Monday, 25 October 2010

Jake's Cabinets

I went down to Potters Field on friday to see Jake Spicer, who was running free outdoor figure-drawing in the park as part of the Big Draw. 

Jake runs the Brighton Life Drawing Sessions, and he had brought up one of three wheeled cabinets he has fashioned for an all-night mobile life drawing extravaganza that he is hosting in Brighton on saturday as part of the city's White Night. A pretty awesome and ambitious idea- you can find out more about Enlightenment, Life Drawing from the Cabinets of Wonder (and see a photo of one of the brilliant cabinets) here. If you're ever in Brighton I'd thoroughly recommend getting along to one of his life classes too.

Thanks very much to Jake and co for a great couple of hours drawing in the park.










P-laaant

Went to Ikea with Pat the other day, and this was undoubtedly our most exciting purchase (even more so than the meatballs). They do a range of aquatic plants, which come packaged up in these lidded, plastic cups. I guess they're intended for aquariums and such, but we're just gonna keep it in the cup, because it looks ace.

Now just need some tiny tiny fish... And a reeeally small pirate ship.

Wednesday, 20 October 2010

Sunflowers



These were a bit droopier than I'd've liked by the time I got round to painting 'em.

Tuesday, 5 October 2010

'Crucible' Sculpture at Gloucester Cathedral

Really impressed by this exhibition today.

http://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/index.php?page=crucible

Dozens of works by a wide variety of contemporary sculptors, dotted around the cathedral inside and out. I hadn't realised it was such a blockbuster exhibition, and wandered in blurb-free. The sculptures are only identified via numbers, and as I hadn't picked up the map on the way in, I had the pleasure of looking around without being distracted by the names of the artist, which made a refreshing change from most exhibitions. 

The setting is what makes it though. Gloucester Cathedral is a stunner at the worst of times, and the sculptures just seem to fit in, rather than fighting with the architecture. Curated with a light touch- the pieces are just placed where they seem to fit, with no fanciness or pretension. No pointless pedestals or over-the-top spotlighting. Some sculptures hide from view in alcoves or behind pillars. A big, rearing bear in the main entrance. Abstract metalwork standing next to the tomb of King Edward II.

Quite a brave undertaking I reckon, perfectly executed.

I had a flick through the comment book- only a few morally outraged remarks.

Saturday, 2 October 2010

Teapoles









































This is shipped over from my Facebook page from a week or so back.

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust rear poison dart frog tadpoles in rebush tea because apparently its antioxidant properties reduce the risk of fungal infection and disease.