The Longest Day

Apologies for not posting anything yesterday. I had to escort students to Alton Towers, leaving at dawn, returning at Dusk. I’d never been before, and I don’t like rides, but I did have a go on some of the tamer ones (getting soaked on the log flume was the most fun). The gardens were very good for a short and quiet stroll around, and I did manage a small sketch. (And to collect some pine cones!)         

   

  

Hex was very good too. Having a strong interest in trees, I was very entertained by the story and dramatic image of the chained ancient oak tree, in the fictional horror story. Much more on trees at a later date.    The journey between Somerset and Alton was very good, with bright skies there and back. Watching the sun rising slowly to the right in the east, and setting behind huge clouds to the right in the west, on the way back. It was a tangible and physical sky, of bright blue, and heavy clouds.

Fleeting moments and digital landscapes

Braved the wind, rain and traffic to visit the Grant Bradley Gallery, Bristol. The current exhibitions include some delicate and detailed small-scale figure sculptures, which have a wonderful sense of movement. A queue of eight figures was particularly effective at capturing individual character. We felt the most successful sculptures were those that were solely, or largely just the figures. The sculptures are by Sophie White. 

 

There were also some larger-scale two-dimensional pieces of digital landscapes. Some were stills, and there was also a slowly developing film, dissolving from one image into another. Particularly striking were the lenticular images, that moved as you walked towards them, again capturing a dramatic sense of movement. 

Bibliodyssey

 This is a very good site. It is an archival site for arcane and esoteric art. There are some fantastic illustrations and pages from old manuscripts.The author of the blog has collected images from all over the world, as museums and galleries are making their collections available on line, and is posting them and links to some excellent material. This includes eighteenth century anatomical and architectural drawings to occult and alchemical engravings. Well worth visiting and bookmarking. Enjoy.

Bibliodyssey

Tom Gaunt

If you haven’t seen Tom’s work you really should. Some of his work really cracks me up, and all of it has a lovely character. Its very economical and simple but very funny. Very nicely drawn as well. His partner is also an illustrator called Simone Lia, again simple and funny pictures. See their work at cabanon press. 

Seven Months

Having lived in Somerset now for around seven months I want to start sharing my thoughts, experiences and impressions with you. Having moved from a bleak northern moorland landscape I’m very affected by the rolling hills, the epic skies, and the deep hedgerows and stone walls criss-crossing this welcoming countryside. I’ve been searching out the ancient, the rustic, the picturesque and even the sublime around the Mendips, Wiltshire, and places in and around. I have an abiding interest in ancient monuments, in the ways the landscape has been transformed by an imaginative intervention, a need for meaning, order and ownership.Just up the road from me lies Stanton Drew stone circles, a hidden gem. Its an impressive site, the third largest in the British Isles, owned by English heritage.Try this site for information http://www.twistedtree.org.uk/stanton_drew.htm

Ruth Piper

Researching artists for a student I found what I was looking for. Ruth Piper is an artist who creates images that are imaginary aerial maps or diagrams. These bold and colourful images, are highly patterned and decorative. See some of her work on her very good website.  I haven’t seen any of her work first hand, but hope to see some of her recent work when exhibited in April at http://www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk/. These works are called Existential Diagrams. www.ruthpiper.com