Yesterday's News

Isabelle Ewing

Yesterday's News

My name is Isabelle and I live in Northern Ireland with my husband Alan and darling standard poodle Willow. I have three grown up children who I love to bits. I have been drawing, painting and sewing since I was a child. I can’t remember a time when art and creativity were not a substantial part of my life. My mother was a stitcher and there was always lots of scrap fabric to be had at home. I would make simple little dresses for my dolls and as time went by they became more elaborate.

Mix that altogether with a love of reading and you become a passionate crafter. I want everyone to know how special it feels when you are creative. That’s why I wrote my book Instant Softies. I kept it simple with step by step easy to follow instructions to make each craft project a success. I have sold my creations to local craft shops and at the beautiful Victorian market of St Georges in Belfast’s city centre. I was lucky to have a papier mâché sculpture chosen for a Grayson Perrys exhibition in Bristol Museum.

I love to learn new crafts and incorporate them in my mixed media artwork. Art and crafts are for everyone. They bring people together and soothe the mind and soul. It’s never too late to start being creative and it can all start with just one very small crafty step. So what are you waiting for go create!

This exhibition "Yesterday's News," alongside the abstract art, will showcase the art of Papier Mache. The title holds a dual significance. Firstly, the sculptures are crafted from old newspapers containing the headlines and stories of yesteryears. Secondly, Papier Mache is a forgotten art form, relegated to the past like yesterday's news. It's unfortunate, as this medium offers numerous benefits. It's an affordable art form, requiring only old newspapers, flour, and water. The process involves tearing the newspaper into strips, soaking them in flour and water, and then molding them into various shapes. Once dried, the sculptures can be decorated with paint, fabric, or other materials, allowing for endless creative possibilities. With just a dash of imagination, the potential for creativity is boundless. As a mixed media artist, I've found that Papier Mache enables me to seamlessly integrate different mediums such as wire, fabric, and found objects. The resulting pieces are not only visually captivating but also surprisingly resilient. As I began this exhibition, I had no predetermined concepts; each sculpture took shape organically, reflecting a spontaneous burst of creativity. While I had limited experience with Papier Mache and a scarcity of resources on the subject, I embraced the opportunity for experimentation. The joy I experienced in crafting these whimsical and lively objects was boundless, and I hope that you, too, will derive pleasure from them.