a much clearer goal set and my goal is to stick to what I know and do it well and hopefully everything will fall into place from there.

I am weaving at the moment, I'm experimenting with Indigo dye and techniques in Ikat. I've been having fun tying resists onto hanks and just developing my ideas. Like I mentioned before in a previous post, I'm beginning to create a balanced link which is what I'm trying to achieve. Lampshades and framed works I'll return too shortly and I'm developing new pieces too. I'm mixing textiles with a non textile material as well for another project which I hope you'll like.
I've also been looking at trade shows and inquiring about them, but I've made no decisions as yet. However, I do have my eye on one but that's ages away still.
I went walking with a friend the other evening and she told me I should make a bucket list or a list of things I'd love to do or that I want to do and set out and try and achieve them. So that's kind of where I'm at. I do have a bucket list board on Pinterest alright and an tick one off that list, which was to ride on a camel. I got to do that last year it was fun, bumpy but fun!!

So anyway, please see below some Images that I've pulled from my Pinterst Profile, that have been inspiring me as of late.
Do keep an eye on my Facebook page for updates and Images and I shall post hopefully some Imagery of my own for you in April.
The link to my Pinterest profile is as follows ... https://www.pinterest.com/grainnekenny/

:) Gráinne x

First of all here are a few Images of recent work that I've made.

Images from Pinterest - Blue and Gold Inspiration - All Images credited on Pinterest.

One step at a time.

I suppose I should really start off by saying Happy New Year, ahem... almost two months later!
January 2016 started off slowly and nicely and I spent some quality time over Christmas with family and friends and even got to visit relatives down in Dun Chaoin in Kerry last month. February has been a tough month, due to a private circumstance. (All went well) But with that said I'm hoping 2016 will be good from here on in.

On the work front, because of the latest happenings I'm a bit behind schedule but I'll catch up. I've been reviewing my work and my stock and that of it stocked in stockists. As you might of noticed, low and behold four years later I designed and created my own logo earlier this month and it's replaced all the photos of me from that of on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, Instagram and oh and on here! I also designed gift vouchers and a new set of business cards all with same matching logo. See below.

Back to discussing my work.
When I was in Kerry in January I visited the Aquarium in Dingle and took many photos of the fish and other sea life at the aquarium. It was fun and the colours and patterns of some of the fish was truly beautiful.
I have used a seashore theme for my work for as long as I can remember, I do try to switch themes now and again but always end up coming back to the sea. And so it's kind of like my trademark, it's me, it suits me and I'll probably never stray from it. I'm completely obsessed with all things to do with the ocean. (My favourite fish strangely is that of a shark...seriously... and the aquarium had two of them!) It's also no surprise that my favorite colour is Turquoise followed by calm colours such as pale pinks, purples, taupes, cream and charcoal & soft greys with hints of metallic gold and copper. I also love green but a sea green. These colours seem to follow me everywhere too. I have tried to be bolder with colour and go outside my comfort zone and I have made some choices along the way and some worked and others not so much.

I am a handweaver, I know I may have strayed off the path a bit and yes I do a lot of mixed media textiles that I love. I specialized in this first before I ever chose and became engrossed with weaving. I love the option of having both. Both sit well alongside each other but I'm still searching for that link and I think I may have found it.

I'm currently on the loom, I'm threading at the moment and it's going well. It's a slow process but it's calming at the same time so long as I don't skip a thread or a heddle I'll be fine. I have a plain cream coloured warp on the loom with a very narrow strip of a pale green and grey through it. The finished product will be a hanging about a little over a meter long with a twist thrown in there too. Considering all goes according to plan.

