Baking and The Biscuit….x

Another busy week and only one week until the children finish school for the Christmas holidays.
I'm currently putting work together for my exhibition at the Mustard Gallery,Langholm which starts on the 18th January,2014 until 25th February.I'll be at the gallery on the opening Saturday to demonstrate my watercolour -based mixed media.Hope the weather holds off!

Spring Fling have also announced the 95 selected participants for next year's event 24-26 May.I'm delighted to say that I'll be participating and exhibiting from my home /studio in Dumfries. Bea has already been practicing her baking for Bea's Bakery -yesterday was home-made mince pies and orange & chocolate scones.Absolutely delicious!

Spring Fling have a number of exciting events arranged for next year .The website is www.spring-fling.co.uk where you can check everything out. As part of their Going National campaign,  I was  delighted to find out that I've been selected to exhibit at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle.The exhibition runs from 9th April to 18th May.This will be my first time exhibiting outside of Dumfries and Galloway-very excited!

The work selected to go into the Spring Fling brochure for 2014 is this one…..

Last week I purchased an anglepoise desk lamp with a daylight bulb.I can actually see what I'm doing now through these twilight days-result! 

  

December 1st!

Apologies that it has been so long since my last post but life and it's priorities often get in the way of my art.It can be frustrating however a tragedy such as the Glasgow disaster on Friday night whereby a police helicopter not only fell out of the sky but landed on a crowded pub certainly helps put things in perspective.

Back in the art world I have exciting news to tell followed by more exciting news…however my lips are sealed for the time being as requested by those involved.In the meantime I'm fortunate to be selecting work to go in the rather wonderful Mustard Gallery at Langholm's Christmas pop-up exhibition next weekend (6-8 December).I'm selecting 3 larger pieces -2 of which have gone off to the framer's.

This piece is entitled'Threads'-the photo above is of it in its unfinished state but as it is at the framer's I couldn't update it. I used gesso,sand and modelling paste to build the 'threads' then used a printing roller to build layers of colour with acrylic paint. Acrylic ink was then used on the textured areas before adding highlights of silver leaf.The canvas is 20 x 60 cm and a departure from the square canvases I had been using.The threads relate to the Three Norns who sit and weave  the destiny of men. I wanted an element of fragility  within the texture to represent  our own lives,  life cycle and how our threads intertwine with so many others.

I'll blog again soon with Part 2 of my work but have a wonderful December…can't quite work out how that crept up so quickly…...

Lochs and Trossachs

 It's been October half-term in Dumfries and Galloway.As the parents belong to Holiday Property Bond , our birthday present was a week at Tigh Mor in the Trossachs. Tigh Mor, situated on the banks of Loch Achray, was a former hotel now converted into apartments with games room and swimming pool-ideal if the weather is poor.Great location for the cycling and walking we had planned…weather permitting.

                  Tigh Mor from banks of Loch Achray

 The Trossachs previously referred to a small wooded glen however nowadays  covers the area from Callendar to Loch Lomond.It is an area of stunning beauty with lochs,glens,deep valleys and striking peaks.Of course with it being October the colours of autumn were stunning -and thankfully there was an absence of midges!

Reflections in Loch Achray

Loch Katrine just down the road is approx 8 miles long and the primary water reservoir  supply for the city of Glasgow.Made famous by Sir Walter Scott, it  is the fictional setting for his poem 'The Lady of the Lake'.Nowadays the SS Sir Walter Scott is a  biodiesel-fuelled steam power boat that transports tourists to the far end of the loch.

SS Sir Walter Scott

We drove to Stronachlachar at the western end of the loch where I deposited the family with bikes and they cycled the 13 miles back to the pier end where I met them with hot drinks and lunch.

Bea in the zone! …and boats moored at Stonachlachar

It was a great family holiday-being together,fun,picnics,activity,good food and  fresh air-in between the rain that is …

Happy days…..

Wigtown Book Festival 2013

It's been a busy week trying to get necessary information and images together for my Spring Fling 2014 application.Luckily my friend Julie Hollis at Cloud 9 Studio gallery was on hand to help with taking the final image and the resizing involved.
Yesterday with temperatures hitting a balmy 20 degrees,my daughter and I set off for Wigtown,a 10 day literary celebration in Scotland's National Book Town.There are nearly 200 events including workshops,readings and activities ......

