Brrrrrrr, now why would anyone take 50 students to London on a day like this?????

Who knows? But I'm afraid that, that was what Ivan (Mr Bicknell), Annie, Brooke and myself had pencilled in for today! Remind me not to do it again - the snow was too, too, much, especially when you have to risk your life willing your (fabulous) car up a super steep, super slippery hill at stupid O'Clock in the morning, because someone (Mr Bicknell)told you with some authority (generally the case)that it was very unlikely that it would snow during the night, and that we need not move our cars to the top to avoid said life threatening manoeuvres.....!

However, being made of tough stuff and fuelled by the knowledge that I had all the tickets for the day in my bag, I made it! It was quite nice to actually be somewhere early too - very, very, rare in my case - as we got to have breakfast at the station cafe!

The day was cold, but productive, and I have to hand it to the first years, aside from a couple of wimps and a couple left victim of a rubbish bus service, they all rocked up! So off to the Barbican for the 30 years of Japanese Fashion exhibition we went, followed by a quick strut over to the design Museum for the Drawing Fashion and the John Pawson shows. I LOVED the Japanese stuff - you HAVE to go - being so close to Junya Watanabe and Rei kawakubu creations was breathtaking - pure genius stuff and I defy anyone NOT to be blown away! Enjoyed the gift hops too - well I am a woman after all!!!

Be amazed, be very amazed - 30 years of Japanese Fashion at the Barbican

Camilla and Jess - cold but cheery!

Hannah - this picture will certainly be prettier than hers!

Ivan (Mr Bicknell) - the ultimate snow-bunny - me, not so happy about the cold wet stuff!

A bit of fabulous fashion illustration at the Design museum - less is always more....

John Pawson architecture - look and learn kids, look and learn - this is how you work in cardboard!

Now you see them..

Now you don't - know what I prefer........!

And a fine day was had by all!

But the snow keeps on coming - our deck at midnight!

Really should have brought that geranium inside - ooops.

Or maybe I will master the Poladroid....

Presenting the Bicknell Christmas card 2010.

I have become lazy over the years - well over-worked actually, both school wise and with my own work, so I have developed a kind of collage theme which I can reinvent yearly for our card - little extras get added like mini blowing bubbles or real touchy-feely additions, but we do have a house style going on! So I present to you - our card 2010 - it might change a little, and now I have ruined the surprise, but this is what you will be getting this year!!



Baby it's cold outside!

I don't know about you guys but I am cold. Cold, cold, cold!But.....I am hoping that it stays like this as a couple of weeks ago I took it upon myself to make hot water bottle covers - with birds on OF COURSE, and well, I am rather proud of these little creations! If you don't get snowed in next week and feel like you can face a little bit more Christmas shopping,or are feeling generally rather chilly, come and see my stall at the Selborne Christmas Fayre - Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th December - I have lots of goodies for sale - all of which will make super wonderful pressies and stocking fillers and would be most pleased to sell them to you!!

Some more of my creations - just to whet your appetite!

Can you hear that? They are saying buy us, buy us, buy us!!!



The mysterious Miss Arati.....

Arati was a student with us last year, she is phenomenally talented and one of the sweetest yet shadiest characters I have taught - originally from Nepal, she has had to cope with a great deal in her bid to adjust to life in Blighty and it has to be said that it has been something of a bumpy ride. However this girl is made of tough stuff - she is resourceful, clever and ambitious - keep your eyes peeled she'll go a long way......

"Having started at the Winchester school of art only last week, I think I will begin the world of blogging by posting work form induction week. Brief : create a paper dress in your groups using only paper, however you may use staples, tape and pins to hold the garment together.

Working in a group makes me 'iffy' as its hard to get every body's idea into one garment that would essentially satisfy all. However working with people you haven't even exchanged a word with takes it to another level. Found it as a good ice breaker as I could figure who was good and who I could label as "competition" and "potential enemy". Anyway here is what our group created in the space of two working days in the studio. We worked with the idea of nature in mind. Whilst playing and experimenting with the texture and feel of the paper, we decided to make snowflakes. We developed the small snowflakes and worked at a larger scale to create the garment. Great messy fun I must say not to mention it made me feel 8yrs old again!!"





Christmas?

Ivan's (Mr Bicknell) father (Mr Bicknell senior), decided that last weekend was as good as any to have Christmas - things are never simple on this side of the family - so we all toddled off to the mystical Glastonbury (there's a clue there), to enjoy some early festivities - all lovely until it transpired that one of the little people had arrived with a rather vicious stomach bug which slowly and effectively worked its way through us - and last night at about 8.30pm it was my turn - now I'm always up for a day off college, but not when I have to stay a mere stones throw from the bathroom all day.......

Ho, ho, ho..........!



Clever old Lucy Venn!

Lucy is one of my most favourite ex-students - she is super sweet and very talented - she is currently at Bath Spa and has kindly sent me some pics of her current project - well OF COURSE I was going to love the work - there are birds in it!!!



 This is Lucy BTW!

Fun and games!

I am not really a grown up and fortunately nor are some of my friends! I might have mentioned that I get a bit over-excited at Christmas and every year my friend Lynda and I get together and go shopping - well, we mainly go to gossip, fill up with meatballs at Ikea and have a bit of snoop around buying things we probably don't need at the aforementioned - what is it with this shop?! Ivan (Mr Bicknell) in the ten years we have been together has only been convinced to go in once - but then he's a boy! Girls - for cheap fabrics for Christmas making projects - mine this year is hotwater bottle covers, and excellent wrap - mirrored Angel tree decs and sparkly silver bags, you cannot go wrong! And then, well, you always have to play with the toys.....



And then, well, there was this very bare tree in Marks and Sparks, and this big basket of sparkly Polar bears near by, and well, it would have been rude not to put the two together.........!



The photography is quite good fun too!

So a quick add on to the Spinning Tops project - a few of my photos - now the best examples can be seen on the student's blog - http://textilesrus2010.blogspot.com/



Who'd have thought that you could have so much fun with a bin lid and a drill?!

Seriously, it's amazing - The project that the students are doing at the moment is called "Spinning Tops" - essentially it is all about movement and mark-making, lots of drawing and photography is also encouraged - although sometimes one may as well talk to the wall when it comes to drawing - I don't get this, it is one of my big loves and I really miss not being able to sit for hours doing it anymore - anyway, the whole project is basically a vehicle to get them to loosen up and have fun! So Mark came up with this brilliant way of making patterns - so when Georgie's arms nearly fell off with exhaustion, I took to the helm - with my safety goggles of course, and I particularly love how they make my pin head look even smaller!!





Bonfire night - don't you just love it?!

It is officially here - my absolute favourite time of year - it hasn't made a bit of a difference being a grown-up what so ever -and from bonfire night onwards I just love the cold nights, the brittle leafy days, occassionally even the wind and the rain (and snow), and all the fun that goes with the clebrations that take place between now and New year! I even love this time of year at college when UCAS is out the way, I have finished all the reports and I can get on with helping the girls to present their folio - it brings everything together and what really does it for me is knowing that they are generally secretly very pleased with what they have achieved - then comes secret santa, parties and the holidays! We are a pretty cheery group in art and have already sorted out our secret santa and a place to have a festive meal!

This Year Ivan (Mr Bicknell) and I were in charge of letting off the fireworks at Thedden - his family home, so I didn't have enough hands or courage for that matter to take photos - but I did get to play with some sparklers and munch some of the food on offer!

The Theddonites know how to put on a good spread! Mulled wine, Sean's special squash soup and homemade toffee!