Thole Man

A Borrowed Bell

2009-10-08T09:54:00.003+01:00

This last week end I stayed at a friend's farmhouse high up in the hills above Aphrodite's Rock, some 20 km from Pafos.

Sitting alone
Warm sun on my face
A Greek Angelus
Concludes meditation.

Eventide

2009-09-14T13:41:00.002+01:00

The end of a hot day. I walk across town as the sun starts its rapid sunset. It inspired a poem.

Sunset
Low murmur
Of chanting
Heard across Lazaros Square.

Peace to all beings.

It ain't 'alf 'ot Mum

2009-09-01T15:12:00.002+01:00

Anybody remember the old TV series?
First full day in Cyprus and the temperature 42 deg. Celsius at mid-day. Had to take a siesta. Even the Cypriots find this a bit hot. Its now around five pm and its dropped a bit into the upper thirties. Strewth!

Short Break

2009-08-30T12:21:00.002+01:00

Just got a few minutes before we go out for a meal.
Getting my stuff together. Not taking a magic sword but I do have the pencils.
Yes I'm in a silly mood.

Before the Quest

2009-08-29T21:23:00.003+01:00

Getting ready for this Cyprus trip is not unlike preparing for the quests we read about in epic stories; - Lord of the rings, King Arthur and the Holy Grail, Eric Brighteyes, Siegfried.... the list goes on. Seeing its a trip to Cyprus, Perseus and the rescue of Andromeda came to mind.

All these quest stories (and the computer games they engender) have the same thing; namely collecting a number of vital items before setting off. They always have a magic sword and some other things like special mirrors, a goddess' blessing which usually involves armour or some level of invincibility oh, and of course, the magic sword. Mustn't forget that.

Well Perseus had to get the All Seeing Eye, a Mirror, the Head of Medusa, a Helmet to make himself invisible, a goddess' Blessing, I think it was Aphrodite, a pair of Special Flying Sandals borrowed from Hermes no less and of course he could not go without a MAGIC SWORD.
And off he went To a far off land to find Andromeda. Mind you, three thousand or so years ago when he did this, all he had to put up with was gorgons, dragons, harpies, the occasional man-eating sphinx, a big time god who didn't like him, not to mention sirens, Scylla and Charybdis. But he managed.
Imagine trying to go to a far off land today. Well, there's airport security for a start.
"Now Sir, you can carry your goddess' blessing and helmet and that mirror with your cabin luggage but not that eyeball thing, its' classified as a liquid container. And I'm afraid that big shiny knife (the magic sword?) must travel in the hold.
"Now if you would be so kind as to remove those sandals and put them through the scanner and while your waiting I want to see what you have in that box."
Well, Perseus being a law abiding chap did as the security guard asked and opened the box.
Security looked on, - stonily.

Now where's my Magic Sword gone?
Oh here it is, a mallet and set of chisels.

Clear the decks...

2009-08-25T20:26:00.004+01:00

Clear the decks, not so much for action, but to make room for the artist who is going to use my space while I'm away in Cyprus. He'll have use of half my space once I've got the stuff shown here stashed on the other side . The space is a room 9 feet square so it'll have to be stacked in a pretty neat and compact way.
That's what I've spent a large part of today doing. The carving tools you can see on the table are coming to Cyprus with me along with a stock of paper and paints. Its all packed into a suitcase now so that's a big-ish job out the way.
The new incumbent is a glass ceramicist who tells me he doesn't need a particularly large space to work in and my half space will be perfect. His paying rent on half a space cuts down the amount I have to pay for it while I'm away.
I leave for Larnaka on Monday and won't be back in Blighty until mid-November.
I may get chance to post a little using the Larnaka studio computer but my slots will be a bit limited.

Ongoing project

2009-08-21T19:56:00.006+01:00

This project, started from "A Germ of an Idea" has developed quite a few little side avenues. I was thinking initially in terms of two semi-circular set ups; in one, the centre figure would be a leader and in the other, a rejected person. Both are the centre of the attention of the peripheral figures. A series of drawings has ensued thus far plus a couple of sculptures.

Here is one idea. I have set out some drawings in this diagrammatic form to give some idea of what I'm getting at. The central figure is at the receiving end of a judicial decision. The red figures are the judges or prosecutors, the yellow are intercessors on the subjects behalf and the one in blue, the indifferent bystanders. I haven't really arrived at the final form but it is the "germ of an idea".

This is one of the "side avenue" figures. Here she is looking up at the overhead light.

An overhead artificial light?
The Sun?

Divine inspiration?

I love presenting puzzles. You can decide for yourself. I haven't arrived at any conclusions yet.

One thing I can tell you, - I've got plenty to work on while in Cyprus. The whole thing has, after all, something a Hellenic feel about it.