After a glorious drive along the coast we arrived and just enjoyed the ambience of the day.There were children playing on the beach.....

...which was actually a large sandpit installed by the County Buildings....

We visited the Camper Obscura-a project which has seen over 14, 000 people over 3 years sit inside a old camper van and view the surrounding area....

Feeling peckish we decided to explore The Kist-which means Treasure Chest.It was a fabulous mix of craft,arts,food and drink stalls where we bought delicious chilli jam from Galloway Chillies,vanilla fudge from Galloway Fudge Co,rapeseed oil from Stark Produce and admired the beautiful crafts at Handmade at Helens.

We also met Kim Ayres ,photographer to the stars...or in this case continuing his search for authors to photograph as literary characters.....not forgetting the enthusiastic Renita Boyle,the entertaining author and storyteller.....

On the way home and in need of a cuppa, we stopped at the Mill on the Fleet ,the visitor and exhibition centre at Gatehouse of Fleet.

A new exhibition entitled "Drawing a Voice' was literally just starting.It's a fantastic collaboration between 2 visual artists and a poet which covers different projects.It was lovely to catch up with Pamela Grace who does the most wonderful pen & ink drawings and paper batik.I also was fortunate to meet Jean Atkin who was there to read some of her wonderful poetry and Catriona Taylor -who works in mixed media.The exhibition runs from Sept 28th until Nov  2013.

There is also the most fantastic bookshop....Garvallan Books...(garvallanbooks@gmail.com).

Beatrice has decided she'd like to go back to Wigtown next Saturday when James Morton from the Great British Bake-Off is holding a bread-making class.....Well he was our favourite!

Bea enjoying the Festival.....

Here are the websites of aforementioned folk....

www.gallowaychillies.co.uk

www.gallowayfudge.com

www.starkrapeseedoil.co.uk

www.handmadeathelens.blogspot.co.uk

www.kimayres.co.uk

www.renitaboyle.com

www.millonthefleet.co.uk

www.pamelagrace.co.uk

www.jeanatkin.com

www.catrionataylor.co.uk

September Start-up......

It's been a great week which  involved seeing art as well as finally getting back to creating it.On Friday I drove  across to Langholm to the excellent Mustard Gallery to see the opening exhibition of work by Gill Shreeve. Her acrylic abstract work is wonderful-backed by images of her up on the hills in all elements with her materials and rolls of canvas. An exciting way to work which shows in the dynamic movement in her pieces.Unfortunately I didn't take any photos....but it was a really enjoyable evening.

It was good to finally get back into the studio as it has been a lengthy break. With work required for a Winter/Christmas pop-up exhibition at the Mustard Gallery and the deadline for Spring Fling Open Studios event 2014 looming I really needed to at least make a start.

I started on a canvas,preparing it with texture and adding layers of colour. This is just the start and definitely work in progress.

Detail...

And in the meantime the damsons became jam,the apples have been stewing and  I've acquired plums which are soon to be plum and mulled wine chutney...... Well the nights are drawing in and the weather has that autumnal feel to it.

Work in progress.....

From working on the canvas the cogs have starting cranking up and a feel new ideas blossoming.Hopefully they'll become real in time for the Spring Fling application deadline.....

Harvesting......

It's been a while since I last posted.There have been a number of reasons-a busy summer and undertaking other projects have meant I haven't been able to get in to the studio.
In the meantime I have de-cluttered and deep-cleaned the house-numerous bags to the charity shops,rubbish for the tip and making use of Gumtree.According to the principles of Feng Shui,the energy must be zipping around the rooms now.....

The children went back to school with all that entails-activity and cost-wise!

This week the weather was beautiful and I decided to tackle the neglected garden.We're putting in a patio area so we've somewhere to eat our BBQs next year. More bags for the tip.....

Husband is currently looking after a large property where he tends the massive garden.Today we started harvesting the fruits...damsons,plums,cooking and eating apples......

  

Tomorrow I'll be busy making damson jam and plum jam.....

For dessert tonight I made a batch of plum and oat muffins -delicious warm....

Sadly the Crown Gallery in Carlisle ,the marvellous venture of Joe and Julie will be closing its doors later this year so my exhibition starting October has had to be  cancelled.

The other sad news is that our local art shop in Dumfries,Art-astic is also closing.I've been popping in to stock up on supplies ......

