New paintings and regular art updates.
I think this is my last painting for the craft fair, I’m getting too tired. This owlet was on a calendar and I couldn’t resist painting it. I think it is so cute. X
I find painting feathers and fur difficult. You can’t paint every strand of hair, tuft of fur, or every feather but if I can get a good impression of the details, that will have to do.
Yes, these are all paintings I did over the last few days. Some are tiny, some are small and some medium sized. These are for my craft stall for tomorrow at the Hotel on Spode Site. I hope people come in and enjoy what will be on display and for sale. There are a lot of quality crafts and art which will be there.
I guess I had better get back to work and finish off what I’m doing.
X
I got this Brown Betty teapot from Cherished Chimneys in Longport in Stoke-on-Trent. Its a traditional shape and colour. Apparently they keep tea warm for longer.
Cherished Chimneys have a teapot exhibition in their building (they actually mainly sell reclaimed chimneys) we had fun choosing the teapot from them.
We had been in the Waiting room gallery across the road at a Macmillan coffee morning to raise funds for their cancer care support work. A very good cause. Then we went to Bread in common, an artistic cafe that bakes bread and also cooks vegetarian food on a Fridays. Then to the British Ceramic Biennial in the afternoon. All in all a very busy day.
Then when we got home I did a few more tiny paintings, but that’s another story….
The British Ceramic Biennial has some hands on workshops that are free and open to the public. Last week I made a flat back pot using a mold of a boat with Donald Trumps head in profile and a pair of boots walking in the other direction. There is also a lion with a union jack, a monkey, and other figures and plants. There are other pots shown above. Each of them has been designed by an artist, so they are possibly controversial, maybe a bit tongue in cheek.
Today I painted glaze on my pot that had been fired. I didn’t remember to take a photo of it, but I have taken photos of some of the larger pieces now they have finally been fired.
I’m glad I had a go, it’s definitely worth a visit.
X
My final solo show day at the waiting room gallery is tomorrow, 22nd September 2019. Its open from 12noon to I think 5pm.
Im hoping people that couldn’t get to the opening will come along tomorrow.
It’s near Longport Station (which is being restored) and is a great new artist led gallery. I’m hoping to sort out some prints with them so they will have artwork for sale with them after the show has ended.
So that’s The Waiting Room Gallery, Longport, ST6 4ND. Maybe see you there. x
Dust rising (or Dust 19) is a group show by artists being held at Spode alongside the British ceramic biennial which is currently on till mid October.
This is me with one of the plates that have been created out of transfer prints. (if you look over my left shoulder the green patterns on the window are where the image comes from).
It’s amazing what’s going on here. We might be a bit down in the dumps but Stoke-on-Trent is so full of creativity. There is still a full time Fine Art course at Staffordshire University which is quite unusual in the current economic climate.
Stoke-on-Trent is situated in the middle of beautiful countryside. You can’t complain if you want places to visit.
So I guess what I’m saying is come visit!
We went round Trentham Gardens at Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, late this afternoon, and at the far end of the garden past the tea shop and the children’s play area are a series of colourful and interesting gardens, a bit like at a flower show. In fact some of them were show garden winners from previous places like Tatton Park. There are an allotment garden and sensory and secret, plus other styles of gardens. Best of all there was still plenty of flowers in them. It made for a very pleasant walk around the gardens. Relaxed and interesting.
I know they are ceramic, but I’m not sure what species? They flew across the China halls, landing on a tower and on the ceramic land and vegetation. BCB installation.
X
Too much to see! There were many interesting and beautiful pieces at the BCB (British Ceramic Biennial) being held in Spode over the next four weeks, ending I think on 14 October. The BCB sees the China Halls at Kingsway Stoke taken over and turned into a massive gallery to showcase ceramics, with hands on experiences making solid flat back figures and more abstract work.
There is also access from the Eleanora Street entrance of Spode. Useful to know if the car park in front of the building is full.
It’s great to see this asset being used and bringing much needed visitors into Stoke Town centre.
No doubt I will post more photos later…
I hope I’ve got his name correct. He’s a really unique artist who uses found pottery and hand made pieces together in large mosaics on various objects. In this case a grand piano. I wonder how much more it weighs with all the tiles and broken pots. It’s on display at the hotel on Spode site.
Hopefully I will be going round the BCB (British Ceramic Biannual event). There is lots going on there. Will see what’s on display.
Mallaband-Brown