Found

I found this fantastic piece of shaped metal on a lovely warm sunny day the tide was out and the beach was sandy. I love the texture, colour, size and patina. It is so exciting stumbling across something like this. My brain goes into overdrive very satisfying.

Further on down the beach I found this piece of old pipe encrusted with stones. The colour is similar to the previous piece but it is more organic. I thought I would combine the pieces together but they seem to cancel one another out. I like to use pieces together from the same walk.

When I tried it out I think they cancel one another out.

I added 3 these small canvases to rusted beach find it acts as a frame. This works for me.

We had really strong winds and rough seas at the beginning of the week.

It was half term week so many more visitors to the site. These boys played for hours on the edge of the raging sea having great fun note the wellies which must have been very wet in side. The day before at this spot there was a vast expanse of sand and with the help of there dad they dug out a large boat- this took most of the morning and had great fun smashing it to pieces when the went up for lunch. Reminds me of my myself at there young age on or around this spot.

After a very blustery night in the caravan during my morning beach walk I found the pieces of wood on the tide line I have used in this found piece. I have used wire to lash them together to make the form of a boat shape. The piece of ply had come off a huge piece that I found further along the shore. The exposed layers and uneven shape reminded me of sails.

Detail of boat. I have in the past combined wire to draw on top of painting.

Driftwood boats and sketching at Dunwich

Sketches on beach

Boats, off shore wind farm and more boats

The sun was so bright it bleached out the sea - it reminds me of a batik - inspired me to make the found boats.

Container ship I like the block shapes

the contrast with the fishing boat is marked.

If you enlarge next pic you can see the wind farm on the horizon

The large sailing boat stayed in the bay over two nights before setting sail.

On our return from Dunwich I made these boats with found objects found on the beach

When I was downloading pics onto the computer I felt the studio wall with figure stone work looked magical so had to include it.

A wonderful week at Dunwich, walking, looking, collecting, studies and relaxing.

Found objects from the beach

Assembled in studio

Watercolour studies, lots of heavy rain ever changing colours sea and sky.

Sparkling shimmering sea and sky

Sizewell

In my last posting I said that my next post would be about my work based on Sizewell. I have been contemplating this theme over several years. A catalyst for action has been the Japanese situation caused by natural events. I watched the construction of Sizewell B and remember the protests against it at the time. My reaction as an artist is that its position and location in the landscape can look magnificent. I illustrate this with digital photos taken over a five year period.

However my heart and head agrees with the protests. I am aware of the so called green issues. I intent to complete a series of art work using the imagery below.

This week the go ahead for the construction of another reactor on the site has been given. My fears are primarily about the safety of the site.

I was working on this mixed media painting during my open studio weekends. The view is from Dunwich village beach looking towards Sizewell. You can see part of the complex and dome I plan to complete a series of work from various view points showing different moods.

Digital image taken earlier this year on a very busy day for Dunwwich.

Digital image from Minsmere beach in the early evening it demonstrates how shallow the beach is. How vulnerable the site is.

A glorious summer evening with long shadows. The dome looks iconic the path drawing you in. It reminds me of the Taj Mahal .

This picture demonstrate how in one day of storms the edge of the land can disappear into the sea. The sea breached into the marsh land. This rings alarm bells for me.

I love the colours in the foreground of this image and the contrast with the mist obscuring the site and sea.

I am currently working on a piece based on this image. I often sit from this viewpoint watching marsh harriers coming into the reed beds a wonderful sight.

Second and my last weekend of Open Studios 2011

About 40 people visited my Open Studios weekends. The picture below shows the free postcards that people could choose from. Also my exhibition comment book. There were some really interesting comments. As I said in my last post visitors really wanted to discuss my work, one lady said I should be really famous. I am not sure I want to be famous but it always motivating to get enthusiastic recognition.

Some of the comments said they really liked The Found pieces and were surprised that they liked them. I have shown some pieces before on my blog. However , I thought it would be interesting to see how I displayed them. The photo shows pieces that have been completed over the last few months apart from the piece top middle.

The last photo shows some the sunset pieces and you can see from the angle that the board has been curved at the bottom. I thing it works well. The centre painting is from the heartstone series. The wire piece is inspired by the Shadow Series and has a heart shaped stone and shell.

My next blog will feature some work I had in progress over the open studios weekends based on Sizewell seen from Dunwich village beach, the heath and beach Minsmere.

Thankyou to all my visitors for making my open weekends so motivating for me.

My 1st Open Studios Weekend

Saturday was a lovely day and my art studio was open from 11am -5pm and I can honestly say I had visitors all day.

Ranging from neighbours to visitors from France different age groups all with a common interest in Art. They were keen to view my work and to ask questions and offer their opinions which are welcomed. Most happily went away with a free postcard. I reserved 2 pieces and 1 was collected this evening after a second visit.

Heartstones Series the large free shaped heart was reserved and collected this evening . Note heartstone collection under art work they proved to be a fascinating talking point for visitors.

The other painting I have reserved is from the Sea Series of work Sandbank 1.

The lady that is interested in this piece was struggling between another sea series piece.

We had a interesting discussion about my work this is what makes these weekends so rewarding.

However I was rather tired by the end of the weekend.