Balancing Stones

Sculpture which has fascinated and intrigued me for some time is the work of Adrian Gray.  His seemingly impossible stone sculpture can be found on the beach at Lyme Regis where he balances large stones on top of each other.

It looks like trickery, the eye sees the stone balancing but somehow something inside says it shouldn't work.  He describes it as being all about friction and gravity, spending a lot of time looking for the right stones to work together and create his compositions of wonder.  Patience is required in finding the centre of gravity and enough of an edge (the smaller the more impressive) for friction to hold it.

Adrian then photographs the sculpture before time, the tide, wind, or weather cause the stones to topple and revert to anonymous obscurity with their fellow boulders on the sand.

I think if I didn't work with stone myself, I would find it difficult to believe he had created his pieces without trickery, checking for pins, or glue to explain the mesmerising and magical stone pieces.  But I do know a little of this 'magic' as sometimes I have moved blocks of stone, which at first seemed impossible, and then through some 'balancing'  and using the weight of the stone to help me, I have managed to shift them into place.  In fact I have (showing off!) spun huge stones on their axis with seeming ease, and it has simply been balance and gravity working perfectly together - and the same too with carrying heavy lumps, if first I achieve the stone in balance it is easier to lift and walk with.  (Though please don't ask, this is not a part of my art that I demonstrate!).

An Exhibition of work Inspired by Nature

The official publicity card for 'The Birds and the Bees' exhibiton came today, so I'll have a bit of office work to do this evening, popping them in envelopes and sending them out.  I'd like to invite you to come and see the work - it is at the Craft Centre & Design Gallery, City Art Gallery, The Headrow, Leeds - where you will see all the very different creative ways everyone has interpreted the exhibition theme.

It is quite a diverse collection of artists for this exhibition, who, just like me, are inspired by nature to create their wonderful art and craft.  In this case all connected with birds and bees - I'm really looking forward to see all the work gathered together and meet some of the other makers. 

It ties in rather nicely with Sarah Raven's recent series Bees, Butterflies and Blooms, which I have enjoyed so much and I feel very tuned in to the subject at the moment.

PS:  The Bee Eater is coming along nicely!

Spring Planting

I've been making planters today, some large round ones for a customer and some extras for taking to exhibitions and shows.  They're chunky, rough hewn looking and I adore this texture of stone - particularly when thrown into stark contrast by planting.  New shoots of spring growth delicately falling over the stone rim and tumbling down the edge of the planter is perfection for me.

Really it is one of the great things about pots and planters that you can ring the changes with different plant combinations and add colour or mood to an area and create real focal points, even with a small pot and a single plant.

I've been putting Anemone with ferns for a natural woodland feel - I have a fern which has deep coppery foliage and this echoes the purple hues of the stems and buds of the windflower.  The Anemone  is called a windflower because it seems to grow as spontaneously as if sown by the wind. The foliage is glossy and brilliant and they are great plants for containers, cut flowers or borders. 

Do you have any favourite planting for containers, plants that you have put together and which work well - I would love to hear about them, and try them out in my newly made stone troughs.

Newby Hall Spring Plant Fair

If you're thinking about gardening, plants and lovely things for the garden The Newby Hall & Gardens  annual Spring Plant Fair is a real gardener's treat early in the year.   It is a small Plant Fair, in a big and beautiful setting - with lovely relaxed character and really knowledgable growers. 

I've been invited to show my latest sculpture and garden ornaments, so please visit my little stand, (prettily!) laid out on the lawns in front of the impressive Newby Hall, one of England’s renowned Adam houses and an exceptional example of 18th century  architecture and interior decoration. 

William Weddell, an ancestor the Comptons who own the house, was a prominent member of the Dilettanti society and had made the “Grand Tour” in 1765-6. Amongst the treasures he brought back from Europe were magnificent classical sculptures and a superb set of Gobelins Tapestries. In order to house all these treasures, Weddell commissioned the Architect Robert Adam to create the splendid domed Sculpture Gallery and Tapestry Room.

The Plant Fair is on  Sunday 13^th May and will bring together some of the top garden professionals in the north of England and in 2012 for the first time, Harrogate Flower Show Director, Martin Fish will be the guest speaker, supported by Newby’s Head Gardener, Mark Jackson and will conclude with a Gardeners’ Question Time-style session.

Specialist independent nurseries will be selling plants as diverse as Bonsai trees and rare tomatoes, with a good sprinkling of the more familiar garden favourites.  A handpicked selection of quality gardening accessories will also be available.

Young gardeners will have a chance to get their little fingers dirty, with a ‘plant your own’ table, a sunflower growing competition and the day will be rounded off with tea and scones and music from a local jazz band.

Newby Hall is famous for its 25 acres of award winning gardens. Dominated by one of the longest double herbaceous borders in Europe, they consist of numerous formal compartmented gardens full of many rare and beautiful plants.  The gardens are designed to be at their best throughout the year making this truly a “garden for all seasons” and visitors to the plant fairs can  explore the gardens at their leisure.

Gates open at 10am and close at 4pm.

Sunny Sunday Sculpture

I've brought my carving bench and sculpture outside this morning and it is so good to be working outdoors, feeling the warmth of the sun on my back, it's energy soaking in - I'm happy at my work!

Wishing you a happy sunny Sunday too.    x