A very brief update...

I’ve been a little busy for blogging lately so here are a few very quick pointers on what I’m up to!

New Tutorial Series: I have launched a new Carve a Puppet Fish tutorial series and carving kit. Click the link below to find out more…
Portfolio Update: I have updated my portfolio with recent projects, including some woodworking which is a little different from my usual work! Check it out at link below…
Condor Marionette: I built a condor, and it made its way to the Andes! Link below

Sarah Vigars28 November 2022Comment

Spring is nearly here!

Spring is pretty much here in Devon UK! The daffodils are out in full cheerful ceremony but the wind is still bitter…not long now though! Here is an overdue news update about where I’m at in my practice, for anybody who makes it this far on my website…

Visit the Commissions section in my portfolio

Puppet making commissions…

Since spring last year I’ve mainly been busy with puppet making commissions! I’m really enjoying every opportunity to keep developing my making practice, especially marionette making which seems to be an emerging specialism/obsession!! I’ve published a new section on my website which gives an overview of what I’ve been making recently (the contents should be familiar to my Instagram followers). Click the image to be re-directed…

Jewellery Archive…

While I’ve been busy with puppet making I haven’t been producing any new jewellery pieces of late. For anyone not familiar with this body of work, I started carving and selling jewellery in 2018 as a ‘refuge’ from creative burnout. A few years on and I’ve realised I’ve amassed a more significant body of work than I remember! I’ve therefore consolidated a portfolio of past work that can be viewed on my website (click the image). I also still have some work for sale in my online shop… FYI I will be announcing a Discount Code via my social media platforms soon…

Flying with Strings - still in progress!

I am currently developing a new puppet show called ‘Flying with Strings’. For anyone who hasn’t followed the story so far, ‘Flying with Strings’ is a puppetry and music collaboration between myself and my partner, musician Louis Bingham. It currently takes the form of a short walkabout/pop-up ‘experience’, but I have plans to develop it further into a more ‘formal’ sit-down show with an added storytelling element. The timing of this is still TBC - I have been preoccupied with making commissions and Louis is busy cooking up his own projects for this year. I will be sure to update my friends and followers when more concrete plans emerge - you can check out the show page opposite.

We are currently booked as a walkabout act for Beverley Puppet Festival (15th-17th July 2022) and as a pop-up act for a local children’s festival in Totnes (15th-20th August). Visit the Events page for more info.

Puppets created by GCSE students at King Edward VI Community College, Totnes

Puppet Making Workshop

I recently delivered a 2 day puppet making workshop at my local secondary school and sixth form college in Totnes, working with a combination of GCSE, A-Level and Art Foundation students. It was a really fun couple of days and I can safely conclude it was a SUCCESS! I really enjoyed the connections I made with the students, who were engaged, enthusiastic and not-to-mention talented. I was delighted to see what they produced.

It has been a few years since I last ran a puppetry workshop. Since 2018 I’ve been busy examining, exploring and re-invogorating my own artistic practice. After this period of development, it feels great to have fresh ideas to offer as a teacher and facilitator.

Sarah Vigars9 March 2022Comment

News update...

Having not posted for a while, here’s an update on what I have been up to over the past few months!

March and April…

My new 10-part Carve a Puppet Hare tutorial series launched at the end of March and during April I was busy fulfilling orders for carving kits and editing tutorial videos. There are still a few more videos to upload before the series is complete and I am aiming to get them online by the end of the summer (find out more information on how you can take part here).
On 21st March I submitted an Arts Council application to create a touring puppet show of Flying with Strings. On the 5th July I found out that my application was unsuccessful. While this is disappointing news, I am already re-thinking and re-evaluating my plans for Flying with Strings, with new hopes and ambitions of how to take the project forward. The scope and scale of the project needs some re-thinking, but the dream lives on!
In April I also completed a small commission for a hummingbird marionette!

May…

Most of May was taken up with a project for Above Bounds Theatre Collective (Plymouth). I was commissioned to make three intimate-scale wood-carved human figure puppets and five ‘suitcase theatre’ sets for a puppet film, which was created, scripted and devised by year 5 children at Beechwood Primary School in Plymouth. The children have painted and decorated the puppets themselves and I look forward to seeing the results!

June…

In June I went on a much needed holiday to Cornwall with my partner Louis. This was my first trip away from home since the pandemic began in early 2020. We spent a week exploring the coast paths of the Lizard peninsular and camping with friends.
Not long after my trip to Lizard I returned to Cornwall, this time to Gorran Haven to attend a one-week puppetry training course with the Curious School of Puppetry (I originally attended a 10-week course with the Curious School back in 2016). I’ve just returned from this AMAZING week, crammed FULL with puppetry workshops, sea-swimming, camp fires, singing, community, generosity and wonderful new friendships. The whole experience has added some much needed fuel to my creative fire, after a long winter lockdown!

What’s Next?

I am about to start building a cat marionette for Running Dog Theatre (Exeter), which will feature in a new street performance they are developing. I also have another potential marionette commission coming in… so I’m feeling thrilled to be continuing the ‘string thing’!
I will be exhibiting my three bird marionettes at Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre this summer, for their new exhibition ‘Your Voice’.

