By Wendy Spall
Last October I was invited to attend the Dereel Art and Craft Festival, and I met up with some very talented artists. As I wandered around and studied all the art on show, I stopped to talk to the artists that were displaying their work.
Marita Reynolds was using Ink Tense pencils and she showed me how it was done. “You apply to paper and then you add a little water and that intensifies the colours,” Marita used coloured pencils for years but felt that it was time for a change. “These are what I came up with,” she said. “I enjoy experimenting and these pencils just fascinate me”.
I found another artist that was using the same product but in a different format. Vivian Ireland was using Ink Tense blocks. “They have a strong colour and I enjoy playing around with them. They also provide a large colour range and that is important to me”
I looked through Vivian’s collection of pictures hanging up behind her and I could see she really enjoys the multi coloured palette.
A short distance away with a beautiful display of photographs was Carol Moyse. Her large portrait sized framed photos of birds was really spectacular. “I am self-taught” she informed me, “But I have always loved photography, I get a real sense of peace when I am out taking photos, it’s an escape from the world, it keeps me sane!”
A mixed media artist that is no stranger to our area was also displaying and demonstrating her work. Lyn Dickson is a multi-talented lady, who mixes her love of the tactile with many various mediums. Today she was demonstrating coiling, a practice that is simple to master and uses up all your left-over threads and yarns. “You can coil anything” she informed me, “Even barbed wire!” She had various objects with her, and you could see the method of coiling in each one.
Another well know artist from our region is Rosslyn Bosnar, who was busily working using Alcohol Inks, which are little bottles of coloured ink that you apply to a non porous surface and mix and blend to your hearts delight. “I find art very relaxing,” she told me.
