More from Mad Hatters Studio on Instagram
Marrakech Reliquary
A little shrine to colour, memory and the sensory overload of Marrakech.
Inspired by my travels in Morocco, this mixed media piece grew into a kind of contemporary reliquary - layered with colour, tiny treasures, fragments, beads, old jewellery, texture and found objects.
I absolutely loved Marrakech - the intense pinks and reds, intricate decoration, bustling souks, glints of metal and jewels, and that wonderful feeling that everywhere you look there is another detail to discover.
I wanted this piece to have that same sense of abundance - slightly chaotic, richly decorated and full of little surprises.
A little piece of Marrakech, gathered and reimagined. 💗 A workshop to follow ! DM me if you want to be added to my mailing list 🙂
#marrakesh #assemblage #upcycling #papiermaché #mixedmedia artwork
1 day ago
A wonderful dose of colour, energy and creative freedom today at Gillian Ayres: A Life in Colour at The Box, Plymouth.
I love her fearless use of colour, the glorious thick paint, huge gestural marks and the feeling that the painting is allowed to find its own way. Seeing the work up close today was incredibly inspiring.
I especially love some of the things she said about painting:
‘In a mad sort of way, I saw nature like paint’
And perhaps my favourite idea of all -
‘Feasting on beauty’.
A great way to think about making and experiencing art.
There is something about that approach that really resonates with me: experiment, respond, don’t overthink it, and see where the paint takes you.
A joyful, exuberant exhibition and a lovely reminder that art doesn’t always need explaining - sometimes you can simply lose yourself in the colour, marks, texture and sheer pleasure of painting 🙂
#art exhibition #oilpainting canvasartwork
#creativespace #workshops
1 week ago
A beautiful baby shower for @charlotteanne135
The garden was filled with friends, laughter and plenty of colour, with our shabby-chic fabric bunting fluttering away and the sun
There were games, chatter, lots of little baby treats and, of course, a proper Devon cream tea — piles of homemade scones with plenty of jam and cream. 🍓☕️
Such a relaxed, happy atmosphere and a really special day spent with lovely people, celebrating a new little person who is already so very loved.
Now we just can’t wait to meet them. 💗
#babylove #babyshower #gardenparty #creativespace #bunting
2 weeks ago
There’s something rather special about a room full of people quietly making.
Today’s monthly StitchIn was filled with beautiful works in progress – from appliqué and sashiko to hand embroidery, textiles, slow stitching and treasured snippets waiting to become something new. Every project told its own story, and it was such a joy to see ideas, techniques and encouragement being shared so generously.
Of course, no Mad Hatter Studio gathering would be complete without homemade flapjacks, delicious ginger cake, fresh coffee, plenty of tea and lots of conversation, all enjoyed in our beautiful historic creative space.
Thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a relaxed, inspiring day. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, we’d love to welcome you to the next StitchIN bring whatever you’re working on, enjoy good company, and spend a few hours immersed in creativity.
Slow stitching. Creative conversations. Cake. What could be better?
#slowstitching #studiolife #textiles #workshops #creativespace
1 month ago
Whimsical Wire & Momigami Figures
What a joyful morning spent transforming simple wire, paper and imagination into wonderfully characterful figures.
We began with wire armatures, added layers of papier-mâché, then dressed our sculptures in beautifully softened momigami papers, handmade from a wonderful mix of reclaimed maps, book pages, floral papers and vintage finds. Every crease, fold and texture told its own story, making each figure completely unique.
There was much talk and plenty of homemade cake alongside experimentation and creativity. It is always a pleasure to watch individual style and characters emerge.
Today was a small and informal workshop which I will be running again. I love to see where these little characters travel next!
#mixedmedia #sculpture #artworkshops #studiolife #soulgrowth
2 months ago