Like I mentioned I've been reviewing my work.
Using the fish photos, recently I developed some of these into patterns using the computer and I got samples of the patterns that I created and got these digitally printed onto fabric. These arrived last week. I've done this before and it turned out really nice, for lampshades actually. I had developed the woven trim shades but found I was being asked for other designs and for patterns and all sorts. And so I did this. To be fair, I'm never going to please everyone. I don't want to have too many different things going on which to be fair is what had been happening. Plus the fact, remember that you never will please everyone either. Because I am a textile designer sometimes I think people expect that I can put my hand to anything and create what they want because I have the skills to weave and sew! I did start at creating lampshades sourcing unusual fabrics and developing my own ideas and created many a lampshade by using these methods and to be fair a lot of people like them.
That said, I had a customer in the studio looking for a lampshade last week and I had shown her the printed designs I used from my fish photos and she mentioned she preferred the trims and the more plainer approach fabrics and designs. She found them to be nice yet a bit structured or something along those lines, I can't remember her exact word. It's so difficult to know what people like. But it is good to get feedback from people too. I personally love creating the woven trim ones and creating my own designs. Below are a few designs from the fish photos taken in the aquarium. Left is the photo, right is the design.

I love some of them and I may get larger samples created and see what it looks like as a lampshade. (Not all shown above) But it is a fun process all the same. I do think some of these would make beautiful patterns for weaving or else using the colours and coming up with as close to a design that is in -keeping with the abstract print. I think I'll just have to experiment and see what works best for me to be honest.
At the moment for Spring/Summer a new collection of lampshades, woven hangings & cushions, framed seashore studies and something completely new is being developed, so watch this space! Each launching at different times between March - June. And an online shop is on the list and will follow later on in the year, if I can figure out how?
In keeping with the sea/fish theme, I'm also developing two further projects. One is mentioned above.
The other is launching end of March/beginning of April titled 'Underwater' using mixed media & weave (Hint:Can be worn) - all shall be revealed, however one step at a time!
Log onto Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest happenings and check website for updates and news!


Gráinne :) x

2015 - The year in review!

So it's almost Christmas, as I approach my 4th business birthday next year/month (January 23rd) minus a tiny bump in the road along the way early last year, it happens! I'd like to reflect on what I've achieved during 2015.

After a great end to 2014, came a quiet first few months you could say of 2015. I decided that this was going to be the year that I try and improve everything including my own self, health wise!
To make a long story short (for anyone who knows me well, yes I typed an essay of words below and since deleted it and here I'm trying to start it again but shortening it down by using the sentence ... to make a long story short!) Yes, so trying to keep this short I joined a walking group in January. Since August,I've been doing HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training which targets specific areas of my body depending on what I'm doing. And I'm enjoying that and I have made great progress and I'm planning on seeing it though into 2016 until I reach my target. So that was one goal ticked off my list.

Anyway, low and behold! It was taking forever but, I finally changed my website!!
In May, I launched my new website that I (pat myself on the back) created myself with the help of an online builder called Weebly. I was shocked with the amount of money professionals were quoting me and I don't know about others but it's great to change the content yourself without having to phone up and getting someone else to do so. I know people that have to get in contact with their website creator, every time they want something updated on their website and it can take a while. So after many a late night and trying to move the damn domain from one host to another which took a few days to do so, I finally went live in May. It's been on my mind for the past hmmm... two years! Long time. Yes it still needs re-tweaking here and there but it's great to have that done.

I also created new business cards that I also designed with the help of Vistaprint. All came out perfect, unlike the last company I went with. So I'll be sticking with Vistaprint, Moo (another company) was suggested to me but I decided to go my own way and choose the others. And I am thrilled with them.

