Salcombe Art / Art (Page 15)
Contemporary passions
24 April 2017 In Art, Exhibition

Contemporary Passions Exhibition Preview: High Tide at Kingsbridge

The annual Contemporary Passions exhibition is an opportunity for members of SHAF (South Hams Art Forum) to stage a major summer show of new works in a wide range of mediums and styles, a snapshot of the artists’ current work, interests and creative passions.

This is the first year I have taken part in this exhibition and am one of ten SHAF members exhibiting their work.

During the next few weeks, I’ll showcase the many paintings I intend to display, and introduce the other artists too.

 

High Tide at Kingsbridge

It seems appropriate to start this series of posts with this image of Kingsbridge. It’s the first one I’ve done of this end of the Kingsbridge Estuary. A steep road – Fore Street – climbs upwards to the church of St Edmunds whose 13th century tower dominates the sky line.

I’ve tried to capture the summer evening light as it softens the jumble of buildings. I scheduled this study for a high tide in the late afternoon, because the water surface dances with the strengthening shadows and fading reflections, and the warm glow of sunset will soon give way to electric lights.

At other states of the tides and at other times of the day, the view is completely different and provides a challenge – and the inspiration – to conjure more compositions of this scene.

High Tide at Kingsbridge is also available as a fine art greetings card.

 

When is the Contemporary Passions exhibition?

Tuesday 6 June until Sunday 18 June 2017
Open daily 10 am – 5 pm (closing at 4 pm on the last day)

 

Where is the Contemporary Passions exhibition?

The Contemporary Passions exhibition will be at Harbour House, The Promenade, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 1JD

 

Want to Meet the Artists?

There will be an opportunity to meet the artists on Tuesday 6 June, 6-8 pm.

I will also be stewarding all day on Saturday 10 June and on the morning of Saturday 17 June.

 

How much does it cost?

Admission is free!

17 April 2017 In Art, Exhibition

2017 Exhibition schedule update

The Salcombe Art Club Exhibition opened last Thursday so it’s time for an update of my exhibition schedule for 2017.

The Salcombe Art Club Exhibition remains open until 30 September, 7 days a week from 11am until 5pm. Admission is free.

I now also have my stewarding dates for Salcombe Art Club and the Contemporary Arts Exhibition at Harbour House. So, if you’d like to ‘meet the artist’, pop in at these times:

  • Salcombe Art Club: 11am-5pm on Wednesdays – 28 June, 12 July, 9 August
  • Harbour House, Kingsbridge: 10am-5pm on Saturday June 10, 10am-1.30pm on Saturday 17 June
Contemporary Passions Exhibition
Tuesday 6 June – Sunday 18 June 2017

This exhibition is organised by SHAF (South Hams Arts Forum) of which I am a member, and is at Harbour House, Kingsbridge – a wonderful gallery space.

Doors will be open from 10am – 5pm and admission is free.

There is a ‘Meet the Artists’ event on Tuesday 6 June, 6-8pm. Do come along!

 

One-man exhibition in the Redfern Health Centre
Thursday 29 June – Thursday 27 July 2017

Full members of Salcombe Art Club display their work for one month – so that those visiting the Redfern have something to admire while waiting to see the doctor.

The Redfern benefits from all sales; a percentage of the purchase price is donated to their funds.

 

Oils and Acrylics in the Little Studio in the Loft Gallery
9 – 23 July

Students of Ian Carr’s class, including myself, will be exhibiting examples of work done in class.

 

Watercolours in the Loft Studio Little Studio in the Loft Gallery
23 July – 5 August

Students of Michael Hill’s class, including myself, will be exhibiting examples of work done in class.

 

One-man exhibition in the Little Studio in the Loft Gallery
Sunday 13 August – Saturday 26 August 2017

Salcombe Art Club invite members, including associate members, to take one or two weeks in the Little Studio, to display as many of their paintings as they can hang in the space.

More recent paintings that didn’t sell last year can be hung so they usually get another airing.

I’ll be stewarding all day both Sundays, so that’s a good time to pop in and chat, if you want to ‘meet the artist’.

 

SHAF Arts Trail
Saturday 14 October – Sunday 29 October

The South Hams Art Forum (SHAF) offers a two-week Arts Trail, including the school half-term holiday.

