News as of 11th Feb 2024: More about my drawing leaders and volunteers thatching at Hengistbury Head, below...
First- A big thank you to Jo at the Hatch Gallery, Christchurch, for the chance to exhibit there, and to all those who came along to drawing days, Meet the Artist events and just popped in!
Something very different- I spent some days at the Hatch Gallery, and so, of course, looking at places around Christchurch to draw. There's also the Red House Museum Open Exhibition, which I'd like to enter, this year. I have long wanted to do more drawings around Hengistbury Head- I've drawn there before, of course, but not for a while, and so, after one of the drawing days, I walked across and began to paint the view over the reedbeds towards the Priory- one of the best watercolours I've ever made, I think. But I wasn't dressed for rain, and when it poured down, I legged it to Hengistbury Head visitors' centre.
There, I met Sally, making iron-age pots, and had a look at the exhibition space upstairs, at that time, empty, and mentioned the idea of exhibiting there. Pointed in the direction of the manager, I had a chat with him, proposed a show, but as I left, I saw that in the square of land adjoining the centre, a marvellous structure was taking shape- a replica iron-age hut. I came back to draw the potting the next week, but, as she wasn't there, made some printing plates of the woodland, but I asked about drawing the hut's construction, and so on Thurs and Fri last week, I sat there on a tree stump, skylarks overhead, drawing these dedicated folk thatching its roof- a full sensory experience, with the smell of the reeds and the sounds of birds, sheep and the rustling of the reeds and noises of them being patted and whacked into position- and the most wonderful colours. I've done more actual artwork, as opposed to presenting and faffing with computers, than I have in a long time, and I think it is telling. I'm so pleased with the pictures, but more than that- that integrating with a community, that thing of meeting people that has been such a part of the time exhibiting in Christchurch. I'm planning to go back a number of times before they finish :)
Tom
First- A big thank you to Jo at the Hatch Gallery, Christchurch, for the chance to exhibit there, and to all those who came along to drawing days, Meet the Artist events and just popped in!
Something very different- I spent some days at the Hatch Gallery, and so, of course, looking at places around Christchurch to draw. There's also the Red House Museum Open Exhibition, which I'd like to enter, this year. I have long wanted to do more drawings around Hengistbury Head- I've drawn there before, of course, but not for a while, and so, after one of the drawing days, I walked across and began to paint the view over the reedbeds towards the Priory- one of the best watercolours I've ever made, I think. But I wasn't dressed for rain, and when it poured down, I legged it to Hengistbury Head visitors' centre.
There, I met Sally, making iron-age pots, and had a look at the exhibition space upstairs, at that time, empty, and mentioned the idea of exhibiting there. Pointed in the direction of the manager, I had a chat with him, proposed a show, but as I left, I saw that in the square of land adjoining the centre, a marvellous structure was taking shape- a replica iron-age hut. I came back to draw the potting the next week, but, as she wasn't there, made some printing plates of the woodland, but I asked about drawing the hut's construction, and so on Thurs and Fri last week, I sat there on a tree stump, skylarks overhead, drawing these dedicated folk thatching its roof- a full sensory experience, with the smell of the reeds and the sounds of birds, sheep and the rustling of the reeds and noises of them being patted and whacked into position- and the most wonderful colours. I've done more actual artwork, as opposed to presenting and faffing with computers, than I have in a long time, and I think it is telling. I'm so pleased with the pictures, but more than that- that integrating with a community, that thing of meeting people that has been such a part of the time exhibiting in Christchurch. I'm planning to go back a number of times before they finish :)
Tom
Overview as of 21st Dec 2023:
First of all, Merry Christmas to you! I hope that you and your loved ones have a peaceful, good time together, and that the new year is a good one for you.
2023 has been a strange year for me. Highlights have been having work accepted into every show that I entered, and in that way displaying work at more new locations and events than I have done in years. It's been a good year for interacting with and meeting new people. The Top Drawer exhibition in the summer was exciting and actually worked out- and it was great to work alongside other people and get to know some of them. I had the privilege of becoming a part time tutor for the Fresh Talent group of artists with learning difficulties and had the chance to lead a number of workshops/demonstrations. I enjoyed exhibiting dance pictures at Pavilion Dance and making pieces in response to poetry. I won a prize at Artcare, Salisbury, and took part in the plein air competition at Poundbury. In terms of art, I properly exhibited wire work, smoke drawings, and clayboard pieces for the first time; I worked on aluminium and on brass and I learnt a lot. I had a lot of support from many people and I have a lot to be thankful for- a huge thank you!
In many ways, it was also a very difficult year. I've just had an invitation to take part in Sky Portrait Artist of the Year, but I need a run of good health before committing to that. This year has been dismal for that. I've told them that I will consider doing 2025, though whether to go for Portrait or Landscape, I'm not sure.
What are the plans for 2024? Big ones, and lots of them. Firstly, I hope to continue with Fresh Talent. Secondly, I will be putting work on sale online for the first time since perhaps 2015. I hope to set up a Youtube channel. I plan to aim both high and low: to apply for some of the major art shows around the country, and to do a series of craft fairs. I should be having work in the Hatch Gallery, Christchurch in late January. I hope to be part of Dorset Art Weeks in May, and have a solo show booked for Sept. I plan to join Poole Printmakers and the Arts Centre Group, and continue as a member of Bournemouth Arts Club and Poole and East Dorset Arts Society. My cards are returning to the Lighthouse art shop, in Poole, when the Quentin Blake show finishes, so that's good news. I need to then be proactive and find a number of other venues to sell my work through. I also will be doing more workshops for art groups, and plan to put together some regular courses. As for the artwork itself, I need to sit down and get to grips with several completely different things: silver soldering, oil painting- and do more portraiture, watercolour and a number of prints. This is going to mean a lot of work, and that's exciting :)
But before I end- I'm aware that there are a lot of people suffering right now. Whatever your political views might be, there are a lot of innocent children trapped in conflict in Gaza, whose lives matter deeply, and there are precious people kept as hostages- some of whom have undergone torture and sexual violence, their hurting families, the survivors and many more who are traumatised by Hamas's atrocities and by the response to them- in both communities and beyond. It is a time of intense darkness. Please pray for them and don't forget them. The dark times are the times when we need to shine.
TOm
First of all, Merry Christmas to you! I hope that you and your loved ones have a peaceful, good time together, and that the new year is a good one for you.
2023 has been a strange year for me. Highlights have been having work accepted into every show that I entered, and in that way displaying work at more new locations and events than I have done in years. It's been a good year for interacting with and meeting new people. The Top Drawer exhibition in the summer was exciting and actually worked out- and it was great to work alongside other people and get to know some of them. I had the privilege of becoming a part time tutor for the Fresh Talent group of artists with learning difficulties and had the chance to lead a number of workshops/demonstrations. I enjoyed exhibiting dance pictures at Pavilion Dance and making pieces in response to poetry. I won a prize at Artcare, Salisbury, and took part in the plein air competition at Poundbury. In terms of art, I properly exhibited wire work, smoke drawings, and clayboard pieces for the first time; I worked on aluminium and on brass and I learnt a lot. I had a lot of support from many people and I have a lot to be thankful for- a huge thank you!
In many ways, it was also a very difficult year. I've just had an invitation to take part in Sky Portrait Artist of the Year, but I need a run of good health before committing to that. This year has been dismal for that. I've told them that I will consider doing 2025, though whether to go for Portrait or Landscape, I'm not sure.
What are the plans for 2024? Big ones, and lots of them. Firstly, I hope to continue with Fresh Talent. Secondly, I will be putting work on sale online for the first time since perhaps 2015. I hope to set up a Youtube channel. I plan to aim both high and low: to apply for some of the major art shows around the country, and to do a series of craft fairs. I should be having work in the Hatch Gallery, Christchurch in late January. I hope to be part of Dorset Art Weeks in May, and have a solo show booked for Sept. I plan to join Poole Printmakers and the Arts Centre Group, and continue as a member of Bournemouth Arts Club and Poole and East Dorset Arts Society. My cards are returning to the Lighthouse art shop, in Poole, when the Quentin Blake show finishes, so that's good news. I need to then be proactive and find a number of other venues to sell my work through. I also will be doing more workshops for art groups, and plan to put together some regular courses. As for the artwork itself, I need to sit down and get to grips with several completely different things: silver soldering, oil painting- and do more portraiture, watercolour and a number of prints. This is going to mean a lot of work, and that's exciting :)
But before I end- I'm aware that there are a lot of people suffering right now. Whatever your political views might be, there are a lot of innocent children trapped in conflict in Gaza, whose lives matter deeply, and there are precious people kept as hostages- some of whom have undergone torture and sexual violence, their hurting families, the survivors and many more who are traumatised by Hamas's atrocities and by the response to them- in both communities and beyond. It is a time of intense darkness. Please pray for them and don't forget them. The dark times are the times when we need to shine.
