Visit to A&C animation studios.

I enjoyed some mulled wine and a tour lead by Dan Richards of A&C animation studios this week, in aid of Thanet Winter Shelter.. They are a local company in Margate and specialize in stop motion animation.

It was great to get an insight into production, see the large infinity curve studio and the model making room and other production facilities

The cupboard full of  different colours of modelling medium was great as were the cabinets showing some of the models used in advertising campaigns.


It was really busy, lots of people interested in the studios and the Victorian laundry building it's based in.

Jelly Exhibition at the Pie Factory Margate.

I visited a great imaginative, playful and evocative exhibition at the Pie Factory in Margate Old Town today, called Jelly.

Four artists, Elizabeth Burman, Karen Crosby, Claire Manning and Ruth Payne are showing a range of works including, drawings, interactive installations, jelly and sweets.

I enjoyed Ruth Payne's colourful drawings some with a bit of a playful strong language. The energy and life of the works drew me to them. Ruth's website and Facebook sites

Karen Crosby's chemigrams are evocative incorporating natural elements and abstract forms. Karen's website and Facebook

Claire Manning's swirly word drawings combine energy with the text and colours. Claire Manning's website and Facebook

Elizabeth Burman's  Daily Ink drawings collected on the wall of the gallery are intriguing and remind me of the effectiveness on a continuity of practice. Elizabeth's Facebook page

The exhibition is on till November 21st. The Pie Factory gallery
Open 11am till 5pm.

Anthony Gormley Another Time, Sculpture in Margate

Another Time  is one of Anthony Gormley's solid cast iron figures that has been sited outside the Turner Contemporary Gallery. It  is a part of series of one hundred, solid cast-iron figures produced by Antony Gormley, that have been sited all around the country.

The sculpture is sited on the beach and is submerged at high tide. As the tide goes out the figure is revealed, becoming fully visible a few hours before low tide.

These figures are cast from Anthony Gormleys own body and  Antony Gormley describes these isolated forms, cast from his own body as "an attempt to bear witness to what it is like to be alive and alone in space and time"

Despite the notice not to walk out to the sculpture, many people find it irresistible and want to touch the figure of stand next to it and take photos.

I must admit I did walk out there myself, the walk along some old parts of structure on the beach is slippy with seaweed and shells!

The sculpture is here till the 30th November.
On the Turner Contemporary website you can see  Sarah Martin, head of exhibitions discussing the sculpture and a link to a TED talk where Anthony Gormley talks about his work.

I also worked digitally to place Another Time in other places in Margate.

Afternoon Tea Works on Paper, online exhibition

I had one of my pieces in Chiara Williams's exhibition, Afternoon Tea   Works on Paper,in her flat overlooking the sea in Margate. The exhibition is part of the Margate Festival which runs till the 6th of August.

Chiara served lovely cakes and tea while folks looked around the exhibition on her walls.

The exhibition has now moved online for a short while and you can view the works here.

http://www.chiarawilliams.com/afternoon-tea.html

New Drawings

I've been sorting through sketch books and drawing recently.

There is something quite satisfying about a simple line drawing, I often do them in ink.
I might use these as reference for other works or colour them in some way, but at the moment I like them as simple lines.

Some taken from my Venice holiday images and two Buddha heads.

Dreamland opens for the summer season.

Dreamland on the reopening day

Dreamland has reopened after a  makeover including putting a music stage at the centre of the site .
It's been interesting seeing all the changes happening over the last 5 years. From a first look inside at a derelict site with just the old roller coaster in need of a lot of restoration, and abandoned buildings.

Dreamland with work continuing

Parts of dreamland under constuction

Seeing the plans at that stage for re launch of dreamland as a vintage theme park was exciting.

Dot Dash art installation at Dreamland.

Queuing for the first tickets for Dreamland's opening

There was hope that a lot of local artists could be involved with the project, I put my name down for a number of things, but nothing happened there was no further contact and nothing materialized unfortunately.

One of the temporary rides

Finance problems loomed and changes in ownership, and I think the great pool of local goodwill for Dreamland wasn't utilized sufficiently. But it is still here and financed for the continuation of the venture and further restoration and development.

Many day trippers were arriving from the station this half term week and at the opening Dreamland was packed.
Lots of  new landscaping has been done and the whole site looks good, reminding me of the childhood fairgrounds I visited, with out the smell of diesel!       They just need the plaster dogs and cats as prizes.

A whole series of concerts and events are planned through the year, but the site is free to enter at any other time, you pay for the rides you want. This is a much better idea than the original one of everyone having to pay to get in whether they went on the rides or not.

Dreamland website here                    

New entrance to Dreamland.

Exhibition at Crate. Jemima Brown Figures in a Political Landscape

It was good to pop into Crate exhibition space in Margate over the weekend.
I had been intrigued by publicity for an exhibition called Figures in a Political Landscape, showing 3D sculptures using found materials, so was pleased to be able to call in to see them.

Jemima Brown the artist, was in Crate, using the space as a temporary studio as well as exhibiting her latest work. Website here.http://www.jemimabrown.com/

It was really good to have a conversation that covered things like  making art, politics and moving from London.

Jemima's work in Crate includes her sculptural pieces arranged on tables with art work on the walls.
I enjoyed the humour of the found materials she uses to make the figures, which include things like retro glass vases, pot cleaners and tin foil. This humour and the use of found objects draws you into the subjects and invites conversation.

We talked about her early memories of Greenham Common and how that has been an influence on her thinking and art making around the ideas and depictions of women with a social critique.

Jemima working in Crate

This exhibition looks primarily at Tory woman such as MP's wives, a chance synchronicity given the recent political events, the show was not planned to be open during the election campaign, but apt all the same. Jemima spoke about the importance of understanding your subject matter too. As an artist I understand the need for the integrity that Jemima shows in her work, drawing and painting from documentary sources and her own references.
 We also talked about the importance of gathering work together in order to see the links and relationships between pieces. I find that a problem working from home and not having the space to see work altogether.
Jemima was appreciating that opportunity at Crate to take that time and pay attention to exactly how she would arrange her sculptural figures with her figurative drawings.

The exhibition is on over the weekend 2nd/3rd and 4th of June, 1pm till 6pm or by appointment.
The closing party is on Friday 2nd June 6/9pm.
Crate's website for details    I really recommend a visit to  Jemima's exhibition.

CRATE Studio and Project Space
1 Bilton Square
Margate
CT9 1EE