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Latest work from Sally Shrubsall, Artist of the Week

Sally's latest large scale oil painting

Thanks for this image Sally - it's great to see new work!


To see more of Sally's work, and to buy any original pieces or prints, visit her Shed Profile. 

Time Out in the Shed: a cup of Tea with Sally Shrubsall, our Artist of the Week

Sally Shrubsall, our Artist of the Week, shares a bit more about her relationship with painting, and what drives her work as she answers our questions over a cuppa...

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Sally Shrubsall

1.What first drew you to painting?

I don't remember any one event or experience. It just crept up on me. I realized that most of the work that I responded to was painting and this whilst studying on a course that seemed very conceptual and rather discouraging of painting at the time. It seemed like you needed to be able to paint when you started, or you weren't encouraged. This was St Martin's ten years or so ago. I was very lucky to have Mario Rossi the painter as a tutor in my final year. That got me properly started.

2. What is your favourite artistic memory and why? 

I organised a group exhibition for my studios about 8 years ago and my daughter sang at the private view. I enjoyed the sense of artistic community.

Screen 1, Oil on Canvas

Sally Shrubsall

3. Which painters do you most appreciate and why? 

I love processy, muscular, abstract  painters like Cy Twombly, Anselm Kiefer, Tapies and the later, more abstract works of Gerhart Richter. Unfortunately they are all blokes, but I also love Tracy Emin's drawing and painting,  I find it visceral and poignant.

4. What would be in your ideal art box and where would you take it?

I would have liquin, a few well chosen oil colours that worked as a palette, a few gloss sponge rollers, rags, a spray with white spirit in it, and a large piece of thin, gessoed aluminium sanded very smooth.  I would take it to my studio as I am far too messy to work any where else!

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Sally Shrubsall

5.Tell us what you most enjoy about your own work and what has inspired you recently. 

I spend quite a lot of time preparing , i.e. sanding down surfaces so that they are very smooth, working out the palette, so when I come to apply the paint with rollers and spray it , its exciting and even more so when I can see that its working. The downside is that it can  easily go wrong, the composition isn't right or for some inexplicable reason the paint doesn't behave in the expected way, and that means time and energy wasted. I try to be philosophical!

6.Do you have bursts of creativity, if so when/where are you most creative?

My 'bursts' of creativity tend to occur when I have been working on an idea for a while, experimenting and making notes, plodding on  and then I 'get it' and I make a rapid series or 'batch' of work as a result, making sure that I have enough fresh canvases so that I can work on a number at the same time. My inspiration comes from the process itself rather than from anything in my environment.

Screen 2, Oil on Canvas

Sally Shrubsall

7. What for you are the most important elements in a painting?

At the moment, colour, and a sense of drama.

8. Tell us your favorite piece of work, either your own or somebody else's. 

Gerhart Richter, Abstract Painting 2009 oil on canvas. I saw a series of these enormous paintings at his retrospective at Tate Modern recently. There is a wonderful suggestion of depth through layers of paint and the evidence of the processes used is very seductive, along with the fabulous muted colours, mostly white. I also watched a video of Richter creating these pieces which I found very exciting - more process!!

To see more of Sally's work, and to buy originals or prints of it, please visit her Shed Profile. And, as ever, feedback is always appreciated by our Shed Creatives - so do comment on here and share your thoughts with Sally!

Artist of the Week: Sally Shrubsall

Ghost 1 Photogram on Photographic Paper

Sally Shrubsall

Meet Sally Shrubsall, our Artist of the Week! Previously an arts therapist and lecturer, Sally now works as an artist, combining old fashioned photographic techniques with painting on various mediums. Sally draws much of her inspiration from the work of Carl Jung, and recurring themes in her work include depth, submergence and obscurity, and the related metaphors of the ocean and bodies of water. 


We'll be hearing from Sally throughout this week - but in the meantime here is a selection of work from her Shed Portfolio! To see more of her work, and to read more about Sally's background, do visit her Shed Profile, where all her work is also for sale.

Rolled Image Oil on Canvas

Sally Shrubsall

Screen 2 Oil on Canvas

Sally Shrubsall

Screen 8 Oil on Aluminium

Sally Shrubsall

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Sally Shrubsall

Matt Sowter, our Artist of the Week, reflects on the work of other Shed Creatives

Marisa lopez

Among all her great photos I particularly love "faded hull". Those colours have a calming effect on me and I adore faded patina. I would have sniffed it if i were there, wood warmed by the sun, heaven        

Faded Hull, Essaouria, Morocco

Marisa Lopez

Charles Hallsworth

I love the image "somewhere": very haunting, reminds me of "the blair witch"! Coool how did you achieve this Charles? 

