Oh my goodness, your work looks painstaking - not sure I would have the patience for it. I actually love your unfinished piece - it reminds me of rocks being washed by the sea.
Oh that's lovely! I certainly get to see a lot of sea-washed rocks here, so that's very appropriate! Two days of gales forecast so there will be a lot of that kind of thing going on for the rest of this week, if I brave the elements and get out there....
I plan to be out that way next year. My ancestors are from Aberdeenshire. Several generations lived at Wester Cardno, then a township, now a family farm. I want to go see. While I'm there, Pennan (Local Hero fan!), Moray coast trail, friends at Findhorn, and, if possible, visit Inchindown Farm, featured in this podcast: https://soundcloud.com/farmerama-radio/sets/landed
Thinking about how this relates to my writing process... My first thought was that I am lucky as I can always 'roll back' a draft and salvage it if I've gone too far. But now I'm thinking that perhaps this is not quite true... Can we ever go back and capture the layers before the layers? Perhaps, as you say, we just have to keep going and trust that we'll arrive somewhere else... Whatever happens, it will be beautiful.
Ha, yes, I thank god for the 'snapshot' function on Scrivener! I just wish there was something like that for paintings! But you've made me think more about layers in writing, and how we lay them down by revision after revision after revision. Perhaps it is a similar process, in the end; every revision responds to and leaves a trace of what went before.
Aren't these Holbein’s drawings inspiring! There's so much life in them. And the Thomas Howard painting... we're going to see a lot more of Uncle Norfolk next year.
So enjoyed reading this, and seeing your beautiful photographs. I first encountered El Anatsui’s work in an exhibition in Abu Dhabi in 2012, he’s been one of my favourite artists ever since, his concepts are breathtaking in their apparent simplicity, and full of symbolism. I’m hoping I can make it to the Tate before it finishes. The Holbein’s I have been lucky enough to see, they are very special. Looking forward to following the journey of your latest work, it already looks fabulous, love aluminium leaf.
Yes, his work is very special. Ghana seems to be absolutely flourishing with creativity at the moment. I'd love to visit. And thank you - I'm hoping to learn a few new skills in gilding this year as I'd love to use white gold leaf!
Oh, I need some more slow in my life right now, Sam. An enforced slowing! Your work is mesmerising, as are these lovely videos of you producing them. Can't wait to hear more about your exhibitions and I'll be joining you for Wolf Crawl, hot on the heels of a festive London visit... I'm building my itinerary now!
Thanks for the gorgeous artwork and the slow framing.
Thanks too for reminding me that Tate was the Tate from Tate & Lyle. I probably have a tin of Golden Syrup in the pantry somewhere.
Thanks three for showing me the Tate Modern. I could see Bankside power station from my student hall of residence window in Stockwell during my postgrad year at South Bank Poly, now LBSU. It was still working then ('72-73).
Yes thanks, I gave it away - to my partner! The Tate Modern is an amazing transformation and re-use of an iconic building. Herzog and de Meuron did a great job of it, leaving much of it intact.
I adore El Anatsui’s work. And the link between Tate and slavery is interesting - many people believe Tate and Lyle were slave owners and directly profited from the slave trade to make their fortune which was untrue. But it certainly the case that he and Lyle operated in a economic climate where the resonance of slavery was still felt and had lasting effects in trading conditions that would have eased their trading. https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/history-tate/tate-galleries-and-slavery Tate was originally a Liverpool company so it’s flash’s seemed a nice symmetry to be that Tate Moderm now has a branch in the dock area into which they would have imported sugar.
Thanks for the info on Tate, yes I guess that even if he wasn’t directly involved in slavery there’s no escaping the sugar industry’s roots, and its legacies. I’ve not been to the Liverpool Tate yet but would love to see it!
I’m afraid many people think the Tate Liverpool holds the rubbish Tate London didn’t want ! But there are some occasional good exhibitions and the city and docks are well worth a visit themselves.
Oh my goodness, your work looks painstaking - not sure I would have the patience for it. I actually love your unfinished piece - it reminds me of rocks being washed by the sea.
Oh that's lovely! I certainly get to see a lot of sea-washed rocks here, so that's very appropriate! Two days of gales forecast so there will be a lot of that kind of thing going on for the rest of this week, if I brave the elements and get out there....
We have high winds forecast from this afternoon and over night (I'm on the Black Isle), although I don't think it'll reach Orkney standards!
Ha! Another islander!
We have king tides forecast for the weekend. Not too much in the wind department just yet, but 'tis the season. We tested the generator.
The Black Isle is a bit of a misnomer as it's not actually an island, lol. It's a peninsula just to the north of Inverness.