Sarah Vigars5 July 2021Comment

Making a puppet film...

This January, I was commissioned by the Devon Guild of Craftsmen to create a short puppet film called Flying with Strings for their puppetry exhibition Art, Craft and Imagination: a peep into the world of puppets (curated by John Roberts). The film was made possible thanks to a grant from the Golsoncott Foundation.

The finished film is a music and puppetry collaboration between myself and my partner Louis Bingham, a musician and specialist in fretted strings. It features three bird marionettes which I created during lockdown last year. We were joined by Jolyon Holroyd on camera for the filming, which took place in the Devon Guild’s former cafe space.

Flying with Strings can be viewed in 4 separate parts at the Flying with Strings page (Swallow, Hoopoe and Bee-eater, and a bit about the project). The full film can now be viewed as part of the online exhibition. The gallery itself will open to the public from mid April, in line with Covid-19 restrictions, and the exhibition will run until the 16th May.

Sarah Vigars19 March 2021Comment

Plans for 2021..?

It goes without saying that 2020 was an unprecedented year for everyone, and so far 2021 is continuing in the same vein. It feels impossible to plan anything at the moment. Making plans, be they work, social or artistic (or all three) only to have them cancelled/postponed/rescheduled/abandoned can feel draining and demoralising. It is of course important to focus on the positives at the moment and count all of life’s small blessings…but it is hard not to worry. In the spirit of letting them off my chest, here are two of my current worries…

I worry about the longer term impact of the pandemic on arts and culture in the UK. I’m not just referring to the current closure of our theatres, galleries and music venues (though of course, that is tragic), I’m worried about the impact it will have on our national portfolio of work. Following the last recession in 2008, the Arts Council’s budget was drastically cut in 2011. This limited the risks they were able to take on new artists and companies. I strongly believe that a healthy arts scene is like a healthy eco-system. You need the new, green shoots/ideas for the arts in communities to truly thrive. This is not an economist’s argument. It’s an argument based on the belief that the value of artistic expression is not just monetary. Good art is not just a distraction; it feeds us, surprises us, challenges us and restores us. When it is reduced exclusively to a ‘bums-on-seats’ mentality, the portfolio stagnates.
I worry about the impact of Brexit on arts and culture in the UK. In this new ‘independent’ era for Britain, cross-cultural collaboration with Europe has become much harder than it was before. To give an example, the UK government has recently refused a proposal for VISA-free travel to Europe for touring musicians, despite much lobbying from the Musicians Union. This will likewise apply to touring puppeteers, theatre practitioners and visual artists, and the same will apply in reverse: visiting European artists will now need a VISA to visit the UK. I find the government’s reasoning (or lack of it) hard to fathom. Cross-cultural collaborations are vital for diversifying our cultural portfolio, our arts ‘eco-system’. Some of the best gigs, theatre shows, exhibitions and puppet shows I have seen came from visiting European artists. Thanks to Brexit, cross-channel collaborations have been limited to the wealthy, not to mention the income lost for those artists dependent on the European touring circuit.

I realise that I am having a ‘rant’, so at this point, I will outline my tentative plans for 2021, in an effort to focus on some positives…

A short film of ‘Flying with Strings’…

Thanks to a small grant from the Golsoncott Foundation, the Devon Guild of Craftsmen has commissioned me to put together a short puppetry film called ‘Flying with Strings’. The film will feature my hoopoe, bee-eater and swallow marionettes and will combine puppetry with original music, composed and performed by my partner Louis Bingham. It will be installed at the Guild’s upcoming exhibition, Art, Craft and Imagination: a peep into the world of puppets, which will open in the aftermath of England’s current lockdown. Filming is exempt from current lockdown restrictions, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into a collaborative project!

A full length puppet show, ready to tour…

I am also applying for a National Lottery project grant from Arts Council England, to fund rehearsals for a full length puppet show of ‘Flying with Strings’. While live performance still feels like a far-off dream in the midst of the pandemic, Covid-safe rehearsals feel like a more realistic mid-term goal. If my bid is successful, I will use the grant to commission a script-writer, engage a puppetry director, and R&D live-feed and projection elements. I want to create a multi-disciplinary, multi-media puppetry feast!

For the full length show, I will continue to collaborate with musician Louis Bingham. In the spirit of looking outwards towards our neighbours in Europe and beyond, the piece will take inspiration from both the ecology and music of the Celtic fringes and the Iberian peninsula, down to the the Mediterranean coasts, North and sub-Saharan Africa. The story will follow the migratory paths of some of Europe’s most charismatic birds.

A refreshed jewellery portfolio…

Just as it’s always good to stretch yourself and dream big, it’s also good to keep yourself grounded in the familiar. I will therefore be continuing to develop my portfolio of jewellery pieces, with an aim to get some fresh and exciting new work up in my online shop for the spring. I am currently working from home and, while this presents some challenges, my jewellery projects are small enough to ‘hot-desk’ where-ever space becomes available!