Onto Press, my work was featured in both 'The Irish Times' Magazine in August and most recently 'Irish Tatler' the Christmas December Issue - the one with Laura Whitmore on the front cover.
All aspects of my own business is managed by myself, it's a challenge but I enjoy it!
I often get asked where do you find the time?
To answer that I'm not sure, I also manage (well since re-manage) not only my own Facebook & Twitter business pages but also both the same for Wexford Craft Trail. So trying to keep all happy including myself can be hard going but I enjoy that too!
Do I find time for my own work?
Yes!
I finished the year up by doing two Christmas Craft Fairs, one at 'Springmount Garden Centre' and one at 'Wexford Arts Centre'. Both went well despite the weather. Springmount faired to be the best of the two. But both were enjoyable and it was lovely to meet new people. It was fun! :)
I know I'm probably leaving out other stuff but I think the above were the main key things that I achieved this year, oh and to add a new stockist to my list in November ... long may it grow!

2016 NEWS: There will be a shake up from about March. Up until then I'll be less active online and then hit you with new stuff! If you think I'm done with Christmas decorations, think again. I'm continuing with baubles, like I did earlier this year in January for about a month. I have plans for these and will announce that later in the year. :)
I also have two new products launching around Spring & Easter, both wearable. One all handwoven on the loom, the other is textile based too but with a twist!
Other plans in mind, include textile workshops for children aged from strictly 8yrs (no younger) to early teens only! I'll possibly be looking at Easter/early Summer for this. I've a lot to think on still. It will all be very new! There has been people asking me this as of late would I be Interested in it, so watch this space! And some other ideas I want to keep under wraps and not spoil everything now by mentioning all. But I have a feeling it's going to be a good year!! ;)

So with that, I just want to wish all reading this a very Happy Christmas & Best wishes for 2016!

Gráinne x :)

Something New!

Hello October!

So since my last posting in September, I've had a nice and quiet past few weeks to say the least. Okay well rewind, minus preparing for the current exhibition I'm in alongside three others designers, that is still running until the end of November at
Springmount Garden Centre in Ballycanew.

So on Twitter I mentioned changes will be happening. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately regards bringing out something new as it's been a while. So this Winter through until next Spring, I am introducing a small fashion design led collection of handwoven scarves and shall continue these on into about April.
Then I shall be either re-branding another idea under my own name or using another name, I have not quite decided on that one as yet. But it shall be another Fashion product.(My lips are sealed!)

As it stands I create Interior products such as Lampshades, pictures, tea cosies and the baubles at Christmas time. I will still be continuing this.
Over the years many people have asked me and especially those who have seen my woven designs, tell me that I should make scarves or something in the fashion side of textiles.
I'm pretty focused on Interiors, because I know the fashion market is huge and very competitive. It can be difficult to break into that mould because there are so many designers and so many people making things like scarves, hats and jewellery for example. Each very different, some very alike, others so out there with their ideas and designs. But then again, it's down to luck and how you brand and push yourself and your product and grow because that's the only way your going to grow but you need to put the work in to get rewards out of it after.
But anyway, getting back to my point, so I had thought about fashion before but stuck with Interiors but always in the back of my head I would think of someday and sometime creating something fashion led.

So for Spring 2016... I am launching a small collection of handwoven scarves. I really want focus and move ahead with the weave side of me because my main area of specialism is Woven Textiles. I enjoy mixed media textiles, people love my pictures but I don't want to be known for just woven trimmings on lampshades, although I love and everyone seems to love my lampshades as they are unique and I shall be continuing these further and possibly for a very long time and then I weave the odd hanging, I guess there are people thinking is that all she does in weaving, which to be fair is not true. Because all they keep seeing is a lot of mixed media among other things which I enjoy mind you and it works!
I have been asked about weaving workshops in the past and other friends suggested I run them as another way to make money but I don't and won't be possibly ever be giving workshops because A) I just don't have the time to and B) Loom weaving takes time to do, there is the whole setting up side that non-weavers don't realize that us weavers have to do and it's slow and I just would not find time to teach and do my own work at the same time it's just not do able.
Anyone wishing to learn, my advise is take up a course in textile design, do a degree or diploma or learn the basics from someone who does teach it. Oh and do not get mixed up between loom weaving and tapestry ... tapestry is done on a wooden frame (I was taught this at Grennan Mill a long time ago ... I have two frames myself) this weaving is done with a bobbin like needle or using just your fingers it can also be taught on a loom while loom weaving is slightly more difficult and takes time to master and you use a shuttle, there are so many different types of looms to choose from while larger companies use power looms if producing large quantities for retail. These are much more powerful and it's just a touch of a button and it weaves itself! Handy but so god damn expensive to not only buy but to fix if it breaks down! Jacquard weaving again is done on a power like loom and it weaves itself and here you can weave from drawings so it produces imagery to that of patterns and blocks of colour. I work on a table loom which looks like a mini floor loom as it has a floor stand and instead of a bench I have a chair propped up with cushions so I'm able to reach in to thread my heddle's when threading up. It does the job and it's neat as it can be collapsed if attending a trade fair or craft fair and if you wish to take it with you but I don't do this as it's kind of heavy and awkward!

