Items of Interest

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Found this Artist using knitted and crocheted pieces.

Taken directly from Website:

Each piece has been individually knitted or crocheted by hand. They are then heated and manipulated through several firings at a very high temperature, eventually emerging as a formed glass vessel. Because of this hand crafted process, all the pieces are original and individual with no two being exactly the same.
http://www.catherinecarrglass.co.uk/gallery.html?galAlbum=1

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As I've been crocheting and knitting pots, covering them in slip and firing them lately, I thought I'd research to see if anyone else does this: found a few!!!



http://www.kristenwicklund.com/porcelain-lace/

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The Lady Lever Art Gallery is currently exhibiting the two pieces above which I visited over the weekend. I was surprised how small the pieces were as both pieces were around 46x38cm    
They are both oils on canvas, however, the texture of the canvas of the Gaugiun was very evident and almost looked liked a repaired potato sack or the like. I felt this added to the piece. In contrast the Van Gogh canvas appeared smoother. There looked to be an underpainting on the Van Gogh of flesh tones etc over which was applied the thick brush strokes of paint in contrast. I found the Van Gogh far more appealing as there felt to be much more energy evident.
The two portraits were housed in a smaller room within the Lady Lever Gallery with specific lighting and humidity control. Interesting explanations of the artists and thier work hung either side of the pieces. Following discussion with a curator, it would appear that the exhibition was quiet at the moment but as publicity increased, they expected the gallery to become much busier.

The following was taken directly from http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/events/displayevent.aspx?eventID=8357&venue=7

Two striking self-portraits by van Gogh and Gauguin are now on display at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, on loan from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
Vincent van Gogh (born 1853) and Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) are two of the most popular artists of the Post-Impressionist era. Both developed ideas and techniques that influenced the development of modern 20th century art.
The van Gogh painting is one of more than 40 self-portraits by the artist - it shows how he liked to use rapid brushstrokes and thick layers of paint. Gauguin’s dates from a difficult period during which he returned to Paris in 1893 in an unsuccessful bid to sell his work.
The paintings have been lent to the Lady Lever Art Gallery in exchange for its loan of 'The Blessed Damozel' by Rossetti to the exhibition 'Debussy, Music and the Arts' at the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, 21 February - 11 June 2012.



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Just doing some general research and I came across this image. Its copper patina art and the link is http://copperhand.com/blog


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The work of Chuck Close is worth taking a look at. His technique is fasinating and inspiring.

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                 The two portraits above were painted by Maggi Hambling. The contrast between  them both are remarkable. She is also recognised for her paintings of the sea and can be found at:

http://www.maggihambling.com/


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Just got information on the Bangor Open: Submissions Days are Thursday the 16th and Friday the 17th February 2012. Contact tel. no. is 01248 353368

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Trying (unsucessfully) to find information about the Bangor Open and happened across this site which may be of interest http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesarts/2012/01/national_eisteddfod_2012_call_for_art_entries.html

Artists and makers in Wales are now able to submit their entries for the Open Exhibition at the 2012 National Eisteddfod.
This year's National Eisteddfod will be held in the Vale of Glamorgan between 4-11 August. Artists are now being encouraged to submit their entries for the exhibition, which is held each year in Y Lle Celf - the visual arts pavilion - and draws up to 40,000 visitors.
The exhibition is open to any person born in Wales, or of Welsh parents, or any person who has lived or worked in Wales for the three years prior to 4 August 2012, or any person who is able to speak or write in the Welsh language.
The Eisteddfod has invited art critic and director of the National College of Art and Design in Dublin Declan McGonagle, Cardiff artist Sean Edwards and applied artist and curator Laura Thomas of The Makers Guild in Wales to select this year's exhibition. The panel will also award the gold medal for fine art, the gold medal for craft and design plus the Young Artist Scholarship for excellence and commitment.
The closing date for entries is 1 March 2012.