Monday 14th November 2011

Sitting amongst chaos, I am drawn to these simple fairy tale posters by Christian Jackson:

You can see more and buy them from here:  http://www.squareinchdesign.com/about/

Tuesday 8th November 2011

I suppose it would be good if I could get rid of some stuff but, failing that, having somewhere to put it would be very good.

I have just managed to track down someone who will sell me some of the lovely heavy duty, black plastic, ventilated storage boxes that my husband used to get when he worked as a gardener.  I am quite excited. Here are some pictures of one of them.  The corners are raised for easy stacking and to leave a gap to look through.  The ventilated sides mean you can see at a glance what is inside.  They are light enough to carry easily and heavy enough to be sturdy.

Ridiculously happy about getting more of these sensible boxes.

Sunday 6th November 2011

Went to Tanzania for the first time at the end of October.  Still digesting the experience. Feel as if I have come home to a new place (as I always do when I have been away). Here are some photographs of beautiful creatures:

Wednesday 12th October 2011

Went to a talk by Audrey Niffenegger last week about Aubrey Beardsley. I loved Beardsley's work as a teenager and then 'grew out of it' but I have found myself interested again.  It is amazing that he only worked for about five years before he died at twenty five; he evolved his working style over months instead of years.  Niffenegger said that she thinks he would probably have been creating graphic novels if he had been around now.

I also had another look at Niffenegger's work - hadn't realised quite how multi talented she is - wonderful paintings on her website as well as the pictorial novelss - good public speaker as well.  (And I did love The Time Traveller's Wife - haven't dared to see the film in case it's a disappointment.)

Here's a link to her website: http://audreyniffenegger.com/

Sunday 1st October 2011

Found more nice shadows today.  Dipping my toe into this one, on a bridge at Audley End.

Saturday 1st October 2011

It has been another glorious day.  Been drawing my husband in the garden.  Found some amazing long, crisp shadows this evening.  This one reminds me of a flamenco dancer with a red dress:  Feel vaguely guilty about the wasted apples.  They are very delicious.

Thursday 29th September 2011

I went with some other artists to Luton Hoo walled garden to draw today.  It was incredibly sunny with clear blue skies and I sat on my own near a green pond with a duck, some wasps and some small spiders.  I mostly drew a dilapidated outbuilding that was just visible round the wall of the kitchen garden and the pond.  Here are some of the drawings:

Saturday 17th September 2011

Decided to go in to London today to see the last day of the Michelangelo Pistoletto exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery.  'The Mirror of Judgement' is an installation that responds to the architecture in the gallery.  A 'maze' of cardboard rolls weaves around the space through hidden installations and sculptures with mirrors.

The most beautiful for me was a round mirror on the floor with a cardboard circle around it at chin height that reflected the round ceiling window above, and the moving clouds beyond.  It was great when people looked into the mirror and their heads became part of the installation.
http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/03/michelangelo_pistoletto.html




We also saw the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011, a beautiful enclosed garden designed by architect Peter Zumthor, with the wonderful Piet Oudolf.  Very inspiring and a wonderfully cosy, yet lively and engaging, place to sit.  A rectangular slice of sun and weather from above, providing all that is needed for a long thin garden brimming with colour and life (and bees).
This will be there until 16th October.
http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/04/serpentine_gallery_pavillion_2011_zumthor.html

Sunday 4th September 2011

Been in France for a week with some of my family.  Had a great time with lovely people but very pleased to be back in England and looking forward to teaching and to working in my new studio.

The View from Domme

The Dordogne at Bergerac 

The Dordogne at Sainte-Foy-La-Grande

Sketchbook: view from pool at Les Eyzies

Sketchbook: river at Les Eyzies

Sketchbook: Rrver at Les Eyzies

Saturday 20th August 2011

I am thinking about art and forest school planning for next term.  I'm excited about working with year 5 on Fridays.  The topic is Australia and I have been thinking about the Australian season at the British Museum and how we can use some of the exhibits there as inspiration.  One of the exhibitions is called 'Baskets and Belonging'.   I like this quote from the catalogue:

"The baskets are not empty.  They are full of makers, their stories, their thoughts while making.  The baskets are never empty.  All of the thoughts jump out of the baskets onto all of us."

There is another exhibition with beautiful prints and drawings 'from Sidney Nolan to Rover Thomas'.

And, amid the roar of traffic, there is a mini Australian landscape, installed by Kew gardens.

Here's a link to the Australia page on the British Museum website (but you will have to hurry because the Australian season as it is nearly over):

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/australian_season.aspx   

Thursday 18th August 2011

On the way home I listened to Janelle Monae.  She is very inspiring.  I am not in the slightest bit like her in any way but it could be worse - I could have been born a slug.  (Apologies to any slugs reading this.)

