Airborne Creatures

Hello everyone

I hope you have been applying the factor 50 lately!

In our last blog post we presented you with a challenge of finding all the little sandals thoughtfully painted into Janet Melrose's new body of work.
Our challenge for you this, the final week of the Janet Melrose RSW and Jenny Matthews exhibition, is to spot some butterflies.
Now, there's a lot of them! Including Scotch Angus, Small Heath and Small White as observed in this exquisite watercolour:

'Insects from Summer 2011', watercolour by Jenny Matthews.

This painting was secured by a lovely gallery visitor who was keen to buy a special work of art in memory of her mother who sadly passed away last year. 'Insects from Summer 2011', I feel, is a very sensitive and fitting memorial.
However, there is another, solitary 'airborne creature' in the exhibition which, on seeing for the first time, I immediately feel in love with:

'View from my Studio', acrylic and watercolour by Jenny Matthews.
I am sure, given a little time, you will find the tiny 'airborne creature' fluttering around on his (or her) lonesome voyage.
For me, the subtle insect is the icing on the cake of what is a truly beautiful work of art.
The more and more I study Jenny Matthews' work, the more I consider her to be an engineer as well as a brilliant painter - and this painting is a perfect example. I think the drawing work here speaks for itself - how she's captured the heavy rain with her confident and bold mark making requires no words from me. The energetic strokes work superbly with the subtle, yet precise collage work on the bottom and on the left of the work.
Yes, I think it's fair to say that from the Jenny Matthews side of this really special exhibition, 'View from my Studio' is a curator's choice.

Please come back to find out what UG's curators choice is for the Janet Melrose RSW side of the exhibition.....I might need some tissues!

Speak soon x

The Assisi Bees!

Hello everyone

Well, we are still buzzing here at UG, and today we are taking a closer look at the Assisi Bees.

Firstly, I'd like to say a huge thanks to all 15 artists that have contributed to make 'Plight of the Bumblebee' a really magnificent exhibition. We are very grateful for all your hard work and genuine enthusiasm. So far your efforts have helped raised £700 for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Hurrah!

One of the artists is the lovely Janet Melrose who's successful solo show, 'A Still Life', wowed us all back in May. Janet is something of a catalyst for this exhibition. Having previously visited her amazing studio, I remember laying my hands on the most exquisite drawings of bees and being quite taken a back at how beautiful there were. The drawings planted the initial seed for a bee exhibition. Janet had started drawing bees after her daughter took part in a bee survey at Dundee University. Lets look at a real belter:

As you can see we used this beautiful drawing on the invite.

Janet made this particular piece back in the Easter holidays when she decided to make a drawing of a bee every day, and attempt to identify the different species she found. 'I liked the idea of repeating the same motif and allowing the drawing to grow' she explains.

On a recent holiday to Assisi (which became a working holiday, sorry a bout that Scott!), Janet drew bees and insects at every opportunity. Some of which were drawn on postcards from Assisi which resulted in these bees:

and......

'Post Card from Assisi VI & III' by Janet Melrose.

Janet has captured the warmth and colour of the Mediterranean perfectly. The fact they are observed from real bees shines through: there is a freshness and energy in the work, and I think the bees look like they are crawling over the post cards. I love the bee in the above piece, just clinging on to his favourite tipple.

Here's how they look on the wall:

Perfectly observed and perfectly framed.

That's all the news on the Assisi Bees. Next up, it's New York Bees!

Lastly, what do Beekeepers and Ironmen have in company?? I'm not sure either, but I think I'm about to find out.....

Will keep you posted x

Nancy The Greedy Bee!

Hello everyone

So as Hurricane Katia continues to give us a battering, I have been thinking about the poor wee bees even more of late.
Union Gallery's current exhibition, 'Plight of the Bumblebee' aims to raise funding for, and awareness of, the declining bee population. 20% of the proceeds of this exhibition will be donated to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust whose vital work you can read about here:
www.bumblebeeconservation.org

Instead of blustery winds and flattened barnets, I will attempt to transport you somewhere calm, warm and sunny. How about Nancy in France?

I will let glass making supremo Jessica Irena Smith take it from here, but first a quick look at her gorgeous bee inspired work:

'Bee Bowl I', kiln formed glass by Jessica Irena Smith.
The faded bee motif represents the decline in the bee population.

