Sea Gazing and Drawing

 

One of the things I like about being near the sea, is being able to just look at the sea. Here in Margate the new steps by the harbour are a good place to just sit and watch the waves. 

On the Harbour Arm you can also watch the waves breaking on the walls, and if you are not quick enough, get sprayed by the incoming waves too.

There is something quite meditative and absorbing gazing on the sea, with the continuous movement of waves forming and dissolving. I find my mind moves with this rhythm and opens to the experience.

This week I sat on the steps and with a fine liner pen traced the movements of the waves on the sea.

It's something that I want to do more of, maybe with a few different colours.

Light Colour Texture exhibition at the Pie Factory Margate.

 

I went to the Pie Factory to see their latest exhibition, Light Colour Texture, a show by members of See Glass and friends.  Their website here

They have put on a really good exhibition with a variety of work, the main medium being glass.

See Glass was formed in 2012 by a group of Kent-based glass artists  including Christine Maccormick, Fred Hollick, Jennifer Anne Brown,  Lucy Prescott, R Alison Davis and Trish Dixon, 

 Jennifer Anne Brown was in the Pie Factory when I went along and we chatted a bit about the show and her work, which includes a lot of recycled glass. I liked the idea of using old screens and other waste glass products.

  Her piece Till Death, intrigued me it explores death, ascension and re-incarnation and  includes strung pieces of glass and  glass feathers.  I liked the effect of the shadows from the work on the wall, adding to the sense of  movement and change.
 In Making Waves Mermaid Tails, Jennifer shows brightly coloured and textured glass that is very attractive.

 


Lucy Prescott's work  Margate Harbour had me looking at the landmarks and enjoying the retro feel of the seaside experience. And Trisha Dixon's Kobe Tea Bowls had a mysterious and striking quality that attracted me.

Hildegard Pax is showing some beautiful and delicate works, where slivers of glass seem to float and reflect the light around them.

 

Other artists showing work includes Shelley Rose's silkscreens and canvas constructions, Julie Taylor's mixed media pieces, and Alison Davis wooden forms inset with glass.

The exhibition is on till the 29th of April  and is well worth visiting.

Cherry Blossom Day at Lynsted

 

I've always loved the idea of Hanami , the Japanese festival celebrating the Cherry blossom season.  There have been blossom tours here in the past but they seemed to have died out, now there has been some development of the idea again and in the village of Lynsted there was a Cherry Blossom day on Saturday.

A lot of orchards have been grubbed up in Kent, we saw another orchard just left as large uprooted tree stumps on the way to Lynsted. I always feel sad seeing such sights, but in Lynsted the local community have taken over the management of the old orchard. Their website here


It was lovely to see families having picnics under the trees and walking around enjoying the sight.

There was music, beer and cider and tea and cakes, so a perfect day out for those who love trees and cherry orchards.

 

 

 

I was struck by how large some of the old trees are, though many have lost branches and are split along the trunks.  They do provide a habitat for bats and other wildlife though, and sheep graze in the orchard during the summer.

As well as taking photographs, I have been inspired to do some sketches and paintings of the trees.

Opening of Animal Magic at The Beaney.

 

The exhibition Animal Magic opened on April 11th  in the Front Room at The Beaney in Canterbury.

The exhibition is on till the 4th May,  The Beaney website here   There is a great café and eclectic collection in the museum there, as well as changing exhibitions.


 It was good to go over for the opening and meet up with some of the other artists showing work.

 

There is a good mix of mediums, including painting, drawing, photography, mosaic, textile and glass.
I was interested in  Jeanette Cook's Just Hatched, work in glass, as a medium that I haven't used and for the colours and forms. Jeanette's website here

  Kate Baker's Folksie Fox a mosaic piece, made me smile. I loved the use of floral patterned pieces of china in the body of the fox. Kate's facebook page here