It was a chilly start today and misty, in fact, the mist seemed to come down heavier as we walked; then the sun came out and started burning it off. The leaves are starting to turn now, bringing Autumnal colours to add to the green landscape. It is a great time of year for foraging, not only for food but for materials to make art!
Last Saturday I went to Dove Studios, Butleigh to do a course called 'Walk and Make'. The tutor was artist Fiona Hingston, who has made some impressive hanging boxes, full of nature for 'Amazing Space', an exhibition of especially commissioned work to celebrate 45 years of the Dove Centre which will open during Somerset Art Weeks which starts on October 3rd. Her 'Pressings' are the result of going into the countryside, collecting, preserving, responding and finally making (see above). The methods she uses includes - folding, pressing, stitching, drying and waxing.
Our first task was to walk in the fields, orchards and woods nearby and pick up anything which appealed. We then took these back to tables set out in the open - we were lucky that the weather was glorious sunshine - and Fiona helped us with ideas on how to preserve them, put them together and start something that perhaps could be turned into an artwork! You can see her in the pic top left slicing up some apples before laying them out to dry. I tried stitching some thistle seed heads but they were fragile and started disintegrating! I found some snail shells, without their owners, thank goodness! They have a subtle colouring which I hope will be enhanced by some deep cleaning and waxing.
The most intriguing thing we saw today were these two rocks held together just by balance. They reminded me of Dorset artist, Adrian Gray who does this on a huge scale with amazingly, dramatic results that seem to defy gravity!
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