Viewings at Beacon House Gallery are usually by appointment but, for the period of the SHAF Arts Trail, we will welcome visitors 11am-3pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 10am-5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Closed on a Tuesday)

 

Beacon House Gallery
Private viewings 2017

I usually hold a private preview evening ahead of the start of the season, but the gallery is being refurbished and works are still ongoing.

Instead, there will be an event to celebrate the re-opening of Beacon House Gallery – whenever that happens!

If you would like to be advised about the date of this event and to receive an invitation, please contact me.

10 April 2017 In Art

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition preview: Shifting Sands at Burgh Island I and II

Two of my paintings of Burgh Island depicts the shifting sands between the mainland and the island.

I’ve included both for consideration of the Hanging Committee of Salcombe Art Club, hoping they will be accepted for the 2017 Salcombe Art Club Exhibition which opens on Thursday 13 April.

On this blog, over the past few weeks, I’ve also posted a preview of the other three paintings that I have submitted: Provident, Hope Cove Fishing Gear, and Blackstone.

 

What’s special about these two paintings of Burgh Island?

Shifting Sands at Burgh Island I, the featured image above, is an acrylic painting. In the sky, I included a vapour trail to remind me of a flight from Gatwick to Malta a while back. For some reason, the pilot chose to go west before turning south. Seeing this spectacular coastline from the air was a magical experience.

Shifting Sands at Burgh Island II draws particular attention to the dramatic cliffs. Also clear in this image is that the Island is set apart from the mainland by a strip of sand, only visible at low tide. When the sea is in full tide, the sea tractor ferries the visitors to and fro and there is a continuous clamour of sound from waves and gulls.

What’s special about Burgh Island?

Burgh Island, with its Art Deco hotel perched like a crown on its island site, has always captured the visitors’ imagination – not just Agatha Christie’s but many many artists too.

The setting is like a jewel, but with constantly changing tides and weather and light.

Acrylic paint was my choice because the summer light is strong and the tones of blues and greens etc compete. The fast drying time of this medium means there can be no delay in capturing the moment.

 

AFFORDABLE ART

Both images are available as a fine art greetings card.

My cards are stocked at Bonningtons (the newsagents) and Salcombe Information Centre (both a short walk from the Loft Studio). Further afield, my cards are stocked by Malborough Post Office, The Gallery Project at Avon Mill and at Noss Mayo, and in Bloomers, the florist in Kingsbridge.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original painting, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself. Whistlefish sell frames that fit … about £10 each.

Fish Out Of Water Top
3 April 2017 In Art

Jane Mahood: Fish out of water

Jane Mahood is one of 87 artists exhibiting their work in the ‘From Natural to Abstraction’ exhibition. It’s Jane’s fifth time at the Harbour House Open Art Exhibition and her mosaic pieces sell well.

At the current exhibition, Jane’s occasional table ‘Fish out of water’ caught our eye and, although it’s still on show in the exhibition, it’s sold – to us.

As a result of the refurbishment of Beacon House Gallery, we now have a large porch area and this table may well prove useful by the new front door.

Jane tells us: I like to produce pieces that are hopefully pleasing to the eye but are also functional in some way. Whilst I do make some mosaic ‘pictures’, I tend to focus on occasional tables, mirrors, fruit bowls, clocks and lazy susans. My strapline is “Love it, and use it!”

That’s the plan, Jane!

 

Where is the ‘From Natural to Abstraction’ exhibition?

From Natural to AbstractionThe ‘From Natural to Abstraction’ exhibition is being held at Harbour House in Kingsbridge, Devon. It runs until 17 April. It’s open to the public, free of charge, from 10am until 5pm every day, Monday to Saturday. Closed on Sundays.

 

More about Jane Mahood

Jane MahoodJane is a member of SHAF (South Hams Art Forum) and she is featured on the SHAF website.

Largely self-taught, Jane has been producing pieces of mosaic work for three years now.

She sources much of her material from old recycled tiles and broken ceramics, some of which come from the mud of the Kingsbridge Estuary. This stock is supplemented with glass tesserae, mass-produced for mosaic work.

Because her designs are driven by the material that she has to hand, and she finds it impossible to guess what people are going to like, Jane has not undertaken any commissions.

