Clive Hicks-Jenkins
Saturday 10th May sees the opening of 'Telling Tales', an exhibition of new work by Clive Hicks-Jenkins.
Clive was born in 1951 in Newport, South Wales. From his early twenties until his mid thirties, he was an actor, choreographer, director and stage designer, creating productions with leading companies. He moved back to Wales permanently in the late 1980’s to concentrate on his work as an artist. His work has been selected for several prestigious institutions, including the Royal Academy.
For his new exhibition at Oriel Tegfryn, the artist has made new works of Hervé and Kevin, and has been revisiting his Mari Lwyd theme. In 2012 Mid Wales Chamber Orchestra commissioned composer Mark Bowden and Aberystwyth-born poet Damian Walford Davies, to make a chamber-work with a spoken libretto, taking inspiration from the artist's 2001 series of large black and white Mari Lwyd drawings known collectively as The Mare's Tale. Last year Clive Hicks-Jenkins designed and directed the first Mid Wales Chamber Orchestra performance of The Mare's Tale, and Oriel Tegfryn will be showing paintings he's subsequently produced, inspired by its music and libretto.
Clive has also recently been inspired by the theme of Stravinsky’s The Soldier's Tale, in which Joseph the soldier unwittingly makes a pact he'll come to regret. Last year Clive Hicks-Jenkins was commissioned to make an animated-film to accompany a performance of The Soldier's Tale at the Hay Festival, and his new paintings further exploring the story are at the heart of this, his first solo exhibition at Oriel Tegfryn.
The exhibition runs from 10th-29th May 2014 at Oriel Tegfryn, Cadnant Road, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5EW. Telephone 01248 715128. Find out more
We're delight that Clive is contributing to the second issue of Random Spectacular, to be published June 2014. Find out more about the publication by subscribing to our newsletter.
Bronwen Sleigh at Hidden Door
Until 5th April 2014 artist Bronwen Sleigh is exhibiting a range of new sculptures at this group exhibition in the old vaults on Market Street in Edinburgh. Participating artists each have a vault space to show their work. The graphic, geometric sculptures seem as though drawn with wire, metal and thread and have a close link with her architecturally-inspired prints.
Hidden Door is a not-for-profit arts production organisation set up in 2010 by David Martin, a visual artist and art lecturer based in Edinburgh. As well as a range of artists' work there are also live performances.
Find out more about Bronwen Sleigh's work and the Hidden Door festival.
Paul Furneaux
Yesterday we visited the Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh to see Paul Furneaux's exhibition Inside:Out.
The show illustrates Furneaux’s developments from 2D print works to 3D wall mounted sculptural objects incorporating print. He uses traditional Japanese woodcut techniques to explore landscape and interior space using a simplified language of abstraction, distillation and contemplation.
Furneaux received a Masters in Japanese woodblock printing and was recently invited to the Mokuhanga Innovative Laboratory at the foot of Mount Fuji with five International artists to deepen his knowledge of this medium. He also explores combining the mokuhanga technique with etching.
In addition to creating and exhibiting his work, Paul also runs occasional courses in the Japanese water-based woodblock printing technique at Edinburgh Printmakers.
Inside:Out runs at Open Eye Gallery until 2nd April 2014. Find out more
New paintings by Amy Dennis
Painter Amy Dennis has a new exhibition of paintings at The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh from 6th February to 1st March 2014.
Born in 1977, Amy studied Drawing and Painting at Edinburgh College of Art from 1996-2000. She's interested in the landscape as a stage and creates composite images with still life objects and observed views.
For this latest exhibition, she has painted landscapes and gardens around Edinburgh using the ancient medium of egg tempera on Italian gesso and more experimental techniques.
Amy was the third prize-winner of the Jolomo/Bank of Scotland award for Scottish landscape painting in 2013.
View further examples of the paintings Amy will be exhibiting over at The Scottish Gallery website.
The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HZ.
Picture Hooks
We recently went along to the opening of an exhibition of emerging Scottish picture books illustrators at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Picture Hooks was set up by author Vivian French and agent Lucy Juckes. Initially, they held a conference at the Edinburgh College of Art, to demystify the picture book publishing industry and assist new graduates from art school in their journey towards publication.
Then, under the guidance of established professional, prize-winning illustrators – Catherine Rayner, Ross Collins, Natalie Russell, Alison Murray and Sue Heap – five illustrators were mentored for a year, giving them the chance to focus step by step on the development of their work. Their work now forms a stunning new exhibition at The Scottish National Gallery which runs until February 2014.
Co-founder and author Vivian French says: “It’s been a huge and exciting journey for all five illustrators and the development of their work has been sensational.”
The award of Picture Hooks Scottish Illustrator 2013 was presented by acclaimed artist John Bryne to illustrator Laura Clark, and Orchard Books, a sponsor and supporter of the mentorship scheme, selected Stuart Simpson as the illustrator for potential publication.
Picture Hooks is supported by partners Orchard Books, The Edinburgh College of Art and Creative Scotland.
Find out more about the Picture Hooks scheme and the exhibition at The National Gallery of Scotland which runs until 16th February 2014.
Here are examples of the work exhibited by three of the emerging illustrators...
Laura Clark
Stuart Simpson
Lesley Barnes
Naomi Howarth
Kasia Matyjaszek
Clare Leighton
December 10th 2013 sees the opening of Clare Leighton: Working Life at The Pallant House Gallery, Chichester.
The artist Clare Leighton (1898-1989) was best known for her wood-engravings illustrating rural life in England, Europe and the USA. She illustrated over 65 books, as well as writing and illustrating her own books such as ‘The Farmer’s Year: A Calendar of English Husbandry’ (1933) and ‘Four Hedges: A Gardener’s Chronicle' (1935).
In 1952 Leighton was commissioned by Wedgwood to create a series of 12 wood engravings to be transfer-printed onto dinner plates. These were on the theme of traditional industries in New England.
Several of the original wood blocks and plates will form part of the exhibition.
View more images of these plates over at Flotsam & Jetsam, a blog by Simon Martin, artistic director of the Pallant House Gallery.
Clare Leighton: Working Life is in the De’Longhi Print Room at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester UK from 10th December 2013 - 24th February 2014 Find out more
A Natural Line
Many thanks to everyone who came along to the recent opening event for my Yorkshire Sculpture Park exhibition, A Natural Line.
And special thanks to Simon Martin, Artistic Director at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester for his opening speech.
The exhibition features about 60 framed works - limited edition prints, paintings and collaged pieces. I'm exhibiting a number of new prints there, including Lakeside Teasels and Ramsons and Campion.
The exhibition runs until 23rd February 2014 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield. For opening times and directions, visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park website.
