Emelbi Friday Polaroid #10...

* Peace and Love*

HOST open studio trail 2009...

This weekend sees the start of HOST – ARTISTS OPEN STUDIOS. Now in its sixth year, with 63 artists and 27 studios from across Kirklees opening their doors to welcome the public and share their creative talents.


Friday the 18th is preview night at the Creative Arts Building, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH.
The preview will be open to the public from 6.00pm till 9.00pm so come along and be inspired!

Over the weekend of 26th – 27th September Emelbi will be exhibiting at The ‘West Yorkshire Print Workshop’,(www.wypw.org) 75A Huddersfield Road, Mirfield, WF14 8AT. The exhibition will be open from 11.00am till 5.00pm on both days.

For more information on all the other studios that are taking part please visit www.hoststudios.co.uk

So come along : VISIT ARTISTS : BE INSPIRED : BUY ART :

The HOST opening night was brilliant.
A fantastic night with a great vibe.
Check out the photos below...

Art and Rugs and Space…

The Space

The Lighthouse – Designed by architect Dorian Grayson of Form Group, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. www.formgroup.co.uk

The Rugs

Hand tufted creations of Andrew Warburton, Area Rugs and Carpets, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. www.arearugs.co.uk and andrewwarburton.blogspot.com

The Art

Digital Illustration Giclée Prints and Fine Art Paintings by Mike Barrett (Emelbi), Mirfield, West Yorkshire. www.emelbi.com and emelbi.blogspot.com

Preview Night...

Tonight is the preview of 'Showcase' at Batley Art Gallery, 6.00 - 9.00 pm.


Works will include contemporary and traditional art – from digital artworks, painting and photography to textiles, jewellery and ceramics – that will inspire and excite.

Wall-based art will be the main focus of the exhibition with pieces from...
Carrie Scott-Huby: Painter/textile artist working in mixed media;
Michael Barrett - Emelbi : Digital Artist, Illustrator, Fine artist and
photographer; Helaina Sharpley: A designer-maker producing elegant 2D and 3D wire sculptures/illustrations; Anjum Dar: A contemporary artist who works in various media taking influence from the natural world, ethnic influences and vibrant colours from the Indian subcontinent; Shameela Hussain: A contemporary abstract artist; Catherine Green: A textile artist, will display her vibrant wall mounted pieces, primarily made from velvet, and satin; Damian Clark: Artist, composer and creative explorer; Andrew Warburton: Designer and maker of unique and exclusive hand-tufted rugs and carpets; Cora Woodside: An artist experimenting with both representational and abstract forms; Neil Woodhouse: 3D Visualisation artist; Samantha Tierney: A ceramicist who combines both modern & ancient techniques;

Show cabinets within the exhibition will display work from Jane Platts a designer/maker working in textiles and ceramics who specialises in
upcycling un-loved textiles and ‘breathing’ new life into them.
In contrast a range of hand-made silver jewellery made by designer/maker, Pam Lonsdale, will also be on display.

Oi!

Collaboration rug Oi! is featured in this summer’s addition of Modern Carpets & Textiles for Interiors magazine. You will find it on page11.

Rug Design - Michael Barrett / Emelbi : www.emelbi.com
Rug Maker – Andrew Warburton : www.arearugs.co.uk

Collaboration Artwork - Hand Tufted Wool Rug…

Hand Tufted Wool Rug - Entitled: Oi!

I recently teamed up with Andrew Warburton of Area Rugs www.arearugs.co.uk and we decided to work on a collaborative project. Andrew is a highly skilled and experienced carpet maker using hand-tufting methods in the production of his carpets and rugs. He has been designing and making unique and exclusive hand-tufted rugs and carpets since graduating in 1988 with a first class honours degree in carpet design.

He was intrigued by the style and technique of my illustrations and thought that they would transfer well onto into a carpet design. We decided upon an image to use that was both quirky and impacting and Andrew set to on interpreting the image with pure wool. The results are below.

Original Illustration

Emelbi and Design before Tufting.

The image is first sketched out onto clear vinyl so that any

minor correction can be made before work gets under way.

The image on the vinyl is then reversed and slipped behind a type
of man-made muslin cloth. It is then marked directly onto the cloth.

Once the image has been marked out onto the cloth the tufting can begin.
Wool is stitched/tufted into the Muslin cloth.

When the tufting process is finished the

topside is then cropped to get an even pile.
This is done with a machine that works a little like a lawnmower.

Rugs can also be carved and sculptured by using a carving
machine somewhat like the clippers used to sheer sheep.

When the rug has gone through all these processes
it is then backed with a natural latex and hessian.
This completes the whole process.

Finished rug entitled - Oi!
Size: 1.7 by 1.2 Metres.

The rug ‘Oi!’ is currently on show in

the Laurence Batley Theatre (Foyer),
Huddersfield, and will be displayed
there until Sunday 21st June 2009.

Then it will be part of the ‘Loca Showcase Exhibition’
at Batley Art Gallery from
Saturday 18th July to Saturday 8th August 2009.