Andrew Schumann’s work Wells Oak Post, is ready for installation at the new Wells Sculpture Trail on 8th June. The trail opens on 23rd June.
The words supplied with his proposal are:
A post made from two planks of seasoned oak, the wood that built the battleships that defeated Napoleon and built the British Empire.
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Pictured from left to right Andrew Schumann, John Hughes, Michael Bell and Syd Davison. Photo by Alan Miller, Lynn News Nov. 2001
The Schumann Cabinet was made in 2001. The Association had only been formed the year before and no exhibition programme had yet been formulated.
I had the idea of a cabinet of small works hanging on the wall and Liz Falconbridge agreed that it could hang on the wall of the Arts Centre foyer. I commissioned it from Toby Winteringham, our wonderful local precision cabinet maker.
It first appeared in November 2001 in the Arts Centre and was nicely illustrated and reported on in the Lynn News. After a few months in the Arts Centre it was moved to the Doric Arts Gallery in King Street, where it was well received (until the gallery eventually closed).
Andrew Schumann
Please click the image to open the slide show. You can click the ‘pause’ button on the top right to read the articles.
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.
This concept is carried through several works. Myth (unicorn) and Legend (Pegasus) are built with clean precision but at the same time highly stylised. The ‘outer skin’ is painted white, a stark contrast to areas where the skin is ‘peeled away’ to reveal the insides horrifyingly red with touches of pink and yellow.
The same graphic depiction of this scientific disecting into parts of the figures is seen in the oversized torso Temple and the massively grotesque The Virgin Mother. In the gift shop, you can recognise the same general feel in the type of anatomy books which inspired Hirst.
Damien Hirst, The Virgin Mother, in the Pleasure Grounds at HOUGHTON HALL, NORFOLK
Photo by Pete Huggins
The monochrome works may be subtle as far as colour goes but definitely not in content. Anatomy of an Angel in Cararra marble, carved with mechanical precision exposes sections of the anatomy to the bone. Wretched War – The Dream is Dead in silver shows a decapitated pregnant woman with baby exposed in the womb as already seen in The Virgin Mother. Saint Bartholomew, Exquisite Pain in black is poignant at first glance but the use of scalpel and tailor’s scissors give an unexpected twist on a theme already blatantly conveyed by Marco d’Agrate in 1562.
Also on the grounds are Charity the oversized replica of a collection box in the shape of a sweet girl with a leg brace has been ripped open with a crowbar, coins strewn on the ground and The Hat Makes the Man after Max Ernst’s collage of 1920.
In the house, all Walpole and Cholmondeley family portraits were removed from the stately rooms of Houghton Hall and replaced with Hirst’s Colour Space painings. A total of 46 paintings are being displayed for the first time at Houghton. We were told by the guides that these were selected from the 300 paintings in the series made with the help of assistants.
The red walls of the Saloon provides an excellent backdrop for the first 8 paintings on display. What is striking about the paintings is the complete contrast to the sculptures outdoors. The dots are happy. They are taken out of the rigid grid of the earlier Spot paintings. They interact. They make you smile.
Damien Hirst, Colour Space series, in the Saloon at HOUGHTON HALL, NORFOLK
Photo by Pete Huggins
Hirst says of his work: “I originally wanted the spots to look like they were painted by a human trying to paint like a machine. Colour Space is going back to the human element, so instead you have the fallibility of the human hand in the drips and inconsistencies. There are still no two exact colours that repeat in each painting, which is really important to me. I think of them as cells under a microscope. It felt right to show them somewhere historic rather than in a conventional gallery space and Houghton’s perfect. It feels totally right.”
Damien Hirst, Space, Time, Form, Matter, Substance, Change and Motion and Observe, Identify, Reason, Analyse, Measure, Modify and Reproduce, in The Stone Hall at HOUGHTON HALL, NORFOLK
Photo by Pete Huggins
Space, Time, Form, Matter, Substance, Change and Motion and Observe, Identify, Reason, Analyse, Measure, Modify and Reproduce are a kinetic translation of the spots into three dimensions. The balls dance randomly through the box for the 5 minutes when air is blown through. Then they rest and then the cycle begins again.
