Tag: art fair

ART FAIR 2024

If you’re just landing on this web site after visiting me at the KUKI art and craft fair in Kehlen, Luxembourg, hello and welcome.

It’s been a while since I participated in a craft market, two years to be exact and in that time a few things have changed. Most of my artwork these days is digital, prints and patterns for example but occasionally I still like to get out a pencil and paper to produce a quick sketch. I enjoy making cards using a blend of digital illustration, collage and hand painted backgrounds. Some of the cards made for KUKI were made in this way.

The prints made for KUKI started out with a simple hand cut alphabet and shapes, scanned and put into Illustrator where I could manipulate them and add colours. I love that choppy, wobbly look, it gives them a bit of character I think.

I make less books than I used to which is sad I know, I love hand bound books. I’ll still be making a few special ones so they won’t disappear from my life forever.

This time around I’ve been rediscovering the magic of my cutting maching and made a few stickers to put on the table. I’ve had a lot of fun with these, I’m pretty pleased with the results. It’ll be fun to play with lots of new illustrations for stickers in the future. I’ve also discovered some specialist papers for tatoo making and Kraft paper labels so I’m looking forward to playing with those.

This time round I’m sharing the tent with my daughter Sophie who has set herself up as an illustrator too. She’s done really well in designing, printing, packaging and marketing, I think she has a great future ahead and I’m one proud mama.

Have a great weekend

Update: I want to thank everyone who came over to support us, it was very much appreciated xx

Jaine xx

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TAKING STOCK

I don’t usually write here on a Monday but I thought I’d just say a big thank you to all those people who came to KUKI and visited my stand. Whether you bought something or not the support was welcome.

Weather wise it was a mixed bag. It ranged from warm and sunny to absolutely freezing cold with my body shaking at one point. A massive storm right at the end managed to blow past us which was a huge relief to me and the stalls around me and the only rain was felt as we were packing up, so I think we were very lucky on the whole.

It’s been a few years since the last fair so the anticipation was high. I had a great spot right at the top where everything was going on. The years before I’ve been way down the side street and missed the opening ceremony.

The ribbon was almost cut in my tent. Good for publicity and even better for official photos.

There were all kinds of wonderful things to see and hear from bands and theatre to Viennese costumes. The art on display was amazing too.

Today I’m unpacking and sorting my stock for the next one which is on Sunday in Bushdorf. I have a spot on the main street, number 38 if you want to come over and visit.

I’ll be back later in the week but for now I’ll get on with sorting the stock out.

Have a good one

Jaine xx

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GOING INTO ART FAIR OVERDRIVE

I know one thing you really shouldn’t do is start a blog post with, ‘it’s been a while since I blogged’ but really…it’s been a while!! Truth is I’m juggling with getting ready for the Summer art fairs, being with the family and as the weather is now perfect – gardening like a mad woman. The warm weather makes me, a) want to rush outside with my sketchbook and draw everything in sight, b) keep on top of the weeding and c), yes there’s a c, just keep the back door open to let the warm sunshine in as I cut a few more books to put on my stand. What a whirl!

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve done all of the above and more so I think I’m in a happy place right now. I think my stand at KUKI will look pretty good, not bursting at the seams but who wants that any how? I want it to look cohesive, bright and smart. I keep forgetting that the next one is only a week later so I need to keep creating books and cards whenever I can.

One of the things I’ve been working on recently was a bunch of scrapbooks. Honestly, when I rediscovered them I was prepared to pull them to pieces and start all over again. Actually I should rewind a bit here. I made these books a few years ago for one of the last art fairs I attended before ‘Rona’ and as they were the last few which hadn’t sold they sat on the shelf doing nothing. Fast forward a couple of years and the way I make these type of books has changed so they were bugging the heck out of me. I mentioned this to a friend who told me basically I was totally over thinking the whole thing (which I tend to do) and suggested a small but fairly obvious change which made all the difference. So much so that I added a couple more scrapbooks to the pile and now love them. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before.

I think it’s easy to over think things and as I had been looking at these books so often and for so long I had become far too critical and would spot small niggling things which no one else would even notice. That’s why it’s good to step away occasionally, take some time out then come back with a fresh eye or better still get a good friend to give you some advice. They’ll see things you can’t!

It’s now the last week until KUKI and I’m getting down my to-do list so it’s all good. This week will be table mock-up, labels and packaging. At this point I’m not stressed but then maybe I should be? Oh now I’m stressed about not being stressed!! Just kidding, it’s all good.

I’ll post a picture of my table mock-up when I’ve done it and I’ll compare it with the actual table later on just for a laugh!

Have a good week

Jaine x

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