Monday 12 October 2009

And then there was light....



Last week I started to really feel like I was settling in. This can be partly attributed to the fact that I have been here 5 weeks and partly due to the overhead lighting (daylight bulb nonetheless) being fitted in my sometimes dark and gloomy corner (particularly in the mornings and late afternoon/early evening). At the beginning of the week I also managed to get access to the staff shared drive and the senior school staff email distribution list. Is this all the feeling of belonging takes? Some time, some light and some communication?

The Year 8 colour wheels and sample mixing




I went to see the Colour Chart:Reinventing Colour exhibition at Tate Liverpool during the summer. It was one of those exhibitions which left me with a warm glow in my stomach and my mind for a while afterwards. This week (after getting the light) some of that warm glow came back. I also did my own bit of colour mixing and began some painting (more about this later) of my own, however, the above was the outcome of a few weeks work where the students started with a palette of warm and cold primaries plus black and white, progressed to creating their own colour wheel and then practised mixing to match the colours of household paint sample charts.

Here is a video of artist David Batchelor talking about colour and his practice.

Must see current exhibitions - London Winter 2009/10

Here are a few of the exhibitions which are currently running in London and which I intend to visit over the coming weeks and months.

1. Pop Life, Tate Modern until 17 January 2009

2. Frieze Art Fair 15, 16, 17 & 18 October 2009

3. Ben Ashton, Simon Oldfield, 13 October to 15 November

4. Anish Kapoor, Royal Academy, 26 September 2009 to 11 December 2009

5. Damien Hirst, Wallace Collection, 14 October 2009 to 24 January 2010 and White Cube 25 November 2009 to 30 January 2010

6. Turner Prize, Tate Britain, 6 October 2009 to 3 January 2010

7. John Baldesarri, Tate Modern, 13 October 2009 to 10 January 2010

8. Michael Kidner RA, Royal Academy, 25 September to 9 December 2009

9. Jerwood Drawing Prize, Jerwood Space, until 25 October 2009

10. The Real Van Gogh, Royal Academy, 23 January 2010 to 18 April 2010

The list is in no particular order but I will try and organise myself so that I see the ones which finish the soonest first, the longer running ones will have to wait! Therefore first from the list will be a visit to Frieze Art Fair this week. I have been to Frieze the past three years running and each time I have a rush of mixed emotion from the experience. It usually begins with a mix of excitement and enthusiasm then comes a reassuring surge of energy in the middle and finishes with exhaustion then a "what is this all about anyway" feeling.....I even tried Zoo last year to try and counterbalance the impact. So I thought about not going this year but the fear of not wanting to miss 'something' along with some interesting looking talks in the event listings have persuaded me otherwise (as well as having the chance to catch up with some other artist-friends over lunch).