tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58336958531779882582024-02-20T23:55:49.405+00:00Art on the runHeather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-79751311217267721892017-11-23T18:46:00.001+00:002017-11-23T18:46:30.957+00:00Poster Girls–a century of art and design<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cup Final, by Anna Katrina Zinkeisen, 1934</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/">London Transport Museum</a> is celebrating 100 years of poster art and design by women with a major exhibition that opened on Friday 13 October. Women artists contribution to art on the underground has been largely overlooked during the 20th century but with the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI in 1918 and 100 years since the Representation of the People Act 1918 which allowed some women the right to vote in elections it was decided that the time was right to unearth some of the visual treasures stored in the museum’s archive and put them on public display.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Epping Forest, by Nancy Smith, 1922</td></tr>
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Frank Pick was responsible for commissioning artists to design the iconic London Transport posters during the 1920s and 1930s and this period coincided with the birth of commercial art and advertising and the emergence of graphic design. The exhibition begins with the first poster designed by a woman, Ella Coates in 1910. It portrayed a landscape with a few words of text which was typical for the time and promoted travelling to Kew Gardens by tram. The exhibition continues, more-or-less chronologically until 2015 with fascinating examples of design that reflect the social concerns of the day like the Motor Show at Olympia, Derby Day, Rugby at Twickenham, the Oxford Cambridge boat race, the summer sales, days out to the countryside including Epping Forest and the hop gardens of Kent.<br />
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Some of the artists have signed their work but others remain anonymous. What they have in common is the ability to tell a story and to evoke an atmosphere through their draughtsmanship, use of typography and colour that are not only a pleasure to look at but at the same time promoted London Underground as an optimistic and forward thinking company.<br />
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I was invited to review this exhibition by the <a href="http://www.islingtonhistory.org.uk/">Islington Archaeology and History Society</a> and while I was exploring the exhibition I was very excited to see a poster designed by Clifford and Rosemary Ellis in 1936. Clifford Ellis is the only man featured in this exhibition because he and his wife Rosemary always worked as a double act and he was also the head of Bath Academy of Art until 1972 where I later studied graphic design. In addition to this <a href="http://janestrother.co.uk/">Jane Strother</a> also has a poster from 1999 in this exhibition–we were students at roughly the same time–and seeing these pieces of work reminded me of the three years I spent at this remarkable school of art.<br />
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<i>Poster Girls–a century of art and design, 13 October to January 2019, <a href="https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/">London Transport Museum. </a></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come out to play, by Clifford Ellis and Rosemary Ellis, 1936</td></tr>
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<i> </i><br /><br /> Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB, UK51.5120342 -0.1215942999999697325.989999700000002 -41.430188299999969 77.0340687 41.18699970000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-15480399195985352552017-10-17T14:43:00.001+01:002017-10-17T14:43:21.053+01:00Art classes in Firenze<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cloister in the Convent of San Marco, Firenze</td></tr>
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Last week I spent a few days in Florence or I should say Firenze, Italy. I received a variety of comments when friends and acquaintances learnt this news and they can be summarised like this: 'Wow!; Florence is sooo beautiful; lucky you; I remember when I was there in the 70s...'<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The photocopy we worked to</td></tr>
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My purpose in visiting Florence wasn't to traipse around art galleries or loll around in cafés, although some of that did happen, but to attend two art classes run by <a href="http://www.alanpascuzzi.com/index.html">Dr Alan Pascuzzi</a> on Fresco painting and drawing with Silverpoint, a forerunner of the pencil. Dr Pascuzzi has been studying these techniques for many years that were perfected during the Renaissance (a period in European history that lasted from the 14th to the 17th century) and I was delighted to have the privilege to be taught by him.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tracing paper cartoon</td></tr>
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First of all we were treated to a chemistry lesson as Fresco is defined as 'painting on wet plaster with water-based pigments, when the plaster dries the pigments become part of the matrix of the wall and is very durable'. This requires the artist to spend time carefully preparing the plaster, the pigments and the image that's going to be painted. When the time comes to paint you find you are racing against the clock because once the plaster has reached a certain point in its drying process it won't take any more pigment.<br />
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One of Michelangelo's remarkable achievements was painting the ceiling of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistine_Chapel_ceiling">Sistine Chapel</a> within the Vatican in Rome. This took him four years from 1508-1512. For our Fresco Dr Pascuzzi gave us a photocopy of the <a href="http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Prophets.html">Delphic Sibyl</a> painted by Michelangelo to follow. It was traditional during the Renaissance period for apprentices to learn their craft by copying the work of their master and I enjoyed being an apprentice to Michelangelo for a morning.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My finished Fresco</td></tr>
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Having completed our three hour class I was only fit for a relaxing lunch and strolling around the city but we did visit the <a href="http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/museum_of_san_marco.html">Convent of San Marco</a> on our last day to look at the Frescos in the monastery and in the former monks cells painted by Fra Angelico. I discovered an appreciation of the skill required to produce these Frescos, that I wouldn't otherwise have had, and they left me awe struck.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the cells in San Marco</td></tr>
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<i>Our art classes were organised by Penny Howard and if you feel an urge to be a Renaissance apprentice for a couple of days you can reach her at <a href="http://www.beyondtheyalladog.com/">Beyond the Yalla Dog</a>.</i><br />
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com1Via del Campuccio, Firenze FI, Italy43.7657813 11.24379880000003643.7629143 11.238756300000036 43.7686483 11.248841300000036tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-23432821966128840232017-02-22T16:29:00.002+00:002017-02-22T16:29:45.437+00:00Where am I now and where do I go to next? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Route map of the North London Line from <i>Drawing my way round London</i></td></tr>
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Where am I now and where do I go to next are two questions I am asking myself a lot at the moment and they have nothing to do with getting from A to B. I've completed two contrasting art projects and now I feel at a bit of a loose end. I would love to get my teeth into something new but nothing intriguing has yet appeared on the horizon. So instead of kicking my heels at home I visited <a href="http://www.ideastore.co.uk/local-history">Tower Hamlets History Library & Archives</a> to learn a bit about life in the Jewish East End in Whitechapel in the late 1890s and that included looking at maps.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of my route along the Hertford<br />Union canal.</td></tr>
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As it happens <a href="http://drawingmywayroundlondon.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/woolwich-ferry-1-august-2005.html"><i>Drawing my way round London</i></a> and <a href="http://805steps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/introducing-my-new-drawing-project.html"><i>805 steps along the Hertford Union Canal</i></a> did both involve travelling and map-making. Having spent a long time drawing these maps it made me think about how we use them. In my case I wanted to show a simplified route of where my art was taking me and to make it easier for the readers of my blogs to follow.<br />
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The exhibition <a href="https://www.bl.uk/events/maps-and-the-20th-century-drawing-the-line">Maps and the 20th century: Drawing the line</a> at the British Library was worth visiting and is ending in a couple of weeks. It shows many types of maps that I have never seen before. For example I was very struck by a huge Soviet town plan of Brighton from as late as 1990. I always try and read the labels on maps to try and get a handle on the geography but these were in Cyrillic which made these familiar names completely foreign and I found that a bit disturbing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of our own collection</td></tr>
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I enjoyed seeing the original rough pencil sketch for the London tube map from 1931 which was hand drawn by Harry Beck. This basic design has survived for nearly 90 years and has been flexible enough to undergo numerous changes over the years and works just as well on digital platforms while retaining the original characteristics we have become so used to. I also became nostalgic for the A to Z maps of London which were originally compiled in the 1930s by Phyllis Pearsall, a British painter and writer. For years I used never to leave home without one and now we just rely on Google Maps to direct us.<br />
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An example of a different kind of map was produced by the Ford Motor Company as a souvenir of a trip you could take through the Ford Rouge Plant in River Rouge MI in 1940. This was a diagrammatic map of the progress of iron ore to the finished car. And as a complete contrast from any other exhibit there was an Escape Map dress on display. At the end of the war there was a surplus of military 'escape and evasion' maps which had been printed onto silk in order to be lightweight, more durable than paper and silent when opened. This dress was made using military maps of South East Asia which may have come from an RAF airfield in southern England. This reminded me that my Grandmother made my aunt's wedding dress from parachute silk in the late 1940s because there was so much of it available.<br />
