Frames of Reference

Bee-Composed

My big sister Lily Hunter Green is a musician and visual artist based between Brighton and Suffolk. She’s currently working on an art installation project called ‘Bee-Composed’, which involves working with an apiarist and a sculptor to adapt a redundant piano into a working beehive from which she will then harvest the sounds of the bees interacting with the strings and the visual footage recorded from within the piano. This will form part of an exhibition later in the year and an original EP. Continue reading “Bee-Composed”

The Uncanny

This is a true story and it happened on Rosslyn Hill in Belsize Park, one evening a few years ago, though the pictures you see are not from there, no. These haunted trees are from the rookeries of the notebook, this winter’s trees signalling to each other through the pages. Continue reading “The Uncanny”

For Paco De Lucía

I heard someone on the radio say that Paco de Lucía was dead. I was shocked. Then someone else said Pablo de Lucía and I breathed a sigh of relief. But when I checked I saw that Paco had indeed died, of a heart attack on holiday in Mexico. Born December 21, 1947, died February 26, 2014, the flamenco guitar maestro gone far too soon. I witnessed an astounding concert at the Royal Albert Hall thirty years ago when he played duets with John McLaughlin. He was a force of nature, together the two of them were supernatural. He will be greatly missed. See more tributes to Paco de Lucía at BBC News.

La Barrosa – Paco de Lucía, guitar and Juan Rainrez, dancer.

Signed, Sealed & Framed

This is a letters patent, so called from the Latin verb pateo, to lie open, exposed, accessible. The originator’s seal was attached pendent from the document, so that it did not have to be broken in order for the document to be read. Letters patent are a form of open or public proclamation, though what they proclaim is not always patently obvious. Continue reading “Signed, Sealed & Framed”

Rembrandt’s Frame Maker

We recently reframed Rembrandt’s Frame Maker, an engraving by John Dixon published in 1769 by John Weston, after a portrait by Rembrandt of Herman Doomer painted in 1640. Continue reading “Rembrandt’s Frame Maker”

Return To Hampstead Heath

Rembrandt returned to Hampstead Heath last November, back home again to Kenwood House after a holiday whilst the decorators were in. Self Portrait With Two Circles travelled to New York, Houston, Milwaukee, Seattle and Arkansas whilst Kenwood House was closed for over a year for maintenance work. I always like to call in to say hello whenever we’re passing so it was good to catch up. Continue reading “Return To Hampstead Heath”

Maybe It’s Because I’m A Londoner

Having lived in London for over 40 years and coming from generations of dockland EastEnders I felt well qualified to respond to the brief for a new exhibition by the London Group, On London. Continue reading “Maybe It’s Because I’m A Londoner”

On London

Reflections on London by 60 artists, all members of the London Group, commemorating 100 years since its first exhibition. Continue reading “On London”

Architexture

It was my birthday on 9th January and I managed to drag my husband on a trip abroad. I could choose any destination as long as airports weren’t involved. It was lucky, as when we got to passport control at Kings Cross International (20 mins. drive away from home), it was politely pointed out to him that his passport was 4 months beyond it’s sell-by date, and they still let us through! Continue reading “Architexture”

Charlie’s Angels

I got this from Richard Williams. I couldn’t resist reframing it here. A short promotional video for an album of beautiful close harmony singing by The Haden Triplets – that could only be achieved from sharing a lifetime of sisterly togetherness and a near psychic vocal interplay that can only come from being born mere seconds apart from each other. Their father is Charlie Haden and the record is produced by Ry Cooder, two of my all time musical heroes, and this trio are pretty good too. Get the full story from Richard’s blog, thebluemoment, where he tells it much better than I ever could.