The power of music

Monday morning in East Cowes

Well, I’m back to raving about Neil Young, which I believe must be a sign of my age. These festival goers from the Isle of Wight festival on the monday morning hadn’t even heard of him so I think it’s a generational thing! The concert lived on in my mind to the extent that I find myself blogging about it well into the week. I didn’t arm myself with sketchbook on the riverbank where we were ‘free-loading’ across from the main site and actually I’m still making art boxes in earnest at the studio. It is just sheer enthusiasm for the music that inspires me to write and gives me a creative energy that spills over into life generally. At the studio I’m actually having a radical reshuffle in a bid to make it fire-safe with the prospective advent of my sideline, namely silversmithing. So, hopefully there will be more ramblings to come as I forge ahead with this new venture.

Original features

art boxes and books

I’ve been looking for a potential venue to install my boxes and think I might have hit upon something at Jolliffe cafe and gallery in Cowes. This newly opened cafe is playing host to the work of local artists. It has an authentic Art Nouveau facade and the cabinets are the original wood for a building which was once piled high with shoe boxes. I’m now installing boxes of a different sort and this is effectively the first public space where my boxes can be seen since I started making them in earnest about a year ago.

Up in Flames

Silver metal clay

Final pieces

In recent months I have been venturing into the area of silversmithing as another avenue to explore.  Just yesterday I attended a day workshop in silver clay work which involved working with minute amounts of clay to fashion pieces which are fired to leave virtually pure silver. Here are the pieces in the kiln where they briefly catch fire as a part of the process. My finished works were a ring and some charms. Don’t know what’s next. Would like to do more and considering the outlay on equipment and how to make it happen.

Vid goes ‘live on Saturday’

Well it’s not quite ‘Saturday Live’  Radio 4 style but I was booked for a session of crafty activity today at the YMCA near Shanklin to deliver a workshop in ‘Book Art’. This is as an offshoot of my own practice which is branching out into the whole idea of the ‘artist’s book’.  Today I had the opportunity to work with mainly women enjoying respite as carers within the family. Here are a couple of book cover examples  for the approach adopted (courtesy of Sandy), which centred on collage – paper, fabric, ribbon….. all combined with plenty of glue! Well done to everyone who took part and for entering into the activity so fully.

Island Expo 2009

What a natty networking event that turned out to be as I went along as ‘Sole Trader’ artist come foodie! Not being one to miss an opportunity to raise my profile, here I am making hot pastry for pork pies with gastro pub chef Roger Serjent of the Tavener’s in Godshill. Actually, my partner Keith rather pushed me forward under the misconception that I wanted to take part! This was primarily a trade fair for the Island food industry but my curiosity rather got the better of me and  knowing that there would be cookery demonstrations by notables such Cyrus Todiwala of BBC Saturday Kitchen I had to get my fix of coriander and Indian spices.

Farnham Maltings Post Art Exhibition

Well what can one actually fit into an A3 envelope and send off to the Farnham Maltings to get shown in their cafe and exhibition spaces?  Here are a few Island entries. The ‘umbrella’ mobile is a memory piece by Island-based artist Lisa Traxler. Lisa is perhaps better known for her painting but has a background in fashion photography, with current work using old photographs in new and inventive ways. Check out Lisa’s website at www.lisatraxler.com . My own piece is actually on the cafe wall at the Maltings and isn’t quite in the intended envelope-form as shown here. However, if there are any readers local to Farnham who happen to look at my blog (always hopeful), then check out this piece on the wall, together with its envelope which also has a fair wack of paint and collage. Great to see there is still snow in Farnham. The Isle of Wight has it’s own adventure at the moment with local flooding. Negotiating the roads around Ryde was quite hazardous and in my local town of East Cowes the fire service is at work even as we speak pumping water out from the town centre. Freaky isn’t it?

Who’s got the biggest smile?

Well here I am in Cowes with my new but perhaps transient friend. Very pleased to get out into the snow for a second day. Admittedly there was a big thaw on by late morning but worth a trip out all the same. We saw kids with redundant sledges as the ice melted although earlier in the day there had been some heavy falls of snow and the opportunity to see children making the most of what for many would be a new experience. On the way back along to Cowes this Cormorant was taking a characteristic stance with outstretched wings. I took the opportunity to do a quick sketch, which I was later able to work up in the studio as part of yet another box art collection. Trying now to go for my own brand of realism with the birds using brief sketches as a memory jogger.

Thanks to Keith for pics.

Woody woodpecker on the move

 

 

Well, not the best photos to do justice to this charmer but have to credit hubby with being able to get something identifiable whilst I peered through binoculars to get a better view. We were on one of our regular jaunts, a local walk across scrubby farmland and down to the River Medina. This is actually the Greater Spotted Woodpecker and we were treated to two separate sightings along the walk. I’m generally keeping the bird theme alive in my artwork alongside birdwatching as an enthusiast. I like to think I can look with both an artist’s eye as well as that of an Ecologist. One informs the other as when any science meets the arts.

Today included a little foray to the Garlic Farm where we were treated to a Red Squirrel doing its thing at the feeding station, where it sat posing for the camera and nibbling on nuts. I was able to do a quick sketch and also one of the Highland Cattle across the road. We had come via the RSPCA Centre. A pair of lively Chinchillas were on display and  prone to diving from one level to another in their cage. I took advantage of these antics and did a quick sketch of the albino whilst trying to make reassuring noises in a bid to get it to stay in one place.

On the recovery limb

Well here I am doing a spot of birdwatching and sketching at a regular watering hole for a pair of Mute Swans. There were also Stonechat on the strandline above the creek. So there I was with the identification guide in one hand and the binoculars in the other. I probably looked like a serious birder until the mobile phone rang with hubbie wondering where to meet me! Actually hubbie, being on his way was able to take the photo and must be credited for this and the previous shot of me on Boxing Day. I can’t claim to be fully recovered from the lurgy but have had my finest creative moment this side of Christmas. I may have to move on from drawing Swans as I’m repeating myself endlessly. They do continue to fascinate and captivate as did the Stonechat (male and female) in typical Winter plumage and some fine antics between the strandline and a perching post immediately in front of me. If  only it were always this easy! Today the birds were coming to me, but then I know this stretch of water particularly well and its possible to guarantee some regular sightings.

Vid’s Boxing Day Message

Well actually there’s not alot to say as I’ve been laid low with a heavy cold, which seemed to come to a peak of virulence on Christmas Day! Still here I am having ‘a half’ (for medicinal purposes) at one of our fav watering holes, usually en route to more typically outdoor pursuits, namely birdwatching and walking. Hoping your Christmas passed peacefully and wasn’t short on festive cheer. More news to come in the New Year when looking to be much recovered.