However, Jane has ‘revitalised’ some much-loved pieces of China that have been accidentally broken, reconstructing them into a new and usable form.

Jane also produces a lot of birthday and Christmas presents for friends and family, and – she says – her house looks like a mosaics shop!

 

If you are involved in an exhibition, let me know.

I’ll try to come along.

I might buy a piece of your art.

You might find yourself featured in a future blog post.

27 March 2017 In Art

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition preview: Provident

Provident – the featured painting above – is one of five that I plan to submit for consideration of the Hanging Committee of Salcombe Art Club, hoping they will be accepted for the 2017 Salcombe Art Club Exhibition which opens on Thursday 13 April.

On this blog, I’ll post a preview of each of the five paintings, over the next few weeks. If you decide you want to purchase one of them, be quick. The prices go up in April!

 

What inspired me to paint Provident?

For decades, ‘Provie’ was part of the Island Cruising Club’s fleet aimed at teaching children and adults how to sail in the traditional manner. That is: under a ‘tall rig’.

Provie was part of the scenery!

 

Where is Provident now?

Provident is now with Trinity Sailing Foundation, who operate a small fleet of historically important sailing vessels such as: Leader, Provident, Golden Vanity and Heritage.

 

What is the history of Provident?

I am grateful to the Trinity Sailing Foundation for providing full information on all their vessels. This is my potted version regarding Provie.

Provident is a medium-sized ‘Mule’ class of sailing trawler. Built in 1924, Provident was a replacement for an earlier vessel of the same name, which had been sunk during WW1 by a German U-boat. She fished out of Brixham for ten years, was then sold and converted to a private yacht. Provident was laid up in Cornwall during WW2.

Provident arrived in Salcombe, in 1951, as the founding vessel of the Island Cruising Club. She was given a major refit in the late 1980s, and re-launched in 1991. Eight years later, having sailed our waters to everyone’s delight, in 1999, she started working from Brixham as part of the newly-formed Trinity Sailing Foundation.

DartLife invite
20 March 2017 In Art, Exhibition

Chris Pring – ceramic artist at DartLife exhibition

Chris Pring, potter

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Pring on Monday 13 March – a week ago today.

Anne and I attended a private preview of the DartLife exhibition at the Ariel Centre in Totnes. The work of Chris Pring was on show together with that of many other artists.

  • Rosemary Bonney (landscape painter, mixed media)
  • Amanda Cardrick (painter, acrylic, mixed media)
  • Ann Chester King (landscape painter, mixed media)
  • Sue Farrow-Jones (printmaker, screen printer, watercolourist)
  • Breda Holden (landscape painter, watercolour and mixed media)
  • Val Uglow (mixed media artist)
  • Ann Yeoman (landscape and botanical water-colourist)
Chris Pring – ceramic artist

Chris  makes functional domestic stoneware and delicate porcelain pieces for the home as well as Goldsworthy-inspired garden sculptures in stoneware and terracotta, and you can see examples of his work on his website http://www.kellatonpottery.co.uk/

Pring potAt the exhibition, one piece caught our eye and was purchased as a gift from me to my wife on the occasion of our recent wedding anniversary.

The ticket reads:

Skeletal gnarled oak
Roots carressed by clear waters
Giving and Taking

I won’t reveal the price!

When we move back into our refurbished home shortly, this vase will take pride of place on the window sill in Anne’s office. According to Anne – she hadn’t seen the ticket and was simply drawn by the image – to her, it spoke of the individual being the tree, drawing strength from the ground and giving / sharing the gifts or talents that we each have. To the outside observer, the beauty of this giving and taking is not always recognised – they only see a gnarled tree. Their loss …

DartLife invite

You still have time to visit the exhibition

This exhibition is on now until 30 March 2017. Entitled ‘DartLife’, it explores the River Dart, which runs as a thread through the work of all the artists, uniting them in a common theme. Don’t miss this one.

If you are a local artist and would like to feature on my blog, let me know when/where you will be exhibiting. Invite me to the private preview! And I’ll spread the word about you and your art. Click here for my contact page.

 

Blackstone
13 March 2017 In Art

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition preview: Blackstone

Blackstone – the featured painting above – is another of five I plan to submit for consideration of the Hanging Committee of Salcombe Art Club, hoping they will be accepted for the 2017 Salcombe Art Club Exhibition which opens on Thursday 13 April.