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My foray into maps may or may not lead to a new direction for my artwork but it has been fun exploring them and if I fancy browsing any more unusual maps I can pore over The Map Book edited by Peter Barber that I was given as a birthday present.Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Kings Cross, London NW1 2DB, UK51.5299848 -0.1270140999999966951.527515300000005 -0.13205659999999669 51.5324543 -0.12197159999999668tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-22392682348869808702017-01-01T14:13:00.000+00:002017-01-01T14:13:08.163+00:00Happy New Year<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> I am writing this on New Year’s day 2017. This is the time of year when we have the leisure to review the past year and many of us optimistically make resolutions for the year to come knowing that they might last no longer than the fire works that explosively marked midnight. We always hope that this new year will be more peaceful than the previous one and 2016 certainly held plenty of moments for me that I am happy to see the back of and also memories that I will treasure. <br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So this has got me thinking about seasons since we have just past the winter solstice, or the shortest day in the year for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, and can begin to look forward to longer days with more light. Here is one definition of seasons that I read this morning: a season is a division of the year marked by changes in weather, ecology and hours of daylight. I can’t disagree with that but in my review of my life I realise that I have recently come to the end of a personal ‘season’ which I think began roughly in February 2015 and ended in November 2016. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />I am an artist but I was trained as a graphic designer. I practised as a designer for around 35 years and for the most part it kept a roof over my head and food on the table. I did not have a stellar career but I know that my work was often appreciated and occasionally I made the most all mighty cock-ups. For many of those 35 years I had a hankering to develop my life as a artist and slowly, slowly I began to concentrate on that side of my life. <br /><br />It is common for those of us who describe ourselves as artists to follow a path which goes something like this. Produce, produce, produce work of varying quality and exhibit, exhibit, exhibit anywhere and everywhere it in the hope that sales will follow. This strategy of spreading yourself too thin can occasionally be successful but it doesn’t work for me. <br /><br />Back in early 2015 I was offered the opportunity to rent part-time desk space at <a href="http://thetrampery.com/workspaces/fish-island-labs/">Fish Island Labs</a> in Hackney Wick. This proved to be a turning point for me as I needed to experience a form of retreat and really consider what the hell I was doing as an artist. Hackney Wick is walking distance from my home yet feels a million miles away from anywhere in spite of its proximity to the <a href="http://www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/">QE Olympic Park</a>. <br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">To all intents and purposes I was doing much the same things as normal. I was still socialising, visiting art exhibitions, hanging out with friends, going to the hairdressers but internally I was experiencing my own winter. This was a prolonged period that I needed to live through before I could see the green shoots of spring. I didn’t feel very productive since I only completed two paintings but I redesigned my <a href="http://www.plantin.co.uk/">website</a>, finished and launched my <a href="http://www.plantin.co.uk/Drawing_my_way_round_London.pdf">ebook</a> of drawings around north London and undertook a series of drawings along the <a href="http://805steps.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2015-04-22T16:27:00%2B01:00&max-results=7&start=21&by-date=false/">Hertford Union canal</a> before the property developers change it beyond recognition plus I recognised that my life as a designer is well and truly over and that I am an artist. <br /><br />Last September marked my 60th birthday and I threw a big party. It was a great success and all my guests enjoyed it. Now I see that as my way of announcing that my period in retreat was coming to an end but I still had a couple of months to go before all the loose ends were tied up and I could leave Fish Island with no regrets. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Looking back I can see that my personal ‘seasons’ tend to overlap each other like an untidy pile of paper and they don’t begin and end neatly one after another like a tidy ribbon which might explain why I don’t feel a need to celebrate New Year because I’m not sure when my new year begins or when the old one ends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Happy New Year! </span>Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-18605151842578375042016-10-19T14:26:00.000+01:002016-10-19T14:26:00.842+01:00Time for some new designs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XH-_KIo11IzoY8ULxdT5Q5niQ-o6VmhVWHlsY_voRi26lFueKSxYu8aLKY1m3Kk9pNgphciMmNAYt-CQhEUhGOl9hyECzMKlV7wHQ5S-OM4c47QNG8HDyc90Bk1gwvcvKx6B-0CM1As/s1600/New_designs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XH-_KIo11IzoY8ULxdT5Q5niQ-o6VmhVWHlsY_voRi26lFueKSxYu8aLKY1m3Kk9pNgphciMmNAYt-CQhEUhGOl9hyECzMKlV7wHQ5S-OM4c47QNG8HDyc90Bk1gwvcvKx6B-0CM1As/s400/New_designs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I've been selling reproductions of some my art work as greetings cards for 10 years so now seems like a good time to add to my collection. With these two new designs I now have 24 cards for my customers to choose from.<br />
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They are blank inside for your own message and cost £3 each and they are on sale in my shop on my website which you can find <a href="http://www.plantin.co.uk/shop.html">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-54272960127033773922016-10-04T15:09:00.000+01:002016-10-04T15:09:00.812+01:00A visit to Bletchley Park<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-ttLNvRNM8Aoyr5uQlKSjkMmgItNjtb8mmMiXd1UgZSnkXAXMYlFKtW3Tp389QMT_2d_5jo3waIYVbMJpK1F8Y_6Uia5qa5mhNdMRi8EVbXUSO1TVdeUSI4FXjDijJPputPkTH0spZk/s1600/Tea_room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-ttLNvRNM8Aoyr5uQlKSjkMmgItNjtb8mmMiXd1UgZSnkXAXMYlFKtW3Tp389QMT_2d_5jo3waIYVbMJpK1F8Y_6Uia5qa5mhNdMRi8EVbXUSO1TVdeUSI4FXjDijJPputPkTH0spZk/s1600/Tea_room.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tea room in the visitors centre. I thought this was a good visual metaphor for the grids and patterns that the code breakers were looking for</td></tr>
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A comfortable 45 minute train ride from London Euston saw us delivered to Bletchley railway station in bright sunshine followed by a short walk to the entrance to the visitors centre at <a href="https://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/">Bletchley Park</a>. What a contrast this must have been to how members of staff used to arrive at work during WWII when Station X (as it was known) was completely secret.<br />
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Now Bletchley Park has its own website but it very nearly didn't survive plans in the early 1990s to be demolished and replaced with a housing estate, petrol station and supermarket. Thanks to the dedication of some well-connected enthusiasts and veterans who had worked there the site has been preserved and allows us, the visitors, to get a glimpse of what it was like slogging away on eight hour shifts breaking the Enigma codes that the German Army and Air force were sending day and night.<br />
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In hut 11 the display gives you some idea of the constant noise the WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service) had to endure not to mention the discomfort of standing up for their whole shift. In huts 3 and 6 where the top secret code breaking took place you can see packets of cigarettes at every desk so the staff must have been working in a fug of fag smoke all day long not to mention worrying about getting the job done which reminds me of working in publishing in the early 1980s.<br />
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The results achieved at Bletchley Park due to the perseverance of scholars like Gordon Welchman a fellow at Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge who led the Enigma decryption team and mathematicians including Alan Turing, are credited with shortening WWII by two years which is remarkable. Once the war was over Bletchley Park was shut and all the staff returned to their civilians lives having been instructed never to mention to anyone what they did during the war.<br />
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Obviously a visit to this previously secret site feels a bit artificial. Civilians would never have been given access to stroll around the offices, loll about in the canteen or lounge around the gardens any more than we would be able to at MI6 or MI5 now but it does give the visitor some idea how complex the business of preserving a nation's security is which is not something I've ever given much thought to.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick pencil sketch of the mansion</td></tr>
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<br />Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6EB, UK51.996481 -0.7430260999999518451.994037000000006 -0.74806859999995179 51.998925 -0.73798359999995189tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-19197886292961234412016-07-09T18:16:00.000+01:002016-07-09T18:16:48.982+01:00Boating lake in oil pastels<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXzcXYYhqKyYHzbRuLJdSIjM-VceuU004OUy8D-iTrbJ3lY9_BIFIC7rk4xocmuacNuSejiqfi4qUSp2wljhpI9_IKbTEZekbMPklGHw-Vu1HzoQ0meNTFlPkDwjLF9uazVxlru_gXXo/s1600/Vic_Park_boatin_lake_lo_res.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXzcXYYhqKyYHzbRuLJdSIjM-VceuU004OUy8D-iTrbJ3lY9_BIFIC7rk4xocmuacNuSejiqfi4qUSp2wljhpI9_IKbTEZekbMPklGHw-Vu1HzoQ0meNTFlPkDwjLF9uazVxlru_gXXo/s400/Vic_Park_boatin_lake_lo_res.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victoria Park West Lake</td></tr>
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I've indulged myself and bought a big box of 72 oil pastels. My old ones were all dried up so I threw them out. I wanted to work with a larger range of colours and I've never had so much choice.<br />
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Earlier today I braved the blustery wind and strolled into <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Park,_London">Victoria Park</a> which is right next to where we live and set up my garden chair underneath a tree near the West Lake where they have boats for hire.<br />
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I was attempting to try and convey moving water with the boats bobbing around on the surface. I have tried to do this before in a different medium and was reasonably pleased with the results. I think the best approach is not to be too critical of the results and just accept whatever you come up with. I also wanted to include some of the ducks that were busy swimming around but you have to be careful to not make them too big otherwise they can end up looking like the Loch Ness monster.<br />
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One of the hazards of working outside, apart from the weather, are the passers-by who might like to offer advice, talk about themselves, or if they are children just make a lot of noise and stare at you. I was fortunate today that I must have been virtually invisible because only two people made any comment and they were polite and undemanding.<br />
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This box of pastels are made by <a href="http://www.sennelier-colors.com/">Sennelier</a>
and they are easy to hold and lovely and oily. I didn't realise until I
read the information that they only exist because Pablo Picasso asked
Henri Sennelier in 1949 if he could 'create a new medium that had
qualities of oil paint and soft pastel in an easy to apply stick form.'
