#1245 theoldmortuary ponders

On Apr 3, 2025Apr 4, 2025 By theoldmortuary.designIn Drawn to the Valley, Serendipity1 Comment

Green is the Colour to Be by Ali Fife-Cook,our chairwoman, suggests the colour journey today at Drawn to the Valley, Spring Exhibition. Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth.

Followed swiftly on with Spy by Debra Parkinson the exhibition Co-ordinator.

The greens of Sally O’ Neill’s work brightly demonstrate the quirky nature of this gorgeous space. At different times of day the shadows are just a memory.

From moor to river with Anne Blackwell-Fox and Plymbridge.

And then the garden at Aberglasney with Sarah Grace. ( A small detour to Carmarthen but when I need green, I need green . It was almost certainly framed in the Tamar Valley)

And where there are gardens there is a rabbit from Rosemary Wood.

Before we sweep down to the coast with Hannah Wisdom and her wonderful green seaweed.

Before landing at the foot of Smeatons Tower with Jayne Ashenbury.

A green sweep of the Tamar Valley with the Artists of Drawn to the Valley. It took us a little longer to set up the exhibition than usual. 40 artists and the potential of 640 pieces of art arriving. Not everyone submitted their full quota, but it was close. A challenging two day hang completed by a diligent team. One of them wearing green.

#1244 theoldmortuary ponders.

On Apr 2, 2025Apr 2, 2025 By theoldmortuary.designIn Drawn to the Valley, Serendipity1 Comment

In praise of red. @theoldmortuary is part of a team running an Art exhibition at Ocean Studios in The Royal William Yard, Plymouth.

Blogs for the next few days will take a peek at the artworks on offer following a colour theme.

First up a blood red, bullet shaped, paperweight from Yvonne Morrissey.

And what better to follow a bullet than a knife.

Followed by 20 shades, including red.

Geoff Dodd’s painting, Sunrise at Belliver shows both the glory and the challenges of hanging art in this beautiful,renovated, military warehouse.

Grade II listing makes gallery wires essential. The proportions and light of the spaces combine to create a unique gallery-visiting experience.

Next, the word red in Christine Smith’s mixed media work.

From one bird to another. A Pheasant, resplendently red.

Not a brace of birds but a trio. Carole Cox created a splendid Electric Blue Cockerel who, as luck would have it has a splendid red wattle.

And finally, another Geoff Dodd image hanging with an @theoldmortuary original. Daffodils and Moonflowers.

#1223 theoldmortuary ponders.

On Mar 12, 2025Mar 12, 2025 By theoldmortuary.designIn Drawn to the Valley1 Comment

I have been painting a tree this week by only painting the negative spaces in shades of red. I chose red because the exhibition that this picture is intended for celebrates Turner, the artist and his work in the Tamar Valley. A big subject that I could easily have got lost in.

Turner, famously finished one of his great pictures, on Varnishing Day at the Royal Academy by planting a red blob on his misty grey seascape .

His great rival, Constable, saw this as an act of aggression as Constable often wove some red into his deeply rural landscapes.

An homage to an artists work is a big subject that I could easily get lost in so I have decided to reverse engineer the two things he made famous; mists and red blobs.

Painting a tree using only red blobs looks uncannily like the histology slides used by pathologists to diagnose disease processes using tiny segments of tissue and a microscope. I have a few months to work on this technique but early results are looking interesting. After I have printed the actual tree skeleton over the blob painting. More stages to go.

Mists are also going to be reverse-engineered and dreadful flat, grey seascapes will be turned into colourful images that hint at rain and mist.

A lot to think about. This weekend I came out with a real arty response to the question,

” Where are you and what are you up to?”

“I am in the studio, considering my negative spaces”

#1136 theoldmortuary ponders.

On Dec 12, 2024Dec 12, 2024 By theoldmortuary.designIn 26 Days to Boxing Day, Drawn to the Valley, Drawn To The Valley Artists, Serendipity1 Comment

15 days to Boxing Day

I did not expect to create a painting today. I did not expect to go to a biker cafe. I did not expect to be writing this blog at 5pm. But beyond that the day has gone completely to plan. A regular meet up with other Plymouth based arty people for nattering, exhibition planning and festive high points.

Usually, I can easily paint and talk but Santa was not the most unusual man in the cafe. A gentleman approached to talk about my art for about 45 seconds and then talked about himself for the next minutes. Even my absolute dedication to getting paint on paper didn’t stem his flow of self-obsession. I was polite and responded appropriately while avidly painting away.

But my mind was a bit fried by the time he wandered off. Thank goodness for the impromptu arrival of a friend, we escaped to a nearby bikers cafe. No chance of self obsessed artists there.

And so to 26 Days to Boxing Day . L for learning . Actually the point of our arty gatherings. We sit together and do small tasks but we share tips and techniques. Artists are by inclination and practice solitary creatures. But our regular meetings over the past two and a half years has created such a strong and effective group of solitary beings. Sometimes 25 of us.

