Keep Calm and Zentangle

 Decrease stress and increase your creativity and focus with the intuitive art of Zentangle. Discover how various shapes and textures fuse together to become tangles all your own.  Skills now stocks a wide range of Zentangle instruction books covering the very basics to designing zentangle mandalas, cards, and jewellery.

We stock the 10 piece zentangle tool set which comes in a handy wallet.   The set includes three black Micron pens, including a size 01, size 03 and a size 05. You will also find in this collection a pencil for laying down your dot, border and string, and for shading your finished tangles. Also included is a tortillion. This tool allows you to manipulate your shading and add an overall softness to your work. This set is complete with five ATC sized Zentangle tiles. This 2.5” x 3.5” tile is a fun alternative to our Original tiles and perhaps might inspire you to explore the world of artist trading cards (ATC). Whatever your vision is, you are sure to have fun using this set to get lost in the world of creating beautiful, non-representational art using the Zentangle method.

What is so special about Unison Soft Pastels?

Skills are the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire stockist for the top quality Unison soft pastel range.  Why do artists choose these particular pastels over other varities on the market?  The reason why they were created in the first place is due to creator John Hersey’s experience as a pastel artist.  He was dissatisfied with manufactured pastels available – which had poor colour vibrancy, inconsistent colour texture, and often crumbling and breaking soon after purchase.
John Hersey was born in 1925. He was a student at the Byam Shaw School of art in London where he won a Rome scholarship and lived in Italy for several years. On returning to London, he continued to paint and ran a business making fine art colour slides.

With his experience using pastels, John had a vision for the quality of pastel he would like to use for his artwork.  For several years he worked on methods of production, colour sequences and the texture of his pigment mixtures. In 1987 he decided to offer the results to fellow pastallists, with immediate interest.  Eventually sales expanded in the USA and now the Unison brand is known as a sought after artists quality pastel range.  Find out how the unison pastels are made.

Unison pastels are available to purchase at Skills individually in a pick n mix purchase and a special offer for 6.  Attractive boxed sets, including starter, bright, dark, portrait, and landscape are also available for a special Christmas gift.

Click on the wheel to view the complete range.

Frida Kahlo Memorabilia Framed

There is nothing that cannot be framed by Skills of Stony Stratford.  This quirky framing order has been completed of some Frida Kahlo memorabilia from a holiday including a visit to the Mexican Artist's Blue House.  Eight matchboxes featuring Frida Kahlo portraits complete with matches still inside. I'm sure you will agree look stunning!

Skills Christmas Window

If you haven't time to window shop in Stony Stratford then here is Skill's window to browse at your leisure.  The previous window was the Alice in Wonderland theme to join the fantastic windows in  Stony Stratford High Street for the lantern parade two weeks ago.  As Skills houses such fantastic Christmas gift ideas, this window shows off our fab adult colouring books, artist faber Castell quality marker pens - including a pack called 'Shades of Grey' though 6 rather than 50!  Our brand new zentangle range now in stock, along with art doodle books for the budding artist to try their hand at a Picasso or Degas.  The window easel displays our artist of the week Stony Stratfords own Derek Daniells.  This gorgeous framed acrylic painting of Stony Stratford under Snow delicately captures a scene of the High Street from the Old Stratford bridge, making a stunning winter centrepiece in our display.

Artist of the week - Derek Daniells

Beautiful Acrylic unvarnished, available varnished, framed size 450mm x 490mm £725

Derek Daniells was born in Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire in 1949. He is a professional artist who uses a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylic, mixed media and pastel with equal skill on a wide range of subjects.
From the initial abstract blocks of colour, Derek builds the play of light on form following the inspiration of earlier painters such as Vuillard, Degas and Turner. He prefers direct observation often working on site at any time of day or night. Derek's work shows his strong passion, excitement and sensitivity for his subject, always seeking to capture a moment in time. Searching out subjects that excite his eye, Derek has travelled extensively.
Derek exhibits internationally and at many galleries throughout the UK. He has exhibited in the open exhibitions of The Royal Society of British Artists (selected for the Daler Rowney painting award 2009), the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Royal Watercolour Society and Pastel Society. His paintings are part of many private collections both in the UK and abroad, including that of Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford.
Derek still lives in Stony Stratford with his wife Caroline and son Luke.

Artist of the week - David Pilgrim

David currently works from his studio in Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire and his work is largely based on landscape and figurative themes. His subject matter and techniques are constantly evolving as he strives to meet new challenges and explore different themes.
David has exhibited widely across the UK, including being accepted into the Royal Institute of Oil Painters annual show since 2006. In 2012 David had the honour of being elected as a full member of the Royal Institute of Oils Painters. His work has featured in several publications, having written articles for magazines such as The Artist (UK) and Plein Air (US) magazines. David is happy to consider commissions and all of the works shown on this page are now available for purchase.

