My solo show has now been open for just over a week and I'm so happy with the way Union Gallery have displayed my works. There is a very flattering article in the press here: http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/marvelling-menagerie and another one here : http://www.lothianlife.co.uk/2013/11/barbara-francs-stunning-sculptures/#more-14622
An admiring glance through the window
If you are in the Edinburgh area please do come and see the Menagerie at the Union Gallery
I'm now in the midst of bubblewrap and tape getting my works ready for their trip to Scotland, hoping they will not get caught in the predicted storm on Monday!
Here are a couple of pictures of 'Cygnus' the third life size Swan in the show, it is cast in bronze resin and is number 2 of an edition of 25.
I am delighted with the result and think it is a wonderful piece for either indoors or out, the original was made from wood and plaster around which I wrapped and stiched layer after layer of fabric, lace and wire. all the details of the materials used have been captured beautifully, it looks quite splendid!
Here is the image for my solo exhibition at the UNION Gallery, starting in two weeks time. The picture is of two life size swans made from recycled tin plus the odd bit from an old typewriter, dog lead clips, cutlery and wristwatch straps to name a few.
The swans are as much of an homage to the beautiful carved wooden decoy birds of America to the real live birds floating on the water.
If you are in the area, please do visit, there are lots of animals hence the name of the show.
the address is: 45 Broughton St., Edinburgh EH1 3JU
email: info@uniongallery.co.uk
I have been busy in my workshop with a whole crowd of squirrels waiting to be photographed, I swear sometimes they move when I turn my back on them!
They are soon to be packed up and sent off to my solo show at the Union Gallery, Edinburgh for November 1st.
Here is 'Picante' the squirrel, named after the pimento tins I used in making him
This coming August I would like to offer a pair of Long-tailed Titmice. These are some of my most popular birds and I always make them as a pair as I've never seen them alone in the wild, they love each others ' company.
The cost is £260 which includes postage and packing to the UK (if they are to go abroad there will be an extra charge of £20)
If you are interested in purchasing this unique pair please contact me via email at barbara.franc@btinternet.com. Payment can be made via Paypal who do all the currency conversions at no extra cost to you and also gives you added buyer protection.
This month's little bird on offer is a Tufted Titmouse, a North American cousin of our European Titmice. I choose to make this little chap as I had such fun making a pair of Chickadees for a commission, I thought I'd research some of the birds of America. I love the soft grey colouring with the flash of buff orange under the wings along with the wonderful crested head.
He measures 14 cm from tip of beak to end of tail and I am offering it at the price of £130 (which includes p&p to the UK, if he goes overseas it will cost another £20 extra)
It will be available to the first person
who contacts me via email and then I shall send it by tracked courier as soon
as the payment has gone through via Paypal (which gives added buyer protection)
barbara.franc@btinternet.com
I have a new gallery taking my work , the Pinkfoot Gallery on the beautiful North Norfolk coast where I have had many happy holidays watching the seals and shrimping so I am delighted to have been given the chance to show with them. They have a wonderful selection of works and represent several fantastic artists so I look forward to a long relationship with them.
Pinkfoot Gallery is on the High Street, Cley-next-the-sea, North Norfolk NR25 7RB
their website is worth looking at www.pinkfootgallery.co.uk
So here was June's offer of a Kingfisher, one of my most popular and colourful birds.
Every 1st of the month I will upload a picture of one of my birds for sale
direct to my website readers.
So the bird for this month of June is a Kingfisher , to give an idea of size, he measures 19cm from
tip of tail to beak and sits perched on a wire twig to
hang on the wall.
His special offer price is £150 (incl. UK p&p ) for worldwide postage add
another £20.
My email is: barbara.franc@btinternet.com and here is the splendid fellow!
A couple of months ago I was contacted by Deborah Blakeley who runs a fantastic website called ZoneOneArts. She tracks down artists and galleries from a whole variety of disciplines, researches them and then conducts an interview with an insightful series of questions.
The website makes for fascinating reading and I'd recommend everyone who is curious about art and life to subscribe to it.
My interview, (if you haven't already had enough about my work) is
Here's a new idea that I would like to offer to my readers ,
every 1st of the month I will upload a picture of one of my birds for sale
direct to my website readers. It will be available to the first person
who contacts me via email and then I shall send it by tracked courier as soon
as the payment has gone through via Paypal (which gives added buyer protection)
So the bird for this month of May is a Great Titmouse, he measures 11cm from
tip of tail to beak to give an idea of size and sits perched on a wire twig to
hang on the wall.
His special offer price is £130 (incl. UK p&p ) for worldwide postage add another
£20.
My email is: barbara.franc@btinternet.com and here he is,
hope you like him.
Great Tit for May
A talented young photographer, Louise Fryer makes images using her mobile phone and ipad. She has incorporated one of my 'dishevelled' birds into an arresting picture.
You can find out more about her work at Louisefryer.com
I have just come back from delivering 13 pieces to be shown with Scotland Art at the Affordable Art Fair held in Battersea Park, London.
Apart from some of my bright Macaws and some smaller birds there are two Mad March Hares made from wood, plaster, fabric,discarded knitting needles, old typewriter keys and wire, of course!
Leaping Hare
Bounding Hare
Union Gallery have kindly offered me a solo show at the end of the year, (more news of this later!) but in the meantime a few of my birds will be at the new show 'In the Company of Birds' opening on February 7th.
Along
with some of my smaller birds there will also be some crows and magpies made
from recycled wire and plastic damaged by heat. I am very fond of the
'corvidae' family as one injured crow literally walked into my life a
few years ago needing some help and medication, after only a few days
'Edgar' had made a big impression on our lives with his intelligence and
trust and will never be forgottten. He was always very scruffy and didn't look after himself too well which gave me the idea to make a sculpture of him looking fairly dishevelled, old burnt plastic with odd bits sticking out here and there was perfect for the job.
Since getting to know more about these intriguing birds, I now befriend a large group of crows and magpies who
follow myself and my dog every morning on our walk and caw to us as
we leave the park ready for their titbits the next day.
The show will also include a wall-mounted piece which is almost 2D, it is based on a group of long-legged wading birds all walking along together, it measures 98cm long x 47cm high x 1cm deep
There's an ever increasing flock of birds in the workshop waiting to fly off to their various Christmas shows
Well the wonderful Jack Tierney gallery in Aberdeen have already found a new home for my 'steampunk' Horse.
Sorry it wasn't a little longer in the gallery!
'Hare Belle' 79cm high x 37cm long x 22cm wide
This piece is going to be shown at the Leeds show in November. It is made from a whole assortment of recycled and now 'upcycled' materials!
I have made several Hares in the past and they are such a beautiful form to work on, I try to portray their seemingly deceptive fragile structure and their ever alert state of presence.
In this piece close inspection will reveal car windscreen wipers, bits from a cafetiere, a dog collar and cupboard handle amongst many other 'found' objects.
'Horse of Sparta' is 63cm high x 74cm long x 20cm high
it is off to the Jack Tierney Gallery in Aberdeen.
This lively piece is made with a wire armature onto which I have attached a variety of found, recycled and now 'upcycled' materials. Close inspection will reveal dog leads, hinges, old clock parts,keys and cutlery amongst many other items.
I love this piece and hope it will find fans in Scotland.
I am currently busy working on new pieces for the Xmas show at Leeds Craft gallery, this is the mess that is my workroom