TOm
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Having exhibited some of these dance pictures at Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth over the weekend of Jan 14th, and submitted my tax return- always a relief- the plan is to work on the pictures for the poetry-art collaboration for the show in March- details below. I also have the summer show to plan, and get some plain air work done. I did my outdoor drawing of the year, (above). I have also had interest from someone from the Dorset Blind Association, and am going to have a think about 3d work.
Thank you for all your support this year! I wish you a very good Christmas, with light coming into darkness, and a blessed 2023.
Any gallery owners out there interested in having a small-to-not-so-small show of dance drawings/paintings/sculptures? I have maybe 100 usable ones, from very simple high-speed drawings, such as some of those above, but also these taken further, to include small paintings on copper, and wire sculptures. I'm still working on the copper paintings and a few others, and aim to work on the sculptures and printmaking over the next few months, so we'd probably be looking at some time after May 2023. Please get in touch. Thank you. All drawings here are of the dancers of Richard Chappell Dance, (plus some freelance dancers and students) during warm-ups and rehearsals at Pavilion Dance Bournemouth.
As well as news, this is also where I will be posting my blog from now on. I'm removing the blog page as I was getting a continual stream of spam, and it's a waste of my time. If you like something or have questions- ask me via the contact form or on social media. I had a brilliant week last week, drawing the amazing dancers of Richard Chappell Dance at Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth. I was also able to do a Poole street scene commission. I did extras so that my client had a choice of picture, so have some new pen and wash drawings available. Today, I was able to get out to the beach and paint and it's been lovely- I got a bit sand-blasted, but it's been fun. I will aim to do a blog about the dance drawing here, soon. :) Tom 7th Oct 2022
On Monday I was drawing street scenes in Poole. The last 3 days I have been drawing dancers from Richard Chappell Dance at Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth, with some of the others from Bournemouth Arts Club. It's been brilliant. Check out their show "Infinite Ways Home" on YouTube. They are performing it at the Pavilion on Sat 1st Oct 2022, at 7.30pm. They are amazing and have been so welcoming, too. Lots of pictures and seeds for new pictures and sculptures to come! I'll do a blog and show you some when I get a moment :) Tom
Hello to Everyone Who Reads This! I don't have any dramatic news, but here's a little update:
I have been drawing and painting outdoors, (here's a close-up of one of them) , doing mountboard drypoint printing back home, and also doing a little very very small-scale stone-carving.
In addition to all that, I'm slowly piecing together a kit to do silverwork: to solder some of the wire sculptures I've been making, and to do a kind of inlay work in stone, if it works- it's just an idea. Annoyingly, when I did my foundation course all those years ago, I missed not only the unit on painting, but the one on silversmithing, too- a shame, as it was a superb course, (at Stroud School of Art, Gloucestershire). So, I will be starting from ignorance, as I seem to make a habit of doing. Hopefully, I won't end up there, though... I'm not planning on making actual jewellery, as that doesn't particularly interest me- just the wirework and inlaying stone, etc.
I have a busy month ahead, with plein air painting and some commissions to do, getting work ready for Bournemouth Arts Club's annual exhibition at The Gallery Upstairs that runs from Friday 16th Sept- Mon 26th Sept 2022. This is one where I have to submit work, but, as a member, I'm meant to have something chosen.
Tom 5th Sept 2022
I have been drawing and painting outdoors, (here's a close-up of one of them) , doing mountboard drypoint printing back home, and also doing a little very very small-scale stone-carving.
In addition to all that, I'm slowly piecing together a kit to do silverwork: to solder some of the wire sculptures I've been making, and to do a kind of inlay work in stone, if it works- it's just an idea. Annoyingly, when I did my foundation course all those years ago, I missed not only the unit on painting, but the one on silversmithing, too- a shame, as it was a superb course, (at Stroud School of Art, Gloucestershire). So, I will be starting from ignorance, as I seem to make a habit of doing. Hopefully, I won't end up there, though... I'm not planning on making actual jewellery, as that doesn't particularly interest me- just the wirework and inlaying stone, etc.
I have a busy month ahead, with plein air painting and some commissions to do, getting work ready for Bournemouth Arts Club's annual exhibition at The Gallery Upstairs that runs from Friday 16th Sept- Mon 26th Sept 2022. This is one where I have to submit work, but, as a member, I'm meant to have something chosen.
Tom 5th Sept 2022
Thank you to everyone who came along to my exhibition and brought words of encouragement, new faces and stories. It was probably my best show in a number of ways. I have to tie up some loose ends- sort out putting frames on strings and making sure they're all in tip top condition for collection, and lots to catch up on, and then, we'll see. Hopefully, I'll be able to get out painting again, work out a way to display the wire work, and try to build on some of what I've begun. I do want to do more woodcuts and other prints and be able to get selling online again. I've written more on the show in my blog- click here to go there. Thank you again!
Tom 30th June 2022
Tom 30th June 2022
The show is up and it's been great to meet a mixture of old friends, new faces, and people I'd met online on Instagram and the Preserve Talbot Heath Facebook group, and actually talk face-to-face. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me, and made it possible! I've also been making some copper wire sculptures whilst I'm there. I may do a bit of work on some woodcuts at some point. We'll see. A big thank you to my dad and elder son for helping me hang the show- we make an unexpected team, but had good fun doing that! I'm also bringing in new work- one new framed pic today, and hopefully a number of smaller ones over the next few days! I'm going to be adding some videos of it to Facebook and Instagram, but can't do so one this site. You're very welcome to visit the show! :)
I'm working hard to get my solo show at The Gallery Upstairs, (see details below) all ready and together. This means spending more time framing and less making pictures, but it's all part of the job. I was also very happy to be awarded the "Judges' Choice" Prize at the Red House Museum Open Exhibition :), (details for that below, too).
Current Exhibitions:
Red House Open (2 pics selected for open exhibition) 30 April- Red House Museum, Christchurch, UK
Lighthouse Arts Centre Shop (4 pictures)- The Lighthouse, Kingland Rd, Poole, UK
Future Exhibitions: (Others, hopefully to follow!)
Pictures out of a Rucksack II - (solo show) 16th- 27th June 2022
Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park, Poole, Dorset,
Current Exhibitions:
Red House Open (2 pics selected for open exhibition) 30 April- Red House Museum, Christchurch, UK
Lighthouse Arts Centre Shop (4 pictures)- The Lighthouse, Kingland Rd, Poole, UK
Future Exhibitions: (Others, hopefully to follow!)
Pictures out of a Rucksack II - (solo show) 16th- 27th June 2022
Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park, Poole, Dorset,
Tom 3rd Nov 2021. I have the 2 pictures I entered, (above) both selected for the Forest Arts Open Exhibition in New Milton, Hampshire, UK. This is the first show I've entered since 2019, other than the Southampton City Gallery online show, last year.
The Gallery Upstairs Open at Upton Country Park is coming up, too, with the them "Wild". I have 1 definite picture ready to enter, (below) and am thinking about a little picture of some kind, and perhaps even a small sculpture or two, but we'll have to see. Given the wall space, I always try to make sure that I don't have more than one larger picture for local open exhibitions, as it seems unfair on other artists.
The Gallery Upstairs Open at Upton Country Park is coming up, too, with the them "Wild". I have 1 definite picture ready to enter, (below) and am thinking about a little picture of some kind, and perhaps even a small sculpture or two, but we'll have to see. Given the wall space, I always try to make sure that I don't have more than one larger picture for local open exhibitions, as it seems unfair on other artists.
Confirmed Future Exhibitions: (Others, hopefully to follow!)
