a new year, a new diary

it's a new year and i have a new desk diary, but the year ahead is looking quite empty...sketchbook diary drawingsthe first (graphite) drawing was done on the day after boxing day (it rained most of the day).on the first two days of the diary (28th & 29th december, below) i was trying to visually recall the flooded marshes and meadows, which on a boxing day walk were quite mesmerising to see, sparkling in the sun like mirrored trays, with partially submerged trees and bushes looking like decorative ornaments.my memory of early new year's eve is driving through torrential rain, every now and again through deep puddles which stretched the width of the narrow country road, throwing up sheets of black water, and the momentary sensation of water-blindness, as if under a huge crashing wave.sketchbook diary paintingsi like this desk diary; it is a page-a-day appointment diary, including saturdays & sundays (which is what i wanted). however, the paper is very thin and it doesn't take paint very well - so i may have to revert to some simple drawing & doodling with a pen. i was intrigued to use a regular diary as a sketchbook after seeing an Edward Bawden diary (which is suitable for use in any given year, having only the days of the week printed in it) at The Fry Art Gallery in Saffron Walden.i still like the conveniently compact nature of my hard-backed A6 notebooks/sketchbooks, but painting & drawing within the pages of a regular day-to-day diary will obviously result in more date-specific references to thoughts & musings on art or related situations and events, over the course of a year. i also want to purge the 'need' to take photographs as a means of memory, and instead write and draw more about things, as and when - but perhaps the pages aren't big enough for pictures and words.having said that, i did take a photograph on new year's day.suffolk thorpeness beachnew year's day at thorpeness beach, photograph taken with an unfashionably old mobile phone - and #nofilter!the north sea was curiously calm that day, like a vast lake, an unusually mild air with no discernible sea breeze, barely any foam fringing to the gently lapping waves breaking on the shore, and the soft pink clouds serenely floated by - it was really rather lovely.on another day, a brisk walk along aldeburgh beach was rewarded by fish & chips in the company of seagulls, and on the drive back, as the bright afternoon light faded into a more sombre and sullen grey, the opportunity to take a quiet stroll at sizewell beach, a place which has a real atmospheric 'buzz' about it..!suffolk beach pebblesi found two more 'J' pebbles, and a capital 'A'. days out at the coast are always revitalising, so one new year's resolution might be to make more time to see the sea more often (and maybe take the diary/sketchbook)...

cut open art exhibition

last weekend i submitted two 'abstract' paintings for The Cut Open 2012 art exhibition…the handing-in day was very busy and it was very nice to meet & chat with some artists i know. i have not entered work into this annual show before and i am looking forward to visiting the exhibition at the cut arts centre next week.the 'cut  open 2012' art exhibition opens on tuesday 4th december 2012, and continues to saturday 22nd december 2012.the-cut-open-art-exhibition-2012About The Cut (from their website)The Cut is located in an imposing former maltings building in the Suffolk market town of Halesworth in the heart of the Blyth Valley, a few miles inland from the popular East coast resort of Southwold.The Cut is a lively community arts venue which offers Halesworth and the surrounding area a cultural mix of arts, from live music, theatre, dance, comedy and cinema, to leisure classes, training workshops and art exhibitions.The Cut Open Art Exhibition 2012Tuesday 4th December - Saturday 22nd December 2012The CutNew CutHalesworthSuffolkIP19 8BY