Autumn
September is the month of my solo exhibition at Allendale Forge Studios. My exhibition is titled 'Atmospheric Encounters, Land and Sea'. New paintings and a complimenting collection of large ceramic pieces will be on display. The exhibition runs until the end of the month.
23rd-24th September will also see me in Trinity Church Jesmond as part of Network Artists North East '@The Holy T. Art Fair.'
I have been invited to show painting and sculpture in two new galleries. The prestigeous Blagdon Gallery in Northumberland and the newly opened Tower House Gallery, Seaton Sluice. An unusual hexagonal stone building once the harbour masters house in the 18th century overlooking the sea.
Our changable weather of late has thrown up a good selection of moody skys. Warm temperatures make outdoor painting a lot more pleasant. I still like to sketch fairly quickly in charcoal and pastel to catch the changing light often using them as reference for oils worked up in the studio.
It's always a good time to paint.
A rather interesting commission has been requested. An oil painting of the ancestral farm once the home of 20th century poet Tom Rawling. The attached blue plaque on the farmhouse rather charmingly reads TOM RAWLING Poet Angler Teacher was born here "I belonged to the place". View to include the farmhouse and backdrop of beautiful Ennerdale Water, Western Lake district.
The Biscuit Factory the premier art gallery in Newcastle have taken in a collection of my large 'Stone Dancer' sculptures. I am very impressed with the curator who has made an epic display of them.
New Ceramics page on my web site
I have set up a new web page for my ceramic work.
Pieces include a series of ceramic pots inspired by my seascape paintings, some are embellished with a figure on the lid. Each pot is coil built in layers allowing the form to evolve intuitively in a sculptural process, giving each pot a uniqueness which embraces looseness and freedom of form. The glaze colours are applied to represent the constant movement of the sea; the raw pot is like dry sand with a wet edge against the white shallow water, whilst deeper depths are represented by rich green and turquoise hues. The figures on the lids have their own narratives; finding a stillness above the turmoil of the moving sea.