So that's a high five to Picasso!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is part of my view from my chair under the tree</td></tr>
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<br />Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com5London, UK51.534398910696964 -0.04361914340825023851.533164410696962 -0.046140643408250241 51.535633410696967 -0.041097643408250235tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-10881505836264728052016-07-03T16:56:00.000+01:002016-07-03T16:56:43.389+01:00A one day holiday in London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Saturday we found ourselves unexpectedly wandering around Kensington Gardens. We had no set plans so we followed where our feet took us and they led us to the <a href="http://www.serpentinegalleries.org/exhibitions-events/serpentine-pavilion-and-summer-houses-2016">Serpentine Gallery's Pavillion</a>. It is free to enter and wander around. The construction, which appears to be made from plastic containers but is actually cast in concrete, makes you look through it to the outside where you have just been.<br />
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I particularly enjoyed this view of the trees outside. I also enjoyed eavesdropping on a nearby conversation where a family were wondering why some of the cubes were slightly concave and others were not and if the temperature had anything to do with it.<br />
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In addition there are a number of summer houses set near Queen
Caroline's Temple that have been designed by different architectural
practices. These reminded us of an exhibition of Sitooteries that we saw at Belsay Hall, Northumberland back in 2000. You can read a review of it <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/may/13/weekend7.weekend2">here</a> and see some images of them <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=images+of+sitooteries&biw=1090&bih=673&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjAzYjp09fNAhWaF8AKHYnUBu8QsAQIGw">here</a>.<br />
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-86985495488545594002016-04-05T19:15:00.000+01:002016-04-05T19:15:33.833+01:00Slowly developing my printmaking skills <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6l1yId70A3JcS6JMQPAQdQTl7UHx-37vT6lRDbLeJr7RUQGDimGrh6YxaG702T-_ZSX6JKq272vExWHi4g5OFIsza0i9RF-8RlooazbcD490bDsK7I7qpED91GhQqttFFcvjYC7ZBdU/s1600/Lino_blocks_lo_res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6l1yId70A3JcS6JMQPAQdQTl7UHx-37vT6lRDbLeJr7RUQGDimGrh6YxaG702T-_ZSX6JKq272vExWHi4g5OFIsza0i9RF-8RlooazbcD490bDsK7I7qpED91GhQqttFFcvjYC7ZBdU/s400/Lino_blocks_lo_res.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am beginning to build a collection of used lino blocks</td></tr>
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Since I finished my printmaking course at <a href="http://www.eastlondonprintmakers.co.uk/">East London Printmakers</a> in February I've been working on more designs at home. This is far from ideal as I plan my designs and cut the lino upstairs at the top of the house and then print by hand on the kitchen table at the bottom of the house. The good thing about this is that I can work at a time that suits me, I don't have to fit around the demands of other people in a print shop and I can work at my own pace. I'm finding that carving the design into lino is difficult to do well and I hope that my cutting improves over time. <br /><br /> I thought that to start with I would only do single colour prints because that would be easier than trying to register more than one colour on each print. But I quickly forgot about that when I got all excited at the prospect of developing a two-tone duck design based on a sketch I had previously made on an outing to <a href="http://www.freightlinersfarm.org.uk/">Freightliners Farm</a> in Islington.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYK87Vhn963QQkatpmz6ikbJkTPoWn2yxFg-RxFTzUeXQZiQgYxA8Q8R2IG_i8zbDxDr_445oh0ErAqXE3Wg32yDV_tIBQEn5pz0-HWj1-ANk-ICIERacVyO7AJLRHHyP8TQ7qFIoC6I/s1600/Duck_print_lo_res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYK87Vhn963QQkatpmz6ikbJkTPoWn2yxFg-RxFTzUeXQZiQgYxA8Q8R2IG_i8zbDxDr_445oh0ErAqXE3Wg32yDV_tIBQEn5pz0-HWj1-ANk-ICIERacVyO7AJLRHHyP8TQ7qFIoC6I/s400/Duck_print_lo_res.jpg" width="396" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck near pond at Freightliners Farm</td></tr>
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I decided to print it in grey and black which meant I had to be careful about the registration. I'm happy with the contrast of the black, grey and white in this print and I'm pleased that I succeeded in registering some of the prints. But the design is too fussy and I'm not that happy with the quality of the cartridge paper I used. I made the mistake of painting the lino with white acrylic paint so I could see what I was carving more easily and the brush strokes left vertical lines on it that appeared in the final print. This added an element I didn't want and I found that I couldn't remove the lines from the lino. <br /> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9Jv0bqD0tZ2usrJttv1y8PYbzA_HEYf1SvzPMK3DKDn8pkZr7yvontlCJl24ttgmFWWdQoMI0Mz2B0AcVk3-v0BEANXjQ4_CLvcahcSPlpyQbOo8u2nH6-bDaDrD6PFfHVB3uOYWcIM/s1600/Lock_gates_lo_res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9Jv0bqD0tZ2usrJttv1y8PYbzA_HEYf1SvzPMK3DKDn8pkZr7yvontlCJl24ttgmFWWdQoMI0Mz2B0AcVk3-v0BEANXjQ4_CLvcahcSPlpyQbOo8u2nH6-bDaDrD6PFfHVB3uOYWcIM/s400/Lock_gates_lo_res.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lock gate on the Hertford Union canal</td></tr>
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For my next print I tried to build on what I'd learned from the previous one. I took more time with my drawing and I tried to be more careful with the carving. This print is of one of the lock gates on the Hertford Union Canal. I liked the idea of laying a blended colour behind the black print. I went ahead and printed that first and then on reflection thought the result was too bright and could have been a lot more subtle. However, I stuck with my plan and printed the line drawing over the top. Of the ten prints I made I only managed to succeed in aligning three of them. I am using water based inks which dry quickly so some of the prints are very patchy and some of the others have been overinked.<br />
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I'm already planning my next print design which will be printed in black alone. Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-5663350207920242152016-03-24T16:47:00.000+00:002016-03-24T16:47:07.322+00:00Why I hate Tate Modern<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ8c3dp0FydGzNez2y5gSnZCLjA1s5TZdexuqrvIU_m32m_T2-8Ui641tjGcsoDFTT4T0PoN2ExLDBnNYpxVdcKzn557rzb1GeimHyWvZDs9QOgwyU3JzC7O0tUAKT81H1pvKopOc8Xs/s1600/Calder_sketch_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ8c3dp0FydGzNez2y5gSnZCLjA1s5TZdexuqrvIU_m32m_T2-8Ui641tjGcsoDFTT4T0PoN2ExLDBnNYpxVdcKzn557rzb1GeimHyWvZDs9QOgwyU3JzC7O0tUAKT81H1pvKopOc8Xs/s400/Calder_sketch_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calder's wire sculpture of Medusa was considerably more elegant than I have drawn here</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Be warned: I feel a rant coming on. Last Saturday we decided to go on an outing to see the Alexander Calder exhibition. I enjoy an art exhibition as much as the next person but I had to grit my teeth because it is on show at <a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern">Tate Modern</a> and I do not like this monstrous building. This was my second visit within a few weeks to this vast complex that had been the former Bankside Power Station. <br />