Somewhere
Charles Hallsworth

Quinton Smith 
I also love the image "love me" - a smile inducing picture you could never get tired of looking at  

Somewhere
Quinton Smith

Ana de Lima 
I love the quirky nature of her work,very stylish. My favourite is "No entran moscas" - love it!!  

No entran Moscas
Ana de Lima

- Thanks for this Matt, and for all of your contributions this week! To see more of Matt's own work, please do visit his Shed Profile, and feel free to leave your own comments/feedback for him on here! 

Time Out in the Shed: a cup of Tea with Matt Sowter, our Artist of the Week

We caught up with Artist of the Week Matt Sowter, to find out a bit more about what lights his fire as a photographer. Enjoy!    

Fuzzy Lanterns

Matt Sowter

1. What first drew you to photography?      

My father gave me an old "Topcon" SLR which I took to France on a school trip 

2. What is your favourite photographic memory, and why? 

This was when I visited a small village in Laos, within five minutes I took my two favourite pictures, one of two monks walking down the street lined with market traders and a karst limestone cliff in the foreground, the other of a local guy burning the scales of a monitor lizard over a wood fire.

3. Who is your favourite photographer, and why? 

I'm not sure who is my favourite but I do love black and white street photography that captures people/unusual settings or subjects unposed and natural.

Bagus
Matt Sowter

4. What would be your ideal camera, and where would you take it? 

I have heard good things about the new fuji x pro 1, small but well made,ideal for travel(however its 2k so will have to wait few years!),I currently use a Lumix gf1 I have found adapting to using a single fixed focal length 20mm lens for all my pictures has made me think more carefully about composition.

5. Tell us what you enjoy most about your own work, and what has inspired you recently.

I enjoy taking photos of unusual subjects, markets are are particular favourite, finding a local fish market with crazy tropical fish is my heaven, although, sometimes challenging, with lack of natural light. My recent trip to the wonderful market in Barcelona was amazing, but the fluorescent lighting seemed to confuse my camera and results were disappointing.

Tomatoes
Matt Sowter

6. Do you have bursts of creativity - and when/where are you most creative?

Asia in general really, it has everything!!

7. What are the most important elements of a successful photo?

For me its taking a unique photo that really captures the imagination and can take you to that place, for the viewer to wonder what that place would have ben like if they were there, not just the sight but the smells, sounds and tastes as well. (which is why stinky markets  are my favourite place to be).

8. Tell us about your favourite photograph, either your own or someone else's, and please send us a copy if you have one!

My fav recent photo is the tuna head being sliced open, titled "Not tonight love" ha ha...but my all time fav has to be the monitor lizard which I have on old 35mm negative, I will try and get it scanned and send it to The Shed!

Matt's favourite Pic!Not Tonight Love, I have a Splitting Headache
Matt Sowter

You can see more of Matt's work on his Shed Profile, where all his images are for sale! 

Artist of the Week: Matt Sowter

Fish Market Flores

Matt Sowter

Meet Matt Sowter, our Artist of the Week! Matt is currently based in Somerset. He loves to travel, and explore places that really stimulate his senses, seeking to capture the memory of smells, sounds and sensations within a photograph.


We'll be hearing from Matt throughout this week, and in the meantime here is a small selection of his work for you to enjoy.

Fallen Idol, Calcutta

Matt Sowter

Frangipani

Matt Sowter

Gilli

Matt Sowter

To see more of Matt's work, please visit his Shed Profile, where all his images are for sale!

The Axe Vale Festival

Our Artist of the Week, Hilary Buckley, will be at the Axe Vale Festival next weekend, selling prints, paintings, cards, mugs and more! Do pop down if you can - as well as Hilary's beautiful work, inspired by the Dorset landscapes and scenery, the festival is full of events, activities, displays and stalls.


More info on the festival can be found on their website: http://www.axevalefestival.org.uk/


The festival is next weekend: Saturday Sunday 23 June 10m-6pm & 24 June 9.30am-5.30pm. Hope to see you down there! 

Beer in Devon: Watercolour by Hilary Buckley

Beer in Devon

Hilary Buckley

A new addition to Hilary's website - her watercolour of Beer in Devon. To see more of her watercolours visit her Shed Profile, or her own website!

Introducing Hilary Buckley, our Artist of the Week!

Blue Cobb

Hilary Buckley

This week our Artist of the Week is Hilary Buckley, Dorset-based artist who works with mixed-media, painting and collage. She is greatly inspired by Lyme Regis and the scenery and landscapes of Dorset. 

