Allansart.co.uk - Arts and Crafts

Welcome to my Arts and Crafts pages.

Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill and the end product being decorative in design. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" (doing things the old way) and "the rest". Some crafts have been practised for centuries, while others are modern inventions, or variations of crafts which were originally practised in small or remote areas of the world.

Most crafts require a combination of skill, speed, and patience, continued practice and perseverance, but they can also be learnt on a more basic level by virtually anyone. Many community centres and schools run evening or day classes and workshops offering to teach basic craft skills in a short period of time.

It's not always easy to determine which activities fall within the term Arts and Crafts, but can be grouped by material types e.g. crafts involving the use of textiles, wood, metal, clay, paper, canvas and/or plants etc.

some of the art activities could be labelled as folk art, mixed media or simply artwork. People who make crafts or produce artwork could be described as artists, arty, a crafter or an artisan.

An artist is one who makes their craft into fine artwork producing a visual representation. Arty being one who is artistic. An Artisan is a craftsman working in a crafting medium and who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools.

I prefer to think of myself as an artisan who enjoys working in any art and/or crafting medium and one who appreciates and admires works by masters in the profession such as Wedgwood's finest "Daisy Makeig-Jones" and her famous Fairyland Lustre!

Greeting cards are one of the most popular activities in the world of arts and crafts and are always gratefully received whatever the occasion may be, whether it's for a Birthday, Christmas, Holiday, Anniversary or Thank you cards etc. but to receive a handmade and hand painted greeting card is something special. Why not send your loved one a handmade hand painted greeting card today.

I offer a large selection of greetings cards, all painted in the finest watercolour medium. They come in two sizes of 18cm x 20cm and 11cm x 15cm and with two cut out shapes of oval and oblong.

My online cards cover Events, Relations, Occasions and Seasons. I can supply hand painted handmade greetings cards to gift shops and to individuals.

My greetings cards are individually crafted so I am able to tailor my designs to meet your exact requirements - and nothing quite compares to receiving handmade greetings cards that have been individually designed, and painted by hand. They each have a hand cut pattern edged internal page with your very own verse or message printed inside. Click Here to view an example of the internal page.

If you are interested in buying my greetings cards why not buy a selection now and always have a card handy when you need one! Each of my greetings cards are hand crafted and painted using the finest watercolour medium.

The inside of the card is left blank for your own greeting or message - suitable for any occasion, such as a birthday, 'get well', congratulations, or a 'thank you' note. If you wish I can personalise your greetings cards with your own verse or message printed on the insert page Free of charge; It's your choice!!.

You just select your handmade greetings card or cards from your selected page. Then send me your verse/wording and your choice of gold lettering for the front of the card by allansart@aol.com

Each finished card is supplied with a good quality envelope and individually packaged in cellophane. They represent excellent value, Competitively priced, even compared with ordinary mass-produced cards.

Please feel free to contact me if you wish to commission your own set of watercolour greetings cards from a favourite photo or picture of yours. Otherwise, I hope you will send lots of my greetings cards to your friends and relatives! I will regularly be adding new cards, so come back often and browse.

Each of the hand crafted and hand painted greetings cards are original watercolour "not prints" so if choosing two of the same card there may be some slight but subtle differences.

Selling my artwork is not my priority, I just want people to enjoy my crafts and to inspire others in to some form of art and crafts. If I do that then I have achieved my goal!

Woodturning and Wood Crafts

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Woodturning and wood crafts as a art form appears to be largely overlooked by arts and crafts galleries in general these days, so the woodturning pages in this website have been created not just in the hope of selling my artwork but in the main to showcase and publicise some of the projects that I have enjoyed making and that may appeal to others who work with wood. More importantly it is hoped that my wood crafts may inspire those who haven't yet started woodturning or working in wood generally in to having a go.

Each piece I turn is totally unique and hand turned using timber obtained from a local tree surgeon where ever possible. I do use other woods but they are selected sustainable hardwoods from around the world. A large part of the fascination of woodturning and in wood crafts to some degree is in exposing the treasures that lay beneath the bark. I love wood with character and often look for pieces with wild grain and natural flaws which may well become a feature in a particular wood product.

Some of the wood turned items involve an element of carving, some require decoration using car body filler or wood dyes others just require the beauty of the grain, but it's good to cross boundaries by integrating another art form in to your work.

Almost all of my wood products are finished with at least three coats of Danish oil which allows the character of the grain to show through. Alternatively I use a coat of sanding sealer, a good coat of friction polish and then where possible give it a finishing polish on the buffing wheel.

Each of my woodturning galleries include relevant turning topics and tips. I do hope you enjoy viewing them.

Colour and markings may differ in appearance slightly in your finished turning from the one's shown in the photo's depending on wood used at the time they are turned. Each item is handcrafted individually, so slight variances should be expected especially if ordering more than one item. The sizes listed are approximate. They may be a couple of millimeters taller, longer, wider or little shorter, etc.

The key to becoming a painter in any medium is to never give up....' Like any new form of art, watercolour painting can be difficult at first. It is only with time and practice that you'll become a better painter. Never become discouraged by your mistakes or lack of progress.

If you find yourself uninspired or confused about what to paint, think about what you like. You can develop numerous ideas for subjects in a variety of ways. Visit art galleries, I myself find inspiration in seeing what other artists have achieved so I regularly attend various art exhibitions at my local art gallery. If you love animals, you could take a trip to the zoo and take some photo's or head to an aquarium and do the same. If you are a lover of the outdoors and nature, take a trip out with a camera.

If you become frustrated or discouraged remember that every budding artist has been there. Take your photos to your studio and select things from a number of the photo's to create the most desirable topic for your painting. It will soon become second nature. I hope my paintings inspire you to have a go!!

To choose from my extensive range of original watercolour paintings, simply click on the menu options above to take you to your selected page. Each painting is sold without mounts or frame and measures approximately 36cm x 26cm with a 1cm border all round to allow for mounts and framing.

Some of my watercolour paintings and many greeting cards have found new homes in many parts of the world, some as far away as America and Australia.

Arts and Crafts - Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre & Ordinary Lustre

Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre was manufactured by the Wedgwood factory from 1915 to 1929 after original designs by Daisy Makeig-Jones (1881-1945), the Fairyland line proved to be popular in the United States as well as in the UK.

Credited with helping improve Wedgwood's struggling profits, Daisy Makeig-Jones' novel designs were far more than 'pretty patterns'. She prided herself on creating stories and hidden worlds with fantastical themes,using rich jewel-like colours and imaginative details.

Daisy's fairies came from many cultural backgrounds and the articles they decorate often tell complex tales... Some [pieces of Fairyland Lustre] needed as many as six firings.

With expressive titles such as "Fairy Gondola", "Butterfly Women" and "Leap-frogging Elves", her work appealed to the public possibly as they offered a form of escapism during the difficult post-war years. Wedgwood stopped the "Fairyland" lustre ware line in 1929 due to an apparent lack of interest. Today the enthusiasm for Makeig-Jones' work is as strong as it ever was, possibly even more so than when the designs were first introduced in the 1920s.

Interest in the artist's work has been further enhanced by various Art Deco and Arts and Crafts exhibitions featuring examples of her work including one at the Victoria and Albert Museum, in September, 1990; an exhibition of "Wedgwood Fairyland and Other Lustres" at the Long Beach Museum of Art, in September, 2001; and an exhibition comprising solely of her work from the Collection of Maurice Kawashima at the San Diego Museum of Art in 2005.

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