A series of coincidences in recent months, as I learn about different aspects of the colour blue, culminated in a wonderful, thought-provoking exhibition, “Blue - The Colour of Modernism”, currently on display at the Caixa Foundation in Palma de Mallorca. The palette of blues increased vastly in the later 19th century, and artists evoked innumerable emotions and situations with their skilful use of different shades of blue, a colour which hallmarked that era to a great degree.
Read MoreEnclosures or the Art of Cherishing /
From a circle of stones to a weather beaten Japanese door, we have all found ways to enclose, protect and thus cherish places and things that are important to us. Man’s ingenuity in finding ways to ensure that our territorial and proprietorial instincts are satisfied has led to some wonderful solutions that enrich everyone.
Read More"Aizome" or The Art of Japanese Indigo Dyeing /
Blue hands tell of wondrous traditional skills of fabric dyeing with indigo in the Tokushima area of Shikoku Island, Japan. This humble blue flower is picked and prepared through a long, complex process, then to be turned into liquid. living dye into which different fabrics are dipped. The resultant fabrics are utterly bewitching in their subtle, clear and joyous blue patterns. They lead one into yet another fascinating, centuries-old art form in Japan.
Read More"Bahan", the Art of Horse-Logging or Reviving Lost Arts in Japan /
Reviving traditional skills in Japan is always noteworthy and I was lucky enough to learn of the art of horse logging, the perfect solution to logging in steep, fragile mountain forests, and the art of horse ploughing in rice fields. In both arts, a horse treads lightly on the ground, does not require tractors with all the complications that they imply and allows close links back to the earth we should all be cherishing. A wonderful solution for our world about which many more people should learn, it seems to me.
Read MorePost-scriptum à la Soirée de Poésie, et Musique et d'Art au Musée Carnot /
Un post-scriptum bien délicieux à la soirée qui célébrait la poésie, la musique et l’art au Musée Carnot, à Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, est que le poète Jean Jacques Gleizal s’est vite installé le lendemain matin pour écrire un poème sur la soirée. Formidable!
Read MorePostscript to the Soiree of Poetry, Music and Art at the Musee Carnot /
A lovely postcript to the evening celebrating poetry, music and art at the Musee Carnot, Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, is that Jean Jacques Gleizal sat down the next morning and wrote a poem about the soiree. Fun!
Read MoreUne Soirée de Poésie, de Musique et d'Art /
Tout le monde était souriant pendant une soirée de poésie, de musique et d’art au Musée-Galerie Carnot à Villeneuve-sur-Yonne le samedi 10 octobre, lors du décrochage de mon exposition, Terratorium. Les poètes Jean Jacques Gleizal, Bernard Fournier et Danièle Corre ont récité des poèmes relatifs à mes dessins exposés en pointe de métal, tandis que la pianiste Marie-Hélène Pauvert a joué des morceaux de musique classique qu’elle avait selectionnés en pensant à mon art. L’ensemble de la soirée était organisé grâce au directeur du Musee, Monsieur Jean Luc Dauphin.
Read MoreAn Evening of Poetry, Music and Art /
Everyone had fun at an evening of poetry, music and art at the Musée Carnot, Villeneuve-sur-Yonne on 19th October, when my exhibition, Terratorium, was ending. Poets Jean Jacques Gleizal, Bernard Fournier and Danièle Corre recited poetry pertaining to my metalpoint drawings on show, while Marie-Hélène Pauvert played classical music she selected to relate to my art. It was all thanks to Museum Director Jean Luc Dauphin.
Read MoreDrawing in the Studiolo /
An interesting and thought-provoking drawing exhibition was on view until the end of September at the Centro de Arte e Cultura da Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, Évora, Portugal. Many of the texts accompanying the show were worth pondering.
Read MoreCreative Thinking /
A retrospective exhibition at Aix-en-Provence’s Granet Museum of Fabienne Verdier’s monumental paintings and creative explorations left me intrigued and impressed. Her fertile questing mind, allied to inventive technical creativity, is an example of what can be achieved when an artist dedicates him or herself to new ways of expressing often abstract and intellectual concepts - whilst at the same time, creating expansive, harmonious beauty.
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