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We approached this thing that dominates the skyline by way of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Bridge,_London">Millennium Bridge,</a> which I very much enjoy walking over, with <a href="https://www.stpauls.co.uk/">St Paul's Cathedral</a> behind us. To my dismay I could see an equally hideous extension rearing it's ugly head behind the main museum building that is going to be open to the public from June 2016. I always feel lost as soon as I penetrate the Turbine Hall and can't imagine why anyone thought installing escalators that miss out the first floor was a great idea. It's a bit like inhabiting an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._C._Escher">Escher</a> painting, once you have arrived at the second floor you have to search for the stairs to traipse back down one floor and inevitably you end up walking past a gift shop. Tate Modern is not so much an art museum but merely a shopping mall with endless corridors, gift shops, cafés, restaurants (and some galleries) all devoted to flogging art in one way, shape or form.<br />
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So I was thoroughly grumpy by the time we arrived at floor three and finally entered the exhibition: <i>Alexander Calder, performing sculpture</i>. It occupies 11 rooms in total and my mood improved almost immediately once we were looking at the work we had gone there to see. While photography is banned (the room guards are serious about enforcing this rule) sketching is allowed and I and several other artists were happily engaged making visual notes of different pieces of work and here are some of mine.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1scqMQcywdGy743jkOctqRjp4bUO9UIMJzTBWm66nDq_v_ZT1KCnChpgiQAgSPvfTnGopey2VaK_V2cwdMjMUEWxFkF5pI2BkpXSRGYDngNp3rlOZrRpCzvUBjkoB5D4zLHiV3wKXdbY/s1600/Calder_sketch_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1scqMQcywdGy743jkOctqRjp4bUO9UIMJzTBWm66nDq_v_ZT1KCnChpgiQAgSPvfTnGopey2VaK_V2cwdMjMUEWxFkF5pI2BkpXSRGYDngNp3rlOZrRpCzvUBjkoB5D4zLHiV3wKXdbY/s400/Calder_sketch_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was difficult to draw this accurately because the piece kept changing position in the air current</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4yMIrlIA2FcqVZmwgEv2q0JzsVnnkaOit_Vm1TQ5LbfiYqtxc_K7YQxrWaBiNLeDHkWZuSVOXy2L7pFwqdyOQNFj9UouOXoZcXyYmB89bIQJebM6cJoaZ2PmT5wURGPWSicXQtIx_9U/s1600/Calder_sketch_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4yMIrlIA2FcqVZmwgEv2q0JzsVnnkaOit_Vm1TQ5LbfiYqtxc_K7YQxrWaBiNLeDHkWZuSVOXy2L7pFwqdyOQNFj9UouOXoZcXyYmB89bIQJebM6cJoaZ2PmT5wURGPWSicXQtIx_9U/s400/Calder_sketch_2.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The background on this piece had a number of holes in it that didn't seem to serve any purpose</td></tr>
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Calder (1898-1976) used wire to make his sculptures at a time when it was more normal to carve from stone, bronze or wood. He had the advantage of having being raised in a family of artists with his father and grandfather both being sculptors and his mother a painter. He initially trained as a mechanical engineer and only began his art training in 1923 when he began to study at the Art Students League in New York.<br />
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His wire figures were like line drawings and his subjects included mythical figures and portraits of his friends including the tennis player Helen Wills, the cabaret star, Josephine Baker and his friends the artist Joan Miró and the composer Edgard Varèse. In 1926 Calder began to build his own miniature circus performers using wire and fabric and then he used these figures to stage live shows in front of small invited audiences who came to see the <i>Cirque Calder</i>.<br />
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Calder experimented with controlling the movements of his sculptures by using a small motor. These motors are too fragile to be used now so we have to admire these works as static pieces but there are a few films dotted around the exhibition of some of the works in motion. Since the motors were always at risk of breaking down Calder stopped using them and let his sculptures move on their own as they responded to air currents.<br />
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Marchel Duchamp coined the term 'mobiles' in 1931 to describe Calder's moving sculptures and it is a term we still use today to describe the toys that hang from babies' cots. I found the experience of watching these moving sculptures fascinating as they constantly changed position and perhaps that is a subtle legacy that Calder has left our babies while they stare upwards from their cots.<br />
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<i>Alexander Calder: Performing Sculpture - on until 3 April 2016</i><br />
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<br />Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com4London SE1 9TG, UK51.5074672 -0.1001546999999618551.5049962 -0.10519719999996185 51.5099382 -0.095112199999961844tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-3899879464717874072016-02-25T17:03:00.000+00:002016-02-25T17:03:22.269+00:00Weeks two and three of linoprinting<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidf9ZlFTqZckYLjh8N_XKXxrrKSKczUiS_STkWLyZCzd_AKQh_VV6gA4FmaMvn0LJ_6_nVmFg9i0HfwvOkscadLXN8kmwuGGv-GaQqiNMV39UJKdeMzj_OT-51DfYcJrgqdGlwnn6kaOc/s1600/Goat_Freightliners_Farm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidf9ZlFTqZckYLjh8N_XKXxrrKSKczUiS_STkWLyZCzd_AKQh_VV6gA4FmaMvn0LJ_6_nVmFg9i0HfwvOkscadLXN8kmwuGGv-GaQqiNMV39UJKdeMzj_OT-51DfYcJrgqdGlwnn6kaOc/s400/Goat_Freightliners_Farm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Design based on a photo I took on a visit to Freightliners farm</td></tr>
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We learned during Week 1 how to cut a design into a piece of lino and print it using an Albion press. During the next two weeks we were given the time to work on a bigger print which we designed and cut at home.<br />
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I had taken some photos of the animals on a sketching outing to <a href="http://www.freightlinersfarm.org.uk/">Freightliners farm</a> last year with the idea that I would develop them into something later on. I discarded the photos of the ducks, fun though they were. I also considered and rejected the cattle, hens and sheep. I settled on the goats. I love goats and I've tried to draw them in the past but they won't stop still and they're either butting each other or sticking their noses in my bag to see what's in there for them.<br />
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I chose to concentrate on just one goat and hoped there would be enough to keep the eye interested with the grass in the foreground and the fence posts in the background. I made the print above using a blend of two colours (blue and yellow making green) and I hadn't realised that such an easy technique could be so effective.<br />