Starting Countdown...

2009-08-20T22:00:00.002+01:00

Ten days to Cyprus. And counting. Got a phone call from Larnaka today confirming I am expected at the time I said I would arrive. It has been a busy few days making final arrangements.
Its not like pacage holidays. As this is a three month stay I have to make my own arrangements and set up my own contacts. Its cheaper that way anyway. It does help having been there several times before; I now have a reasonable network of contacts.
Now its all coming together at last. must admit I'm starting to get excited.
But its not a holiday. I am there to help out at the college. My main job is to take students on field trips. Open air painting/drawing sessions, mostly on the beach. Well, someone's gotta do it!!! Oh yes, and one lecture a week, mainly about my own work and to provide practical backup to the syllabus.
To be honest though, its a galaxy away from the British (art school) scene. Take a peek at the website.

Getting a new Roof

2009-08-11T20:53:00.003+01:00

We have the roofing men working overhead replacing the worn out slates. The roof was built when Queen Victoria was little more than a teenager. Our house is easy to spot right no, its the one with all the scaffolding.
I've got to give it to those roofing guys, they really get on with the job. We had a couple of really fine days and they took advantage of the dry weather and worked with hardly a break. Yesterday the gods were grossly incontinent, it rained all day, but undismayed the men turned up and did what they could between raindrops. Then a lorryload of new slates arrived and the lorry needed unloading and slates stacked up top. They worked through atrocious weather to complete that particular task. By lunchtime they were soaked through and once the stuff was stacked safely they called it a day.
But this morning, wall-to-wall blue skies and they were up aloft before I got out of bed, and I was up at 7-30!
These guys don't waste time.

In Sculptor's Heaven

2009-08-08T21:35:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I took a train ride 40 -odd miles to the north, to Penrith for the Cumbrian Potfest, an international gathering of ceramics artists. Not only were there many displays from all over the UK and Europe plus one from Australia, there were trade stands selling a wide variety of ceramic tools all reasonably priced. Some were just amazingly cheap.

This torso is an entry from Japan. I love that metallic glaze and the almost gossamer thickness of the actual ceramic. The exhibitor invited me to pick it up. After all, sculpture is a tactile medium. In my hands it felt so delicate and exquisite.

Figures from myth and legend, very much on my wavelength, faeries, goblins, wizards/witches, dragons etcetera ad infinitum.

..... and horses. This one made up of fragments held together with slip and glaze. This particular one is about 18 inches (45 cm) long.

There was plenty of opportunity to chat with other art-makers and learn from each other. I even had a go at throwing a pot, i.e., making a pot on a potter's wheel. Its the first time I've done it. I made three pots in all, and thereby hangs a tale...

For the first one I was guided stage by stage and made a reasonable though not perfect bowl. The second one I was left on my own to get on with it. To say it was total disaster would be an understatement. But I had ten minutes of my one hour slot left so was given another ball of clay. Time was not on my side so I just had to get on with it without thinking about it too much. Actually, it turned out to be my best effort. I threw the pot in three minutes flat. Not quite up to exhibition standard but better than I dared hope.

Mustn't forget the jazz quartet that provided music at lunch time. It consisted of saxophone, banjo, trombone and sousaphone. A bit of an eclectic mix but they were good.

The sun shone too. It has been a good day.

Despite the wind and rain

2009-08-02T18:54:00.002+01:00

Our "yarden" isn't looking too bad. A bit saturated but its managed to make a show none-the-less. Mind you, its my other half who looks after it these days. She's much more green fingered.

One corner of the yarden

Some free standing plant pots

The kitchen window box from outside. The hanging basket on the left has tomato plants that don't like our Northern Climate one little bit.

Opposite wall.

From the kitchen window, a an abundance in the window-box.

Today the sun has shone all day. A rare event. But at least we don't have a water shortage.

Another Image.

2009-07-28T20:48:00.002+01:00

Another image of the same ilk. This time the light is coming from above and she leans back with her hands resting on her ankles.

Not quite sure where this is going........

2009-07-26T21:26:00.002+01:00

Gave myself a rest from carving today and produced this drawing on a sheet of paper, 50 x 35 cms. It is a layout of how the figures might be but the focus of the ideas seem to be undergoing a subtle change. The central figure is not so much a supplicant here as a centre of stillness. I didn't deliberately set out with this in mind. It seems to have simply gone that way.

More germinating

2009-07-19T19:40:00.002+01:00

A drawing of the supplicant on her own. This too is the same size as the one posted yesterday. About 14 x 20 inches in English measure.

There are about another four planned. When I did the overall design, shown a couple of days back, I had made tracings of some of the images and projected them onto larger pieces of paper with the idea of developing the images to see how they might look. They are developing into works in their own right. From the projected image on the paper I draw the contour pieces and then work them up into full drawings or paintings.

