£3
Folkestone Art Society | ART REVIEW
FOLKESTONE ART SOCIETY Folkestone Art Society (FAS) was formed in 1928 by a group of local artists who were meeting in one another’s homes. Since then the membership has grown to 200 or more. The first exhibition was in 1935 and held in the now defunct Pleasure Gardens Theatre. Exhibitions have been held every year since then except for the war years. Since 1997 exhibitions have been held at The Grand as well as at other venues. President: Fiona Graham-Mackay Patrons: Michael Stainer, Graham Gordon, Richard Bates Robert Benson Committee: Sue Brelade (Chair), David Anderson, Chris Harman, Yvonne Hutchcraft, John Keller, Leigh Norgrove, Elena Priestley, Malcolm Ritchie, John Sussams. Cover Design John Sussams Registered Charity Number 1161336
INTRODUCTION
A
rt for all is an easy slogan although more difficult to put into practice. The Folkestone Art Society firmly believes that art should be for all. It runs art workshops and demonstrations open to the public, it puts on exhibitions of its members’ work and it encourages young artists through an award scheme. It also produces this annual Art Review. Reaching out to the wider community through the medium of art, the Society is an active part of the thriving Folkestone art scene. Its members come from a variety of backgrounds and communicate through their art in a variety of media and styles. Our exhibitions showcase work from the traditional to the contemporary, from hung canvases to ceramics and installations. The limits are those of imagination - and the availability of exhibition space! This year sees the fourth ‘Folkestone Triennial’, with the town playing host to an international array of artists. We are very pleased that one of those artists, Jonathan Wright, is our guest contributor to this year’s Art Review. Art has the power to take us out of ourselves, to connect us with a wider world. It is refreshing to share that wider vision and see the world through the eyes of artists. Sue Brelade Chair, Folkestone Art Society Slice of Pi (President’s Choice) by Sue Brelade (Clay)
1
CONTENTS
I
llustrations by FAS members each with a short narrative about the subject:
President’s Choice at May or November 2016 Exhibitions: Sue Brelade, Neville Eldridge, Penny Graham, David Jackson, Yvonne May, Steve Thonpson, Alan Traylor, Janine Umbers. People’s Choice at May or November 2016 Exhibitions: Chris Crane, Carol Johnson, Lesley Moss, Jennifer Homewood, Maddy Swan, Deborah Woodward. Others (Committee Members and Helpers at Exhibitions and in other ways): Jenny File, Diana Harrison, Yvonne Hutchcraft, Robert Mowl, Alison Olorunsola Csilla Orban, Malcolm Ritchie, John Sussams, Justin Turney. Guest Contributor: Jonathan Wright CONTACTS: Editorial: editor@folkestoneartsociety.co.uk Advertising: secretary@folkestoneartsociety.co.uk Membership: membership@folkestoneartsociety.co.uk Website: www.folkestoneartsociety.co.uk 2
Folkestone Art Society Art Review © Folkestone Art Society 2017. All images remain the property of the individual artist. No images may be reproduced without the permission of the artist. Artists may be contacted through the Society.
EDITORIAL
W
e have a great selection of paintings and other works by FAS members this year. They come from three sources: (1) Works chosen for their artistic merit by our President from the May and November exhibitions at The Grand; (2) Works chosen for their popular appeal (the People’s Choice) at the same exhibitions. I think the fact that there is no overlap shows how difficult it is to pick the ‘best’ when nearly all the exhibits deserve top marks; (3) Works by the people (Committee members and their band of helpers) without whose hard work there could be no exhibitions and probably no FAS. As Editor, my own creativity (10% inspiration and 90% perspiration) has recently been channelled into the production of this Art Review which is a mini-exhibition in itself but different in that the pictures are small prints of much larger works and also because each image has a short narrative as well, to help the viewer to understand and appreciate the work. Depending on the nature of the subject, a short narrative may concentrate on: (1) the subject itself; and/or (2) the circumstances which led to the work being created; and/or (3) on the virtues of the chosen media and the way these have been used. This is the actual process of art, which happens to be a major concern of our guest contributor, Jonathan Wright. John Sussams Editor
Fishing Boat by John Sussams
3
DREAM MENU (Sue Brelade)
T
his painting is acrylic on canvas. The central figure is the focus of the work and I wanted to capture the image of a face at rest. I was inspired by a David Hockney exhibition to use the lighter blues in the background. I added the red bowl to bring a contrast in colour and shape. I also think bowls in that form are heavy with symbolism. I wanted the overall feeling of the picture to convey something of the sunshine of the south of France − that lightness which seems to pervade the air and makes a siesta so inviting. Overall, my intention was to encourage the viewer to speculate and to wonder what dreams might pass through the subject’s mind. Dreaming is something we all do, a universal feature of human life. Just as we all dream, we can also speculate on the dreams of others. Some we will share, some dreams, even our own, we will find mysterious and strange. Dreams can be full of action but the dreamer, as in my painting, appears at rest. Stillness and motion, action and inaction.
