End of December 3 day trip to the Trossachs National Park
Central Scotland
8 and a half hours walk, crampons on at around 400m
Exhilarating but tough crunching through snow and ice
Carrying materials, limited time for sculpture
Drifting snow along the ridge from Ben Ledi to Ben Vane
Snowmelt, deer and headtorches for walk back through Glen Finglas
Have been drawing from various sculpture and my other objects in the studio, this was a quick continuous line drawing from a clay piece. The image on the right is of preparation for new work, this kind of prep is an enjoyable art in itself!
Studio work in progress…
From the Hill Top
Some one from below
Is looking at the whirling
Of the cherry snow.
Hakugetsu
Recently I have been reading and considering the 7th Century Hua-yen Chinese philosophy that influenced Zen in terms of that concept of interconnectedness and impermanence and I’m pulling this into my worldview behind the art and expanding yet simplifying my process. Currently I have some small pieces on show, please check the exhibitions page.
‘There is only incessant change and flux’ (Hua-yen)
‘..blooming, buzzing confusion…’ (Whitehead)
‘Art is Explosion’ Okamoto Taro
November 4th to November 9th: ‘HOPE Somalia‘ exhibition at Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, of local and global artists raising funds for the starving millions in Somalia. I’m delighted to participate in this very worthwhile show with two new pieces (including ‘Rising’ below) in this Venetian style palace in the centre of Stockholm and to organising artist Jacob Anckarsvard best of luck with the exhibition.
Until 12th November 150th Royal Glasgow Institute Annual Exhibition, showing one large abstract work (from my city structures series) at the Mitchell, in this one of the UK’s largest open shows. Last month I streamed a live talk from Tokyo by artist Christo whose work I often find inspiring, conceptually and on a staggering scale.
RGI Annual Exhibition 2011
Summer has been really busy, creative and joyful and we managed to get out the city for a few trips and even caught the best weather too! We went to the Outer Hebrides for the second time this year, this time loading up the bikes with gear, a colourful and motley mix of art and camping stuff. I was focussed on wrecked sites where the semi-organic, man-made shapes and poignant, quiet atmosphere were speaking to me as it were, and I was sketching, making calligraphic and other 2D work, simple sculpture and spending a while with the (digital) camera…. Since returning from all this outdoor work in such a wonderful setting I have been developing these works and I think I will be for quite a while as there are so many creative possibilities and new ideas emerging…
