Hello and welcome to the latest newsletter from Bella Bee;

a quick update of what's been going on with the artistic side of life including other artists I've met along the way.

Simplifying the rocks

The rocks at Hele Bay; they're either going to provide a constant source of inspiration, or they will be driving me mad as I try to find how best to describe them.

PRINTMAKERS EXHIBITION

Wiltshire Print Creatives

I am proud to be a part of this illustrious (and industrious) group.

We are an eclectic mix of differing ages and backgrounds, who all have a love of printmaking, be it screen printing, collagraph or etching.

Who would have known this would been such a successful exhibition?

Positive comments, many sales, tonnes of visitors; despite it being the week the Bath Christmas Market is being set up so reduced passing traffic as the sheds are put up.

As the poster says; 12 artisan printmakers with an exhibition in

44AD, Bath,

from the 11th November.

Thanks to Flora (pictured below) of Florintina & Chalky for the poster design.

The two above are a selection from my work on show.

We have all shared the workshop for so long together that it came naturally to help each other setting up the exhibition space.  Tonia Gunstone, Caroline Morriss, Kerrie McNeil and Jane Temperley setting up pictured left, with Martin Covington and Jane during their curation pictured right.

If you missed the exhibition but are interested in buying a piece of my work, just let me know.  The collagraphs you see here are all professionally-framed and have perspex fronts rather than glass so are not too heavy.

You can see them in more detail on this web page.

Pictured below, four of Tonia Gunstone's collagraphs based on landscapes and water and two of Alex Nash's screenprints.  Both sold at the exhibition. 

200 Fish

I put a shoutout to many not long before this newsletter as I know many of you may be interested in taking part, so if you've seen this aready here it is in more detail or just skip it - I won't know anyway. :) 

Fellow West Country artist Jo Mortimer sent the heads up for this project being run by Lincolnshire man Biff Vern.

Jo has chosen the Blue Fin Tuna as her subject,

creating two beautiful and colourful images.

Me, I've chosen number,18 Cetorhinus maximus or what we know as a Basking shark.

Lifted straight from the site;

200Fish is an art project whose objective is to raise awareness of the biodiversity of the North Sea.

The project is open to anyone who would like to have a go.  There is a lot to choose from, just to make sure not everyone chooses the same there is a list (spaces at time of writing).

If you are an artist who would like to get involved here's what to do:

1. Pick from the list a species of your choice. You may find it helpful to go to Google Images or search elswhere for pictures of the fish.
2. Send us an email telling us which fish you have chosen. We will then add 'Work in progress' against that fish in the list, discouraging lots of people from choosing the same fish.
3. When completed send us a photo of your work and a short biographical note and link to your own website, if you have one, for publication, if you wish. We will then add that to the fish list.

I ended up doing two images with the intention of choosing just one, but they have both ended up in the project.

Many of you will have already seen the BBC News item highlighting this worthy project, but just in case you missed it, here's the link.

Ashlin Harrington

It was one of those very warm bright October days which saw a visit Bradford-on-Avon to visit an artist I have not seen in quite some time. 

Ashlin Harrington's studio is located in a quiet tucked away location in town.  The studio walls are covered with colourful pieces making up a huge collage, which serve to make quite an impression.  

We originally met some years ago when attending an art venue near Bath but this is the first time we've had the opportunity to talk one-to-one properly. 

Erudite and interesting to talk to, it came as no surprise to hear Ashlin was once a General Practitioner.

Ashlin started painting watercolour with Tim Williams, another Bradford-on-Avon / Bath-based artist who runs classes.  Ashlin has since also started using some acrylic.  When I asked about oil painting, he says it is the smell and long drying time of oils which keep him away from the medium, although he has tried his hand at sculpture.

Attending workshops by Steve Hall and Felicity Bowers to name but a few, Ashlin primarily enjoys to paint landscapes; often with or featuring, architecture.  Having said that, I spotted some rather lovely portraits on one section of the studio walls.

It was the sketchbooks which held my faschination.  There is something special about leafing through another's work, feeling the rustle of the page and unexpected reveal of some unexpected or recognised location, or the scibbled notes in margins.  These two pictured above especially caught my eye. 

Sadly my camera wasn't playing ball that day and so the pictures are few.

Hopefully I will re-visit Ashlin before leaving Somerset/ Wiltshire.

Claire Camacho

I forget how many years ago I first met Claire.  She is the tutor at the print workshop at Wiltshire College and I was a student.

Being the tutor, Claire has good knowledge of most printaking techiniques, but specialises herself inscreenprinting both on paper and with fabric.  She obtained her 2-1 Batchelors degree at Bath Spa, 2003; going on to a Masters in 2004.