The use of projectors or optics, at any rate has been around for centuries. If you would like to learn more, get hold of a copy of David Hockney's book, "Secret Knowledge".

Germinating

2009-07-18T23:36:00.003+01:00

Did this painting today in gouache on a sheet of 300gsm 35 cm wide by 50 cm tall. It is the goddess and supplicant juxtaposed. It went rather better than I hoped. I might make a canvas of this image.

A Germ of an Idea

2009-07-16T21:05:00.003+01:00

Fairfield Orchard is a public space developed at the turn of the Millennium. Some waste ground near the Fairfield private estate in one of the more salubrious parts of Lancaster was converted into a public park and orchard. It has developed well and the wonder of it is just how little vandalism has been inflicted on it. The people of this part of Lancaster are a pretty public spirited bunch and have made sure vandalism is swiftly dealt with. It is well policed.
I sometimes take a detour through this orchard on my daily walk to the studio. It is a bit of a long way round but it makes for a pleasant stroll along the Lancaster Canal then through fields and finally here before re-entering the built-up area.
In the middle of the orchard there is a quiet picnic area.

In the picnic area there is this semi-circular arrangement of tree stumps. I'm not sure if they are an installation or a novel form of picnic seating. A couple of days ago I sat on the centre stump. It struck me how the formation reminded me of either a set of seats for some imaginary guardians of the place or the setting for a gathering in the style of a crow court.

I have seen crow courts when I lived in the countryside back in Northumberland. The crows/rooks stand in a circle on the ground and one crow stands in the centre. Sometimes the central bird is quite clearly the flock leader and seems to be making some deliberations. At other times the central bird is one who has failed the flock in some way. On these occasions avian justice can be swift and final.

A germ of an idea formed.
Why not make a collection of sculptures to form two semi-circles, one to show a condemnation and the other to portray leadership?

When I got back to the studio I put a large sheet of paper on my main drawing board and made a series of drawings exploring the idea.

This is a layout of designs for the characters. The top row I have called "Supplicant." The central kneeling figure in grey is the supplicant being judged by her peers.

The bottom row I have called "Goddess". The standing central figure is the deity standing amidst her acolytes. The figures are coloured according to their roles. I'll explain in more detail in subsequent postings when I shall show some individual images.
It's becoming an interesting project. What started out as an idea for a woodland installation is becoming an exploration of the human condition, - social roles we all adopt at different stages of our lives.

More culture

2009-07-12T20:11:00.003+01:00

Theatre in the Park last Tuesday, exhibition private views including one in which Luneside Studios participated, and then to round all off, a performance in the Cathedral of Monteverdi's Vespers. With my passion for sacred music this had to be the high point.
....and it was!
A baroque orchestra complete with authentic period instruments circa 1610, consisting two violins, cello, bass, chamber organ continuo, baroque cornet, crumhorn and three saxbuts(trombones sans valves); couple that with a first class choir and four soloists,(two sopranos and two tenors), it made for a really memorable performance to a capacity audience. The strains of it are still ringing in my ears.

Theatre in the Park

2009-07-08T09:49:00.006+01:00

Despite the rain, we had a good evening at the Duke's presentation of the Greek play Jason and the Argonauts. The play was a blend of ancient Greek high drama and old fashioned British pantomime in that audience participation was encouraged. It was done in English of course.
To give an example; when it was time for the interval, Hera comes onto the stage and annouces that the the gods will return to high Olympus for their Nectar and ambrosia while we mortals go to the cafe for tea.
Or another, in the final act Jason returns to king Pelias with the golden fleece, Jason gives the "long voyage across the wine dark sea" speech. The king repies, "Like a cup of coffee then?"
We laughed, we were moved. Brilliant.

More Hidden Lancaster

2009-07-04T21:30:00.003+01:00

Still enjoying the lovely weather, between showers, and it seems such a waste to go straight to the studio. So I went via a circuitous route and discovered this little gem of a street behind the Castle. It is privately owned and still retains its mediaeval cobbles. The only snag, it is an exclusive address as the number of expensive cars parked there will testify. I had to do quite a bit of manoeuvring to get a shot of this street sans cars. Without the cars you feel as though you have stepped back in time. It hasn't been developed, it is off the tourist trail so it remains pretty much the way it always was. A little gem of street.

Mediaeval cobbles with puddle. Can't resist puddles. Photographing them, that is.

Happiness is...

2009-06-30T22:53:00.004+01:00

...glorious sunshine, a heatwave that feels more Cypriot than British, making a lump of clay into a sculptural form while listening to a Bach cantata blasting in my ears via the headphones of my MP3 player, oh, and a bottomless pot of tea.

