The South London Women Artists installation ‘Pillow Talk’ Exhibition at Tate Modern has been postponed from 29th September 2017 until sometime in 2018. Thanks to everyone who had promised to attend , as soon as we have a date it will be circulated .
Category: Art for sale
Ocean Studios, Bakery and Cafe.
This summer Ocean Studios at the Royal William Yard has opened a bakery and cafe. Sourdough and other bakery products are supplied by Column Bakehouse of Devonport.
The Bakery also sells jams and other luxury provisions all displayed beautifully.
The Cafe spills out into the gallery area of Ocean Studios.
Coffee at Ocean Studios is great, full bodied and fruity. Beans are supplied by Origin Coffee.
There will be regular art exhibitions in the gallery that envelopes the cafe . Currently and running until 11th August is Made In Plymouth. An exhibition featuring contemporary souvenirs created by students from Plymouth College of Art. Held in collaboration with the Real Ideas Corporation it featured Plymouth specific art.
Plymouth has culture and history in abundance and is establishing itself as a creative hub with a thriving and diverse arts scene. The bespoke items at this exhibition show the talents and creativity that the city has to offer.
The merchandise on display is exquisite, some of it so gorgeous it might slip from souvenir to fetish object without any trouble at all. I’m thinking particularly of the collection of Pilgrim Hats , preserved in an old Victorian shop fitting.
Close to the cafe servery there is s display of silk scarves, moving as only silk can do in the gentle breeze.Each one giving a slightly different, colourful,perspective to the Plymouth theme.
The mundane objects, tea-towels, tote bags, beer mats, badges and aprons are not overshadowed by their more sensualist competitors for attention. Well thought out and stylishly created they present an edgy contemporary example of how good souvenirs can be, both representational and abstract at the same time.
Fashion is represented by Fisherperson smocks and Jewellery by badges both intriguingly different from the standard coastal fashions.
Ceramics are well represented by Paulina Chromik, simple black and cream designs that are calm and considered.
2D art and printing fill the walls of the gallery. It is stunning, even the difficult subject of Plymouth Blitz is rendered in a way that is considered and beautiful.
Alan Qualtrough was the artist in residence on our visit .His Kiss and Bite Letterpress prints are both lexicographically and visually pleasing. The usual quiet of the gallery gently disturbed by the rhythmic thump of an Adana hand printing Press.
https://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/
ocean studios plymouth
First paintings of the summer, finished and ready to go to their new homes.
Two paintings, inspired by an early morning walk, were finished yesterday. Back in May I took an early trip to the Barbican in Plymouth. The early sky was, an impossibly clear, Klein Blue. The colour was reflected in the waters of the harbour. As usual the harbour water was full of the detritus of a busy fishing port.
In Barbican Detritus II the wake of a boat washes into the harbour and breaks on a roll of fishing net. 50cms x 50cms £300
Barbican Detritus I
Barbican Detritus I, has a super-shiny resin coat which makes photographing it impossible. The shine gives immediate impact but closer inspection shows the texture and detail. It is a macro landscape of a corner of the harbour where rubbish, oil and paint gather.
50cms x 40cms £300
My Place – South London Women Artists- Brixton East
South London Women Artists put on their summer show at Brixton East last week.
Founded in 2008 this collaborative group of women artists are rapidly gaining traction in the London Art World and beyond.
An exhibition at the brilliant Brixton East venue has become a bit of an SLWA summer tradition. The curators of My Place asked artists to respond to the theme of the same name. The artists responded magnificently , those featured here photographed best but all of the work was of a very high standard.
New Ideal Home-Pat Cove
I think this was one of the pieces selected by an art critic who exclaimed that he liked this and one other piece but that “the rest was shit.” Thankfully the comments in the visitors book were more fulsome and complimentary.
The Ladies Bridge- Waterloo Bridge Karen Livesay
This video installation looked amazing projected on the wall next to the three prints of Waterloo Bridge that accompanied it. The text projected is the actual writing of some of the women who were welders on the bridge.
Talking text, which is my current obsession, I bought this painting by Valerie Lambert.
Valerie, a London based Scot, feels that bridges signify her place in London. It’s hanging very happily in theoldmortuary now .
The success of this exhibition is not only the work of women. Celestine, a man of infinite patience, hung every piece of art. The building, Brixton East, is also pretty special.
Did you ever see such well stocked loos ?
http://www.brixtoneast1871.co.uk/
Quiet blogging patch is over.
As a new blogger and website creator I try to get something on my site nearly every day. My tag line even says “Something Stylish Every Day” it’s a big ask but it has been motoring me through many WordPress Tutorials , hopefully it hasn’t been too obvious that I’ve been working to a brief.
Too many blogs too little time would be my motto of the last ten days. Three return trips, Cornwall to London, in the last ten days has sucked the time out of my days. In addition to setting up and taking down some of my pictures at an exhibition I’ve been doing stuff that needs to be written up for other publications and my own blog/ website. Here’s a snippet of yesterday with South London Women Artists.
Yesterday was my first chance to see the completed ‘My Place’ exhibition at Brixton East. It will be a blog subject all of its own in the next few days.
The Exhibition was brilliant and despite having a personal ‘Big Elephant’ in the room, or gallery, I sold some art. I still can’t quite believe my luck that I also managed to snap up a beautiful picture while tills were closing and the paintings were flying off the walls to snuggle once again in bubble wrap.
My Place by Valerie Lambert had to be purchased. Firstly it represents , to me, the defiance of London following the attacks on London Bridge and Borough Market. Secondly it combines Fine Art with text which is my current obsession. Thirdly it’s a political watercolour. Red Dot in the corner please.
Here comes the Elephant!