Dream Menu by Sue Brelade (Acrylic)
4
5
BABY GORILLA (Carol Johnson) People’s Choice
H
aving spent many a sunny day photographing and sketching animals, wild or domestic, I love nothing more than to capture an image that merits a soft pastel painting. This little gorilla did just that. I felt that using pastel would bring out the soft texture of his baby fur. The tiny details were added with soft pastel pencils and a pure white pastel for highlights to complete the painting.
Baby Gorilla (People’s Choice) by Carol Johnson (Pastel)
6
ANCIENT OLIVE GROVE (Stephen Thompson) President’s Choice
T
his painting in watercolour and inks (900 x 750mm) was one of a series of olive grove paintings inspired by a trip to the Maestrazgo region of Spain. This is a wild and mountainous area which has been inhabited by people from 25,000 years ago through Moorish occupation and the Spanish Civil War. The gnarled and twisted ancient trees have been found to live up to 10,000 years They 'stand their ground' as silent witnesses to change, symbolic of the essence of the place. I used a stretched heavyweight hand-made watercolour paper and made the initial drawing with thin paint. This was followed by many layers of flooded washes to build up the depth of tone. The grasses were made by washes of paint over more impasto-applied 'lights'. My intention was to represent the individual character of the trees in silhouette against the transitory movement of light and air passing through the grove. Ancient Olive Grove (President’s Choice) by Stephen Thompson (Watercolour)
7
AUTUMN COLOURS AT RUMWOLD (Janine Umbers) President’s Choice
I
t was a brilliant day - lots of light which brought out the strong colours of Autumn. I had to stand on the grass verge to do the painting with the Church behind me. Fortunately, the road was not too busy. This would have been a distraction and possibly dangerous! I was just able to see the house between the trees and the sky was constantly changing with racing clouds, which always suggest movement. A typical painting day on Romney Marsh. Autumn Colours at Rumwold (President’s Choice) by Janine Umbers (Watercolour)
8
CURIOUS MR FOX (Lesley Moss) People’s Choice
P
ictures of animals and birds are very popular with artists, art lovers and the general public, whose preference is frequently for pictures of animals on cards, calendars, books for children... and on the wall. The most popular animals, for obvious reasons, are dogs, cats, and horses, with farm animals and ‘endangered species’ following close behind. When awake, an animal will not willingly pose for an artist and one has to rely on memory, photographs, and quick sketches. Many famous pictures include cats and dogs as secondary features, symbolic of loyalty, friendship and/or domesticity − all part of the human condition: Titian’s Venus (dog), Manet’s Olympia (cat), Gainsborough’s Mr & Mrs Andrews (dogs), Hockney’s Mr & Mrs Clark and Percy (a big white cat). However, wild creatures are not part of the human scene and anthropomorphising them will not make them so. From the expression on the face of Lesley’s Curious Mr Fox, we can see how easy it is, from a human perspective, to imagine what we think an animal is thinking. Curious Mr Fox (People’s Choice) by Lesley Moss
9
AKHENATEN & NEFERTITI; TUTANKHAMUN (Elena Priestley)
I
loved Egypt and its art from a very early age. It`s one of the most mysterious countries in the world and this affects the imagination and curiosity of a lot of people. Trying to paint portraits of Pharaohs helps me to have a deeper look into eternity. As Egyptians used a lot of gold in their art, I find it very exciting to explore the synthetic version of it. I combine this with acrylic to see how they work together. However, the emotional/psychological side of the portraits is even more challenging for me. Instead of painting a realistic or golden portrait of Tutankhamun, I decided to use fragments of two black-painted wooden sculptures, which stand in front of Tutankhamun`s chamber. They represent the soul and the spirit of Tut, the Boy-King who passed away at such a young age.
