Spring is here and the promise of a warm weekend this early in March makes it easy to forget how cold it will still be over the next couple of months. In past years there has been freezing blasts of weather just when the apple tree blossoms.
Ink painting Apple blossom no.2 is in my exhibition ‘Anticipation and Recognition’ at Colchester Library’s Les Livres Gallery, 2nd March – 31st March.
Online catalogue visit
http://jennyhillartwork.tumblr.com
My exhibition ‘Anticipation and Recognition’ was hung last weekend in Colchester Library’s gallery space Les Livres, and continues until 31st March. The paintings selected for display are part of a seven year focus of work recording seasonal changes. Most library visitors would probably not know my earlier work but as you would expect there are connections – clearly the subject matter as a narrative, use of colour, but also of equal importance, line, painted, drawn or printed.
A cabinet at the top of the library stairs gave me an opportunity to communicate a back story with a few words allocated to each postcard size image. Alongside these I included one sketchbook and an oil pastel sketch to demonstrate my visual research and potential for development.
Visit http://jennyhillartwork.tumblr.com for the exhibition catalogue.
PS Behind the railing on the stairway wall is a relief sculpture, Connor Barrett’s Crucifixion of Mankind. I will post a full image in another blog post.
Almost there with preparations for my solo exhibition at Colchester Library’s Les Livres Gallery. So far press release has been sent, paintings packed and information to email contacts.
To do – What to put in the cabinet. I thought it would be a good idea to use a glass top table cabinet to put in a couple of sketch books, information on sales. But know now that would leave a gap of communication as my press release stated this exhibition was part of a seven year project following the seasons. I realise there has to be some back story, using a few images of previously exhibited artwork with minimal text, to help make some connection with what has gone before and the current artwork. But how to make it look good and interesting is something I will be working on over the next couple of days.
A catalogue for Anticipation & Recognition can be seen at
http://jennyhillartwork.tumblr.com
My solo exhibition plans allocated February as time to select and frame artwork for Colchester Library’s Les Livres Gallery. When you have a solo exhibition, everything is down to you to organise, put in place and communicate. Help and advice from other people is invaluable, whether they agree to place posters, put information on web space they manage or as a good friend did, look over my press release and suggest improvements. The revised press release reminded me how you cannot only promote the artwork but must also give something about the person that made it or a least a bit more of the back story relevant to the exhibition. In marketing terms is this where you sell the sizzle not only the bacon?
I now also seriously believe the importance of getting an exhibition reviewed. Whether this is a critical review or a question and answer session the result can be part of the documentation about something that happened in a public event and not only recorded in someone’s curriculum vitae.
I intend to encourage other artists I meet with in Essex, to engage in the practice of reviewing and publishing as I think this will be mutually beneficial, raising the profile of the visual arts in Essex.
The image shows some of my low tech framing equipment, hand under pinner and clamp.
The frames are hardwood ash – more durable and resistant to dents and knocks which can happen when handled by other people.
What is your experience of art marketing?
Art exhibition ‘Creative Flow’ at Farleigh Hospice Gallery 7/1/14 – 27/2/14. Art work supplied by Activate artists.
The Hospice welcomes visitors to view artwork in the gallery during Lantern Suite opening hours, (Monday-Friday 9.00am – 4.00pm).
Activate is an independent voluntary group set up in 1999 to bring together and offer support to professional artists living in and around Chelmsford, Essex.
We have a pro-active membership whose work covers a broad spectrum of disciplines including Painters, Printmakers, Ceramicists, Sculptors, Textile Artists, Digital Artists and Community, Public and Environmental Artists, and always welcome new faces and new ideas.
Activate meets at the United Brethren Pub, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 OLF; 7pm -9pm on the second Monday or Wednesday of each month for discussion on personal and group projects as well as an opportunity to share skills and knowledge and to get involved with current activities.
More information about Activate Arts is available on http://www.activatechelmsford.org.uk
Information on visiting Farleigh Hospice can be found on their website http://www.farleighhospice.org
Layered posters on the window shutters of a shop in Venice.
Control of this outside exhibition space was with the shop owner as it looked like the shutters could only be easily accessed from inside the shop, or by a person standing on a box or a ladder in a boat in the narrow canal.
The overlaid posters appear to be carefully placed, allowing the older images to be seen, (or for the faces to look through to the viewer).
Colchester Art Society’s winter exhibition – Digby Gallery, Mercury Theatre, Colchester, Essex.
3rd December – 27th December. It’s pantomine season at the theatre – Sleeping Beauty.
http://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/
Persimmon is one of my favourite fruits at this time of year and thankfully available in our local supermarkets. It brings back good memories of a late autumn visit to Japan and train journeys through suburban Kyoto and Tokyo. From a high up advantage in the train I could look down on Persimmon trees showing small splashes of orange in wintry gardens. We knew it as Kaki.
‘Persimmon no.1’ ink painting in the CAS winter exhibition.
The past few days have been taken up with making frames, cutting mounts, buying glass and putting it all together, making sure labels have the correct information. A short notice opportunity for exhibiting artwork at Dedham Vale Vineyard 30th November – 1st December, made me put aside creativity and focus on the presentation. It’s a distraction but in truth for me, it makes sense financially, time wise and patience, to do my framing a few at a time. To have work ready for small exhibitions is a bonus and also it gathers work long term for a solo exhibition Spring 2014, (lots of space, great! or could that be aargh! lots of space – more work to be done). Getting an idea as to how the paintings will look as a group instead of stored in the plan chest drawer is a reality check worth doing sooner than later.
Grey sky, gloomy light, rain, conspired to increase the vibrancy of the autumn leaf colour – a beautiful day if you do not have to work in the fields.
Information for Dedham Vale Vineyard, (Constable country) please visit
http://www.dedhamvalevineyard.com/
Seen last week an exhibition of new artwork, small oil paintings and large charcoal drawings by Ian Hay. “A mile from the Mercury” continues until 9th November at the Digby Gallery, Mercury Theatre, Colchester.
I chose to post a photograph of two sketch books accompanying the exhibition as it can offer an insight to an artists creative process. Ian Hay was tutor for drawing at Colchester Institute when I was a student of visual studies for two years and our small student group had a lot of fun, regular life drawing and drawing outings. Useful preparation for when I went on for further studies at Ipswich Art School.
Artwork can be see at
http://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/your-visit/digby-gallery/
A biography
http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/h/9065/Ian%20Wood+HAY.aspx
jenny hill artwork and words 