'Think Loudly in your Quiet Mind'

'Think loudly in your quiet mind.'

Charcoal, pastel and gesso on paper

40cm x 50cm

This is the latest piece in the series. The title is again, a line from one of my poems. As the written word and the visual image become increasingly interwoven, you might wonder what comes first the work or the title? And you might also wonder whether it really matters. To answer the first question...most of the time I make the work and find a title for the piece after. Occasionally, I find a title and make the work to fit. In answer to the second question...I don't believe it does matter :)

'The Ending'

graphite, pastel and gesso on paper

40cm x 50cm

'Silently, reluctantly,

Break free from tomorrow'

The contrasting layers of dark and light are less integrated and more apparent in this piece. It appears as if the white that masks the subject is dissolving away and revealing the person behind which I hope captures the sense of meaning in the line of the poem. When I'm working in this way, I have to build up quite a bit of courage at times in order to paint over what I might feel is an already successful drawing. I'm making the under drawings with as much consideration and resolve as I would if I wasn't intending to paint over them. I can't afford to 'skimp' on the preliminary drawing as it just wouldn't work. Sadly, I do have a failure or two along the way which just so's you know, go straight in the bin...!  :) 

'The Secret'

graphite, pastel and gesso on paper

65cm x 45cm

'I look across the space and see 

A whole new world that I could be

a part of...'

I've used the ancient symbolism of the rose in this piece. The rose has been used since ancient times to denote secrecy. In mythology Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros as a sign to keep her indiscretions hush hush! I've also attached to the drawing another line from my poem. 

'Facing the Truth'

80cm x 60cm

charcoal, pastel and gesso on paper

'And while I sit here wondering why, 

My time without a trace runs by, 

And I am left forgotten' 

I've used the above lines from the end of a poem to capture the feeling in this piece. The subject is taken from one of my much earlier series of drawings which I've always promised myself I would return to, to develop the drawings further...and now at long last I have! And I must say it's a very satisfying feeling to fulfil a promise!  The lines of poetry fit nicely with the image and add another dimension to the work. I attributed the lines after I'd made the drawing, so they have in a sense, become an extension of the work. 

By the way, in case you were wondering...the lines are not appropriated, they are taken from one of my own poems...so no ensuing copyright issues on the horizon! :)

New Work

'Travelling Alone'

Charcoal, pastel and gesso on scored paper

65cm x 45cm

I've used quite alot of gesso in this latest piece which has resulted in the female figure in the drawing seeming as if she were transmuting into sculptural form. The ambiguity of this I like, and brings me closer to where I want to be with my work. And where is that I hear you asking...if only I knew is my answer to that!! But that's what makes creating art exciting...it's never quite knowing where the creative process will take you and at which destination the work will eventually arrive!

'Subway' reborn!

Charcoal, pastel and gesso on paper

70cm x 60cm

Some of you might remember the original version of this drawing from a previous exhibition back in 2011. It was then titled 'New York Subway (Early Morning)'. I've always liked the subject and recently became inspired to rework it with the methods I'm using in my current practice. I have to tell you though it took alot to follow the courage of my convictions and paint over this drawing but once I'd started...well, that was that there was no turning back! 

'Tear'

'Tear'

Graphite, pastel and gesso on paper

60cm x 50cm

Here is my latest drawing...it's about private moments...the pain of youth. A tear is shed whilst reading a text. It is how, much of the time we receive our messages these days...good news, bad news all channelled through the mobile.

Hope you are well...and happy like me that the Spring is here...yay! :) 

More drawings soon...

