Dates For Your Diary…
Sat 3 Sep. Private View for Robin Holtom in 41b Marina, 3 – 9 pm. Robin is also exhibiting in AF2.
Vanessa Fowler and friends. From 11am, 6 Marine Court.
Sat 10 Sep – 16 Oct. Stade Stories Photography Competition. Winning entries will be on display in the Fishermen’s Museum, Blue Reef Aquarium and Shipwreck Museum.
Sun 11 Sep. Cosi fan Tutte. 7.45pm in St Mary-in-the-Castle. Nationally acclaimed production – see under ‘Music’. Tickets @ £12.00.
Stop Press…
Sid Beynon Memorial. It is planned that the mosaic on the Lower Promenade at the western end of the Azur Marina Pavilion should be in place by mid Septermber. Mike Williams and Juliette Dodd are working with Jamie Stapely, who used to create beach mosaics with Sid.
Hastings Creatives directory.If you are creative, you should make sure you are on this list. For further info, see the post by Erica Smith in Members Announcements.
Hastings Online Times is an e-arts information periodical. Erica Smith would like to hear from you , sooner than later, if you can help as a contributor or writer. Erica has recently taken this project on and wants some original thoughts and writing on a variety of topics, including ‘The Arts’.
Cosi fan Tutte. Sunday 11th September. At 7.45pm, Mozart’s opera Cosi fan Tutte will be presented at St Mary in the Castle by The Complete Singer who brought a stunning Don Giovanni here last year. More details below.
Yvonne Dignon. Friends of Yvonne Dignon will be interested but saddened to hear that she is leaving Hastings to travel again. For the foreseeable future, she will be wwoofing ( World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.). Yvonne was secretary of the Forum in 2009 / 2010 and has since travelled around the world, more recently living in Hastings again.
Sales Sales have held up well in AF1, with Mike Bayley’s ceramics selling strongly (currently 20 of 37 items); and Brian Oxley selling five paintings.
Current Exhibitions…
Brian Oxley and Mike Bayley in AF1, 25 Aug – 6 Sep Brian (paintings) and Mike (ceramics ) exhibit in AF1.
Michael Bayley. I attended Hornsey College of Art in the 1950s. My pots are handbuilt, fired to stoneware temperature and mostly unglazed. Decoration is an intrinsic part of the making, a number of different toned clays being laminated to produce the agate pattern. Arrangements of this, and further tone and texture sometimes including porcelain, are inlaid before construction.
I am influenced by forms, textures and rhythms found in nature, landscape in particular
Fellow of the Crafts Potters Association of Great Britain.
Member of the Society of Designer-Craftsmen.
My pots have been exhibited in leading galleries in the UK and abroad; and are represented in the collections of a number of European Museums.
Brian Oxley. I have been teaching for 45 years in total –both full time (30 years) and concurrent Adult Education plus (post full time) Adult Ed. and demonstrations for The Artist Magazine; also art tutor, residential courses at Dedham Hall, 2002-2011.
Mixed Exhibitions:- Royal Academy Summer Exhibition; Hampshire Open; Alexandra Palace: “The Great British Art Show”; Whitstable Gallery; Long Melford Gallery, ; New Metropole Art Centre; Folkestone (several times); The Peche Gallery, Sandgate. SESE, The Grand, Folkestone, Alexander/Llewellen Gallery, London,
One man exhibition:-The Talent Store, Belgravia; Castle Arts, Canterbury; The Cube Gallery, Folkestone Collections – Private collections inEngland –also in Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, USA, Canada and Australia.
So far, I have usually worked objectively, sometimes rapidly completing a painting in a single visit – at other times, developing the idea in several stages. For the Hastings Forum exhibition, I am showing landscapes, seascapes, aspects of our garden and still life paintings. Necessarily, I have mostly based my ideas close to home. Previously, I have spent a month at a time painting in Italy, France and Ireland but the majority of my ideas have naturally come from over 40 years living in Hythe and West Hythe — where we have a large garden and sheep in our field.
Robin Holtom. 1 – 6 Sep in AF2. Robin is showing portraits. During his exhibition, he will be offering free portraits for anyone who would like to sit for him. He will be in the gallery between 2pm and 5pm from Saturday through to Tuesday.
