Light, Longing and Loss during Unexpected Times - The full online exhibition which was created during the pandemic, of which, I host and teach the Beeston Snappers members. Part of the physical exhibition is now viewable at The Beeston Showcase at Argos old building NG9. It's been a long year, for many of us in the arts world, luckily I have been teaching still. Life has felt weirdly busy yet quiet. A strange mixture. I am looking forward to taking myself off and spending time out in nature at a Quaker Community very soon for quiet reflection, photography and time to get the creative juices flowing for some sketch book ideas.
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4 days until we come out of Lockdown 2,
1 day until the November moon will be 100 per cent illuminated in the night sky northern hemisphere. Working on my latest project is great, indeed obserbing the days getting shorter, metal and the reactions that occur over time reminds me that life is transient, from the wisdom of Shinto snd all it offers to those of us who embrsce its philosophy. 4 more days until my project is complete. I'm so excited to be creating new work for a personal mini project for Lockdown 2 - Celestial Alchemy. After completion of this work, I will look forward to share the photographs taken during this time - it's an experimental project inspired by Shinto and Rumi, and earlier ideas around alchemy - watch this space!
I have also been busy also teaching and curating an online exhibition for the Kith Collective of artists. based at Backlit Gallery Nottingham, we plan to launch our exhibition 'Shooting the Light' in December. I have also been hosting the Beeston Snappers Collective online meetings where we are also preparing an online exhibition until we can exhibit 'physically' again. More info to follow. I managed to get some away time in October in the Peak District staying on a favourite camp site next to a forest, in my favourite camping pod - a chance to photograph and explore new territories, I look forward to return, hopefully before Xmas if the situation allows. I am also still selling art works, feel free to browse my website and contact me for specific requirements - my Spirit of Winter collection, based around winter solstice and Christmas is normally very popular around this time of year. Please all stay safe and wishing you light during the darker days of winter. Link to some of my images and cards here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.484784345772050&type=3 I am so excited to finally get some time to start experimentation for presentational purposes with my Cornucopia images, sample photographs have been sent to the photo lab and once they arrive, I will be experimenting with an idea I have had for a long time, I'm hugely excited. Title Cornucopia Sample - Left image 1 Left image 2 below - Title Helios This week, one of my new photographs 'Helios' from the Pandemic series of work 'Finding Light in Darkness' has had much interest and I thank the interested client for this. It is an honour when someone feels something deeply from your visual creation and experimentation. Left image 3 below - Title Aftermath I have been thinking a lot about the sentiment? Notion of 'Aftermath' - in all it's powerful/lessness, destruction, chaos, meaninglessness. What a strange year 2020 has turned out to be, so many changes and unexpected occurrences, with Covid rearing its head and putting a stop to many face to face art based plans. Although I had a fair few plans for 2020 with regards exhibition openings, art trails etc ,Covid hasn't prevented me from exhibiting - albeit online in virtual exhibitions. It's a strange thing really that even when we are faced with the most unexpected, creativity doesn't stop, in fact, it can bloom in many respects. For me, Lockdown fired my ideas around darkness and light, finding beauty in new spaces, still seeing life in the passing of nature, I have spent lots of time cycling to new spaces, covering miles of territory - forests, local spaces, at home in my back garden. From this, a new series of work emerged ' Searching for Light in Darkness' of which, I will share here when all of the photographs are complete. I have experimented with analogue and digital lens based media and hope to at last, use a new way of exhibiting photographs,, that I've been thinking about since last year, when I get the chance. Title - Sample contacts 'Cornucopia' Series 'Searching for Light in Darkness' June 2020 For Refugee week, I was approached to exhibit my photographs from the Global Village Exhibition series of images with Global Sistaz United and Backlit Gallery as part of a virtual exhibition at City Arts, an honour once again, to exhibit the work through such an important art space in the city. Also some, new work has been published in the ACT Online Zine @ArtCultureTourism. Alongside this, I have continued to run sessions remotely to our collective Beeston Snappers of which, we have been creating photographs as part of the Lockdown process for future exhibition. I have