Going back, in fact I have two ideas in mind, one I'm keeping under wraps and will possibly be launched in time for Christmas or else in the Spring. It will have elements of weave and mixed media.
At the moment both of these ideas have been circling in my head for ages and have landed as doodles on sheets of paper. Both are wearable.
I'll also be making Christmas boxed baubles and the little pine cone elves again this year.
I will also be launching a little give away competition mid December.

Please note: I shall not be taking any orders for be-spoke lampshades in the run up to Christmas.

That's all for now,

Gráinne :)

Below are a few photos (Not all) of my work currently on show at Springmount Garden Center, Ballycanew.

Above: My work on exhibition at Springmount Garden Center - current exhibition on now!

Lampshades by Grainne Kenny - Exhibition at Springmount Garden Center.

Close up of hand woven trim on lampshade.

Lampshade - Wood turned base by Robert O'Connor.

Mixed Media Nature Study - 'Spring'

Left: Work by me and Right:Pottery by Christine Van Bussell.

Work by Robert O'Connor - Wood-turner and William Stedmond - Photography

New Season & Up-Coming Exhibition.

Yes that's right it is September and the second month of Autumn. (Yes August is seen as a summer holiday month, but it is in fact the start of Autumn!)So really we are half way through.
I missed a blog post for August so I'm skipping on. :)

I had a good summer, shame about the weather but there are talks of an Indian Summer for next week (I'll keep my fingers crossed then so!)

Next week for me is going to be busy.
I am one of four local Craftspeople exhibiting at Springmount Garden Centre, Ballycanew Road, Gorey from Thursday 10th of September.
Our opening evening is on Thursday 10th at 7pm and all are welcome!
I've known about this exhibition for a long time, I actually work part-time at Springmount so I know what's on most of the time and I'm looking forward to exhibiting my work here. The three others are Robert O'Connor who is a local Wood-turner, Christien Van Bussell,she is a Ceramic Artist/Potter and William Stedmond who does Photography. It should be a great show.

Springmount is a lovely place and the gallery upstairs is fairly large, in fact Springmount was the first place that I did my first ever Craft Fair. This is where I started out and I think I did at least two to three Christmas fairs and one at Easter. A few months later I took a stand at 'The Knitting & Stitching Show' in the RDS, Dublin where I sat on the landing between the Irish Lace makers guild and the Irish Feltmakers guild who took me under their wing (all looked after me!!) and were lovely to me during the duration of the show as I was on my own and it opened my eyes to what could be. However, I went off to further develop my CV and studied Visual Merchandising at Dublin Institute of Design on Nassau Street which then led to working for a couple of months with Shaw's, while I still continued my craft and then finally took the plunge in January of 2012 and started my own business in textile design. Honestly, I've had a few ups and downs along the way, it's not easy! I'd say from about mid 2014 things progressed a lot more and I even have a few stockists and I hope by looking on that it continues to grow. Above all I am happy anyway and I think that what's most Important.