A new tutorial series…

Having only just uploaded the last two videos of my Carve a Puppet Bird tutorial series, I’m already dreaming of the next one! However, given all my other ambitions, this one will need to stay short and sweet. Ideas are developing for a new carving kit - more news soon!

Sarah Vigars15 January 2021Comment

WINNER of the Devon Guild's annual President's Prize

I am delighted to share that I have been awarded the Devon Guild of Craftsmen’s annual President’s Prize by Peter Randall Page RA! The prize was awarded for my three bird marionettes (swallow, hoopoe, and bee-eater) which are on display at this year’s annual Member’s Exhibition ‘2020’, open until the 1st November (find out more about the exhibition here). Below is my experience of ‘The Pandemic Effect’, which all exhibitors have been asked to share for the exhibition.

THE PANDEMIC EFFECT

The Covid-19 pandemic has, in some ways, been a blessing in disguise for me a s a maker, though it began with a major upheaval. Just days before lockdown I lost access to my studio space due to emergency building closures. Months later, I am still in a state of limbo, working from a temporary setup at home. This has had its drawbacks, but also some unexpected benefits: while working in a confined space has been challenging at times, I have really enjoyed the new flexibility it has brought to my working hours, freeing me to create in a more spontaneous and intuitive way.

The timing of lockdown was also strangely serendipitous. Not long before the pandemic I was lucky to be awarded a ‘Develop Your Creative Practice’ grant from Arts Council England, to develop my skills as a woodcarver. Lockdown dovetailed perfectly with this opportunity, resulting in an intensely creative period, free from distractions but also immediate money concerns. Consequently I have taken huge leaps forward with my practice, resulting in a new body of puppetry work, as well as my first ever online woodcarving tu torials, launching in the autumn.

Sarah Vigars13 September 2020Comment

Teaching my skills…

Online puppet carving tutorials
If you have read my previous posts, you will know that this year I have been immersed in marionette-making! This frenzied activity has been thanks, in part, to a Develop Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England. The final chapter in this saga has been the creation of my first online puppet carving tutorials, which I will be launching in the Autumn…

The idea for the tutorials came about because of the Covid-19 Pandemic. I had originally hoped to launch my first ‘in-person’ carving workshops this year, including one at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen. These were, unsurprisingly, cancelled due to the pandemic. However, thanks to remaining funds, I was able to invest in some new filming gear; the first step towards teaching online!

Rod marionettes and carving kits
I started prepping for the tutorials by prototyping the style of puppet. I knew I wanted to teach marionette making, but I needed to find a simple solution that would appeal to beginner and intermediate carvers. My mentor John Roberts suggested the idea of rod marionettes and the ideas evolved from there…

Having already researched the hoopoe, bee-eater and swallow for my larger marionettes, it seemed fitting to adapt them into rod marionettes. As I carved each bird I took notes, observing my own carving techniques and consolidating them into a clear methodology. From there I hit upon the idea of puppet ‘Carving Kits’, a set of wooden carving blanks in a prescribed design, that participants could purchase to accompany the tutorials. The rest of the process has been a blur of rolling cameras and video-editing, which will conclude upon the series release at the end of October!

The hoopoe, bee-eater and swallow rod marionettes (pictured below) will accompany their larger counterparts in a future puppet show, when live performance once again becomes possible. A new version of the swallow, accompanied by a new goldfinch design, are now the official protagonists of the carving tutorial series! If you want to find out more, you can watch the trailer here. The tutorials will be available on my new Youtube Channel, or via my Tutorials Page, from October 30th, with Carving Kits available to pre-order from September 30th.

Thank you again to Arts Council England for supporting the development of my work this year. Sadly, all future DYCP grants have been dissolved and reallocated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I was therefore EXTREMELY lucky to receive this grant when I did.

Sarah Vigars25 August 2020Comment

'Flying with Strings' part 3: bee-eater and swallow

Colour plate from The Complete Illustrated Thorburn's Birds (1989) — Colour plate from **The** **Complete Illustrated Thorburn's Birds** (1989)

Learning through LOCK DOWN continues…
Three months on from my last post and life is yet to return to ‘normal’. While lock down restrictions have eased for many in the UK, I am still working from home. My little workshop is tucked away inside a large public building in Totnes (Devon). Sadly the building had to close at the onset of the pandemic back in March and is yet to reopen. Access to my things has been limited. It has not been an ideal situation, but in the grand scheme of things I feel I have little to complain about. If anything, ‘lock down’ has brought its own rewards: the excuse to get completely immersed in my projects, that little bit of extra time to go out for walks, the nature on my doorstep (hares, owls, swallows, swifts, woodpeckers and deer stags, to name a few) and the opportunity to slow down and reconnect with my family. I realise, of course, that these past few months have been incredibly difficult for A LOT of people. I have been one of the lucky ones, and I am hugely grateful for that.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, back in the Autumn I received a DYCP (Develop Your Creative Practice) grant from Arts Council England. I have devoted this funding to developing my skills as a craftsperson, both as a woodcarver and puppet maker. A HOOPOE MARIONETTE was the first ‘offspring’ of this development period (and the main protagonist of my last blog post). A BEE-EATER and a BARN SWALLOW have now followed suit, though they are yet to take flight. I will be making two new marionette controls in the coming weeks/months so that, all being well, these puppets will be performance-ready for 2021. Dreams of a new puppet show are bubbling, though what form it will take remains to be seen…

