Pleasure To Work With....

This morning I ran a half day Collage Workshop over in Bungay - with the Black Dog Art Group.
The eight lovely attendees were positive, creative and open-minded - which made for a constructive and productive morning.
After an initial look through some of my sketchbooks, I started by showing everyone a few examples of five artists' work that is inspiring me at present:

• Robert Rauschenberg 
  
• Melinda Tidwell 
  
• Ben Nicholson 
  
• Julius Bissier 
  
• Hannelore Baron 
  

This became a spring-board to exploring one's motivation for producing art as well as looking at the formal elements of composition and abstraction. 
I then chatted a little about my way of working now which led to how and why my work has changed since leaving art school -
Then it was time to get hands-on...

I brought a big box full of a variety of papers with me - and set the task for everyone to work on two collages simultaneously.

I was quite insistent on this, which I stand by - as I think it was a new way of working for them all.

Such a pleasing variety of dynamic, calm, vibrant and delicate collages - some filling the paper - some embracing the white space.

Great to see individuals' characters coming through in their choice of colour and composition.

Finally, after the tables were cleared, the collages were laid out and we all had a good look at the satisfying results of a full morning's contemplative work. 

I think I managed to introduce a little bit of a fresh perspective on collage - hope so - as this is a group of people with a great deal of art experience between them, which I fully respect - the evidence is in their approach.
Hopefully all went away feeling they learned something today - I certainly learned lots - but I always do when teaching!

Ready For A Good Send Off...

At the moment I am busy preparing work to be sent to two galleries for open exhibitions coming up in September. 

Hopefully, maybe, fingers-crossed - one will be accepted...

One is local and one is in London, so we'll see what they think of my work.

This is the Norwich submission (up to five pieces...):

Coerce Gentle Changes, My Dear 

found paper collage on paper, 43cm x 31.5cm

Light as a Bit of Sky Reflected in a Jar

found paper collage on paper, 28cm x 40cm

 Take the Current or Lose the Venture

found paper collage on paper, 42cm x 19cm

 More Than Kisses, Letters Mingle Souls

watercolour, ink, mono-print and collage on paper, 30.5cm x 23cm

 Resting, Watching Clouds, Counting Butterflies

watercolour, foil and found paper collage on paper, 26cm x 16.5cm

And here are the (maximum of three) pieces I am submitting to the London gallery:

Life's little Choices, Subtly Signposted

watercolour, ink, foil, mono-print and collage on paper, 38.5cm x 48cm

It's Really A Yearning for Love

watercolur, ink, mono-print and collage on paper, 31cm x 41.5cm

I Crumpled Time in my Hands, Tossing it Away

watercolour, ink, graphite, mono-print and collage on paper, 26cm x 17.5cm

Inspiration Comes Of Working - And Of Walking..

Recently I have discovered a lovely local walk where I very rarely meet anyone at all - and enjoy only the company of wild tiny things and the dog. The walk takes me from my home, through a housing estate and away, out into a lane, past a church to a footpath that leads me along a field's edge. At the bottom of the field is an oasis of wildlife:

Butterflies and bees and noisy birdies are everywhere. After crossing another lane, the walk takes me through the cool long path at the end of a wood, with darling Cranes-bill lighting it up: 

When out into the light again, it's a short rise past another wee church and out onto a different lane, past a pocket of sweet cottages with gardens full of blousey roses before a long straight road back to my village, and home. A precious hour that sets me up for the day:

Keeping Coooool

My little shed gets completely boiling hot in this sort of weather - to the extent that it's very nearly physically impossible to be in there after 2pm. 

Looking at these small pieces - two pairs and a single - I think the greys and blues are happening as an attempt to be keeping cool.......

It's not working - as I am rather too overly hot thank you very much. But there are elements of these that are heading towards success, so it's not all limp and wilting. Phew

Here comes the weekend!

Heavy Metal

Snuggle up to pure gold - 

Get a little closer: