I had thought that these last two months of the year would be quiet times, being indoors and with every opportunity to paint more in the studio, but I was wrong!
During these two months I got to know the Mall galleries fairly well as I became a frequent visitor, either taking paintings to or collecting unselected pictures from the handing in desk, coupled with the occasional exhibition viewing. As I have already reported in last month’s blog – one painting eventually got one hung in the ROI exhibition and much to my great surprise I found out that it was one of the first that sold!!
My entry for the Threadneedle Prize unfortunately didn’t make the wall and won’t be in their show in February, but it was nice to be pre-selected.
A great afternoon at the Mall gallery sharing the private viewing with all the exhibitors for the ROI show.
The other activity in November that I was very much looking forward to, was my 3 day course at Combe Farm Studios in Devon with Laurel Keeley working out an idea I had for making some Japanese style ceramic dishes. I wanted to use two coloured clays, black and terra cotta to create some square, slightly dished black shapes with circular ring in terra cotta sitting at the centre. I had worked out the method to produce them using a wire harp to cut 10mm thick slices form a prepared block of clay leaving the fine slice marks as the unglazed surface. I had some success in producing 5 dishes in those few days, but the process of joining the clay components to produce the solid clay block had some problems, which I will need to overcome. At this time I am awaiting the firing of them in Laurel’s capable hands, but I will be surprised if they all fire without some weaknesses appearing.
The dish shapes in raw clay which will term black & red when fired. The last picture shows one with a few fun ‘feet’ which was an inspired addition on the last day!
Next month I will be back to painting in earnest, as I am hoping to submit to the RWS. Open competition in January 2016.
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