If one swallow does not make a summer, then what does?
I’ve already touched upon the symbolism of hoopoes in mythology and folklore, as well as their more scientific reputation. I’m yet to read up on swallows and bee-eaters in the same amount of detail. However, I have been contemplating a thematic connection between all three of these birds: MIGRATION. The Eurasian hoopoe is widespread across Europe and Western Asia, but it commonly overwinters in Africa, as does both the European bee-eater and the European barn swallow. Swallows are, of course, regular visitors to the UK, arriving in April/May each year and heralding the start of summer. The hoopoe and the bee-eater, however, are British ‘vagrants’, occasionally overshooting their migratory path and rocking up on our coastlines each year in a state of mild confusion. To see a hoopoe or a bee-eater in the UK is therefore a rare blessing. One swallow might not make a summer, but several swallows, one hoopoe, AND one bee-eater definitely would!

Puppetry in performance: where, when, how?
Back in 2016/17 I created a puppet show called ‘The Fisher’Knight’s Tale’ which toured to ‘intimate’ spaces, including rural libraries, festival tents and schools. Right now, during a worldwide pandemic, the prospect of ‘intimate spaces’ feels tantamount to treason, so I may have to rethink the setting for my next show. A socially-distanced walkabout perhaps?…I’ll give it some thought!

The assembled body for the swallow puppet, hand carved from lime wood. I used the same mechanism designs as the hoopoe puppet.

Demoing the movements of the finished swallow, which is still to be strung.

The assembled body for the bee-eater puppet, hand carved from lime wood. I used the same mechanism designs as the hoopoe puppet.

Demoing the movements of the finished bee-eater, which is still to be strung.

A maquette for the swallow wing, assembled from 1.6mm basswood, 0.8mm plywood and thin card. The mechanism designs for the swallow and bee-eater wings use the same principles as the hoopoe puppet (ie. a few bolts and lots of thread!). It’s been really satisfying to re-apply my ideas from one project to the next.

The final swallow wing design. As a swallow is a much smaller bird than a bee-eater I decided to source some even thinner wood for the feathers. Therefore the feathers are cut from 0.4mm modelling plywood. The main mechanism is assembled from 1.6mm basswood and 0.8mm plywood, like the maquette. Everything has been stained with water based wood dyes and sealed with Danish oil. I was particularly pleased with the sheen on the feathers!

An initial version of the bee-eater wing, assembled from 1.6mm basswood and 0.8mm plywood. I didn't prepare a test maquette for this design and slightly regretted it: this version of the wing was actually too bulky. I disassembled it and trimmed down/removed some of the feathers to re-adjust the proportions, which was a bit of a tedious task! However I was happy with the colours, which are mainly water based dyes and Danish oil.

Sarah Vigars17 July 2020Comment

'Flying with Strings' part 2: the finished hoopoe

“The hoopoe said…
…I’d rather die deceived by dreams than give
My heart to home and trade and never live…
…We have no freedom to achieve our goal
Until from Self and fools we free the soul.”

― Farid al-Din Attar, The Conference of the Birds (1177 AD)

Learning through LOCK DOWN…
Since writing my last blog post A LOT has happened. When I first started making this puppet back in January I little knew quite how long it would take me to complete (nearly 2 months of prototyping and re-prototyping mechanisms). HOWEVER, I certainly didn’t anticipate that I’d be finishing it in lock-down, my workshop shut up for the indefinite future while the world wages war against an invisible virus. Looking over my last post, It’s odd and rather ironic that I allude to the impending Brexit deadline and my fear of losing freedom of movement across Europe. Now, with the whole country being told to stay at home, my ‘freedom of movement’ is more restricted than I ever could have conceived throughout my privileged first-world existence. I sincerely hope this is a once-in-a-life-time phenomena.

To focus on the positives, however, I am still managing to create. I am extremely lucky to live in a household that can accommodate my artistic mess, at least for the time being! Rather than going to my workshop each day I am now working from home, and spending more time in the garden as a result. The birds remind me more than ever of the notion of freedom: in particular freedom from government guidelines! I’ll be beyond lucky if I see a real hoopoe this summer; they are rare visitors to the UK, and it’ll be a while before I can take my puppet busking across Europe. In the mean time however, I have been learning more about these charismatic birds…

The Eurasian Hoopoe: a few ECOLOGICAL FACTS
I am neither a scientist nor an academic, so here are the best bits from Wikipedia!

Hoopoes nest in cavities in vertical surfaces, such as trees or rock faces. Their nests are notoriously SMELLY! This is actually an anti-predator defence, caused by a secretion from the uropygial gland of the incubating mother.
They can PROJECTILE POO! From the age of six days, nestlings can squirt streams of faeces at intruding predators.
During FIGHTS, rival hoopoes will try and STAB one another with their bills, and individuals are occasionally blinded in fights.
Hoopoes can be seen SUNBATHING with their wings outreached, their tail low against the ground and their heads tilted back.