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So, for Week 3 I was all fired up to develop this design further by printing it in two colours. We'd all been encouraged to cut a second piece of lino (the same size as the first one) and print a ghost print of the design on it as a guide for cutting. I happily cut away at the second piece of lino at home and assumed that I had cut enough away only to find that I needed to remove more lino when I got back to the class.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDhqRSf7c8EMuJr-HMSo8tltj2y82HHwq_ZqpKZYs7fnkdAcdoC4IHC7J1_nG8NjIcvNJs2_kCsRWO-SITS_hsgiDGyutc4qlH-ncJA2-CGoUwVy1pHNn6C3pP31K8jqjnVCp1odvAM8/s1600/Green_goat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDhqRSf7c8EMuJr-HMSo8tltj2y82HHwq_ZqpKZYs7fnkdAcdoC4IHC7J1_nG8NjIcvNJs2_kCsRWO-SITS_hsgiDGyutc4qlH-ncJA2-CGoUwVy1pHNn6C3pP31K8jqjnVCp1odvAM8/s400/Green_goat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I wanted to print this in green and black but I felt that I had chosen a green that was too dark so it is difficult to see where it ends and the black begins. However, some people looked at it and liked the fact that it was dark. My teacher also pointed out that I had rolled too much ink onto my lino and you can see the indentations from the lino on the paper. Note to self: use less ink.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuAteKzd33Y4-wbvrnENMiFIAd_Ht6VTZHX-slBOkyy1ZSRxW1RoaRH3HIqk4IYtC2H0_DTGS2kNIJo85Sjvs-u_AzUfmsF6x2Pjmh_tkyR6dQHOhTiPtNaFoXdkeldb2ZA3l9A4rzDA/s1600/Black_Green_goat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuAteKzd33Y4-wbvrnENMiFIAd_Ht6VTZHX-slBOkyy1ZSRxW1RoaRH3HIqk4IYtC2H0_DTGS2kNIJo85Sjvs-u_AzUfmsF6x2Pjmh_tkyR6dQHOhTiPtNaFoXdkeldb2ZA3l9A4rzDA/s400/Black_Green_goat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see there is too much black ink on this print</td></tr>
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I think the final print is quite lively and has some kind of atmosphere but I think I've got a way to go before I can consider myself competent. Fortunately you can make lino prints at home without a press so I can practice my technique in the comfort of my own home while I build up my confidence.<br />
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<i>I have two books on printmaking that I can recommend. They are: <a href="http://www.lauraboswell.co.uk/shop.php">Colour Linocut Printing</a> by Laura Boswell </i>and <i>Relief Printmaking: a manual of techniques by Colin Walklin. </i>Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Warburton Rd, London E8 3RT, UK51.5385108 -0.05795230000001083729.235717799999996 -41.36654630000001 73.841303799999991 41.250641699999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-39405218161126279082016-01-28T08:28:00.002+00:002016-01-28T08:28:51.216+00:00Lino printing for beginners<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjoBS9r2I-nCgXW6FM5SA-lsgIFgSIV9y1qKnU1lxWkxQH8T_r7-FX8GGrw_bZBXBN2HXCjdS43Nkblg4q80CEYlY1qD5p0OlIQBt9lFqgqbABz0zKEURD3mUOb-JWn7ecHy_EPmpYDQ/s1600/Albion_press.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjoBS9r2I-nCgXW6FM5SA-lsgIFgSIV9y1qKnU1lxWkxQH8T_r7-FX8GGrw_bZBXBN2HXCjdS43Nkblg4q80CEYlY1qD5p0OlIQBt9lFqgqbABz0zKEURD3mUOb-JWn7ecHy_EPmpYDQ/s400/Albion_press.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Albion Press we used to print our work</td></tr>
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I have finally fulfilled one of my ambitions and that is to sign up for a printmaking course this year. I did just enough printing on my foundation course and at art college to whet my appetite but never pursued it when I left college so am now left with no printing skills to speak of.<br />
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I've joined a beginners lino printing course at <a href="https://www.eastlondonprintmakers.co.uk/">East London Printmakers</a> which is an artists run cooperative near London Fields and,even better, is walking distance from home. Our teacher had us printing our first colour, a yellow block, very quickly having introduced us to the mysteries of registering one colour over another with the use of masking tape.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqI9EJPWNsndhiheod0T4NyZyBoKOPOPufcUEC7uYMXTsZv-egTHw04ObyBANUsxYdiikl82XSTFXR-Smmp0RTYgR4GJVtT7ofcgenEMOhPIBhQP3hm_XNFSbLv4YI4PXvs56_Dxq6FvU/s1600/Yellow_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqI9EJPWNsndhiheod0T4NyZyBoKOPOPufcUEC7uYMXTsZv-egTHw04ObyBANUsxYdiikl82XSTFXR-Smmp0RTYgR4GJVtT7ofcgenEMOhPIBhQP3hm_XNFSbLv4YI4PXvs56_Dxq6FvU/s400/Yellow_print.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow printed, now to start cutting the lino</td></tr>
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I used for my starting point a wee sketch that I did very quickly while walking on Hadrian's Wall last year. It's one of a series of quick sketches that I made on that walk that I keep revisiting. Our teacher did point out that you can never predict exactly how your print will finally look and how right he was. My original drawing was made in the remote Northumbrian countryside and my final print looked as though it was set in a fair ground! I thought this quite amusing.<br />
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Eight of us students managed to produce seven, three colour prints in the course of our first day which we were all quite impressed with. Next Wednesday we'll be working on a single colour design that we will have designed and cut at home during the week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_LtWgZSOosAmuy92BqBSpIOhs-6yjyt_8wmHI33eGTh4KKvChvSFzIyPrA7RhFuDVRRTtajuTmCPUMHcVPAp7D79qmWZn5-yB0lUeZBkdMD-J3Oelhpg4jNaskHUolnFTk4CRQ53cpk/s1600/Red_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_LtWgZSOosAmuy92BqBSpIOhs-6yjyt_8wmHI33eGTh4KKvChvSFzIyPrA7RhFuDVRRTtajuTmCPUMHcVPAp7D79qmWZn5-yB0lUeZBkdMD-J3Oelhpg4jNaskHUolnFTk4CRQ53cpk/s400/Red_print.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to register the second colour over the first was not easy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUa7RnmTSUo3ZDw5ud8dqibFZnwunkzscltwXV5Rc4iVuoJvxf1W4uxzJAVsvHR82yuFXbcMT22RNwjV891rLyv4catRiuhjBxUmqfvEevzn2_e-mEgCWOYS31-63iAxx3J1vAFsp8OCM/s1600/Black_print.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUa7RnmTSUo3ZDw5ud8dqibFZnwunkzscltwXV5Rc4iVuoJvxf1W4uxzJAVsvHR82yuFXbcMT22RNwjV891rLyv4catRiuhjBxUmqfvEevzn2_e-mEgCWOYS31-63iAxx3J1vAFsp8OCM/s400/Black_print.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished print drying on the rack</td></tr>
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com1Warburton Rd, London E8 3RT, UK51.5385108 -0.05795230000001083731.118835799999996 -41.36654630000001 71.9581858 41.250641699999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-64456288564245703792016-01-19T15:13:00.000+00:002016-01-19T15:13:11.376+00:00Ice skating at Canary Wharf<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8vCQoIMD7BCg7Dqwh0qk8Xh0VEz2f0lmYE0KfLVxKRsx1ik17QREfqd091HGMCrSA6dzItgUBc1UQ5EdEqZ4T_VG5CZGykivI1ILePuweSvpZFT4CIfvmM6XZ2pxP9huFyi-s7PsKpo/s1600/Warm_up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8vCQoIMD7BCg7Dqwh0qk8Xh0VEz2f0lmYE0KfLVxKRsx1ik17QREfqd091HGMCrSA6dzItgUBc1UQ5EdEqZ4T_VG5CZGykivI1ILePuweSvpZFT4CIfvmM6XZ2pxP9huFyi-s7PsKpo/s1600/Warm_up.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my warm-up drawing</td></tr>
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I belong to an informal sketching group called <i>Art in the Park</i> and we visited the ice rink at Canary Wharf for our first outing of 2016. This is a temporary structure and we sheltered in the pop-up pub on site called the <i>Tasting Room</i>.<br />
