Slow Start
And making a mess…
Hello, so sorry I haven’t written for a while.
Last year was full of lots of difficult things and I sort of stopped painting for a while, or at least painting anything I really liked and this year has been a slow start, a real struggle. I have been painting but everything is rubbish - I have a studio full of various versions of portraits of my friend Sophie - all of them disastrous…
Self Portrait - Yellow Scarf - I do like this one!
I’ve been etching too, on a course with Emma Gregory at Spike Island and have just joined the etching studio there. I’m inexperienced and everything I do is an experiment. But I’m learning to enjoy this process - an expensive process with copper plates - of making mistakes, making a mess. And the joy of being at Spike is that you are surrounded by all sorts of established, experienced printmakers who are doing brilliant, ambitious things so you can learn by all that is going on around you.
I’ve been writing more poems and trying to get back to doing open mic, I’ve been making sketchbooks, drawing a lot (which normally I avoid because of my love of the thick oily messiness of paint) drawing with lots of different materials on all sorts of surfaces.
I’ve even been on a stand-up comedy course with the incredible Amy Mason. I’ve always had a fascination with comedy but always thought ‘not for someone like me’ but maybe… And even if it’s not I’m going to enjoy finding out! And I’m life modelling again…
So I am officially trying to do too much - painting, printing, poetry, modelling, maybe a bit of comedy. I’m enjoying making a mess, making mistakes and all the failures because hopefully it will all lead to something better. It all feeds in? Right?!?!? Right?!?!?
And it needs to! I have two exhibitions at the end of this year. The one that I’ve been procrastinating about for the last couple of years because I can’t quite get a handle on it and how it needs to be. And the other for Satellite of Love for their 10th anniversary - Satellite of Love is a brilliant poetry night that I am artist in residence for this year. Oh and a couple of other small projects with artist friends.
I’ve also decided to start making lists of all the exhibitions and things I go to - partly for me but also to recommend to you - I’ll try and do it each month - this is the last 2 months worth so I’m afraid some things have finished…
Exhibitions
Picasso - printmaker - British Museum
until 30th March
Brilliant - also good because I never go to the British Museum because it is so overwhelming but this is the way to do it, go in for something specific, get out again!
Rinko Kawauchi - At the Edge of the Everyday World, Arnolfini
Just finished
Beautiful photography of evanescent moments -went to it over and over
Alexis Soul Gray - Memory Play - Bo Lee and Workman, Bruton
Until 8th March
Love her work - go and see!
Alexis Soul Gray
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye “Keep The Moon Amongst Ourselves”, Corvi Mora, london
Until 1st March
Oh my her paintings, her paint - obviously I immediately ordered some herringbone linen!
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye
The Society of Wood Engravers, Bankside Gallery
Until Sunday
Can’t get enough print inspiration at the moment.
Lives Less Ordinary - Working-Class Britain Re-seen, Two Temple Place, London
Until 20th April
Extraordinary exhibition in an incredible building and the juxtaposition of the two makes it even more perfect. Recommend!
Joan Eardley at Lives Less Ordinary
RWA Biennial Open 2025: Paper Works - RWA Bristol
Until 27th April
So many beautiful things - need to go again and again
Print Press and Roll - Centrespace, Bristol
Until Monday
Many of Bristol’s finest print makers all in one room - excellent!
Gigs of all kinds
Satellite of Love - Tim Munson headlining - John Sebastian Lightship
Didn’t think you need to see a man in his 60s rapping - think again! Cried laughing - amazing!
John Grant at Bristol Beacon
Always so good
John Grant
‘Joy’ Luke Wright - Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
Wow - poetry, performance, anecdotes, honesty
I think I’ve missed some things…
And as well as this I’ve just been with my wonderful and creative friends and I seem to be in various of the most supportive and inspiring WhatsApp groups.
And you know all of the stuff of life is going on all around, why can’t it ever stop? I don’t think a time exists when everything is calm around you - does it?
Anyway a very belated Happy New Year - I need to get back to my mess…