Detail of a cover from a manuscript of ‘The Conference of the Birds’, by Farid al-Din Attar), Iran, ca. 1610. Can you spot the hoopoe? — Detail of a cover from a manuscript of *‘The Conference of the Birds’*, by Farid al-Din Attar), Iran, ca. 1610. Can you spot the hoopoe?

Hoopoes in STORIES and SYMBOLISM
So, in between all the fighting, stabbing, poo-ing and making foul smells, hoopoes have nonetheless remained a rather popular bird, spanning three continents in their notoriety. Here are some examples:

In ANCIENT EGYPT, hoopoes were sometimes depicted held in the hands of children, indicating that they were the heir and successor to their father (read more here).
In GREEK MYTHOLOGY, King Tereus is transformed into a hoopoe as punishment for raping his sister-in-law Philomela. For a contemporary source check our Stephen Fry’s ‘Mythos’ (2017).
In ISLAM, King Solomon (who can speak to birds) favours the hoopoe as his personal messenger. In the Quran the ‘hudhud’ brings news to Solomon of the Queen of Sheba.
In a ‘spin-off’ from Islamic scripture, the hoopoe takes centre stage in the 1177 Persian poem ‘The Conference of the Birds’ by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar. The birds of the world embark on a quest to find their Sovereign, the legendary Simorgh bird. As the wisest amongst them, the hoopoe leads them on the quest…which is really a metaphysical journey towards enlightenment!
AND, for something a little more child friendly, I highly recommend Salman Rushdie’s children’s book ‘Haroun and the Sea of Stories’ (1990), which features a mechanical hoopoe, rather like mine!

A common theme seems to unite all of these cultural appearances: the notion of leadership, be it royalty, advocacy or heirdom. I guess that crown of feathers might have something to do with it! By far my favourite encounter so far has to be ‘The Conference of the Birds’. I am yet to read the poem in full, but going by what I’ve seen so far, it’s a beautiful melting pot of both the natural world as we outwardly perceive it and the inner human world. Yum! As an added bonus, the Persian language contains neither male nor female pronouns, so theoretically you can find yourself a translation to fit your gender preferences! (though in most translations I suspect it’s an all-male cast).

Hoopoes from HERE: what next!?
This puppet has been the most complicated invention of mine to date, and I’ve been able to devote my time to it thanks to a DYCP grant (Develop Your Creative Practice) from Arts Council England. Sadly, this fund has been pulled for the foreseeable future due to the Corona Virus crisis, so I consider myself VERY lucky to have been one of its last recipients. In a neat bit of dovetailing, the final puppet was also intended for a scratch performance of a new puppet show ‘Flying with Strings’, to be performed at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen in May. This sadly has also been cancelled.

BUT, if not imminently, I WILL still be making the show, and, since I’m in lock-down anyway, I might as well get cracking with the next puppet. Stay tuned, it WILL be another bird… For more info on my making process, click on the images in the gallery below.

Wing mechanism: for more info browse the gallery opposite.

The first version of the crest was made from 0.8mm basswood. I stitched each piece onto a screw eye. This created a reliable enough pivot point, but the overall movement was a bit stiff!

The amended version of the crest was cut from 0.8mm plywood, which was much stronger. Each piece was then bolted through a screw eye using M2 bolts and lock nuts. Smoother!

Assembling the body for the first time, carved from lime wood. All of the joints are hand-carved. Although I designed the hoopoe to be life-size, I soon realised that the beak would need to be bigger for strength!

The final hoopoe crest in action (cut from 0.8mm plywood). Like the majority of my creations, it has been stained with water based dyes and white milk paint, and sealed with Danish oil.

The final leg mechanism (more info in the gallery above)

The tail mechanism (more info in the gallery above)

The 1st crest pieces (more info in the gallery above)

Testing out the prototype marionette control on the almost-finished puppet.

The final version of the marionette control, which is more slim-line than the first!

Sarah Vigars4 April 2020Comment

'Flying with Strings' part 1: a hoopoe maquette

At the beginning of January I spent a week with John Roberts at his workshop in Devon. An established craftsperson, John is a puppet maker, puppeteer and marionette specialist (author of ‘Carve a Marionette - a step by step guide’ and ‘Making Simple Marionettes’). I have worked with John as both a puppet maker and puppeteer for his company Puppetcraft. It was John who first taught me to carve at the start of my artistic career (check out his brilliant short courses in puppet carving at puppetcraft.co.uk). Now, with the help of my DYCP grant from the Arts Council, I engaged John for some 1-1 tuition, to help take my making practice to the next level. With that in mind I decided to pick his brains on what he know’s best: advanced marionette mechanisms!

I started the new year with a very particular dream: to make a bird marionette. More specifically a HOOPOE MARIONETTE! Why a hoopoe? WELL if you follow my work, then you’ll know that birds have become a signature theme for me (check out my costume jewellery page for examples). Now, forgive me, but I’m going to make an intellectual leap: as both a citizen of the UK and a European citizen at heart, I’m more than a little preoccupied with the notion of freedom-of-movement at the moment (cough-cough-read-between-the-lines-couch-cough). I appreciate it’s a cliche but what better symbol for freedom-of-movement than a migratory bird, that crosses countries and continents…without a VISA!!!