Forthcoming Exhibitions…
Projectart Works presents “Heroes, Dreams and Visions”. 8 – 20 Sep in both galleries. This year’s exhibition will highlight exceptional new works created by individuals with severe neurological impairments. Projectart Works aims to encourage those with severe learning disabilities to develop their artistic skills, and mentors them over an extended period towards mounting an exhibition which is the culmination of a year’s work. This year, seven individuals have produced a significant and surprising body of work, their showcase revealing very distinct approaches developed through intensive studio practice alongside an artist mentor in Projectart Works’ pioneering ‘mentoring studios’.
There will be an artist talk on Fri 6 Sept at 6.30pm; and to coincide with the exhibition, artist-filmmaker Andrew Kotting will explore Projectart Works’ radical approach to the professional development of artists with complex needs in conversation with Projectart Works director, Kate Adams. The works and an accompanying illustrated catalogue will be on sale at the galleries and online at www.projectartworks.org.
“Mothers, Memories and Consequences “. in AF1. 22 Sep – 4 Oct. Three women members, Elizabeth Lewis, Felicia Cronin and Rachel Lever muse on mother-daughter relations.
Kathleen Dawson in AF2. 22 Oct – 4 Oct.
“11 Artists at the Hastings Arts Forum“ 6 – 18 Oct 2011, curated by Clare Winchester. Clare, an RA exhibitor this year, has assembled a group of 11 artista from Kent, London and Sussex for a two week show in both galleries.
Exhibitions Elsewhere…
Katherine Reekie in The StablesTheatre and Art Gallery. “Attraction and Distraction“. 5 – 8 Sep. Careful of the opening hours !! 10.30am – 2pm and 6 – 8pm.
Fiona Pienkowska in The Old Post Office( Marina Seaside strip, opposite Azur). Exhibiting seaside pics.
Coastal Currents. Forum members opening studios include
Artists Books and Workshops: Alex Leadbeater, Lynne Bingham, Helen Hunt, Cathryn Kemp, Sara Harris and Erica Smith.
Danny Mooney in McCarrons, Norman Road.
Georgina Chinnery, Geoff Parham in Mercatoria Business Centre, 100 -102 Norman Road.
Liz Blackborrow, 60 Norman Road.
Valerie May, 65 Norman Road.
Bruce and Annie Rae, Charlotte and Harry Snook ( exhibiting in Lucy Bell’s Gallery, Norman Road until 9 Sep )
Rhian Thomas ((Butlers Emporium, 70 George Street.
Ray McChrystal and Alex Leadbeater (in “Rarities” by the Pier Gates).
Mike Leale and John Shanks
Geoff Parham
Robin Holtom (also in AF2) Emily Johns, Pip Carpenter, Marie-Louise Miller, Victoria Kiff and Nigel Plumb in “Rarities” at 41b Marina.
Shahriar Mazandi (in his eco friendly house) on the topic of gangsters.
Lorna Hamiltin-Brownm, 47 Seddlescombe Rd South.
Vanessa Fowler in Seaside Strip (Marine Court0
Showing at the Beach Huts in Bulverhtyhe and West St Leonards.
Valerie Knapp in Hut #5
Claire fletcher and Peter Quinell, Hut #10
Andy Young, Hut#10
Denise Griffiths. Hut # 13
Barbara Williams Hut #13
Showing at The Beacon
Kate Orr
Ben White
Mike Williams
Ruth Wurzburger
Showing in Hastings and Eastwards
Ian David Baker
Zoom Groupat various locations
Annie soudain
Tim Riddihough
Marije Rowling in Ashdon Gallery, Forest Row, 9 – 28 September.
Members Announcements….
Help !! Danny Mooney is looking for a studio in the St Leonards area.
Juliette Dodd posts
Mountfield Community Arts, specialist classes start on Tuesday, 13 September
Tuesdays. Portraits with Juliette. Tuesdays @ 10.00 – 12.30.
Watercolours with Barbara Valentine @ 1.00 – 3.30.
Wednesdays Mixed Media @ 10.00 – 12.30.
Miniatures @ 1.00 – 3.30.
Beginners welcome. For more info: juliettedodd@wordpress.com
or Tel: 01424 424010 (Juliette)
01424 838264
Grace Lau posts:
Photo Hub Group is offering a series of six group mentoring sessions at the Stade Hall, commencing Monday Sept 5th, 7pm-9pm.