Akhenaten & Nefertiti; Tutankhamun by Elena Priestley (Acrylic)
10
11
ZEBRA (Yvonne May) President’s Choice
Z
ebra II is a somewhat unusual composition which I feel complements the striking markings of this beautiful animal. I work in pen and ink with some of the shading in graphite. I like to use the finest of nibs to depict the smallest detail, in this case particularly the mane and the edges of the stripes. It is the unique stripes which make the zebra such a familiar animal and they appear in a variety of habitats such as grasslands, savannas, mountains and coastal hills. However, several factors have impacted on the zebra population, especially hunting for skins and habitat destruction. As a Wildlife Artist I am constantly learning new facts about my subjects such as how the zebra’s coat is thought to disperse 70 per cent of heat to prevent overheating and how the monochrome pattern confuses the visual system of biting insects and flies. ‘Zebra’ took many enjoyable hours to complete and is one of my favourite subjects. Zebra (President’s Choice) by Yvonne May (Ink and Graphite)
12
13
LIFE ROOM 3 (Diana Harrison)
I
still go to life-drawing sessions because I love drawing from life and also feel it is a good discipline − it keeps the eye in, as it were. I find I am making such a wide variety of work in my practice, particularly using collage as in this picture. So, going to a life-drawing session keeps me focused on drawing...and this anchors me. At this particular session the model was asked to lie on a piece of fabric, vibrantly patterned with Picasso heads, marks and lettering. I decided to collage the fabric from a photograph around the figure, using charcoal, contĂŠ and crayons to draw her shape. Her feet rest against another piece of fabric with vibrant patterns that echo the charcoal marks and which remind me of Modigliani figures. Life Room 3 by Diana Harrison (Collage)
14
FLOWER MEADOW (Deborah Woodward) People’s Choice Should I stand and stare or close my eyes, To wait for the dancing light casting its spell Across the meadow where love has grown. Her magic of abundance − to smell, to smile, to dance, Caught up in the love of paint: Everlasting colours brushing tips of petals, Tasting sunbeams from the sky.
Flower Meadow (people’s Choice) by Deborah Woodward (Watercolour)
15
ST MARY & ST EANSWYTHE CHURCH (Yvonne Hutchcraft)
T
his picture is of St Mary & St Eanswythe church which was first built in the Harbour area in approximately 630 and moved to the present site of the Parish church in 1137. However, over many years it has been remodelled and extended. The school opened around the end of the Nineteenth Century and is built next to the church. The children who are pictured in my painting are going to St Eanswythe School in The Bayle. I live backing on to the school so I pass them every school day and hear the children playing (screaming) in the playground‌ and the odd ball gets kicked over the wall into our carpark − but I like to hear them enjoying themselves. The Bayle is a unique place to live and the oldest part of Folkestone Town.
As there is no through traffic, it has the feel of a village and yet you are really right in the middle of the town, just a few metres away from the hustle and bustle. The Bayle pond is pretty but tiny, a place to sit and watch the newts in the summer sun and, of course, we have the oldest pub in Folkestone, the British Lion which dates back to 1460 and is well worth a visit.
St Mary & St Eanswythe Church by Yvonne Hutchcraft (Oil)
16
17
THE ABYSS (Neville Eldridge) President’s Choice A watercolour poem of Roussillon a mediaeval Provençal village set high in an ochre landscape a portrait of a place unreal – unique.
My poem however remains intact complex, dramatic, in essence cold fact I seek to simplify and dream, create a sense of place, abstract, academe
The French revolution saw the end of the bloody conflict Catholics and the Vaudois the Protestants took refuge in the valley between Roussillon and Lacoste to become known as ‘The Valley of the Sorcerers’ Where many of them were slaughtered.
Simonides the Greek philosopher did teach. ‘Painting is silent poetry and poetry is painting with the gift of speech.
Laurence Wylie the American sociologist in his book on the Vaucluse referred to children forbidden to play outdoors, as ochre stains don’t wash away Samuel Becket in the Second World War exiled here, found it a terrible bore.
18
The Abyss (President’s Choice) by Neville Eldridge (Watercolour)
19
WHITE SEASCAPE  (Alison Olorunsola)
I
have chosen to use textiles in my work as I love texture.
