Pushing my personal practice forward

Posted on October 23, 2020 by Andie Clay

Work in progress 1

Work in progress 2

Work in progress 3

I’ve always wanted to work on a large scale but not always found the courage to do it. Earlier this week, I spent 3 days on Zoom studying with Katie Sollohub.

She was running a course entitled ‘Embodied Drawing’ at Seawhite Studios. Emily Ball is the owner of this set up and for this course she was participating alongside us.

https://www.emilyballatseawhite.co.uk/

“The course is for students wishing to expand their drawing practice and find new limits, beyond the scale of your average drawing, by working large, freely, involving body and breath. You will be your own model, working on two or three large scale drawings, and guided by Katie’s exercises and meditation…… By connecting the process of drawing to our own physicality, we can harness directly the power and sensations of the body to create marks. The outcome is perhaps not important, it is more about the process than the product in this course. However, the results may surprise and inspire you in your approach to drawing and painting beyond the course, helping you to discover a fresh way of working from the figure, reinventing your visual response to the physical body.”

Climbed a mountain during the course but it was so worthwhile, great group of participants worldwide and we’re staying in touch on social media, supporting and inspiring each other.

My thanks to Emily and Katie and the Seawhite team for putting this on for us. If this description inspires you, they plan to run this course again in the new year.

Free flow experimentation, gestural mark making, salt

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Andie Clay

Experimental work done after the strict discipline of the Zen workshop, playing with salt, pre-wetting the paper, and using large watercolour sheets

Experimental work done after the strict discipline of the Zen workshop, playing with salt, pre-wetting the paper, and using large sheets of watercolour paper

Zen Brushwork Workshops

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Andie Clay

Detail of Dai ji zai

Mu Ichi Butsu

I have recently attended two Zen Brushwork workshops which are only allowed to happen online due to current restrictions.

The first workshop was beamed into my studio from Kyoto, Japan and was led by Sarah sensei and Inoue sensei. The whole experience was new to me, involving strict disciplines of Zazen (sitting meditation), Yoki-Ho (30 minute warm up exercise), Kusho (writing in the air) followed by painting the Kanji (Japanese characters) with Japanese ink and brush. The Kanji we painted was Dai ji zai, translated variously as ‘complete freedom’, ‘great freedom’ or ‘great unhinderedness’.

The second workshop was led by Jos Hadfield, working from Cornwall, again on Zoom. The Kanji we painted was Mu Ichi Butsu, which translates as ‘Owning no-thing’.

I really enjoyed the gestural mark making but fully appreciate I have a long way to go with this discipline which also feeds back into my study of Tai Ji and my painting.

Latest news from my studio…

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Andie Clay

I have recently started a new body of work based on ideas and experiences that have been rattling around on the back burner of my brain for a while now.

This ongoing series are currently grouped under the heading Fires in the Mind, and make reference to the source of inspiration of Dave’s installation of the same name.

These autobiographic paintings are attempts to portray the struggles and internal dialogues I am currently going through whilst still receiving counselling to help me come to terms with the traumatic event of Dave’s death that changed absolutely everything in my life.

‘Rabbit Holes’ seeks to express the crazy internal unfocussed state of mind that I found myself enter, heightened over recent months by the solitude of lockdown restrictions.

‘Fires in the Mind – Rabbit Holes’

An easing of lockdown restrictions over this summer has highlighted to me the need to find the courage to become more earthed and focussed as the world too begins to feel its way through this pandemic that has changed everything in everyone’s lives forever.

‘Towards Awareness’ expresses the beginning signs of movement towards focus and a more frequent feeling of calm. Still sensing the omnipresent hair trigger of grief that kicks my feet from under me, the slow process of regaining my centre and grounding myself has begun.

‘Fires in the Mind – Towards Awareness’

Remembering Past Successes

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Andie Clay

2011: SWA The 150th Annual Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries London

In 2011 I was thrilled to receive the St Cuthberts Mill Award from Princess Michael of Kent. This was before I was elected to full membership of The Society of Women Artists in 2012.

In 2015 my painting ‘Blues Saxophonist’ won the Frank Herring Easel Award.

2014: SWA The 153rd Annual Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries London. Princess Michael of Kent and then Director Sue Jell

Forthcoming Exhibition: Chalk + Cheese

Posted on September 16, 2020 by Andie Clay

Flyer front CHALK AND CHEESE

Detail from kinetic sculpture ‘Horse and Alter Ego – Shadowplay’ by Andie Clay

Detail from installation ‘Fires in the Mind’ by Dave Clay

Dave and I had always planned to have a joint exhibition called Chalk + Cheese. Sadly, it didn’t happen while he was alive, so I’m going for it now. It will showcase his installation and sculpture work and a range of my own mixed media work too. There’s also an opportunity for past students of Dave to participate digitally.

