Dose of inspiration

The usual problem with taking part in an Art Trail is that you don't get the chance to visit the other venues - but, as I was sharing with both Anne and Mum we could split the stewarding duties and I actually managed to visit most of the other venues on the trail.

Starting at number 1 on the trail, the Festival exhibition at Gallery North featuring work by Dino Mazzoli - texture and colour grab me so a lot of these are right up my street, particularly the landscapes. There's a John Bratby quality in there, some of the portraits quite harsh. Some beautiful photography upstairs, local landscape shots by David Higgs.

Longleys Studio Barn -  envious of this light studio space!

2-Longleys Studio Barns with a wide selection of work including some stunning animal pictures by Christine Jenkinson who had me quite jealous at her use of light, and some highly atmospheric pieces by Anna Wilson Patterson.

3-Southview Art groups at South View (next to the library) - I do love seeing exhibitions by art groups as you get some unusual subjects and a great variety of techniques. Here, Eileen's groups displayed some fabulous pieces including red.white and blue themed works and some skilfully created drawings in watercolour pencil on dark paper.

4- Geoff Pittman's Garden Pottery Studio - a big surprise as I had no idea this was here, almost directly opposite my office window. Geoff is enthusiastic and told us all about the science of pottery, firing and glazes and I came away feeling a lot more knowledgeable about a complicated subject that I'd thought was a simple process of make it and bake it! Nice pots too - subtle colours.

The fabulous Clive and Val

5- Open House at 100&7 with the gorgeous Clive and Val. I enjoyed a cuppa here and Clive showed me his paper wreaths, a new venture for him and a surprise for me as I had no idea he was creative! Combining precise folding with innovative use of books, maps or sheet music - the mathematical element appeals to me. I admired once again Anne and Val's unique silver jewellery (one day..) and the  needlcraft skills of Monica before heading off to Venue 6:
12 Ingrams Way to see pots, patchwork, plants and more including yet more lovely silver jewellery by Liz Cottingham displayed with  textures of netting, shells and pebbles, echoed in some of her photography. Ian Goldsmith had some work here that I hadn't see before - he has a very gentle touch portraying faces and skin with an almost luminous quality, his Ophelia is a particular favourite.

7- Art at the Library  featured work by the Arlington Art group and I was very proud of the displays which were changed weekly. To pick out just a couple, Helen Gander has done some lovely, detailed pictures on scraperboard, a blast from my past, and Hazel Hooker is producing a lot of fabulous work in vibrant colours including local scenes, some of which she is also selling at Liquorice by the George Inn.

8 - us! 9 and 10 - sadly I didn't make it to our 2 nearest venues but I have seen a lot of Michael Gower's work at our art group lately and he is going from strength to strength, particularly in his pastel work, which has a velvet quality to it - he is using contrasts, shadow and light to really good effect.

11  - it just wasn't possible to make the time to visit although I did get lost on my way to 12 and saw the signs outside so I'll know where to go in future!

Chris at The Chantry - looking pleased with himself 

12 - Art at the Chantry. At last I've made it to this hidden gem of a little venue, a restored chapel just north of Rushlake Green. The artists managed to squeeze a surprising amount of work in - Chris Liddiard's deceptively simple paintings have a clarity and total calm about them. I was very taken by Min Cooper's work, illustrative but bold. There were a couple of small metal garden sculptures which interested me as I'm considering trying to do something similar myself but am hampered by a lack of welding equipment, knowledge or skill, and even sculptural skill which could be problematic...

Well, that was everything on the main trail, then there was plenty of work to see in the High Street shops including Ruth Bodkin's botanical work, Clare Fitzgerald's photography and Zan Stevenson's stunning work - again, colour and contrasts make me stop and look.

So, my major dose of inspiration should lead to a whole new body of work - and the subject was decided at the final event of the festival, the Cajun Zydeco party at Chapter 12. I will sketch and photograph as many gigs as I can and aim, in a year;s time, to have an exhibition of at least 12 pictures  inspired by the music and dancing. There. I've said it, it's got to happen.



While I sat and, in uncharacteristically self conscious mode, sketched the moving musicians (why can't they just stay facing the same way for 2 seconds!!?) a customer asked, jokingly,  several times if I would sketch him. Eventually, I did, all of a 30 second sketch with which he and his companions were delighted! hey, maybe I should take it up for a living.

Maybe not...