If anyone is interested in taking a look at more images from my MA Final Exhibition, below is a link from the brochure that was produced for it.
​www1.chester.ac.uk/art-and-design/ma-fine-art-student-work/joanne-frankel

Its been a long time coming but its finally up and installed. After having to defer my masters for the year due to Covid, I've finally completed it. Well this [art at least, just a piece of written work left to hand in and its all done.

I've been exploring the narratives within lace and was particularly drawn to its revealing and concealing nature. 
The Private View details are below if anyone fancies an evening out.

Friday 1st October, CASC Gallery
Please join us for the opening event of the University of Chester’s Art and Design postgraduate exhibition. The exhibition celebrates the achievements of students from our MA Fine Art and MA Design programmes as they complete their final major exhibition and research projects. 

Please register via the Eventbrite link ASAP  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/university-of-chester-private-view-ma-fine-art-ma-design-2021-tickets-174224027757  to reserve a place. 

5.00 - 6.00pm 40 spaces 
6.00 - 7.00pm 40 spaces 
7.00 - 8.00pm 40 spaces ​

Alternatively the exhibition is open Monday/Wednesday/Saturday 10 - 4 and Friday 12 - 6 until the 22 October

I started a project that has been on my mind recently, its just a self indulgent bit of experimenting without agenda or intention. I have always been interested in texture, as most artists involved in textiles are, it is in its very nature a tactile art form which is one of the main pulls towards this medium.

It started out as a way for me to keep the creative part of my brain active and my fingers from getting twitchy but as my investigations have evolved I have discovered that this theme of 'Fragments' is very topical at present. As I was tearing apart paper and cloth to explore and interpret an image which had inspired me (see images below) it occurred to me that at this terrible and trying time, all of our lives have also become 'fragmented'.  We are torn apart from our family and loved ones, the careers and lifestyles that we have worked hard to achieve have been stripped away and we are most definitely feeling fractured from what was our normality. As I began to stitch the torn pieces of fabric back together I examined the way that although it was developing into one piece of material once more, there was always going to be evidence of the damage caused from tearing it apart. When our lives do finally return to its pre-pandemic ways, I believe that like my torn and fragmented fabric, our lives will permanently be scarred by this terrible virus, our families have been fragmented and kept apart, our businesses, careers and lives torn away,  and our priorities altered or re-evaluated.

These are some pieces that are continuing my  'Interpretation of Lace', a body of work I'm exploring with my Masters. This is a small extract from my project abstract:-
"Utilising the concepts of ‘edgings’ symbolically to address the broader themes of identity, gender and the feminine within the marginalisation’s of textile’s in contemporary art, referencing the gender associations of textiles and its connections with women and domesticity..."

On a lighter note, I've also been making and stocking up on my brooches, bookmarks and key rings which I sell at various stockists throughout the Wirral and at venues that invite me to be guest speaker.

Sorry that my news feed has been a bit slow recently. Due to Covid 19, all of my exhibitions, talks and workshops have come to a grinding halt. Of course this is completely necessary and perfectly understandable. The priority is for everyone to keep safe and well.

Once we are all out of the woods and the social distancing restrictions are lifted, things will commence as normal. As for now if you have a workshop booked with me then it will be postponed until further notice. 

Unfortunately the Wirral Open Studios Tour has also been cancelled this year, but we will be back in 2021 with added enthusiasm to see you all and welcome you into our studios.

I am continuing to produce work in isolation in my studio and am keeping myself busy with my Masters course as well as spending a lot of time gardening due to this fantastic weather we are having, so, plenty to keep me occupied. I hope you are all keeping yourselves busy too and creating lots of beautiful things.

I will keep everyone posted about forth coming events as and when we have more information concerning the lockdown and when the restrictions will be lifted etc.

​Meanwhile, I wish everyone the very best, keep safe and well and look after each other.

Exciting News!!!!! I am in this months BeCreative magazine which is out on 16th October with a 'How To' project I did for them. Here's a sneaky peek at the finished piece.

​www.creativewithworkbox.com

Sorry its been a while since my last post.....I've been working hard for some up and coming exhibitions, the next one being the 'Storylines' Exhibition at Cass Arts in Liverpool (18 School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3BT) The exhibition is on from Monday 28th October - Sun 1st December with a 'Meet the Artists' event on Friday 1st November. This event is free, where you have the opportunity to meet the artists and talk about the work, view some sketchbooks and see a mini performance.

This is my piece titled 'Only the Good Words'
www.cassart.co.uk/locations/liverpool

​

I was extremely pleased to be selected to exhibit in this years open exhibition with the Wirral Society of Arts at the Williamson Art Gallery. I went along to the preview evening last week and there is some fantastic work, such an honour to be exhibiting alongside such amazingly talented people.

If you get chance its well worth a visit.

Its going to be a busy couple of months......