Three exhibitions in one day: Take two and three, Blackmore Farm and Recessionists on East Street

Right, so I get off the train from my first exhibition in Bristol (see previous blog) and now I'm heading home for re-fueling then out again on my three exhibitions in one day splurge. I was, as someone later called me that evening, an 'Art tart' having gone to three private views in the course of five hours. Hey! What did I care, I was in good company and after being malnourished of art during the past month an artistic binge was on the cards!

Second stop of the evening (once my mysterious and glamorous chauffeur, Boz had managed to get us to our destination via the dark country lanes) Blackmore farm (equally dark and glamorous). Featuring a cornucopia work from local artists: Fiona Campbell, Melanie Deegan, Jim Munnion, Diane Burnell, Lucy Brown, Alison Jacobs and many more (apologies for not mentioning you all). I have to say that in terms of location this place was fab! Normally the building is a bed and breakfast/farm shop but it really was built for showing art (or murder mystery evenings? Its that sort of place). Due to its really grand stone interior, Gothic windows, big wooden doors, creepy alcoves, huge fireplaces, suits of armour and cobwebs I think I could be forgiven for being entranced as much by the character of the building as the art. It was a similar case with the Cotley Tithe barn show I was in, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I thought the building itself was the greatest art on show and to some extent does both enhance the work whilst eclipsing it at the same time. Blackmore is a similar example, great artists, in a building that really stole the show. This isn't to say you should only exhibit in white walled galleries so the work has a chance to show through, but there is a double edged sword to showing work in buildings so drenched in their own mystery and beauty without the art. On saying that though, work like Fiona Campbell's spider fitted great into the dark and equally cobwebbed space. Similarly, Melanie Deegan's sculptures of rooks looked very at home inside what I assume was the window of an old chapel. Still exciting to see all the work in a different context and I really enjoyed looking around and discovering it all.

Myself and Boz had made it back to Taunton unscathed via the dark country lanes to our third and final stop of the day which was home to the Recessionists, this time exhibiting in a new gallery on East Street called the Pear Tree and featuring the work of Sam Jeffs and Beatrice Hammond. Despite the size of the gallery (it is quite small, but perfectly formed!) the place was packed and all the usual suspects were there making it a fun and great end to what had been a brilliant day. The Recessionists, whenever they have a show, certainly do it with style and HOORAY! how happy I am to see contemporary work by young artists in this exhibition. We had Bea's drawings and Sam Jeffs' sculptures (see images below) in this show. Dark, edgy and original, I thought to myself, but I really did enjoy studying the work which, for me had two of my favourite interests, in the way of drawing (from Bea) and the use of tools/metal/machinery (from Sam) so there was a lot I could get excited about.

Thus, as I headed home that Friday night I concluded my art binge for the month. On the way reflecting what a weird and diverse set of things I'd been to see, from a performance in a sandwich shop in Bristol, to a majestic exhibition in an old farm house and then to conclude a party on East Street with a gallery that exhibits art in the window under the glow of a UV light. Just another 'average' day in the art world and just the kind of way I'd like it to stay.

(above) Sam Jeff's -Sculptor whose work was in The Recessionists show on East Street

http://www.therecessionists.co.uk/sculpture/sam-jeffs-sculptor

(below) Beatrice Hammond - whose work was also in the Recessionists show on East Street

http://www.therecessionists.co.uk/painting/beatrice-hammond-artist-illustrator

(above) Lucy Brown -Ceramic artist whose work was on show at Blackmore Farm

http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/openstudios/lucy-brown-ceramics
(below) Melanie Deegan -Sculptor whose work was also on show at Blackmore Farm

http://www.melaniedeegan.com/

Three exhibitions in one day: Take one, Paul Hurley and H.Ren in Bristol

(below) A painting by H.Ren

http://www.highrenaissance.blogspot.com/

When all seemed quite quiet on the exhibition front, four come along all in the same week! Post recovering from Thursday's private view of 'Exhibition of the teenager' that I was curating at the Brewhouse I set out on Friday firstly to Bristol, for the first in a day of three exhibitions.

Now, of course, whilst in Bristol I could have gone to a number of galleries, however the Arnolfini was changing its current show and in previous experiences of visiting Bristol, I would have to say that the best exhibitions have been the local artist ones (or ones independent from the commercial gallery system). So I picked up a signed copy of Jonathan Safran Foer's 'Extremely loud and incredibly close' at the only part of the Arnolfini I could get into, the bookshop, and then proceeded to head over the bridge and up the hill towards 31 Park Street.

Luckily it wasn't hard to find, and I was soon greeted outside what was the former abandoned sandwich shop by Paul Hurley and I knew I had come to the right place. Paul's friend and fellow artist H.Ren had successfully managed to have full use of the empty shop for a week from Bristol Council. "Awesome!", I found myself thinking upon receiving the email from Paul that explained the aim of their project, titled, 'Transfiguration's: object and action' in which they were inviting people to donate objects during the week so that they could produce art works/performances/interventions/mixed media assemblages etc. throughout the week. How, cool as well that it was free to have the space and that it was in a prime location in Bristol with a shop window in which the public could interact and watch any performances from the street. See their blog for more info: http://transfigurationsblog.wordpress.com/ . I knew Paul from the Context residency we took part in during the summer last year (see http://contextresidency.blogspot.com/). So you can imagine that it was great to catch up and donate an object of my own (a tool, surprise, surprise) that they may use in their work. The former sandwich shop was looking pretty good, and had some of the remains of the kitchen and a drop ceiling which was now being used to hang artists overalls covered in blue powder paint from. Paul and H.Ren had also hung a chalk board, inserted a pink bicycle (not part of the art, but a means of travel and quite eye catching) and other assorted objects (mostly blue) that they'd collected from the scrap store. It was brilliant to meet H.Ren who showed me her abstract paintings which we talked about and equally good to catch up with Paul. I'm not exactly sure what it all amounted to... I'm guessing it was an experiment, an opportunity to play and try new things and I will keep my eyes peeled to see what may materialise on their blog as a result of their week there. I found myself wondering what I would have done with the space if I had had it for a week? Would I have used it as a studio? Or would I use it for an exhibition? In the shop next door there was another group of artists using the space to exhibit in. Good stuff, and yet another example of how the council are providing these free opportunities to local artists.

So, I left my fleeting visit to Bristol, book in hand and headed back to Taunton on the train thinking several things, like, how much potential there is to make interesting art out of so little, how busy it is here on the train, I wonder what I'll have for dinner? And what will the other two exhibitions I am going to see tonight hold in store.....

(above) A performance piece by Paul Hurley
http://paulhurley.wordpress.com/

Extra, extra!

Zut Alors! Did you know that there are Artist dialogue sessions happening at The Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton? If you'd like to meet other artists, show/discuss your work and talk about art things in general then please feel welcome to come join in on the first Wednesday of every month. For more info, to leave comments/discussions or look at work shown by previous artists at these sessions please look at the following blog below:

http://artistdialogue.wordpress.com/