And guess what? I was painting with the same colours at our first get together.

#930 theoldmortuary ponders

On May 28, 2024May 28, 2024 By theoldmortuary.designIn Art for sale, Drawn to the Valley, SerendipityLeave a comment

Last day of the exhibition. 4 days of visitors and memories.

Just enough time to share a few final pictures, before the unsold works are bundled up in bubble wrap and returned to the artists.

Onward now to the next exhibitions of 2024.

#929 theoldmortuary

On May 27, 2024May 27, 2024 By theoldmortuary.designIn Art for sale, Drawn to the Valley, Serendipity1 Comment

All that glistens will lead us through the second to last live blog of the Spring exhibition. Although it may not be obvious in my photos, all these works have a little bit of twinkle about them.

Today is the last day of the exhibition at The Market Hall, Devonport. An exhibition worth driving the extra mile for. Free parking, great architecture, and a cafe to natter in.

The visitors so far, have loved our new choice of venue and for many it is their first time at a Drawn to the Valley event.

The 360 degree, Dome projection room was buzzing during the Private View.

Sometimes a shaft of sunlight catches someones work and the twinkle becomes fascinating.

From the Industrial to the delicate.

And for some final twinkle.

#928 theoldmortuary ponders

On May 26, 2024May 26, 2024 By theoldmortuary.designIn Art for sale, Drawn to the Valley, Serendipity2 Comments

Following a trail of white to a Private View. Drawn To The Valley held their 20th Anniversary Private View, last night at the Devonport Market Hall.

Art featuring white will lead us to the event.

The sun was shining all day before the Private View, Devonport felt almost Mediterranean.

Daytime guests slipped away and snacks unpacked for the evening event.

Huge congratulations must go to the organising team of this fabulous exhibition, the building team, the committee and the artists who are participating.

20 years of supporting and encouraging artists and makers in the Tamar Valley has built a diverse and talented organisation. Ready to move into the next 20 years.

#927 theoldmortuary ponders.

On May 25, 2024May 25, 2024 By theoldmortuary.designIn Art for sale, Drawn to the Valley, Drawn To The Valley Artists, SerendipityLeave a comment

Live blogging/pondering from an art exhibition with a theme of turquoise, inspired by the plaque on Devonport Market Hall. So many artists love turquose this is not a difficult task.

Art lovers also love turquoise. Although I didn’t catch any turquoise wearing visitors today.

But an artist, Anne Blackwell Fox , wearing turquoise,was in the building when I took this picture, entitled Emergence

The last two turquoises are significantly different to one another, but they both feature missing triangular chunks. Perhaps the bigger significance is that they almost mark the top and bottom of the Drawn to the Valley geographical boundary

Shelstone Tor on the Northern boundary of Dartmoor and an abstract representing the sea at the southern end.

#926 theoldmortuary ponders

On May 25, 2024May 25, 2024 By theoldmortuary.designIn Drawn to the Valley1 Comment

Yesterday wasn’t all about orange art. There was a huge amount of talking about art and, for half an hour, nipple tassels.

The morning started with a wonky moment.

I had read on instagram that the panorama setting on a camera phone could be used in an up and down motion rather than from side to side. As I arrived at the exhibition venue the perfect subject,a clock tower, was adjacent to the car park.

Now I think I may need to read a little bit more about this technique.

I watched a run through of the 360 degree projection of our art work. It is genuinely thrilling to see a small piece of my art projected as an immersive experience. These next two photos are a bit rubbish but I was lost in the moment. I will get better ones today.

Stonehouse Fruits ( Fig and blackberry) projected on a massive, 12-foot by 12-foot, scale.

My Cold Water swimmer was even bigger. Caught at the exact moment the projection beam was between her knees.

Normally the dome is filled with bean bags for comfort, but this was only a run through so this is how we did it.

Another wonky moment, as laying flat on the foor in varifocal glasses with 360-degree film projection is less than ideal. Below is a tiny video. There is a soundtrack of birdsong and tinkling water.

https://videopress.com/v/oWeQR31h?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

That was a lot of excitement for one day.

#854 theoldmortuary ponders

On Mar 22, 2024 By theoldmortuary.designIn Art for sale, Drawn to the Valley, Drawn To The Valley Artists1 Comment

Who was your most influential teacher? Why?

Too many to mention but sometimes the most influential teacher of the moment is the last person I spoke to. Always so much to learn from others. Particularly this week as I have curated a Print Exhibition in a Gallery Cafe.

Here it is, on the morning after the night before. Spic and span and ready for the coffee and art-loving public to flood in.

Last night was a hubub of bubbles, and artists/printers/art- lovers having ernest, fascinating and sometimes wildly inappropriate conversations.

What did I learn last night?

That if I just shortened my beads they would sit better. They do.

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