Ephemeral Coast

A cold wait for the bus to Swansea and a longish journey but worth it for a visit to the Glynn Vivian Gallery  to see ‘These Waters Have Stories To Tell.…The exhibition explores how oceans, their ecosystems and climates are affected by our actions.’

Julia Davis. Her video took me into another world. It was for a minute or so before I could understand what I was looking at, I was totally immersed by sight and sound. Julia’s work needs to be seen on a large screen but here is a taster.

I spent much longer than I normally do watching the video. It’s not a format I am attracted to and often ask the question, ‘Why is this art and not a documentary (or other genre)?’ I appreciate that many documentaries etc. are artful but visa versa?

Alexander Duncan also provoked me to question what I was looking at.

This image taken from his website shows the enormity of his work.

Christian Sardet and the Macronauts  I’ve put a link to the 6 min TED talk as it enhances the stills taken by Christian.

Jaanika Peerna also took my breath away. Her video showed her performance held in the gallery space. This image from her website demonstrates the principle at a different location.

Plastic paper was suspended then using a water-soluble mark making pen Jaanika hit the paper with great energy. There was no cello playing, just the percussive sound of pen on the sheet. Members of the audience were invited to contribute then, by using a block of ice, the marks were transformed. It took me back to when I took my Foundation Diploma when I placed ground up charcoal into water, froze it then let it melt on rag paper. Jannika has taken her a work a stop further.

There were several hanging on the large wall space – the plastic paper had been cut into strips then draped into fluid shapes.

As with all the artists Shiraz Bayjoo‘s work is beautifully executed but the frames seemed to be at odds with their contents. I feel I’ve missed some fundamental reasoning.

A wonderful exhibition, a joy to see and I’m so glad I went.

It all came to this – part 2

It all came to this; we packed our treasures and possessions.  Berlin 1936

A follow on piece of work from the old silk dress given to me by a friend.  This will be part of an exhibition by Anne Kelly Moving Memories to be shown at The Knitting & Stitch Show Spring 2018.

The story behind it is that in 1936 a Jewish family fled from Berlin to England because of the Nazi persecutions. They packed their treasures and possessions. The dress is disintegrating and whenever I touch the fabric a little more falls apart.

I made the original  art work for an exhibition and  I had wanted to give it to my friend but was fearful she may not have liked what I’d done with the dress. I was so pleased when she asked if she could purchase it; I gifted it to her.

Deciding which tools to use

I’m putting together sixteen framed pieces for an exhibition at the Potting Shed, Insole Court, Cardiff.

I’ve done all my research on the couples I’m commemorating; they all lived or worked around ‘the big house.’

A selection of  some of the tools I may be using

A Victorian knitted lace design

One of the marriages

 

Eco Printing – what’s it all about?

I’ve been reading about and seeing many images of eco printed textiles and papers so I thought I’d give it a try. I’m not taken with the technique when used for clothing  but like the idea for paperwork.

Everything I’ve read says that fallen leaves and flowers should be used – I’m unsure if this is for ethical reasons or if the resultant colour is better but as it’s the start of summer I went with what I had from my garden. A selection of what I found along with a few rusty nails and keys.

I pressed the leaves under a pile of books overnight.

The only paper I had to hand was 200grms watercolour – torn into small test-sized squares

The paper was soaked in water for about an hour.

The leaves then layed between two pieces of paper.

Each sandwich was numbered and a note of which leaf  it contained.

I also soaked some paper in soya milk as I’d read it was a good mordant. I  repeated the layering then placed   cardboard at the top and bottom, bound them together tightly with rubber bands.

Not following H&S rules I used my steamer. I placed the bundle in it and weighed it down with a kilo weight from my kitchen scales.

It was left to simmer for about an hour and a half.

Oh yes, one leaf I dipped into rust water (a jar containing iron nails etc) and it was the first one I looked at.

The rest I left overnight.

The nails and keys were disappointing – I’ll keep to my tried method of rust printing – steaming does nothing for the process.

The next ones for the reveal were those on the soya paper. The plant material stuck to the paper, the card suck to the paper…….not a success. It looks as if the process has worked but the colouration is from the residue leaves,

The water soaked paper was easier to clean up but the thin geranium leaf still stuck.

Conclusion: Very disappointed with the results. The rose and bramble leaves worked the best. I’d hoped to be able to make pieces for greetings cards but none were clear enough – looked more like the results of a spilled cup of coffee over paper which had then been cut up. However I’ll keep the pieces ……..never know when they may come in useful!

Select Festival 2016

Time for my annual pilgrimage to Stroud for a day of visiting exhibitions and walk round artists’ studios at the SITselect Festival

My first stop was at the Lansdowne Gallery to see The Sewing Project – a selection of works by Studio 21 and this is an explanation taken from their website…

‘This well-researched exhibition explores all aspects of the sewing machine.Projects range from sewing machine mechanics, decoration and operation to personal and social histories. Each member of Studio 21 has produced a comprehensive body of work that reflects their personal interest in this transformational machine. You can see how they interpreted the challenge by clicking here.’