I was just going to look at a map. I had a sneaky suspicion that I had betrayed my ignorance!
I plan to be out that way next year. My ancestors are from Aberdeenshire. Several generations lived at Wester Cardno, then a township, now a family farm. I want to go see. While I'm there, Pennan (Local Hero fan!), Moray coast trail, friends at Findhorn, and, if possible, visit Inchindown Farm, featured in this podcast: https://soundcloud.com/farmerama-radio/sets/landed
Also, the Inchindown oil tanks sound unmissable!
Oh, this is beautiful, Sam. Thank you for sharing your process with us. So inspiring.
Thank you Sophie! However I put another layer of silver on and think I may have ruined it now! I might have to keep going and hope I retrieve it....
Thinking about how this relates to my writing process... My first thought was that I am lucky as I can always 'roll back' a draft and salvage it if I've gone too far. But now I'm thinking that perhaps this is not quite true... Can we ever go back and capture the layers before the layers? Perhaps, as you say, we just have to keep going and trust that we'll arrive somewhere else... Whatever happens, it will be beautiful.
Ha, yes, I thank god for the 'snapshot' function on Scrivener! I just wish there was something like that for paintings! But you've made me think more about layers in writing, and how we lay them down by revision after revision after revision. Perhaps it is a similar process, in the end; every revision responds to and leaves a trace of what went before.
You’ve reminded me of a word I love, ‘palimpsest’. Great post, you make me long for a visit to London. Or Orkney!
Oooh, yes, good word! Today's challenge is to slip it nonchalantly into conversation...
Yes, do!
Aren't these Holbein’s drawings inspiring! There's so much life in them. And the Thomas Howard painting... we're going to see a lot more of Uncle Norfolk next year.
'Uncle Norfolk' makes him sound quite avuncular 😃
You will see... Even Thomas Cromwell calls him Uncle. There's a lot of irony going on...
Very much looking forward to new insights while crawling with the wolf - can't wait to get started!
So enjoyed reading this, and seeing your beautiful photographs. I first encountered El Anatsui’s work in an exhibition in Abu Dhabi in 2012, he’s been one of my favourite artists ever since, his concepts are breathtaking in their apparent simplicity, and full of symbolism. I’m hoping I can make it to the Tate before it finishes. The Holbein’s I have been lucky enough to see, they are very special. Looking forward to following the journey of your latest work, it already looks fabulous, love aluminium leaf.
Yes, his work is very special. Ghana seems to be absolutely flourishing with creativity at the moment. I'd love to visit. And thank you - I'm hoping to learn a few new skills in gilding this year as I'd love to use white gold leaf!
What a great post and it’s good to hear somebody else writing about the depth of a moment. Thank you.
Oh, I need some more slow in my life right now, Sam. An enforced slowing! Your work is mesmerising, as are these lovely videos of you producing them. Can't wait to hear more about your exhibitions and I'll be joining you for Wolf Crawl, hot on the heels of a festive London visit... I'm building my itinerary now!
Yes, finding time to go slow does feel like resisting the current that wants to sweep all of us along full tilt. Have fun in London!
Lovely Sam, it sounds like your cold is better!
Thanks for the gorgeous artwork and the slow framing.
Thanks too for reminding me that Tate was the Tate from Tate & Lyle. I probably have a tin of Golden Syrup in the pantry somewhere.
Thanks three for showing me the Tate Modern. I could see Bankside power station from my student hall of residence window in Stockwell during my postgrad year at South Bank Poly, now LBSU. It was still working then ('72-73).
Yes thanks, I gave it away - to my partner! The Tate Modern is an amazing transformation and re-use of an iconic building. Herzog and de Meuron did a great job of it, leaving much of it intact.
I normally avoid London on trips back, but it's clearly time to do catch up on the museums.
I adore El Anatsui’s work. And the link between Tate and slavery is interesting - many people believe Tate and Lyle were slave owners and directly profited from the slave trade to make their fortune which was untrue. But it certainly the case that he and Lyle operated in a economic climate where the resonance of slavery was still felt and had lasting effects in trading conditions that would have eased their trading. https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/history-tate/tate-galleries-and-slavery Tate was originally a Liverpool company so it’s flash’s seemed a nice symmetry to be that Tate Moderm now has a branch in the dock area into which they would have imported sugar.
Thanks for the info on Tate, yes I guess that even if he wasn’t directly involved in slavery there’s no escaping the sugar industry’s roots, and its legacies. I’ve not been to the Liverpool Tate yet but would love to see it!
I’m afraid many people think the Tate Liverpool holds the rubbish Tate London didn’t want ! But there are some occasional good exhibitions and the city and docks are well worth a visit themselves.