White Seascape by Alison Olorunsola (Mixed media)
20
I still make large, and some smaller, felt landscapes, using both wet-felting and needle-felting techniques, and I have experimented with weaving and making textile vessels. I am now using my own photographs to laminate onto cloth. This piece is a textile collage on canvas using silk, cotton scrim and muslin, linen and wool, and real pebbles, and then painted in white acrylic. It is one of a series of works that are entirely white. I have been exploring the idea that colours, particularly of sea and sky, are constantly changing. The features of the seascape are easily visible without using colour.
WINTER LIGHT ON FLOODED FIELDS (Dave Jackson) President’s Choice
T
he bridle way/cycle path that runs alongside the royal military canal is one of the unique features of Hythe that first attracted me to the town. I now live adjacent to the canal and ride along the path regularly. On this morning in January I was carrying my full Pochade box kit but had no particular location in mind. I noticed the low winter sun shining obliquely over the saturated ground, creating sparkling reflections around this old tree, just past the West Hythe Bridge. I set up my box on a vantage point next to the bridleway and spent an extremely enjoyable 4 hours working on this engaging subject. I feel that the resulting painting successfully encapsulates both the serenity of the location and the uniqueness of the season.
Winter Light on flooded Fields (President’s Choice) by Dave Jackson (Oil)
21
CHURCH VIEW (Alan Traylor ) President’s Choice
T
he inspiration for this painting started with three objects from my house: the green chair (which is actually red − but that did not work in the painting so I changed it to green). The other two there were the round table and the large mirror. As I worked on the painting I became very excited and just kept adding more detail until I thought I had overdone it. The painting was also a learning curve for me with regard to light and shade: light from the main window and what it added to the room; also from the mirror reflecting objects from the opposite wall. I mainly paint landscapes but this painting within a painting gave me an opportunity to use vibrant colours − which was very enjoyable.
Church View (President’s Choice) by Alan Traylor (Oil)
22
WATER LILIES (Jennifer Homewood) People’s Choice
T
his subject was chosen from pictures I had taken of the waterlilies on my pond. I could not resist the beautiful colours, shadows and gentle rippling of the water and felt it would be best portrayed in oils. I tried not to put too much detail in but to portray the overall feeling of warmth and serenity. I love painting water, and it is a subject I shall revisit.
Water Lilies (People’s Choice) by Jennifer Homewood
23
SAMPHIRE HOE (John Sussams )
S
eventy-five acres added to England’s green and pleasant land, Samphire Hoe was created from the spoil (chalk marl) excavated during the construction of the Channel Tunnel (inaugurated by the Queen in 1994). It was originally known as Lower Shakespeare Cliff Site but it got its new name after a competition, in which there were hundreds of entries. And the winner was… (pause for effect)…‘Samphire Hoe’. The word ‘hoe’ means ‘headland’ or ‘promontory’ and Samphire Hoe stretches a quarter of a mile into the sea below Shakespeare Cliff, so called because it features in King Lear (Act 4, scene 5). The Bard had evidently done his research because in his text he writes: ‘halfway down [the cliff] hangs one that gathers Samphire, dreadful trade.’ Hence Samphire Hoe, destined very shortly to become a wonderful nature reserve. Starting with 31 plant species, by 2004 small amounts of edible yellow-flowering Rock Samphire were growing there together with 195 other plant species, including the rare Early Spider Orchid. There were initially very few animal species. However, mammals, birds, and other creatures soon invaded and
24
colonised the site and by 2004 there were 140 different animal species including rabbits, foxes, kestrels, skylarks, mallards, moorhens, slow-worms and adders. Give Nature half a chance and she will arrive in spades! Give artists half a chance and they will hold a mirror up to Nature and paint, paint, paint…
Samphire Hoe by John Sussams (Oil)
25
PORTRAIT OF MIRANDA KERR (Maddy Swan) People’s Choice
M
iranda May Kerr is a successful Australian model who was born in Sydney. Her model trademark is her dimples. She has modelled for magazines such as Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and for Maybelline. She rose to prominence in 2007 as one of the Victoria’s Secret Angels. She also launched her own brand of organic skincare products, KORA Organics, and has written a self-help book. Kerr grew up in New South Wales and began modelling in the fashion industry when she was 13. During her childhood, Kerr ‘raced motorbikes and rode horses on her grandmother’s farm’. She was married to Orlando Bloom in 2010 but they separated in 2013. Miranda radiates beauty; so for me she was the perfect model for me to paint in my style, using watercolour and knowing that I could do her beauty justice.