Little Boxes

Machine Noise

An ‘in’ with a stranger & flora residency

Another trip to Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre to see a couple of exhibitions.

As soon as I walked into the gallery I had a feeling of excitement. Aidan Moesby has curated  a selection of artists,  Catrin Andersson, Joanne Mitchell, Zoe Preece and Tim Shaw using the weather as a metaphor for the human condition.

On first glance there seems little to unite these four artists but the skill of the curator has found communality. The weather is a safe topic to spark conversation yet none of these works are safe – all are thought provoking leading onto deeper discourses.

Catrin Andersson is a Swedish artist working directly with the landscape.  She had captured such delicate markings on the paper but with such forcefulness of image.

BETWEEN THERE AND NOW, 2015

Joanne Mitchell skilfully traps air bubbles into blocks of glass

Legion kiln formed glass air entrapment 2015

Zoe Preece is a Cardiff based ceramic artist and, although I admire her work (the condition of being in between states), it has left wondering how it fits in with the metaphor of weather, although that too is continually between states.

No Tangible Object I, porcelain, wood, 2015 (Detail)

Tim Shaw added the dimension of sound to the exhibition. A fan softly blows onto cups designed to measure wind speed, these in turn are wired to an electronic circuit causing three bells to be struck periodically.

Gust  2016

The catalogue for the exhibition.

After a delicious lunch in the Arts Centre Cafe it was time to visit Caroline Dear’s Flora exhibition which is the result for her time as artist in residence at Llantarnam Grange.

The catalogue is a series of bulletins documenting her time in Cwmbran, it is interesting reading. However I was disappointed with the exhibition as, although beautifully set out, it didn’t whet my curiosity. I felt it relied too much on the setting out of the materials, something I’d seen several times before. I wanted more connection with Cwbran, although a shopping trolley was included!

Artist’s Talk, Exhibition, Artist’s Talk

After days of rain I was able to walk down to Craft in the Bay in the sunshine for a talk by maker Alys Wall of The Pocket Pirate.

Alys was very generous sharing her background, method of working, sketch books, samples of both made and unmade work with us. She uses materials that are often discarded; leather and fabrics from sample books, old belts and buttons and magics them into purses, bags and wallets. The matching of the pieces together may take days or even weeks and Alys carefully considers the placement of colours, textures and patterns together. It is this attention to detail that raises her work from recycled craft  into a high quality item, the stitching (done on a machine passed down from her mother) is perfect.

I particularly like her bags.

After the talk I went into the gallery to look at Ooze:  an exhibition by Brendan Stuart Burns. Brendan was one of my tutors on my degree course and I considered him to be a painter so it was with great interest I walked into the space to see his new body of work….in porcelain.

Brendan has continued to use the Pembrokeshire coast, in this work a walk between Solva and St David’s, ” to develop a personal visual language that often plays with the real and the illusionary, the figurative and the abstract.”

By taking moulds from the cliffs the clay has been manipulated and added to with mark making of various kinds. Some pieces have been laid flat but the one with the most impact for me was many pieces attached directly onto a wall. These images have been taken from Brendan’s facebook page.

With detailed images from Craft in the Bay website.

In the evening I attended another talk by the ceramist Ann Gibbs arranged by CASW. Ann took me on a wonderful journey starting at St Fagan’s Museum, onto Philadelphia (a report of her time can be read here), to the the wilds of Scotland ending up in Japan to investigate Ikebana before settling in Stoke on Trent for the Ceramic Biennial.

Household objects displayed at St Fagan’s Museum

Household Objects, Mercer Museum Philadelphia

Ikebana is a very precise form of flower arranging, with about ten different schools or styles. The influence of Ann’s study of the art is reflected in her work. every piece has an exact place for it to be displayed as can be seen in her most recent installation Crossing Boundaries shown at the British Ceramics Biennial.

 

Again I am so grateful that I able able to experience such rich and informative culture all for free.

Relaxed knitting for a serious cause.

It’s difficult for me just to sit and do nothing so when I came across twiddle muffs I knew I’d found the perfect reason to knit. Twiddle muffs are given to people with ‘restless hands’ – often caused by dementia  – and are similar to the sensory play mats babies have; items are attached to the muff to be stroked or twiddled with.

There is a basic pattern but any yarn and stitch can be used. This is the joy of making them as small oddments of yarn can be employed, different colours and thickness and any stitch you like. The emphasis is on the tactile nature of them so beads, buttons, ribbons or anything  that can be firmly attached is sewn on.

There are  many examples on the internet but here is my pattern.

Materials

Size 4 mm circular needle         If you don’t wish to use a circular needle  work the piece flat then join the long edges after decorating the knitting.
Oddments of double knit yarn
Beads, ribbons, buttons etc
Sewing needle to darn ends in and to sew on beads, buttons etc.