I’ll be writing a little more about the Eurasian hoopoe in the coming months, but for now here’s a snippet: they breed across Europe, Asia and North Africa and are occasional visitors to UK shores. As flamboyant and charismatic birds they feature in the mythology of many cultures. In the Qur’an for example, the hoopoe is King Solomon’s messenger, bringing news from distant lands. To me, their widespread presence makes them great ambassadors for trans-cultural exchange…so maybe I’ll go busking around Europe when this little guy is finished! (freedom-of-movement allowing…)

But for now, back to the making. Hopefully the pictures and videos will speak for themselves. Me and John have been experimenting with prototype mechanisms for the wings, tail, crest and beak. These are ROUGH maquettes, held together with tape and string. The REAL bird is yet to be made…but these mockups have been an important part of the ‘working-out’ process. More important still is the marionette control…which currently looks rather like a space ship or crossbow! I can’t wait to try it out with the final puppet…

This project is just the start of my marionette fever. I’ll be posting regular updates on here and on social media as the work develops. Stay tuned!

Sarah Vigars4 February 2020Comment

Learning my letters and learning to lathe...

This January, with the help of my DYCP grant from Arts Council England, I spent a week in Manchester for some 1-1 tuition with Jan Zalud. Jan is an amazing woodcarver, automata maker, puppet maker, and general all-rounder when it comes to working with wood (www.janzalud.co.uk). As a digression from my puppetry and jewellery work, I asked Jan to teach me lettering and relief carving techniques. Last summer I attempted my first relief carving, and the process was something of a learning curve! I wanted to revisit the process, but this time with help and advice at hand. So I set myself a rather ambitious project for the week: to carve my ‘Sarah Vigars Art’ logo in lime wood…

We started with traditional letter carving, which is a painstaking process that requires a different chisel for almost every cut. It is not forgiving either; make one mistake and you’ve carved a wobbly serif! A few wobbly serifs and apexes later and I still need more practice, but I’m glad to have started on the journey.

Next we prepped the wood for the logo plaque. After a bit of sawing and planing (which actually took the best part of a day!) we mounted the carving blank into a lathe and turned the edge, a first for me! Then I started the long process of lowering and levelling the background: I wanted to carve the leaf as a raised relief, which meant removing the surrounding wood. This took the best part of a day too, before I could even begin incising the lettering. BUT progress was made and the by the end of the week I was over half way towards my goal. This project will go on the back burner for now while I crack on with a marionette project, but I hope to have it finished in time for my next craft market!

Jan's lettering examples

Jan's workshop

Jan's demo 'A'

Sarah Vigars4 February 2020Comment

Whittling wings and other things…

I am writing this post retrospectively in mid January 2020...having not got around to it until now! I am hoping this blog page will act as a more in-depth ‘chronology’ of my development as an artist. On the surface it may seem like an amalgamation of Instagram and Facebook posts…but, unlike social media, this way I can reflect on my development in coherent ‘chapters’, rather than as fragmented snapshots. Don’t get me wrong, Instragam is BRILLIANT for connecting with customers and fellow makers, but, being the quiet reflective type, this blog feels like the right platform for including a little more about me and my process…. so if you’re joining me from one of my social media pages, welcome! Think of this page as like a library or archive: I hope you enjoy the peace and quiet, and please excuse the lack of emojis!

So this post is really a catch up post before I move on to my current projects for 2020. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, back in the Autumn I received a development grant (DYCP) from Arts Council England to develop my making. Well 2020 is the harbinger of exciting new plans on that score: I’m going to be working BIGGER again, liberating myself from the world of miniature and returning to my roots as a puppet maker and sculptor. I LOVE whittling my little creations, but working on such a small scale comes with it’s frustrations, and I figured it was time to acquire some new ones! (Frustrations are an inevitable part of life as an artist: the trick is learning how to make them your friends).

HOWEVER, before setting it to one side for a while, I decided to have one more PUSH at developing my costume jewellery range. I wanted to develop my aesthetic a little further. For one thing, I’ve never been entirely happy with the way I ‘string’ my pieces (using waxed cotton cord and brass wire). Given more time, I’d always hoped to find a solution that was more tactile, more eye catching, and more substantial when held or worn. I also wanted to give more attention to the facial anatomy of my subjects, birds in particular. So, back in October (just after moving into my new workshop) I set myself a target: five new necklaces in a new style by Xmas. (One of the five pieces was also a special commission).

Having a mini-deadline really helped me to focus my craft process and, as a bi-product, I became super speedy at whittling bird wings! (I’m thinking a new range of bird wing charms might be in the pipeline for later in 2020…watch this space). However, I also achieved my aim. Firstly, I spent some time studying bird facial features, enlarging the heads slightly and whittling them as separate pieces, which helped me to focus in on the details I’d been missing. Secondly, following a bit of experimentation, I hit upon a winning combination of wooden, brass and glass beads to complete the ‘new look’ necklaces. The wooden beads started out as untreated wood, which I then coloured and oiled to match each piece. This, combined with the glossier textures of the glass and metal beads, made for a more eye-catching result. These might seem like small steps, but, when working in miniature, small adjustments to a process can make a HUGE difference to the end result. I’m glad I took the time to make them!