Portrait of Miranda Kerr (People’s Choice) by Maddy Swan
26
27
BOWL OF GRAPES (Malcolm Ritchie)
I
painted this picture in a different style to my usual one. I was trying to capture the feel of the Old Masters. But how old does a master have to be to be considered ‘old’? According to the late Robert Hughes, author of The Shock of the New: about a hundred years. His book was published in 1980. So he was looking back a hundred years to a time when Manet and Monet and many more were busily shocking the Art World with their new approach to painting. Monet’s Impression: Sunrise was exhibited in 1875, giving its name to a whole new movement. However, we are in 2017 now and Impressionism is considered old hat. It has been superseded by other movements (even more shocking?). In the Pre-impressionistic era Old Masters thrived and painters were generally more concerned with accuracy of detail than with the effect of dazzling sunlight and/or mist on their view of things. That is the ‘feel’ I was trying to recapture.
Bowl of Grapes by Malcolm Ritchie (Oil)
28
STORMY SEA AND SKY, SOUTHERN IRELAND (Christine Crane) People’s Choice
I
have painted this watercolour in monochrome which I felt conveyed the darkness of the day and the weather at this little bay in Southern Ireland. I visit this place whenever I go to the Dingle Peninsula. This beach, Clogher, displays some of the most awesome examples of crashing waves which I find so compelling. The force of the breakers as they hit the jagged rocks always inspires me to paint. On this particular occasion the glowering low clouds and the flashes of lightning were competing with the sea for dramatic effect. I just stood and watched for ages and painted this from memory. On a calm and sunny day a painting of this beach and others close by would demand light and colour. On this particular day the raging elements called the tune. Stormy Sea and Sky, Southern Ireland (People’s Choice) by Christine Crane (Watercolour)
29
JUVENILE ACADEMIA (Simona Richmond)
I
n my opinion a cartoonist cannot participate, take sides or give a political judgement when making a satirical statement through a drawing. When I design a character there are a number of areas I explore to ensure that a cartoon is successful. First of all, I deconstruct the character and look for basic shapes in order to identify its key qualities and natural ‘imperfections’. These elements, especially facial features, need special attention as a slight alteration can have a great effect on how the character is perceived. At this point I need to develop a relevant ‘back story’ and, ultimately, an environment for it. I like to create cartoons which draw attention to social issues. This particular one, ‘Juvenile Academia’, features the political correctness involved in educating our future generation. What can one say but – ‘Carpe Diem’?
Juvenile Academia by Simona Richmond (Mixed media)
30
31
FOLKESTONE AT DUSK (Csilla Orban)
D
usk, twilight, sunset, nightfall…when you’re taking an evening walk you can’t see much. But what you can see is different. Where the light falls things are white: the decks of small boats at rest in Folkestone’s Inner Harbour, the façades of distant buildings. Where the light does not fall, the things you cannot see, are black. It’s because the light is coming from low in the sky and is also reflected by the clouds. Some colours are dimly suggested…and the sky is blue, of course!
Folkestone at Dusk by Csilla Orban (Oil)
32
MULTI-COLOURED SPARKLY RAKU POT (Penny Graham)
I
have beein attracted to full-bellied natural gourd shapes for a while but the clay often seems to have a mind of its own and dictates the shape. I normally glaze pots with a single colour but this pot asked for an assortment of greens, blues and coppers. The Raku process of firing is pure alchemy! It is dangerous, full of smoke and fire and absolutely thrilling! .It is the ultimate fusion of earth, water, fire, and air.
Multi-coloured sparkly Raku Pot by Penny Graham (Clay)
33
FARM GATE (Justin Turney)
M
y wife and I were caravanning near Marden. Whilst sitting in my camp chair with a beer I sat watching the sun go down at one of the entrance gates to the campsite. On the other side of the gate is wheat and I just loved the way the sun shone on the field and through the gate. The sunlight was shimmering through the gaps in the foliage and onto the bright green grass of the campsite and I thought then just how relaxing it was for such a simple view. Yet it proved quite a challenge to get that image onto canvas, not just because of
the sunlight through the trees but also because of the spattered shadows on the grass. I discovered that there was also a lot of violet in the shadows and this too was quite a challenge. I got to the stage where I thought the painting might need some more work − but then I thought: no, I’ll just leave it right there. I think I‘ve captured the moment I was seeking to illustrate. Anyway, it’s a good relaxing way to enjoy a beer.
