WORKSHOPS - May/June 2013

Upcoming Workshop programme for May to June at Crescent Arts... I'm running some slab building Workshops.

WORK IN PROGRESS - Headline Sorting

Scarborough Evening News / Scarborough News Headlines

Sorting through with Stuart Cameron some of my collection of local headlines, I've collected these on and off since I've been in Scarborough. We're having an exhibition of them in Crescent Arts at the end of the month. There are some corkers!

PRESS - Scarborough News Feature

Feature on Crescent Arts in this weeks Scarborough News. My studio looks a bit messy! Oh dear, Oh well.... I've been busy, honest!

 

Feature on Crescent Arts in this weeks Scarborough News. My studio looks a bit messy! Oh dear, Oh well.... I've been busy, honest!

DRAWING - Baguette

I was asked to produce a line drawing of a baguette for the new batch of workshops... "Matisse couldn't have produced a better line drawing" said our director Stuart Cameron. I'm sure Matisse could have produced better spelling however!

I was asked to produce a line drawing of a baguette for the new batch of workshops... "Matisse couldn't have produced a better line drawing" said our director Stuart Cameron. I'm sure Matisse could have produced better spelling however!

STUDIO - Photographing Work

Spent the morning in the photography studio at Harrogate College, trying to get better photos of some of my work. It was good fun and I seem to have become a little distracted with some of the props lying around. This reminded me that I should get back to playing around with photographing different ceramic & mixed media set ups a little bit more often... I'll be back in after the Easter holidays with lots more of my work.

WORK IN PROGRESS - A Response to a Response to a Response

I've decided to make a new piece of work which is a response to a piece of work that I created in late 2009. 'The Death of Sainsburys' (part of my Trilogy of Death series) was one of my contemporary responses to the historical Staffordshire piece 'The Death of Munrow', which in turn was a response to the V&A's acquisition of 'Tipoos Tiger'. This new creation is a response to current news stories... Can you tell what it is yet? A bit more tweaking on Monday and then I'll dissect it up and make plaster moulds of the parts.

 

STUDIO - Wilf & Gordon's Debut

'Wilf' & 'Gordon' made their debut this week in Scarborough, they can be found in the upstairs Gallery at Angela & Rosie's on Bar Street. They join 'Albert' and a host of other delights by talented local artists...

WORK IN PROGRESS - Farm World

With the recent horse meat scandal amongst other things, I find my attentions recently brought back to my Farm World project. I still have to realise my drawing for 'The Human Milk Cow' in ceramic, this piece was inspired by the above news story of Chinese Scientists genetically modifying cows to produce human milk. I'm also starting work on a couple of ideas I have for a brand new piece, this time focusing on pigs.   

The Human Milk Cow, Drawing by Karen Thompson

WORK IN PROGRESS - Gordon

Today's Offering.

I've enjoyed making this chap today... it's funny seeing the changing stages within ceramics, things alter dramatically with kiln firings and each stage of the process seems to have it's own different attractive qualities and life forces. This stage, the most vulnerable and fragile always seems to hold an extra special enchantment for me.

STUDIO - Open Studios, Exhibition & Artist Talks

How Many Artists Does it Take to Draw a Light Bulb? A joint exhibition of current work from the six resident artists at Crescent Arts. I'll be giving a couple of artist talks as part of the Crescent Arts Open Studios and Exhibition this coming weekend as part of the Coastival festival. The Artist talks are at 1pm on Saturday and Sunday. Do also check out Jade Montserrat's talks at 12pm. 

OUT & ABOUT - The Charity Shop Psychic

Stephen D Bilton - The Fortune Teller.

During a rare treat to Pawz for Thought in Roker, Sunderland (one of my favourite charity Shops), I came across this little character - Stephen D Bilton. It turns out that he is a fortune teller! He asked to see my palm and then told me that the future looks very ok! He said to me "you know you'll have made it when you see a big W", he also told me that the next place that I travel to will have a volcano, although I won't know that it's there until I arrive... The mystery deepens!

AIM & CLICK - Lollipop Lady's Ban

 

Another headline that I couldn't resist this week... from the Sunderland Echo again this time. Oh how I truly love non-headline news!  

DRAWINGS - A2 Paintings

Karen Thompson 'Harry' (42 x 59.4cm)

I'm really enjoying working on some A2 Portraits at the moment. I've come back after the Christmas break to my easel with refreshed enthusiasm & vigour... it makes a change as 2012 probably saw my least productive year in terms of drawing.

AIM & CLICK - The Habits of Folks

Harrow Road, London.

Andrew Victor Wood

Just sorting through some photos on my laptop and I thought I would post these two. I lived on Harrow Road in London for a year and was fascinated with the view from the window... random things were always happening. The other photo is of Andrew Victor Wood (the singer in Ultrasound) on his doorstep, I wonder if he has some new slippers yet! 