'I love Art Deco and my work has a definite graphic feel to it.  I am drawn to graphic shapes and colours in the local scenery and seem to have discovered my own distinctive style, whether I am using soft pastels, collage or acrylic ink.'

- Hilary

St Ives

Hilary Buckley

Three Boats on the Cobb

Hilary Buckley

Blue Patterns of Colmer's Hill

Hilary Buckley

Colmer's Hill from Bridport

Hilary Buckley

We'll be sharing more of Hilary's work throughout this week - and to see what's she has been up to have a look at her Facebook page, and do follow on on Twitter @Stones63 if you're a Twitter-er yourself! 

60 Artists Celebrate 60 Years - Lyme Regis

Our Artist of the Week, Hilary Buckley is exhibiting in Lyme Regis' Jubilee Exhibition, which is on until 13 June. If you haven't had a chance to go and see it already, do try and get down by Wednesday - it's well worth a visit! 


The exhibition is on at the Town Mill Gallery, Lyme Regis, and is open daily 10am-5pm.

Stamping up Colmer's Hill, by Hilary Buckley

The Queen's Jubilee Exhibition: 60 Artists Celebrate 60 Years                
26 May-13 June, daily, 10am-5pm, Courtyard and Upstairs Galleries, Town Mill
ArtsFest and the Town Mill Arts Guild have joined together to present this Jubilee exhibition. Sixty local artists have created original artwork in all media to mark their responses to the Queen, her Diamond Jubilee and the past 60 years.  From the expected to the unexpected! Great reactions to this exhibition: see news story and photos by going to www.lymeregis.org

Through Their Eyes - Exhibition opening at CocoMat, Barcelona

Thank you so much to everyone who made it along to the Private View last Thursday of our latest exhibition, Through Their Eyes, hosted by CocoMat, Barcelona. All of the work looks wonderful - it's beautifully hung and the decor and feel of the shop compliments the images brilliantly.

The exhibition is on until 6 July, so if you are in town, do pop along and have a look!

For more photos of the evening, please have a look at our Flickr album, or view the album on our Facebook page :-)

Cambodia - photos by Sean Marony

Here are a selection of images from Sean's Cambodia series. Sean has visited Cambodia several times, and exhibited in Phnom Penh in 2006. More about this exhibition, as well as images from the show can be seen here: www.fcccambodia.com/newsletter/0806/sean-morony.php

As ever, all feedback, comments, dialogue etc from other artists and photographers is always appreciated, so please to respond in the comment box below and let Sean know what you think!

Ox Cart Shade

Sean Marony

Boy & Baby

Sean Marony

Mosque Sunset

Sean Marony

Hammock Girl

Sean Marony

Stick Boy

Sean Marony

Time out in the Shed: a cup of Tea with Sean Marony, our Artist of the Week

We caught up with Sean Marony, our Artist of the Week to find out a bit more about what makes him tick as a photographer....

Shanty town

Sean Marony

1. What first drew you to photography?
I remember finding copies of National Geographic in the school library and seeing those fantastic images from exotic places. The Sunday supplements were beginning to appear then also, in the mid 60s, and the images from Biafra and the war in Vietnam had a powerful effect on me. 


2. What is your favourite photographic memory, and why?
My favourite photographic memory would be my first visit to the  Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia in 1999, before it became overrun with tourists. Seeing it for the first time in the early morning light was an unforgettable experience.

Cow Wash

Sean Marony

3. Who is your favourite photographer, and why?
I dont know if I have a favourite photographer, but I have great admiration for war photographers who put themselves in danger for their art - James Nachtwey, Tim Page and Horst Faas spring to mind.


4. What would be your ideal camera, and where would you take it?
My ideal camera would have a 19-500mm lens and be small yet rugged, and I would like to take it on a round the world trip.

Monks Kampot

Sean Marony

5. Tell us what you enjoy most about your own work, and what has inspired you recently.
What I enjoy about my own work is being able to look back at images I had forgotten about and thinking - wow, that is good. Right now I am inspired by nature, and getting into macro photography in a big way.

6. Do you have bursts of creativity - and when/where are you most creative?
Bursts of creativity do happen, but tend to be when I have spare time. 

Boats & Buildings

Sean Marony

7. What are the most important elements of a successful photo?
The most important elements of a photo depend on the type of  image, for example portraiture and landscape are very different disciplines. Lighting and composition are  usually important, but not necessarily. The great thing is that you can use the rules or break them and come up with something interesting either way, but it is important to practice and to develop your eye.

8. Tell us about your favourite photograph, either your own or someone else's, and please send us a copy if you have one!
There are too many images out there to pick one favourite.

Sunset Boats

Sean Marony

To see more of Sean's work, and to buy prints, please visit his Shed Profile!