This is my main piece of art for the exhibition. It doesn’t take a genius to see that this is not an Elephant . It is quite obviously a door. What this also is, is Contemporary art comedy gold. Sections of the media and comedians love to laugh and scoff at the futility or silliness of Contemporary Art . They report and snigger at Mark Quinn’s Self Portrait ( A sculptured head formed from silicone and ten litres of his own blood, frozen) Made funny by a security guard turning off the power that kept it frozen. Tracy Emins bed, tidied up by an over zealous cleaner, and a recent installation , I don’t know the name of the artist, hoovered up overnight in Liverpool
The eagle eyed will notice a mismatch. The text accompanying the work is upside down.
The truth of course is that My Place ( my door) has hung upside down in a gallery for a week ( I’ve flipped the image above), worthy of a chuckle, I agree. Many people have commented and asked me if that was a deliberate decision. The answer, of course, is that I’m not that clever and that it was a simple error. But it does make you think and comedic, or not, that is exactly what contemporary art is about
My Place-Brixton East
Brixton East is a fabulous multi-use creative space. Currently South London Women Artists are curating their latest exhibition there.
The Private View is tonight, 7th July between 6pm and 9pm. Rye Poets with Pia Goddard will be performing.
Creative Port- talking to Pia Goddard
South London Women Artists always put on thought provoking, stimulating shows. I’m sure My Place will be of their usual high standard . theoldmortuary delivered a piece to be exhibited yesterday and got glimpses of greatness through swathes of bubble wrap . An exhibition blog will be written after the big reveal.
So if great art and great poetry can’t persuade you to get along to Brixton East this evening, or during the next week. Maybe the promise of a great industrial architectural gem of a place might persuade you . My Place is THE exhibition to visit in Brixton right now.
http://www.brixtoneast1871.co.uk/
Brixton East is a short walk , 5-10 mins from the centre of Brixton .
Some days…
Not so long ago my creative life was hiding behind a busier life. Until recently I worked in the Cath Lab of a busy London teaching hospital. At times it was 24 hours a day. The team I worked with saved lives, sometimes in controlled but dramatic and messy circumstances. Mostly we were successful , other times we weren’t. Art and creativity happened on my days off. If I had a creative block there was always an entirely reasonable excuse given the pressures and hours of my day job.
Three months into my year of not doing the day job I’ve hit creative block without having a decent excuse.
So here are my not so decent excuses.
#1 The weather
#2 My iPhone camera is playing up
#3 The dogs are playing up
#4 Can’t really be arsed
Faced with zero creative energy I did what many creative people do, I tidied my studio. Surfed the net. Ate chocolate. Bought some new pens on-line.
The turning point came when my phone unfroze. I wrote an article that was overdue for a local magazine. When I looked for the photos I needed to send in with the article , I discovered my phone had taken a crazy abstract image when I had dropped it in the woodpile, which is why it froze. The only portion of this picture that I recognise is a portion of a decking offcut. Beyond that I’m mistified , but I love the image.
After finding this I was inspired to get back to finish painting the picture that I had planned for the day. I had been printing in the studio so there was no alternative to painting outside in the rain. The painting only needed its top coat so I figured rain was just another fluid to add to the already eclectic mix of mixers . The painting is another one featuring litter and pollution in a harbour . The bright colours are created by the reflection of an amazingly clear blue sky in May. I get the pollution effect by mixing paints and pigments with a variety of clear fluids so that they attract or repel each other. Today the clear fluids were the unavoidable rain, lube, saline, gin and acetone.
Now the studio is completely unusable. This will take days to dry and is in the centre of the now tidy floor.
Creatively damp from painting in the garden I took the grumpy dogs for a very wet walk, happy in the knowledge that even if I could be arsed tomorrow there is nowhere left to be creative . Who needs good excuses?
Another day, another print.
Who knew that printing on old Ordnance Survey maps would prove to be such a compelling activity . This must be about number 6 and I feel like I am getting close to something I would be happy to sell. The journey! has been thwarted by the differing qualities of the paper the maps are made of. They also react to the weather and atmosphere as my studio is in the garden. I hadn’t realised the maps were quite so delicate and as mine are all recycled they have all had very different life experiences with their previous owners .This makes them unpredictable when taking up the print medium.
Inspired by this chap and by an idea I had a week or so ago , I decided to print the VW’s in the colour palate of the original maps so the harmony of the complete image has the same quality as the original untouched maps.
in this print the VW Combi/Kombi is just north of Glastonbury heading to Worthy Farm.
My Place
My Place, is an exhibition being held in Brixton in July. The details are below. This door is my contribution to the show. There will also be three smaller works available.
The door symbolises the security of knowing that I have control over ‘My Place’ and that I am very lucky to have such security. The colours and mark making are just representations that make me feel ‘ happy and warm’. I am very fortunate.
Private View, Breaking Through, PCAD
Early June is the perfect time to hunt for contemporary art. Art Schools and Universities showcase the best that their art students have to offer. Usually held over a week or so the Graduation exhibitions are vibrant , eclectic events. Last night I went to Plymouth College of Art and Designs Graduation Showcase, Breaking Through., Plymouth is one of the few remaining independent art schools. It teaches an eye watering number of creative courses and the end of year show reflects the huge diversity of subjects. The standard of these shows is always high . Proud parents, tutors and graduates rub shoulders with interested art lovers and talent scouts from the creative industries. Bargains can also be found and I’ve bought some lovely pieces from Degree shows around the country. One or two pieces have turned out to be a great investment as their creators become well respected and successful as their careers progress.
The following black and white images are a snippet of my experience last night. The show closes on 22nd June. There is ample time to see these lovely things in full colour and in their entirety before the show closes. Go to the PCAD website for times and details.
theoldmortuary.design 