invisible friends

Posted: October 9, 2017 | Author: pw130524 | Filed under: activ8, eARTh, the ash tree, Uncategorized | Tags: Arte Povera, arts research, collaboration, ecopsychology, Feeling, poetry | Leave a comment

musing upon the muse 91017

you warm me

encouraging and invigorating

my muscles, mind and breath

you are so close

yet not here

I long to share a meal, a drink, a show

a long slow walk home

valerian hapa-zome print © eARTh 2017

sometimes in life we encounter people

to whom we feel a deep attraction and connection –

a zap between the eyes

an undeniable pull towards,

unwarranted and unthought-of,

an often beautiful but emotionally inconvenient surprise.

whale shark on my doorstep © p ward 2017

yet circumstances mean our relationships are curtailed

or must take forms different from those we conventionally recognize.

contemporary communications may allow a frustratingly superficial contact,

hand written letters and gifts another, maybe more real,

sometimes even these are not possible

when we honestly crave a wholly physical means –

eye contact and the subtle nuance of body language

the time and space to freely exchange the energetic dynamic

that common interests and diverse histories reveal,

to share a meal, a drink and a long walk home

hands entwined

dragged through sand, woolacombe bay © p ward 2017

as an artist, such desire may act as muse:

a light in the darkness, a spark of imagination

exploring the unknown undiscovered spaces,

a chance to meet the familiar through another’s eyes,

or identify and examine new aspects of ourselves –

dreams undreamt , fears as yet unconfronted, renewed aspirations,

detaching oneself from the mundane,

an illusion or delusion

but inspiration all the same;

or fuel to intention

to communicate more wholly

through pathways beyond the visible

ground earth pigment rings © eARTh 2017

and for those of us who entertain such fantasies about a subtle sense –

who honour a telepathic connection,

like that between a mother and child

or soul-mates

or lovers,

then the distance between may become an ethereal whisper

a breath, a feeling, a warmth, a glow

a longing acceptance of fate

still not manifest

buoyancy aids and clamped wheel, hele © p ward 2017

so maybe this is ‘hope’

or merely wishful thinking

a means to find strength and courage in isolation

to believe in another way

in spirit

in love

I do

(with love and thanks to those who are not here)

Le Mystère des Faluns

Posted: September 29, 2017 | Author: pw130524 | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: #GNAP France 2017, Arte Povera, ecopsychology, Land Art, poetry | Leave a comment

chemistry

biology

physics

geography

geology

and history

of a place in time

we look we see we touch

we share

we learn

breathing just beneath the surface

unseen

but felt

deeply

I fall in love

to climb out

again and again and again

wall drawing, trogolodyte barn, GNAP France © peter ward 2017

Back to eARTh (well, nearly!)

Posted: September 28, 2017 | Author: pw130524 | Filed under: eARTh, educ8 | Tags: Arte Povera, Bideford Black, children's art, earth pigments, eco art, ecopsychology, Environmental art, North Devon, painting, Pigment, Visual arts | Leave a comment

Great Torrington Bluecoat C of E Primary School Workshops 27917

After flying high in the caves of France with some wonderful fellow artists, it was back to the ‘day job’ running a series of painting with eARTh workshops for 8-9 year olds at a local school in North Devon. The school was studying the ‘Stone Age’ and invited me in to share how people would have made paint in the long distant past and learning a bit about local geology.

After getting through the space age security system, face recognition cameras and all, deemed necessary at schools these days, I was, to my surprise, confronted by a school (teachers too) dressed as stone-age people! Whether bad hair, bad teeth and an abundance of nylon leopard-print was apparent in the caves of our ancestors (or whether the people of Great Torrington always dress like this) I would not like to say, but we all had a fantastic day making paint and painting (and messing up the carpet). Sadly, the teachers were surprised by how the children handled paint, art activities being totally side-lined in our present education system for more ‘vocational studies’ (at 8-9 years old ???!!!). However, it was great to offer the opportunity to do some thing environmental and creative. I asked the children to paint pictures of local wildlife – the prevalence of mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers was again a bit of a shock!? I will have to be more careful when walking on Torrington Common in the future.

The results were fantastic – thank you to the children for working so hard and teaching me so much…

earth pigment paintings courtesy of Great Torrington Bluecoat School yr4 © eARTh 2017

painting in croatia, june 2017

Posted: August 2, 2017 | Author: pw130524 | Filed under: A BUNDLE OF STICKS, activ8, eARTh, the ash tree, Uncategorized | Tags: Arte Povera, Arts, arts research, Croatia, Dugi Otok, earth pigments, ecopsychology, Environmental art, indigenous culture, painting, Pigment, Visual arts | 1 Comment

