Cemetery Work

The joint exhibition I had planned for next month has been cancelled.  Topically, for November, it would have been on the theme of remembrance and I was vaguely planning pieces around Wilfred Owen poetry which I studied at college many moons ago. 

I have perceived much beauty
In the hoarse oaths that kept our courage straight;
Heard music in the silentness of duty;
Found peace where shell-storms spouted reddest spate.

from Apologia pro Poemate Meo Nov 1917

The college I went to was next door to a theatre where they had a special two tickets for the price of one offer every week if you were a member of a particular scheme and my mum and I used to go every week.  It was a fanatstic introduction to all manner of theatre experiences, I saw drama (Chekhov, Moliere  and Shakespeare as well as murder mystery and comedy),  ballet, opera, G & S, musicals, jazz bands, you name it we saw it!  In the tiny studio theatre above the main auditorium we saw a fantastic one man show based on the life of Wilfred Owen incorporating his poetry.  The end of the show was with just a spotlight on the chap's face, everything else in darkness, as he spoke some lines of Owen's poetry and the spot faded to darkness as some Chopin played.  It was moving stuff.  If you'd like to know more about Owen and his poetry The Wilfred Owen Association is a good place to go.  However,  I'm digressing....

The remembrance theme led me to thinking about my ongoing on and off exploration of cemeteries with a view to producing a body of work from it.  That, in turn, led me to looking at some of my photos and work from cemeteries I've visited and I thought I'd share a few on here.  ;o) 

A couple of sketchbook pages:

And some gravestone rubbings:

And, courtesy of my daughter, a few photos from a local cemetery:

Busy busy busy

Thought I'd best pop up with an update since I've not blogged for ages!  I've been beavering away work wise, spending loads of time in the studio.  It's great to be so work focused and engrossed with what I'm doing, I love it when my art is all encompassing and my passion for what I do reignites.  ;o)  I have some excellent opportunities coming up shortly and I'm working on new jewellery pieces (expanding my range so that I cover a wider range of prices), some small assemblage pieces, badges and a new zine.  This week I have the opportunity to have about a dozen pieces of jewellery at an art fair in a nicely affluent place so hoping so money will be changing hands!!  ;o)  I've also returned to exploring some personal themes in my art journaling as I prepare for a new workshop opportunity later this year or early next.  I co-teaching some children's art workshops during the upcoming half term week and am working on examples for those, how much fun is junk modelling?  LOL  On top of all that I'm also writing my next article on recycled arts/crafts for Smallholder magazine.  ;o)  Phew!  Pics will be forthcoming of work but don't have time this morning to take any so instead I thought I'd share a bit of life class work with you.... 

It's the same pencil and pastel drawing (original is first picture) and I indulged in a bit of digital tinkering.  ;o)  I don't play like this much but it was fun to fiddle about and see what happened.  I'm thinking I might try my hand at using black paper at class sometime, I love that blue on black look.

Ok, back to the grindstone...