A show of hand-built ceramics, curated by Leonie Mir, as part of London Craft Week 2021. Some of my highlights …
Continue reading “‘Cracked’ at Tristan Hoare Gallery”Unknown Colour – Winifred Nicholson
Winifred Nicholson (1893-1981) was a British painter fixated with colour and its special power and properties. How we perceive it and interpret it, in life and in art. Its parallels with music and much more.
Continue reading “Unknown Colour – Winifred Nicholson”Open – Shut – Open, the SFAI
The San Francisco Art Institute, SFAI, opened in 1871 and is one of the oldest schools dedicated to Contemporary Art in the United States. In March 2020, I was sad to read that the school was closing due to financial pressures exacerbated by COVID-19. Since then many supporters have emerged, citing its unique contribution to the arts and mustering the funds and motivation, for it to continue. So students will be able to complete degrees, public art courses and exhibitions can live another day. But why do I, a British artist and write care about this? How did I even come to know of SFAI?…
Continue reading “Open – Shut – Open, the SFAI”Lockdown Art Tally
I planned to spend 1 month in the UK, arriving in early March 2020, to host an art project, The Body Room, in London. As the COVID-19 situation has unfolded, I stayed and it has been almost 5 months now. As I get ready to return to Valencia in a few days time, I thought I’d make a tally of all the new and unexpected ways I’ve engaged in art during the lockdown. In a rough chronological order, it goes like this .. read along and see how many you recognise too!
Continue reading “Lockdown Art Tally”Reading Notes – ‘The Story of Art’ by EH Gombrich
In early lockdown I enjoyed reading this slab of a book on art history. It starts with cave paintings which felt strangely pertinent as we all hunkered down for lockdown. Despite its 700 pages, its actually a pretty pacy whirl through art history. His language is clear and non-pretentious and the layout is impeccable. Full marks for usability – if he talks about a painting, he puts a full colour decent sized reproduction in! It’s a pretty ‘conventional’ and mainstream version of art history, and of course there’s barely a woman in it, and the artist is always a ‘he’. But what he does write about is insightful and useful.
Continue reading “Reading Notes – ‘The Story of Art’ by EH Gombrich”Reading Notes – The Little History of Kent
During lockdown I’ve been spending some time in lovely Kent, where I grew up. I took the time to brush up on my local history, reading Susan Hibberd’s ‘The Little History of Kent’
Continue reading “Reading Notes – The Little History of Kent”Reading Notes – ‘Living with the Gods’
I recently read, ‘Living with the Gods’ by Neil MacGregor, originally a radio series and a fascinating exploration of religion and rituals, across cultures and throughout history. MacGregor is a former director of The British Museum and he weaves this story through the medium of artefacts. Examining places and objects that illuminate how humans have practiced faith and beliefs through time.
Continue reading “Reading Notes – ‘Living with the Gods’”Th’ Whole Orange
Some words from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I recently re-read this book, which I vaguely remembered from my childhood
Continue reading “Th’ Whole Orange”People I want to draw
I’ve been keeping a short mental list for a while, of people I’d like to be able to draw. Hopefully from life, so I can also meet them and listen to their story.
Continue reading “People I want to draw”Top Books of 2019
My reading this year continues to be diverse and unpredictable! Spanning classic novels, economic history and the art world. These are the 12 books that have stuck in my mind most this year. The books from which I find myself recalling information, recommending or that have informed my world view in some way.
Continue reading “Top Books of 2019”