I love my work, I love colour (you might notice that next week!) I am a sucker for detail and tactile surfaces.
I suppose when I'm not in the studio, I love taking photographs of anything .... mainly nature/sea/sky. I like to paint the odd time, my first choice in college was Textiles and if I had not of got that my 2nd choice was Painting.
I don't want to share photos now of work I'm exhibiting, as it will ruin it for those of you who might go see it.
I am collaborating with Robert again by using his lamp bases, three of my new A/W 2015 lampshades will appear on plinths that shall sit on his bases and lit of course! I have a set of four pieces to do with 'Seasons' and each one has a leaf and each leaf is different except for spring and summer. These are circular and framed in a boxed white frame. Some other shades will hang down and some other pieces too but that's all I'm saying! Yes so I'm setting up the day before,the opening is on Thursday and I am another year older on Friday! ;) And on Saturday I'm going to go and treat myself and relax!
Then it's straight into work again and making baubles and Christmas stock, sorry have to say it as it's only 112 days or so till then! Not that I'm counting ... !! :/

The exhibition 'Kaleidoscope' is still running at Market House Design until the 30th September. (My work is also in this one)
Do check on my Facebook page for peeps of pieces and posts.
Oh... I did have some press recently. My Purple Lampshade featured in 'The Irish Times Magazine' on the 30th August, page 7.
I would not have known only for somebody I knew spotted it and sent me a tweet via Twitter about it. So that was nice to see.

Oh and last but not least, I designed new business cards too ... (Showing front side only)

Don't forget the exhibition opens on September 10th and runs until I think the end of the month, but may check that!
Until my next post.

Gráinne :)

July 2015 - What's Happening?

Hi again.
Right so I skipped June and it's now mid July, is it just me or are the weeks flying!
I'm going to keep this blog post short (Hmmm... I wonder!) even though a lot has happened since May.
So what is new?

I suppose I'll start with my own work, I've been steadily working away. I have new stock in both 'Market House Design' and 'The Woodturning Studio' in town, so if your visiting Gorey at all this summer make sure you pop in and visit both of these lovely places.
I am delighted to announce that I have a new stockist called 'The Forge Craft Shop' in Baldwinstown, Co. Wexford (close to Kilmore Quay)You will find a small collection of lampshades and framed pieces of mine stocked here.

I will be switching the theme of my work come August to plants, flowers and butterflies.
So, I work part time in Springmount Garden Centre in Ballycanew (Lots of Inspiration around me) and I'll be creating a body of work based on the colour's and textures of some of the flowers there. I've half started this theme already by moving it into my weaving.
It's very hard as an artist not to get distracted by such a variety of colour, pattern, detail, shape and texture of plants. And I love butterflies so I've been creating stitched butterflies and stiffening them after building up layers of texture and adding beads. The butterflies and floral theme will creep into one piece for the upcoming exhibition 'Kaleidoscope' at Market House Design starting very soon ...next week in fact,this exhibition will continue through for the 'Gorey Market House Festival' end of July/August Bank Holiday that's coming up soon!
Then I'm looking at creating three more panels. The panels will be for an exhibition that is in the pipeline for September that I'm doing alongside three other locals.
The same theme will follow through for the winter, for lampshades and cushions and something new that you can wear that will also tie in the same theme.
My work is mostly Sea Inspired and I#ll come back around to this too, but it's good to try new themes/ideas too and although I love Blue, I'll make sure it makes an appearance! ;)

My weaving is going well, I've a monster of a warp on the loom but it's been behaving itself so far, so good anyhow!
Photos to come soon!
This time of the year I find framed work sells well, to start with it's Wedding season so there is always someone looking for a present that is a bit unique to that of handing over money or buying the happy couple that third toaster or cutlery set like everybody else.
The Seashore studies of mine fit well into this category. I've been told my pricing is very reasonable and I suppose these people are right, but there is no point in charging to high because I know they might be harder to sell. And worse case scenario is under selling your work so I think somewhere in the middle and at a price that your happy with works best as log as you cover your costs!

