FOLKESTONE TRIENNIAL

My family took a trip to Folkestone this weekend for The 2011 Folkestone Triennial. The exhibition is available to view every day from 10.30am to 5pm until 25 September and presents new commissions by 19 international artists.

The artworks, which include sculptures, films, installations and sound works are displayed around Folkestone’s streets, squares, beaches and historic buildings. The free exhibition will remain on display throughout the summer. My girls had a lot of fun trying to find the small Tracey Emin works scattered around the town. It really is a nice place to spend the day. Folkestone has a lovely sandy beach where the Cornelia Parker mermaid is, it also has nice shops, cafes and restaurant's. Also along the shore line to the right of the harbour you will find a beautiful botanical garden.

Here is a selection of some pictures we took on Saturday. If you go by train look out for this little bear by a blue wall in the station. It is very small so don't miss it.

THIS WASN'T PART OF THE EXHIBITION BUT WE FOUND THIS IN THE HARBOUR
WHEN THE TIDE WENT OUT

AGAIN NOT PART OF THE EXHIBITION BUT I LIKE IT.

NATURES ART IN THE BOTANICAL GARDENS

ASK YOUR SELF AS WE DID, IS THIS ART OR JUST A RUSTY SUNBED OR BOTH

THIS WAS ON THE BEECH, I BOOSTED THE COLOUR A BIT.

A PATTERN I FOUND IN THE SAND.

CORNELIA PARKERS MERMAID, SOME LOCALS DIDN'T LIKE IT SO THREW PAINT
OVER IT THE NIGHT BEFORE. IT WAS A LOT WORSE THEN THIS BEFORE I TOOK THIS.

www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk

WOOD CARVING - FINISH OF FIRST PROJECT

I have found carving out the letter form over the last month or two one of the best things I have ever done. It has been so rewarding and even though this is my first attempt I have been really pleased how it has come out. But I have a great deal to learn and need a lot more practice to master the art. If only someone would pay me to cut out letters what a great job that would be.

AFTER THE LETTERS ARE CUT,  THE WOOD IS SANDED DOWN TO MAKE IT SMOOTH

THE WOOD DUST IS REMOVED WITH A SOFT BRUSH

I SANDED THE LETTERS AS MUCH AS I COULD, A PROFESSIONAL WOULD JUST USE CHISELS

TO GET PERFECTLY SMOOTH LETTERS.

A SANDING SEAL IS ADDED TO THE WOOD BEFORE WAXING.

A LIGHT OAK WAX IS ADDED TO TO MAKE A NICE SMOOTH SHEEN

I THEN ADDED A FORM OF GOLD LEAF INSIDE THE LETTERS AND LEFT IT FOR 24 HOURS TO DRY.
ADDING THE GOLD LEAF I FOUND A BIT TRICKY. IF MY LETTERS WERE SMOOTHER I THINK IT WOULD OF STUCK BETTER

THE OUTER GOLD LEAF IS REMOVED WITH A SOFT BRUSH AND A VERY FINE SAND PAPER.
MORE WAX IS APPLIED AND HERE YOU HAVE THE FINISHED WORK.

GF SMITH SHADOW INVITES

CORNELIA PARKER - SCULPTOR AND INSTALLATION ARTIST

Cornelia Parker OBE, RA is a London-based sculptor and installation artist. She was born during the year 1956 in Cheshire, England. Cornelia's work is regarded internationally for its complex, darkly humorous, ironic style. Her work is also highly allusive and patterned with cultural references to cartoons, a style which she adapts to her need to capture things in the moment before they slip away and are lost beyond human perception.

Cold, Dark Matter: An Exploded View

You will see from a previous blog, SHADOWS IN SE1, that I like how shadows can change and distort the appearance of objects, giving them a new meaning. This led me to look at the work of Cornelia Parker, as she makes great use of shadows in some of her installations. This week, I attended a lecture she gave at Dulwich Picture Gallery. To my surprise, as I sat at the front, waiting for the lecture to begin, she came and sat next to me. I managed to speak to her, very briefly, afterwards, but she was much in demand! My intention was to make lots of notes, as Cornelia spoke and share them with you, but she said so much and being no good at shorthand, I gave up. But, it was fascinating listening to this creative mind speaking about her work.

One thing she did say, which stood out, was when she started out she turned her home into a sort of studio. She looked up at the ceilings and realised that they were like big white canvases and it was then that she came up with the idea of hanging things from the ceiling. So, when I got home, I tried hanging letters from my own ceiling and photographing the shadow of the letters. It was difficult, torch in one hand, camera with a slow shutter speed in the other. But as the letters slowly moved, I got a few nice shots, which I later coloured up in Photoshop.

I think Cornelia should have the last word and here is a quote of hers, along with a short video about the place of design and objects.

I like to take man-made objects and push them to the point where they almost lose their reference, so that they become something else, take on other alliances.

Parker, Cornelia.

To read more about Cornelia visit
www.egs.edu/faculty/cornelia-parker/

DYLAN ALPHABET

Here is a labour of love, my Bob Dylan alphabet. I had most of the albums on CD so it was a little difficult to photograph the small letters. So I needed the help of my Dylan head friend Jack McInroy who wishes to remain anonymous, but who had most of them on vinyl. For fans of the great man see if you can guess the albums the letters come from. Mind you I had to cheat on one or two.

Also attached is something Dylan related that I did a few years back for the Red Bull Art of Can competition. It is Bob made out of Red Bull cans. My claim to fame was even though I wasn't the winner my entry was placed next to the winner, always slightly out of camera for the publicity pictures that were in the press.