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It always takes me a while to settle into drawing so I began with a pencil view of the bar. Then I turned my attention to the outside and the skaters circling the rink. I admired their collective courage - their expertise ranged from terrified novice to fearlessly competent. I quite envied them and briefly considered joining in but decided I was just avoiding trying to sketch the skaters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQZF-UhyXhJJEH55JWZGcUboSDXzgwqGwNpYYlJJBNO8EdnrXQy7C_FAs_1DdDu9lc5P5_5NT2deQF0JUyDG1BSCsb_OYIWWOCMhb32kw0-EZ_jKI4_B8QDoZPKtvagh-5NpVrSWHqEM/s1600/Skaters_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQZF-UhyXhJJEH55JWZGcUboSDXzgwqGwNpYYlJJBNO8EdnrXQy7C_FAs_1DdDu9lc5P5_5NT2deQF0JUyDG1BSCsb_OYIWWOCMhb32kw0-EZ_jKI4_B8QDoZPKtvagh-5NpVrSWHqEM/s400/Skaters_1.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First attempt at skaters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6L3vzMKE4dB6bIEYZbEtgPG3aCODMyhdNTgfUDiRb9UqF6Uu0ZOe22pgNUOXTCsPylyWVg1IOW2n85UTA6yelSE7jNfk_Q7Uo_QJmi9NUtATUKbE5_HN7kQhGi1g3c-e4EpTvpd4-WE/s1600/Skaters_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6L3vzMKE4dB6bIEYZbEtgPG3aCODMyhdNTgfUDiRb9UqF6Uu0ZOe22pgNUOXTCsPylyWVg1IOW2n85UTA6yelSE7jNfk_Q7Uo_QJmi9NUtATUKbE5_HN7kQhGi1g3c-e4EpTvpd4-WE/s400/Skaters_2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second attempt - thought it was getting a bit repetitive</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01gh_eqDWp2JmE5UYrqJvy90fZ2aRXL0EONMsbtElX4LwuNupuKeI_07Ieoga5Kq4SEydLUNQXyiWosBftqtVUOc_C6fjp_OLCBb-KnWXNUoJAfQMY7GpqU1_Diz4vW0ruEUQiOs6Coc/s1600/Fellow_artists.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01gh_eqDWp2JmE5UYrqJvy90fZ2aRXL0EONMsbtElX4LwuNupuKeI_07Ieoga5Kq4SEydLUNQXyiWosBftqtVUOc_C6fjp_OLCBb-KnWXNUoJAfQMY7GpqU1_Diz4vW0ruEUQiOs6Coc/s400/Fellow_artists.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My fellow artists</td></tr>
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<br />Then I thought it might be fun to try drawing without looking at the paper so I tried this with my fellow artists and liked the result. I found it difficult to only look at the subject so compromised by looking at the paper as little as possible. I really liked the way this was going so did one last drawing of a table and chairs using the same approach.<br />
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I was happy with the way this drawing turned out and if felt good to take a chance and risk losing control of the final product so while I may not have ventured onto the ice I did step out of my usual drawing 'comfort zone' and reaped some rewards in the process.<br />
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<br />Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB, UK51.504954 -0.01945039999998243751.5043365 -0.020710899999982438 51.505571499999995 -0.018189899999982436tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-16612511751925051842015-10-30T16:05:00.000+00:002015-10-30T16:05:48.734+00:00Life drawing at The Wallace CollectionLast week I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a life drawing workshop at <a href="http://www.wallacecollection.org/">The Wallace Collection</a>. This museum is described on its website 'as a national museum in a historic London town house'. It is actually much more like a stately home that happens to be in a London square and dominates the surrounding town houses.<br />
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This workshop was jointly organised by <a href="http://smartnetwork.org.uk/">SMart</a> Network, which was established in 2000 to empower socially marginalised people through creative activities, and The Wallace Collection. The workshop lasted for five hours which sounds like a long time but disappeared in a flash partly because of the way the workshop was organised.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Nhb0NcCRhJ-ecw2QTOdEEqv7v2weuoegNdC9y2whIdzr65sTstpk53vMnhugEt-EvRG2MpTqCMJi4wH2gfKVWFkpr4gVGkCjcdDHqJNZRaprEh-efICIUMxTM4BR0w9SmITqr4UFYLs/s1600/Silla_bust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Nhb0NcCRhJ-ecw2QTOdEEqv7v2weuoegNdC9y2whIdzr65sTstpk53vMnhugEt-EvRG2MpTqCMJi4wH2gfKVWFkpr4gVGkCjcdDHqJNZRaprEh-efICIUMxTM4BR0w9SmITqr4UFYLs/s200/Silla_bust.jpg" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla, the Roman <br />dictator</td></tr>
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Our tutor briefly explained how art students were traditionally trained during the 18th and 19th centuries. Then he proceeded to give us, the participants, a brief experience of what that may have been like. Initially he had us making sketches from printed handouts to enhance our hand-eye co-ordination and we concentrated on hands, feet and heads. Then we tackled a drawing of a bust of Silla the Roman dictator.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixChe4Pm-OIICM23pgZIkT1OYkM6kqSEGL1GxsbpSUxyXr2mWME0X1mTbsy_YvN4kBshnHW6-I49Uz9i7EAxBcr0_HCMnMCSXKpMvFylbLW7IMjXG6DTxmZ2tHOyhORk6WXPnTponkXCo/s1600/Perseus_and_Andromeda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixChe4Pm-OIICM23pgZIkT1OYkM6kqSEGL1GxsbpSUxyXr2mWME0X1mTbsy_YvN4kBshnHW6-I49Uz9i7EAxBcr0_HCMnMCSXKpMvFylbLW7IMjXG6DTxmZ2tHOyhORk6WXPnTponkXCo/s200/Perseus_and_Andromeda.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perseus and Andromeda<br />by François Lemoyne</td></tr>
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This was followed by an all too brief visit to the galleries upstairs where we continued with the hands, feet and heads theme and chose a detail from one of the paintings to try and copy. I chose Perseus and Andromeda by François Lemoyne and you can see a reproduction of it <a href="http://wallacelive.wallacecollection.org/eMuseumPlus?service=direct/1/ResultLightboxView/result.t1.collection_lightbox.$TspTitleImageLink.link&sp=10&sp=Scollection&sp=SfieldValue&sp=0&sp=0&sp=2&sp=Slightbox_3x4&sp=0&sp=Sdetail&sp=0&sp=F&sp=T&sp=2">here</a>.<br />
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I tend to avoid life drawing because I find it so difficult and the last time I went on a course was nearly three years ago (you can see those efforts <a href="http://art-heather.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/painting-from-life.html">here</a>). After lunch our life model arrived and further avoidance was useless. We packed in several two minute poses followed by some five minute poses finishing up with two 25 minute poses. You'll be glad to know the model was given regular breaks during the afternoon which we all took advantage of too.<br />
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This was my first visit to The Wallace Collection and I can't imagine how I've managed to live in London for 36 years and never paid this fascinating museum a visit. I will certainly be returning soon so I can take my time to roam around the galleries and enjoy the many exhibits.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two minute poses</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQLm62fhGq1YQtj0ceTFRzQN-owGzmIShms58QPeVWCX7hKyGcvuuzajg1DKwJhpMjMUizHva4J9zo90w3YdiK2W3QRqBXfGpiBPxGJiJkH9HbVKZP_gv7Wx7LzKMTnN3RTCJeQoNYqs/s1600/Three_five_minute_poses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQLm62fhGq1YQtj0ceTFRzQN-owGzmIShms58QPeVWCX7hKyGcvuuzajg1DKwJhpMjMUizHva4J9zo90w3YdiK2W3QRqBXfGpiBPxGJiJkH9HbVKZP_gv7Wx7LzKMTnN3RTCJeQoNYqs/s1600/Three_five_minute_poses.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five minute poses</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First 25 minute pose</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIS7Yr_mVt_BVbgnkvacHxpDEJ0qKlyMgWVbFz86GrQCZy_3c6wNUjoqlvH6yM_TxBkf2LgIoFZSRkZz8v_pkBIpqSO9untOPiVsyoVdI4jSqm9C-URCiAW8J36o8ELtUHvFiVG5_GfdE/s1600/Final_25_min_pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIS7Yr_mVt_BVbgnkvacHxpDEJ0qKlyMgWVbFz86GrQCZy_3c6wNUjoqlvH6yM_TxBkf2LgIoFZSRkZz8v_pkBIpqSO9untOPiVsyoVdI4jSqm9C-URCiAW8J36o8ELtUHvFiVG5_GfdE/s1600/Final_25_min_pose.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final 25 minute pose</td></tr>