I research all the time, (loved research I was practically a library worm in college, always had my nose in a book )
One of the things I learnt while doing my business plan is who are your other competitors. There are many weavers I know that bit, but I know there are other people out there making things for example take Lampshades, I know of four other lampshade makers there is one in Donegal and she paints onto silk, two in Dublin one of these are a shop in the city center specializing in lampshade restoration and making, the other is a lady who did Interior Design and started a lampshade making company and sells through fairs in south Dublin and Wicklow and the fourth is from Kildare and she sources fabric and creates funky, bright shades in all patterns, to animal print fur and comic ones for kids/teens where as I'm very different again but I am aware of who else is out there, which in a way you have to be!
As for my framed work, I came across an artist who just uses felt and from a personal point of view, you can make out due to the colour's of the piece if its a sunset or a landscape but again it's just made using felt, nothing else and boxed in a frame, her work is abstract so you need to really look and understand exactly what it is,to me I can see where she's coming from but it's just bands of colour in the end and costing around the ninety euro mark. I use felt and other fibres too and beads, shells and other media and it makes me think shit, should I be charging more when I compare mine to her's as there is more going on in mine.
I do know that once upon a time ago I could, but that day is gone, in order to sell and make profit one has to come down off their price, I did so and I know I once charged crazy prices for my work but in order to sell you need to re-think of ways in order to do so.
I used to make larger, bigger pieces that once sold well, now I'm finding the smaller pieces are doing better. Unless someone is willing to shell out the money for a bigger piece, there's not many people around here that will. Unless you travel to where you think they are that might work!? Everybody is different, even talking to fellow friends who are both in the art and craft world some are doing rather well and others are struggling. It ain't easy!

I can however sympathtise there with those who are feeling the pressure and admit that I had been in a bit of a rut towards the end of 2013/early 2014 ... so quite recent!
I took a short break from my business (I did have other things going on) and re-thought things through and made changes to my business plan, pulled myself together and threw myself back into my work and to be honest I'm glad that it happened and I know that it sounds strange but in fact it made me stronger. And I know I'm not the first to experience this as I later discovered. But I'm, glad it happened early and not somewhere down the road because the road I'm on now is grand. I'm not a throw yourself into everything type of person, I'm more take things slowly but surely and eventually I'll get there!

Knowing me I've gone way off course here and wanting to keep this post short is an understatement!!!

Wait there is more .....

Onto Exhibitions for this Summer, I've already mentioned 'Market House Design' and 'The Gorey Market House Festival' that's on the end of July/August Bank Holiday weekend. Plenty to do and see as Gorey is the place to be on the August Bank Holiday! I have work/new work on display and available to purchase there. So as far as that is concerned I have no confirmed dates for the exhibition in September or anything there after as yet, but do keep a eye on my website for details. Or on Facebook at Grainne Kenny Design.

Oh and I'm glad to say that I gave myself that nudge I needed and launched my brand new website last month ....finally!!!!
It did take a while and there are still some adjustments and there will be further adjustments as I go.
Do take a look http://www.grainnekennydesign.com

In other news, I will be holding an open day here in the studio sometime over the next couple of weeks for an afternoon. Date/Time to be confirmed. Some sale stock will be available. It will be posted as an event to Facebook and appear on the website under news/events. Gift vouchers will be available on the day if there is someone in mind you would like to buy a voucher for or even treat yourself! I've only ever held one open day and that was the day I opened the studio almost 2 years ago next month. So that's on the agenda. Towards end of August/Early Sept.

