Frames of Reference

The Fields Of Fyfield

I’m getting behind. Too many posts and not enough time. This one’s long overdue. We walked this way a month ago or more. It was another suggestion from Christopher Somerville. We printed out the map and the directions only to find when we arrived in Fyfield that I’d left the map at home. The directions were good but occasionally a map would have clarified things. It led to a few differences of opinion and a few trial and error wrong turns and turnarounds. 7½ miles turned out to be more like 10. Continue reading “The Fields Of Fyfield”

The London Group

I was delighted this week to have been elected to The London Group, one of the oldest standing artist led organizations in the world and this year celebrating its 100th anniversary. The present membership is around 90 and new members are elected only after being proposed by an existing member and presenting their current work and previous artistic achievement to a committee. Continue reading “The London Group”

Singing Paint

American-born artist John Hubbard talks about his life and work in rural Dorset over the past five decades. This film, produced for his exhibition Littoral at the Luther W Brady gallery in Washington DC from May 15 – June 28, 2013, includes insights into the process behind his extraordinary abstract impressionist paintings, as well as a selection of songs he learned as an art student in New York in the 1950s. www.johnhubbard.com

The River & The Sea

Our featured display of the work of Jonathan Gibbs continues at The Rowley Gallery. There is a good selection of his wood engravings, many of which have been used as illustrations and book jacket designs, notably by Faber & Faber and the Folio Society. An often recurring formal theme is the playful combination of ripples and grids, like a game of snakes and ladders. Continue reading “The River & The Sea”

Jonny’s Jackets

A couple of months ago I drove down to Southampton to collect a car load of paintings and prints from Jonny Hannah. Since I was going one of Jonny’s publishers asked if I might return some of his books. I couldn’t refuse. It was a privilege to carry this select library of his marvelous book jacket designs. And I couldn’t miss the opportunity to photograph them. Feast your eyes. Continue reading “Jonny’s Jackets”

Chillida: From Iron To Light

There’s a great little Chillida exhibition at Ordovas until the end of July. It is the first dedicated exhibition of his sculptures to take place in London for almost twenty years. It features work made in steel and in alabaster as well as some of his paper works. There is also a wonderful film by Susana Chillida which is not to be missed; you can see it here – The Artist, his Work and his Art. And if you enjoy that you might also like this – Signs Of Chillida.

The Magnet

This painting by David Hollington was for me the highlight of his recent exhibition, Apocalypse Of Love, at Lauderdale House. I suspect it is a self-portrait; he’s not drowning like Ophelia but enjoying a moment of rejuvenating hydrotherapy amongst his friends and familiars. The painting takes its title from a poem by Thomas Stanley, one of the English metaphysical poets; another, Andrew Marvell, is commemorated with a nearby plaque on the wall of Waterlow Park. Continue reading “The Magnet”

The Gloaming

This is a recommendation from Christopher Corr, recently at Union Chapel to see much anticipated Irish/New York music collective The Gloaming. They sound fantastic, they’re a surprise to me but now I’m eagerly looking forward to their new album and their next visit to London.

Project Wild Thing

David Bond is concerned. His kids’ waking hours are dominated by a cacophony of marketing, and a screen dependence threatening to turn them into glassy-eyed zombies. Like city kids everywhere, they spend way too much time indoors – not like it was back in his day. He decides it’s time to get back to nature – literally. In an attempt to compete with the brands, which take up a third of his daughter’s life, Bond appoints himself Marketing Director for Nature. Like any self-respecting salesman, he sets about developing a campaign and a logo. With the help of a number of bemused professionals, he is soon selling Nature to British families. His humorous journey unearths some painful truths about modern family life. His product is free, plentiful and has proven benefits – but is Nature past its sell-by date? www.projectwildthing.com

Alderney Stones

If I could take off for 24 hours I think I’d like to walk on Alderney, stepping from stone to stone of Andy Goldsworthy’s recent installation of rammed earth boulders positioned around the island. I read about it at The Island Review; please take a look, it’s a great website, and also see Alderney Stones on Andy Goldsworthy’s own website, and Sticks & Stones by Kevin Rushby at The Guardian. Further information can be found at Art & Islands Foundation. And what a perfect cow photo this is!