New paintings and regular art updates.
it’s coming on. But I know I’m looking too closely, which means I need to stand back and work out what if anything is wrong. I still need to add more bricks and sort out the trees. If I get this done I might do one of the bottle ovens.
Little brushes, lots of bricks, tiles, leaves, boards on the windows…. A derelict building, falling down gradually. I wish someone would take it on and look after it.
I’m in the middle of painting this nightmare of bricks! I’m also struggling with the perspective. I want to do more to it but I’m having a break for a bit. I’ve noticed that the windows are not lined up properly so I will have to over paint a section of it. Also, although the photo is quite dark I’m trying to get more shaping and brighter colours into the autumn leaves and I think I will try and lighten the bricks possibly by adding lines of paler mortar between the bricks. Anyway it’s a work in progress and it needs more work.
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I have a project for the weekend. Which of these should I paint? I wasn’t necessarily going to paint a bottle oven (these are at the Falcon works, with the Goss hawk at the end of the building). They are situated around the back of Portmeirion pottery. And I quite like the architecture. I might paint a negative image….
I have seen these buildings for years but didn’t investigate them much. I learned more about them and the owner today from a friend. Apparently the owner treated his work force very well and he even introduced a fire extinguishing system in the pottery to prevent fires.
These are my pottery pieces from the BCB, British Ceramic Biennial that is on at the China Halls at Spode until this weekend.
The two pieces are an ironic and unique take on staffordshire pottery flatware (with flat backs).
The first is a boat with Trumps head in it, feet in boots or socks heading in the other direction. There is a happy lion on the prow and the crucifixion at the top with people weeping on either side. Barrels and boxes are piled up at the stern where a white sale flaps in the wind. A monkey sits above the prow watching the scene. I named it Trump mania.
The second piece is called OMG, a couple stand caught in horror as something catches their eyes. Their hands over their mouthed in shock. I enjoyed adding details to the figures. I realise these are not the run of the mill figures, that is why it was even more fun.
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.
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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!
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…