The exhibition will take place at The Corn Exchange Gallery in Cardigan from the 15th – 20th February 2021.

Further details nearer the time.

Background to ‘Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain’

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Andie Clay

Embrace Tiger Base Imaage 030215

This film was shot on location at Rhosygilwyn mansion. The following quotations are taken from the DVD cover, further information about Glenn and Sean is below.

“Taiji is so much more than the physical form-the energy, chi, flows through and beyond the body filling the space around. Andie’s work reflects the ebb and flow of that energy in a way that no other medium can, giving a sense of that continuous stream of universal energy that we can all immerse ourselves in.” Sean Dowdall

“What interested me here was the contrast between Andie’s rapid energy and the measured concentration of Sean’s slow movements. The situation crackled with creative intensity-which even a sudden downpour failed to dampen. Indeed, Andie incorporated this chance intervention into the work.” Glenn Ibbitson

“The quiet energy of Sean’s Taiji, together with breathtaking vision by Glenn resulted in a Zen-like experience that was far beyond my wildest expectations. Thank you both.” Andie Clay

Further details about Sean and Glenn below.

Tai Chi, Sean Dowdall. http://www.dragontherapies.co.uk/

Glenn Ibbitson:

Painter and Film-maker. Worked as a scenic and storyboard artist with BBC before turning freelance to work in film and theatre. Moved to West Wales to develop his own painting and film projects. “Tatsuko” [2012: silent; B/W] has been shown in London and Tokyo. “A hauntingly beautiful, dramatically gripping yet enigmatic film ..the shots breathe the artistry of Antonioni, while the enigmatic yet intense story echoes Tarkovsky.” -Gillian McIver-Tanbouli: co-director Studio 75 London

www.smokingbrushfineart.com

“In our minds there are many rooms…”

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Andie Clay

A recent Art Project that I took part in is being organised byTim Iliffe, lead artist. He states ‘In October 2016, in conjunction with MOMA Machynlleth, we were awarded an Arts Council of Wales Award to carry out a project which involves 1000 people in the creation of four installations across North Wales.’ Participants are sent an empty numbered CTNK pill box. ‘The boxes represent the state or contents of our minds at the time of making. There are no rules! Cut it, paint it or burn it, in fact do anything you like. The returned boxes will be hung at four locations across the region.’

16996030_1290461894371884_584844906925629098_n yinyangtopwalnutmentalbox

Top image shows the installation in Bangor Cathedral running from 1st March to 30 April, bottom image shows my box. See separate blog entry for the story behind it. https://timiliffeartist.com/in-our-minds-there-are-many-rooms/

‘Birth/Rebirth’ Exhibition at Boundary Art, Cardiff

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Andie Clay

Very pleased to have four paintings selected by Cate Cheng, gallery director, for the forthcoming exhibition ‘BIRTH/REBIRTH’ at Boundary Art in Cardiff Bay, a unique combined gallery and tea room. Exhibition runs from 25 March to 6 May 2017, gallery open Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 6pm. (Closed Monday and Tuesday.) www.boundaryart.com Photos will be posted as soon as available! The East/West philosophy of the gallery links in with my long term personal interest in Asian culture, and my study and practice of Tai Ji Quan and Qi Gong. Further Information about Boundary Art Cardiff’s newest art space, Boundary Art opened in 2015 and devotes itself to the fusion of communication and promotion between Western and Chinese cultures. The gallery is fast developing a reputation for dynamic and distinctive programming to support artists from across the visual spectrum and from across Wales and beyond. Visitors have the unique opportunity to browse original art works and to relax in their Chinese tea room.

The core ideology of Boundary Art has always been about the communication and trans-boundary of the arts, culture and thoughts. The gallery offers an international platform for artists, curators and writers and welcomes all audiences, aiming to encourage everyone to engage with art, prompting questions and supporting debate.

View my previous SBP sketchbooks here

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Andie Clay

See a page-by-page view of my previous SBP sketchbooks by clicking the link below. In 2012 my first sketchbook was titled:’ My Mother’s Last Christmas’, a diary of the week I spent with her when she wasn’t expected to live for much longer. Two years later I submitted a sketchbook called ‘Inside Out’ which was a series of self portraits.

https://www.sketchbookproject.com/library?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=andie+clay