Fine Art Restoration Service

Not only do Skills of Stony Stratford offer a top notch photo restoration service, we also have a highly commended Fine Art restoration service for original paintings.  Our experts will carefully restore your treasured and sometimes very valuable work of art.  Not only will the picture and frame be restored to the original brilliance, but customers often come away having discovered the history and technique of their painting.
The services we provide include the following:-

• Picture cleaning, conservation and fine art painting restoration
• Re-lining of paintings on canvas
• Retouching
• Re-making of old frames
• Cleaning and re-varnishing service
• Professional full restoration service by skilled experts for varnish removal
• Surface cleaning and repair/restoration of all easel paintings whether on canvas, board or panel, in oil or acrylic.
• Consultation and specialist service for cleaning and restoration of works on paper.
• Watercolours recoloured and 'de-foxed'
• Paper based art removed from backings
• Flood and fire damage
• Valuation Service
• Specialist consultation, evaluation and advice is free
• Quotations and estimates for insurance purposes provided
• Painting restoration

We can undertake work to all levels, and for all budgets, for a piece with sentimental value, or an old master worth many £thousands.
Advice and estimates are provided free of charge, and larger pieces can be viewed and collected from your home in our van.

Ten Gems about the Jewel of Milton Keynes

 Evening Light (High Street) Stony Stratford by David Pilgrim
Oil Framed in hand finished Moulding £775

Following on from the Princes In The Tower post, I have found some more interesting snippets on Stony Stratford on the town Council and MK Heritage websites.

• Stony Stratford is mentioned in Shakespeare (Richard III, Act 2 Scene 4), when Richard Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III) finds out the location of the young King Edward V and his brother, the Duke of York. These two were rivals to Richard's claims to the throne. Edward was arrested in Stony Stratford, taken to the Tower of London and never seen again.

• When Queen Eleanor (wife of Edward I) died at Lincoln in 1290, her body was transported to London for burial. Stony Stratford was one of the eleven resting places on the journey. Each was marked with a memorial cross, although the one at Stony Stratford no longer exists.  The Eleanor Cross stood in a prominent position in the High Street of Stony Stratford, at the north end of the town near the river.

• Stony Stratford was originally on the main London to Holyhead Roman road, Watling Street.

• In the last century, ocean going steam launches were built in Stony Stratford.  In the late 1860's work progressed following his steam engine success to making marine engines and then onto boat-building.Edward Hayes (senior) died in 1877 but had been part of the beginning of boat-building at Stony Stratford. By this time, Edward Hayes junior was receiving regular commissions from prestigious customers and went into production building tugs, ocean-going vessels, steam boats and river launches. Despite being almost as far away as you can be from the sea, and not next to any significant waterways, they gained a worldwide reputation and the boat-building flourished. By 1900 they were building vessels up to 80 feet long which were being sent all over the world to Russia, Egypt, etc, to private companies and to Governments.

• The concrete cows are perhaps the most famous landmarks in Milton Keynes. They were created by a locally based artist in the 1970s and can now be found in a field close to the railway which runs through the city.

• The inaugural meeting of the Grand Union Canal Company was held in the Bull Inn, Stony Stratford. However, the closest the canal came to the town was at Old Stratford, part of the Buckingham Arm of the main canal.

• The Cock Inn and Bull Inn gave their names to the Cock & Bull Story.

• Scenes from Indiana Jones and Superman films were shot nearby in Milton Keynes.

• The Wolverton & Stony Stratford Tram was the last steam hauled rural tram in the UK. It also had the largest carriages ever made for a tram in England. The last tram ran in 1926. One of the company's chairmen was a certain Louis Clovis Boneparte, and his successor Mr Braggins was the last man in Stony Stratford to wear a top hat.

• Stony Stratford is the home of Folk on the Green, the area's major local free folk music festival.

Calling All Calligraphy and Technical Artists

We now have a wider range of calligraphy nibs and dip pens in stock than ever before.  These high quality calligraphy products are for every type of lettering stroke and art calligraphy project.  With marbled and plain dip pens, ten types of Roundhand Squarecut nibs, Gillott nibs, left oblique nibs, and slip on reservoirs, and a huge array of ink colours, we are the local Calligraphy artist stockist.
As for Technical Art, for interior design, architect, and graphic art work, at Skills you will find the Rotring technical, lettering, and art pen range.  We stock the radiograph and isograph pens, we also have the handy filler adaptor so any ink can be used with the pens.

Artist of the Week - Peter Kotka

Peter Kotka works entirely from life, originally setting up the composition in a black box (type of stage) or similar. His work is built up in layers using grisaille (a style of monochromatic painting in shades of grey, used especially for the representation of relief sculpture) underpainting building up the paint layer and eventually glazing on top, working on canvas panels or boards that he produces himself.
"My painting style has developed over 30 years," he reveals. "Originally I painted large landscapes, then I started to study Dutch artists. My work then became smaller and more detailed, and gradually my work became even finer and more detailed."

There is much painstaking detail in Peter's work and this statement explains it well: "Realism is far more abstract than abstract painting itself, as every brush stroke in an abstract painting is what it is, in a realist piece each brush stroke and mark is trying to be something that it isn't."
For Peter the painting process is a passion with a fresh challenge being presented every day.  He has explored different techniques and followed the detailed style such as that of Dutch Landscape painters of the 16th Century, Jacob van Ruysdael in particular.

Peter Kotka is a major Artist recognised in the latest volume "British Artists since 1945" and his works grace many well-known private collections.

These pieces are available from Skills and Primrose Gallery framed and ready to grace your wall.
View Peter Kotka Gallery

Picture Framing Frenzy

Christmas is fast approaching and Skills and our sister companies Picture Perfect and Primrose Gallery are always prepared for picture framing orders to go off the radar.
We are getting some interesting framing requests, some with a nostalgic feel, some from holidays earlier in the year, including these lovely Frida Kahlo match boxes which were souveniors brought back after the customer visiting the home of the much loved Mexican Artist.


Watch this space for the framing result!