Seashell ecology and identification, study and beach combing.

Ruth and I spent a very interesting day on a seashell ecology and identification day. It was organised by the Wildwood Trust and lead by Anne Riddell, a great knowledgeable and enthusiastic tutor.

We started off in the education centre at Wildwood where Anne talked about seashells, showed us slides and let us handle different shells.

We learnt about the development of shells from primeval times, from fossil remains to present day. How they reproduce and feed. I didn't realize how many shells were predators, attacking, killing and eating other shells.

We learnt how to identify the main groups of shells, lots of small differences.

We looked at the sort of habitats where shells live around Britain and then particularly in Thanet.

Finally we had an identification quiz. matching shells to their drawings. Which we did surprisingly well.

The real fun bit was going on to Kingsgate Bay with Anne and collecting shells from the beach.
Here Anne was a goldmine of information, telling us and other beach walkers about the shells and objects we were picking up on the beach.

It would be great to have Anne on hand for my beachcombing walks. I did though learn a lot more than I did and it will be good to use that in future.

Pop up Market at the Old Kent Market

photograph from Old Kent Market website.

The Old Kent Market opened on Good Friday with a range of stalls and pop up market.
As part of Made in Margate, Ruth and I took one of the stalls in the pop up market.

Lovely old building, which was formerly a cinema, inside a London bus as a café, old red telephone box and murals inside and out.

photograph from Old Kent Market website

Good mix of stalls and food and drink and opposite the Turner Contemporary Gallery.

It was a bit quieter than expected, due to the weather, gales and rain at time!

We are back this weekend 2nd and 3rd of April.  !0 till 4.30pm. Old Kent Market on facebook

Made in Margate

I am pleased to be part of a new group, Made in Margate, that includes all sorts of creative people,   We have set up the group to share opportunities, work together on events and exhibitions and get to know other local creative people. We hope to have an events mailing list and welcome new members to join us.

Our first exhibition is part of the Big Kent Weekend and opens on Friday 11th March 6-8pm and continues on Saturday 12th and Sunday13th 12-6pm.

The exhibition will be in the Viking Gallery, Cliftonville Ave. Margate and we will be on hand to talk to people about Made in Margate and our work.

There will be a free prize draw to win pieces of art and following the popularity of adult colouring books we also have a colour and draw activity for everyone to take part in.

https://www.facebook.com/WendyPadmayogini/?fref=ts

Drawing with Light

 

I went to a very interesting workshop on Saturday at the Sidney Cooper gallery in Canterbury.

Lead by Matt Rowe we explored the idea of sketching or drawing with light using a camera with a long exposure to capture the light and movement.

We first worked with the theme of trees, using charcoal to draw tree shapes in 30seconds. Not a lot of time you realise when trying to do it.

Then it was envisioning how the drawing would work using light from torches and El wire.
I chose a magenta and green filter for the torches and a piece of blue El wire that was hung up and then moved during the long exposure.

The idea was of the trunk of the tree, drawn with the green and magenta light from the torches and with the blue as foliage on top.

It was very enjoyable and I can see possibilities for future work.