Studio Visit - Caroline and Michelle

Caroline discusses art and philosophy

Last night we were treated to a double bill. Carolyn was opening her studio and had asked Michelle to bring her work along too. Carolyn Pigden's work started when she looked at renaissance paintings and realised how beautiful were the figures within them no matter how grisly the subject. She wanted to paint beauty and was advised the most reliable medium for the job is oils. To find a definition for beauty she studied the philosopher Kant. To represent this definition was not enough as she considered the view of the painting. So she was led to Walter Benjamin’s Reflection Theory. No value is absolute, it needs a reference to be appreciated. Heaven needs Hell, beauty needs ugliness. So now she is developing but in a subtle way these mixed messages.

Returning - Michelle Allen

Michelle Allen set out on a quest to paint the invisible or nothing. Surely this must be the most challenging prospect in the minimalist genre. She very nearly got there too with her transparent floating letters, her colourless suspended glass tubes and her entrapped dust particles. All this was ably brought to life in a monochrome video set to haunting music. Back from this brink she now thinks about parting and absence as indicated by an empty pair of boots or a disconnected telephone. These she renders in oils or interlaced acrylic sheet. Both the artists had prepared their presentations thoroughly to provoke our thoughts and to promise work that we will look forward to. I must get back to my Kant. Mark Tilley

Stuart Paints and Meets Sir Geoff Hurst

Portrait held by John Chaplin chairman of Jaguar Social Club

Jaguar Social Club contacted me and asked if I would donate a painting for an auction for the NSPCC, when they told me former England striker Sir Geoff Hurst MBE was the after dinner speaker I offered to paint his portrait. He requested samples of my work which he OK’d; I sent a pencil sketch and received the green light to go ahead with the finished portrait.

An A4 copy of the portrait which Geoff kindly signed for me

More than 260 guests attended the black tie event at Browns Lane, Allesley which raised £4,250 for the NSPCC including £250 going to SPARKS a children's charity of which Sir Geoff is chairman. My portrait of Sir Geoff was sold for £650. It was great meeting the man last Friday (June 4th ) at the auction was and when he saw the size of my hands asked if I had considered a career in goalkeeping. Always thought I could have done something useful with my hands. Stuart Spencer

Valerie at The Mill

The exhibition space showing 2 of Val's small paintings

Last Friday Valerie Just had 3 of her paintings on show at The Mill in Little Shrewley, run by Sue Lewis-Blake. Each exhibition is launched at an open evening from 6pm to 8:30pm on the first Friday of the month. After this, the work can be viewed by appointment for up to three weeks. The space is not large but the walls suit most types of artwork and it is well lit.

The end wall is painted blue which enhanced those works which do not sit well against white. The large painting in the centre is by Judith Hickling whose theme for her work is based around knitting. Even though it was a glorious summer evening the event was not well attended - but that did mean I was able to have more than my fair share of cheese straws. Jackie Mackay