Conceptually bold, interested in finding the essense and rhythm of the subject, I enjoy Claire's work for the freedom of expression and senstivity she exhibits both in her practise and towards others.

The work top right is one of the pieces for the November show at 44AD Gallery, Bath, and two of the three pictures below sold.

See more of her work here.

The area is peppered with public art and has architecture often echoing the industrial heritage. 

We all come across many people in our lives; knowing some are to shape and inform the rest of what we do and who we are in a positive way. Claire is one of these people. I look forward to spending more time with her in the new year.

Learning to swim

Learning to swim is a title for my next body of work which looks more at responding to change and new environment

It was when trying out this idea that realisation dawned.  An attempt to get by without the use of an etching press is likely to bear sour fruit.

The house move being postponed and a need for the press means one thing; back to printmaking workshop for the new year.

*Postscript is a gem of a stationary shop in Frome which sells some art supplies. I have always thought the owner to be especially kind and thoughtful, so it came as no surprise to find he is the son-in-law of Peter Hayes in Bath.  It would be hard to find a more affable gentlemen.  If you ever find yourself in Bath, a visit to his studio is highly recommended.

Beckington Creatives' Weekend

Every weekend at this time of year a small group of like-minded creative people club together and open their workshops to make a trail in the village of Beckington, near Frome.

An unexpected visit from an old friend, Alison, briefly over from Guernsey, was well-timed; we went together. 

She also made a purchase at every venue we stopped at :)

Including Hayley, two other artists from the village and I meet up to kick artistic ideas around. Emma le Lohe and Sarah Ball both have venues open along with others in the village.  The sun shone, warm enough to have a sit outside in a pub on the way home and soak up the low sun.

Stuck on you

Reliable information says the residue marks left by the adhesive when the item to which it once stuck has gone, is called a glyph.  A search on Wikipedia showed nothing but the Urban Dictionary says:- 

glyph

any symbol that is not legible due to poor handwriting. Also, any string of characters and/or symbols that can not be deciphered.

Not being cool enough to know words which would appear in the Urban Dictionary, it makes sense I've never heard of it before and will likely forget it before putting it to good use.

Needless to say, when seeing a selection of boards left outside which had been used to stick roofing materials, I couldn't help but be inspired.  Using just a camera at first, the Franz Kilne feeling coming through on them was most pleasing.

It is likely this strong imagery will be showing its influence soon.

Dominique Coiffait revisited

Those of you who have read earlier newsletters may already have seen a post about Dominique when we met during an exhibition we were both a part of in Bath. 

It was a pleasure to talk about his work which featured printmaking; figures with beguiling fabric designs.  They really caught my eye.  It was a surprise to meet him again; this time as part of the Christmas Market, again in Bath.  (A clue to the time may well be the seasonal jumper he is wearing).  😊  Apologies for the poor photograph.

The last time we spoke, Dominique was still acclimatising to a new life in a quiet part of Bath after living in busy London, although he is originally from equally busy Paris.  It was therefore good to hear he is now settling in and starting to find his feet meeting like-minded creatives.  There seems to be a common thread running through life now with people leaving an old life to start somewhere new and who long it can take; something which I am interested in as I am looking to moving myself in the new year.  The current opinion seems it will take a year or two, which seems rather long.  Fingers crossed it will be on the shorter side for me.

Dominique’s web site is still under construction for his new venture which is creating linocut prints and decoupage featuring flowers and birds.  His stall looked fabulous so keep an eye peeled for Mr. Nightingale Limited.  Pictured below is a postcard he gave me with a linocut showing his latest style.

As the year draws to an end, there is nothing much left but to make a few sketches.  Most of you reading this are also artists and hopefully many of you are doing the same, but if not, may you have the time to do what you enjoy most.  (We all need it).  

Two recent sketches above were done after a flurry of snow which didn't settle on the wet land.  Instead, we were treated to ground-frosted days, the waterlogged land left to sparkle in the early rays.  Tilly forgets her advanced years and barrels across the muddy fields sending sprays of dirty water in her hunt for the mice she never catches. 

So here's goodbye to the year that was 2017.

As ever, if you have enjoyed reading this newsletter, please don't forget to leave a message or just say 'hello'. It's always good to hear from you.

After reading so many positive and kind comments from previous posts, it is so uplifting to know there is a supportive community of like-mided people out there. It goes without saying that each and every one of you is appreciated.

May you have a happy and indulgent Christmas, looking to a peaceful and creative new year.  2018 is just around the corner.