Farm Gate by Justin Turney (Oil)
34
35
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE STUDIO (Jonathan Wright)
T
here are two very distinct threads in my work: one is driven by an interest in Art and its role in the public realm; the other is driven by my own private desire to indulge a lifelong experiment into the significance of objects and materials.
off the main light in the studio and photograph the resulting projection on the screen. Thus I make a record of the objects which are on the bench that day. I will play around with the objects to develop the image a little. And this just about sums up my approach to my studio practice – the practice of art.
As an artist working in a studio I am interested in the creative process – the ways in which an idea, through various stages of sketching, modelling, and experimentation, can be realised, recorded in various media and, eventually, published. For publication to happen I have to leave my studio − my private empire – and go out into the world where I will interact with other people and indeed with inanimate objects both natural and man-made, to exchange ideas, and perhaps see things in a new light – which is what art is all about.
Outside the studio, ‘Profound Riches’ is a picture of the roof of The Forum in Tunbridge Wells with a structure emblazoned with the word ‘RICHES’ in huge metallic letters reaching upwards towards the sky − the very antithesis of profundity (at least in the literal sense of the word). It was commissioned by the Arts organisation Hoodwink and functioned as an aerial, to broadcast the music emanating from the depths (the profundity) of The Forum below. It also lights up in accordance with the amount of musical activity inside the venue.
The image entitled ‘Empire’ is a Giclée print taken from a projection made in the evening in my studio. I have a hinged screen that I pull across the end of my main work bench. At the far end of the bench is a car headlamp on a stand. I turn
The image ‘Spill’ is a new work which uses pure resin and small scale objects that have become ‘hybrid’ structures. It is essentially a maquette for a larger work but exists in its Jonathan Wright ‘Empire’
36
37
Jonathan Wright ‘Profound Riches’
38
own right as a piece. It depends upon whether one looks upon a ‘work of art’ as the finished product of a lengthy and laborious process involving numerous changes and a whole series of partial or subsidiary works without which the final work might never have been completed. Most of the ‘work’ of an artist is in the process, both inside and outside the studio, which hopefully leads up to the exhibition, unveiling, or sale of the work. I utilise ‘everyday’ structures and objects, often posing as structures of transmission and thus connection, and exposing their inter-relationship to a contemporary environment. The objects make reference to the machinery of the modern city and the interconnectedness of our everyday lives. We are surrounded by structures whose functions may be a mystery to us and are simply ignored. When encouraged to look at them afresh, we realise we can see more and see better. Nothing can be taken for granted and nothing is as it appears to be. Some projects in the public domain are far too big for one person and require the artist’s organising ability rather than artistic genius. The artist has to be the project manager in order to retain control.
Working in the public realm is a very satisfying process. I very much enjoy creating a work that is part made by local inhabitants and part made by the location itself. The role of the Artist in such a project is merely to guide the work to fruition and provide a basic structure to focus the work as a whole. The work is made by the public and engineered by the Artist. The other exciting part of this process is to widen the 'outreach' of Art, to expand into new audiences and spread an understanding of Art's importance and function in our modern world. For example a new work currently in production is for New Art Gallery Walsall, where I will be working with the local leather industry to create a new commission for the gallery. The process involves the local leather museum where the work will be fabricated, the local tannery who will supply raw materials and the local student body who will provide the manpower. It is a work made in Walsall, by and for the people of the town, a hugely exciting and satisfying prospect. My own studio practice is a very different matter, a playful self indulgent exploration of divergent and apparently unconnected elements. A 'what if ' approach where the
39
thought process follows behind an intuitive, unthinking indulgence in materials and their formal qualities. Ideas and reason seem to grow from the works made after a period of reflection. The studio is the 'cockpit' where everything is present − all ideas and all materials − a repository, a magical place. Outside and inside: I couldn’t have one without the other. Without the focus of the studio the Artist is adrift, unable to ferment and shape ideas, bringing them out of the imagination to make them real. Jonathan Wright is an artist living in Folkestone. He has worked all over the world making sculptures, installations and drawings and is particularly interested in the role of the artist and of art itself in the public domain.