Below is a selection of lampshades available from 'The Woodturning Studio' in Gorey and from Market House Design.
Do pop into both as mentioned before and Robert who owns the Woodturning Studio is also holding an exhibition of his own work at his studio during this time, so I recommend you visit him as his work is stunning!
I also have some framed studies in Market House Design and a few new ones plus a very Colourful piece being delivered in from Saturday. It also acts as the Tourist Office so everything you need to know about Gorey, you'll find out from there.
Here you will find a selection of work by Wexford and South East Craftspeople including work by four of my fellow Wexford Craft Trail members they are Annette Whealan - Glass, Paul Maloney - Pottery, Robert O'Connor - Wood turning and Patsy Flood O'Connor - Millinery. The perfect place for pressie shopping and buying Quality Irish Design/Craft.

Applique Medium Lampshade €55 Euro - Available from Market House Design, Main Street, Gorey.

'Little Yachts' - Cube Lampshade(Small) - €40 euro - Available from Market House Design, Main Street, Gorey

'Seashells' Medium Lampshade €65 Euro -Available from Market House Design, Main Street, Gorey

'Cherry Blossom' - Digital Print Lampshade - Available from The Woodturning Studio, Arklow Road, Gorey

More Lampshades available from 'The Woodturning Studio', Arklow Road, Gorey.
'Pink Butterfly','Spring Flowers' and 'Birds on a Branch'.

Digital Print Medium Lampshade - design taken from own Photograpgh €65 - Available from 'The Woodturning Studio'

Bye Until August,

Gráinne :)

May Posting.

It's the 2nd of May and it's a wet, miserable day outside. So much for a nice May bank holiday weekend! So I skipped a posting for April as it was a busy month. This post is going to be rather short as I have no major news from the last time.
I was in the 'Irish Examiner' - Property & Interiors Magazine last Saturday the 25th April. There was an article by Carol O' Callaghan and she was discussing wedding gifts for the bride and groom and it featured one of my lampshades.
I was notified that this particular image was downloaded,(with my consent) and who it was for (the paper) but after that it's up to the person who downloaded it whether they use it or not, but luckily for me they did! YAY! They don't necessarily make contact with you either, I did know which paper it was, but not what it was being used for or about in or when it would be used but, it was a lovely surprise when I opened up the magazine and saw mt work in it last weekend. Seeing as most of my work is targeted and bought as wedding gifts and after that by homeowners/new homes. Nice little bit of press before the summer season kicks off! :) (See images below)

I was at a Visit Wexford trails meeting/event the other week. I helped set up the Wexford Craft trail table and I brought two lampshades down with me, luckily as it turned out only three of us had examples of our work at this. That was an Interesting day and it was nice to mingle and meet new people in the tourism sector. (Photo from left: Me, Mairead Stafford and Gilly Thomas)

In other news, the exhibition at Market House Design, Main Street, Gorey is still running until May 31st. I'm very lucky that I have this place still stocking my work as is The Woodturning Studio but there you'll find just Lampshades as my shades help sell Robert's bases and vice versa. I also have a potential new stockist, not another in Gorey but Wexford based. And I have an exhibition among three others for September. So I'm looking forward to the Summer, not to mention two festivals thrown in there too where again, new work beckons! (See below some examples of my work now in stock at Market House Design, photos taken at own studio ... not showing everything!)

At home in the studio, I did remove my signage recently outside the gate. I'm planning on getting a new smaller sign made to keep in style with my new branding ... yet to do business cards/brochures and I've done very little so far with the new website but it shall all come together by the end of the month! I do have a website already, but it's very limited on how many images you can post and posting Imagery or background imagery is also limited, you have to choose an already existing background and I rather design my own and be more creative and in control of my own ideas. I'd like everything to match/blend together. So I'll work on that in my own time, when I get a chance.

Anyway I did mention a short post, so that's kind of it for the moment. I'm going to head back to the studio now as waiting on something to dry, which should be dry by now ... but I felt I should post like I mentioned I would so now that's done too.
Will keep you updated with any further developments and in the meantime check Facebook for Photos and updates.

Happy Bank Holiday Weekend!

Gráinne. :)