The new range of ‘new look’ necklaces can be found for sale on my shop page. I should also mention that, following a photoshoot back in September, I have now decked out the rest of my products with new modelling photos! (see a small selection in the gallery below). The new pieces will need modelling too…. in due course!

Sarah Vigars15 January 2020Comment

Exhibitions, shop updates, photoshoots and FUNDING NEWS!

This is a rather image heavy post! Where to begin? This Autumn I have…

Exhibited in two places for Devon Open Studios (at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen and at Coombe Park Craft Studios)
Exhibited in Glastonbury
Sold three costume necklaces and received a commission for another
Moved studio into the centre of Totnes (I now have lots more space, so I’ve extended my work bench and put up lots of shelves!)
Re-photographed ALL of my pieces and updated my online shop listings, including a new range of brooches and bag pins (pictured)
Started a job in my local pub (diverting my focus for a couple of nights each week from craft to craft beer and the art of pouring the perfect pint)
Organised a photoshoot of my jewellery work for the 28th October (watch this space)
RECEIVED FUNDING FROM ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND!!!!
Back in August, I applied for a ‘Develop Your Creative Practice Grant’ to develop my woodcarving, and last week I found out I had been successful! This will fund 2-3 weeks of mentoring from top woodcarvers, some new tools/materials, a bit of promo, and most of all, some wages so I can support myself whilst I learn and expand my portfolio. In truth, I first applied for the scheme back in February and was turned down, so I’m flying a flag in the name of perseverance!

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Sarah Vigars15 October 2019Comment

Imperfect circles and learning curves…

‘Gold finches’ - relief carving in lime wood, finished with Bolgers wood dye, Danish oil and beeswax.

This summer I’ve had a bit of spare time from other work so, back in June, I decided to embark on a new carving project, something I haven’t attempted before: my first relief carving, a hangable piece of wood-art! While I delight in carving small treasures such as my jewellery pieces, I’ve always had dreams of working BIGGER. But working bigger can be an intimidating prospect when carving with wood. Why? Well, to begin with, good quality, seasoned timber comes at a cost… then there’s the added time it takes to learn a new process. Consequently, with every chisel cut, I worry that I’m wasting both time and money, and the ensuing anxiety is somewhat detrimental to a relaxed creative process! Nevertheless, on this occasion I decided to put my doubts aside and get stuck in, and I’ve learnt A LOT, both about carving and about my own creative anxieties…

For starters, it turns out that carving in relief is a whole new kettle-of-fish to carving in-the-round as I am used to! In truth I nearly shelved this piece just days before completion, afraid that I would never achieve a professional finish. This project has felt like an exercise in technique, rather than an act of self expression, and it’s good to remember that practising for the sake of practising has its own value, whatever the outcome. This piece is far from technical perfection, and in case I’m sounding overly self-critical here’s why in plain, geeky wood-carving terms:

Tool marks: the background plane is scarred with some untidy tool marks. They are the ghosts of chisel cuts from when I first ‘set-in’ the birds from the block of wood, which have now cut too deep to be removed. Next time I will take more care with the ‘setting-in’ process.
Inaccessible nooks and crannies: the forms in this piece are closely juxtaposed and that has caused me no end of challenges trying to get the background level and smooth. The purchase of some new ‘spoon-bent’ chisels has alleviated some of the stress, but next time I’ll give myself more space to work!
Imperfect circles: this circular design was cut out on a bandsaw then carved by hand. Next time, I will spare myself the agony of trying to carve a perfect circle and seek advice from a wood-turner instead!

Now, technical critique aside, here’s what I’ve learnt about creative learning curves. By repeating these mantras to myself I got this piece to completion, despite its technical imperfections:

Be kind to yourself. It’s ok to ‘screw up’. It’s ok to get it ‘wrong’ before you get it right, especially when you’re trying something for the first time. And really, ultimately, there is no such thing as ‘wrong’ and no such thing as ‘failure’, they’re just the downward dips in your ongoing creative development. For every dark valley there is a sunlit peak!
As already mentioned, practising for the sake of practising is time well spent. Every artist has a studio containing unfinished pieces, unsuccessful pieces, seconds and practice pieces.
Learning a new skill can make you feel vulnerable, and consequently it can feel difficult to share a new work-in-progess with the world. That’s ok, you’re allowed to hide sometimes. Turn off your all your social media apps and get back to the root of things.
If you feel dissatisfied with your work, remember that you’re probably your own worst critic.
Ultimately, a successful artist is someone that enjoys what they do, and doesn’t let a fear of judgement stop them from creating. If you can let the enjoyment outweigh the fear, then the battle is half won!

