PHEW !

Well, to say I’ve been busy would be the understatement of the decade.  Sold a couple of works at the Gwynfa Gallery show, covered costs but not a rip roaring success. I forgot to mention that I quit the Fanaan group, after the October show. Too much hassle, too many prima donnas, and I dont need that nonsense in my life. So I am Fanaan-free and it’s a relief !

It is now the season of Bazaars – and the world and his daft dog are jumping on the bandwagon with last minute plans. The municipality even announced, last night, they are looking for ‘talented artists’ for a big Art-Souk/Festival to take place along the other end of the corniche – wait for it…..starting today…..until January 2nd. What ? I dont think so.

Actually I’ve been having a very ‘crafty’ couple of weeks – made 12 Curio Keys, with their colourful threads, beads  and charms hanging off. While all the ’stuff’ was out on view I decided to make some necklaces with a similar feel. The palm of my hand hurts now though, from the little pliers, with squeezing the jump rings together. I have used some of the rolled silk beads I made, ages ago ( not my idea I hasten to add – from an old Stampington Workshop magazine I think.) 

I wrap wire around them attaching small beads as I go.

Rolled silk tubes awaiting decoration

 Lot of work really, as I dye the silk too. Anyone would think I’d got all the time in the world !   

The necklaces are made up with felt beads, semi-precious stones, handmade glass beads, sections of vintage necklaces or chains etc – a great way of incorpoating one-offs.

Three made so far......... and I love them !

 

more flat birds

I have found 3 flat occupants for the empty birdcage, seeing as they were homeless.

Work has been delivered to the Gwynfa Gallery for the opening reception on thursday. Judy Roberts brings hers down from Dubai tomorrow, then the difficult bit begins, hanging it. We should have close to 60 pieces in total, which will make for a real ’souk’ feel.

Abu Dhabi’s first F1 event came to a close this evening, went to one of the practice days earlier in the week…….and last night we rocked on the beach to the Wailers. Terrific atmosphere – well done Abu Dhabi !

Goosebumps serendipity

The Fanaan group show, on the theme Foreign, was a great success – about 100 + people came on the opening night and more straggled in over the weekend. I sold two of my mixed media works, including Foreign Service (right) which seems to have been destined to go to the couple who bought it. I was explaining the ’story’ behind the piece to the wife – how the chap is just off to do his national service, tattooed arms to remind him of home etc, receipt for his uniform collaged in the background. His father, also a soldier, watching over his left shoulder. She said ‘he looks unsure and hesitant’ , ‘Yes, but he will come back’ was my throwaway reply. I later spoke to the husband, who explained that the figure reminds them of his nephew – about to go and fight in Afghanistan.  Goosebumps.

Monotype drawing

After doing a couple of continuous-line drawings,  last thursday with the other members of Abu Dhabi Artists (the drawing group now expanded to FIVE !) I was all enthused when I got home. I decided to do some more monotype drawing still lifes, like the ones I did in Tanger, but didnt have time until yesterday, and didnt have the right paper. First I needed to position some collage papers,as chine colle,  that the monotype would go over the top of . I havent got a light box, but the french window against a bright UAE sky is just as good. Rolled up a film of bistre etching ink onto a sheet of mylar plastic, placed the collaged cartridge paper face-down on top (carefully secured with tape to the table)and drew the still life on the back. Voila ! Hinged along the top edge with masking tape , you can easily lift it up to see how the ink is transferring, it’s magic. As a printmaker I am now quite accustomed to doing things in reverse – even writing is getting easier. I then printed areas of blue and burnt sienna, and that’s a far as I’ve got. I think it needs a lot more so might add paint  too. I really could do with a whole uninterrupted day to just get on, I still havent done a finished ‘free as’  birds and cage print. My ‘to do ‘ list just gets longer and longer.

Flying visits

Dont seem to have done much work this week, time has been frittered away on chores and errands. Non-productive necessities I suppose. I am still getting side-tracked along the birds theme.  We have a stone birdbath on the balcony, which was a gift from friends in Dubai, and it attracts neighbouring feathered friends – uncluding minah birds which are messy devils unfortunately. There’s a one-legged dove that returns, but has trouble perching on the balustrade so it has to slump down on its chest. Quite clever really.

