Panic? Moi?

24 September 2015

I'm back from my holiday and, other than a brief excursion to London reported here, it's full on. The day job, which I don't really reference here at all, is sapping energy and head space, but I have to get a grip.

For I have committed to participate in two events this coming winter - The Workshop Sale in London and a new two day event - The Workshop Sale in Portsmouth.

I've reported on the workshop sale before - I've been helping Rob and Andy for years - but they've persuaded me to give it a go.

So, I need to get some stock together.

A session mono printing onto tissue paper ( here drying on a rack, hung up like washing)

(It's not all going to make the cut!)

Some printing on painted papers and sticking.

Now waiting for stitch.

Can't stop! Got to get a wriggle on if I am to get it all together for the dates!

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Joseph Cornell at the RA

21 September 2015

Well, we went to the Joseph Cornell exhibition at the Royal Academy - shimmying in over the line just before the exhibition closes.

Now - I've read rave reviews about this exhibition and so my expectations were very high.

And, well there's no other way to put it, I was disappointed.

We were not allowed to take photos so these are from the web.

There is stuff about the artist elsewhere so I won't bore you with a biography except to say that he was from New York. Born at the turn of the last century he was a self taught artist, making assemblages, many of them 3 dimensional in little wooden boxes, from found ephemera sourced on ramblings around his native city. He was certainly ahead of his time as some of the compositions were very avant garde.

Some of the work on display was exquisite - and I found myself wondering 'how did he do that before PVA glue was invented?'

But overall the display was disappointing. I think the RA could have made more of it. Some gripes were over little things. For example the explanatory information was too small and inconveniently placed ( and in my view a bit, well, 'up itself', if you get my drift) and many of the exhibits, all behind glass I guess because they were so delicate, were too high up.

But also the colour palette of the galleries was wrong. I have this overriding memory of 'duck egg gone wrong'. And I suspect that many exhibits were designed to be interactive. A few feeble films demonstrated this, but what a missed opportunity to commission a few new pieces that the public could handle or interact with. And I kept thinking back to the Grayson Perry exhibition at the British Museum a few years ago where the function of objects was so celebrated. I reckon Perry would have done a much better job with this. RA take note!

One funny thing though, there I was, squinting at one of the pieces, when I suddenly realised I recognised the person standing next to me. None other the Stephanie Redfern, and all credit to the lady ( for she meets loads of people every year) she recognised and remembered me.

She has treated herself to RA membership so she had already seen the Ai Wei Wei exhibition (we couldn't, fully booked but RA members can just go in) and was going to try the Cornell again the following day to do it justice.

Anyway, pocketing our disappointment and heading towards Covent Garden, we happened upon the National Portrait Gallery. Time was short - it was due to close - so we hot footed it up to the Tudor gallery. And that was a wholly better experience and well worth seeing.

The Pictures, some of them iconic images of the Tudor Royals that everyone would recognise, were well explained - information without being patronising - and the gallery was well lit and the pictures hung in a very complementary way.

Also, you could get right up and see how some of the detail in the textiles was painted. I studied the lace on one dress for quite a while. Delicately and patiently executed.

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Holidays - Part 2

15 September 2015

One of the reasons for going to Italy was to visit the Cinque Terre - 5 small villages clinging to a steep hillside overlooking the Mediterranean and now part of a Unesco World Heritage site.

Pretty they are - but boy are they spoilt! Despite care with cars (you can only get there by train) they are just too touristy. A real disappointment.

But we did find a charming little seaside town called Levanto just north of the Cinque Terre - with such a lovely atmosphere.

A medieval centre

Hill side, though admittedly less dramatic.

No crowds!

Charming restaurants at sensible prices! (Cinque Terre was eye waveringly expensive!)

But possibly the highlight of the holiday was a visit to the marble quarries of Carrara. Clinging to the mountainside above this ancient town, the Carrara quarries have been used since the Roman times and Michelangelo sourced the marble for 'David' there.

There are guided tours up to the big quarries on the top of the mountain.

And you can visit the smaller quarries lower down.

The purer, whiter the marble the more valuable it is.

Despite controls and conservation, the top of the peak has been removed here.

The lorries thunder up and down hairpin mountain roads with blocks of marble on the back.

And everywhere is covered in a white powder - the marble dust.

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Holidays

12 September 2015

If you are wondering where I have been lately, I can tell you - to Italy.

If you have popped by here before you may know that Spain is my usual holiday destination, but this year we went to Northern Italy instead.

It was the first time that I have been there and I am sure I will be going back!

We started in La Spezia, a busy port about an hour north of Pisa.

Fishing boats and container ships.

And we ate ice cream!

And climbed the hill to the castle to see the view over the bay (to justify the ice cream!)

And then we drove inland to a little village called Fosdinovo - and I kid you not, we stayed in that castle.

The B&B entrance was tucked around the back.

But there was a grander entrance at the front.

The views from the roof were spectacular.

The village underneath the castle

and the sea beyond.

And spectacular sunsets enjoyed from the tower (with a glass of wine and an impromptu picnic supper).

The rooms were comfortable but not ostentatious. But they all contained little gems.

And the castle was also a museum, and at night we were just able to wander around.

And spot the ghosts!

The slightly eccentric local shop provided for our picnic suppers (yes, he was hanging from the ceiling in the local shop! He is aiming his bow and arrow at his twin!)