Led by Martin Everett, photographer & tutor, working on his PhD, these sessions are 2-hrs fortnightly and the project aims to develop your photographic practice skills, supported by a peer group in critical discussion and presentation of your work in progress. Only £50, funding support from Arts Council.
Enquiries email: manray41@yahoo.co.uk
Erica Smith posts:
The Hastings Creatives email list has just launched a web-based directory of local creatives.
Make an entry or access members on: http://hastingscreatives.co.uk/
Sara Harris posts. Lots of reasons to potter around St Leonards this weekend and next… The ‘Musings’ project is based around a light-hearted little book I’ve written about life in St Leonards.
I’ll be holding an Open Studio at 3 Stanhope Place, St Leonards from 11am with works by some of the ‘characters’ from the book. See if you can work out who’s who!
Typographic glimpses of the book will be dotted around other Open Studios and venues in the area – at The Muse in Mews Road, Studio VII in Shepherd Street, the Horse and Groom pub and South Lodge in St Leonards Gardens.
Plus an audio installation in St Leonards Gardens, one of the Coastal Currents artist spotlights, whispers narrated passages from the book. See http://www.coastalcurrents.org.uk/whats-on/whispered-musings-by-sara-harris
Everything’s happening this weekend and next from 11am. Plus lots of other Open Studios to visit in the area.
Rachel Hills wants members to be aware of the ‘Made by Hands’ movement. Follow the link below.
Rachel, a spinner herself, hopes to return to volunteering shortly, along with her wheel.
http://www.madebyhandsofbritain.com/blog
Tricia Neve has the following items for sale: 3kg bag of loose lavender,
Rolls of pretty ribbon. Small frames
All low prices: Contact Tricia on 01424 200521
Anna Keiller posts :
I’m running a series of ceramic workshops in the autumn featuring clay work, smoke firing and sprig mold making in plaster and I’m hoping the new projects may be of interest.
This is the link http://annakeiller.com/workshops/workshop-diary/
And the workshops are; Nicho workshop; Nichos are traditional Mexican shrines that were made to celebrate Saints and beloved family members. We are using the formula to make a modern version celebrating what is important to us such as Chickens, Love, Nature, Cats, beloved family members. Dates; Saturday 10th Sept 11-3pm; Sprig mold making and design, Saturday 17th Sept. 11-3pm Creating the Nicho using our sprig molds.Saturday 24 Sept 11-3pm decorating and glazing our Nicho. Each session cost £40 including all materials, firings, coffee, tea and cake. Bring a packed lunch! Group is small with max 6 people.
Martin Weightman posts “I have a gig at Pissaros in Hastings, on Sunday 4th Sept, 1-3pm,
Film…
St Leonards Film Soc will start up again on Thursday 15 September. Films start 7.45pm (doors open at 7pm)
£2.50 members / £3.50 non-members
Thurs 15 Sept in AF 1 The Economics Of Happiness + Q&A
‘The Economics of Happiness’ describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On the one hand, an unholy alliance of governments and big business continues to promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, people all over the world are resisting those policies, demanding a re-regulation of trade and finance—and, far from the old institutions of power, they’re starting to forge a very different future. Communities are coming together to re-build more human scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm – an economics of localization.
The film provides not only inspiration, but practical solutions. Via Campesina for example, is the largest social movement in the world, with more than 400 million members. A chorus of voices from six continents include Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten, Samdhong Rinpoche, Helena Norberg-Hodge, Michael Shuman, Zac Goldsmith and Keibo Oiwa. They tell us that climate change and peak oil give us little choice: we need to localise, to bring the economy home. The good news is that as we move in this direction we will begin not only to heal the earth but also to restore our own sense of well-being. ‘The Economics of Happiness’ challenges us to restore our faith in humanity, challenges us to believe that it is possible to build a better world.
Thurs 29 Sept Young Hearts Run Free (12A) + Skype Q&A with director
Continuing our support of good, new British Cinema whenever possible we’re continuing to do so with this first feature from Northumbrian, Andy Mark Simpson. A coming-of-age drama of romance and teenage angst set against the social and political backdrop of a violent miners’ strike, ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ is an uplifting and soulful mix of 1970s style, warm-hearted romance and gritty social drama.
Music…
Cosi fan Tutte.Jenny Miller’s production of Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte is coming to St Mary-in-the-Castle on Sunday 11 Sept @ 7.45pm. Tickets are available by telephone (01424 )432985, or from St Mary in the Castle.