Painting exercise

'Pineapple on Plate'

10" x 12"

oil on canvas panel

I finished off a painting exercise today that I began last week. In the first session, I made a rapid underpainting which I needed to dry completely before continuing. I used cadmium yellow in the underpainting along with titanium white. These pigments have a slower drying time, but luckily the pineapple survived the drying time :) and I carried on with it this afternoon. I gave myself no longer than 2 hours working time from start to finish. The first session last week took around 45 mins and the second session an hour. The result is fresh and energetic, and unlaboured, which was the kind of result I was looking for :)

'Alison'

'Alison'

15cm x 15cm

oil on canvas panel

After many months of making charcoal, pastel and gesso drawings, (and if you remember, re-constructing drawings into mosaics) I have my oil paints out again...! Don't get me wrong, It's been exciting working in that way (and I will return to it soon), but I have to say it's good to smell that sweet fragrance of turps again! :) I have begun by re-working 'Alison' as I've always felt she needed further work as I never felt I had totally resolved her. I have softened some of the transitions of colour and placed some warmer hues into the flesh. One of the advantages of using a limited palette is that it's easier to carry on where you left off without struggling to recreate the correct colour mix. When painting the flesh, I change the blue on my palette from Ultramarine to Cerulean. Cerulean makes lovely cool flesh tints, and violet greys for some of the shadow areas. 

I'm satisfied that I've now managed to capture not only the softness in her skin tones but also the twinkle in her eye which is very much 'Alison'. :)

Pics of the opening of 'Healing Fibres'

'Healing Fibres' 

Sprinkler Factory 

 38 Harlow St., Worcester, MA, USA

The show opened on 5th October

Here are some pics of the opening.

What a fabulous gallery space!

My two pieces are on the far wall

The show opened with flamenco dancing...

   

Artists participating in the exhibition were:

Bayda Asbridge

Susan Black

Laura Cahalane

Charlotte Eckler

Jeri Gillian

Ann Hanscom

Patti Kelly

Ann Stoker

Mihoko Wakabayashi

Jill Watts

Here are my pieces 'Veil' and 'Veil 2 - the Girl with the Golden Hair' hanging either side of Bayda Asbridge's 'Kiss'

Below are a selection of pieces from the other artists in the exhibition

The opening was a resounding success and I only wish I could have been there :(  

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my dear friend Bayda for inviting me to show my work at the Sprinkler Factory and for all her hard work organising the exhibition. 

Here is a link to Bayda's Facebook page where you will find more pics of the show:  https://www.facebook.com/bayda.asbridge.7?fref=photo

Back in my studio at last!

This is the first day since our exhibition in September 'Aspects of the Feminine' that I've been in my studio working. There's been lots to catch up on but most of it's done now apart from one or two walls I promised to paint once the exhibition came down! I've started gently today by reworking a piece that in the show I called 'Feeling Nature'. I've added colour in the foreground which I feel has strengthened the composition and given the piece a definite focus. While it was hanging in the gallery I felt like taking it off the wall and working on it there and then! Teaching tomorrow....making studies for paintings with crayons, sketchbooks and IPads...should be a fun morning! :)

Pics of our Private View!

It was a brilliant evening with lots of great feedback from all the lovely people who turned out for us :) A big thankyou to everyone who came to our private view and to Alice and Emma who did a marvellous job on the wine table.

Here are some pics: 

                             Sylvia and me...you can see we're two happy artists!

All framed up and ready to go!

I've been busy putting work in frames and painting and waxing frames. You can see in this photo some of the smaller pieces going off to the show. The work in painted frames is already wrapped and ready to go. All I have to do now is print out the labels and...yay...all done! 

I'm now looking forward to seeing all my hard work in situ in the gallery space and looking forward even more to the private view on Tuesday. It's going to be a good do and I hope everyone who can will come along and partake in a glass or two of wine with us :) I'm also just about to send off my pieces to the States for the show in October...It would be nice to accompany it but hey perhaps another time :) 

'The Birth of Ophelia'

'The Birth of Ophelia'

60cm x 1200cm (24" x 48")

gesso, charcoal and pastel on board 

This last piece, which I am pleased to tell you is now complete... :) has been influenced by Sir John Everett Millais' 'Ophelia'. The painting by Millais depicts a scene from Shakespeare's Hamlet in which Ophelia's father is murdered by her lover Hamlet and as a result Ophelia drowns herself in a stream. My Ophelia on the other hand, is in the process of rebirth! She represents the feminine and creative aspects of water in the way that for aeons water has been equated with the feminine aspects of creation and nature. There is a common and recurring image in many cultures, that of the Goddess emerging from the water. So here, my Ophelia is emerging from the water only to be reborn as a Goddess..don't you just prefer happy endings!...:)