Thick watercolour paper,48 Derwent Inktense pencils and a selection of gorgeous soft pastels will hopefully get me inspired and back into the studio.....

And monkey came too...

We spent the last week back in Yorkshire as Mr A had some holidays from work.The change in weather as we headed south into England became very noticeable with the temperature dropping 5 degrees and then we hit the rain.

Day 1-rain,heavy,all day.
We lost Africa as the river became a raging torrent.

And then the sun came out for the rest of the week so we set out on one of our favourite walks around Ribblehead viaduct. The viaduct is the longest and most famous viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle railway. Built between 1870 and 1874,it is 400m long ,32 m above the valley floor at its highest point and has 24 arches of 14m span-very impressive.

 Needing a refreshment stop  we perched on some of the boulders that are strewn in places along the valley floor.

As well as the butterflies and birds of prey, we also found some interesting fungi that seemed to be mimicking the seat on the nearby piece of rusting farm machinery.It was virtually the same size.

The walk follows a loop along the valley before cutting back over farmland and under the viaduct-peaceful and beautiful.

Family Acklam

A peaceful and restful week was enjoyed by us all.Bea also received the news that she achieved A grades in her Intermediate 2 exams in French,Biology and Chemistry -as well as As in her Standard Grade PE and SVS.This was celebrated with a cooked breakfast in the cafe in Settle-living it up!

One week of our school holidays left ...and then time to get back in to the studio......

 

Wandering....

 Well it's been a while and I've been very busy doing everything but art.We're now approximately halfway through our summer holidays and it's been nothing if eventful!

A couple of weeks ago we had a fantastic week in Yorkshire. On our journey down we detoured into the beautiful Lake District,heading for Grasmere and Dove Cottage. My daughter who is studying Higher English and currently the Romantic poets was supposed to go on an English trip in October planned by her inspirational English teacher.The trip was going to take in places such as Somerset to visit the area that inspired Samuel Taylor Coleridge to write The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. On their return journey they were to visit Dove Cottage and the Lake District  that inspired William Wordsworth. Unfortunately the trip has been cancelled due to the number of children dropping out -so we improvised.....

Wordsworth lived at Dove Cottage for eight years from 1799 with his sister Dorothy and also Mary whom he married in 1802. Three out of his five children were born there.

In 1795 he met Samuel Taylor Coleridge ,publishing 'The Lyrical Ballads ' in 1798.His most famous work  'The Prelude' was published posthumously by Mary in 1850.

We toured the cottage early in the morning while it was still cool and fortunately before two coach-loads of tourists arrived.With dark panelled rooms and stone floors ,it was easy to visualize what life must have been like back then. Dorothy also kept journals which give a vivid account of her life of domestic chores and spending time transcribing her brother's work.

The garden to the rear of the property is beautiful and rises to give a fabulous view across the fells. As for Beatrice,she loved it and fell into conversation with some lovely American tourists about the drug habits of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Beatrice at Dove Cottage

I particularly enjoyed the museum where it was possible to see the writings .Paper was so expensive that every inch was covered.

So it was an inspirational visit for us all.....I felt the horrors of 'A' level English finally begin to dissipate...and how I wish I could have had an English teacher like my daughter has who tries to inspire his pupils by trying to arrange what would have been a wonderful trip.

 

Yorkshire Riviera

We have just spent a wonderful week in North Yorkshire enjoying hot sunshine and temperatures around 26-28 degrees. It gave us an opportunity to relax after a busy school year and everything else that goes on in a busy family unit.

A lot of time was spent down by the river,playing ball,collecting rocks and odd bits of old pottery ,fish watching ,paddling and swimming.

Ross found 'Africa'.....

He also found a large triangular lump of rock in the river which under close inspection had cup and ring marks on it. We upturned it and made our own water installation......

I waded out into the river and was struck by the beautiful underwater colours......

Looking forward to allowing these inspirations to become ideas in my work over the next few weeks.......

 

On vacation...

This week saw the start of the  school holidays here in South-West Scotland.It's been a week of cleaning,laundry,shopping,cooking,baking as we prepare to travel to Yorkshire for the week. It doesn't often happen however we'll be travelling light-T-shirts,suncream and beach towels! It's going to be the hottest week of the year so playing in the river and BBQs will be order of the day in North Yorkshire.

