Margaret Jackson's Blawearie Art Blog

LATEST WORK

2010-04-01T12:30:00.001-07:00

Fern Circle

50 cm x 40 cm

Encaustic Painting on Canvas

(a work in progress)

Silver Birch and Bracken

72 cm x 102 cm

Mixed Media on paper

Cups and Rings

66 cm x 101 cm

Mixed Media on paper

Steps into the trees

Mono-print on paper

Using the new printing press

2010-04-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Blawearie Print #1

32 cm x 22 cm

Collograph

Moss Spiral I

27 cm x 38 cm

Collograph

Moss Spiral II

27 cm x 38 cm

Collograph

Moss, Bark and Lichen I

32 cm x 22 cm

Print from Collograph Plate

Moss, Bark and Lichen II

32 cm x 22 cm

Print from Collograph Plate

Collograph Plate

Bark, Lichen and Moss

(found at Blawearie)

Inspired by the garden at Blawearie

2010-04-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

Gardener's Hands

27 cm x 33 cm

Drypoint and Monoprint

Crows and Stones

31 cm x 43 cm

Drypoint and monoprint

new printing press at neo-artists

2010-03-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

I've now started to use the press at neoartists' studios - very excited!!

I am trying out collagraph prints using plant materials gathered and pressed from Blawearie.

Back of Heather Moorland in Winter

2010-03-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

I've been asked how the paintings are created. They're all in encaustic (a wax and pigment mixture) on canvas (see above). The canvas is sealed with acrylic sealant and primed with gesso.
As you can see with this method there are no traces of the paint coming through the canvas.

Photographs

2010-01-14T03:40:00.000-08:00

This is me, at Blawearie.

This is a gravestone at Old Bewick Chapel (Holy Trinity). I'm very interested in the imagery on the stone but have no idea what it means. Does anyone know? Please get in touch if you do....

Paintings

2010-01-14T03:14:00.001-08:00

'Braken'
The winter colour of the braken was amazing. It was glowing red and I tried to capture that.

'Gateway to Blawearie'

'Silver Birch Among the Rocks'

'Heather Moorland in Winter'

Winter at Blawearie

2010-01-14T03:02:00.000-08:00

'Moon Pool'
Inspired by visiting Northumberland at the time of the Blue Moon, 30th December 2009. A Blue Moon is when there is a full moon twice in one month, something that happens very rarely.
These are alder trees around a pool.

'Fallen Tree, Blawearie' This is probably my favourite tree at Blawearie. When I visited in the winter of 2009 it was torn and lying on the ground. I felt a sense of loss. I painted this tree standing in 'Steps to the Trees' below...

Detail of 'Fallen Tree, Blawearie'

New Paintings and Drawings

2010-01-14T02:48:00.000-08:00

'Starlight at Woodhenge'
I visited a site at Milfield, Northumberland called Maelmin, where there was a re-creation of an archaelogical site excavated nearby. They had found the post holes of a wood henge.

Detail of 'Starlight at Woodhenge'

'Blawearie Burial Cairn'

print

2009-06-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

2009-05-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

My paintings are all done with Encaustic - a mixture of wax, varnish, oil, turpentine and pigment.
I like the history of the method - it was used by the Ancient Greeks.
The process of making my own paint is important to me.
I like stiring cauldrons.
The finished surface is very tactile - smooth and silky.

paintings

2009-05-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

Paintings

2009-05-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

Paintings

2009-05-14T11:08:00.001-07:00

Paintings

2009-05-14T11:07:00.001-07:00

Paintings

2009-05-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

Background

2009-05-04T04:36:00.001-07:00

I took a fine art degree at Manchester Met University as a mature student. Graduating in 1999 I was awarded a place on the Setting-Up Scheme which in my case was a studio at Drumcroon Art Gallery in Wigan. A great opportunity with lots of very supportive people. I've worked as artist/educator since then all over the North West.
My own practice was based on Bolton where I live and all about the rapidly disappearing engineering industry. I had exhibitions at Southport's Atkinson Gallery, Bolton Art Gallery and Stockport Art Gallery.

Summer 2003

2009-04-27T12:16:00.001-07:00

Steps to the garden at Blawearie, Bewick Moor, Northumberland.

Blawearie

2009-04-27T11:53:00.001-07:00

First view of Blawearie taken from a walking guide from a Northumberland National Park Publication.

Pages from My Sketchbook

2009-04-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

Gravestone in the churchyard at Holy Trinity Church, Bewick.

Cups and Rings.

A circle of Alders on the moor.

Inside the World War II pill-box at Bewick hill fort.

Pages from My Sketchbook

2009-04-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

Map of home (bought in 1963).

Folktales of dead souls inhabiting crows and returning to their home.

Cups and Rings.

Hello

2009-04-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

I am a Northumbrian in exile longing to return home. I visit whenever I can. meanwhile my painting is all about Blawearie.
Blawearie in Northumberland.
It's on the moors above Old Bewick.

Some of the things I'm looking at with this project are-

Layers of Time
Mingling of the Past with the Present
Artist as Explorer and Storyteller
A Labyrinth of Connections, Associations and Narratives
Cups and Rings
Burial Cists
Hill Forts
Secret Gardens
Abandoned Home