The Bowery

All are welcome to the preview of Textures of Spurn at The Bowery (Headingley, Leeds) this Friday.  The event is from 6-8pm and there will be refreshments and nibbles.  Also showing is In Search of Green by Hannah Lamb.  Hannah's work is based around her experience of woodland and river near her home.  These two exhibitions will be a feast of landscape inspired textiles.

This exhibition will feature Spurn Cloth #2, hung in a different format to the previous venues and with an extended installation unique to The Bowery.

images from the old town

Gallery 49 is situated in the old town of Bridlington, tucked away from the busy harbour area and all the trappings of a British seaside town.  Its lovely large georgian windows mean the gallery is streaming with light and it was lovely to see the room fill up with work last Friday, ready for the opening the following day.  Here are some images from the 'White Room'.

Gallery 49

The next outing for Textures of Spurn is at the lovely Gallery 49 in Bridlington.  The exhibition is open from 6th to 27th April and there will be a launch event on Saturday 6th between 12 and 4pm, when I'll be at the gallery.  Come and say hello.

There will also be work by Stef Mitchell, Colin Self and Margaret Lawrenson on show. 

Spurn news

Do keep an eye on the new Spurn Artists in Residence blog for news of up-coming events in the lighthouse.  The next one is in a weeks time when there is an exhibition by the Hull University Social Sciences dept.  This is an opportunity to see inside the lighthouse as well as learn about the work of the department.  There is also a lovely film on there about embracing change in coastal landscapes and creative projects related to it.

autumnal tint

I arrived on Spurn yesterday and have the next few days to prepare for the exhibition.  It's amazing how quickly things change.  When I was last here, only three weeks ago, there was a hint of autumn in the colours of vegetation.  This week it feels decidedly autumnal.  There are wonderful bright berries on the sea buckthorn as well as on hawthorn and lovely hips on the various roses.  An evening walk was full of warm light on the grasses and seed heads along the estuary and clear views coupled with a spectacular sunset.

There are particularly high tides early this week and therefore there is the threat of a wash-over on the road.  So far the weather looks to be such that this may not happen as the wind, although strong, is south westerly.  There are lots of white horses on the Humber but the sea level isn't affected enough to wash right over, at least it didn't yesterday.

I had a session with a photographer yesterday for a press article and then some time with Gavin, a film maker who will be the next artist in residence at Spurn. He is making a film about the different people that come to Spurn.  It's lovely to have a little involvement in the next project to happen here.

This morning I had the task of cleaning the lighthouse.  I started at the top and swept all the way to the bottom, six floors in all (I keep meaning to count those steps - there are a lot!).  It was a dirty job and I needed a good shower afterwards.  It isn't exactly clean and I probably raised as much dust as I collected but at least all the loose stuff that accumulates has been cleared up.  I can start setting things up tomorrow, once the dust has settled.

 

 

open studio

Alongside the exhibition on 21st-23rd at the lighthouse Ruth Brown of Stone Creek Silks will be opening her studio to visitors.  Therefore there is a chance to take in more than one event in the area at the same time.

Ruth teaches a range of taster sessions plus one, two and five day workshops on a variety of textile subjects as well as exciting, new, City & Guilds courses in Textile Decoration (Art cloth) and Creative Computing. 

She will be opening her studio, Stone Creek Barn, to coincide with my exhibition, so you can have a look at the Studio and see her demonstrating some of the techniques you can learn. The Barn will be open from 10am to 4pm on the 21-23 September. You will also be able to meet her friend Jane White, who is a brilliant couture dressmaking and pattern cutting tutor. 

Ruth is multi-talented and has helped me publish the book I've put together to document my residency. 

interesting find

I came across the blog of Annemarie Tickle recently and have started corresponding with her.  Her work is based on the landscape of Spurn and particularly the view across the Humber to the south bank.  We share common interests and we hope to meet up when I'm next at Spurn.