An inspirational Summer

With Autumn around the corner I've been reflecting on the wonderful warm Summer we have had and the amazing things I managed to squeeze in, both work and pleasure.

I ran several Children's Writing and Illustrating Workshops at Tansley and Cromford Mills working with lovely enthusiastic girls and boys.  They never fail to surprise me with their vivid imaginations.  

I am running one this Sunday for Duffield Arts Festival and over October half term at Tansley Village Hall. (Wed 31st 10.30-12 please email if interested).

I've also been working on a new logo for my Stan the Story Van children's writing and illustrating workshops and am looking forward to this new project.  If you'd like to be kept informed of all my workshops please sign up to 

Stan the Story Van and Children’s Workshops

http://eepurl.com/dyxE9T

Over the Summer we have had lots of trips in Freddy, Stan's big brother, discovering new places on our doorstep and some much further afield.

Tittesworth Reservoir Stop

Bruno's now got a "fixed bed" too!

The highlight for us this Summer has to be our mahoosive road trip up to Scotland.  We had no plans, no route nor nothing booked, we just headed North armed with lots of water, food, wine (I class this as an essential), maps and an empty journal.  Said journal is now full of wonderful memories and accounts of our 1,840 mile journey.  

Words nor photos can do justice to the majestic scenery of the North and West Coast of Scotland and we thoroughly took advantage of the freedom to park up and "wild camp" for the night at some amazing spots, even with a tent when our son joined us for four days.  To wake up to hear the lapping of the sea or view the morning mist creeping in over the mountains was just breathtakingly beautiful, memories of which will be with me forever.  

I'd like to share a few of many happy memories.

one well travelled little Bruno x

So now I am slowly trying to get back into some sort of routine, but my Scottish adventure won't be far from my mind when I get back into my studio and will for sure be reflected in my painting.

Keep you posted.

Love Karina and Bruno 🐶

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travels, paintings and stuff

Hello, hope you are well and enjoying a bit of a reprieve from the scorching weather. I hope it returns though.

Been a busy Summer with more stuff planned ....

A fab start was a trip to The Barbican Centre to see our daughter graduate from London Met University with a BA First Class Honours.
Was a very proud day for us and her grandparents.
Katie graduated last year with a Montisorri Teaching Degree and will continue with her teaching job in London whilst now doing her MA. We've just had her home for a few weeks and it was quite amusing to see how this London city girl took a few days to unwind and chill out in the country, but a quiet village life suits us just fine and she returned to London yesterdaywith batteries fully charged!



We've also been making the most of Freddy our camper van with many trips away including Northumberland, Pembrokeshire, Norfolk and an interesting evening wild camping upon Tan Hill above the Yorkshire Dales, the highest pub in England!

Bruno has enjoyed his many varied walks up hills and along the coast but being in water is what he loves best.

In between all this gadding about I have been "working" with some lovely days in my studio finishing or starting new ones.


Cromford Canal- Oil on box canvas 40 cm x 40 cm

The first of a new Echoes Collection (available on my Etsy Shop.)





I am currently Artist of the Month over at the lovely Two Birds Gallery
in Castle Doningon with a coastal themed exhibition. A fab gallery well worth a visit.




 I've also been busy running Children's Workshops over the Summer and have some more events coming up soon.  I love doing these and more information can be found on my website

https://www.karinagoodmanstudio61.co.uk/childrens-workshops.html


  

   



I hope those who've been on holiday had a good time and those who, like me, are looking forward to their main holiday have a great time too.

We are planning a road trip in Freddy up to the Scottish Highlands in September so I hope the sunshine returns soon.

Anyway lovely to catch up and hope to chat again soon

 Karina xxxx

& Bruno of course x

Exciting plans!

As some of you may know I’m a bit of a van nerd.  I can talk about  van conversions and campervans all day long.  I am lucky to drive Stan our VW T4 campervan everyday and now go in holiday in his big brother Freddy. 

An exciting project lies ahead which I wanted to share with you. 

Stan’s Story

Once upon a time, in a land of peaks and meadows, lived a little white campervan called Stan

He was loved so much by his family taking them on amazing adventures, chugging up hills and tootling along lanes down to the sea with them all singing and his engine humming. 

