Introducing Luna Hops

I spent last week painting one of Cotswold March Hare Festival's large hares, you'll know already if you keep up with my sporadic blog posting or social medias. My sponsors at New Brewery Arts, Cirencester kindly let me use the pop-up studio as I wasn't convinced the fibre glass creature would make the journey up to Wilmslow in one piece. It was cosy and peaceful and I had a wonderful stream of folk popping in to see what I was up to. Lovely week!

I went about designing the hare in flat profiles in the hope that the design would wrap around the hare nicely- of course my mural projects are generally on a flat surface so that's what felt most natural to me, and luckily worked ok.

Along with New Brewery Arts the project was also sponsored by Corinium Ales and Geoffrey Carr Garden Design, so between us had a dream brief drawn up with the theme of this year's trail as 'heritage'. I looked at the history of brewing in Cirencester and old images of New Brewery Arts with it's former large chimneys and the Barrel Store which I'd already worked on the branding of, it was a no-brainer. 

After pencilling on where everything would sit, I went about painting in acrylic wreaths of hops and barley for making the ale, pub relics, brewing equipment in the most amazing copper and a couple of Cirencester ties- the hare mosaic from Roman times and Sophie Ryder's beautiful grey hound sculptures which (used to) sit outside.

My wonderful sponsors, Geoffrey Carr Garden Design, Yours truly, Tracey from New Brewery Arts and Lucy of Corinium Ales. All excellent people.

You'll notice I've only really got images of the hare from one side, but with any luck I will have a time lapse video of the whole process I'll be able to show you soon, excited for that.

I'm feeling a bit love sick since I finished up if I'm honest! Over the course of the week 'it' became a 'she', and we all finally settled on a name, 'Luna hops'. Luna, Latin for moon- being a moon gazing type stance, again with the local Roman links and a nod to Lucy's fabulously named (delicious) beers, and Hops, used to make the beer and a play on hares-a-hopping! Clever, eh? She's off for a high shine varnish at the car garage so she'll be able to withstand whatever the British summer throws at us, and goes on show with the rest of the 80 hares throughout the Cotswolds from March 25th this year, before getting auctioned for charity in the Autumn. Hope you like her, I can't wait to see the rest of the 'Flick'.

S x

Cirencester March Hare Trail

A belated happy new year to you! I hope you had a wonderful festive time, I'm easing myself very gently into 2017 and have some nice plans to tell you about...

I've been working on something quite different since Christmas, a departure from my usual flat walls, a large fiberglass hare! He'll form part of the Cirencester March Hare Festival where, once finished he'll join many others and become part of a public art trail which will encourage people to explore the beautiful Cotswolds. Why a hare, you ask? Hares have historical ties to the area, for instance the hare motif in mosaic works dug-up close by. You know I'm rather fond of them anyway, they crop up quite regularly in my work which means I'm pretty thrilled to be asked to paint a huge one! For details on when the trails are a-go, check the website here. I believe the launch is around Mother's day- what could be a nicer thing to do indeed? The hares will be auctioned in Autumn this year where they'll hopefully raise a tonne of cash for charities including National Star and historical renovation works in the towns and villages the hares have appeared in. I'm all for that.

Next week the nice folk at New Brewery Arts are letting me take over the pop-up studio next door, where you can catch me painting the large creature. Pop in and say hello! They are also the sponsors for my Hare, along with Corinium Ales and Geoff Carr Garden Design. Dream team. It's been quite a challenge thinking in dimensions and I'm not even sure how long it'll take me, but am sure up to doing something different to start the year off...

Will show you the progress shots soon, have an excellent weekend! S x

Spring pickings

It's finally feeling a little more Spring-like in Surrey, hoorah! To celebrate, I'm offering my Allotment apron for half price through until Easter- something that'll last a lot longer than a chocolate egg...!

Hand screen printed in fresh pale blue and zingy orange onto white cotton in the UK, this will see you looking good through Easter baking to summer tea parties and all BBQ season long! Shop for yours in my Etsy shop here.

S x

A happy Easter to you

A sweet evening project me and my in-house animator (the boyfriend) worked on, using my Hare brooches, some knitwear and cake sprinkles! Easter is almost upon us, which means sweet treats, the promise of lighter nights, warmer weather and for us, a trip to Stockholm! I can't wait...

Pick up a pen and drop your friends and family my Illustrated Hare or Spring Flowers card, printed in the UK on 100% recycled card stock, sport your Hare brooch or necklace and fully embrace this happy time of the year! x

Spring, that you?

Hello there! 

Well, it appeared that Spring had finally arrived here in Finland, though as I write this I look out onto a freak (and very unwelcome) flurry of snow. That aside, it's been glorious recently! I will never completely trust or understand the weather here. It seems every time I put my winter boots away and rejoice at putting my trainers back on (and start dreaming of bright coloured sandals of all things), we wake up to a few foot of snow again! Moan moan...

Anyway, with the promise of spring eventually on the way, I've been enjoying getting out a lot more, and have recently taken up Instagram, which now fully consumes a lot of my spare time! I'm late to the game, I know, but you can follow me at @stephaniecole_design if you're that way inclined.

I also picked up the embroidery I loved so much at uni again, started making dresses from the stash of fabric I hoard away and exercising a little. My mind's in overdrive in the evenings at new things I can make and dream up, then stops abruptly the next day when I realize only I would like and buy such a thing...anyone else have this problem!? There's a real freedom in producing your own work, but finance and belief in your work is such a killer.

I am however really happy with a couple of new bits I've added to my shop, fresh for spring, and I can't stop wearing the ones I've kept aside for myself! Introducing...

Sweet walnut wood Hare accessories, so perfect on knitwear, tees & the like! The necklace has a mint green sandstone bead, which I had lots of fun choosing. It's got a beautiful, matte speckled texture which I think is really unique matched with the wood. I think they'll also make the loveliest gifts for Easter, and will last a lot longer than a chocolate egg! You can shop for both here, amongst my other creations.

This week I also start work on a really exciting project. I can't say much about it yet but as soon as I can, all will be revealed...I also have a friends visiting Helsinki tomorrow so my tour hat will be back on, I'm getting good at this! Have a wonderful week, S x