Tomorrow we're planned our visit to Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum in the Lake District. Eldest child is studying for her Higher English and they're currently doing the Romantic poets. I'm hoping to get my own inspiration too....
Meanwhile youngest child turns thirteen while we're away .From 6lb 15 oz to 5' 10" in 13 very short years.....

It's been a great start to the summer so far-congratulations Andy Murray,an epic win. Chris Froome,current yellow jersey in the Tour de France is also performing magnificently too.

Off to pack the car for our early start in the morning.  I'll be back next Saturday....enjoy your week folks,speak soon....x

Little Stainforth, North Yorkshire. May 2013.

On the slate....

Had a great day in the studio. After a frantic weekend I decided to leave the large canvas that is sat there waiting. I chose instead to play around with some of the papers I have accumulated. After making marks on a few, I decided to make little scrolls. This will most likely become part of one of my box-works that I'm currently developing. I managed to capture some images on a background of slate-the scroll made of modroc is yet to have colour added but on the whole I'm very pleased with the results......

Progress report

As my exhibition at the Crown Gallery,Carlisle starts on October 26th I reckon that with the summer holidays starting here in Scotland next week then I have to remain focused -otherwise time is going to drift on by ....
Wimbledon too is a huge distraction but with Nadal going out then I'm not so interested!

I've had a quiet few days where I've been looking at ideas,jotting things down,researching .This piece is a work in progress which I actually started pre Spring Fling and is gradually becoming into the idea I had in my head at the start.  

Using gesso,sand and modelling paste I crafted two panels or windows on the canvas.I am trying to achieve an aged,archival look. Where I feel the surrounding area is complete I am searching for the central idea. It won't be much-maybe a small collage or further painting.Something that will grab the attention and draw the viewer in.....

Tomorrow I am taking a new painting down to New Abbey to Abbey Cottage where my work is on show until Sunday. I may even treat myself to a pot of tea and a scone as they are delicious there and the tea award-winning....and then delivery of a painting to a lovely new customer....Oh,Djokovic is now playing....happy days indeed

And detail...

Maeshowe

Maeshowe is one of the most impressive chambered tombs in Orkney.Thought to date from around 2700BC, it is constructed from Orkney flagstones some of which weigh up to 30 tonnes and clay.There is a low entrance passage on the south-west side of the mound which leads into a large central chamber.Three smaller side-cells branch off from the main chamber.

It appears from the outside as a large grassy mound in a field....

Information board......

View from the entrance....

For a few days each year as the midwinter sun drops below the horizon,its rays shine directly on the rear wall of the central chamber-aptly described in George Mackay Brown's poem 'Maeshowe:Midwinter'..

George Mackay Brown was born in Stromness in the Orkney islands in 1921.His first book was published in 1954 and he went on to write many books including plays,novels,short stories and poetry.

His  book of poetry entitled 'Following a Lark' was 'written mainly in praise of the light, and to glorify in a small way the Light behind the light,that gives life and meaning to all the creatures of earth......:

'Maeshowe:Midwinter'

Equinox to Hallowmas,darkness

falls like the leaves. The

tree of the sun is stark.

On the loom of winter,shadows

gather in a web;then the 

shuttle of St Lucy makes a 

pause;a dark weave

fills the loom.

The blackness is solid as a 

stone that locks a tomb.

No star shines there.

Then begins the true ceremony of 

the sun,when the one

last fleeting solstice flame

is caught up by a

midnight candle.

Children sing under a street

lamp,their voices like

leaves of light.

George Mackay Brown Poems

'Following a Lark'

1996

John Murray Publishers,London.

Layers....

Over the last few weeks I've been gathering ideas for more collage work. It was interesting at Spring Fling to have the opportunity to discuss techniques I use. Often I do things and while it may be noted in a sketchbook or journal,discussing it with someone makes me question and have a deeper understanding of what I'm doing and what I'm trying to achieve.

Working in mixed media allows for exploration  of a number of elements which will form the finished piece such as the media to be used utilising different techniques to explore  the surface,form,texture and colour.

When working on a piece some pieces just 'work' -collage is one of those techniques that I really enjoy.It can be daunting-composition ,materials,size -all require questioning.At university I used small canvases to produce studies for the finished piece. During my pre-Spring Fling clear-out some work was thrown out as it is impossible to keep hold of everything. This small study remains as I can't bear to part  with it.It uses the strata of rocks simultaneously with the lines of music and photographs symbolic of layers of memories......

