Distance

Some writing below from one of the artists from our Drawing Matters exhibition, Robert Clarke, I hope you might find interesting

For more of Robert's work have a look at http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluefunnel/


Distance
(23.09.08-14.10.08)
Equipment: Molskine Cahier Notebook {21 x 13 cms.} Pelikan fountain pen. Layout: Each page drawn recto and verso; many drawings extend across double pages.

"What is the distance a drawing covers but the space between two correspondences, one of which will exist just as well without you, but the other one will not. It is the mystifying existence of the former that drives the latter out of hiding to express itself in confessions of love or at the astonishment of consciousness. Whether or not it is art is besides the point. What counts is that it comes from us, is ours, mine and yours, shared between ourselves. When a blackbird comes to my garden, I do not demand that it account for itself and tell me what its songs mean; I know only that it sings beautiful blackbird songs and for that moment there is no distance and we are one. "

"Drawing is my blackbird song. I sing and that's all. Each drawing is a scrap of a song. It's taken years of practice just to get that far - which, compared to what a blackbird can sing, isn't far at all. Each new song is an unfolding of what, until then, has not been sung. I don't know where it's going, other than to the next song. And that's enough: just one more song, and one more song after that, and so on, until I can no longer sing my blackbird songs. But that's all right - for another blackbird will come along with new songs and the wheel will turn. "
Robert Clarke

Landscape Drawing Workshop

To coincide with her work showing at the Bristol Contemporary Open Exhibition, Ros Ford ran a landscape drawing workshop here at the school. Students went outside and made drawings of the River Avon, with the focus on experimental techniques and using a variety of techniques. They then got together for a large collaborative piece at the end of the day.

Street Studio at The Mall Broadmead Bristol

As part of the Big Draw celebrations we put on a free come and draw street studio in the Mall Broadmead (formerly Galleries). We had entertainment from Rose and Brian Popay from the very fine Fine Artistes encouraging passers by to sit down for a while and draw a still life, or take part in a large collaborative drawing of Bristol.

We had a huge response with people of all ages overcoming the initial reluctance to take the time out from their frantic shopping and draw us a picture, some stayed for only a couple of moments others for a number of hours!


















We have even more images on Flickr

Etching From Life Workshop

This weekend we ran two Etching From Life workshops with Jason Hicklin. One day courses where students drew from a life model directly onto a plate and created a series of etchings.

Jason Hicklin Exhibition : Comments

A few of the great comments we have had about the show so far:

"Absolutely Stunning" - HB
"Fantastic Work" - LFJ
"Beautiful, expansive, spirited evocation of landscape" - AW
"Wonderful Show" - NH
"Inspiring images, I like the immediacy and speed of the way you work" - NC
"Very atmospheric!" - LC
"Beautiful, inspiring exhibition" - LW

Jason Hicklin Exhibition : Private View Talk

Last night we were all treated to a fascinating talk by the contemporary landscape artist, Jason Hicklin.

To the fitting accompaniment of pouring rain, Jason gave us all a generous insight into the techniques he uses as well as telling us stories from the extreme landscapes he works with.

Drawing Interiors

Our winter exhibition details have now been finalized and we are excited to have two artists Fran Richardson and Ruth Wallace exhibiting with us.

Both artists have different approaches to similar themes of absence in a domestic setting.

Fran’s drawings exploit the blackness of the charcoal to create a dark, shadowy, unhomely place where unusual furniture and objects emerge from an endless void. Areas of the paper are left exposed for dramatic contrast with the dazzling light acting as a barrier to the possibilities beyond the confines of the architecture.

Ruth makes large-scale drawings in charcoal, graphite and mixed media. Her recent work, which centres on portrayals of women’s clothing, explores the dichotomy between absence and presence and the homely and the disturbing in relation to the domestic interior. It also addresses issues connected with memory and female identity and is informed by the distinctive visual style of film noir.

We hope this exhibition will be quiet and thought provoking relief to the usual Christmas mayhem.


Untitled – Lamp 3, 2007, Charcoal on Fabriano 5, Fran Richardson


For further details about Fran's work visit www.franrichardson.com
For further details about Ruth click here