Saturday, 7 June 2014

Exhibiting is Important to me

Exhibiting is important to me
I don't wear make up
Or expensive clothes
I don't make speeches
Or fancy prose

I am no writer
I do not act
I no longer dance on tables
Or compete at poker
I use my time

For a single urge
I paint and draw
I design and create
I carve and engrave
Rolling and pressing

Mixing and printing
Drying and aligning
Print and repeat
Select and edition
Mount and frame

A chance arises
A new selection
Frame and string
Package and deliver
Curate and hang

Promotions are tricky
Like speech or performance
What and how to expose
To who
I don't like to ask

I am too English
Can't presume or impose
Take up your time
Request your presence
And now it's too late

The show goes on
I have my share
Of interest and luck
Passers by and holiday makers
But I wish I had been braver

It may not be
The Main Event
The exhibition of a life time
But it is a piece of me
Two years work

In a few years
There will be another
With different work
I will try harder
Next time



Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Dorset Art Weeks 2014

Dorset Art Weeks (DAW) is one of the largest open studio events in the country, with nearly 300 venues showing the work of almost 1000 artists. It starts this Saturday and runs for two weeks until June 8th. I'll be sharing Ruth Oak's studio which is above Poole Printmakers, who are also having an open studio for DAW.

Ruth is a painter and printmaker whose work has a strong element of drawing: "I have always been inspired by landscape, while much of my current work takes inspiration from poetry and works with words, sometimes taking the form of artist’s books. The “vessel” is a subject which frequently emerges in my work and I see it as a symbol of myself, a person making a journey, a life or a view of the world, the self in relation to God, the inner and outer world. It is a personal but also universal symbol to which I hope all can relate. I use a wide variety of painting and printmaking media and techniques"

Ruth has recently been working on a series in wood engravings to illustrate “Step in Anywhere” a book of poems by Jane Wilson. The original engravings will be on display along with the finished book during the open studio.

I will be showing prints and paintings from three main series that I have been working on over the past couple of years. The first is linocuts of Dorset views including Gold Hill, Poole Quay and the Red Arrows flying over Bournemouth pier.
My second theme is illustrative animals, from milkshake drinking monkeys to crocodiles nibbling on cucumber sandwiches. And lastly I will be showing a small selection of the portraits I have painted, many of which were the result of my membership of the inspiring international portrait artist's group JKPP.

Our open studio for Dorset Art Weeks runs 24th May – 8th June 2014, open daily (except Tuesdays) 11am – 5pm. To see details of our venue and all of the others visit the Dorset Art Weeks site.





Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Red Arrows, Bournemouth - The new Dorset Magazine cover


Thrilled to see my linocut 'Red Arrows, Bournemouth' on the cover of the new Dorset Magazine!!
The cover was chosen to promote Dorset Art Weeks which is on 24th May to 8th June. I'll be showing my work alongside Ruth Oaks' beautiful prints and paintings at her studio above Poole Printmaker's studio, we are venue 11 in the DAW brochure or website.

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