All Things Considered

On Nature
Posted by Simon Lewin

Our friends at Caught By The River publish the follow up to their eponymously titled collection of words on water.

On Nature is a hardback book published by Harper Collins featuring contributions from some of the site’s regular contributors alongside a host of new names.

In it, you’ll find the likes of Chris Yates, Stuart Maconie, Tracey Thorn, John Andrews, Richard King, Dan Kieran, Michael Smith, Ian Vince, Martin Noble, Jon Berry. Colin Elford, Mark Dredge, Dexter Petley, Ceri Levy, Nick Small, Nick Hand, Sarah Boden, John Wright and others waxing passionately about all aspects of the British countryside.

The book is illustrated by Jon McNaught - we feature Jon's screenprints over at our online print store and he'll be contributing to our journal Random Spectacular which we publish later this year.

The book is published on 23rd June 2011 but pre-orders for signed copies are being taken now via the Caught By The River store.

Posted by Simon Lewin on June 8th, 2011

The Alhambra
Posted by Angie Lewin

Ever since my days working in garden design, I've gazed at photographs of the Alhambra and Generalife. But I was worried that the hordes of camera clicking tourists would make the reality a disappointment.

After the relative isolation of my residency at Los Gázquez our time in Granada was in sharp but good contrast. In countless photos I tried to record the incredible gardens and architecture. But on a smaller scale the complex tile patterns and their wonderful glazes that feature throughout are a real inspiration.

Posted by Angie Lewin on June 7th, 2011

Leaving Los Gázquez
Posted by Angie Lewin

After nine days drawing in the idyllic surroundings of Cortijada Los Gázquez, we sadly drove off down the stony track yesterday leaving the white farmhouse behind us. So many inspiring plants to study especially this phlomis growing in lichen patterned rocks high above Velez Blanco.

Some wild flowers appeared so ephemeral, sometimes seeming only to be in flower for a matter of hours. On the last afternoon - with thunder rumbling around us - Simon Beckmann took us on a drive to find the elusive Spanish rusty foxglove growing by a track above the marble quarries. I'm now looking forward to starting work soon on prints based on my sketches.

Posted by Angie Lewin on May 31st, 2011

Cortijada Los Gázquez
Posted by Angie Lewin

It's day 5 at Cortijada Los Gázquez, a remote farmhouse in the Andalusian mountains surrounded by the most inspiring abundance of wild flowers and grasses, almond and olive trees.

I'm here as part of the Joya: arte + ecología programme of artist residencies alongside students on the Art Forms in Nature course run by Simon Beckmann. Here's a drawing made in the studio here of tassel hyacinth and stems of sage seedheads.

Posted by Angie Lewin on May 25th, 2011

Rural architecture
Posted by Simon Lewin

Angie and I are travelling in Spain at the minute. Yesterday we took a favourite walk in the Pyrenees. 

Here's a modern refuge on the route, part of the GR-150, close to Santuari del Boscalt, near Ansovell. No idea who designed it - I'll try to find out.

The first photo shows the hut at the start of the circular route we took - the second towards the end of the day when a thunder & hail storm allowed us to make proper use.

Posted by Simon Lewin on May 19th, 2011

Drawing at the Museum
Posted by Angie Lewin

It was great to be asked to take part in Ceri Levy's Ghosts of Gone Birds project which brings together over 60 contemporary artists bringing back to life a bird that has been lost, highlighting the dangers of bird extinction.

I've always loved the idea of working in a museum so I had a wonderful day at the Natural History Museum in Tring drawing the feather of the Double-banded Argus. It was fascinating (in a sort of macabre way) to see the huge collection of preserved birds in cabinets and drawers that included the most amazingly vibrantly coloured pheasants and peacocks. As I drew I watched our lively native birds, hopping on the bare branches outside, unaware of the thousands of species - exotic and familiar - stored inside. The result of the visit is this new wood engraving, 'Drawing at the Museum' which will feature in the exhibition.

The exhibition opens in Liverpool later in May with a London appearance due for November.

To keep up to date with other venues and activities, visit the Ghosts of Gone Birds Facebook page.

Posted by Angie Lewin on May 13th, 2011

About Britain No. 2
Posted by Simon Lewin

Here's the second in the "About Britain" series of books published for the Festival of Britain office in 1951.

'Wessex' features a title page illustrated by Kenneth Rowntree. I've also included a rather striking image of a swanherd.

Posted by Simon Lewin on March 22nd, 2011

Phronesis
Posted by Simon Lewin

Looking forward to our Saturday night out at The Vortex to see Phronesis, a trio led by bassist Jasper Høiby. And we'll be seeing them again later in the year, supporting Wayne Shorter at the Barbican in October.

Posted by Simon Lewin on March 12th, 2011

Southwold town sign
Posted by Simon Lewin

Our friend Brian Webb of Webb & Webb has just designed a new sign for this Suffolk coastal town.

The sign is a ‘slice through the sea making a plinth for the town name, stacked on the waves. People walking over the bridge will see the golden-eyed fish in the waves’, Brian told the Eastern Daily Press.

Find out more about the work of Webb & Webb.

Posted by Simon Lewin on August 12th, 2010

Adam Bridgland
Posted by Simon Lewin

'You Will Have Dignity If You Come Here' is Adam Bridgland's first public art commission in the United Kingdom. He was awarded it in 2009 by Futures Community College and Commissions East. A year in development and fabrication in collaboration with AJ Wells on the Isle Of Wight, the work is now installed and will be unveiled to the public later in the summer.

The title for the work is inspired by a line in a poem by a student at Futures College. The poem was a response to someone coming to Southend for the first time and was completed when Adam was doing workshops with the students in preparation for the commission. As well as the link to achievement and awards,  he star references the lights on Southend's famous prominade. This is emphasised by the photoluminescent paint around the edges of the aluminium frame, that will bring the artwork to life at night.

View further images or visit Adam's website.

Posted by Simon Lewin on July 22nd, 2010