Forest Arts Open Exhibition, (2 pics) 16th Nov 2021- 17th Dec 2021 Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, Hamps
Gallery Upstairs (solo show) 16th- 17th June 2022 Upton Country Park, Poole, Dorset, UK
Forest Arts Centre (solo show) Nov/ Dec 2022? End of 2022, dates to be confirmed
Forest Arts Open Exhibition, (2 pics) 16th Nov 2021- 17th Dec 2021 Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, Hamps
Gallery Upstairs (solo show) 16th- 17th June 2022 Upton Country Park, Poole, Dorset, UK
Forest Arts Centre (solo show) Nov/ Dec 2022? End of 2022, dates to be confirmed
Here is a list of places selling my work:
Please check with them before making a special visit, as things are unpredictable at the moment.
Gallery 65, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK. https://www.gallery65.co.uk
Lighthouse Arts Centre, Poole
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton
Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, Hampshire, (cards only)
There may be pieces not on display. Do ask to see my work if you would like to. BUT- please don't take risks. Be wise. You can always ask to view pics online. Please support small businesses and local shops, and companies that have looked after their staff properly! Take care. Tom.
Please check with them before making a special visit, as things are unpredictable at the moment.
Gallery 65, Westbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK. https://www.gallery65.co.uk
Lighthouse Arts Centre, Poole
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton
Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, Hampshire, (cards only)
There may be pieces not on display. Do ask to see my work if you would like to. BUT- please don't take risks. Be wise. You can always ask to view pics online. Please support small businesses and local shops, and companies that have looked after their staff properly! Take care. Tom.
Tom Sept 13th 2021: Hello! It's been a long time. Things haven't gone to plan this year. Everything has been disrupted, and it's been topped off by a summer that has meant I have not got out much for a very long time. Hopefully, I've now turned a corner, and will be renewing my work on here in the next few weeks. My apologies to anyone who has come here to see updates and has been disappointed. The chaos of this year and the lack of being able to put together any kind of routine has made it hard to focus. Despite that, I've actually done a lot of printmaking, which has been very exciting and full of learning and challenges. I've also spend many hours in writing behind the scenes, and a good deal of thinking. I won't say more here, right now, except that, after 2 covid cancellations each year, my Gallery Upstairs solo show is in the diary for June 2022. It seems a long wait, as I will be on my third wave of new work by then. I need to have a clear out of old things and get some work framed up. A big thank you to everyone who has supported me and my family this year- you have made such a difference! :)
Hello, I hope you're all well. I'm back doing some plein air painting again- the first this year, and my first watercolours since the autumn. At the moment, I'm taking watercolours, a pot of brown ink, pencils including a charcoal one and a few random colour ones, a couple of pastels; brushes when I remember them, and of course, a pot for my old painting water- never throw it on the ground- you can reuse it for washes, backgrounds for pastels, etc. My bag has included swimming gear- today was like ice- and some tops to put on afterwards. In the absence of chocolate, for which I blame my youngest son, today's sustenance was bananas. He's keeping me company each time, and is bringing a different book on each occasion. His presence makes the day fun, though we don't stay as long. As my bike brakes haven't arrived, we are having a nice walk through Branksome Woods, listening to the birds, watching jays and one day a treecreeper, and telling stories. It was good to see him today with some superb story ideas which we'll play with a develop over the next few months, I'm sure. One thing I need to watch out for is that at home I use silly voices for the different characters, and one day I will slip up and start talking to people I meet like that... Today we were swimming next to a tern who was fishing close by, as we were the only ones daft enough to be in the sea. Quite something to have this shining arrow shooting down into the water just feet away. Breathtaking!
You can imagine that my thoughts have turned very much to social matters and politics over the last while. I haven't really got the words to express what I want to, but my heart goes out to the suffering. On my own facebook page, I shared a video of one of my favourite singers, Martyn Joseph, playing a song called Crazy like me. It's on You Tube. The one from his album Far from Silent is studio-recorded, I assume and sung. The live one is passionately roared as much as sung. If I can find a better way to communicate what I think, I'll share that. Meanwhile, I hope that you keep well and safe, experience love and justice, and are able to appreciate the world around you in the tiny and the great this coming month.
Tom 8th June, 2020.
You can imagine that my thoughts have turned very much to social matters and politics over the last while. I haven't really got the words to express what I want to, but my heart goes out to the suffering. On my own facebook page, I shared a video of one of my favourite singers, Martyn Joseph, playing a song called Crazy like me. It's on You Tube. The one from his album Far from Silent is studio-recorded, I assume and sung. The live one is passionately roared as much as sung. If I can find a better way to communicate what I think, I'll share that. Meanwhile, I hope that you keep well and safe, experience love and justice, and are able to appreciate the world around you in the tiny and the great this coming month.
Tom 8th June, 2020.
Hello, just in case you hadn't realised, my April-May exhibition at The Gallery Upstairs is Cancelled.
I hope to rebook next year. As I rarely remember numbers, I can't recall whether today was meant to be the day for hanging my show, or for opening it. I'd looked forwards to it for nearly 2 years, since my last show there in the summer of 2018. I normally hope to make some woodcuts, demonstrate how I do that, meet old friends and new ones, and be more sociable in 2 weeks than I normally am in the course of several months :)
I'll be missing seeing some of you, and the relief when it's actually on the wall and looking better than you could have imagined it- and this one I hoped was going to be the best ever, (of mine, that is)- the lovely temporarily empty feeling in the house, when the mass of framed pictures goes out, and that strange feeling as you wonder which ones will return to the stable, and which will go trotting off to new homes- and what will their new living conditions be like- what walls and surroundings will they be in, and what other pictures will they hang out with?
If you were hoping to come along to the show, please get in touch if you'd like to. Need any ideas for making pictures? Suffering from artist's block or wondering where to start for the first time? Feel free to ask me. Who knows? Perhaps there's a chance I might be able to help.
Keep well and safe, and don't just follow your dreams- make sure you find good ones, first. :)
I hope to rebook next year. As I rarely remember numbers, I can't recall whether today was meant to be the day for hanging my show, or for opening it. I'd looked forwards to it for nearly 2 years, since my last show there in the summer of 2018. I normally hope to make some woodcuts, demonstrate how I do that, meet old friends and new ones, and be more sociable in 2 weeks than I normally am in the course of several months :)
I'll be missing seeing some of you, and the relief when it's actually on the wall and looking better than you could have imagined it- and this one I hoped was going to be the best ever, (of mine, that is)- the lovely temporarily empty feeling in the house, when the mass of framed pictures goes out, and that strange feeling as you wonder which ones will return to the stable, and which will go trotting off to new homes- and what will their new living conditions be like- what walls and surroundings will they be in, and what other pictures will they hang out with?
If you were hoping to come along to the show, please get in touch if you'd like to. Need any ideas for making pictures? Suffering from artist's block or wondering where to start for the first time? Feel free to ask me. Who knows? Perhaps there's a chance I might be able to help.
Keep well and safe, and don't just follow your dreams- make sure you find good ones, first. :)
13th March 2020 Getting Ready: I'm still working through woodcuts, but also monoprinting- including a new technique involving cutting paper stencils and using them as part of it, that I've invented this week- and drypoint. Lots of fun :)
I think that I have to accept that this show I've spent 2 years looking forward to is liable either to being cancelled or a total flop- that's how it is. I will just have to keep doing my best. Best wishes to all those out there affected by the virus, which is probably most people, whether you are suffering illness or have family who are, or are in self-isolation, or whether your life is being affected in some other way- God bless you and keep you and give you peace and hope in a grim time. Tom.
I think that I have to accept that this show I've spent 2 years looking forward to is liable either to being cancelled or a total flop- that's how it is. I will just have to keep doing my best. Best wishes to all those out there affected by the virus, which is probably most people, whether you are suffering illness or have family who are, or are in self-isolation, or whether your life is being affected in some other way- God bless you and keep you and give you peace and hope in a grim time. Tom.
28th Feb 2020 More Woodcuts! Well, I'm still working away at them :) Sometimes it is slow going, and sometimes it's hard to see any progress. You can cut a basic woodcut in a short time, but the cutting of detail can be slow and laborious. If you haven't much detail, you can do a large area in a short time, but when the detail or complication in your design comes in and you have to work between thousands of squiggling lines, then you can take hours to cover a few square inches. As I'm doing the actual printing of them, I'm ending up with different coloured mixes of ink, so to use this up, I am doing a bit of monoprinting, too! The variety is good for me. The main reason for doing all this focus on printmaking is that printing ink takes time to dry, and I want work ready for display at the end of April- not just for my upcoming show, but for sale online and in local galleries- and maybe some of the open exhibitions. I have my eye on the St Barbe Open again, and the Southampton City Open, which I haven't entered before.