One of the many very helpful guides told me, “There is one thing about this exhibition, everyone is smiling. Some because they think it’s a joke and others because they really love the work.”
It’s well worth the visit to Houghton Hall to make up your own mind. The exhibition runs until 18 July. The outdoor sculptures will remain until September.
Visit the Houghton Hall website for more informaiton and booking.
All images ©Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2018
Peacocks in a Garden
David Cook
From the 19th to 24th June, David Cook returns as Artist in Residence at Nature in
Art. The museum is dedicated to fine, decorative and applied art inspired by Nature. lt’s situated just off the A38, at Wallsworth Hall, Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9PA.
Each year, for more than twenty-five years, David has been an Artist in Residence, taught and given workshops in various media there. As usual, he will exhibit drawings, paintings, papercuts and, this year will be working on a larger-than-life Golden Eagle, as a raised relief paper sculpture.
The papercut, Peacocks in a Garden, (shown on the left) is a Lowicz Star. Stars are a regular motive in traditional Polish papercuts. Some folds are simple, others can be very complex. Although called stars, they are usually cut from round or square shaped paper. Stars from the Lowicz region, west of Warsaw are colourful and enhanced against a black background, which forms part of the design. Peacocks and roosters amongst flowers, are also traditionally featured.
Take a visualtour of Wallsworth Hall on www.natureinart.org.uk. Alternatively, if in the area any time, and you appreciate wildlife art, a visit is well worth it.
Artist David Cook
About David Cook
For over seventy years I have drawn, painted and been fascinated with paper. I studied at the Medway College of Art and the Regent Street Polytechnic.
My experience at Country Life Magazine and as a research and scientific photographer is reflected in the design, realistic approach and meticulous detail in my art. Various examples – including paper sculpture and paper cutting, in which I am self-taught – are included in collections world-wide.
Working with the scientists at The Cumberland Pencil Company, for forty years I helped invent, evaluate and promote Derwent art products in America, Canada and Japan as well as Britain; writing articles, a book and making three videos too.
Winning awards myself, I now encourage others by creating and sponsoring annual drawing awards.
My contributions to pencil art were rewarded in 2008 by being presented to Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios 2018 will take place from Saturday 26 May – Sunday 10 June.
For 16 days each year, Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios celebrates the county’s artists and their achievements by offering them the opportunity to open their doors to the public to exhibit, sell and talk about their work. In 2018 over 450 artists will take part from over 250 studios and venues.
Art Trails
Now an integral part of Norfolk & Norwich Open Studios, Art Trails allow visitors to make a memorable day out of their Open Studios visit. Visit some WNAA members on their Art Trails.
Castle Acre Art TrailDates 26, 27, 28 May, 2, 3, 9 and 10 June
Helen Breach
Passionate paintings, pastel people, poignant prints and peculiar pots.
Peter Lawton
Impressionistic scenes, often figurative, in oil or acrylic paint. Some portraits.
Karen Wadham
Watercolours, acrylics, mixed media and textiles inspired by my surroundings and diverse subject matter
Les Williams
One of the leading pen and wash valium online exponents, working on landscapes in Norfolk and London. Les is Vice President of SGFA.
Download Brochure
Two Rivers Art TrailDates 26, 27, 28 May, 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 June
Patrick Hillard
Mixed media abstracts, free form style/technique concerned with time and human mortality.
Louise Stebbing
A wide variety of printmaking. Mostly linocuts and etchings, local landscapes, flowers. French landscapes/cityscapes.
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Click on artist’s name for dates.
Yvonne Autie
‘Textile Jewels’ – bags, cards, cushions rag rugs + textile & precious jewellery.
Helen Du Feu
Impressionist landscapes in acrylilc. Also colourful abstracts based on natural forms.
Ringstead Artists
Six independent Ringstead based artists. Three, Barbara King, David Lendrum, Helga Joergens, are WNAA members. Stylistically ranging from realism to abstraction, embracing photography, oil acrylic, watercolours pastel and graphics.Their unique voices will ensure a varied and interesting exhibition.
Pauline Wrighton
Textile, stitch and mixed media. Framed panels, hangings and accessories.
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.