    

Web of life

'Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves.
 All things are bound together.
All things connect.'

Chief Seattle

Chief Seattle  (1780-1866) was a Duwamish chief and namesake of the city of Seattle. It is the only major city in the United States named for a Native American leader. He was accommodating of the new white settlers and for a speech that discussed ecological responsibility.The speech itself has become  controversial due to its numerous translations from the native American tongue it was spoken in and questioning  of what the chief  actually said.

The above quote however is so relevant today.....

Meanwhile this is another work-in-progress......

Based on cup-and -ring markings it actually became more spiral.  Runes run along the  the bottom half. I'll leave it awhile ...but for now it's quite engaging....

Threads.....

I started a new piece of work based on the Three Norns who sit at the base of Yggdrasil and weave the destiny of men.    I feel that this will be an important element in the body of work I am currently developing for my exhibition at Crown Gallery,Carlisle starting late  October.

I'm particularly interested in the thread-our fate,how long our thread is going to be,how it weaves and intertwines with people in our lives. The piece is currently work in progress but I'm pleased with the outcome so far......

The image isn't brilliant however it shows the more minimal approach I've adopted and the size of canvas-20 x 60 cm .It remains untitled as yet however the thread appears solid in parts and fragmented as it winds its way down the canvas. I'll put it away for now and revisit it next week. It gives me time to think about it and note what needs doing or not doing next.....

Detail-top right

Yggdrasil revisited.....

In my final year of university I made 'Yggdrasil'-a standing stone based on  Norse mythology and after my visit to Orkney.

It stands 132cm high and is a mixed media piece built around a wire frame. The hole is significant- we visited the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness who have a collection of work by Barbara Hepworth including 'Oval Sculpture', from 1943.Having also seen her work at the Hepworth in Yorkshire and studied her at university,her use of form remains inspirational to me.

                          
                      'Oval Sculpture', 1943
 
Margaret Gardiner (1904-2005) ,the founder of the Pier Arts Centre was a close friend of Barbara Hepworth and her second husband Ben Nicholson. Gardiner visited Orkney during the 1950s and established the centre to support art in the islands  and also to act as a venue to display the portion of the private collection she donated.

In the meantime I've started researching for my next body of work &  I came across holed stones-in Penzance,Cornwall but also existing in other locations..'Men a Tol' is derived from the Cornish language meaning 'stone of hole'....

The circular stone is 12 foot in circumference .There are various speculations & stories including that it may be part of a burial chamber or part of a stone circle.Up until the 18th century the holed stone was said to have curative powers and people passed through the stone to cure rickets, rheumatism and tuberculosis. It was also considered to be an astronomical device for solar cycles and a symbolic site in fertility rites.....

I have a strong feeling that the stones are going to remain important in my work....a case of the rolling stones! 

Information was obtained from the following: www.pierartscentre.com/permanentcollection.html

www.pznow.co.uk/historic1/holedstones.html

 

Guid Nychburris

Apologies for the blog delay as it's been another busy and productive week. 'Guid Nychburris' or 'Good Neighbours' is a week- long festival in Dumfries which celebrates its Royal Charter issued by King Robert III in 1186. This move ensured loyalty of the town's citizens to the monarch.Dumfries was never walled however the Riding of the Marches or boundaries was to ensure that the town boundaries were not encroached upon.The third Saturday of June every year sees the historic Ride of the Marches taking place culminating in the Queen of the South being crowned at the Midsteeple in the town.

June is therefore a particularly busy time for community activities taking place . Yesterday afternoon and evening saw me helping out at the Guid Nychburris swimming gala.Children from across the region participated ,I think the number stated was 160 plus,and it was a fantastic event ......

Earlier in the week saw me head to the local library .To continue my body of work I find that delving into books inspires and motivates me .I keep a sketchbook to hand as often when I'm reading something springs to mind and I need to capture it.The wonderful librarian even went searching in the basement for books that hadn't been touched in years.....

This weekend both children are participating in the Dumfries Summer Open competition at the DG1 leisure complex.I'll be there volunteering in my role as timekeeper and assistant medal -presenter ( a great job!).Next week I'll be immersed in these...