<![CDATA[CATHERINE HOGGINS - Studio Notes]]>Fri, 15 May 2026 07:54:22 +0100Weebly<![CDATA[The Kelpies - Canal Guardians]]>Fri, 15 May 2026 06:30:00 GMThttps://www.catherinehoggins.com/studio-notes/the-kelpies-canal-guardiansHave you seen the Kelpies?  The work of Artist & Sculptor Andy Scott...
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The Kelpies - Canal Guardians The Helix, Grangemouth, Falkirk FK2 7ZT, Scotland, UK. Sculptor - Andy Scott Photography - Catherine Hoggins
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The Kelpies - The Door Photograph showing scale of this amazing piece of artwork. Photography - Catherine Hoggins
Not only are they a well known Scottish Landmark where they can be found at Grangemouth, Falkirk. They are an amazing feat of engineering, standing at 30 metres high - approximately 100ft tall they are the largest equine sculptures in the world!
A complex and award winning structural steel design, unveiled in 2014. The horses named Duke and Barron stand at the junction of the Forth & Clyde Canal. Representing both the heavy horses that were so much a part of canal life, as well as taking inspiration from Celtic folklore - The Kelpie who is described as a malevolent shape shifting water spirit that often appears as a horse with hidden strengths if captured.  These sculptures which stand proud in the landscape are simply amazing, and well worth a visit if you are in the area. They can be found at; The Helix, Grangemouth, Falkirk FK2 7ZT

In next weeks post I'll share how they have inspired some recent work...so until then thank you for reading.
Oh and if your interested, this weeks studio playlist included a song from Teddy Swims - The Door check it out here... 
]]><![CDATA[Shelf Life - Brutalist Britain]]>Thu, 07 May 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.catherinehoggins.com/studio-notes/shelf-life-brutalist-britainThis week I wanted to share a book that I borrowed from the Library...
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Brutalist Britain - Buildings from the 1960's and 1970's by Elain Harwood, Published in 2022 by BT Batsford Ltd.
Brutalism has been described as an " architectural response to Britain's greatest wave of levelling up between North , South , Rich & Poor in the early 1960's".

So it was nice to see a range of buildings from around the UK, including those from the North, such as 'the streets in the sky of Park Hill Housing Estate in Sheffield', the beautiful facades of Leeds and Strathclyde Universities, as well as the mundane - Tithebarn Street Bus Station and Car Park, Preston - who knew that a car park could look so good.

In this collection celebrating Brutalist buildings from around the UK, Elain Harwood has chosen well known examples such as Trellick Tower by Erno Goldfinger, to those less well known or considered; a short descriptive history of each building is accompanied by a colour photograph showcasing these often divisive bold, brutish buildings - it makes interesting reading, especially when you consider the context of the why they were built...

This weeks playlist song - well all this got me thinking about these buildings which were built for the rich & poor...it just had to be Pulp's - Common People - Enjoy!  

PS; As a side note I just love the graphic illustration on the cover by Paul Catherall, with it's reference to Mid - Century Modern Colours.


]]><![CDATA[At the End of the Day...]]>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.catherinehoggins.com/studio-notes/at-the-end-of-the-dayWhy is it at the end of a day in the studio, when nothing has come together, on that little scrap of paper, you paint a blob of colour, draw a line here and there, add a bit more colour,  scratch ink into the paper with something that comes to hand such a Silver Birch Twig, a random act...that actually turns into something that you might just love...
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I have to say, it's been one of those weeks! When you have a vision in your head, but getting that onto the paper just seems impossible, every mark you make just seems to end up in a hot mess of sludge...
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So as they used to say on Blue Peter...Here's one I made earlier...hopefully Hayfever brain fog will have settled down a bit by next week and I can paint something I'd be happy to keep!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - Thank you as always for reading.

​Studio playlist this week - I thought Chris Stapleton's - Starting Over was good as any song for this week, hope you like it!
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