Exmoor National Dress on the catwalk in Newcastle

I'm pleased to see that my film, costume and portraits are going on show as part of 'Triparks'
at
ACAdovetail, Amy House, 61 Blandford Square (in front of the Discovery Museum),
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4HZ

Exhibition runs from 4/11/09 - end of March 2010

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9-5pm (occasionally closed for lunch) / Entry is free

For more information: contact: Helen Ratcliffe, (01434) 685040, helenheads@aol.com

A project initiated by Aune Heads Arts

Posted Wednesday 2nd December, 2009 at 10:50 am by Karen

Exmoor National Dress on the catwalk again

My photo portraits and short film are on show down in Somerset until Oct 10th:
Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre
Coal Orchard
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 1JL

More detail on venue and times on
the website here

Posted Monday 7th September, 2009 at 6:22 pm by Karen

King of Exmoor

I was delighted to drop in to Tom Lock's workshop in Hawkridge, after talking to a nice gang of Somerset artists at the 'Reveal' event recently.
I had asked Tom to consider making a 'head-dress' for the Exmoor National Dress a while back, but as his lifetime retrospective (at Hawkridge Show, see pic) was absorbing all his time he declined....But I know real no from a 'well....no' and I had a feeling he was going to come up with something good.
Here Tom is modelling the prototype - it will eventually have little antlers in declining size all the way round. The head-dress 'ring' is made of 4 or 5 curved antler pieces carefully glued and sanded, it's quite a feat to find suitably curved pieces let alone to fix them together. What I especially like is the front-most horn, which Tom describes as "freaky" - its a tiny straight horn emerging from a misshapen, bony nugget. He'd had it for years, finding it useless for most of his work, but now has a good use for the freaky!
I tried it on and can confirm that it's actually comfy too....

Posted Monday 22nd September, 2008 at 11:47 am by Karen

The football doesn't feature much ...

... in the Kentwell world of Tudors, where we've now been for about 10 days, trying to both take part (as usual) and film (not as usual!) Here you see Karen reaching a new re-enactment high ... or low depending on how you view it ... as she finally cracks and goes to the pub in Long Melford in full tudor gear, unable to face another wrestle with that lacing and gown in the rather small 'timelock' between 1578 and 2006 - a space we have become all too familiar with.

10 more days to go & I might have to burn my kirtle at the end, much as I love it, this summer weather is not suited to wearing wool no matter how many Tudors tell you it is!

Posted Wednesday 28th June, 2006 at 2:40 pm by Nina

The final countdown

As Nina finishes her packing before we join 1578 for our new film shoot, I thought I'd share my latest craft outbreak - a range of bespoke Tudor handbags to conceal our stuff. The one on the far right is - sad I know - exactly tailored to hide a one litre plastic water bottle.
I think I might have become a fully paid-up re-enactor....

Posted Saturday 17th June, 2006 at 9:47 am by Karen