12th August 2013
This week I am taking workshops at Greenwich Dance for 6-10 year olds with dance company Charlotte Spencer Projects. We are using Charlotte’s latest work Walking Stories as a starting point for play, experimentation and creativity.
£15 per day, turn up on the day or book in advance. 020 8293 9741
12 – 15 August 2013. Monday – Thursday 10.00am – 1.00pm
11 August 2013
Twelve blissful days in Cala Gonone, on the east coast of Sardinia. It couldn’t have been more perfect, all that was missing was my eldest son holidaying in Australia with his girlfriend – but that’s how it’s supposed to be isn’t it? I was just 15 and my sister 18 when we wrecked the family holidays by winning a travel bursary to go back-packing together in Europe, the next year we won again and then the next my sister was working in Switzerland so I earned enough from part time jobs while in 6th form to travel out to and join her. So although our party seemed small I had expected it to happen. Just me, my 16 year old son and my 14 year old daughter.
Why Sardinia? Easy, we agreed either we would find somewhere to canoe or to scuba and snorkel. I put snorkeling and scuba-diving into google and diving-school Argonauta in Cala Gonone appeared, owner Maurizio provided us with a beautiful apartment overlooking the village and the sea and took us on his boat to snorkel and scuba. Fabulous. I had one rule, when we arrived I said “While we’re here I’m not Mummy, I don’t want to make decisions, I don’t want to do all the cooking and I absolutely don’t want to be clearing up after you” “That’s fine Mum,” said daughter immediately “you can be our sister”. And that’s how it was.
Here is our holiday in pictures. Kids took quite a lot of photos beneath the surface of the water which will come later. Thank you to the wonderful team at Argonauta: Maurizio, Cinzia, Aurora, Bernd, Andy and Dario, truly they never stop smiling.
The local beach in Cala Gonone, my daughter snorkeling.
On the boat, spent wonderful days diving off and snorkeling. Son passed his Open Water Padi. 40 degrees – draped towels over us until we got used to it. Love the beautiful world beneath the surface of the water, saw octopus, lots of fish, star fish – large bright purple and little blue ones and jelly fish (not so keen on them)
Left. Gola Su Gorrupa is a gorge. There were 2 ways to reach it and as my son was map reading he took us to the start of the “most dramatic route”. A 2 hour hike down the mountain, it began though trees with goats wearing tinkling bells round their necks ambling around but soon became increasingly more rugged and barren and saw a snake. Maurizio had told us we’d find a pool when we reached the bottom, after the hike in the heat it was the most wonderful sight, and we spent ages in the cool water.
Right. Cala Fuili. Furthest beach south of the town accessible by car, all others can only be reached by boat. We spent day snorkeling, reading and drawing, we also did some climbing
This was the view from the boat as we passed by, earlier we had snorkeled though the dark caves by torch light; when the light was pointed towards the ceiling we could see stalagmites.
June 20th 2013
This weekend 21st – 23rd June, the Landmark Arts Centre is running a Midsummer Art Fair. Based in Teddington, the Landmark Arts Centre is housed in a 19th century former church complete with beautiful stained glass windows. My stand is 38, I am on a raised area at the front of the building.
I am selling 4 new etchings never seen before, so new that I haven’t yet photographed them, as well as the 3 sugar lift and aquatint etchings, part of the series with SUB, and also other etchings some framed, some in my browser, drawings and and smaller paintings.
Breathing Space
Firebird
The Call of The Tide
I am also showing (and hopefully selling) Marilyn, the wire sculpture I created to go on stage with Yolande York-Edgell while she performed the dance about Marilyn Monroe last year. Marilyn would be equally happy in a house, office entrance hall or garden she is made of galvanised wire and sprayed with lacquer.
Marilyn was created in 2012 when I was Artist in Residence with Yorke Dance Project, to be on stage with dancer Yolande Yorke Edgell in a moving dance about Marilyn Monroe.
Marilyn
Yolande Yorke Edgell on stage with the shadow of Marilyn behind
8th June 2013
Today Greenwich Dance (GDA) opened the doors to the local community for a day of free dance classes Open Doors, Open Dancing, as Greenwich Dance Resident Artist I organized easy going art workshops throughout the day. All ages participated, youngsters drawing the dancers on long sheets on the floor while the class was in progress, older children and adults preferring to use individual sheets of paper.
Drawing the dance class while the dancers danced
Some preferred to sit apart and try collage or drawing from memory
Ballet Class
African Dance Class
We made a Greenwich Dance Gallery
6th June 2013
The edition is sold out within a few hours
Another Private View at the Royal Academy, this one is ‘Buyers Day’, I take my daughter hoping for a couple of red dots under my etching so she can feel proud and I can feel pleased, but what a treat – a whole row of red dots waiting for us. I have sold the whole edition!
This week I’ve been etching in the print studio, printing new work based on recent drawings of dance.
As well as printing I have been drawing Arthur Pita‘s 100 Hours Dance Marathon at Greenwich Dance in my role as Resident Artist at Greenwich Dance. Now day 4, the 8
dancers look surprisingly bright and lively on so little sleep. Now 22.49 p.m., my kids have turned in and I am about to go back to draw till 1.00am. I’ve filled several sketch books, this evening I will draw on bigger sheets.
The RA web site, SUB 3rd from left, 3rd down
4th June 2013
Sadler’s Wells, Clod Ensemble. I’d been printing in the morning, drawing the Dance Marathon in the afternoon and helping middle child with Biology GCSE revision … bit weary but didn’t want to miss Clod Ensemble perform. Son promised to keep working so left the house. I knew Allessandra Ruggeri would be dancing and didn’t want to miss her, in 2009 we made a film together, Chasing Shadows, Allesandra’s response through movement to my painting. I am a great fan of her dancing.
Live band on stage with Hazel Holder singing Blues which was fabulous. Loved the spacing and dynamics of the choreography and the dancers. I was sitting too far back though, I wanted to be up close, in a much smaller more intimate space.
Standing below SUB at the private view
Today was the first day of the celebrations for the opening week of the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. Called Varnishing Day, it’s the day the Artists are invited to the Academy for a Private View of the selected work.
Welcomed to the exhibition with a glass of champagne and a meringue, there was a very happy party atmosphere, particularly in the 2 rooms showing the prints, where many London printmakers know each other from printing at the same studios.
SUB (Rambert Dance Company), the Sugar Lift etching that was selected is catalogue no 347.
May 29th 2013
Richard Alston Dance Company dance a mixed repertoire of Cunningham dances within the Barbican Art Gallery. I am there with my sketch book and pencils.
27th May
I am delighted to tell you that my etching: SUB (Rambert Dance Company) has been selected to hang at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, 10th June – 18th August.
SUB (Rambert Dance Company) Sugar Lift and Aquatint
SUB is an all-male work by Israeli choreographer Itzik Galili
22nd May 2013
I am at Greenwich Dance (GDA) for a meeting with Charlotte Spencer to discuss a summer children’s project we will doing at GDA 12- 15th August, Summer Shake Up. I draw the workshop one of her colleagues is leading while I wait to chat with her.
Later I join them for a fascinating Walking Story in Greenwich Park.
