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Incorporating old found objects in my work means justification for regular browsing of markets, boot sales, ebay, and charity shops. Now I have a good excuse to buy the things that always caught my eye before but couldn’t really justify, because there is not much excuse for having a rusty antique sewing machine when you can’t sew, or a beautiful but broken gramophone (both of which I know own by the way).
Its like being a child and hunting for treasure. I remember having boxes to hoard my precious finds in, as I’m sure is true for most children. A particularly smooth and shiny pebble, a swimming medal that my dad won that he gave me, pretty feathers (although I never did get that magical peacock feather I longed for so much), and, perhaps less romantically, one of my milk teeth.
At the beginning of June I’m going on holiday to France and one of the things I’m most excited about is hunting down some little flea markets and having long, delicious hours browsing French treasures in the sun. But in the meantime the English charity shops are not so bad. Today’s best treasure was a gorgeous old book of translated French verse dated 1895.
check out those gorgeous rugged page edges
i.g. Gerhard Richter, 1993
Gerhard Richter exhibition currently showing at the National Portrait Gallery: 26 Feb - 31st May 2009.
I’ve very recently sold my pottery painting business to give me more time to concentrate on my art practice. With only two days off childcare duties a week – making glass products for a shop, running the pottery business, and trying to pursue a career in arts, just wasn’t working out!
I started the “paint your own pottery” business from scratch in 2004 when Pottery Cafes were still quite a new thing over in the UK. I have to say I did really enjoy starting my own business and its been satisfying seeing it grow from a local mobile service to a web based UK wide mail order service. With my heart in a very different place now though, I was more than happy to see it sold (for over the asking price!) and freeing up a lot more time, space, and money to dedicate to art!
Okay so it wasn't Dom Perignon but still ..
Last weekend I finished training the very lovely lady who is going to take over the business and handed over the last of my stock and equipment (with the exception of my kiln that I’ll be keeping for glass work). Champagne was opened that evening and I’m absolutely relishing the fresh start ahead of me tomorrow!
The plan is to put some of the money from the business sale aside to fund an MA in fine arts in the next year or so, and some of it to convert my garage/pottery workshop into a more usable studio space. I had a builder come round this weekend to chat about possibilities for the space and I’m now eagerly awaiting quotes to see if i can justify those lovely roof windows as well as walls that don’t leak and a door that blows through a gale in winter!
My soon to be transformed studio space!!
Exciting times!!
Last night I went along to the artists’ critique group in Portsmouth for the first time. The group provides a monthly forum for practicing artists to discuss their work with their peers.
Last night Vidya Wolton presented her work for discussion. Painting is a major part of her practice but last night as well as two painted canvases she bought along a series of handmade card boxes and booklets which had been painted and drawn on. For me it was these boxes, crafted out of “low-tech” materials, that had the real draw. The designs varied from the very graphical to more romantic depictions of nature but they all had a sense of immediacy, spontaneity and uncensored workmanship. This combined with the materials themselves gave them an appealing sense of lightness and play. I haven’t got a picture of the boxes unfortunately but below is one her paintings.
Sparkler, Vidya Wolton
Last night really showed me how invaluable interaction with other artists is as opposed to working in isolation. The presenting artist has an opportunity to road test their work out of the studio and receive feedback, while the other artists get to expand their own work perspectives. It was wonderful to spend a couple of hours discussing a specific work and it felt a privilege to share in another artist’s work process. I look forward to next month!
The critique group is one of the services run by ARCwhich is a fantastic resource centre for creative practitioners. ARC is based at ASPEXgallery in Portsmouth and as well as the crit group, offers one to one mentoring surgeries, networking events and talks, symposia, and a resource centre. If you are interested in finding out more about the critique group or ARCS other services email resource@aspex.org.uk
Really chuffed to find out today that the piece I submitted to the Travelling Light exhibition has been accepted!
"Remaining" 2008, mixed media
Travelling Light is a collaborative project between WW Gallery and Pharos Gallery. The exhibition will open in London from the 15th – 28th May at WW Gallery. From there the work will travel long the trade route to Venice, a path historically trodden by merchants and hedonists attracted to the trade and pleasure capital of Europe. From 6th-11th June it will be hung within the orbit of the Venice Biennale in a palazzo between the Accademia Galleries and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Exhibition Space in London - WW Gallery
Exhibition space -Venice apartment
The exhibition will promote artists represented from both galleries, along with a selection of international works including submissions from Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia, USA, Italy, Spain and Luxemberg (appropriate as the theme of this year’s Venice Biennale is “Making Worlds”).
As well as their website, updates about the exhibition can be followed on their blog. All looks very exciting!
I read this poem today by a friend of mine and thought it was wonderfully emotive in its confessional and obsessive nature. I don’t know much about writing or poetry at all but I found the nakedness and vulnerability in this very beautiful.
Crowblack Night
A surge in me tonight, a push of passion and hunger glimpsed again worthy cause. . It stuck in me, blocked the first retch of a violent purge a warning, my bird ideas scatter. . Leaves me pathetic, failed and useless, yet feeds my fears fat till they soar, a joke, a cliche, a no one, nothing. . The failure must be the repetition, the lack of learning I know this road every crack and I trip, a clown at the first. . Nothing cool will do, nothing light, no sneering quip. Something dark, drawn from me, unashamed for I am one for a grand gesture. Stories. . A stolen moment as lovers walk softly through the orchard at midnight magnetic pull . Urgent and inescapable guilt, there is truth in it, god sized, imbued with an inky blackness. A secret squirms beneath all our skins. . She is writing lines. Trust and relief. Released. Pounding and living. The trivial blurs. They mistake administration for living, she knows better. . In the dark with his silk and satin no mirror glare or sun to reveal he is beautiful, exquisite, false. . Please break your promise and let me bathe in the milky hurt. Toy with my heart, let its’ artist weep from me. . She soothed me tonight, saved me from pain. Rubbed my back until the retching had waned.
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