Projects and Events
OPEN STUDIOS 2010 16th-19th JULY
Seahorses Art Studios is open to the public, as are other studios on the Island. Open Studios is a yearly event, supported by the IOW Council, which aims to give the general public an opportunity to experience the working environment of an Art or Craft Studio. Seahorses has been part of this initiative for a few years now and also takes the opportunity to combine this with a general Open Day, where people can look around the gardens, house and meet some of our companions and co-workers connected with our supported living of adults with learning disabilities. The event takes place over four days (from 10am-4pm) so there is plenty of time to come and visit.
Raku workshop with Endre
Basket workshop with Martin
Barbeque guests
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Modelling and Casting a Greek Head
This was a recent project involving the second year Eurthmy students at Botton Village Camphill Community. One of our tasks, whilst studying together the Ancient Greek culture and consciousness, was to model a profile relief in clay. The next step involved learning how to cast in plaster first a negative and then a postive. This practical project ran parallel to the daily study and was a good balance to the more cerebral activity. The week-long block course was followed up later with a visit by the group to the British Museum to observe the actual Parthenon sculptures.
Proud of the clay original!
Clay original taken out of the 1st cast
Taking the clay original from the 1st cast
A beeswax cast
A 'positive' plaster cast
Plaster cast of an early Ancient greek profile
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Re-cycled driftwood birds & fish
This is an on-going project which we do for a local Gallery at Yarmouth. Driftwood is collected at the high-water mark, especially after gales, and transformed into birds (waders, gulls and terns) and fishes (mainly mackerel). The work is done at Seahorses Art Studio with the help of Richard and Anne (both of whom have learning disabilities).
Driftwood Waders
Locals, who use the Studio, also bring in material, so we are very rarely short of driftwood! Last season we couldn't keep up with demand from the gallery, so in 2010 we intend to build up a stock in the winter months so this doesn't happen again.
Terns and Mackerel
All proceeds go towards helping with the Art Studio costs.
Driftwood Mackerel
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Ibis commission
This project was the result of a commission from someone in a village in N.Yorkshire who wished to name their cottage Ibis, after the famous Egyptian species of this bird. I was given complete freedom of approach, so I decided to use stained glass instead of mosaic, as the colour choices were better suited to the subject. I was shown the modern architectural background of rough wood vertical planks, which gave me the idea for the best size for the name plaque. The plaque was delivered in Sept.'09 and has, apparently, been much appreciated.
Ibis
Ibis Detail
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Lantern making
This was an Autumn project under the direction of Michelle, who guided groups and individuals in the art of creating willow lanterns. Lanterns both very large and small started to take shape using beautifully coloured japanese rice and silk papers stretched over delicate willow frames. The culmination of the efforts was a St. Martins Lantern Evening on the 11th of November, when there was a Social Evening in the Art Studio. In spite of the wet and stormy weather, the soft glow of the lanterns together with the pizzas cooked in the newly made clay oven, made everyone feel cosy and 'illuminated' (unfortunately, the pics cannot capture the lovely colours).
A St. Martins Lantern
A lantern-making group with Michelle on the left
Michelle with the Dragonfly lantern
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Seaglass window
Here are a few photos of a recent commission. A lady from London had seen another one of our seaglass creations at a friend's house in Lyme Regis and tracked us down by asking the local gallery for our address. She wanted a similar, but smaller version, with a seahorse theme, as a gift for a friend who is apparently crazy on these magical creatures. So, after agreeing on a design and price etc. (all done via e-mail), we went to work. The last seahorse window was done by Chong from Thailand (who is now back in Bangkok); this time Dasa from Prague offered to learn a bit more about glasswork by helping with the commission.
What is 'seaglass'? As the name indicates, these are bits of broken glass beautifully formed into pebbles by the action of sea and sand. Mostly green and amber in colour, there are also whites and, more rarely, a range of blue colours as well.
Sea glass pebbles
We stick these pebbles onto the background glass using a special epoxy glue. As you can see in the photos, we also use glass paints and outliners to build up a composition. This is obviously not a traditional stained glass technique in the usual sense, as with other commissions, but another approach which is also enjoyable.
The glueing stage
Sticking the pebbles on
Dasa with the finished window
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History of art evenings at Seahorses
Over the last weeks Seahorses has been hosting History of Art sessions on a Tuesday evenings. Boris, who leads the evenings, has a rather panoramic approach (rather than academic) which gives emphasis to the changes of consciousness in mankind which, in turn, expresses itself in Art. So far the evenings have covered the following periods: The Magdalanians and Lascaux, the Neolithic period, the Ancient Egyptians, The Ancient Greeks, The Celts, Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, and the Byzantine and Romanesque periods. The sessions are informal in nature and encourage conversation and individual contributions. Each evening is followed by brief notes and refreshments.
Back to contentsSeahorses Clay Oven
Last autumn we decided to build a wood fired clay oven in our garden. Over three week-ends we first built the base (from an old storm water drain and some pavement slabs).
The base
Then, with a willow basket bowl turned up-side down, we filled it with mud followed by a layer of leaves then a first layer of a clay/sand mixture.
Making the willow basket
This was the fired-up, after which the basket, mud and leaves collapsed leaving a hard clay layer (inside of the oven).
The first inner clay layer covering the leaves and basket
Next we went to beach (Brooke Bay)once again to collect some more clay ready for the next layer of clay,sand and straw (cob) which we mixed thoroughly by stomping with our feet.
'Stomping' the cob mixture
This layer was then added as a thick 3" layer of insulating material.
Cob layer and wooden door
Finally we added the last clay/sand mixture and fired up once again.
Richard firing up the finished oven
Later, we added some coats of linseed oil to help weather proof the oven.
Firing up ready to bake
To date we have baked soda bread, wholemeal bread, pizza and cheese scone. The oven gives a lovely warmth which stays for many hours after the baking has finished. Thanks to Martin and Michelle who led the project and also to Anne, Richard and others who gave a hand when needed. At present we are about to build a simple shelter over the oven to protect it further from the torrential rains we have been having lately. We hope you enjoy the photos.
The finished product
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Raku sessions at Seahorses
Over the last couple of years Seahorses Art Studios have had some Raku 'fire-ups' with Edre Borbley-Bartis, a regular visitor from the Lantern Community near Ringwood. The last session was at the Open Studio event during August, when local visitors could enjoy the Raku process of quick firing and cooling with specially prepared low-fire glazes.
As with all Raku, the results were entirely unpredictable but always worth waiting for with anticipation.
Some of the stunning results
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Mackerel mosaic
Last summer Seahorses Art Studio was asked by the Freshwater Bay
Residents Association if it could help facilitate and organise a mosaic
triptych to be created by members of the Association members at Seahorses.
Once the design was agreed upon and all the materials ordered, lessons in
glass and mosaic cutting were given to all participants who then started.
The theme was mackerel chase
which gave lots of scope for an
individual approach for all participants.
Three finished panels ready to be installed at Freshwater Bay promenade shelter
If one looks closely, it is possible to see that each mackerel is different! The project is an expression of what is possible when a group of people get together to try and make a difference to our environment.
Close up of one of the installed panels