Many years passed and one day Stan found himself feeling very sad indeed.  His mum Karina drove and chatted to him daily but he missed hearing the laughter and chitter chatter of children coming from the empty space in the back.

One sunny day, along the banks of Cromford Canal, his mum was exhibiting with her artist friends when she had an idea that made Stan’s headlights shine with delight.

As plans were explained to him Stan suddenly started to smile and gave an almighty honk on his horn!

He loved that the old school desks under his bed were going to be used, his walls were to be filled with books and tears ran down his windscreen when he heard that children would once again be jumping on board creating memories!

So the project begins.....

Stan the Story Van

Writing and Illustrating Workshops for children in Stan the campervan classroom, covering The Peak District and beyond.

outdoors - wildlife - community groups - schools - private events - festivals 

Keep you posted

Karina and Bruno 🐶 

More than words

I woke early this morning, still feeling unsettled knowing things had to change.

Yesterday was spent with a group of writers.  We worked outdoors in the meadows and on the banks of Carsington Water using nature as our inspiration and words as our tools.

I can't remember the last time I really listened to what surrounded me.  Yes I can hear the birds, the babbling brook that passes the studio and the rustle of the trees but that is just hearing.  Listening takes it to another level.  Listening and transferring to words takes it higher still.

It made me realise that I have been neglectful.  When my artist friends talk about being a child always drawing and painting I envied them as painting came to me later in life.  I realise now that as a child I always had a pen in my hand, my left hand, always writing, making up stories, writing poems or with my head in a book, often told off at the table for bringing my book to it. I used to tap out my stories on my old typewriter which now sits in my studio.  So realising this now I feel less inadequate but sad that it's took up to now.

The results of keeping a diary as a child has resulted in a loft full of them, none making a fascinating read but nevertheless if tells the story of my childhood.  There's also books of poems and stories up there too.  Must dig them out.  I continued to keep a diary until about 10 years ago and again these are filled with mundane ramblings about school trips, dentist appointments, brownies and scout camps, children's parties and holiday memoirs.

In January I opened my new 2018 diary* eagerly filling it in but not expecting that feeling to last, but it has.  I have continued to write in it, not always daily, but regularly enough to go back and reflect on my week, my life.

Yesterday's workshop made me realise that I need to allocate more time to my writing.  I have two children's stories on the go as well as illustrating, but they seem to get pushed to the back burner whilst painting for exhibitions and events takes precedent not to mention the other stuff going off ie children's workshops, purple and grey, art group, printing business

So I have decided that when I open my 2019 diary and block out "studio days" this will mean some days will spent just writing and it's not all about the painting.

I have a lovely area already to sit up the window overlooking the woods so there is no excuse, unless I can't get a seat!

I will still be painting because I have to but I'm hoping more words and stories will feature in my work and in my life.

Keep you posted.....

Love Karina xx

and Bruno 🐶

https://www.karinagoodmanstudio61.co.uk

*Journaling it appears is the new "keeping a diary" so I'm more "with it" than I thought.

Whether you use words or art,  journaling is way to help reduce stress because you are focusing on the here and now.

Tomorrow, as Purple of Purple and Grey, we are delivering an Art Journaling session for The National Head Office of the Youth Hostel Association to support Mental Health Awareness week.

Children, Chimneys and Chocolate!

After a week of being "snowed in" it was great to escape to a magical world at Sudbury Hall this weekend.

I had been contacted by The National Trust to run children's book workshops at The National Museum of Childhood at Sudbury Hall as part of their World Book Day weekend of events 3/4 March 2018

I ran four children's book workshops over the weekend attended by eager and enthusiastic budding young writers and illustrators.

I think it was in 2005 that, as a mum volunteer,  I went on a school trip with my son and daughter's class at Lea Primary to Sudbury Hall.

I needed to write a story inspired by Sudbury Hall so I asked my two what they remembered from their school trip and both came back with the same answer...... the chimney!!

