Birds – Page 8 – Frames of Reference

Voice Of The Bird

Hanna Tuulikki performing her composition, Voice of the Bird for female vocal ensemble, at Glasgow Tectonics Festival earlier this year. Note how they’re all dressed in black with red, oystercatcher legs. This short excerpt is courtesy of BBC Radio 3’s Hear and Now. This piece is at the centre of a larger project, Away with the Birds, exploring old Gaelic tunes that mimic birds, which will be performed next year on the Isle of Canna in the Hebrides. More details – Hanna Tuulikki: Away with the Birds.

Bea’s Birds

On holiday last year in Cornwall we were frequent visitors to Potager, a garden & café with badminton, table tennis, hammocks and chickens. It was just up the road from where we were staying, the perfect place for afternoon tea and I’ve just discovered it’s also a great favourite of our newest artist, Bea Forshall. Although we didn’t meet her there, it almost feels like we did. It’s where our paths crossed. Continue reading “Bea’s Birds”

Gnawa Studies

The 16th Gnawa Festival in Essaouira on Morocco’s Atlantic coast is a largely free four-day celebration of the music of the Gnawa, what is perhaps the oldest trance music in the world, the root note of inner transportation and sufi trance that attracts hundreds of thousands of Moroccans and intrepid international visitors to Essaouira each June, over the weekend of the full moon. Continue reading “Gnawa Studies”

Recent Visitors

This comma butterfly suddenly appeared in my workshop just as the sun returned and the temperature rose. I didn’t see it come in, maybe it hatched indoors, and I didn’t see it leave either. Continue reading “Recent Visitors”

Chequers

Suddenly last weekend there was unexpected sunshine. I fancied the coast, Sue wanted to go west, we wasted time weighing pros and cons and set out later than we should have. We finally settled on the Chilterns, Sue’s homeland and we began our walk from Butler’s Cross at the foot of Coombe Hill, site of geography field trips to the trig point at its summit. The surrounding hedgerows suggested snakes & ladders as much as chequers and the soundtrack was the song of the skylark. Continue reading “Chequers”

Conference Of The Birds

David Rees Davies brought us a few of his joyful paintings of birds. These are the first arrivals and hopefully more will follow soon, maybe a spring migration. He sent some words too. Continue reading “Conference Of The Birds”

Port Meadow

Dear Chris, As mentioned here are a couple or so photos and two sketchbook pages of bird images. I could write for a thousand pages about Port Meadow. I’ve been there ever since I was six years old. It floods in winter, gathers over wintering migrant wild fowl. In the summer it’s a place people swim, sail, walk, make love, do archaeology etc. If you want I can get David to send his poem about the meadow which refers to a drawing of mine. Best wishes to all, love, Andy. Continue reading “Port Meadow”

Bewick’s Nature Print

The Hedge Warbler or Dunnock
Printed from the boxwood block engraved by Thomas Bewick for his
History of British Birds, 1797

Continue reading “Bewick’s Nature Print”

Time Mayfly

Fanny Shorter was asked to design the packaging for a new 24 hour watch by Mr Jones. She used it as an opportunity to illustrate the life-cycle of the mayfly, which as an adult lives for just one day. Continue reading “Time Mayfly”

Corr Blimey!

I love this picture. It reminds me of a ‘fayr feeld ful of folk’ from Piers Plowman. Christopher Corr made it for a client from London now living in Washington. The brief was to paint the view from Parliament Hill with all London’s landmark buildings plus Gospel Oak lido and running track. He cleverly reversed the viewpoint so we’re looking back down on this earthly paradise. Click on the image to enlarge it and explore it in detail. The painting measures 106 x 74 cms. Continue reading “Corr Blimey!”