Showing posts with label nature in art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nature in art. Show all posts

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

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



Monday, 12 September 2011

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!




Monday, 5 September 2011

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.......




Tuesday, 3 May 2011

Waiting for the Tulips

Watching...













Waiting.....













The wait is over:

















"Waiting on the Tulips", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.

"A Still Life" opens Thursday 6-8pm. Intoxicating!


Thursday, 28 April 2011

Horses for Courses

Hello everyone

I thought we could do a spot of horsing around today and take a closer look at sculptor Barbara Franc's magnificent horses in her first ever Scottish solo exhibition, "Diversity".














"Ride on a Fine Horse", steel wire, copper wire, tin and brass by Barbara Franc.
Barbara used to keep horses and even trained to be a riding instructor, so has always been fascinated by their power and physique. Barbara explains "the debt owed to them by humanity as the early fast vehicle of trade and conquest has always been a subject for artists since the dawn of time".













"Time Flies", steel wire & recycled material by Barbara Franc.
I wholly admire sculptors. Like many other painters, I find trying to create an accomplished image on 2D really hard...it's so difficult and taxing on the brain! However, to create something in 3D, so that it appears anatomically perfect, tactile and pleasing to the eye from all angles...that's mind blowing.
Here's another fine horse:

















This is award artist Janet Melrose's horse toughing it out against the harsh winter of 2010/11.
As you can see he was well cared for with his blanket, and given plenty of scoff to keep him fit.
Nature is an incredible thing. It's hard to believe that under all that snow and frozen ice it was still working hard, working it's magic, and 3 months later provides us with joy like this:













We all welcome and enjoy the sights of the awesome blossoms, here we see it perfectly celebrated in:

















"Birds on the Damson", acrylic on canvas by Janet Melrose.

Award winning artist Janet Melrose's first Edinburgh solo exhibition, "A Still Life", opens Thursday May 5th. GET VOTING AND GET VIEWING PEOPLE!

 Speak soon x