On a recent visit to the ‘long island’ of Dugi Otok on the Adriatic coast of Croatia I was taken by the unfamiliar marks of paint daubed on walls and buildings. Not graffiti as such or even nonsensical paintbrush cleansing ablutions but intentional spots and splashes of household paint. We thought they were maybe way markers or boundary signs. Whatever their purpose I enjoyed how they honed my vision both to the unfamiliar in such a rich but alien culture and also to another sense of painting in and of the environment.rocks and soil I + II, framed; dugi otok, croatia © p ward 2017

dockside paintings; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

Wherever we travel it is the unfamiliar colours, patterns, shapes, sounds, smells, tastes and materials that inspire and refresh our imaginations and remind us of the richness, diversity and potential of this planet that we share while also refreshing the ‘familiar’ in our own backyards. It only leaves us, as creative people, to show our gratuitude through sharing our vision and inspiration with others, hopefully continuing the cycle.

paint daubs; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

le citron de provence (Gonepteryx cleopatra) butterfly wings; dugi otok, croatia © p ward 2017

ant highway, roadkill toad, pink flowers, white admiral; sali, dugi otok, croatia © p ward 2017

festival procession flowers; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

a boat and three doorways; sali, dugi otok, croatia @ p ward 2017

confectionery constellation, casual installation, pink house; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

handprints and paint; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

urban sights I, II + III; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

pigment and paint I + II; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

playground moths; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

four colours; dugi otok, croatia © p ward 2017

sticks and stones; dugi otok, croatia © p ward 2017

unfamiliar shrub; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

red and yellow makes orange, walls; sali, croatia © p ward 2017

nature park telašćica, dugi otok, croatia © p ward 2017

flying; dugi otok, croatia © p ward 2017

With thanks to the people, animals, plants and places of Croatia for a most inspiring experience and to Francesca, Noah and Agnes for sharing it with me.

coming of age

Posted: July 5, 2017 | Author: pw130524 | Filed under: eARTh | Tags: Aesthetics, Arte Povera, arts research, Bideford Black, Earth, earth pigments, eco art, ecopsychology, Environmental art, Feeling, Meditation, North Devon, painting, Pigment, Visual arts | Leave a comment

more new paintings (and thoughts about my practice), summer 2017

“I am no longer sure of what I am doing. But then, quite simply, I am painting. I am putting together objects from materials that I gather locally, here in North Devon. Materials that are significant to me. That have stories to tell. That connect me to this place and to my being. The objects created are celebrations of this life. They are explorations. Simple, intuitive journeys of making in the here and now…” (Artist statement, summer 2017)

At the tender age of fifty I am finding it harder to define exactly what my artwork is about. In the past I might talk about the power of art as an agent of change but no longer feel this is my main inspiration. Its power is now subtler both within my life and in the world. No longer do I work obsessively, searching for meaning and understanding – indeed my life does not allow it – but see it as a means to share my sense of wonder with the world, through both the materials I use and the approach I take to making. It is a space for myself, to come to terms with life, to find balance and peace. For whatever reason art and making has become a central aspect of my being, like a good friend. Whether this has a positive value to society as a whole I am not sure but in society, art is always there, in whatever form, quietly infiltrating the rigid constructs of our existence.

However comfortable I may personally feel with my artistic practice I still feel a need (and this is where an issue/dilemma arises) to verbally justify and explain it to others, both for the sake of art historical context and as an aesthetic anchor within the art market – people seem to like to know what they’re buying into. To say that I enjoy mystery or the process seems simply not enough. Intuition is very important to me – to make, to work with the materials, until a piece ‘feels’ ‘right’ is essential to the process.

To approach work not necessarily from any literal or narrative starting point, beyond the constraints of my chosen materials, but simply as an act of trust or sense of belief in the creative process and in my simple intent – to share my sense of wonder and beauty in existence. I have been slowly building my own language of marks and forms in response to the process of gathering and making paint with earth pigments. As such I feel the work is a celebration of our connection to place, and the physical matter of place, and our evolving relationship with them.

The titles I enjoy as a poetic response to the work, often with reference to personal experience, and as a means for others to access the work.

Politically and spiritually the work I do is significant through its lack of ‘control’, through its trust in simple processes and its respectful empathy with natural materials – it is made in mindful contradiction of the current worldview of human superiority, of ‘power over’, in denial of our supposed ability to know what is the right thing to do – we have already endangered existence through our arrogance, maybe it is time to step back a little before we create more problems. To live simply, in peace with ourselves, with others and all of existence is maybe all we can do…

Infiltration is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. Infiltration rate in soil science is a measure of the rate at which soil is able to absorb rainfall or irrigation. It is measured in inches per hour or millimetres per hour.[i]

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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infiltration_(hydrology)

is an artist’s worst fear selling their work?

Posted: June 6, 2017 | Author: pw130524 | Filed under: eARTh | Tags: Arte Povera, Bideford Black, earth pigments, eco art, ecopsychology, Environmental art, North Devon, North Devon Coast, painting, Pigment, Visual arts | Leave a comment

sense to non-sense: new paintings 2017

A friend was recently horrified when her painting sold at a gallery before she could “say goodbye to it”!? Of course, she was pleased that someone (a complete stranger) liked her work and could see themselves enjoying it for a while to come (enough to pay a decent amount of money for it) but the fact that we become attached to our creations is hard to deny. We may often feel that our work isn’t finished or good enough, and even wonder why anyone else would see any value or sense in what we do. But is this simply a manifestation of our own lack of self worth or the influence of the present societal disregard for the value of art and culture to our spiritual wellbeing? Fortunately I seem to not suffer too much from any of the above ‘ailments’ and cannot rightly understand why my works of pure creative genius and beauty are not snapped up the minute they leave the easel??!! I am more often overwhelmed with wonder at the shear scope, skill and diversity shown in my humble paintings and offered at such a reasonable price too!

