Artist's Reference

We've just been to see an exhibition of ceramics featuring the work of Magdalene Oldundo at the Sainsbury Centre, near Norwich.
The thing which interested me most about the exhibition, entitled 'The Journey of Objects' was the way artist's and cultural references which had influenced her, were place beside the pots.
In the same way, I try to show references to my work, when giving a tour of the paintings.
For example, when discussing the picture 'Katy's Gold'
 (see page 2 on my PRINTS FOR SALE page)  examples of Russian icons and Zoetropes will be displayed to show their impact on my ideas.

The Amada

 An armada of twenty model sailing boats came racing across the pond. We've just been to Sheringham for our annual  holiday with 26 members of the family and one of our traditions is to run sailing races across the old Victorian pond.  One member of the public enquired if we were a sailing club and was surprised by the reply!
I made a painting about this event several years ago called 'If The Boats Come In ' which you can see on the OPENING TIMES 2019 page on my website. In it I tried to show how the boats (symbolically representing different members of the family) were arriving from all over the globe.
A  contingent from Spain made it this time after an absence of 15 years. Lets hope those from America and Australia can attend next year.                 

Wildchild

The two films made about my Artist in Residence stint in Ely Courthouse are finally on the MEDIA page on my website.
One was made by Cambridge TV to advertise the event and the other was filmed during the residency by  Colin Stevens.
I think he did a terrific job but I do seem to be acting rather strangely. In almost every shot I appear to be gesticulating wildly. Ofcourse I was enthusiastic about my subject but I do seem to be overdoing it a bit.
Maybe because I had explained my ideas about the painting so many times (I was there for 5 hours on each day) I became like an clockwork doll? Lets hope I didn't put too many visitors off.

Merz Barn

Not many artists would create their work  in such a permanent way so that their property would have to be dismantled when the sculpture was removed.
We've just visited the Merz Barn in Cumbria to see the work of Kurt Schwitters and this happened to his last sculptural piece.
We never saw the real art work (it's now housed at Newcastle University) only a large reproduction displayed on the replacement wall of the old barn.
There is also a fascinating display of photographs showing how the wall plus artwork was removed.  After Schwitters died, the barn was left to the elements for 20 years until  artist Richard Hamilton was able to mount a rescue operation in the 1960s.
Kurt Schwitters with his links to the DaDa movement is acknowledged to have been a strong influence on Pop, Installation and Performance Art, so this rare piece was worth saving.