'Its a Peak District Thing'

Setting up - the transformation!

Had a really great day on Monday (29th July) setting up the exhibition I have curated! Feels a bit weird saying 'curated' but i have selected the work on show and dealt with the artists so therefore i reckon that classes as curated! The exhibition has the work of my favourite artist Lewis Noble. I asked Lewis in September 2012 if he would be interested in having an exhibition at the Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek and when he said yes  i was beyond excited! Alongside Lewis's work i selected Linda Rolland, a 2nd year (2013) Foundation Degree students who's work is fantastic and works so well alongside Lewis's.  We (Chris Thomspon, Exhibitions Co-coordinator and artist extraordinaire) wanted to show more than one artist and Lewis suggested his wife, Mandy Noble, who is a contemporary quilt maker. They had never had a joint show before and he was very keen to show alongside his wife.

 

The work is completely different - one a painter with expressive mark making qualities the other a quilt maker so it creates an interesting contrast of work. The 2 final artists are ceramicists Kevin Millward and David Howson. Contemporary studio ceramicists who create vessels in very different styles. Davids work i felt worked well with the textures and colours of Lewis and Lindas work and Kevins as a contrast is minimal in colour but the linear forms link to the contours of landscape and offer a contrast to the colour and texture of the other work. Mandys quilts are beautifully made and her flower and forms connect to some of the marks in Lewsis work.

The space.....

 

First of all was taking the previous exhibition down then Lewis arrived with his work - an amazing selection of paintings. Discussions about what may go where....arranging them around the room and then hammers and nails out!...over the duration of the day through thunder storms, tea breaks, lunch down in The Foxlowe cafe (well it would be rude not to) and some hairy moments moments with David Howson's delicately balanced pots the space transformed and 'It's a Peak District Thing' came to life...BRILLIANT. It looks really good and i personally am very chuffed!

 

http://lewisnoble.co.uk

www.facebook.com/lewisnobleartist

 

www.barewall.co.uk/aboutartist.asp?artist=Kevin-Millward -

Kevins work is featured in the August 2013 issue of Ceramic Review.

 

http://www.david-howson.co.uk/

 

see the transformation below...final photos to come....

 

 

Tea break time...Linda Rolland and Chris

 

 

 

The stairway takes shape .... Linda's work, inspired by the Manifold Valley, in particular Ecton Hill (coincidentally part of which is owned by my farming family so a personal connection for me)

David Howson's work

 

 

 

The Fox looks on!

 

Inspired by ....the best bass guitar line ....ever and inspiring illustration

Pixies, Michelle Thompson & Vaughan Oliver...a fab combination!

 

Whilst researching one of my favourite illustrators work, Michelle Thompson, for a students to base a task on in their Trash to Treasure project i discovered that she has worked with another great designer Vaughan Oliver. He has produced artwork for  bands such as the amazing Pixies (one of my favourites), The Breeders, Throwing Muses and the Cocteau Twins so am now sat researching Michelle Thompson's for the project work whilst listening to the Pixies (and my favourite song 'Hey' - with THE best bass line ever) to inspire project ideas for student's - not a bad way to spend your afternoon!

'Vaughan Oliver is one of the great (music) designers. His work is highly original and often breathtakingly beautiful. Probably best known for his work for The Pixies and Cocteau Twins on the 4AD label, Oliver’s designs for Scott Walker, His Name Is Alive, Heidi Berry and many other lesser known names is just as remarkable. For someone who claims to have been uninspired by typography at college, his use of type is a joy. In its gestural expressiveness it focuses and enlivens each design with tremendous inventiveness. Oliver’s work often foregrounds dark images produced by photographers who are essential collaborators in the creative process (key names include Simon Larbalestier, Nigel Grierson and Marc Atkins). Also central to his process is a willingness to experiment and a deep engagement with the music. The result is work that is passionate, elegant and highly influential'. http://www.hardformat.org/designers/vaughan-oliver-designer/

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.vaughanoliver.co.uk

 

'Hey' - Pixies - You tube video - have a listen...brilliant song.

 

 

Michelle Thompson

 

 http://www.michelle-thompson.com/portfolio.asp

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michelle Thompson has been at the forefront of illustration since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1996. She has worked successfully in publishing, editorial and design.