Anyway, here is a selection of my latest work for exhibitions I will be participating in over the next few months and years…

i am not alone (earth pigments on driftwood board) © p ward 2017offcuts in an offcut frame viii – quite small (earth pigments on wood) © p ward 2017

drawing on obscurity II – yoga (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017drawing on obscurity III – fox running (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017drawing on obscurity IV – recline (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017drawing on obscurity V – the light over lundy (north devon earth pigments on board) © p ward 2017drawing on obscurity VI – i close my eyes (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017drawing on obscurity VII – moorland (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017drawing on obscurity VIII – marrakech (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017drawing on obscurity IX – a conversation between flowers (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017sequential II (earth pigments on canvas) © p ward 2017jump! (earth pigments on canvas) © p ward 2017offcuts in an offcut frame – displacement (earth pigments on wood) © p ward 2017drawing on obscurity X – race (north devon earth pigments on board) © peter ward 2017The work on show at eARTh studio during Ilfracombe Art Trail 2017 © eARTh 2017

Peter Doig: “We don’t always have to know what our painting is about”[i]

A recent visitor to our studio asked me to explain my work. I said I didn’t actually know what I was doing. That there was no particular symbolism invloved! I am not telling stories. Simply making marks with and on the materials I use. (She was horrified and went on to tell how she only liked pictures of horses!!??) However, I am interested in making things with the materials I gather – natural materials or things we might otherwise throw away – learning about them and how we can put different things together through making. I enjoy nature, history, geology. I like not knowing how a work may turn out. I am inspired by the results and where they may lead me next.

May they fill you with awe and wonder too :-)…

[i] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/peter-doig-we-dont-always-have-to-know-what-our-painting_us_58e4b461e4b09deecf0e1bd0?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

of this eARTh: childish inspiration and other stories

Posted: February 25, 2017 | Author: pw130524 | Filed under: activ8, eARTh | Tags: arts research, Bideford Black, earth pigments, ecopsychology, painting, Pigment | 2 Comments

new paintings from 2016

Since the birth of our daughter Agnes in July last year, and our son Noah nearly 3 years ago, it has been rather slow getting the painty wheels turning but work has been done and exhibited and new artistic thoughts and inspiration are gradually emerging from the baby-addled-brain. Most recently I have been really enjoying Noah’s freestyle scribbling as he explores manipulation of simple mark-making tools, finding a similarity between that and my own evolving physically energetic relationship and understanding of the primitive materials that are earth pigments.

In January I was invited to give a presentation and workshop at THE ART STUDENTS CONVENTION 2107[i] at Plymouth College of Art, part of a TATE initiative[ii] to look at creative education in the UK, providing a most enjoyable personal (and paid) opportunity to look back over my development as an artist and painter, its highs and lows, and to share some thoughts with others – always a worthwhile exercise and bringing a sense of confidence and satisfaction at what I have achieved over the years.

Anyway, here is a selection of new small paintings from the last year and a quote that offers renewed meaning to my work with rocks and geology…

“Those who suspected Hawkes of solipsism were guilty of misreading: she in fact offers an account of selfhood in which, molecularly and emotionally, ‘every being is united both inwardly and outwardly with the beginning of life in time and with the simplest forms of contemporary life’. The ‘individual’ (from the Latin individuus, meaning ‘indivisible’) is not unique but soluble, particulate, fluid. Her book is dedicated to proving that ‘inside this the whole history of life’; she is merely one of the outcrops or features of the ‘land’. ‘Consciousness must surely be traced back to the rocks,’ she argues. A Land should be read, she suggests at its close, as ‘the simple reaction of a consciousness exposed at a particular point in time and space. I display its arguments, its posturings, as imprints of a moment of being as specific and as limited as the imprint of its body left by a herring in Cretaceous slime’. Her book is itself a geological formation, no more or less extraordinary than a fossil or a pebble.

To Hawkes, stone did not only prompt thought – it constituted it. Our ‘affinity with rock’ was so profound that she understood us to be mineral-memoried, stone sensed. Often in A Land she writes geologically of the mind’s structures: thoughts are ‘rocks . . . silently forming’, memory is ‘the Blue Lias’ of fossil-filled strata around Lyme Regis. She admires Henry Moore because while ‘Rodin pursued the idea of conscious, spiritual man emerging from the rock’, ‘Moore sees him rather as always part of it’…”

Robert Macfarlane writing in Landmarks (2015) of Jacquetta Hawkes’s book A Land (1951).

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[i] http://tasc2017.co.uk

[ii] http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/workshop/tate-exchange/making-learning

expressions of an intimate ecology

the contemporary environmental art practice of peter ward