Not Waving But Drowning?

 

Sadly, one member of the family couldn't wait until the whole Pavlova was photographed!

Last week we took a trip to Cambridge, principally to see an exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum - The Wave, a collection of sea paintings by Maggi Hambling.   You may know that she is also responsible for a sculpture on the shingle beach at Aldeburgh in Suffolk.   Before we saw the paintings we started to watch a short film of her drawing on the beach and talking about her work, accompanied by a stirring orchestral sound-track.   However, Richard wandered off saying "There's only so much Benjamin Britten I can cope with before lunch".   Here, here.   And I have to say that Ms Hambling's opinion of her contribution to art made me slightly uncomfortable, but we went with an open mind to view her exhibits.   (Stepping over busy art students lying on the floor drawing her paintings as we went).    Anyway, click on this link to see her doing a show-and-tell as she hangs her paintings in the Museum.    

One thing I do love her for is the throw-away line,  "as I approach early middle age..." - she was born in 1945.....

Maggi Hambling

There's no doubt that she boldly captures the alarming and ferocious power of the North Sea:  it looked bulging and wild, free and  unstoppable, ready to rip the shingle from the beach and fling it back spitefully in the next rush-and-tumble.  

It gave me some ideas for my Erosion Bundle Project, which (as I've been very busy on another {secret} collaborative project), I haven't actually started yet and it needs to be finished by the beginning of August...

Had to visit the shop, like you do, to buy some postcards and this monotype by Lino Mannocci stunned me.   Do click on this link to hear him talking about his art - there's 12 minutes of it, but he has such a mellifluous voice and talks so sensitively about how he produces his monotypes, and with such a lack of pretension, that it's worth listening to.   This phrase touched me, "I want it to look like I've just done it, but it's been there all along."

Lino Mannocci

Added to my collection of Angie Lewin cards - one day I'll have to stop and think hard about what it is that appeals to me so much about her lino and woodcuts.  Do you like them too?   Managed to upset the lady I bought them from - I referred to her gallery as a shop.   I'm such a pleb!

I gave myself a birthday treat last week and acquired some beautifully hand-dyed pieces of fabric from Heike Gerbig.   She has encouraged a trend to dye using avocado skins - you can find out how on her blog.   Can you believe that green skins produce this fantastic range of pinks going almost to burgundy?   I'm going to have to give it a try just to prove it to myself.   Anyone for guacamole?!

Carolyn from Love Stitching Red has produced some wonderful results using the same technique too - have a look at them (and so many other inspiring delights) on her blog.

Finally, I made a soothing mosaic from some of my favourite photographs on Flickr and then I lost all the bloomin' html code for the links .... so here's the mosaic but perhaps you could go to my flickr page for the linkythings until I work out how to retrieve them.

Anyhows - hope you all have a good week - only 4 more sleeps until we're off on our hols!!