Sunday, 25 December 2016

Our Christmas day walk




The sky was definitely the star during our Christmas walk this morning: brooding and magnificent, and we even had the odd burst of sunshine.





 Nice contrast between the ploughed earth and the ruined Guy's Cliff House.





There is something of Thornfield Hall to this house, I have always thought.





I experimented with this photograph, facing the sun, and I am pleased with the result: it's almost like the sea with a spectacular sky above.





St James' church in Old Milverton village - I love that spire





and finally, this barn




I am so pleased that they have kept the old sign.



Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Winter exhibition at the Stour Gallery



This gallery's exhibitions are getting better and better. This one was excellent.


Emanuel Cooper:

It was a pleasant surprise to see some of Cooper's ceramics outside a museum. Their simplicity and attention of detail are awesome.









looking in


 



looking in






looking in




It's all in the detail: these small dots inside the bowl take it to another level.



 Sotis Philippedes:

More on Philippides' work here








This bowl shines and reflects like a mirror. Philippides used liquid platinum glaze.



Ashley Howard:


















Jane Seymour:









Jude Jelfs:












John Maltby:

















Sarah Hitchens:

Slab built from coarse black clay, Hitchens' forms are torn, textured, rough-edged and purposely imperfect. They are often left unglazed or spontaneously bronzed to enhance the rawness of the surfaces. Glazes, when used, are freely poured, splashed and slip-trailed; rips and tears become an essential part of the making process.





















Priscilla Mouritzen:

Mouritzen says of her work: 'The technique I use is simple: pinching a porcelain clay body, applying slips for colour. I enjoy exploring the feelings of intimacy and expressiveness that the small scale and the slight unevenness of the pinches surface gives... All the pinched bowls I make are the same size: hand-sized - as deep and as wide as the reach of thumb and fingers allow in the pinching process. The bowls are decorated according to a simple dogma rule: the pattern on the inside must also be carried over to the outside surface. The difference between the way the pattern reacts to being placed on a concave or a convex surface is the challenge'.























looking in




 Angela A'Court PS:

A'Court has just come back from Japan and Japanese influence in her recent work is evident. I loved her paper noodle pots. Her simple prints and drawings in pastel are delightful but I could not post many as the reflection on the glass was too strong.











Five noodle pots (soft pastel)


















How to Make a Pot, (soft pastel)