30th Jan 2020 Woodcuts- I want to have new woodcuts ready for my upcoming show at The Gallery Upstairs, and to enter into open exhibitions, so I have been hard at work with these. Some are entirely new. Others are ones that I have been working on for 4 or 5 years- some in the series have sold, some are finished, but others are getting another cutting and another colour- some have around 15 layers of colour on them- some are drawing close to being at a place where I feel they are finished, and others are miles off that! I love doing this :) Please have a look at my facebook post: 100 Woodcuts?
Milford Arts Group: I had the privilege to do a 2-hr demonstration of Pressless Printmaking at Milford on Sea on 2nd Jan 2020, relayed onto big-screen for those at the back unable to see the detail up close. Although I helped with a couple of workshops at Forest Arts in December, and 2 years before that did the same and a short talk to 5 or 6 people, this was the first time I have gone up and simply talked for so long. I started with a radio mike- my first experience of one of these, and happily, (and I mean that from my point of view at least!) it stopped working early on, so I had to project my voice. I tried to keep up a stream of commentary and interesting anecdote for the length of the thing- and I owe the organisers, the group as a whole, and the cameraman a good deal of thanks! What I was pleased with was that in that time, I was able to demonstrate and produce a woodcut proof that was reasonably successful, one dismal monotype and one more successful reductive monotype, and a reasonable drypoint, plus printing a further woodcut up, though not cutting it. My hope was to let people go away with the knowledge that they could go home, make themselves a cup of tea, and make a print that very evening, without investing in any equipment, and without press, roller or printing ink. I gave them an idea of relief, intaglio and planar printmaking- far from perfect, but to have got all that done, following a migraine at Christmas that left me pretty floored, temporarily unable to speak properly, and feeling very unwell- I'm so grateful to have had the chance to do that, to have had fun conversation with some very nice people, to have been challenged and questioned and made to delve deep to explain what I do and why, and to have, as one person said, stepped outside of my comfort zone- that was good :) Thank you to everyone!
If any groups would like workshops/ demonstrations, please get in touch- I am very new to this part of the work, but love to share my enthusiasm and teach people how to do this!
If any groups would like workshops/ demonstrations, please get in touch- I am very new to this part of the work, but love to share my enthusiasm and teach people how to do this!
Past Exhibitions:
Solo show: People, Places, Dogs and Birds- Lines and Spaces, Stories Without Words
20th Nov 2019- 4th Jan 2020
at
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton
Old Milton Rd, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6DS UK
Taking Part in Bournemouth Arts Club's 99th Members' Exhibition
2nd-30th Nov 2019
The Mulberry Room
Shelley Theatre, Shelley Manor, Beechwood Ave, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH5 1LX
Draw 19 - 21st Oct 2019 - 2nd Nov 2019- I have had 2 pics selected for the Society for Graphic Fine Art's 100th anniversary open exhibition :)
Menier Gallery
Menier Gallery, 51 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU UK
https://www.paintingsinhospitals.org.uk/Pages/Category/menier-gallery
or Menier Gallery (@MenierGallery) | Twitter
Life, Line and Movement - 11th Sept 2019 to 31st Oct 2019-
Ashcroft Arts Centre,
Osborn Road, Fareham, Hants PO16 7DX UK
Email: [email protected]
for more information about the centre, see: https://www.ashcroft.org.uk
Solo show: People, Places, Dogs and Birds- Lines and Spaces, Stories Without Words
20th Nov 2019- 4th Jan 2020
at
Forest Arts Centre, New Milton
Old Milton Rd, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6DS UK
Taking Part in Bournemouth Arts Club's 99th Members' Exhibition
2nd-30th Nov 2019
The Mulberry Room
Shelley Theatre, Shelley Manor, Beechwood Ave, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH5 1LX
Draw 19 - 21st Oct 2019 - 2nd Nov 2019- I have had 2 pics selected for the Society for Graphic Fine Art's 100th anniversary open exhibition :)
Menier Gallery
Menier Gallery, 51 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU UK
https://www.paintingsinhospitals.org.uk/Pages/Category/menier-gallery
or Menier Gallery (@MenierGallery) | Twitter
Life, Line and Movement - 11th Sept 2019 to 31st Oct 2019-
Ashcroft Arts Centre,
Osborn Road, Fareham, Hants PO16 7DX UK
Email: [email protected]
for more information about the centre, see: https://www.ashcroft.org.uk
I've just hung up my solo show at The Kingcombe Centre- details below- a Dorset WIldlife Trust place in deep countryside near Maiden Newton, west of Dorchester, Dorset, UK. If you like your wildlife, this is like a step back in time to meadows of wildflowers and the sound of thousands of grasshoppers and the flit of butterfly wings. On drawing trips there I've had a kingfisher shoot past with a yelp in a flash of bright blue, and sat amid soldier beetles, marbled whites and had a cinnabar caterpillar crawl across my page hopefully. So, come to look at pictures, viist the gift shop, maybe do a course, and enjoy the countryside. If you're not doing a course, you are unlikely to be able to get lunch at the centre, as the cafe is a self-service one with some cakes and cold drinks in a fridge, and a hot drinks machine- so, whilst you'll be fine for drinks and maybe a snack, you'll need to plan lunch differently. I wonder if one day they will open it up as a real tea room. That would be lovely. The show continues until the 30th August, which is the last day it is open. I have hung framed works, with a couple of spares in case people buy work and take it away, and there are new cards and some mounted works for sale, too. A lot of the work is new- around 20 of the pictures have been made this year and at least 10 haven't been shown in any exhibition. For me, it's an exciting time, as I feel that my work has improved significantly this year, although I have done less printmaking than I intended to. The last few weeks have been pretty frenetic, with some trips out to draw at Kingcombe to get some local work- difficult to do in school time, with having to get back in time, and plenty of framing to do, but I'm pleased with the show- it's a fabulous space, and I would love to spend more time there. Maybe if I nag them, I might be able to go as an artist in residence one day...
After this, there are new pictures to frame up for the Purbeck New Wave Gallery in Swanage, and some drawing trips to Fareham and framing for that. Then, in the autumn, I hope to do some online selling, and get work ready for a string of open exhibition applications... we will see :-)
Work on Display now:
Kingcombe Exhibition: Open Thurs 1st–Fri 30 Aug, 10am –4pm daily in the Main Barn, The Kingcombe Centre, Lower Kingcombe, Toller Porcorum, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0EQ. Tel: 01300 320684 www.kingcombe.org.uk Free entry & parking.
Gallery 65, Westbourne, Poole
Purbeck New Wave Gallery, Commercial Rd, Swanage
The Lighthouse Arts Centre, Poole (has new work on show)
Upcoming solo shows:
Sept 2019 Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, Hampshire
May 2010 Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park, Poole
In addition, I hope to be applying to open exhibitions, group shows, and putting some poetry into The Places of Poetry online project- worth a look at.
Tom 25th June 2019
After this, there are new pictures to frame up for the Purbeck New Wave Gallery in Swanage, and some drawing trips to Fareham and framing for that. Then, in the autumn, I hope to do some online selling, and get work ready for a string of open exhibition applications... we will see :-)
Work on Display now:
Kingcombe Exhibition: Open Thurs 1st–Fri 30 Aug, 10am –4pm daily in the Main Barn, The Kingcombe Centre, Lower Kingcombe, Toller Porcorum, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0EQ. Tel: 01300 320684 www.kingcombe.org.uk Free entry & parking.
Gallery 65, Westbourne, Poole
Purbeck New Wave Gallery, Commercial Rd, Swanage
The Lighthouse Arts Centre, Poole (has new work on show)
Upcoming solo shows:
Sept 2019 Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, Hampshire
May 2010 Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park, Poole
In addition, I hope to be applying to open exhibitions, group shows, and putting some poetry into The Places of Poetry online project- worth a look at.
Tom 25th June 2019
Latest News: I took part in the Pintar Rapido on Saturday 22nd June 2019- see blog, and made 4 pictures, exhibited 2, met all kinds of interesting people and was delighted to win one of the prizes :-) Thank you to everyone who has helped me, to the volunteers and organisers, and congratulations to the other winners, and to everyone who had the courage to take part! These are the 2 pictures I exhibited, simply because they went better with my frames than the 2 on the Blog page.