I couldn't persuade youtube to link the official video of tightrope to blogspot but I'm sure you are capable of finding it on youtube.  Meanwhile here is Janelle performing tightrope live. I hope you enjoy it.

Sunday 14th August 2011

Just got back from a couple of days in Snowdonia.  Beautiful Llyn Gwynant.  Swam in the freezing water - wonderful experience.  Here are a few drawings:

Friday 5th August 2011

Here are a couple of drawings, from my sketchbook, of my husband falling asleep in front of the TV last night.  Eventually he had to ask me if he could go to bed.  Shame I was enjoying drawing him.

Today we had some friends to lunch and then I took them for a walk though beautiful Hertfordshire.  I have done a similar walk with several different people over the past few weeks and each of them has brought some new insight or thought into the proceedings.  This all makes me appreciate and love my local environment even more.  I never cease to love walking and I think I am lucky to live here.

Wednesday 3rd August 2011

I have been drawing in the garden.  Here are a few pictures of buttercups and clover.

  

Sunday 24th July 2011

The sun is shining in Hertfordshire and I am about to go shopping with my wonderful son.  Been very busy over the past few weeks reacquainting myself with areas of England and neglected aspects of family life  Think I have a studio in Letchworth which is very exciting for me.  I am attempting to be open and relaxed about what life has to offer, rather than beating it into the shape I choose.  I trust this is going to work for the good! (Keep thinking about the word 'trust' and pondering its meanings and connotations.)

Monday 13th June 2011

I love this drawing (of me!) by the very talented Laura Dunmow.  We were working at Howgills in Letchworth and I had no idea she was drawing me.  I am going to use it to remind me that I feel at my most complete when I am drawing.

Tuesday 7th June 2011

Found ourselves watching a film about Johnny Cash and June Carter.  Then I found this of the real pair:

Monday 6th June 2011

Today I went to St Albans in the rain with a friend who is on an unstoppable quest to buy all the second hand plates in Hertfordshire - we were going to go to The Courtyard Cafe on Hatfield Road but it has recently changed its opening hours: now Tuesday to Sunday.  Apparently it is very nice and has local artists' work on the walls.

Never mind - popped into the museum next door and was pleasantly surprised that one room is now an art gallery (run by Hertfordshire University) and there was a fun installation by Aviva Leeman, celebrating the original opening of the gallery a million or so years ago (actually 18 something).  I liked the bright bunting with words spoken by the dignitaries about the museum and the photographs of historical mayors in sepia and black and white.

Yesterday was my husbands birthday and one of our friends gave him some exciting books.  But the best present was for me - a shopping list snaffled from a local supermarket trolley.  Yes - I collect shopping lists; I have quite a good collection.  Not sure what I am going to do with them but I count them sometimes and read them to myself.  Find them very touching and also aware that they may be important historical documents one day.  Anyway I am going to share with you a picture of the one my friend gave me yesterday (front and back).  Lucky you:

Sunday 5th June 2011

Nothing to say . . . but I promise (myself) I will have tomorrow.

Thursday 2nd June 2011

I am very much enjoying 'Think inside the sketchbook', a nsead publication by Gillian Robinson, Alison Mountain and David Hulston.

It is very beautiful and feels nice as well as being full of images and ideas for using the sketchbook in ways that become part of the creative process. As well as detailing some wonderful examples, it has quotes like: "Learning to think is less a matter of instruction than of experience and opportunity." (Frank Smith)

I particularly like it because it is full of good, informative, exciting images; the introduction includes this sentence which sums it up nicely:"Sketchbooks are visual things, and we hope the images accompanying the text will serve as both inspiration and challenge."

I would highly recommend this to all teachers (and to anybody else who would like to be reminded about the power of the sketchbook as a working tool).

Wednesday 1st June 2011

Just been reading Granta magazine and came across an article by Tea Obreht about  'Un-Possible Retour"(which I happened to see last month at the Saachi Gallery); I love this project, by photographer Clarisse d'Arcimoles; she used her old family snap shots and portraits and rephotographed the same family members years later with the same details, expressions and gestures.
Here's a link to information about it.

This one is called Daddy (Grand-father).  Poignant in a more obvious way than the others.  But they are all startlingly moving, whether you believe we are an ever changing mass of ever changing parts - or that we always remain intrinsically the same person. (Don't know what I believe but I prefer the latter.)

Friday 27th May 2011

Here's a picture of some children painting a big cloth outside.  We painted the whole thing in different greens as the base of a rain forest canopy; then we added cut out fabric leaves.  It is now hanging in the classroom for them to play under.

Thursday 26th May 2011

Hello.  My first blog post and I have nothing to say! :)