This is a detail from Foreign Species which is going in the forthcoming Fanaan show – only about 2 weeks to go. It’s painted on an old vellum house deed, which is fabulous to work on. I bought a pile of them at a fleamarket in the UK a few years ago, a very good buy as it happens. They seem to be pretty expensive these days. I still miss Casabarata  market in Tangier.

Breathtaking horsemen

Yesterday we went to the ‘Musical Ride’ of the Household Cavalry, put on as part of the Hunting & Falconry show at the exhibition centre. The organisation was faultless, the show was exciting, dramatic, and breathtakingly wonderful……and it made me cry. The stirring music and sight of those superb horsement from home, was just too much ! At the very end, after the main finale of the troop marching off, two pairs of riders with giant standards – one Union Jack and one UAE  flag – raced off at breakneck speed.  Just marvellous.

Stuff

I make other stuff apart from art, and have done for as long as I can remember. My Mum is very creative, so when I was growing up in the middle of nowhere, in Nigeria, she came up with ideas to help me pass the afternoons when school work was done. She actually taught me  for four years. Difficult sometimes – a real battle of wills ! She’s a textile artist and always making something – it would be great if I could get some photos of the things she produced at Goldsmiths, to put on this blog. They’re in her attic.                     This assemblage brooch went to a friend in the north of England.                                                             When I lived in Tangier, before returning to Abu Dhabi, I used to find some fabulous stuff at the flea market, Casabarata.  It’s one of the things I really miss. There’s nothing old in A.D. – things are replaced/refurbished/upgraded before they even begin to get any interesting patina . At Casabarata I collected a pile of big old doorkeys, rusty and wonderful. Didn’t know what do do with them for ages, then decided to hang various charms, stones, shells, bits, off colourful threads or natural wools that I dyed in rainbow colours. People liked them. I suggested hanging their own relics on them too. A well-known actor bought two a couple of years ago, at the Textile Fair in Olympia, London. Wonder what he did with them. I only have one left at present, so that’s on my to-do list.

serendipity friends

Those who are religious will obviously say that serendipitous happenings are god’s will, fate – whatever. I dont subscribe to that , I dont even think too hard about any of it – I just like it, it’s exciting ! We never know what’s round the corner – good or bad – but it’s great when from out of nowhere a new friend appears. I have a new arty friend who is also a neighbour  within walking distance – how good is that ! Five or six of us like-minded souls are embarking on drawing get-togethers, in her apartment .  No competition, no hidden agendas, we’re just going to ‘play’. I have often found that when I am being least precious about work, when it’s done with a throw-away attitude, something unexpected often comes out of it. Watch this space !

Cages and birds

Serendipity is a marvellous thing – the ‘bird’ thing began with a find in the carpark, about 6 months ago. I came across a perfectly dried, unfortunately also perfectly flat, bird. I brought it home and hung it in a cellophane bag on my studio board. A couple of months ago I did a painting of it, called  Flat Bird Memorial. It also was sparked off by a theme that I have been working on, for the next Fanaan group show – Foreign. I  featured birds in a couple of mixed media works, to do with ‘Foreign species’. Then that went off at a bit of a tangent to birdcages. I have some photos of beautiful old wooden cages, owned by a friend of mine in Tangier.

I did some drawings, cut a large shapely cage into a lino block and cut 5 bird silhouette blocks .  Now comes the serendipity again – working in the Thrift shop, the other week, sitting on top of a donation bag was a beautiful small green birdcage – destined for me , obviously ! I have only just started printing the cage and the bird shapes, but am already inspired to go off on more tangents.  Love that poem by Maya Angelou ‘I know why the caged bird sings’.

importance of old work

  Having returned from a week’s flying visit to UK, I now find my studio is almost impassable. Time for a tidy up and a clear out. I try and be restrained but when the work impulse is in full swing I havent the time to be tidy and methodical, or put things away as I go. Perhaps I should try.

The good thing about having a rummage, under all the layers of grot, is that I come across things I’d forgotten – things put in a safe place never to be seen again !  All very inspirational. I would have liked to investigate old work in the UK, while we were there, but the bathroom was being changed and I couldnt get to the relevant cupboards.

It is so important to keep old work – at present I find I am recycling actual drawings and paintings, not just the ideas. When something is 30 or 40 years old you can be less precious about it ,but see the reason why it was kept in the first place.