So this was the one that won me a prize. The shady and lushness of the park were lovely after sitting on a dry trafficky corner. The main tree is called a tree of heaven. The shoe belonging to the boy in the tree is on the grass, looking similar to one of my pigeons just over to the right. There are several remnants of sketches I started with- so there are people walking about right up in the right of the tree. :-) I made this by sloshing water all over the paper, again Saunders Waterford, and haphazardly alternating between drawing and painting, drawing with pencil or dip pen into the wet paper, pastelling onto the wet paper, and adding more ink, etc, as I went along. As it was so hot, it dried very quickly, and I was glad I hadn't packed the hair-dryer!
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I'm very happy to have had Gallery 65 in Westbourne, (Dorset, UK) choose to have my work on display and for sale. It may be a week or two before the work goes up as they are framing it up. As framing is part of their business, this is a chance for me to provide my work to them unframed and be able to spend more time making the artwork, rather than the frames- something that I have been looking for for some time. I have asked to have fsc-class wood used, and I am sure that they will do a top-quality job. It's a nice gallery, with good lighting, which is important for my work. If things go well, then I hope that it can be a longer-term thing. The other great thing is that potentially, I can bring my pictures along fresh from the beach, on the way home, and that way have work on show that you can still smell the sea on! They have selected some woodcuts from a couple of what I think of as classic sets, none of which have seen a gallery wall before, and 5 other pictures newly-made this year, one of which I did earlier this week, and one the week before that I haven't even posted online, and none of which have been exhibited. A big thank you to Andrew and Rebecca at the gallery for giving me the chance!
Tom 28th March 2019
Tom 28th March 2019
I'm very happy to have a woodcut on show in The St Barbe Open 2019- at The St Barbe Museum, Lymington, in the New Forest. I need to say a big "thank you" to the museum, after I managed to snap the glass right across the whole thing on the day I was due to deliver it, and they worked it out after I had given up hope of having it in the show- how kind of them! And congratulations to everyone else in it- it looks very very good. You might think that a rural show would not be up to much, but it's good, and it has a freshness to it.
I still have work- framed originals and greetings cards at The Purbeck New Wave Gallery in Swanage. Swanage has been hard hit by the ferry being out of action, but it seems to be doing service again, now. Please support the town.
I will also be bringing new work along to The Lighthouse- hopefully this coming week - to the ground floor art shop, in Poole. I've had some things there for a while and am going to be refreshing and replacing, and bringing in a number of new mounted original artworks, and topping up the cards.
I also have cards on sale, and perhaps one or two mounted works at The Forest Arts Centre, New Milton.
Over the next month, I hope to enter a couple of open exhibitions and a Bournemouth Arts Club one, and am hoping to agree with a local gallery to show and sell work on a regular basis. We will see, but it's an exciting prospect.
For later in the year, I am hoping to have or take part in at least one show related to the Dorset Wildlife Trust, with two possible further-off shows if I can arrange transport- always by far the most difficult thing!
Meanwhile, more printmaking, drawing and painting!
Tom 22 Mar 2019
I still have work- framed originals and greetings cards at The Purbeck New Wave Gallery in Swanage. Swanage has been hard hit by the ferry being out of action, but it seems to be doing service again, now. Please support the town.
I will also be bringing new work along to The Lighthouse- hopefully this coming week - to the ground floor art shop, in Poole. I've had some things there for a while and am going to be refreshing and replacing, and bringing in a number of new mounted original artworks, and topping up the cards.
I also have cards on sale, and perhaps one or two mounted works at The Forest Arts Centre, New Milton.
Over the next month, I hope to enter a couple of open exhibitions and a Bournemouth Arts Club one, and am hoping to agree with a local gallery to show and sell work on a regular basis. We will see, but it's an exciting prospect.
For later in the year, I am hoping to have or take part in at least one show related to the Dorset Wildlife Trust, with two possible further-off shows if I can arrange transport- always by far the most difficult thing!
Meanwhile, more printmaking, drawing and painting!
Tom 22 Mar 2019
Thank you to everyone who came to see the exhibitions I've been part of this autumn!
I have one more for this year to come- on Sat 15th Dec a 1-day joint show with painter B.Kaye Jones and photographer and painter Matthew John: 10am-4pm, Westcliff Baptist Church Hall, Westbourne, Poole or Bournemouth (I am not sure which it considers itself), Dorset, UK. We have very very different work and working styles, so it is going to be interesting. It's going to be a much more informal set-up than most of my recent shows, and I'm planning on bringing lots of art: framed, mounted, works in progress, cards, and loose pictures, which I don't normally bring along to shows. I will also be planning to take along some of my woodcut plates and maybe work on some there, so it should be a good chance to meet some of us artists and ask us questions. It's free entry, and there will be coffee. I would say that there might be cake or biscuits to the list, but if my children are going to be there at all, then I am not sure that there will be any...
I've been out drawing and doing a lot of work on my woodcuts over the last couple of weeks. I was going to take some photos and do a blog today, but the light is rotten, so I'll hope to do that in a day or two.
I still have work on display (framed pics and greetings cards) at the Purbeck New Wave Gallery, Commercial Rd, Swanage. As usual, I have mounted pictures, a couple of framed ones, and greetings and postcards at the Lighthouse in Poole, and some cards, and perhaps a mounted pic or two at The Forest Arts Centre, New Milton.
Thank you to all who have supported me, had a look at the shows and facebook, etc- feel free to like the fb page if you like my work and want to follow what I'm doing. I do update it more than this site.
TOm 5th Dec 2018
I have one more for this year to come- on Sat 15th Dec a 1-day joint show with painter B.Kaye Jones and photographer and painter Matthew John: 10am-4pm, Westcliff Baptist Church Hall, Westbourne, Poole or Bournemouth (I am not sure which it considers itself), Dorset, UK. We have very very different work and working styles, so it is going to be interesting. It's going to be a much more informal set-up than most of my recent shows, and I'm planning on bringing lots of art: framed, mounted, works in progress, cards, and loose pictures, which I don't normally bring along to shows. I will also be planning to take along some of my woodcut plates and maybe work on some there, so it should be a good chance to meet some of us artists and ask us questions. It's free entry, and there will be coffee. I would say that there might be cake or biscuits to the list, but if my children are going to be there at all, then I am not sure that there will be any...
I've been out drawing and doing a lot of work on my woodcuts over the last couple of weeks. I was going to take some photos and do a blog today, but the light is rotten, so I'll hope to do that in a day or two.
I still have work on display (framed pics and greetings cards) at the Purbeck New Wave Gallery, Commercial Rd, Swanage. As usual, I have mounted pictures, a couple of framed ones, and greetings and postcards at the Lighthouse in Poole, and some cards, and perhaps a mounted pic or two at The Forest Arts Centre, New Milton.
Thank you to all who have supported me, had a look at the shows and facebook, etc- feel free to like the fb page if you like my work and want to follow what I'm doing. I do update it more than this site.
TOm 5th Dec 2018
Here is a revised list of what's happening, when and where:
- these will all have different opening days and times, so please check their websites before planning a visit:
On now until 25th Oct 2018- "In the Open" a solo show taking up part of The Top Floor Gallery, The Lighthouse, Poole (see the poster, above)- free entry- (there is a lift, a cafe, a theatre and cinema, etc). There is also another show on, of watercolours by Mike Jeffries, which you might like. The gallery does get used by seminars and other events during the daytime, but is also open till 9 pm several nights a week. Do please check if you can access the gallery before travelling, if you are going to make a special visit.
On now until 10th Nov- Alongside works by lots of different artists, I have some work in the Forest Arts Open Exhibition , FAC, New Milton, Hampshire.
26th Oct-5th Nov- I should have something, (I don't yet know what, as there is a selection process) in Bournemouth Art Club's annual show at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park
11th-23rd Nov- I'm pleased to say that I have had the picture at the top of the page selected for The South West Academy Open 2018 at Exeter Castle, so, all being well, this will be on display.
2nd Nov- 29th Nov (to be confirmed) I am also planning to enter work into another Bournemouth Arts Club show at The Mulberry Room Gallery, Shelley Theatre, Boscombe, near Bournemouth.
There are two more exhibitions in the next while to apply for, too.
