Watching a river

I've been watching a river. 

I was staying in the Yorkshire Dales in Wharfedale and these shots are of the lovely moody River Wharfe which held my gaze when I wasn't climbing hills or exploring caves and other features of limestone landscapes that this region is famous for. 

Wharfe is a celtic name meaning winding river, and I love the wide sweeping curves between the oaks and chestnuts, but there are weirs and waterfalls, gorges and quieter places where trout snatch at flies.

As you can see, the weather was pretty moody as well. My camera frowned a lot, so lots of my shots are disappointing. Will post some more soon if I can rescue them.

It's a region that knows all about the colour green, so no surprise that I found and bought a new raincoat while I was staying there, having been looking for one for months. It's obviously what brought on our current heatwave. The beach here back at home is packed with people soaking up the sunny glory as they cloud it with bbq smoke, and I'm making the most of strolling out at dawn or dusk. 

It was great to have a week off writing and odd to walk for miles and not write, as the two things are so obviously connected for me. (Yes, I rarely have time off my creative work, but it was exactly what I needed before I get on with polishing a huge project I'm working on and hoping to bring to a show. Normal service has resumed since I've been back with the words rattling away and a couple of new poems emerging.)

I'm remembering so many vistas with hardly anyone there and no traffic, a place where the weather on the uplands changes the valley within hours.

***

If you're in Brighton tomorrow, I'm playing in the Wildcard Quartet. Should be an interesting one - violin with guitar, percussion and dance. Here's the link to all the info. 

Buried treasure

So many blogs...so little time

said Seth Apter at The Altered Page who is hosting a gathering today called Buried Treasure.

This has been an annual event where participants re-post a favourite post that appeared on their blog. Another of Seth's great ways to bring lots of bloggers together. Links will be added through the day on Seth's blog from those participating, so take a look and see what you discover! Thanks to Seth for bringing us all together.

For me, there was no question about what to re-post. There was a drawing workshop last year that took me into another world and I had a ball. Interesting that at the moment, despite being busy with the biggest project of my life, my artwork is nudging me into finding better ways of working. My previous post described where I seem to be heading with it. All very exciting.

However, right now, I'm going to be recalling one of the happiest times as I re-post these next words. Enjoy!

Drawn to the beat (from 18th May 2011)

Click!

So, you cover the whole floor in paper, get out some crayons and turn the music up loud!!

I didn't know that the secret headbanger in me would be in her element when I went to a workshop called Drawn to the beat last Saturday night. It has to be one of the most memorable night's ever, and certainly top of my drawing experiences.

It was given by Naomi Kendrick who is a visual artist from Manchester. There's lots of info about her work on her blog including some video of such an event. The photos are gorgeous as well. This all happened at Fabrica, where I've also done other unusual workshops that I've previously posted about.

I had thought that I might snap a few shots before, during and after. However.......

........I got a bit carried away and 2 hours had passed by in a crayon frenzy with sweat running down the side of my face as I worked before I knew it. It reminded me a bit of ecstatic dance without much footwork. Totally engrossing. In another world. Just wonderful. (That glass of beer afterwards was pretty wonderful as well!!)

THANK YOU NAOMI and THANK YOU FABRICA!!

All these shots are taken across the finished floor. As you can see, there wasn't much white paper left by the time the music stopped!!

This last one shows my work in the foregound with the dark swooping shape and the geometric circle. Guess it measured about 4 foot across. My knee discovered that rather lovely grid cover in the floor which became more and more golden as I worked.

Found on the undercliff

Walking along, thinking of nothing in particular, I found this board, carried it home even though it made my hand blue and rubbed chalk down one leg. I thought I'd use it as a base for a painting, except....

Except, having had it in the kitchen since the weekend, I love it exactly how it is! Treasure!

And it has got me thinking. This is the kind of artwork I've been attempting (and failing) to produce these last few years. So, instead of using square or rectangular canvases and boards, guess where I'll be looking? Yes, the tide line and maybe a skip in a backstreet for discards. And instead of tightening up and scratching my head hoping to be inspired I just need to press go and explore materials in a way more akin to how I do free writing or free improv music. More akin to how I produce other work that I then go on to polish or edit or develop. More akin to how I work best.

I always liked throwing and pouring ink, rubbing surfaces in sand and grit, letting the land add something to my sketches, using thick gesso or decorating filler and scratching into it.

All very exciting. I feel the kitchen table might not do any more!