There is a new scuptor on the horizon..

My grandson Reu made these for my birthday the other day.. He has been looking at Antony Gormley's Field at school and has been totally inspired.. Treasured forever..

Jackie Morris - Art in Action - A grand day out.

And the sun shone.... 

We had an exciting and exhausting day at Art in Action

 I got to meet Jackie Morris...

Not the best of photo's - Whose arm that is that?

Not only amazingly talented, she was also lovely, and so generous with her time, she even let me borrow her new manuscript  'East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon'  to read whilst we had lunch..  What other author would do that?  I felt so honoured.. Such kindness, and what a book it is going to be... Within the first couple of pages she had lifted me into the story... I still have pictures going around in my head.. Wonderful..

 

We saw Robert Race's automata's

 Thought you might like to see some of it too.. Just love the wording on his sign.

  I want one of these benches for my garden.. Sadly I don't remember who made it..

 

This angel is the work of Janis Ridley

 It is about 2" tall, so beautiful..

 And here is another piece of her work.. Janis was so down to earth, I warmed to her immediately, I so hope that I bump into her another day..

How I would have loved one of these.. Dreaming again Julie.. One day.. Maybe.

I could have posted so many photo's, but these are my favourites.. What a great day it was, I would definitely go again..

One of the best things that happened,  so many people asked me about who made the brooch that I happened to be wearing. Me, I said with a smile as I gave them one of my cards... 

You never know I might get a follower or two and maybe even a sale.. 

....My confidence is growing..

Next job --- Up date my etsy and bigcartel sites..

More clues

 There were lots and lots of these..

 My favorite place..

 More sculpture in Barbara Hepworths garden... Oops! Another clue

And I finally got to visit this wonderful shop...  

Have you guessed where I've been yet?

We have been on holiday to.....

'Another Place'

How can I explain this experience, as we walked through a very wet and soggy car-park along an even wetter and muddier walk-way (the builders are working on the sea defences) up and over a ridge to look down onto the beach at Crosby bay, Liverpool. As you can see from my photographs it was a pale blue and lilac grey day.

My first view of the installation was of just a head and shoulders, a man walking out into the bay, as I turned and looked along this vast expanse of sand these 'men' were all gently looking out to sea, we had the whole exhibition virtually to ourselves, the beach was very quiet (not many walkers on a wet and windy November morning) just a few people with their dogs.

Although I had seen pictures of 'Another Place' nothing could of prepared me for the beauty of this work and all of the questions that it was asking me, my pictures only begin to explain what I felt, and the profound effect it has had on me.

(If you open up this picture you can see the wind farm far into the distance)

(If you open up this picture you can see more of the figures spread out along the beach)

The installation consists of 100 identical solid cast iron body forms which face out to sea, they are revealed as the tides ebb and flow and I'm sure must change with the weather conditions.... I would love to see them on an incoming tide at the height of a storm snuggled up with a thermos and waterproofs.

They stand along the bay at Crosby Sands, its about a 2 mile/3km walk (which we did in the wind and rain with no hat or waterproofs).

Each of the figures is 6' 2½" tall, and weighs in at an amazing 1400 lbs/650kg.

The figures are taken from an original cast of Gormleys' own body.... and a fine figure of a man he is, I might add.

We have had the most amazing few days staying in the Peak District National Park. (more about that next time)

Just one regret ............. not to have see them

sooner........

'WOW' again

Here are some more pictures as promised of the sculptures by

Nicolas Lavarenne

'Grand Arc-boutant'
(large bracket)

The tension in this face and body that this artist has captured, it is amazing, this sculpture shows a great strength, it is compelling, so much so that I just wanted to stare at it for ages.

You approach this sculpture through an avenue clipped fir hedging, passing other works that are discretely tucked away in alcoves so that your eyes are not distracted from this piece or the Frink at the other end.

Elizabeth Frink
'Desert Quartet'

This head is huge, one of the original four that were cast, the owner Mr Bernard Holmes said that he wanted all of his pieces to be touched so that there could be a connection between artist and viewer, I can tell you it is amazing, and feels wonderful, and this is what the Elizabeth Frinks head looks out upon

'Sitooterie'
by Thomas Heatherwick'

This sculpture is huge about 8 adults can stand inside of it at any one time, each of the 'spikes' are hollow with an orange square of plastic on the end and they ALL line up to focus on one spot within this box. In December it is lit from the inside and aparently it looks fantastic.

apologies for the photography once again

WOW!!

(I don't know the name of this piece yet, but I will update this blog as soon as I know)

Our friends from West Mersea were due for Sunday lunch this weekend and Saturday evening we got a phone call.........long story short, "would we like to visit an open garden tomorrow lunch time"? our plans were changed, it was now to be an evening meal and we were going to be picked up and whisked away to visit a garden in West Horndon, where ever that was? I was glad that we were being chauffeur driven by her husband in his very nice car.

How this all came about, Carol had been listening to the local radio heard about the garden, googled it and hey presto we were on our way, an hour from our home we arrived at Barnards Farm Gardens, West Horndon, Essex, home to the largest collection of malus (ornamental crab apple) trees in Western Europe.

This garden is only open to the public on certain days of the year and yesterday was one of those.

We were not being taken to vist this garden for the crab apples!!! although they were very nice, this garden is also home to an amazing collection of sculpture, which was awe inspiring.

All of these works are by the same French artist Nicolas Lavarenne (b. 1953) he is self taught and didn't become a sculptor until he was 33 years old, his work is cast in bronze.

This piece is called 'Grand Passeur'
(large frontier runner)

“I sculpt first of all for myself then I hope that it will touch others, bring me into communication with them. My greatest pleasure comes when others feel touched by my sculptures.”
Nicolas Lavarenne

(I don't know the name of this piece yet, but I will update this blog as soon as I know)

.........Sometimes you actually know that you are blessed with good friends, not because they are always there for you, as these friends are, but because they turn your world upside down for a couple of hours and boy what a couple of hours. We had such a lovely afternoon, one for the memory box for sure. How lucky we are.

I will add more photos of the sculptures including Elizabeth Frink and Monica Youngs when I have more time.

(I appologise for the quality of the photographs ..... not my forte I'm afraid.)