'Joan'

'Joan'

120cm x 60cm

charcoal, pastel and paint on board

Meet Jeanne d'Arc or as we know her Joan of Arc! She is also known as the Maid of Orleans and represents here the archetype of 'heroine' or 'woman devoted to a noble cause'. History states that Joan denied her femininity in order to fit in with the 'boys' on the battle field There are other 'heroines' in history whose story is similar, (Camilla for one, who fought in Italy against the Trojan hero Aeneus ) which might lead you to the conclusion that heroism is a male prerogative. Now we can't have that can we!  In my version she is portrayed as a strong, determined but nonetheless very feminine woman. She wears part of her coat of arms (a lily) on a pendant around her neck symbolising her devotion to duty and her willing sacrifice to the belief that she was to be emancipator of France. 

This piece will be part of the show in September. I have just one more piece still to make to complete the body of work for the show...nearly there!

'Helen of Troy' Archetype of beauty or scapegoat?

40cm x 50cm 

charcoal, pastel and paint on board

Here is my version of a modern day Helen of Troy. Helen is a character that I find fascinating and who I tend to think has had a raw deal! Over the centuries she alone has had to shoulder the blame for the Trojan war having been arguably accused of being the sole reason for the battle. We know Helen was not squeaky clean but the accusation is just a little unfair as the Greeks and Trojans jumped at the chance to go in there and do battle with each other! They had their own political agendas, but they've been allowed to escape scot-free and haven't had to accept any responsibility!! So here is my homage to Helen as archetype of beauty yes, but also as long-suffering scapegoat who now deserves to be liberated :)

'Take 5' Private View - Sam Scorer Gallery, Lincoln

Here are a couple of pics from the 'Take 5' Private View last Friday. I took these at the beginning of the 'do' just as the evening was getting going. It went very well indeed and proved to be a great night all round :) We had a brilliant turnout and I'd like to thank all those who managed to get there. If you haven't made it to the exhibition yet, then there's still a chance to see the show as it continues all week finishing 4.00pm on Sunday 3rd August.

 Bird's eye view 1

Bird's eye view 2

Lots of engaging and diverse work to view

...and a great spread too!

'Take 5' Starts tomorrow!

I've been at the Gallery today hanging my pieces for 'Take 5', the second exhibition of artists Carol Butler, Jenny Hammerton, Janis Mitchell, Jo Slone and myself. Below is a taster of what's in the exhibition. Our work is very diverse as you can see from the images below, but hangs together beautifully. When I left the gallery, the hang was almost complete and I have to say it was looking amazing!  The show starts tomorrow and runs through until Sunday August 3rd at Sam Scorer Gallery, Drury Lane, Lincoln, LN1 3BN
Don't forget, if you're in the area and free this Friday 25th July 6.00pm - 9.00pm do come along to the gallery for a glass of wine at the private view. Hope to see you there. 

Ann Stoker

Carol Butler

Janis Mitchell

Jenny Hammerton

Jo Slone

Second piece for 'Healing Fibres'

'Veil 2'

40cm x 50cm

mixed media

This is my second piece 'Veil 2' for the exhibition 'Healing Fibres' and my last post before I go to Spain for a week. It's a working holiday but here's hoping it will be more holiday than work! :)

'Healing Fibres' - Exhibition in Worcester, Massachusetts

45cm x 50cm

mixed media on paper

I've reworked this piece for an exciting new exhibition 'Healing Fibres' organised in Worcester, Massachusetts by fibre artist Bayda Asbridge. The exhibition is an annual event to raise awareness and discussion about political, environmental, gender, racial, medical, human rights and other societal issues. The theme for this year is violence against women. This image is to be one of my pieces. I have included threads in the drawing and placed a layer of slashed and distressed netting in front of the image to act as a veil. Both of my pieces will be 'veiled'. I should have the other piece ready to post tomorrow.