West Norfolk Artists at South Acre

What glorious sunny weather for an exciting time of the month.  The Norfolk Open Studio season is upon us and Friday saw myself and a group of other artists from the West Norfolk Artists Association busy setting up at St. George's Church in South Acre to take part in this event.  The venue is delightful and the Church has many interesting features.  The current trend for art to be viewed in these settings has really opened up these spaces and a lot of people get as much pleasure from the architecture as from the artwork! 

St. George's Church, South Acre

The setting up went smoothly and display boards were allocated on the basis of drawing a concealed golf ball from a bag upon which the two consecutive board numbers were written.  I was very pleased with my spot - just inside the entrance.

Putting the final touches to display

As luck would have it, once all the work was in place by everyone there was a spare board alongside my work and I had just the canvas to fill it... Kingmaker.  So the next morning (yesterday) when I returned to spend the day stewarding I brought the canvas with me and quickly hung it before the opening time.

My display area

The Church looked splendid with all our work displayed, very vibrant and 'alive'.  As early bird visitors started to arrive I set up to spend time working on a pastel portrait of the head of a sheep.  This is really class preparation so I had to keep reminding myself to photograph the stages.

At work during NOS12

I had such a lovely day.  The visitors arrived in a steady stream and I enjoyed greeting them and chatting.  The church was a pleasant temperature, even sat just inside the doorway which can sometimes be a draughty position.  It is also pleasant to be able to talk with other artists as we oversee the day.  Artists are never short of a topic for conversation!

After a productive day I was happy to head home with several more hours of sunshine ahead to relax and enjoy.  The exhibition will be closed Monday to Friday this week but reopen on Saturday 2nd June until 10th June, and be open daily 11 am to 5 pm each day - so if you are in the area do pop in for a visual feast.  West Norfolk Artists at South Acre are also part of the Castle Acre Art Trail so there is lots to see in this one small part of Norfolk.  Visit www.thecastleacretrail.co.uk for more information. 

Just needs the final highlights...

I shall leave you with the almost completed sheep portrait - a sneak preview for those on my mixed media classes...

Tall & Thin Exhibition Private View

Sunday afternoon was the Private View of the West Norfolk Artists Association latest exhibition.  The title Tall & Thin sets the scene, indeed the criteria was for work with a maximum width of 11 inches (28cms) and minimum height of 22 inches (56cms).  This certainly proved to be challenging but definitely worth while.  The exhibition contains about 30 works and encompasses a wide variety of media both 2D and 3D.  It is an eclectic exciting mix and well worth a visit.

Standing between my entries

The venue is Greyfriars Art Space in King's Lynn, a lovely white artist-led gallery which with each exhibition seems to change dramatically.  I have two works hanging, Crazy Bird (Red- Legged Seriema) and Bee Happy, and am delighted with the presentation.  During the planning we decided it would be fun to have snacks that encompess this tall and thin idea, so bread sticks and celery etc were on offer along with the usual drinks.  Let's just hope for plenty of footfall so people can appreciate the talent of artists living in Norfolk.

Anyway, no time to rest on my laurels as Norfolk Open Studios start next weekend and I have plenty of preparation to be getting on with!  Printing labels and mounting them on foamboard is the next job...

Keep The Camera Handy

Keep the camera handy - you never know when the next trigger for inspiration will happen.  On Friday evening I travelled with my husband, Paul, to Chichester as we had arranged to collect our daughter and ALL her stuff now that she has finished university.  We stopped off at Radisson Blu, the hotel in the middle of Stanstead airport as Paul and two colleagues were viewing the conference facilities for a potential venue for 2014.  As we sat having coffee and a discussion afterwards in the huge airy lounge it happened - a Sky Angel.

Radisson Blu Sky Angels

In the centre of this communal space is a towering column housing the wine bottles.  In the evenings, when wine is requested, it is retrieved by beautiful graceful acrobats - also known as Sky Angels.  The one I witnessed clipped herself to suspended wires and rose effortlessly off the ground.  And guess what - I actually had my camera in my handbag!  Without a moments hesitation I jumped up, requested permission (granted) and with my simple Canon Ixus 120IS snapped away merrily.  The acrobat may just have been warming up or practicing a routine but she obligingly performed some stunning moves high in the air.  Even as I was taking photos I was aware of the reflected light bouncing off the glass that encompessed the space within which the wine tower resides.  This only added to the effect, I feel it adds a layer of intrigue by masking some of the clarity.  Fragments of mental pictures hovered at the edges of my consciousness as I wondered if this unexpected encounter might lead to an interesting series of work.  Only time will tell, but with the Summer Exhibition looming it could be the perfect time to experiment.  Watch this space!  I'll leave you with another tantalising image...

Sky Angel performing

The moral of this post is definitely 'always be prepared' - so keep that camera handy. 

Starting a Blog

How do people start a blog? 

I love reading blogs about creative people - artists, textile designers, illustrators, crafters, photographers - but they are usually well established blogs and I never get to see that crucial first post! So, being quite a logical organised person (professionally speaking) I shall set out my aims and hopes for this blog.
Deep breath; here goes...
My aim in this blog is ultimately to chart my journey as an artist as it unfolds.  The ups and downs of living a creative life.  The little seeds of inspiration - where do they start?  Often they pass unoticed and then arrive onto the scene, sometimes fully formed but also sometimes as elusive intuitions that can cause muddled thinking and confusion in the work.  The passage of time, along with reflective thinking, can create new directions.  Or maybe just a diversion.  A mini project which may run alongside the main threads of the artwork generally.

Looking back can help an artist move forward.  Sounds like a contradiction but it has helped me in the past, especially when I have felt 'blocked' or my confidence has dipped.  So, from time to time I will introduce you to a piece of art I have created in the past.

a blast from the past

However the most important thing is going forward.  My two daughters have just finished university and my son finishes his college course next month.  They are all making plans for their futures.  It's time for me to do the same.  I have happily settled into a little niche and need to spread my wings a bit more - get some interesting projects on the go.  The art classes I teach will continue but I must make better use of the time outside of these.  By writing about my hopes and dreams they should encourage me to take positive steps in making things happen. 

studio view through the window 

Finally, my blog title is Creating Art and I plan to show work in progress, plus sketchbooks.  I love the process of making art.  Because of the classes I teach I freely work across a wide spectrum of art materials and with a range of subject matter.  I offer my work, philosophy, hints and tips and reflections to you in future posts.  Please join me on this amazing journey - I would love your company and feedback!

I'll leave you with some more views of my gorgeous studio...

studio in winter

 

interior view

hard at work