I recently visited The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery with some friends from Touchmark Studios, to see 2 exhibitions there.

The first was Wendy Ramshaw's Room of Dreams. A touring exhibition of work by the renowned Jeweller who took the Jewellry scene by storm in the 1960's. Her most recognised works are the fabulous sets of rings she made, displayed on ring stands that make the jewelry into a work of art in its own right.

there were examples of these but also lots of pieces inspired by dreams and childrens stories like Alice in Wonderland.

The styles were diverse and used various materials & techniques, but were totally fresh & I couldn't tell which were pieces of her older work and which may have been designed recently. Many were displayed in frames on the wall.

What struck me most about the exhibition was the idea of making your jewellry into a piece of art when you're not wearing it. We all have lovely things hidden away in boxes, why not display them and enjoy them every day ?

The other exhibition we had gone to see was the Staffordshire Hoard, but I'm saving that for my next blog entry !

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know my latest pieces are now available at www.buythesea.co.uk.

Everyone collects pebbles from the beach don't they ? I had a collection on my desk from various places, they always sent me into a daydream of being on the beach with the waves crashing around my feet and the sun on my face. Somehow they have evolved into this !

I've decided that as I know so many talented Crafts people I'm going to do a Guest Feature about once a month on my blog page.

Hopefully, you my reader will then be able to follow them up if you are interested in their work.  So my first Guest is Potter Karen Edwards.

I've known Karen quite a few years. We met through the Westcountry Potters Association & our mutual love of all things ceramic .

Karen makes Garden Ceramics, sculptures, planters & wall plaques and exhibits them at many garden shows in the South West & beyond.

Her work is not bright & colourful like my jewellery, but soft & tranquil using subtle colours that blend into the garden environment, looking at home there and complimenting their natural surroundings.

Yin Yang Sculpture

Karen has a Studio at the lovely Barley Wood Walled garden in Wrington just south of Bristol. Postcode BS40 5SA.  www.walledgarden.co.uk  Here there are several Craftspersons who welcome visitors to their Studios by appointment or at Open Events. 

Spring Sisters Trio

Shoreline planters

I've posted a few pictures of Karen's work here but theres plenty more on her website with details of where you can see her work.

I know lots of you like to meet the maker so check out her Events page to see which ones she will be attending. www.karenedwardsceramics.co.uk

The next one is at

The University of Bristol Botanic Garden Easter Sculpture Exhibition.

25th - 28th March 2016, Hollybush Lane, Stoke Bishop, Bristol BS9 1JB  10am - 5pm.