Following the Thames

Some inspiration on an eight mile walk along the Thames from Putney to Richmond.

1) stone figure, Putney
2) glass found on the beach opposite Fulham FC
3) stars on Hammersmith Bridge
4) flightpath over Mortlake
5) cherry blossom in Kew
6) spaceman in Barnes
7) Grace Jones canal-boat prow, Kew
8) man in tree, Richmond

Austin Emery

Last week my artistically minded and renowned food-writing friend Oona van den Berg invited me to the private view of sculptor Austin Emery's new exhibition called, wait of it, EXPRESSTANEOUSMOMENTERIALISM!
It was a fun evening and I had an interesting conversation with Austin about his development as a sculptor. He started and still works as a very talented architectural stone carver. But for him that's just the day job; yes, that's far too easy! What really excites him right now is the spontaneous use of the creative impulse to fashion sculpture without preconception, and this exhibition includes stone carving, painting and mixed media.

<--- STONE FIGURE

I particularly liked his figures made from bones found in the Thames river bed at low tide and can picture him down in the mud scavenging, beneath the classically carved gargoyle-peppered London riverside frontages, that he can knock up himself of course in an afternoon!

I will be interested to see how Austin continues to develop his work, blending both his fine stone carving skills with his recently unleashed passion for the spontaneous and avant garde.
Exhibition runs till Thursday this week, don't miss it!

BONE FIGURE ----->

Icy Something

Possibly inspired by my icy undertakings, my Dad now seems to be becoming highly adept at spotting nature's artistry. He just sent me this beautiful creation. Prizes if you can guess what it is or how it was formed!

Quick Freeze

Spending a week in the Swiss Alps at Wengen, I experimented with water and ice sculpture. The environment was very helpful as the outside temperature on my balcony was below zero all the time. This meant I was able to freeze and fuse water in various shapes very quickly. In the small pictures on the right you can see ice shapes formed in bottles, plastic bags and other sundry containers. The way the ice crystals start forming is amazing to watch. On the left are two slightly more beautiful efforts constructed by fusing ice pieces that I had set in various pots, lids and caps.

Monolith

Spent several hours making this monolith with the help of my brother Chris, niece Rebecca and nephew James over the snowy weekend. Finishing height achieved is about 12-13ft.

Ice Crystals

Appropriately for the winter solstice some beautiful ice crystals

Choc City

This cast looks like some futuristic cityscape, don't you think?

Inspiration

If you feel uninspired, don't know what to make, sculpt, paint etc. just look around you! Inspiration is everywhere! I find that I draw inspiration from the world around me all the time. Here are a four photos I have taken in the last 10 days which have given me loads of creative ideas.

Disposable polystyrene cup with my doodle

Girl lying on wall in autumn sun, Lewes, Sussex

Dead heather, cropped & dug up from my garden

Sunrise at Balham station

A Big Carrot

I made a big carrot for a food festival, Tooting Harvest Foodival, last week. Big vegetables are relatively easy to make if you can't grow your own. Although I did have to go through a couple of prototypes like the one on the right which was not strong enough. I found that the solution was to make a basic carrot structure out of cardboard, then paste newspaper and finally orange tissue paper over it. A bit of acrylic paint adds texture, add some "leaves" and there you are! OK, I agree, it's no Botticelli, it's a rudimentary quick paper carrot ... but it's surprisingly easy to get a good enough effect and a very positive response from the public!

Fiesa Sand Sculptures

The Fiesa sand sculpture exhibition is possibly the largest of its kind in the world. Set over about 2 acres in Pera in southern Portugal, Fiesa has been running since 2003 and is absolutely amazing! This year's theme is "Discovery".

Flower Mosaic

Another mosaic using discarded materials, this time a less formalised, more abstract design set into the back of what was an Indian thakat cupboard door; the metal rectangle at the bottom is a lock. Lovely bit of wood. I have now discovered a technique using the tile nippers for more reliably cutting longer strips of mirror like the ones here. Not quite sure if I have finished this one yet mind you ...

Mandala Mosaic

Here is a mosaic I rustled up last week from items I found discarded on a rubbish tip - broken tiles, a mirror and an old table top. It's amazing what you can achieve with patience and a pair of tile nippers. The finished product is actually quite difficult to photograph due to the number of mirror pieces!

Below with flowers and leaves (and me!) reflected

and here adding some light in a dark hallway

Steve Glynn's Big Fish

I met mosaic and papier mache artist Steve Glynn at a Brixton Art Exhibition the other week. I really liked his amazing large mosaic fish and am inspired to at least have a go at doing a pilchard of my own! The mirror cutting is especially impressive.

Check out Steve's site here

Sand Face

I was in Portugal last week so took the opportunity to scare the local kids on the beach with this sand sculpture. Far from being put off two 6 year-olds gawped then went off and created their own version of this!

Wax Buddha

Another attempt at wax carving, aiming at a Buddha image to cast in metal. It's hard to carve this wax which is quite sticky. I am using a small craft knife and a wooden tool. A better finish seems to come using my fingersGetting closer to a lifelike image hopefully. Haven't quite worked out a good technique for the fine details on the face yet.

Creation ... Destruction ...

Creation, destruction, the perpetual cycle of existence continues

Alabaster Figure

A small figure carved from an alabaster shard as I sat in the sun

Great Art & Sculpture Venues of the World

#467 The Foundry, Old St, EC2A
Returning this week for a visit to my old local of many years, I was glad to encounter a Tyrannosurus Rex and some decent "TV". The Foundry may look like a squat but the craic is good and there's always an interesting exhibition or two either upstairs in the bar, in the "Library" or in the old bank vault downstairs and ANYONE can exhibit. The loos meanwhile boast extensive graffiti.

Paper Laminate Mask

Paper laminate mask made over plaster face cast and painted in acrylics. Please watch the video!

Garden Mosaic

A mosaic made from a broken mirror, plates and tiles on the wall in my garden, covering a blind window.

The wall is gradually getting populated by other sculptures.
Meanwhile a blackbird has made a nest among the clematis.