Sketches From The Frog Chorus at Bedpop

Yesterday I had a shift at the Bedpop pop-up shop on Bedford High Street. I was manning the till and keeping an eye on the vintage exhibition by The Circus of Illustration (which is doing quite well! We are selling lots of lovely artwork!).

Whilst I was there, The Frog Chorus were there running an arts workshop especially for children and it was very lively indeed!

What Is the Frog Chorus?
The Frog Chorus is an interactive early years music group, based in Bedford. They perform songs live with rhymes and puppets and dancing. Kristine Wilkinson Hughes (aka Coco) led the 'Tadpole Jamboree' along with help from Tatty Bumpkin (aka Sam). Tatty Bumpkin runs children's yoga workshops which is like story telling with movement and lots of stretching!

I thought I'd try to sketch all the activities that were happening around me. Tricky since there was so much motion and gesticulation... But I gave it my best shot! Click on the images for a closer look!

Mimi provided the tea and cake as the proud parents look on.

Coco tells a story as parents and children eagerly listen

I forgot my sketchbook, so I had to doodle on loose paper. I added colour to the scans in Photoshop.

Stretching and floor exercises during Tatty Bumpkin yoga

More quick sketches from yoga class.

The Circus of Illustration Goes All 1950s at Bedpop.

Tickets are now available for Dress-Up Drawing, the exciting new collaboration between The Circus of Illustration, Bedpop Art School, Sarah's Doo-Wop Dos, Rose-tinted Vintage and Narnia Fancy Dress. These local organisations have clubbed together to arrange an exciting day (Saturday 17th May) of Dress-Up themed drawing activities culminating in an evening arty-partying with Vintage Life Drawing (led by Kristian Purcell) and drink and draw shenanigans with The Circus of Illustration. We would love for you to join in the festivities! Get tickets here! It's bring your own boozes, so let's do this!

Dress-Up Drawing also coincides with the opening of our Vintage Exhibition. It will be open every weekend until June 8th. Here's a VERY exclusive preview!

Simon Abbott's 1950s 'Bedford Pub' series

My 1950s embroiderd Sodapop Girl

Simon & Kristian admire Katie Allen's beautiful artwork

The incredible Agent Melon

Andrew Foster's work is bright, colourful and bloody amazing. 

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My 1950s Diner and cafe scene

Kristian Purcell has recently been exhibiting at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas

Andrew Foster's romantic diner illustrations. So cute!

Mr X Stitch Exhibition in Bedford

Last week I was featured in the Mr X Stitch exhibition in Bedford. He was curating a contemporary needlework show at the Bedpop shop on Bedford High Street.

"The colourful exhibition in the BedPop shop featured sewn works from Bedford, and around the globe, and had pieces which range from the whimsical to thought-provoking but all display extraordinary skill with a needle and thread... Jamie (Mr X Stitch) has been working for two months gathering the pieces, some he sourced via his stitching website (www.mrxstitch.com), others have been submitted by the Bedford branch of the Embroiderer’s Guild."

The Bedfordshire On Sunday

Jack and Trace check out Jamie's 3D Pokemon cross stitch

Cross Stitch Transformers

Trace admires Uoldbag's beautiful cross stitch suitcase

Ha! This is me standing along side my circular framed illustrated embroideries

Tracey demonstrates how to make lace

It looks complicated!

She's making a decoration to put around a Christmas bauble