On this blog, I’ll post a preview of each of the five paintings, over the next few weeks. If you decide you want to purchase one of them, be quick. The prices go up in April!

 

What inspired me to paint Blackstone?

BlackstoneImagine: Dad has rigged the Mirror (or whatever small craft he has towed down to Salcombe). You can see it, set against the backdrop of cliffs, in wind and tide, navigating safely past a beastly reef we call Blackstone.

 

What were the challenges?

The challenge here, for me as an artist, rather than me as a sailor, was to capture the sheer scale of the sea on the horizon, and the cliffs, with the brave dinghy in the foreground. I wanted to create the atmosphere of adventure since the daunting rocks spell danger for any small craft exploring the estuary. But also, I wanted to spell out the delight as the sails fill.

Capturing all this in one painting is a challenge in itself.

Add to this the fact that acrylic tones tend to darken as they dry. However, this proved fortuitous for me – it served to emphasize the solid damp cliffs.

Racing Past BlackstoneI enjoyed the challenge of the composition so much, I produced a second Blackstone painting: Racing Past Blackstone. This one is a watercolour.

 

Affordable Art

Both Blackstone images are available as a fine art greetings card. The range is now 59 strong, and on sale at Malborough Post Office.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original painting, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself. Whistlefish sell frames that fit … about £10 each.

Hope Cove Fishing Gear Contemporary Passions
6 March 2017 In Art

Salcombe Art Club Exhibition preview: Hope Cove Fishing Gear

Hope Cove Fishing Gear – the featured painting above – is one of five I plan to submit for consideration of the Hanging Committee of Salcombe Art Club, hoping they will be accepted for the 2017 Salcombe Art Club Exhibition which opens on Thursday 13 April.

On this blog, I’ll post a preview of each of the five paintings, over the next few weeks. If you decide you want to purchase one of them, be quick. The prices go up in April!

 

What inspired me to paint Hope Cove Fishing Gear?

I support the Hope Cove Lifeboat. Year after year, Anne and I have a stall, selling my fine art greetings cards, at the Fund Raising Day in August at the Cottage Hotel. It’s a great event, attracting locals and visitors and much money is raised for this worthy cause.

We have a regular position at the far end of the Cottage Hotel’s dining room and, beside us, Sue Morgan (photo) demonstrates how to weave the traditional crab pots.

Year after year, the question would come up: Do you have any cards of Hope Cove?

I painted Hope Cove Fishing Gear, inspired by Sue’s skills, and to try to meet the demand of the folk who buy my cards.

To be honest, it wasn’t a huge hit with the locals!

 

And then?

And then, a year later, I tackled the second study of Hope Cove, of the beach – with both modern and traditional crab pots being featured in the foreground – again inspried by Sue Morgan.

This one was more successful! The image was so popoular, it was used for the poster for the 2016 Fund Raising Day, and also for the Treasure Hunt.

 

Affordabale art

Both images are available as a fine art greetings card. The range is now 59 strong, and on sale at Malborough Post Office.

Just think: for less than 1% of the sales price of an original painting, you can invest in a fine art greetings card. Send it to a friend or frame it for yourself. Whistlefish sell frames that fit … about £10 each.

27 February 2017 In Art, Exhibition

2017 exhibition schedule

It’s that time of year – firming up the 2017 exhibition schedule.

My diary is already looking full!

Please put these dates in your diary. Once the days and times when I will be stewarding are decided, I will post news on my Facebook page and here also. It’s your chance to ‘meet the artist’!

 

Salcombe Art Club Summer exhibition
Thursday 13 April – Saturday 30 September 2017

2017 exhibition scheduleAs a member of  Salcombe Art Club, I’ve exhibited in the club’s Summer Exhibition for many years now.

I usually submit 5 paintings, and the rule is that none of these original works of art can have been hung in the Loft Gallery in the previous three years. This encourages artists to keep on painting!

Handing in day is 1 April – five weeks away and I am hard at work.

The Loft Studio is open 7 days a week from 11am until 5pm. Admission is free.

 

Consuming Passions Exhibition
Tuesday 6 June – Sunday 18 June 2017
2017 exhibition schedule

This is a new one for me. It’s organised by SHAF (South Hams Arts Forum). I’ve been a member of that organisation for several years and have enjoyed the events they organise for local artists: talks and social events.