Microcosms under glass. Scrolls concealing stories. Clouds floating above carrying their secrets. Intricate objects and collages.
It is in the surrealist ideas of chance and found objects that Alison finds her inspiration.
Satellite of Love II
Alison says “I owe a lot to Kandinsky and his ideas of dynamic and static form and to the poetry of objects in Joseph Cornell’s Boxes. I am enjoying the discipline and the disordering of geometry in abstraction.”
Two
She is led by the materials she works with. Found objects and re-cycled materials are part of her repertoire but cut paper, painterly elements or even canvas wedges can be found in her constructions. Sometimes these elements settle onto a bed of setting plaster. The textures, shapes and functions come together but it isn’t all chance. Alison makes the final aesthetic decisions in the work.
The studio space Alison had while she was artist in residence at Largo das Artes International Art Residency Programme in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2015 further inspired the discoveries she was making in her collages. Alison began collecting twisted and crushed metal debris from the streets of Rio.
The roof rafters of the space gave Alison a means of hanging work. A new opportunity for creativity presented itself. The piece Rio Road uses this locally found debris. Often the same or similar object is sewn to each side of the piece creating a soft shadow or reflection. There is no front or back. Everything is in balance.
Not only does Alison play with objects, she also plays with words. The titles of Alison’s work are chosen in such a way as to allow the viewer to wonder about the piece without conveying a particular meaning. The titles are given after the work is completed. Perhaps this is Alison, the poet, coming through.
Alison pictured with Seventh Cloud, Three Swans and Rio Road.
This poetic aspect is further demonstrated in her work Three Swans which is a visual interpretation of her poem of the same name.
There was so much to see and experience in this exhibition, all quite diverse and pleasurable. It seems to me though, that a golden thread of exploration passes through Alison’s work and that Alison is dedicated to that exploration.
Visit Alison’s website
Email Alison
Esther Boehm
Artwork © Alison Dunhill and Esther Boehm
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. Continue reading
Appliqué Workshop with Pauline Wrighton
SATURDAY 14TH APRIL 2018
HINDOLVESTON VILLAGE HALL NR20 5DD
10 am to 4 pm
Learn how to create a simple fabric appliqué with hand stitch. Based on traditional Broderie Perse this workshop uses commercially printed fabrics to create a small floral panel. It is suitable for beginners or experienced stitchers, using simple methods of cutting, bonding and hand stitching.
This is the second in a series of craft workshops arranged and subsidised by Hindolveston Crafts in Action.
This course is £15 per person. This includes all materials plus tea, coffee and cake.
You will need to bring your own lunch and a simple basic sewing kit (needles, small sharp scissors, stranded cotton/embroidery silk)
Please contact Julie Lovett to book: tel: 01263 861789 or email julielovettcrafts@gmail.com
The Sould Café in King’s Lynn was our chosen venue for the first Art Exchange of the year. On a chilly February morning, we had an informal gathering in the gallery section of the Café. Pat Hillard was showing his work so it seemed only natural to ask him to say a few words.
The works on show at the Soul Café were all mixed media or oil, mostly abstract but with a couple of more traditional pieces. Most of his highly experimental work was inspired by either music or poetry. Either a song title or maybe a line from a poem or book provided the inspiration for the predominantly bright and colourful paintings.
The title of paintings Martyred Slaves of Time, Blue and The Martyred Slaves of Time, Yellow was picked out of a poem by Baudelaire called Be Drunk. This one line was Pat’s impetus.
Flavour Bud Living by the late Don Van Vliet, AKA ‘Captain Beefheart’ is music Pat has been listening to since the late sixties. In the painting of the same title, he decided to try and interpret some of this music on canvas. The challenge of interpreting this unconventional ‘music’ may lead to a small series of paintings. Pat already has several titles in mind.
We also heard from David Cook about Chromacolour a paint used for animation cell painting. David showed us a very intricate painting of a Mallard done in Chromacolour. We can look forward to a future Art Exchange where David will give us more insight into this amazing material.
Ann Froshaug told us about the moving ‘War to End all Wars’ exhibition at Ely Cathedral in which she was one of 17 artists involved in the installation.
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. Continue reading