Jonathan Wright ‘Spill’
40
PINK POPPIES (Jenny File)
I
painted these poppies using pastels. The softness of this medium echoes the velvety texture of the petals. Pastel is my favourite choice for flowers. As the work progressed I almost became part of the petals and foliage. I could be lost for hours. I have spent many years pursuing ‘looseness’ in my work but I have realised in doing so, that it has curbed my natural style which I enjoy so much. I indulge myself in all the lovely detail as I reach the end of the painting. When will it ever be finished?
Pink Poppies by Jenny File (Pastels)
41
TOWNSFOLK  (Robert Mowl)
I
have been sculpting with clay for only a few years, having previously preferred working with wood. I rather wish that I had discovered clay and ceramics earlier. With clay I can still produce the smooth abstract forms, even sometimes using sandpaper as I did before. Now I am able to apply bright-coloured glazes and other textures as the mood takes me. Moving away from my usual birds and other creatures, I was minded to create a sculpture which commented on modern life in an amusing way. Many people have to move away from the area where they were bought up. These four characters are intended to represent those of us who, for whatever reason, are content to stay in one place. With their large feet they are rooted to the spot. Having completed the first figure, I saw the potential for creating a series of different figures in various poses. So here they are, about 10 inches high, sporting their bright colours and all looking very relaxed.
Townsfolk by Robert Mowl (Clay sculpture)
42
43
With around 200 members we are one of the largest art societies in the South East. So if you share our commitment to promoting knowledge and appreciation of art in the wider community and want to get involved, why not join us?
Contact: membership@folkestoneartsociety.co.uk or visit our website: www.folkestoneartsociety.co.uk 44
SATURDAY AUCTIONS TWICE A MONTH
Antiques & Fine Art
Victorian & Later Furniture & Effects
Furniture, Paintings, Clocks, Jewellery, Silver, Ceramics, Collectables & Vintage Clothing Full House Clearance to Single Items Professional Staff & Expert Valuers Collection & Delivery Service Live Bidding at www.easyliveauction.com/kent
Opening Hours Monday to Friday: 10am—6pm FREE VALUATION DAY EVERY THURSDAY 10am—5pm www.kentauctiongalleriesltd.co.uk Tel: 01303 246810 email: admin@kentauctiongalleriesltd.co.uk Unit C Highfield Industrial Estate, Folkestone, Kent CT19 6DD
45
Copy-Link Ltd Folkestone’s No.1 Copy & Print Shop 19a Grace Hill (opposite the Library) Folkestone, Kent CT20 1HA Tel: 01303 850708 I Email: sales@copy-link.co.uk www.copy-link.co.uk PLEASE CALL INTO THE SHOP FOR: 3 Full colour, black and white copying and printing 3 Scanning documents to email/memory stick 3 Plan copying up to A0 size 3 Plan printing up to A1 size in full colour 3 Laminating (encapsulating) up to A1 size 3 Comb binding 3 Printing stationary, business cards, compliment slips, brochures, flyers, booklets and posters 3 ‘T’ shirt and workwear printing 3 Mugs, coasters, tablemats, fridge magnets printed with your favourite photo or message 3 Banner printing for interior or exterior use Also, we now sell used books. Plus we have an additional website where we will be selling new books: www.folkestonebooks.co.uk PLEASE QUOTE FAS200 TO RECEIVE 10% DISCOUNT ON YOUR FIRST PURCHASE OVER £10.00
Established in 1989 we are more than just a boiler repair service. We cover it all - from the kitchen sink to the new bathroom. Now offering a full building maintenance and renovation service through our dedicated subsidiary company ‘Complete Housecare’. email: info@bhc.today website: www.boilerhealthcare.co.uk
exceptional standards in building repairs and maintenance 47
Folkestone Triennial 2017 One of the UK’s most ambitious public art exhibitions returns to Folkestone this summer from 2nd September – 5th November. Under the title double edge twenty internationally recognised artists will create a collection of new artworks to be exhibited in Folkestone’s public spaces.
For more information visit www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk 48
The Creative Foundation - www.creativefoundation.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1105174 Company No. 4566484
This book has been designed and printed by:
Your Local ‘Can-do’ Print and Design Team! e
us In-ho
n Desig
t
& Prin
Parkers Design and Print is an established, Canterbury-based business with a print room and design studio in the Granary of Dane John Works. We have the capabilities and expertise in one place to help you with all of your print and artwork needs.
www.parkersdesignprint.co.uk The Granary, Dane John Works, Gordon Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3PP Made
E CANT
in
Y R BU R
Tel: 01227 766555 Email: team@parkersdesignprint.co.uk