WORKSHOPS - February/March

Upcoming Workshops at Crescent Arts, I'll be running some Ceramic Portraiture Workshops this time...

OUT & ABOUT - The Art Gallery Stores

Scarborough Art Gallery Stores

I spent a lovely afternoon yesterday in the Scarborough Art Gallery store. Very inspiring! Some little gems in there. Thanks to Karen Snowden the head of collections for talking me through the collection in depth - fascinating insight.... now what will I paint?

WORK IN PROGRESS - 3 heads are better than 1

Work in Progress Heads.

I'm busy working on three heads at the moment. The middle head is a tureen incorporating a ladle which I've disguised as a curl. I'm having fun making these... it feels like a light hearted aside. 

EXHIBITION - 108 Fine Art, Harrogate

The Death of Sainsburys and the Death of Munrow have made a little apperance at 108 Fine Art in Harrogate, along with - Qwerty Cunieform Tablet, Retro Keyboard, Curious Curiosities and PMN2 Trinket Boxes... they should be around for a month or so.

108 Fine Art, Harrogate.

108 Fine Art, Harrogate.

PRESS - Harrogate, Ripon & Wetherby

The very lovely people at Harrogate College sent my photo of the Death of Sainsbury's to the local paper. The Death of Sainsbury's will be having it's first public outing in Harrogate soon... 

 

WORK IN PROGRESS - Researching Harrogate

1923 Poster - H.G. Gawthorn.

1921 Poster.

I'm starting research on a new project. I want to respond to my time on the AA2A scheme and especially to being in a new town & environment. Harrogate is most famously known for being a Spa Town. People have flocked to the town to take the waters for generations... up until March 2012 that is, when the council responded to an EU regulation and stopped people drinking the waters and turned off the outside tap of the Pump House!

DAY TO DAY - The Departing Wheel

The Enthusiastic new owners.

I'm having a bit of a studio clear out and have just sold my kick wheel to these two enthusiastic gentlemen. It's going to have a new life on a farm... I hope they have more luck with it than I did - Think I'll stick to electric wheels from now on!

OUT & ABOUT - Liverpool Biennial

Crescent Arts Outing to the Liverpool Biennial.

All six Crescent Artists and our director Stuart Cameron headed over to the Liverpool Biennial today. Lots to see, a couple of the highlights for me were...

Nadia Kaabi-Linke.

John Akomfrah.

OUT & ABOUT - Message from Jesus

Message from Jesus, Scarborough Library 29/10/12

Received a message from Jesus on Monday via a kind lady in the library, it has lived in my pocket since then. She went out of her way to deliver this note to me - maybe she thought I needed it!

NEWS - AA2A Residency, Harrogate College

I've been selected to be an artist in residence at Harrogate school of Art & Design for the next six months. This is through the AA2A scheme. I'm looking forward to spending time there using the facilities and interacting with the students and staff. Will be starting next week after half term. I shall be blogging about my time on the AA2A Dotbiz site...

http://aa2a.biz/

DRAWINGS - Trout

I'm fascinated with the Victorian glass bow fronted cases housing collections of heavily varnished fish. They have a darkness and eeriness which I am drawn to. Something to ponder for the future.

EVENT - Harrogate College Artist Talk

Great day today at Harrogate College... My talk was well received. What a lovely bunch!

Harrogate College 17/10/12

EVENT - artULTS & Study Day

I was involved with two events this week organised by Scarborough Museums Trust as part of their Big Draw programme. artULTS took place at Crescent Arts and saw printmaking and ceramics workshops and demonstrations. The Study day took place in the eduction room at Woodend, items from the collection were made available to the general public to draw. The star of the show was George the Giant Tortoise... I've scanned an article from the Scarborough News with more fascinating facts about George.

 

artULTS, Crescent Arts.

Transporting George, SMT Study Day.

OUT & ABOUT - Cyril's Arrival

Cyril - My new buddy.

Cyril's house.

Had the quickest scoot around the craft fair in the library today, nothing much that caught my attention except for the needle felt work of Ann Creasey and in particular this little fella... I seem to have taken an instant shine to him and found myself unable to leave him on the table. He's definitely coming to a good home where he will be loved - 'Nice one Cyril'

INSPIRATION - Meissen Dog

Meissen Manufactory (German, 1710–present) | Bolognese dog | ca. 1733

This amazing piece of ceramics was posted on facebook by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Wowsers! It's fab, I'm very inspired by this piece... looks like I'll be further researching 18th Century Meissen.

OUT & ABOUT - Working in the Woodend Wonderland

Jade and the Giant Tortoise.

Artist Jade Montserrat and myself spent a day in Scarborough Museum Trusts stores last week. This was in preparation for a study day that will be run by the trust on Tuesday 16th October as part of their Big Draw activities. They have asked us to be on hand to offer artistic guidance.

http://scarboroughmuseumstrust.org.uk/our-venues/art-gallery/events/98-study-day.html