Anguilla stone

My Anguillan stone, thanks to Mr Cleophas Gumbs of Anguilla Native Stone for supplying a 1metre square block of something similar to travertine. Not long now

skin and studios

Yesterday was tough! My recently spruced up studio, above, is virtually unrecognisable from the more usual 'creative melee' that I inhabit; which might also be called by some, a chronic disarray. All new painted and clean for the Brancaster Chronicles back in August and with most of my stuff behind a wall, I am sharing the clear space. This is not easy for me, I much prefer splendid isolation. However I shall be away at the first Anguilla Stone Symposium for November (contributions very welcome on Fundrazr) and off again in the New year to Italy for the three month Brian Mercer Bronze Fellowship. Rather than leave the studio empty, it will now also have Inderjeet working with concrete and artificial skin........

The London Group Open

I am delighted to have been selected for the 82nd London Group Open, 
I am VERY select company

 It will be lovely if you can be there.

Italy!

I have been so busy recently that blogs have been few and far between but suddenly, just like busses, three come along at once this week.
I had to think long and hard but after a nano second, I have accepted an invitation to work in Italy for three months next year. To be honest, I really didn't believe that I had even got the placement at first, I needed to get other people to check the email. Thanks to the generosity of the Brian Mercer Foundation, I shall be in a bronze foundry in Pietrasanta, northern Tuscany, top left hand side of Italy, I shall be there starting in January so I expect it to be a tad chilly and will have to come home at the start of the spring. I shall miss Polly the dog but I know she will have a great time and probably not notice I have gone.
I have been asked if I need an assistant several times already, please form an orderly queue

The heat is on

  

Another fine bronze course at Morley College. Thankfully the weather is cool for July but still hot dressed in leather with a furnace going, about the same temperature as my Grans front room.

Busy painting for Brancaster Chronicles

I have had a super busy time in the studio, very ably assisted by an intern who really has been amazing. I did not expect to enjoy having someone else around let alone teaching them but she has been brilliant, good company and is smart! I think she will do well when she graduates and I am delighted with the new work which she has helped me with and I shall miss her. Now though it is all systems go to get the studio cleared, cleaned and painted for the next set of Brancaster Chronicles. This annual discussion forum  brings together a group of invited artists to discuss our work in each of our studios.  As I shall be hosting the paintings of Fred Pollock, a painter I have long admired, it seemed a good plan to have a tidy up. I am so glad I started early, it has been hard work up and down ladders painting and making sure spiders get to a new home safely outside and there has been far more to do than I expected. I now have a clean studio with white painted walls which make the space so much lighter.
Last years discussion of my sculpture can be found -: https://brancasterchronicles.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/brancaster-chronicle-no-14-alexandra-harley-sculptures
I shall let you know when this years one is up online
meanwhile if anyone can tell me why the new apple Photos system has collapsed yet again I would be grateful, the only photo I can load is this new one in progress

Creekside photos

There was a fantastic turnout for the Creekside Open PV so I waited till later before taking the photos. Otherwise all you would have seen was happy people but no art work. On until 31st May.