"I'm just back from France where I took on your challenge of finding a French bumble bee!  We were staying in Nancy, which is really beautiful (and an important city in the history of glass making), and has gorgeous parks.  I'd almost given up on finding a bumble bee in the park - there were lots of honey bees, but no bumbles - when I came across the lovely plump specimen in the photos!

 

He (or she?) was sitting so still that at first I thought he'd popped his clogs!  I think he'd just been a bit greedy and tired himself out (he was absolutely covered in pollen), because he eventually bumbled off to the next flower!

I've attached a few pics for you to see.  I know you'll be wondering how you can tell it's definitely a French bumble bee, but I'm sure this close up shot will leave you in no doubt....."

and.....

Alors! Je suis si plein je peux me deplacer a peine!

Hurry back for more busy bee action soon - next time they will be Assisi bees!

Time to buzz off!

Plight of the Bumblebee!

Post Festival blues?
We have the answer.....

A beespoke exhibition that will help restore some buzz!

I will leave you with this wonderful photo of artist Jenny Matthews suited and booted and ready for action.
All will bee revealed.......

Delicate Things

Hello everyone,

I would like to draw your attention to a very special number in Janet Melrose's solo exhibition, "A Still Life". Firstly though, by way of introduction, I wanted to show you this:

Oddly enough, this time last year I was out walking Union Gallery hound Harry, and came across this perfect little birds nest. And, like last year, I will stress that I didn't hijack it from a tree, I simply came across it on the path. I couldn't resist the urge to pick it up and inspect the fine craftsmanship. I also said in that blog that I immediately thought of artists Janet Melrose and Jenny Matthews, believing that they would also appreciate this perfect piece of nature.
And so, one year on, we have another work of perfection:

"Delicate Things", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.
Artist Janet Melrose has, in the past, made comment about her 'generic' birds. Yes, it's true to say her birds are often stylised, but this is not to be confused with being frivolous or cartoon-like. Janet's seemingly effortless birds are captured in the moment, skillfully recording their very essence. To me, the bird featured in "Delicate Things" is anything but generic. Her beady eye is alert and watches anxiously, staring right at you whilst she sits protectively over the fragile fruits of her labour.
I have a feeling that who ever secures this treasure will also have an eye for all things delicate and special.

Leaving you with a couple more delicate and special things:

No. We did not prepare them earlier! These tiny visitors are the gorgeous twin girls of our good friends Sam and Nina Gough.
Little Cassia is on the left and Poppy is on the right.....we think!

Speak soon x

Look Closer

Hello everyone,

Firstly, a huge thank you to all who have been in to view award winning artist Janet Melrose's solo exhibition, "A Still Life". And thank you to those who have been in many times now as "it makes me feel good". I completely understand this and my old habits of sneaking in early and leaving a wee bit later have returned ten-fold.
A closer look at this:

"Look Closer", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.
Janet Melrose's exhibition was always going to be special and was the perfect celebration for the month of May. Ok, we seem to be experiencing 'April Showers' this month, but the long, dark cold nights of the incredible winter of 2010 are far behind us. It's time for people to feel better and Janet's work offers calm and inspiration to all who see it. I find it intoxicating and feel Union Gallery currently offers sanctuary.
For me, the above painting goes someway to explain the beauty and sensitivity in Janet Melrose's work. I think it's fair to say that we are living in challenging times, in reality brutal times, Yet I look at this enchanting painting (even the title is perfect), and I am encouraged. If you are daring enough to take 10 minutes out of your gruelling schedule, or have the need to get out out of the office at lunch, then go for a walk. I do this as often as I can to get some thinking space and calm time. To see the birds, bees and blossoms reminds you that there are still perfect and beautiful things in the world. Janet Melrose's exhibition really does encourage you to 'look closer' and focus on the things we often take for granted.
Janet herself described the process of making the work for this exhibition as 'carthartic'. I can feel this completely and for those who see it, there is a similar sensation. Here's a comment from Janet's visitor's book: "May 11th 2011. Crap day. Came into the gallery again to clear my head. The paintings are a breath of fresh air, clearing my brain, filling it with an empty space of beauty, now can go out and handle the crap without it getting me down".

"New Beginning", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.

Have a lovely weekend.