New paintings and regular art updates.
In a display case, trapped like a tiger in a cage. Black and brown tabby sculpture. Little legs, massive tail. Iove this piece of cat sculpture at Salts Mill in Saltaire, Yorkshire. I think the technique is scraffito? Where you have a thin layer of slip pover a different colour. When it’s dry you can carve through it to reveal the underlying colour. A purrfect decoration for this wild tabby!
Tuesdays #bandofsketchers prompt was Marble. I thought of drawing glass marbles but then saw a programme about Michealangelo last night. It had information about the rivalry between Davinci and Michealangelo. I didn’t know both had Sculpted David. So I drew the bust of David that I found on the Internet. I used felt pens so it’s not really smooth enough. Fifteen minute sketch.
Sculpture at Trentham Gardens at the North end of the lake. It is the main sculpture and has been there for many years.
Persius killed the Gorgon Medusa by using his shield to reflect the image of her face back at her. Her power was to turn men to stone with her glance. Her hair was made up of writhing snakes. Only by doing this could he save himself.
I think I first heard of the story when I was a child, reading Greek myths and legends in a book for children. But I did not see this sculpture till I was an adult. I think I would have been upset to see this rather graphic image as a child.
One of the fairy sculptures at Trentham Gardens today. She seems to be throwing leaves into the air in a wild gesture of freedom. She is standing on to of a world or perhaps a seed pod. The creator of the sculptures shows a great deal of variety and not only humour but great expressiveness.
I bought this beautiful cat plant support today from my friend that runs #Sculptedsteel (on Instagram). I already have a larger cat sculpture from her but I think this is really elegant especially with the curl at the end of its tail. It’s about a meter tall and ideal for a climbing plant to support it as it grows. I will find something to train up it.
Up at the top of the waterfall in the Dorothy Clive Garden stands a life-sized statue of a stag roaring. It’s hidden in the trees on a path halfway up the sides of the quarry walls. This time we walked on the right path and found it! ❤️
I’m not sure what it’s made of but it might be cast bronze. It is so majestic and forceful, I think whoever made it did a brilliant job.
The little valley the waterfall runs into was full of rhododendron blossom a few weeks ago, but that has all gone now. But there are foxgloves and other tall flowering plants growing up to fill in the gaps. As you walk round the undulating base of the quarry you see an enclosed space, with different views round every corner. Dark and furry leaves, ferns, euphorbia in vibrant green, geraniums, dicentra (bleeding hearts). So interesting, I’d love to be able to find shade plants for our garden too.
Staffordshire University is holding its first degree shows for a couple of years. We went to see the fine art show today. Its also on tomorrow. I thought the show was one of the best I had seen in years. (we go most years). There was a lot of interesting images and ideas. Some exceptional painters and thought provoking installations. I decided not to take photos as each of the students will have their own copyright and I didn’t have permission to take pictures of their work. If you are in the area tomorrow pop in and take a look? Check on Google for opening times. Staffordshire University, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
One of the metal sculptures / plant supports in a planter at Trentham Gardens retail Village. I like the art nouveau or is it art deco feel to these (I can never remember). They are already pretty but come high summer they will be packed with bright and cheerful flowers. Vines climbing up the sculptural sections of metal.
This statue stands behind the Bethesda Methodist Chapel in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. I think it is Mary and the Baby Jesus. But what do the words painted on the building mean.
Mercian
Rain God
Laughter
Mercia is the old name for the English Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent is in the North Midlands. Rain God? When you drive towards Stoke-on-Trent you realise it is higher than the surrounding area and rain clouds travelling over the Cheshire plain do sometimes dump their rain here… And Laughter? Maybe that’s about the place, the character of the people, or perhaps the writer was imagining the damp, wet people who had been rained on and was laughing at them. Who knows?
Currently visiting Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent on Trent. A sculpture called the Knife Angel. Its there for the rest of April and its made of over 100,000 knives handed in across the country in a UK wide knife amnesty. It makes you realise how many young people think they need to carry knives to stay safe. Where the USA and other countries have problems with gun crime we have young people, particularly young men and youths, dying and injured by knives. This sculpture is trying to persuade them that the use of knives is dangerous and foolish and the organisers are raising funds to educate people to say no to using knives. I hope they succeed.
Mallaband-Brown