Three Smoking Baby Automata

Come to the Cheltenham Open Studios and you can play with these very naughty toddlers!

Smoking Baby Automaton

I am getting on with making work for the Cheltenham Open Studios in June.

Just gluing on finishing touches.

Automaton Cat Mechanism Succeeds!!

It worked! The prototype cat and birds mechanism will move a puppet.
The little bird wing/hand things move up and down and lift and drop the strings.

And the puppet girl starts flying. 

New Automaton Experiment

A prototype frame in the form of a cat with birds sitting on his lap. This is the support for the crank shaft and followers that will be the mechanism that moves a puppet, that is if it works!

New Knitting Girls

New knitters are on the way! Making hair today.

Platform Boots Automata

Chelsea Boots

I am just waiting for the paint to fully dry on my latest automaton, Chelsea Boots.

The Bovver Cat now has a flower.

Bovver Cat Automaton and a Weed

He swings his mouse in a menacing way

But he is not as menacing as this tiny plastic cat that I bought in a variety store yesterday!

and a weed.

Torpedo Factory Tomorrow!

Tomorrow I start my time as a Visiting Artist at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA. If you are able to visit this week, I will be in the studio everyday except Friday 4th July. I have spent all day sorting out work to take with me and found one of the knitting girls that I made during my time there last summer.

Knitting a Jelly Monster.

I am really looking forward to being there again.

Principle Boy and Little Titch Automata Finished.

I based my Principle Boy on the Glaswegian music hall star Marie Loftus. She does a little gentle flapping of the hands and kicking of the legs as she hovers above her stage.

And Little Titch looks a bit Mr Bean and a bit Alan Cumming but does a fairly effective big boot dance.

The real thing!

I'm at the Torpedo Factory in July and Aug.

I will be a Visiting Artist at the Torpedo Factory from the beginning of July to the end of August in studio 333 on the third floor.
I am busy working on some automata inspired by the Victorian Music Hall and Pantomime.

Below is Little Titch and his Big Boot Dance and

Marie Loftus

and her stage.

A Gorgon Tries to go Straight

With moving arm, moving hair snake and combing action trying to straighten hair.

Itchy Sweater Automaton

Dancing Queen Automaton Finished

I wanted her to do a little Cockney knees up but she does her own thing!

Here is a truly awful film of her. It gives you an idea of her moves but

I must get someone to help me film my work!

An Angry Cat

Two new characters but not from the same story.

Unamussed Unfinished Automaton

First Automaton in 2014 Finished!

I can't believe it has taken so long to finish one. This has been a long cold winter!
 So here is 'The Planned Sabotage of The Amazing Catso Bro's Trapeze Act.'

Olaf the dog menacing with scissors.

The Catso Brothers who's rather over swingy trapeze act is possibly about to end! 

Mr Punch is in Prison!

All the mechanism is strung and tested. Just a few little finishing touches to go and then I will make a film!

Cats and Dog Automaton

I have too many things on the go and all at early stages but I will finish the Devil in the Cupboard soon. He is actually in the cupboard I just have to finish the other characters and string the mechanism. Anyway here is a little taster of some of the other things I am making.

A flower that will have a bug land on it's behind

And 'The Sabotage of the Amazing Catsos' Trapeze Act'. 

I think this may be the first dog I've made.

Making Automata Again!

It is still too cold to work in my garage but I have so many ideas for automata and need to finish projects that are underway first. I have been braving the cold for short spells and have now almost finished the wooden set for my newest Devil in the Cupboard automaton.

I spent 3 hours today hanging and adjusting little doors!