To have several shows going at once is an interesting challenge. It means several sets of pictures. I have spent a lot of the last few weeks sorting out pics and frames and things, rather than making artwork. I have therefore, deliberately entered a couple of works that I haven't yet made to one show, just to make myself actually go out and do some painting!
Tom, 8th Oct, 2018
On now until 25th Oct 2018- "In the Open" a solo show taking up part of The Top Floor Gallery, The Lighthouse, Poole (see the poster, above)- free entry- (there is a lift, a cafe, a theatre and cinema, etc). There is also another show on, of watercolours by Mike Jeffries, which you might like. The gallery does get used by seminars and other events during the daytime, but is also open till 9 pm several nights a week. Do please check if you can access the gallery before travelling, if you are going to make a special visit.
On now until 10th Nov- Alongside works by lots of different artists, I have some work in the Forest Arts Open Exhibition , FAC, New Milton, Hampshire.
26th Oct-5th Nov- I should have something, (I don't yet know what, as there is a selection process) in Bournemouth Art Club's annual show at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park
11th-23rd Nov- I'm pleased to say that I have had the picture at the top of the page selected for The South West Academy Open 2018 at Exeter Castle, so, all being well, this will be on display.
2nd Nov- 29th Nov (to be confirmed) I am also planning to enter work into another Bournemouth Arts Club show at The Mulberry Room Gallery, Shelley Theatre, Boscombe, near Bournemouth.
There are two more exhibitions in the next while to apply for, too.
To have several shows going at once is an interesting challenge. It means several sets of pictures. I have spent a lot of the last few weeks sorting out pics and frames and things, rather than making artwork. I have therefore, deliberately entered a couple of works that I haven't yet made to one show, just to make myself actually go out and do some painting!
Tom, 8th Oct, 2018
Having made a firm decision to have a break from exhibitions for a bit, I am pleased to say that I am looking into taking part in 7 different ones over the next few months :-)
29th Sept- weather depending, I hope to be showing work at a pop-up outdoor show in Bournemouth Pinewalk (near the aviary) during the festival that weekend. Apparently this is open to the public at 11 am, but I should be there a good while earlier, and I would think you could walk around and look at things. As I work on paper, if the weather is wet, I will not take part, as damp air makes the paper go floppy in the frames, and means I have to unframe them and sort them out. Unlike previous Pinewalk occasions, this is a 1-day event for me, (others will be there over the Sunday, too), and I will be having a range of medium and smaller pictures ready to buy and take away, and will be framing a number up for this show.
I have entered open exhibitions at the Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, and South West Academy of Art in Exeter. Last year I had 3 pictures accepted in each of these and hope to have something in each show, but we'll see.
Bournemouth Arts Club have their annual show at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park from 25th Oct for 12 days or so, and I am entering 3 framed pictures, 2 mini framed pics, and 2 mounted ones. As a member, I should have one selected, and if there's more than that, that would be nice. As I had my solo show here in the summer, I am putting in new work that I haven't shown there before.
There are 3 more shows I am looking into, including one in a place I haven't shown before, and one that, if I go for it, will mean having 2 exhibitions' worth of pictures at a time, as they will overlap! I am confident that I can do this. It will mean a lot of framing, but I have plenty of frames I didn't have time to fill for my summer show, so we will see how it all goes.
No new pictures to upload at the moment, as my camera battery has gone, and the charger has been lost in the move...
I will update news about the various shows when I get it!
Tom, 14th Sept, 2018
29th Sept- weather depending, I hope to be showing work at a pop-up outdoor show in Bournemouth Pinewalk (near the aviary) during the festival that weekend. Apparently this is open to the public at 11 am, but I should be there a good while earlier, and I would think you could walk around and look at things. As I work on paper, if the weather is wet, I will not take part, as damp air makes the paper go floppy in the frames, and means I have to unframe them and sort them out. Unlike previous Pinewalk occasions, this is a 1-day event for me, (others will be there over the Sunday, too), and I will be having a range of medium and smaller pictures ready to buy and take away, and will be framing a number up for this show.
I have entered open exhibitions at the Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, and South West Academy of Art in Exeter. Last year I had 3 pictures accepted in each of these and hope to have something in each show, but we'll see.
Bournemouth Arts Club have their annual show at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park from 25th Oct for 12 days or so, and I am entering 3 framed pictures, 2 mini framed pics, and 2 mounted ones. As a member, I should have one selected, and if there's more than that, that would be nice. As I had my solo show here in the summer, I am putting in new work that I haven't shown there before.
There are 3 more shows I am looking into, including one in a place I haven't shown before, and one that, if I go for it, will mean having 2 exhibitions' worth of pictures at a time, as they will overlap! I am confident that I can do this. It will mean a lot of framing, but I have plenty of frames I didn't have time to fill for my summer show, so we will see how it all goes.
No new pictures to upload at the moment, as my camera battery has gone, and the charger has been lost in the move...
I will update news about the various shows when I get it!
Tom, 14th Sept, 2018
The move back home is done! School has started again, and I have 3 main plans:
1. Go for some open exhibitions/competitions, and try to get more pictures out locally and around the country.
2. Sell some things online, probably through E-Bay, because it is simple for people to use, and not over-clogged with contemporary artists doing what I do. You can also leave a personal message to your buyers, which you cannot on many art-websites. The plan is to put a page on here that shows available work, and then, either I can put that on E-Bay for auction, or if a customer wants a particular piece, then put it on as a Buy it Now item. The main idea is to long-term spend a bit more time out painting, and a bit less framing, much as I love it.
3. To find a handful of local-ish small galleries or shops through which to sell my work, so that I have a steady background income, so if anyone knows of a gallery that might fit my work and might be interested in selling my things, please let me know, or put them in touch. Thank you!
Please remember that I should still have original pictures and cards available to buy through Poole Lighthouse shop, and I plan to be topping this up with new things this coming week.
Thank you again for all the support!
Tom
9th Sept, 2018
1. Go for some open exhibitions/competitions, and try to get more pictures out locally and around the country.
2. Sell some things online, probably through E-Bay, because it is simple for people to use, and not over-clogged with contemporary artists doing what I do. You can also leave a personal message to your buyers, which you cannot on many art-websites. The plan is to put a page on here that shows available work, and then, either I can put that on E-Bay for auction, or if a customer wants a particular piece, then put it on as a Buy it Now item. The main idea is to long-term spend a bit more time out painting, and a bit less framing, much as I love it.
3. To find a handful of local-ish small galleries or shops through which to sell my work, so that I have a steady background income, so if anyone knows of a gallery that might fit my work and might be interested in selling my things, please let me know, or put them in touch. Thank you!
Please remember that I should still have original pictures and cards available to buy through Poole Lighthouse shop, and I plan to be topping this up with new things this coming week.
Thank you again for all the support!
Tom
9th Sept, 2018
Τhat's the news! I haven't posted much online lately, in a bid to have some real pictures ready for the show. Today, some friends and family helped me hang 52 pictures, (thank you so much!), 27 of which haven't been exhibited anywhere. If that sounds a lot, it means a lot of work. Making the pictures is no problem at all. I have another 30 or more at home that I could have put in if I had time to frame them up. Straining my tendons in my arm as I was getting into the framing meant that I didn't do all I might have done, but I'm happy to have the pictures up! Once I have done all the labels and paperwork, I will try to frame up a few more smaller pics, and bring some of those in in my rucksack. Come and visit!
Tom, 27th June 2018 My Russell Cotes Museum exhibition is all packed up and I have just under 2 months before my solo show at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country Park, Poole, UK. That's not a lot of time, and, being in a rented place whilst my house is tenderly de- and re-constructed, I have to wait a bit before I can do any framing... making it an exciting time, but a chance to go out and paint and draw. I do want to say a BIG thank you to everyone at the RC because they were brilliant. The exhibition went well. It was a shame that everything else going on meant that I couldn't do talks and things, but, given that until about the week before Christmas, I didn't know there would be the chance to do the show, I am so pleased with how it went. I also would like to thank everyone who came along, by intention and careful planning, or by chance, and looked at my show, hopefully enjoyed something about it, and came away with something good, maybe inside, maybe in the form of a picture to hang on the wall or a card to stick in the post. I have had some really lovely feedback with people writing to me, and am very grateful for that. Thank you! The lack of time and opportunity to work in the house here means less conventional printmaking. I may do some using dry "ink", like printing woodcuts with pastel or charcoal, ditto monoprints, or fast-drying water-based inks- normal drawing inks, watercolours, etc. I see it as an exciting opportunity to let the circumstances take a lead, and make something particularly good out of them. Tom, 1 May 2018 The Russell Cotes Exhibition is still on- see below. Meanwhile, I have been enjoying the snow and frost, drawing outside- see my blog. Thank you for looking! Tom.
