A Certain Kind Of Light...

When we were on holiday, Mini Goth and I visited a great exhibition at The Exchange, Penzance.

'A Certain Kind Of Light' 'explores how artists have responded to light, its presence, transience and effect.'

Peter Lanyon's 'Colour Construction. 1960' demonstrates how he would make these three dimensional pieces to kickstart and inform his landscape abstractions.

Lanyon is one of my heroes, so it was brilliant to see this 'behind the scenes' piece.

This piece by Ceal Floyer really struck a chord with me.

I'm not sure why, but it seemed quite melancholic...

This piece also led to a very interesting discussion about conceptual art which ended in a fit of giggles!

I loved the use of materials in Roger Ackling's work, and was amazed to learn that he painstakingly used a hand held lens to burn lines into the work with just the rays of the sun!

Now that's dedication!

Mark Titchner's ' Consciousness Is Artificial Daylight' was visually stunning, and as a textiles lover I really enjoyed looking at his use of materials.

I also really enjoyed looking at this work and talking about such matters as 'process and final outcome' with a teenager.

It was fun!

Anish Kapoor's 'Untitled.1995 ' was amazing, you really felt as though you were looking into a vortex!

(The strangest mother and daughter selfie I have ever taken!)

We both loved Peter Freeman's 'Spectra. 2013'...

...call us shallow, but was it because it matched her boots?!?

It's a really successful, beautiful and thought-provoking exhibition, and well worth a visit if you're in the area.

A Certain Kind Of Light.

The Exchange. Penzance.

27 May- 23 September 2017.

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A Visit To The Leach Pottery...

When we were in Cornwall we visited one of my favourite places, the Leach Pottery.

Love this on the roof!

I am a huge fan of a Leach owl...

....and his hares of course!

The whole place is so calm and tranquil.

Why are pottery studios so gorgeous?

These are the actual tools used by Bernard Leach.

They are art works themselves aren't they!

You could have a go at painting some of the Japanese-inspired motifs, hubby was a a natural.

(And, as usual, I didn't do what I was supposed to!)

First aid box envy...

Not only was Leach's pottery beautiful, but his thoughts and words were just as inspirational:

'As clothes are to the human body so are glazes to pots. Both serve practical ends, both should enhance inherent beauty of form.'

Leach would sit at this fireplace and give individual critiques on each of the pots made.

The shop of temptation...

I'll leave you with another one of Leach's inspirational quotes that had been printed on the loo wall...

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A Workshop With Kerry Harding...

Last month I visited The St Ives School Of Painting for an Experimental Oil Painting workshop with Kerry Harding. I have been a fan of Kerry's work for years and was very excited to meet her and see her paint.

The studios have been recently renovated and are so beautiful and inspiring, I was in heaven!

This handsome chap caught my eye and later appeared in one of my paintings!

Just look at the view!

Kerry even made us cups of tea!

And the crockery is from the fabulous Leach Pottery!

Now I am a tad nervous when it comes to oil painting, but Kerry was an excellent tutor.

She was so generous with her knowledge and techniques and the examples that she showed us were stunning...

We quickly went to experiment, dripping, pouring and scraping to our hearts' content.

I went through quite a few plastic gloves!

And soon everyone's tables were looking very exciting!

I really enjoyed building up the layers on my little abstracts.

The School were extremely generous with the materials available.

I even became inspired when I spilled some thinner onto the newspaper!

Here are my three little abstract paintings,(and the horse picture that I did during the dinner break!)

And then it was time to down pinnies and go home...

I really can't recommend The St Ives School Of Painting workshops enough.

If you're in Cornwall it's definitely worth treating yourself to a day (or two or three!) of pure inspiration.

Everyone there was so helpful and friendly and the place is stunning.

And on my way home I did a little curtesy as I was passing Alfred Wallis' cottage...

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