also been busy in my other role teaching 1-1 LAC students remotely, which I dearly love. As part of the Kith Collective that I am a member of, we are planning an online exhibition to be displayed online in autumn, more info to follow. What I can truly say is, I have never felt so ready for a holiday as I do right now. A real getting away from home and switching off the virtual world for a small while - it may well not be in another country but I have plans for a good 5 week break of relaxation and photography somewhere, someplace. I will let the universe work that one out. Stay safe dear friends.... After a quiet winter the feel of spring is around the corner and the hibernational times are ending. The skies have felt never ending greys but not the sort that excite me visually, I prefer white diffused skies but still, creativity is key, whatever the weather, whenever the time permits Illusions Title - Beyond Ilusion Taken in Derbyshire Feb 2020 Nikon I have recently been thinking a lot about Illusions, in life, in nature, in meditations which are leading me to create some new lens based work and have been recently looking at the work of Nayoa Hatekeyama as recommended to me by a good photographer friend. On the exhibition side of things, I will be taking part in the following future exhibitions with some new work to be created and a few more applications to be made towards other exhibitions, watch this space. Creative Reactions 8th - 17th May at Broadway Gallery Nottingham. Lady Bay - 16th May - to be confirmed Kith Artist Collective Exhibition - May - Broadway Gallery Nottingham ABC Art Trail at Beeston Dental Practice - First weekend of June. I have also been thinking a lot about how nature is changing, the strong winds, the melting glaciers and permafrost that we have known about for so many years but have failed to act upon on an indivdiual and policy driven level, I find it hugely depressing and at times feel there is no respite from the issues humans have caused. On a lighter note there are many great people out there doing fantastic individual actions and in my heart, I feel that nature will always rule.. nature will recover - see Photograph Nature's Portrait below. I am also hugely looking forward to some art and journey based happenings, notably the Matt Collishaw Exhibition opening in March at Nottingham Lakeside and am very excited to be attending his talk on March 13th. I am a keen lover of his work and proud to know he's a Nottingham born artist. I am also taking a trip over to Copenhagen to visit friends, family and to photograph! There are some new place that I want to experience south of Sjaelland. I am also spending some time during the summer 'off grid' once again at my friends campo in Spain, which I am always excited to just 'be' Until then, let's welcome the longer days ahead... As the year and nature moves towards its sleeping time, a little bit of of an update about what I'm up to. I've been spending a lot of time walking in the north west and Derbyshire photographing new work towards the Last Bastion of Refuge Series, the work is ongoing and the spaces I'm discovering are wonderful in their own beautiful ways.
I have recently been working with a client towards her new business and look forward to edit and complete the final photographs for this. More info to follow as and when. November, the collective I set up and teach - Beeston Snappers Collective are holding our Beyond Borders Exhibition at Cafe Roya, Private View Sunday 24th Nov - 6pm - 8.30pm. Saturday. November 30th I have a stall at Celebrating Cromford Christmas & Winter Fair at the Cromford Community Centre, in the main area of Cromford, next to Cromford Art Gallery 10am - 4pm. All welcome. I am also currently in discussion with a collective of artists whom I hope to join. Again more information to follow as and when.. Autumn and winter are truly my favourite seasons for photographing, the light is diffused, the inner character of trees reveal themselves and nature is beautifully fascinating! The Global Village exhibition's home at Backlit Gallery has now moved to City Arts, Hockley, Nottm for the Markmaking Exhibition as part of Nottingham Refugee Week during June 15th to 22nd. Private view takes place on 15th June 7 -9pm,. I'm looking forward to see all the other artists work involved in this exhibition. I do hope folk can come along and support the hard work that has been happening towards Refugee Week.
Huge thank you to all those who came along and supported my photography during the ABC Art Trail weekend.. the event was fantastic and it was great to get feedback from visitors and supporters alike. I'm looking very forward to create new work in collaboration with Elena Boto from Nottingham University for the annual Creative Reactions SciArt event, in Nottingham
More information about the event here and I'll update more about the creative process as it happens, I'm looking very forward to meet the Scientist ... https://pintofscience.co.uk/events/nottingham |
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