Monday 14 August 2017

ANOTHER HOLLY DAY

The lovely Mr Brown and I decided to have a Saturday visit to the great metropolis. We are lucky to have Holly living in Forest Hill, walking distance to the Horniman Museum.
Off we trotted via Havelock Walk, an 
extraordinary mews area,  
full of artistic
indications. 
I have already penciled in the end of May next year when they have an open studio event.
A few minutes walk away and we were at the imposing  Horniman Museum and Gardens.
What a gorgeous place,
with an amazing view of the City from the gardens.
Flowers and squash everywhere, it 
was hard to believe that we were in London.
Inside the Museum itself is the most comprehensive collection 
of natural history exhibits I have seen
since the Oxford Natural History Museum.
Case after case of taxidermy exhibits including the famous, over stuffed walrus. All just a prelude to what is underneath the building.
An aquarium full of watery jewels, jelly fish,
tropical fish,
corals and 
tank after tank of exotica.
Blissfully relaxing.
We ended an excellent day at a local hostelry before heading back to Cheltenham.
Thank you Holly for showing us around! 

Wednesday 2 August 2017

SUMMER BREAK

Term at the yard:ARTspace has finished for the summer, now I have a little bit of time to experiment and make new work.
I have been having fun with fabric using the steel shapes from my enamelled pieces to pop rust patterns into fabric.
Gum arabic transfer images into the cynotypes I made with Lesley and
make a few more, experimenting with chemicals in 
the shed while the sun is out.
I have got time to finish off a couple of
fabric collages.
making them into cushions.

Rusted fabric, free machine embroidery, gum arabic transfer and hand embellished making them functional art, not just cushions.
I also have time to develop some drawings in several sketchbooks.
Shutting myself away with radio 4
experimenting with paint,
ink and bleach, trying hard to put into practice everything I preach.
Looking forward to next week to see what work develops from all this preparation.