Recently on reading a news item in a national newspaper ‘Nudity Rings Alarm Bells at Cathedral’ I was prompted to write about my own experience of exhibiting art in churches since living in Norfolk. I have always felt slightly inhibited by the atmosphere of religious spaces for exhibitions, particularly having only previously exhibited in a gallery environment where I felt free to show work without boundaries or restrictions.
Category Archives: Articles
Summer Exhibition 2018 in Pictures
July 21 to August 4, 2018
Open daily 10.30am–4.00pm.
Impressions of this year’s exhibition at St. Nicholas Chapel in King’s Lynn.
The Preview
We launched the exhibition with the preview on Friday evening. Special thanks go to Robert Rickard, the 14-19 advisor for Norfolk County Council for opening the exhibition and selecting the Syd Davison Award winner.
The Legacy of Kettle’s Yard
1. House extension, downstairs Showing Italo Valenti’s collages (1964) and Lucie Rie’s bowl ‘The Wave’ (1971)
Looking at the origins of Kettle’s Yard in 1957, it is hard to imagine the legacy it has become. Although Jim Ede would have preferred a stately home, he was offered 4 tiny condemned slum dwellings from the president of the Cambridge Preservation Society.
An Ingenious Mini Gallery
Pictured from left to right Andrew Schumann, John Hughes, Michael Bell and Syd Davison. Photo by Alan Miller, Lynn News Nov. 2001
Spots, Spots and Still More Spots …
Damien Hirst, Myth and Legend, by the entrance to the hall at HOUGHTON HALL, NORFOLK
Photo by Pete Huggins
The first Damien Hirst piece, Sensation, is encountred while driving to the carpark. From the car it look looks like something from an amusement park or fun fair. Looking like brightly coloured plastic. On closer inspection, it appears to be a magnification of a section of skin complete with hairs.
The Magical World of Alison Dunhill
Episodes
I went to the Fermoy Gallery in King’s Lynn to see Alison Dunhill’s exhibition ‘Plaster, Parquet and Pillars’ with great anticipation. My first impression was, “I love it!”
In this beautiful space with natural light coming in from above, the predominantly small scale work was excellently curated. Each piece is an island of discovery. An element of play is present.
Ancient and Modern Art in Sri Lanka
Dambulla Cave Temple
As some of you will know, Margaret and I spent three weeks touring Sri Lanka in February, a nice break from the icy blast of winter here in West Norfolk. Before we left, Esther asked us to “look out for some art, that could make a piece for Update!” Actually, like all Asian countries, Sri Lanka has a huge tradition of sculpture and painting, stretching back over the centuries, much of it religious based.
Lydia Haines And The West Norfolk Artists’ Workshop Programme
2011: Sea Weed Printing Fund Raiser for St Nicholas Chapel
It was an exhilarating and exciting experience, as a new arrival to Norfolk in 2008, to be leading screen painting and printing workshops in St Nicholas Chapel. There was no water but an enormous table with enough space to accommodate 20 people and large screens and squeegees. I was very surprised by being in a church environment for the first time as a practising artist – gradually it dawned on me that coming to Norfolk was going to church! Everything seemed to be happening in churches all over the county.
Maeght Foundation
My daughter has lived in the South of France for more than 20 years now, and when I go to visit her, she always tries to arrange a special day out for me.
So, on a fine February morning, we set off from her village of Bar sur Loup, in the mountains above Nice, towards the village of St. Paul de Vence. This is a fortified medieval village surrounded by a high wall, and its little streets probably contain more artists per metre than anywhere I have been.
Trip to Paradise Island
When Annie and I set off to Paradise Island the sky was threatening. We had planned our trip to coincide with low tide. The Bounty Bars were packed, we were wearing our waterproof trousers and nothing was going to stop us.