This is a production of which Hastings can be justifiably proud. Alan Privett and Jenny Miller have been Hastings residents for over 20 years and both have attained a national reputation in the opera world. Both Alan as a director, producing Wagner at the Longborough Summer Festival in Gloucester and Jenny, as a singer and director.have the knack of extracting the essence of the opera and delivering it on a meagre budget. Opera works on different levels, musically, theatrically and visually and both Jenny and Alan achieve this mix on a minimal budget. Hastings is privileged to see Jenny’s production of ‘Cosi’, which was shown at the Longborough Festival this year. The singers in the Hastings production are student understudies from Longborough, who will be tomorrow’s divas and stars.
Below is an assessment of Alan and Jenny by an opera critic, Elizabeth Forbes, formerly with the Financial Times and ‘Opera‘ magazine, who writes:
” …Alan Privett and his wife Jenny Miller have lived in Hastings for more than 20 years. Alan is an opera director of great and varied experience, while Jenny is an opera singer, who is now a director as well. They first appeared on my radar in the 1980s, when they were both involved in Midsummer Opera, an outfit that performed in the back garden of a house in Ealing, London W5. Here, for just over a decade, Alan directed an opera each year, while Jenny sang in eight of them. Handel, Cavalli and Mozart were the favourite composers, and I heard Handel’s Atalanta, with Jenny (a mezzo at that time) singing Irene and his Agrippina, with Jenny in the title role. Other performances of particular interest were Cavalli’s Erismena, with Jenny as Idraspe (a trouser role) and Mozart’s Così fan tutte (Jenny sang Dorabella).
After Midsummer Opera folded, Alan and Jenny moved to Longborough Festival Opera in Gloucestershire, run by Martin and Lizzie Graham, whose ambition is to perform a complete cycle of Der Ring des Nibelungen in 2013, the bi-centenary of Wagner’s birth. Alan, who became artistic director of LFO, began in 1998 with a production of Das Rheingold in the much-shortened version made by Graham Vick and Jonathan Dove for the City of Birmingham Touring Opera. Die Walküre followed in 1999, Siegfried in 2000 and Götterdämmerung in 2001, all with Jenny, now a dramatic soprano, as Brünnhilde. The mini-Ring was given complete in 2002. Meanwhile Alan was also directing other operas: Mozart’s Magic Flute, Puccini’s Tosca, with Jenny in the title role, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, with Jenny as the Witch, and Bizat’s Carmen.
In 2007 Alan directed the full version of Das Rheingold, benefitting greatly from his experience with the mini-Ring. In 2009 Jenny directed Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and the following year, his Don Giovanni, which was later given in Hastings. In 2011 she directed Così fan tutte, to be seen in Hastings this September. Meanwhile Alan had introduced the next two instalments of The Ring, Die Walküre (in which Jenny sang Siegrune, one of the Valkyries) and Siegfried, both of which were very successful. Alan’s ability to make the most complicated plot crystal clear is a huge asset, while his understanding of the characters has grown to a very high level. Now we have to wait until next year for the culmination, Götterdämmerung – The Twilight of the Gods.
In August this year Jenny initiated a new company, Barefoot Opera. Jenny, together with Polly Graham, directed Handels Alcina, re-imagined by Peter Foggitt, for the Grimeborn Opera Festival at the Arcola Theatre, Dalston, London E8. This was a mini-Alcina, with only two of the three acts, much cut, the performance lasting just over an hour with no interval. The “theatre” was a square space with audience on three sides; there was no scenery, just a few props, but excellent lighting by Alan. The seven singers were joined by a narrator, as the opera was sung in Italian, and the orchestra consisted of clarinet and accordion; both players sang in the ensembles. Everyone was barefoot. The performance was utterly rivetting, no one in the audience moved a muscle until the end. ELIZABETH FORBES.
Poetry…
The next meeting of the Poetry Group will be Saturday 1 Oct at 5pm. Open subject. The last meeting on 20 Aug featured Elaine Short’s exhibition and the subject was: ‘Art’
The following two Haikus were read by Elaine Short:
ART & CRAFT
Twixt Art and Craft
With hand and mind combined.
Where’s the difference?
I’ve got a ‘concept’ !!
Whatever shall I do with it?
Why ! The Turner Prize, that’s what.
It’s tricky. But anything goes.