To conclude, I AM happy that I set myself a new challenge this summer, and I can’t wait to put what I’ve learnt into practice with my next piece! And if you’ve stumbled upon this post and like what you see, then watch this space, because there will be more!

Sarah Vigars7 August 2019Comment

Preparing for September exhibitions...

It’s already August and I’m super busy preparing for three exhibitions next month! First up I will be participating in Devon Open Studios from 7th September, with my work on display in two locations: the Devon Guild of Craftsmen Riverside Gallery and Coombe Park Craft Studios (details below). Then, at the end of the month, I’ll be hopping across the border into Somerset for the Exhibition of Mythic Arts and Crafts in Glastonbury! I’ll be exhibiting both old work and new, and some work is yet to be finished - better sharpen those chisels!

7th-29th September 2019
Devon Open Studios
Riverside Gallery, Devon Guild of Craftsmen, TQ13 9AF

7th-22nd September 2019
Devon Open Studios
Coombe Park Craft Studios, Ashsprington, TQ9 7DY

28th-29th September 2019
The Exhibition of Mythic Arts and Crafts
The Assembly rooms, Glastonbury

Sarah Vigars7 August 2019 Comment

A touch of Mediterranean colour...

This year I became a new member of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen and in May I made my first delivery of work to the Guild shop in Bovey Tracey, Devon, UK. Five of my costume jewellery pieces can now be seen, chisel marks and all, in the shop as pictured here! Furthermore, this weekend I’ll also be exhibiting three new pieces on the Devon Guild stand at this year’s Contemporary Craft Festival, which runs from the 7th-9th June. For these pieces I’ve hopped across the British channel and taken inspiration from more colourful and temperate climes, resulting in a hoopoe, a bee-eater and a roller-bird!

Sarah Vigars4 June 2019Comment

Iron-Brow and Thorn-Coat - Part 2

This spring I have been immersed in a rather special project. I have been working in close collaboration with writer/storyteller Tom Hirons and artist Rima Staines, who together make Hedgespoken, a travelling storytelling theatre company, and Hedgespoken Press, an independent publishing company.

This April, we rehearsed and launched the first two public shows of Iron-Brow and Thorn-Coat, a retelling of a classic Lithuanian folktale. Steeped in old magic and half-familiar memories, this beguiling tale of magical transformation, love, betrayal and endurance weaves together storytelling, puppetry, mask-work, foolery and live music…

I had the pleasure of co-directing and co-producing this piece, working with an extraordinarily creative, compassionate and good-humoured team of artistic folk (credited opposite). I also got to do what I love best - wood carving! The puppet for this project was carved by myself and Rima Staines, with advice from master puppet makers John Roberts and Jan Zalud. To view more photos and videos of the puppet being made, visit Iron-Brow and Thorn Coat - the making of part 1 . Iron-Brow-Brow and Thorn-Coat will continue it’s journey this year as we take it into the great outdoors. More news to come!

Iron-Brow and Thorn-coat
by HEDGESPOKEN

Players:

Storytelling
Tom Hirons

Puppetry, maskwork, foolery
Helen Aldrich

Musicians
Louis Bingham
Griselda Sanderson

Creative Team:

Artistic direction and production
Sarah Vigars

Performance direction and puppet direction
Howard Gayton

Design and artistic direction
Rima Staines

Puppet-carving
Rima Staines and Sarah Vigars
(with assistance from Jan Zalud and John Roberts)

Mask-carving
Jan Zalud

Writing and story-development
Tom Hirons

Production Photography
Lawrence Galloway

Sarah Vigars29 April 2019 Comment

February carvings

Here are a few snaps of some recently completed pieces. I hope to get these on sale soon. I’m currently in a flurry of puppet making for Iron-Brow and Thorn-Coat, so my own projects are currently on hold!

Sarah Vigars3 March 2019Comment

Iron-Brow and Thorn-Coat - the making of part 1

January and February have flown by in a flurry of admin and emails, including, amongst other things, an Arts Council application, a tax return, a Guild application (more on that soon) and preparations for an exciting new project, which I can now at last reveal! Last Monday, work began for Iron-Brow and Thorn-Coat, a new storytelling piece by Hedgespoken. If you are not familiar with Hedgespoken’s work you can find out more about them here. In short they are writer/storyteller Tom Hirons and artist Rima Staines and together they travel the country, telling tales from their off-grid storytelling theatre…

I am currently working alongside Rima Staines as Co-Artistic Director and Creative Producer of Iron-Brow and Thorn-Coat. Based on a traditional Lithuanian folk tale, this piece will interweave Tom’s storytelling with puppetry, masked performance and live music. Rehearsals begin on 25th March, concluding with two preview performances on the 12th and 13th April at Dartington Arts (link below)

This week, myself and Rima began the puppet making. We have been lucky enough to work under the expert guidance of master puppet makers and wood carvers John Roberts and Jan Zalud. Take a look at the gallery below to see what we’ve been up to... and there’ll be more photos to come as the project develops!

Iron-Brow and Thorn-Coat previews at Dartington Arts on the 12th and 13th April. Tickets can be found at: www.dartington.org/event/iron-brow-and-thorn-coat-by-hedgespoken/