Russell Cotes Museum Exhibition: There is a link on the right that you can click on and follow. This was an unexpected exhibition for me, and I am delighted to have this on until the end of April. A big thank you to everyone who has helped me to get it to happen, and to those who have come along to see it!
The show is on in the cafe gallery, which means food and free entry (but not free food)! I have around 40 original framed pictures there, and mounted works in a browser, plus greetings cards down in the shop. There are other art exhibitions on, too, and the whole museum, although there is an entry fee for that. It is also right on the cliff top. If you come along and aren't local, do have a look at the metal mini sculptures on the fence above the clifftop- they are nothing to do with me, but they are great fun. The gardens of the museum and place as a whole are worth looking at, and I have some ideas for pictures to make there, hopefully in the next month or two. It is a "selling exhibition", and some pictures have already been bought and removed, and hopefully this will continue during the course of the show. I went in today to bring in a few more pictures, ready to replace things- it's quite a long show, so it will be nice to move things around anyway. I hope to get some drawing trips in in the near future and bring some of the new work along to the show. It's looking likely that we may be moving out of our house soon for subsidence work, so, because we are going to be in rented accommodation, I will not be planning to do any printmaking, oil painting, etc- hopefully, it will be several months of watercolour, pastels, pen and ink, etc on the beach and other outdoor local places. AFter taking the pictures in today, and last Friday, when I brought the mounted work in, I cycled along to Alum Chine and sat in the sun and did the first drawing for a long time, really. It's so good to be doing that again! Tom, Feb 2nd, 2018 |
Happy New Year to Everyone!
Right now is a busy time for me. Just before Christmas, I was asked if I could put on an exhibition somewhere high on my list of places to apply to exhibit in, starting this January. Exciting news! My solo show at the Forest Arts Centre in New Milton was going really well, the best one I've had for some time- not only did it look right, but I had the chance to talk about my work and help out in some existing workshops, which was a first for me, and good fun to do. I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped to make it possible- to everyone at the FAC and to all who came along, including both old and new customers.
The good news for me, is that the pictures I have after the last very recent show, are the very ones that I think will fit the new space- it seems to be working out really well- but what I am frenetically trying to do is to frame up some other things that I haven't shown anywhere before. I always like to have a good few new pieces. I have plenty that I haven't displayed before- I just need to get them mounted and behind glass, ready to go on show. The plan is also to have some mounted work and postcards/greetings cards on sale, too.
The new show will be on at The Cafe Gallery (free entry), at the Russell Cotes Museum, in Bournemouth- another lovely space with the potential for food and drink, right by the sea, so I hope to come and do some work and maybe talks or workshops. As I said, it's brilliant news, and I'm grateful for the chance to do an exhibition at the gallery!
I'll put more information on here soon, and hopefully, once the show is on the wall, be able to take a break from framing and get out making pictures!
Have a very good year!
Tom, 8th Jan, 2018
Right now is a busy time for me. Just before Christmas, I was asked if I could put on an exhibition somewhere high on my list of places to apply to exhibit in, starting this January. Exciting news! My solo show at the Forest Arts Centre in New Milton was going really well, the best one I've had for some time- not only did it look right, but I had the chance to talk about my work and help out in some existing workshops, which was a first for me, and good fun to do. I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped to make it possible- to everyone at the FAC and to all who came along, including both old and new customers.
The good news for me, is that the pictures I have after the last very recent show, are the very ones that I think will fit the new space- it seems to be working out really well- but what I am frenetically trying to do is to frame up some other things that I haven't shown anywhere before. I always like to have a good few new pieces. I have plenty that I haven't displayed before- I just need to get them mounted and behind glass, ready to go on show. The plan is also to have some mounted work and postcards/greetings cards on sale, too.
The new show will be on at The Cafe Gallery (free entry), at the Russell Cotes Museum, in Bournemouth- another lovely space with the potential for food and drink, right by the sea, so I hope to come and do some work and maybe talks or workshops. As I said, it's brilliant news, and I'm grateful for the chance to do an exhibition at the gallery!
I'll put more information on here soon, and hopefully, once the show is on the wall, be able to take a break from framing and get out making pictures!
Have a very good year!
Tom, 8th Jan, 2018
My solo exhibition is on at the moment at The Forest Arts Centre, New Milton until 20th Dec (this is a revised date- my apologies). There are just over 40 works on the walls and an overflowing browser of mounted pictures that I have added another bunch to. I also have greetings and postcards for sale. Apart from the cards, all the pictures, including mounted works, are originals. It's a nice venue, friendly and with excellent lighting- other artists, it is worth checking out!
The place is open 9-5 weekdays, 10-1 Saturdays, and then has other open times when there are events on- theatre, cinema, performances, etc- have a look at their website (it should open as a new window if you click on it: hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk/forest-arts-centre
I very much enjoyed working with Lisa and her classes - it was great to meet everyone and be able to help out a little- there were some very nice monoprints produced, which I think surprised some of those who made them! It's been nice to talk to these groups and the Thursday one. It's a long time since I was standing in front of a class, and that was to teach the present perfect and conditionals, and it was good. Thank you to all who came along!
I'd also like to thank anyone who came along to the South West Academy Open Exhibition at Exeter Castle last month. It was great to have got work into it, and I will be looking at getting things into other local and national exhibitions over the next year.
Do feel free to get in touch and follow on www.facebook.com/tommarshallart if you would like slightly more regular updates. A big thank you to everyone who has helped to get the things to happen!
Tom, 15. Dec. 2017.
The place is open 9-5 weekdays, 10-1 Saturdays, and then has other open times when there are events on- theatre, cinema, performances, etc- have a look at their website (it should open as a new window if you click on it: hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk/forest-arts-centre
I very much enjoyed working with Lisa and her classes - it was great to meet everyone and be able to help out a little- there were some very nice monoprints produced, which I think surprised some of those who made them! It's been nice to talk to these groups and the Thursday one. It's a long time since I was standing in front of a class, and that was to teach the present perfect and conditionals, and it was good. Thank you to all who came along!
I'd also like to thank anyone who came along to the South West Academy Open Exhibition at Exeter Castle last month. It was great to have got work into it, and I will be looking at getting things into other local and national exhibitions over the next year.
Do feel free to get in touch and follow on www.facebook.com/tommarshallart if you would like slightly more regular updates. A big thank you to everyone who has helped to get the things to happen!
Tom, 15. Dec. 2017.
Some good news on a day with yellow-grey sky. Kid's bikes nicked from Branksome station yesterday, and apocalyptic skies today, but I have news from the 2 exhibitions I have entered:
1, I have 3 pics in The Forest Arts Centre Open Art Exhibition in New Milton, Hampshire, UK- one of which has won second prize- very nice :-) These are on show until my own solo show goes up there in early mid November. 2, I have just heard back from The South West Academy in Exeter, that I have had 3 pictures preselected for their annual open exhibition, so I'm delighted about that. In theory, this should mean that they are hung on the wall, and with quite a long journey to do, I am hoping that this will be the case. I'm hoping to enter another couple of shows over the next few months in addition to the ones above. Meanwhile, I am framing and doing pictures for my upcoming solo show. Tom 16 Oct 2017 |
I had two pictures preselected for the RWA Autumn Exhibition in Bristol, but unfortunately, the kids weren't well, so I couldn't take them up for selection day. Meanwhile, there should be mounted original pictures for sale in The Art Shop in The Lighthouse Arts Centre, Poole, plus postcards and greetings cards of my work there and in the Forest Arts Centre, New Milton. You can also read my latest blog "Zing" by clicking here.
Tom 26th Sept, 2017 |
After a challenging summer, in which I was happy to have work in The Victoria Gallery, Bath, and with Bournemouth Arts Club at the Red House Museum, Christchurch (UK), and the Mulberry Rooms Gallery at the Shelley Theatre in Boscombe, I have a couple of days more (hopefully this Thurs and Fri) at The Pinewalk in Bournemouth Gardens. You always think that you are getting to the end of a busy period, only to find that there is always more! I am looking forward to getting out and doing some more pictures locally, whilst still working on some woodcuts and other printmaking.