This will be my first joint venture with them, in an exhibition!

It’s at Harbour House. Kingsbridge – a wonderful gallery space – and I’ll be exhibiting probably 7 paintings there.

Doors will be open from 10am – 5pm and admission is free.

 

One-man exhibition in the Redfern Health Centre
Thursday 29 June – Thursday 27 July 2017

Full members of Salcombe Art Club are asked to display their work for one month – so that those visiting the Redfern have something to admire while waiting to see the doctor.

It’s an honour to be on the team again and to know that my paintings may provide some cheer to those having health issues.

On one occasion, a gentleman recognised Burgh Island in one of my paintings as the venue for his marriage many years previous. He purchased it as a surprise for his wife. How romantic!

The Redfern benefits from all sales; – a percentage of the purchase price is donated to their funds.

 

One-man exhibition in the Little Studio in the Loft Gallery
Sunday 13 August – Saturday 26 August 2017

2017 exhibition scheduleSalcombe Art Club invite members, including associate members, to take one or two weeks in the Little Studio, to display as many of their paintings as they can hang in the space.

More recent paintings that didn’t sell last year can be hung so they usually get another airing.

I’ll be stewarding all day both Sundays, so that’s a good time to pop in and chat, if you want to ‘meet the artist’.

The photo is me – last year.

 

SHAF Arts Trail
Saturday 14 October – Sunday 29 October
2017 exhibition schedule

The South Hams Art Forum (SHAF) usually have a one-week Arts Trail. This year, it’s extended to two weeks so that those on holiday in the area might have more opportunity to attend during the school’s half-term holiday.

Viewings at Beacon House Gallery are usually by appointment but, for the period of the SHAF Arts Trail, we will welcome visitors 11am-3pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 10am-5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Closed on a Tuesday)

 

Beacon House Gallery
Private viewings 2017

I usually hold a private preview evening ahead of the start of the season, but the gallery is being refurbished and works will not be completed before Easter.

Instead, there will be an event to celebrate the re-opening of Beacon House Gallery – whenever that happens!

If you would like to be advised about the date of this event and to receive an invitation, please contact me.

house portrait
20 February 2017 In Art, Postcard from ...

Postcard from Melbourne: Farewell gift of a house portrait

At the end of January, it was time say farewell to Melbourne and to record our thanks to our hosts: I presented them with a house portrait.

I promised myself I’d spend some of this holiday sketching, and this is one of the first sketches I completed.

It shows a typical Melbourne property: a bungalow that has been extended upwards, with a modest front garden onto a suburban street, lined with gum trees.

 

There’s no garage?

Who needs a garage? Even if you have a Fiat Spider on the front drive …

Melbourne poolside

Out back, more important to us, and to the grandchildren, there is a pool, an essential component when the temperatures reach 40 degrees in their summer months.

Like most houses in the area, the space at the rear is compact, but well designed with a deck area complete with barbeque.

Plus a poolside area, complete with tropical foliage, where we could laze around.

No lawns to mow!

 

From sketch to finished composition

Having gained approval from our hosts that they would indeed like a painting of their home, I set to.

house portrait

This is the finished painting. It’s a watercolour. My baggage allowance was insufficient for my acrylic kit!

I took the liberty of losing the magnificent tree that was in full bloom when we left. It housed a flock of colourful but noisy parakeets whose dawn chorus happened hours before dawn each morning.

The front garden (on the left) is given over to raised beds. So, we had fresh strawberries, daily. And courgettes. Rhubarb. More varietes of herbs than you can shake a stick at. All requiring daily watering …

 

Stephen and GraceNotice the two figures in the window?

That’s gorgeous granddaughter Grace and a friend.

And this is me, packed and ready for the return flight, with Grace. She’ll be almost 10 the next time we see her.

 

Farewell Melbourne. Back to reality!

Back in the UK, we have the central heating on. We’ve swapped the T-shirt and shorts for layer upon layer … and ‘enjoying’  temperatures in single figures.

This post is one of my POSTCARD series, sharing all things ART with you when I go travelling. It’s the final one for this particular trip. My next trip is to Canada, in May. Watch this space!