Her illustrations have appeared internationally, most notably in collaboration with the influential British designer Vaughan Oliver. Michelle has also illustrated Cherie Blair's book, 'The Goldfish Bowl' and more recently 'The Wasp Factory' by Iain Banks. She illustrates a regular column for The Globe and Mail in Toronto.

Other clients include the Royal Mail, BBC, Reebok, Penguin Books, The Guardian and many others. Her work has been featured in the international design press including Creative Review, Communication Arts and Graphics International and can be found in numerous design books including Hand & Eye and Picture Book by Angus Hyland (Pentagram).

Michelle's work includes mark making, collage and photography combined with digital processes. She works with found and created elements, figurative, abstract and typographic. Her work is uniquely versatile and constantly evolving.

Michelle works using a combination of traditional collage techniques and digital technology.

"Editorial work tends to be digital for speed but I still work by hand when the circumstances allow. More often it's a combination of techniques. I have a huge archive of elements collected over the past 15 years. Everything from postcards, books and magazines, to wood block type, typewriters and printing sets. I use paint and ink, pens and pencils, as well as my own photography."

 

 

MOSI

MOSI - Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester

www.mosi.org.uk/

 

 

There is a really interesting interactive media installation/sculpture in the foyer of the museum - where you have your photograph taken and appear as part of the installation on the huge bank of screens - your photograph moving around as other's are added - you can access the photo and vox pops then on the MOSI website.

The huge spiral digital sculpture in the Revolution Manchester Gallery celebrates 24 of the scientific and industrial achievements that made Manchester a world leader from the late eighteenth century through to the present day. 

 

 www.mosi.org.uk/media/34423019/digital%20sculpture.pdf

 

Also around the museum is some interesting art on display amongst the 'sciencey things'.

 

 

 

 

Interesting Textiles Gallery for students interested in this area of study exploring the history of textiles in the Manchester area.Working machinery, hands-on exhibits, artworks and human stories bring to life the story of Manchester's textile industry. Explore the properties of different fibres and fabrics, and try out processes such as braiding and weaving. A merchant's office gives a sense of what it was like to sell the cotton goods that made Manchester famous worldwide. You can examine samples of fabrics made in Manchester for export to West Africa. Watch yarn being spun and turned into cloth while our presenters explain what's happening and what mill work was like. Several of the working machines were made by Platt Bros. of Oldham, once the world's leading manufacturer of textile machinery. Follow the production process through the finishing stages of design, dyeing, printing and making-up to the afterlife of textile recycling. Artworks feature throughout the gallery, adding colour, insight and surprise. The noise, dust, etc from just one weaving machine makes you realise how very hard life must have been for those working in the mills.

 

 

The current exhibition looks great:

 

Creating the Illusion: Animation in the North West
Sat 22 Jun – Sun 3 Nov 2013

 

From the quirky to the groundbreaking, MOSI’s collections are nationally and internationally important. The new Highlights Gallery in the historic Station Building will house a changing programme of exhibitions showcasing gems from our extraordinary collections and exploring the fascinating stories behind them.

 

From simple moving images created using magic lantern slides in the Edwardian era to 2D, stop motion and CGI techniques used today, Manchester and the North West have been at the forefront of animation. This small exhibition explores the development of the internationally renowned Cosgrove Hall Films and its crucial impact on animation. Learn about key personalities, watch animated sequences and have a go at creating your own simple moving image. The exhibition showcases MOSI’s significant collections alongside rarely seen objects from personal collections, including famous puppets, and will fascinate whether you are a fan of Chorlton and the Wheelies, Danger Mouse or Toby’s Travelling Circus.

 

Promoting Leek College at Peak District Artisans fair

Promoting Leek College Art, Design, Media & Photography

Chris and I set up a display at the Dome at Buxton & Leek College, Buxton yesterday. The Peak District Artsians show is on this weekend with over 50  of best professional fine artists, designer makers and contemporary artisans based in and around the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District in England. Joanne Reay, a current student on the Leek College Foundation Degree in Contemporary Art Practice course is now a member of the PDA and will be exhibiting her work there this weekend (20th & 21st July 2013).