Tom (5th Sept, 2017)
After a break last year, I am back at The Pinewalk in Bournemouth Gardens, just off Westover Rd and a short stroll (in my opinion) to the beach, with a selection of framed and mounted original pictures for sale, plus greetings cards and postcards of my work. I sound like the buffet stewards on the train. Anyway, I hope to be spending some of the time working on some woodcuts, so you're welcome to come along and ask me questions. The Pinewalk is an entirely unpredictable thing to do, but through it I get to meet people whom I might otherwise not, and it's a chance for local people to see my pictures and meet me if they want to. I have booked the 5th, 7th, 10th, 13th and 18th July, and the 4th, 5th and 7th Sept and expect to book more dates- possibly in July and August. However, if you are making a special trip to see my work, then please get in touch with me beforehand to check that I will definitely be there as cicumstances can change. My pictures should be set up by 10am (possibly earlier on request) and I need to begin packing up at 2.15 to get my youngest son from school, but can potentially arrange to stay later on request.
I still have a couple of weeks left of the other 2 exhibitions I have work in:
Bath:
I have 2 pictures in The Bath Society of Artists' Summer Exhibition at The Victoria Gallery, Bath, not far from where I used to work at The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases.
I haven't been back to Bath for years and it was nice to go round the town with my eldest son and show him some of the places I used to know. Apart from my old hospital, which looks as run down as you can get, the city seemed in good health and the sunshine and some good bread and cheese, coupled with some good drawing and chatting on the train journey, made it a really nice day out- exhausting, but good to do. I will try to get up there and see the whole exhibition next month. I was a little apprehensive that my form would not be understood, as my computer's default language is (for some unknown reason) Faeroese, and it converted the accepted/ rejected form for the exhibition into this language. However, it seems to have been ok in the end :-) Choosing the pictures in an interesting one. I had in mind a completely different second picture, which my son told me was not the bee's knees that I thought it was. I did have a second one in mind, that was very minimal and not in bright colours or anything, and I thought that I would have to be very brave to put in a picture with so little in it- you can't see much more than someone in a hood walking along with their dog. It is, of course, a view from Sandbanks, looking across to Old Harry, but when I arrived at the beach, there was that rarity around here- a really thick fog, but I still sat down and drew it, and I do like it. Figures always look small when they are surrounded by space, and I like that. My son thought that this was a better bet than my previous choice, and so that's what we took along! The other is a woodcut, that I had decided on before, and you can read more about in my last Blog.
Tom 23rd May 2017
Tom (5th Sept, 2017)
After a break last year, I am back at The Pinewalk in Bournemouth Gardens, just off Westover Rd and a short stroll (in my opinion) to the beach, with a selection of framed and mounted original pictures for sale, plus greetings cards and postcards of my work. I sound like the buffet stewards on the train. Anyway, I hope to be spending some of the time working on some woodcuts, so you're welcome to come along and ask me questions. The Pinewalk is an entirely unpredictable thing to do, but through it I get to meet people whom I might otherwise not, and it's a chance for local people to see my pictures and meet me if they want to. I have booked the 5th, 7th, 10th, 13th and 18th July, and the 4th, 5th and 7th Sept and expect to book more dates- possibly in July and August. However, if you are making a special trip to see my work, then please get in touch with me beforehand to check that I will definitely be there as cicumstances can change. My pictures should be set up by 10am (possibly earlier on request) and I need to begin packing up at 2.15 to get my youngest son from school, but can potentially arrange to stay later on request.
I still have a couple of weeks left of the other 2 exhibitions I have work in:
Bath:
I have 2 pictures in The Bath Society of Artists' Summer Exhibition at The Victoria Gallery, Bath, not far from where I used to work at The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases.
I haven't been back to Bath for years and it was nice to go round the town with my eldest son and show him some of the places I used to know. Apart from my old hospital, which looks as run down as you can get, the city seemed in good health and the sunshine and some good bread and cheese, coupled with some good drawing and chatting on the train journey, made it a really nice day out- exhausting, but good to do. I will try to get up there and see the whole exhibition next month. I was a little apprehensive that my form would not be understood, as my computer's default language is (for some unknown reason) Faeroese, and it converted the accepted/ rejected form for the exhibition into this language. However, it seems to have been ok in the end :-) Choosing the pictures in an interesting one. I had in mind a completely different second picture, which my son told me was not the bee's knees that I thought it was. I did have a second one in mind, that was very minimal and not in bright colours or anything, and I thought that I would have to be very brave to put in a picture with so little in it- you can't see much more than someone in a hood walking along with their dog. It is, of course, a view from Sandbanks, looking across to Old Harry, but when I arrived at the beach, there was that rarity around here- a really thick fog, but I still sat down and drew it, and I do like it. Figures always look small when they are surrounded by space, and I like that. My son thought that this was a better bet than my previous choice, and so that's what we took along! The other is a woodcut, that I had decided on before, and you can read more about in my last Blog.
Tom 23rd May 2017
Christchurch, Hampshire:
Well, finally I have the pictures in the Red House Gallery dropped off and on the wall. I haven't had a chance to visit the exhibition yet, so will review it when I do. I am waiting for a good drawing day, so I can spend the trip there profitably. It's always a relief to finally see your work comeout of its wrappings and make its way somewhere else. The amount of time going over the frames and making sure everything is nice and smart and the labels are all correct and all the paperwork is done- it never ceases to amaze me how long it all takes.
Diverse Forms- Bournemouth Arts Club's annual exhibition is on at the Red House Gallery, Christchurch, Hampshire, UK until 15th July, but the exhibition will be refreshed midway, and any pics sold at that point will be replaced by others. I have 2 pics in it and one waiting on the sidelines, so I was very happy to have all of them selected for the team or the substitutes' bench.
Please look out for other events. I am entering a couple more exhibitions further afield, and hope to have pictures get in to some of them. We will see. I am waiting to hear back from the Bath Society of Artists' Open Exhibition. I went up with my eldest son on the train on Saturday with a couple of pictures. About 15 years ago, when I was living in Bradford on Avon, and working in Bath in The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust (The Min, to its friends), I did a bit of voluntary work at the Victoria Gallery, so it was good to go back and see the place again, although in a very different context. There is a lot of excitement in simply not knowing- are you going to get anything in or nothing, and even if you get something in, will it sell, will yu get to know new people through it? It's a bit like walking a plank bridge in the dark to some unknown destination, not that I've ever done that. The nice thing is that, however it goes, I spent the train journey up drawing people all the way, and did the same most of the way back, too :-)
Tom 15th May 2017
Well, finally I have the pictures in the Red House Gallery dropped off and on the wall. I haven't had a chance to visit the exhibition yet, so will review it when I do. I am waiting for a good drawing day, so I can spend the trip there profitably. It's always a relief to finally see your work comeout of its wrappings and make its way somewhere else. The amount of time going over the frames and making sure everything is nice and smart and the labels are all correct and all the paperwork is done- it never ceases to amaze me how long it all takes.
Diverse Forms- Bournemouth Arts Club's annual exhibition is on at the Red House Gallery, Christchurch, Hampshire, UK until 15th July, but the exhibition will be refreshed midway, and any pics sold at that point will be replaced by others. I have 2 pics in it and one waiting on the sidelines, so I was very happy to have all of them selected for the team or the substitutes' bench.
Please look out for other events. I am entering a couple more exhibitions further afield, and hope to have pictures get in to some of them. We will see. I am waiting to hear back from the Bath Society of Artists' Open Exhibition. I went up with my eldest son on the train on Saturday with a couple of pictures. About 15 years ago, when I was living in Bradford on Avon, and working in Bath in The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust (The Min, to its friends), I did a bit of voluntary work at the Victoria Gallery, so it was good to go back and see the place again, although in a very different context. There is a lot of excitement in simply not knowing- are you going to get anything in or nothing, and even if you get something in, will it sell, will yu get to know new people through it? It's a bit like walking a plank bridge in the dark to some unknown destination, not that I've ever done that. The nice thing is that, however it goes, I spent the train journey up drawing people all the way, and did the same most of the way back, too :-)
Tom 15th May 2017