Method

Cast on 60 sts. I use this number as I can knit patterns made up of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 stitches. Many different stitch patterns can be found on Knittingfool

I work in blocks of 8 rows. i.e. 8 rows in stocking stitch, 8 rows in pattern A, 8 rows in a different coloured yarn etc. I use a loop of different coloured yarn to mark the beginning of a new row – here I’m using a loop of cream wool.
Knit until the piece is approximately 12 inches or 30 cms – it does not need to be too precise. The outside of the muff is completed.
Knit for a further 12 inches or 30 cms. This is the inside of the muff so should be the same size as the outside. It does not need to be so fancy as the outside in terms of stitch pattern or colours.

When the correct length has been achieved cast off loosely.

Darn in the loose ends of the yarn and decorate using the beads, buttons, ribbons etc. They must be sewn on securely. The pieces on the inside need not be so fancy as those on the outside as they won’t be seen, just felt.

When completed pull the outside over the inside and sewn round the edge so forming the muff.

The Times Newspaper 1851

 

January 30th 1851

I was itching to turn this newspaper over so I could read the classified adverts but left it on the table at Lacock Abbey. I had to wait to return home to discover the following.

As with the previous entry here the start of the front page advertised sea journeys. mainly to India and California.

Just one from person-to-person followed by a number of ‘Lost’ advertisements.

 

 

The Times Newspaper 1849

I usually trawl through the classified advertisements of The Times at random but when I saw the date on two copies laid out at Lacock Abbey I had to investigate what had been published on the days.

November 14th  1849

As usual, up until 3rd May 1966, the front page was packed with small advertisements.

Sailings to Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Adelaide for both passengers and  cargo were plentiful. There was just one listings the costs to New Zealand.

For each passenger:                 Chief                           Fore                   Steerage

7 years old and under 14           27                              15                       10
1 year old and under 7              18                               10                         8
Under 1 year old                          0                                0                         0

A guinea was worth £1/1/-  so 45 gns = £45 + 45 shillings = £47/5/-.

Today the prices                      £2750                          £1500                 £1200

But less exotic destinations seemed to be in demand, Madeira, Calais and nearer home Margate and Ramsgate.

Then several “Lost” items. Most of them give the address of a local shop for their return.

A bunch of keys  (5/- reward), one large and several small.
A gold chain (£2 reward), in or near Chancery Lane.
A pearl brooch (10/- reward), with hair and the name of Emily on the back.
A mourning ring (£1 reward), with the name of Tooke in enamel.
A candlestick maker’s envelope containing papers (no reward but expenses paid), addressed to Mr Gough.
A  small gold Geneva watch (£2 reward), near London Bridge.
Smooch – an Isle of Skye terrier (£2 reward), black eyes, cinnamon colour.
Double ivory opera glasses (2 gns reward), made by Dixey.
A yellow canvas bag containing £23.6s.7d  in silver (£10 reward), from Mr Knight’s wagon, marked “Mansell”.
An oval shaped straw basket with lid, (3 gns reward) containing red Morocco leather case, key box, blue envelope case, all containing letters and papers. Left in a first class carriage at Maidstone. Please return to Bloxley House, Maidstone; it is used as a wedding venue today.

Only one item found, to be collected from The Engineer’s Arms Camden, a liver-coloured setter dog which would be sold if not claimed within the week.

The rest of the page consisted of adverts for exhibitions, books, loans & mortgages along with legal notices.

Charles Dickens had a letter published that day. He had witnessed the execution of  Marie Manning, a servant, and her husband Frederick, a publican, after they had been found guilty of murdering her lover, Patrick O’Connor, a money lender. They buried his body under the flag stones in their kitchen after dismembering his body. She then went to his lodgings to steal his money and processions.

Here is an extract from the letter…..

I believe a sight so inconceivably awful as the wickedness and levity of the immense crowd  collected at that execution this morning could be imagined by no man, and could be presented in no heathen land under the sun, the horrors of the gibbet and the crime which brought the wretched murders to it, faded in my mind before the atrocious bearings, looks and language of the assembled spectators. When I came upon the scene at midnight the shrillness of the cries and the howls that were raised from time to time, denoting that they came from a concourse of boys and girls already assembled in the best places, made my blood run cold.
As the night went on, screeching and laughing, and yelling in strong chorus of parodies of Negro melodies, with substitutions of “Mrs Manning” for “Susannah”, and the like, were added to these. When the day dawned thieves, low prostitutes, ruffians and vagabonds of every kind flocked on to the ground. With every variety of offensive and foul behaviour. Fighting, fainting, whistling. imitations of Punch, brutal jokes, tumultuous demonstrations of indecent delight when swooning women were dragged out of the crowd by the police with their dressed disordered, gave a new zest to the general entertainment.
When the sun rose brightly – as it did – it gilded thousands upon thousands of upturned faces, so inexpressibly odious in their brutal mirth or callousness, that a man had cause to feel ashamed of the shape he wore and to shrink from himself, as fashioned in the image of the Devil.
When the two miserable creatures who attracted all this ghastly sight about them were turned quivering into the air, there was no more emotion, no more pity, no more thought that two immortal souls had gone to judgement……

 

Also in the paper was a detailed article about the murder and the execution.