Hopefully all those artistic and creative visitors to the dome and that are visiting the show will see the display of the marvellous work our Degree, Diploma and A Level students produce and rush to do a course with us...fingers crossed!

Joanne Reay

http://www.peakdistrictartisans.co.uk/artist/joanne-reay/

Joanne trained to be a Technical Illustrator at Mid-Cheshire College of FE in Northwich when she left school. She worked for companies such as Rolls Royce and Massey Ferguson amongst others to create exploded line drawings of working engines which was very controlled and disciplined.

Family life meant that Joanne barely picked up a pencil or paint brush up for 16 years as she brought up two children but when her daughter began her GCSE Art, she was inspired to start up again and eagerly experimented with new techniques and new media whilst studying at Leek College in Staffordshire on a Foundation Degree in Contemporary Art Practice.

As a mixed media artist, Joanne likes to create spontaneous, bright and colourful pieces usually on aluminium. Inspired by family issues, she likes to focus on the positive side of life and portray this in her work using a wide range of techniques including screen printing, collage, image transfer and painting.

You can now find Joanne selling her Artwork, Giclee Prints and Cards at the Sunday Supplement Market in Leek, Staffordshire on the 1st Sunday of the month and occassionally on the Treacle Market in Macclesfield and the Artisan Market in Wilmslow. Also, events in Buxton at the Pavillion Gardens and The Devonshire Dome are regulary attended.

Yes to Marmite...NO to Cher...Farewell lovely art students!

Sad time of year when the students leave but the flip side is occasionally you get fab gifts - this was a classic gift from the lovely Anna Hartley...the story goes - I made the 'mistake'  of mentioning to a group one day  that i would rather have pins stuck in my eyes than listen to Cher  - maybe a bit extreme but...Cher!! (sorry to any Cher fans reading this...just a personal thing!) ..the mistake being then that i found pictures of cher on my window and had to endure Cher on trips and played in the base rooms...never show your weakness to a student! when Anna left this was the brill present i got from her..thank you Anna, you're a star!

Anna and me receiving my chocolate plaque!

 

Knowing i'm a huge Marmite fan I also had really fab and thoughtful gift of a marmite mug and key ring (thanks Molly) ...and a bottle of wine & some joss sticks that relieve stress  - what are you saying Justin!! Stressed...moi!

Thought provoking exhibition: John Rylands Library, Manchester

An Inventory of al-Mutanabbi Street

I recently visited a brilliant and thought provoking exhibition at the John Rylands Library in Manchester. Following on from a tutorial with Ela, one of the Foundation Degree students who had seen the exhibition and had decided to use it as the inspiration for her final 3rd year project. I love books and books as art forms in their own right and this exhibition had an amazing amount of artistsic books on display. All inspired by  a very emotive subject of a bombing in Baghdad.

This exhibition is the result of a project concieved by poet Beau Beausoleil and artist Sarah Bodman to "re-assemble" the "inventory" of reading material that was lost in the car bombing of al-Mutanabbi Street on 5 March 2007 - an attack in which more than 30 people died and more than 100 were wounded.

Book artists from around the world were asked to produce works which reflected both the strength and fragility of books, but also showed the endurance of the ideas within them, in response to the attack on the heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community.
 
"The project is both a lament and a commemoration of the singular power of words. We hope that these books will make visible the literary bridge that connects us, made of words and images that move back and forth between the readers in Iraq and ourselves" - The al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition.

 

 

The Al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition is not an anti-war project, nor is it a healing project. The coalition feels that until we truly see what happened on this one winding street of booksellers and readers, on this one day in Baghdad, until we understand all the implications of an attack on the printed word and its writers, printers, booksellers and readers, until we see that this is our street, until then, we cannot truly move forward.

 

http://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/mutanmain12.htm

Baghdad's 'Street of the Booksellers' honoured at Manchester's John Rylands library

Christopher Thomond for the Guardian Northerner looks at some of the delicate 'artists' books' which bear witness to the world's determination that free speech will survive in Iraq: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/gallery/2013/mar/05/libraries-iraq-almutanabbi-booksellers-johnrylands-manchester

 

images taken at the exhibition below: