10 March 2014
Read a great review given by Luke Jennings in The Observer plus 5 stars given to Yorke Dance Project’s triple bill, I designed and painted the backdrops for Charlotte Edmonds No Strings Attached, the first dance of the evening. I worked from drawings I had made during the rehearsals last summer.
8th March 2014
Eleven Greenwich Printmakers exhibit at The Fountain Gallery
An exhibition of affordable handmade prints. I am exhibiting 6 etchings available framed or unframed.
Sunday 9 March from 1.00pm join us for a drink and Special Viewing
Exhibition runs from 4 – 16 March 2014
Open every day 11.30am 5.30pm
The Fountain Gallery, 26 Bridge Road, Hampton Court, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9HA
020 8941 5865 www.fountaingallery.co.uk
5 March 2014
Yorke Dance Project perform Figure Ground at the Lilian Baylis, Sadler’s Wells
A week ago at the Lilian Baylis, Yorke Dance Project performed a wonderful preview performance of their touring programme: Figure Ground, an evening of 3 dances from the company. I was commissioned to create the set for the first work of the evening: No Strings Attached, choreographed by Charlotte Edmonds. I spent 3 weeks drawing during the rehearsals in the summer of 2013. Working from the drawings I painted 3 backdrop panels using acrylics each measuring 4m x 2m. I negotiated 6 days in the high ceilinged No Format Gallery near my studio, to paint the canvas so had to have them complete in this time-frame.
It was great to paint on such a large scale – a first for me! In 2012 I created figurative wire sculpture to be on stage with Yolande Yorke-Edgell in Noted.
On Tuesday evening fellow Greenwich Dance Resident Artist, Theo Clinkard, will perform with his company of 6 his life affirming and heart wrenching dance Ordinary Courage, at Laban S. London. I drew this work in 2013 when it was performed at Greenwich Dance in February with Amstatten choreographed by another Greenwich Resident Artist, Robert Clark. I displayed the drawings of Amstatten during the evening and entered the sketchbook into the selected exhibition Sketch 2013 at Rabley Drawing Center. The exhibition has now moved to Black Swan Arts in Frome, Somerset until 8 February.
So see Ordinary Courage, the dance, in London and the sketches of the dance in Frome.
13 December 2013
During the Autumn Term I worked 1 morning a week with the BTEC Dance students at Lewisham College, South London. They were devising short works for the Choreographic Platform examination and performance, I drew them as they progressed through the task.
In my studio, using my drawings of the students as reference I painted a back-drop for their performance of 3 banners, painting directly onto canvas with acrylic.
I asked the students to draw each other to encourage them to observe movement through a different means and look closer at their peers while they worked.
Student’s drawings of each other dancing
In September 2012 I invited Lewisham College BTEC dance students to dance in no format gallery where I had a solo exhibition, they created dances inspired by my work which were performed in the gallery at the end of the week. A video was made of their performance.
7 December 2013
Last night I joined the hundreds outside South Africa House to sing, to dance, to mourn and to celebrate the life and extraordinary person Nelson Mandela.
At the door to South Africa House in Trafalgar Square flowers, candles and messages to Nelson Mandela. In front of the flowers people danced, clapped and joined in the continuous beautiful songs sung by a large and growing group of men and women.
On the way home I passed a busker with his guitar outside Charing Cross Station he called out ‘Madiba this one is for you’ many people stopped rushing for their trains and stood still, some sang along, some gently smiled, some danced or swayed as he sung Bob Marley’s One Love.
In 2010 my talented cousin John Gardner created a large bronze sculpture of Nelson Mandela from life, now in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town.
2nd December 2013
Today I hung 10 framed etchings in a Christmas Pop-Up shop at Craft Central, Clerkenwell. Work includes my framed and un-framed prints, artwork, jewellery, furniture, cushions, hand-made wood boxes, wood framed mirrors, greetings cards and decorations.
Join us for the
Opening Night Party
Tuesday December 3rd, 6-9pm
Free entry into our raffle to win a £40 voucher to spend in store
3rd – 8th December 10am – 9pm
Craft Central, 33-35 St John’s Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1M 4DS
Participating Second Floor Studios & Arts members: Abigail Dace / Bertram Whitford / Celina Garcia-Leoni / Chris McGee / Karina Cabrera / Rhian Mclaren / Sarah Claxton / Sally McKay / Nikki Pearson / Stephanie Ross / Jane Cairns / Netti Birch / Laura Grain
10th November
A Sharing at a Sadler’s Wells studio to an invited audience to see sections of three of the dances Yorke Dance Project are developing for their 2014 Tour. Last year I created a life size wire sculpture to be on stage with Yolande Yorke-Edgell while she danced in Noted.
For the 2014 tour I am working on a backcloth for a dance choreographed by young choreographer Charlotte Edmonds.
No Strings Attached, choreographed by Charlotte Edmonds
Yolande Yorke-Edgell dancing Canciones Del Alma choreographed by Robert Cohan in 1978 and being reconstructed for her for the 2014 tour
Robert Cohan in the rehearsal
This week I am working with New Art Club’s Tom Roden and award-winning dancer choreographer Anna Williams to research and develop an interactive touring project of Drawing Dance at Greenwich Dance where I am Resident Artist.
Help create a giant picture, test our ideas and be part of the unfolding story
Saturday 2nd November 11am & 2pm at Greenwich Dance
Pay What You Can
Part of The Big Draw and Family Arts Festival
Trisha Brown Dance Company. Proscenium Works, 1979-2011
Platform Theatre at Central St Martins to see three works from the Trisha Brown Dance Company, part of Dance Umbrella 2013.
Astral Convertible (1989) with sound score by John Cage, Visual Presentation & costumes by Robert Rauschenberg.
Watermotor (1978)
I’m going to Toss My Arms – If You Catch Them They’re Yours (2011)
In the corridor entrance to the theatre a treat was in store, an exhibition from the enormously talented dance photographers Hugo Glendinning and Chris Nash.