Here we are almost two months after my last post and we have changed our clocks ready for the winter months. Autumn has arrived and now we have had a week of high winds and rain, my fingers are itching to get into the garden as it is calling for attention and the although the sunshine was very enticing the ground was still too hard to dig, hopefully now I can crack on!
I have had three exhibitions, one as part of the Fete des Arts in the neighbouring village which was my fifth participation and the second as a part of open studios when my garage became a gallery for the weekend. This weekend participated in Arts et Fact a new art show in a local village, it was well attended and I demonstrated during the day. Then in November I am travelling south for a weekend exhibition. The year will end and 2027 will start with an exhibition in the Maison de Charente-Maritime which will run for a month, I am exhibiting alongside 4 other artists who are painters and sculptors.
Two new pieces which were exhibited.
As the weather cooled and before it became wet I spent time painting with pigments, preparing cloths to stitch during the winter months, once I have painted the cloth it has to cure for a month prior to being used. I decided to stop eco-printing until the spring when the leaves will be less dried out, unless I get tempted by something that I see and can’t resist. As usual I have plenty of ideas turning in my head I just need to apply myself.
A couple of weeks ago I spent two nights in Bordeaux, it was my first visit and there was a great deal to see, I need to return to do more. We went to the Bassins des lumières,(images below) an old submarine base where the images are projected onto the concrete walls and which reflect into the pools of water. The main show and longest was Matisse, his story was narrated while the images turned, rarely static, and the effect with the reflection was magical. Then there was a short session on Frida Kahlo which I was less enamoured by. In the Cube where the floor acted as a mirror there were two short shows one about dreams and the other geometric lines which was excellent. Apart from walking around the outside of the Cité de Vin, various churches and streets, some shopping happened, we went to the Capc, the Contemporary Art museum, there wasn’t a great deal to see but there was a great screen print (image below) made on polished metal using wood dust as the ink made by Olu Ogunnaike. The wood dust came from sanding beams in the building, which is a wonderful old warehouse with links to the slave trade.
I am up to date with my journal quilts and also with Fifteen by Fifteen.
A while back I did an on-line interview about the course, I did with Claire Benn last year, about using earth pigments which has really affected the way in which I want to work, this is the link; https:/taketwoart.com/featured_stories/student-story-caroline-higgs .