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<br />Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com2Marylebone, London W1U 3BN, UK51.5176926 -0.1531310999999959751.5170751 -0.15439159999999597 51.518310099999994 -0.15187059999999597tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-36789764665670183872015-09-17T16:40:00.000+01:002015-09-17T16:40:21.974+01:00Dalston Eastern Curve Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheltering from the rain under the Pavillion</td></tr>
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We've been back home from Canada for a month now and since then I have largely taken a break from sketching.<br />
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Tuesday was my birthday in addition to it being the Battle of Britain Day. Usually I really enjoy my birthday but this year I didn't. I found the whole day to be emotional gruelling and a bit of a slog. This is because the next day, 16 September, was my mum's birthday and she died just over a year ago so I spent the day mourning her absence.<br />
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I decided not to spend the day moping around at home and went by bus to visit the <a href="http://dalstongarden.org/">Dalston Eastern Curve garden</a> which I have visited before but not for a long time even though it was a rainy old day. This is a thriving community garden that has been formed from on the old Eastern Curve railway line and is a delightful spot to spend a few hours even when it's cold and wet.<br />
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I sheltered underneath the Pavillion which was designed and built by a French architectural collective called <a href="http://www.exyzt.org/">EXY2T</a> in spring 2010 while I drank tea and ate cake. I took my usual collection of sketchbooks, water soluble pencils and ink pens with me and I chose to concentrate on the view above and I thought I was mostly concentrating on the foliage.<br />
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I realised while I was drawing the table that I had got the perspective wrong and this meant I couldn't include all of the table that I could actually see. What I didn't realise until I got home was that the table was dominating the entire composition. I would have preferred to have an equal balance of table and plants but I couldn't see that until I got away from the view. I feel quite critical of this sketch but am glad that I have restarted sketching and hope that my results are more successful when I visit <a href="http://www.freightlinersfarm.org.uk/">Freightliner's farm</a> in Islington with the Islington Art Society next week.Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com4London, UK51.5463871880358 -0.07394300747068882651.5451526880358 -0.076464507470688822 51.547621688035804 -0.07142150747068883tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-71413320299535223522015-08-15T06:43:00.000+01:002015-08-15T06:44:18.756+01:00Postcards from Canada: 20 (the grand finale)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Today is our last full day in Canada so we chose to stay close to where we are staying on the University of British Columbia campus and walked over to the Museum of Anthropology. This is one of BC's most popular museums and houses many thousand artefacts from the First Nations and is built on ancestral land belonging to the First Nations.</div>
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The size of some of the totems that were on display were staggering and the weaving of the baskets and fabric were very intricate. In the grounds outside some examples of family houses have been built and they are also very impressive. It would have been nice to be able to go inside them but they were locked but you could get some sense of the interiors if you could find a knot in the wood and then squint through it.<br />
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We left when the museum was getting very busy and began walking back to our apartment. Then we saw a signpost to Wreck Beach and took off down the path to find it. We enjoyed a stunning walk through the forest and then came across the beach which is clothing-optional. We opted to keep our clothes on because it was quite chilly and there were very few people on the beach. If we'd visited yesterday when the temperature was a lot higher it might have been a different story.<br />
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0The University of British Columbia Vantage College 2259 Lower Mall, Vancouver49.261077 -123.254883tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-25022618630910836382015-08-14T16:52:00.001+01:002015-08-14T17:19:01.757+01:00Postcards from Canada: 19<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I have finally got the right paper to work with my watercolour paints just days before we are due home! I made this sketch yesterday afternoon after we had got home from Granville Island in Downtown Vancouver. Granville Island is an arty district with fresh food markets, busking musicians and designer clothes. It is reminiscent of Covent Garden in London before it was ruined by Venture Capitalists.</div>
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We enjoyed our lunch outside with hundreds of others and then took a 40 minute cruise around the harbour in a ferry run by False Creek Ferrries. These are tiny craft that seat about 12 passengers and look like bathtubs with roofs on. At $11 each it was a big improvement on the $200 each we could have paid to go on a Whale Watch tour.</div>
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Once we had regained our balance after we had got off the boat we visited the covered market again to buy some fish and vegetables for our evening meal which was quite a treat after not having cooked for ourselves for the last few weeks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKqwv85zt5qcGAz5Kp1g9pkDKAKXyETVghm5eJcteNf1YkHQ1QQqlfJw_LRDEsMGsPxC3n66sA9LFt6CMNRDE9oBxuhKpZkn2kK_9_8gOMok-HM3itGvEAg7X1_D-ggqleEseW2-Wk/s640/blogger-image--1518159494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKqwv85zt5qcGAz5Kp1g9pkDKAKXyETVghm5eJcteNf1YkHQ1QQqlfJw_LRDEsMGsPxC3n66sA9LFt6CMNRDE9oBxuhKpZkn2kK_9_8gOMok-HM3itGvEAg7X1_D-ggqleEseW2-Wk/s640/blogger-image--1518159494.jpg" /></a></div>
Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0The University of British Columbia Vantage College 2259 Lower Mall, Vancouver49.261057 -123.254738tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-13370036461627074942015-08-14T00:03:00.000+01:002015-08-14T00:03:19.920+01:00Postcards from Canada: 18<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFnpJYDSWGDYY9taCKCy4NN0QpaB12w_DV-fAEGTtDE9GCbm2g0aTr5ML3N_R-NNreKwI-OXXWVilcnbEB7SLVS3QkGUaTVnse0N6Wtp62PnnJUV01d74vmjxtQAdHgvWx5gV5CgfSx0/s640/blogger-image-377630704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFnpJYDSWGDYY9taCKCy4NN0QpaB12w_DV-fAEGTtDE9GCbm2g0aTr5ML3N_R-NNreKwI-OXXWVilcnbEB7SLVS3QkGUaTVnse0N6Wtp62PnnJUV01d74vmjxtQAdHgvWx5gV5CgfSx0/s400/blogger-image-377630704.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One small sketchbook completed and a slightly larger one begun</td></tr>
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com1The Point Grill 2205 Lower Mall, Greater Vancouver A49.261037 -123.254817tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-45657886389473931462015-08-12T17:32:00.001+01:002015-08-12T17:54:33.839+01:00Postcards from Canada: 17<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRziam5IqOSJbYYufDhejx7tQlvgI6ue_aQm1FZXGoUJrpAOpOI1o90-DLYWWMxhochHlc1QerIsqucp7SDAj6pJGGjLkMtlFhh_iq5re_RWCmd4qNQVD9WlXtN6lkn7SfOFNtQxr0dx8/s640/blogger-image-1459519598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRziam5IqOSJbYYufDhejx7tQlvgI6ue_aQm1FZXGoUJrpAOpOI1o90-DLYWWMxhochHlc1QerIsqucp7SDAj6pJGGjLkMtlFhh_iq5re_RWCmd4qNQVD9WlXtN6lkn7SfOFNtQxr0dx8/s400/blogger-image-1459519598.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lions Gate Bridge, Stanley Park, Vancouver </td></tr>
