Organised?.....Moi?

Unusualy for me, I have everything finished, varnished and ready to go down to Alex next week. haven't quite sorted the labels yet or given every piece of work a name....but hey.
I feel, now as if I have done all the fish in me for the time being. I don't want to do any more for the moment. Trouble is people like them and they sell!
I need to do something completely different for a while, I think I shall start to experiment with calligraphy. I love to use words in my work, even if they make no sense, I like the shapes and patterns they create. Or maybe just take a lot of photographs and go from there. I am always drawn to the sea and I expect any photographs will have a strong element of the coast in them. I'm very drawn to crumbling walls and doors....peeling paint. I love the photos I took of doors in Greece and Libya last year (see previous posts), maybe a project involving wabi sabi, weather beaten doors of Essex...... No? ! Hmmm!

First Sight of Firstsite!

I have won 2 tickets to visit the new contemporary arts centre..still under construction...in Colchester. How exciting. There has been a real buzz about the construction of this very contemporary design in a town that essentially has its feet well and truly stuck in the past. Rafael Vinoly is the architect responsible, and I have been a big fan since I attended a lecture by him. He just filled the audience with awe as he described how he put together the design, working around some yet unexcavated Roman ruins on the site.
The project has undergone major criticism along with financial difficulties but now looks back on track to open next year. So hard hat and steel cap booted up I shall be having a look around next weekend.

While I was on the Firstsite web site I came across a short film about Michael Goddey's 17 mile bicycle trail around Colchester. Michael, a sculptor, taught me a  few years ago and I was always impressed with his thinking outside the box. This trail is no exception. Has it inspired me to pump up the tyre on my bike?.....No.
But I may walk it instead! Have a look at the clip below.

View Finder Trail: Michael Goodey

Lots to do list

My 'To do' list is very long this month! Get some more work finished before Feb. Fill in those 'members' forms. Upload some photos for the Colchester Arts Society web site. Get in touch with people re shows. ....and so it goes on. Much I meant to do before Christmas....but....well......Hmmm.....Tomorrow

Happy New Year

Happy New Year !  I would like to think it will be as good as, or better, than last year. Can't say I'm sorry the festivities are over and every where is back to normal.

I have a couple of shows coming up which is fantastic. One on 20th Jan in Chelmsford, it's a one off  Art Show & Auction supporting the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity.  A Banksy and a Philip Townsend photograph are amongst the pieces up for auction. WOW. Some East Anglian artists have been invited to show work for sale and I'm one of them....Should be an interesting evening.

The other show is in February at the Coach House Coffee shop in Brightlingsea.....so hope to see you there. Thank you to Alex for giving me space....again!  Alex does a very fine line in homemade soup. Just the thing for these cold days, so wiz down there and take a look.

This month he is showing Val Bonnett's work. 

I thought I might give calligraphy a go. Not really the beautiful handwriting you would expect, but used in a decorative way. I love the way the letters form patterns, not needing to say anything in particular....just words on a page. Anyway, I bought myself some nibs and ink (a sort of a present from my daughter, that I paid for!)

and I shall try some out. Watch this space!