Blue coot… taking a walk !

My entry for the Hexopolis open exhibition

COLLECTIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

GALLERY 1  –  HEXOPOLIS by Katya Robin 

7-22 MARCH 2015

Curated projects and events programme complementing the annual International Contemporary Artists’ Book Fair..

HEXOPOLIS is an on-going research and participatory art project led by Katya Robin about hexagons in public spaces. The collection seeks to identify hexagon motifs and the possibility of unifying themes. ‘Hexopolis’ is a term assembled by Robins from ancient Greek: HEX meaning 6 and OPOLIS meaning city-state, run by its citizens. And so, using the hexagon as a framework, the project considers urban living. Visitors to this exhibition are invited to contribute to the research by adding ideas about hexagons and built spaces and making hexagonal booklets.
www.katyarobinstudio.co.uk

The Leeds International Book Fair is a nice exhibition where writers, poets and book makers come together to create and show their creations to a public audience.

http://thetetley.org/collections-collaborations/

Words and  Colours are a series of poems I have been working on over the last few months; inspired by drawings, encounters, movement of water and colours.  Click on the link Words and Colours Video to watch.

Words and Colours video

Dates for your diary:  2015

The International Post Card Show: Nottingham January 16 – 14th February

Canal Art Exhibition Audlem Mill March 22nd – 19th April

Artists on the Canal May – July  I alongside being a Guild of Waterway Artist;  have been working with other contemporary artists here in the UK. As a result a new venture which will be unfolding starting in May 2015 at Atherstone. There will be a compilation; that of travelling galleries, land artists, poets together with poetry readings; traditional painting and contemporary sculpture.

Other venues will include Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead finally ending at Cassiobury Park/Watford. More details to be released in due course.

The International Postcard Show 2015 opened on the 16th of January and runs to 14th February at the Surface Gallery in Nottingham.   Its a lovely exhibition where artists from around the world can submit up to 3 entries into the show.  I submitted my work from the bird hide; drawings and a poem which were drawn with the use of feathers and calligraphy inks.

Gaining momentum this year…. I seem to have had a glorious start with lots of ideas and invites to exhibit.

Another Day – Video

This is the first little video (click on link Another Day – Video) of the exciting year we had over 2014, filled with glorious sunshine and plenty of opportunity to paint, draw and exhibit. After some experimentation; hopefully there will be more video updates as the year progresses.  We have an itinerary this year which will be announced as the dates are confirmed.

NB Hekla Pop-Up Art Gallery

It has been an interesting year on the whole; getting used to a new life, painting, drawing, photographing and then opening up our Travelling Gallery. NB Hekla Pop-Up Art Gallery. When I look back on reflection we have had an amazing encounter with wildlife, people and boats.

These new paintings and drawings were made over the last year from encounters with a bird hide in a Nottinghamshire woodland. By using flight feathers I found, I was able to create different strokes, textures and marks which gives the impression of trees, grasses, feathers. Along with sound recordings and videos I took from various visits; it gives an ambiance of the woodland.

Black bird – female

An empty nest the fledglings have flown…

a winter woodland

The Poem: upon finding a nest blown from its  lodgings, I began to think of its origins.  The nest is part of my Cabinet of Curiosity along with the artifacts found on location.

A poem of the finding of an empty nest.

I was chuffed to hear during this last month that I have been accepted into the Association of Animal Artists; it is so nice to be introduced to other artists who are painting, sculpting, drawing wildlife as we see it. The year ahead seems so exciting! We are going to be exhibiting alongside other travelling galleries along with a few exhibitions; dates to be announced.

Wishing you all the best and thank you for showing an interest in my travels, drawings and paintings.  Lesley

Our Travelling Gallery  –  NB Hekla Pop-Up Art Gallery  –   Hekla is a narrowboat currently winding its way along the canal and river networks around Britain bringing the gallery to the public.  We have begun an adventure much like the travellers of the long voyages which brought back to England a menagerie of enchantments and diversities which became a cabinet of curiosities.   As our gallery grows it will reflect a diverse collection not unlike that of a museum than that of just a gallery –  with a variety of fact and fiction, written, found or made – making it our own cabinet of curiosities.

In the beginning…. Our first ventures started out as solo events; that of a gallery exhibition showing original drawings, paintings, prints and cards.  We have enjoyed a good response; whilst gaining momentum and processing ideas in an attempt to articulate what we are about.  Our plans for next year will be a curious collection to compliment drawings and paintings.

Dates for your diary: Artisan Market, Middlewich   28th & 29th November  :   Santa / Christmas Market, Anderton Boat Life, Nantwich 6th & 7th December

Along the way….     In Middlewich we met up with another travelling gallery called “Wånderlust“  two artists Magda creating Land Art, Poetry and Sculpture and her partner Berth who is a contemporary sculptor.   We make a good partnership with each boat complimenting the other.  Link to Wanderlust : http://dabe-art.org/

We hope you will join us along the way as we hope to become part of an art link; linking Art, Artists, poetry, poets, Sculptures, sculptors, Land Art, Photographers, photography, dance, dancers, minstrels… making art come alive!

Link to NB Hekla facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/NBHeklaPopUpArt?ref=hl

Thoresby Open Exhibition of 101 Pictures

I am pleased to have had the following painting chosen out of the 2 entered for the open annual exhibition at the Thoresby Gallery, Thoresby Hall. The exhibition takes place from September 6th to the 28th 2014.

Watercolour, Pen & inks Title: Contemplation

Opening of the Exhibition

To buy this drawing please contact www.thoresbycourtyard.com E: cynthia@thoresby.com T: 01623 822009

Its been a while…. we have settled onto our narrowboat Hekla after some months of trying to get back into painting and drawing I have finally managed to begin to sort myself out. I received an email this morning reminding me of an open exhibition I was going to enter but almost forgot about. A timely email on all counts. Such a lovely sunny day and just right for painting.

Well that is amazing!  When you visit a gallery… show them some of your work and ‘hey presto’  there is such enthusiasm – it is food for the soul.

Resulting in 3 paintings and 4 prints with a selection of cards for starters.  Negotiations for more work and a working relationship with the gallery.

Such a nice gallery with a good selection of works, along with two other Guild of Waterway Artists:  Penny Beardow-Taylor and Eric Gaskell.  Both excellent artists in their field!

 http://www.fradleymarine.co.uk/gallery/