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We walked around Stanley Park yesterday following the Seawall path. We took all afternoon to cover the 8.8 kilometres stopping frequently to have drinks, eat ice cream and watch the world go by. Cyclists and skateboarders have to use a different path from the pedestrians so you might have hoped we would be safe from lunatic skateboarders but sadly we nearly got run over by one of them.<div>
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I did this quick sketch of the bridge that runs north from the park when we stopped for a brief rest. It dominates the skyline and more-or-less marks the half way point on the walk. We saw a blue heron on the sea shore and some raccoons inside the park which was a first for me. We looked briefly at the totem park but didn't linger otherwise we wouldn't have completed the walk.</div>
Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC V6G 1Z4, Canada49.3017049 -123.1417003000000248.632456399999995 -124.43259380000002 49.9709534 -121.85080680000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-38130259629855708232015-08-09T23:46:00.001+01:002015-08-09T23:52:20.371+01:00Postcards from Canada: 16<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtawle6R1S6xfAY9Bdc-pg1v3GZsdkPoAMR2gwQV_jDh7El4dTUZmQieKSQJ4yB7aL5BErC4UjX9kHkMe5AaNxDdB2cSo-8HA0syTBcVC9zS1o3xl_9p_UGv0PLSUPltg2yJjuHTf9myI/s640/blogger-image-404505340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtawle6R1S6xfAY9Bdc-pg1v3GZsdkPoAMR2gwQV_jDh7El4dTUZmQieKSQJ4yB7aL5BErC4UjX9kHkMe5AaNxDdB2cSo-8HA0syTBcVC9zS1o3xl_9p_UGv0PLSUPltg2yJjuHTf9myI/s400/blogger-image-404505340.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Hill Springs Provincial Park, Alberta 07.08.15</td></tr>
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We enjoyed a walk through this memorial park a couple of days ago. It combined woodland, a rushing stream and spectacular views.Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Big Hill Springs Provincial Park, Rocky View County, AB T0L, Canada51.251667 -114.3869439999999725.729632499999997 -155.69553799999997 76.7737015 -73.078349999999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-80745547952475396232015-08-07T17:00:00.001+01:002015-08-07T17:02:28.364+01:00Postcards from Canada: 15<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUKByQy_3kEmtjSvcXqVgdz-LLttXN2-YV1nVvklhbux2o3wsHJMT7vql0gORFFTblN5OOv0omsO5r7oEQn4YSnCWPhkqFbWSfAfDSUKC4a66BEyKcp6zsMMIiaifSpf2wsC-re9GCks/s640/blogger-image-1821537529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUKByQy_3kEmtjSvcXqVgdz-LLttXN2-YV1nVvklhbux2o3wsHJMT7vql0gORFFTblN5OOv0omsO5r7oEQn4YSnCWPhkqFbWSfAfDSUKC4a66BEyKcp6zsMMIiaifSpf2wsC-re9GCks/s400/blogger-image-1821537529.jpg" width="400" /></a>It was cold and rainy yesterday so I made this sketch of the umbrella out on the deck from the safety of indoors.</div>
Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Sundre, AB, Canada51.797214999999987 -114.6405009999999751.757935499999988 -114.72118199999997 51.836494499999986 -114.55981999999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-28608761461501668982015-08-06T10:00:00.000+01:002015-08-06T10:00:04.543+01:00Postcards from Canada: 14<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pandora's Boox and Tea, Olds Alberta</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Botanical gardens at Olds Agricultural College</td></tr>
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Olds, AB T4H, Canada51.7920135 -114.10527951.752728000000005 -114.18596 51.831299 -114.024598tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-18320652990298527632015-08-05T19:11:00.000+01:002015-08-05T19:11:00.100+01:00Postcards from Canada: 13<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vdPdLlGaMraCzUi_RWJqJJcSiOCXfQbqwer0txClpP86T5dEzNZ8X-BiFYxiHyDNOxF8L7t2s7hdVlo7qvpobBsfQw8wkXTkCB5eqMVb30oOnED8pXKaBb8JOfLsM5Mhdjm8h6zo0r8/s640/blogger-image--1180203317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vdPdLlGaMraCzUi_RWJqJJcSiOCXfQbqwer0txClpP86T5dEzNZ8X-BiFYxiHyDNOxF8L7t2s7hdVlo7qvpobBsfQw8wkXTkCB5eqMVb30oOnED8pXKaBb8JOfLsM5Mhdjm8h6zo0r8/s400/blogger-image--1180203317.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilot Pond in Hillsdale Slide, Alberta</td></tr>
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We went on a family outing yesterday and our goal was to visit Moraine Lake which, we were informed, is quite beautiful. Once we'd reached the turn off for Lake Louise the traffic was nose to tail and moving at snail's pace. This was put down to the fact we were travelling in the middle of the August long weekend. So instead of turning left onto the highway we turned right to avoid the traffic congestion and changed our destination to Johnston Canyon.<div>
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The traffic was just as bad there so we pressed on looking for somewhere to stop and have lunch. We'd been sitting in the car for several hours by now and we're getting increasingly hungry and fed up. But then a lay by appeared and there was a notice board announcing that Pilot Pond in Hillsdale Slide was was just down the hill. So we slid down the hill and found a log to sit on and have our picnic. I made this sketch very quickly and added some notes to it and I might develop it into a painting when we get home.</div>
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The steep walk back up the hill made my heart work so hard I thought it was going to stop working by the side of the road. It soon recovered its equilibrium and I was able to enjoy the fantastic views of the Rockies as we made our way home.</div>
Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com1Banff National Park, Alberta T0L, Canada51.4968464 -115.9280560999999948.965229400000005 -121.09163009999999 54.0284634 -110.7644821tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-63701666208301800162015-08-04T18:35:00.000+01:002015-08-04T18:35:00.452+01:00Postcards from Canada: 12<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6BoWwVwwdbq9CsUwpLiOY3hh5ad5McLmgP5uKb7m9BH3SNy-5DA2p8Pk6oMInsvpRW3upc4hURYHzVbjYF1QKm-K3Yyz7aUizF6BBrarqKeUSeQdvdm-bnek-qulXYWYbUoa5cLly20/s640/blogger-image-1077280272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6BoWwVwwdbq9CsUwpLiOY3hh5ad5McLmgP5uKb7m9BH3SNy-5DA2p8Pk6oMInsvpRW3upc4hURYHzVbjYF1QKm-K3Yyz7aUizF6BBrarqKeUSeQdvdm-bnek-qulXYWYbUoa5cLly20/s400/blogger-image-1077280272.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathy's watering system, 2 August 2015</td></tr>
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Calgary, AB, Canada51.0486151 -114.070845950.7289356 -114.7162929 51.3682946 -113.42539889999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5833695853177988258.post-14853892076117482142015-08-03T18:30:00.000+01:002015-08-03T18:30:06.182+01:00Postcards from Canada: 11<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUzFjC_57NZTe__YICo1NmcCEb-xH0avbahvBr_cAPRqAmPzzitYsSGeyF0RT_rpEfSj8SEmK9H3MIc76kLOuJJGDUZbDcwfWpk-Pmj5-ViyexYFsOUO1OtbHcK5AdRiPH_LLai3p9tM/s640/blogger-image-833893847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUzFjC_57NZTe__YICo1NmcCEb-xH0avbahvBr_cAPRqAmPzzitYsSGeyF0RT_rpEfSj8SEmK9H3MIc76kLOuJJGDUZbDcwfWpk-Pmj5-ViyexYFsOUO1OtbHcK5AdRiPH_LLai3p9tM/s400/blogger-image-833893847.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completed 3 August 2015</td></tr>
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Heather Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314474207212316620noreply@blogger.com0Calgary, AB, Canada51.0486151 -114.070845950.7289356 -114.7162929 51.3682946 -113.42539889999999