North Yorkshire Open Studios is here for the second time and very suddenly it seems! The garden is about 3 weeks further on than last year so really flushed with an amazing quantity of flowgloves and the rich mix of colours makes me feel a bit like a painter!
A new piece of work is installed, I’ve called Time Limited – it refers to that point in time where we suddenly become aware of caring. So it’s dedicated to all those that care!
The origins of the name are from the multi layered word ‘race’; origins, species, waterway, contest and descent.
Smaller pieces a development of the South Street Gallery; Glyphs have evolved from a visit to the British Museum and the Around the World in 100 Objects exhibition. I found the fragments of incredibly ancient parchment astonishing and intriguing – these precious and fragments that could disintegrate at any moment, held secrets of the origins of ourselves. Even though I could not read them the marks and impressions captured my imagination. Once again I am reminded that everything is ‘time limited’. I have now a series of these and the marks and impressions are now creeping onto ‘stone like forms…
The garden is starting to wake up! Daffodils are coming out, the crocuses are nearly over and the frogs have spawned (although many fewer than last year). We have been clearing part of the wooded area at the top of the hilly garden and uncovered ancient steps and a 1930s plinth! Who would believe that there already existed the plinth for this years sculpture? Its going to have to be good! Open Studios in June will be the launch for it..
Starting Point, my permanent series of 12 stained porcelain tiles at Woodend Creative Artspace, Scarborough and the talk I did to launch it went down well, despite my nerves! And I’ve had lots of compliments so all good there.
All the 6×4 ‘postcards’ sold straight away at South Street Gallery (bargains tho’) so I’m making a few more.. They are just drying out. More clay is needing to be made for the piece that froze to be remade, so I must get on.
Blogging at least once a month should keep up on the news from now on… x
http://gabriellenaptali.com/
After experiencing frozen clay work before Christmas that resulted in a couple of disastrous firings (a miserable nightmare!) – things are looking up again :)
*I have been selected for the second year for North Yorkshire Open Studios – happening on 10,11,12,18 and 19th June I will be making new sculptures for the garden and lots of new works for the sales event.
*6×4″ special purchases can be had at South Street Gallery in Scarborough if you get there early for 17th Feb (‘hot cakes’ is the phrase!)
**And the best thing! The first firing for my permanently sited site specific tile installation Starting Point was a GOOD one! I will be launching the work on Friday 18th February at 12.30 with a talk in front of the piece at Woodend Creative Artspace, The Crescent, Scarborough in the Conference Suite – the event is part of Coastival festival 18-20 Feb 2011
http://www.coastival.com/
Resolutions
Exhibition @ electric angel gallery 8 Oct – 24 Nov 2010
Resolutions: represents decisions I have made in my search for balance that have been brought about through practical and thought processes enabling inner shift.
Boundaries and borders, intersections and connection points are necessary, where times change and sections separate, in order to evaluate beginnings and endings.
“At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,…”
Excerpt from TS Eliot; Four Quartets, Burnt Norton.
I use simple form to frame the clay’s natural qualities while light and shadow enhance the flaws and the physicality of the surface. Inspired by natural environment and personal experience my work aims to engage the viewer with the fragility, strength and beauty of the layered porcelain and intimacy of its surface as it responds to the other clays in the process, all evidence of clays memory.
www.gabriellenaptali.com
http://jamesr0012.wordpress.com/
Landmark – Scarborough
Crescent Gardens Arts Trail 11.09.2010 entry is free
A site specific wet clay installation using eight different clays.
The simplicity of the title belies the complexity of its meaning. As part of the Crescent Gardens Arts Trail, all of the artworks are ‘landmarks’ but for my needs, the word brings together two important strands*
*The presence and importance of the mature Gingko Tree that I understand has not been identified within the gardens but as a species remains one of the world’s most ancient trees.
*The original Geological Map of Britain by William ‘Strata’ Smith in 1815 who conceived of the Rotunda Museum, Scarborough. His map used colour for the first time to identify areas of different geological strata and demarcate the land.
Clay is of the earth, mud, but its strength, versatility, beauty and fragility remain as relevant today as at any time in its history.
The clay image will break apart as part of nature’s processes returning to the soil in a short space of time.
Hidden
Discovery
Bequest
Emerge
Appearance
Inherited
Growing
Surface
Milestone
Return
Water
Present
Carbon
Genus
Photosynthesis
Biodiversity
History
Consequence
Tenacity
Account
Justify
Home
Decision
Vindicate
Occupy
Affinity
Continuity
Location
Return
Maintain
Now all done and waiting to be unveiled by James from Electric Angel on Saturday morning. Hears hoping it doesn’t get tampered with in the run up..
The picture here is a sneaky peek!
Have a great weekend x