The National Museum of Childhood has had many changes since and new interactive features but the chimney experience is still there.  It enables daring young "sweeps" to take on a chimney climb and crawl into the darkness to get a feel for what it would have been like for real life chimney sweeps in days gone by.

image courtesy of NT Sudbury Hall website

I decided upon a short introduction to a story called The Museum's Magical Chimney to inspire them to create their own story plot, invent their own main character and write what happened to them after they went up the chimney but didn't come out the other end as planned!!

After I'd read out the introduction it was great to hear their imaginative ideas as we all sat in a group and disappeared into other worlds, parallel universes and went back in time when servants busied away in the kitchens.

I have a vivid imagination myself but was blown away by the worlds they took us all to and it was funny that chocolate appeared in quite a few of the stories!

I do hope I get invited back and can highly recommend a visit .... if only I could have got up that chimney!

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sudbury-hall-and-the-national-trust-museum-of-childhood

Karina xx

 https://www.karinagoodmanstudio61.co.uk/childrens-workshops.html

Not just for kids!

My new Children's Art Clubs are aimed at pre-school and primary school boys and girls, but parents and grandparents are welcome to book too and join in the fun! 

DBS Certified

These are running over half terms and the Summer holidays on selected Wednesdays at Tansley Village Hall near Matlock (where we hold our Derbyshire Art Group) 

As a writer/illustrator of children's books and a real book worm a short story will be read at the beginning of each session to inspire creativity 

The first one is on Wednesday 21st February and kicks off with one of my current favourites  "Stickman by Julia Donaldson" #modellingclay #twigs #drawing #colouredpencils

There's already a nice mix of boys and girls coming.  Places are still left but booking essential so please email me  . 

more info on https://www.karinagoodmanstudio61.co.uk/childrens-workshops.html

So looking forward to this.......

Love Karina xx

and Bruno 🐶

​

Well what a surprise!

I think it was in 2005 that, as a mum volunteer,  I went on a school trip with my son and daughter's class at Lea Primary to Sudbury Hall's Museum of Childhood.  Another mum (my pal Sue Proffitt) and I were "responsible" for a lovely group of girls and we had a fab day exploring, enjoying, giggling and picnicking.

Imagine my surprise when, 12 years later and completely out of the blue, I was contacted by The National Trust to run children's book workshops at Sudbury Hall as part of World Book Day weekend 3/4 March 2018 😮!

It seems my decision over Christmas to focus more on my writing was the right one.....

So today I'm not venturing into the studio but going to snuggle up on the settee with a mug of hot chocolate, and Bruno of course, to write a short story set at Sudbury Hall for these new writing and illustrating workshops.

A very nice surprise indeed.  Keep you posted...

Love Karina xx

and Bruno 🐶

After a slow start....

Following a lovely family Christmas, a New Year road trip to the coast in Freddy and now guests have headed home I'm slowly getting back into things, with the emphasis on slowly!

First day back in my studio was a bit nippy but a productive one prepping new work for a new stockist

One of the things I love about January, apart from starting a brand new diary, is knowing Spring is round the corner, that nights will slowly get lighter and the days longer.

I do love being snugged up in Winter though and I'm writing this in front of a roaring fire with Bruno curled up next to me on the settee   

pic from a previous zzzz session

they say it's a dog's life and they're not wrong

I have decided that this year I am going to give more time to my writing and the illustration side of my business.  I'm hoping to finish the book I started this time last year and I've also started another one.  Both are children's books set within the Peak District featuring new animal characters, some being distant relatives to Hippity Hop!

New for 2018 is Hippity Hop's Holiday Art Club which I will be running during school half terms at Tansley Village Hall for children and families. please email if interested    (DBS checked)

I will also be co-running a programme of Art Workshops this year at Tansley Village Hall kicking off on Wednesday 17th January with Lunch a Learn - Still Life and Soup.  Booking essential more info here


I'm looking forward to the Art Group starting again on Wednesday 24th January. We meet 10.30 to 12.30 at a cosy and warm Tansley Village Hall on a regular basis and new members are always welcome.  It's open to all creatives who want to spend time with like minded people and work on their own project.  It's £5 per session and you can drop in at any of them with no need to book. more info



anyway Bruno has woken and is ready for a run in the woods so catch up soon...

Love Karina xx

and Bruno 🐶

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