Making sculpture, whether it is as a carving or modelled from clay, involves the whole spectrum of activity. At the beginning it is quite brutal and aggressive. The rough form is made. When I've made large pieces in the past it has not been unknown to start by taking an axe to the piece of wood. Then there is the carving out of the rough shape, done with a 2kg mallet and large gouge and sending schrapnel flying in all directions. That then gives way to more detailed carving with a lighter touch, then to delicate tap-tapping and finally hand chiseling, just shaving away fine flakes. Then the sanding and polishing and little adjustments here and there.

Modelling in clay has a similar pattern; first the clay is thumped and squeezed to expel air pockets, then roughly moulded into a semblance of shape, then cut and modelled with tools using a technique not dis-similar to carving then smooth with fingers, brush, shaper and a little slip applied here and there. Slip is sloppy clay, rather like slurry which is used either as a sort of glue for to put two pieces of clay together or to smooth the finished surface.

The whole process can be quite absorbing and exciting as the piece finally comes into being. Such is the joy of making art. The picture shows a piece I did today. It stands about 20 cm (8") tall. It now needs to dry out, - slowly. In this heat, no mean task. It has been sprayed with a fine mist of water and covered in a plastic bag to slow the evaporation/drying. If it dries to quickly the whole thing will start to crack. It may be some time before it gets cast. Ideally as a bronze but more likely finish up as a plaster cast. Its much cheaper as plaster, I can probably do it myself whereas bronze casting will involve taking it to a foundry and I could end up paying the wrong side of £200 to have it done.

But... if someone out there would like a bronze of it then let me know.

Cowled Head - completed

2009-06-28T21:48:00.003+01:00

Finished at last. I beeswaxed the sculpture yesterday evening and gave it a final polish today.

Voila!

Self Portrait

2009-06-26T23:07:00.002+01:00

Making a self-portrait is something that most artists do from time to time. I have usually done one every year or so by drawing "from the life" with the aid of a mirror. This time I worked from a recent photo.
As you may have noticed, I have included it in my profile. It's time I updated it anyway. That last one was done in Larnaka three years ago. Doesn't time fly?

Not just sculpture

2009-06-25T20:07:00.003+01:00

I have been drawing/painting as well. It is a sculptural concept but 2D work none-the-less. These are two separate works each on 300 gsm. paper and 35 x 50 cm., slightly bigger than A3. I did the one one the left first. It is primarily a graphite drawing but with a little colour added. On completion I wasn't entirely satisfied with it so re-did it as a monochrome drawing. In both cases I aimed to have the centre of the picture in sharp focus and fusing out towards the periphery. It is a style I have developed of late; I do this to focus the viewer on the central theme of the subject.
The work is titled "Libation". Of course there is Cypriot influence here. On the one hand the quasi-Hellenic figures and the other the reference to an ancient culture.

Latest Project

2009-06-23T20:11:00.004+01:00

Cowled Head is the name I've given to this piece of sculpture that I've been working on over the last three weeks or so. It stands about 14" (35 cm) high, not counting the base. I should point out the rough looking plank it sits on in the picture is not the intended base but simply an anchor piece to hold it on to the bench. The carving stage is pretty well completed here. Some filing has been done. There only remains some sanding to do then more sanding, then polishing and so on. It looks a bit white and stone-like at the moment after rough sanding. The grain will show more when it is finished.

Today has been a lovely warm one so I spent most of the day sitting on the studio steps sanding this sculpture. Just like in Cyprus. I noticed in the bathroom mirror this evening I have darkened my tan a bit.

Here's a close-up detail of Cowled Head. The eyes need some fine carving but not yet. The main sculpture needs more work doing on it first. If you look closely you will see either a dividing line or the abrupt change in grain running down the face. This is because I have not carved from a solid piece of wood but built up a block by laminating lengths of 44 mm square timber, rather in the way pine furniture is made. Hopefully, by this method I have avoided shrinkage cracks forming in the years to come.

Ginormous Moth

2009-06-17T20:32:00.007+01:00

Saw this moth as I went into the studio. There it was, sleeping at the bottom of the ground floor window. When I first saw it I thought it was a pipstrele bat it was so big but when I took a closer look I could see it was clearly a moth.

I've never seen one quite like it outside of nature books. All of us at the studio had a look but none of us could identify it. Is it a rare British visitor? Is it from the south brought here by fabled global warming? None of knew but I said I know someone who might.

One of my three daughters is interested in this sort of thing. She told me it is a Poplar Hawk

Moth and is usually found in broadleaf wodland and is fairly common.

Well the broadleaf woodland is easily located. Lancaster Castle, across the road from the studio, is surrounded by broadleaf trees., so much so that in summer only John o' Gaunt's Gateway is visible through the foliage.