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As sit down to write this post, with a head full of cold, grey skies overhead...I look at this piece and reflect on it's quiet nature and sensitive lines...which were created late last year with the stems from Christmas Clementines.  It's a piece with lots of negative space, the negative space - it's intentional...it reminds me that we all need a space to breathe, an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves. Modern life is full on, it can feel like it's all about the hustle and the rush, as though if your not moving at pace, then you must be missing out... But I've come to realize that's really not the case, although in a world of noise it can feel hard to step back, to take time to pause, breathe and reconnect. Looking at this artwork, I'm reminded once again of the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi, focusing on the beauty of imperfection, impermanence and simplicity, the earthy muted tones inspired by the photographs below...I can still remember the time in Nottingham where these photographs were taken...the trip to the Nottingham Contemporary, the welcome cup of tea in the cafe... the beauty found in the ordinary - the tram stop with a fractured pane of glass. Making art isn't just about the finished piece, it's so much more, it's the moments in between, the mindful moments where inspiration strikes, where marks begin to make sense, helping to create a piece with subtle grace, fitting enough for a calm reflective space...your space maybe? Studio Playlist - this week sharing a song by Snowy White and the White Flames from the 'No Faith Required' album, it's a piece that builds slow, another reminder not to rush...check it out here if you're interested.
Thank you as always for reading...and wishing you a moment of calm, in this chaotic world.
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This week, I thought I would share some of the books, that I recently picked up from my local library... have you read any of them? They're a selection including Art, Architecture and Interior Design...  The one that caught my eye the most, was Style Council by Sarah Thompson - what can I say but when you look along the bookshelf and see a book titled Style Council who can resist! And just check out that cover design... just love it!  Style Council is an interiors book focusing on and celebrating how people have decorated their spaces...nothing different there you might say, but this book, "Is a window on the lives of stylish people living in ex-council homes", let's be clear it's not about the rights or wrongs of the 'Right to Buy' scheme - although that sensitive subject is acknowledged. This interesting book is about how these homes have been utilized and styled to feel like home...I did find it quite London centric, featuring a range of homes from in and around London, however the author does include her own home in Dorset which gives a view of a more suburban home rather than city living. And I have to say I was pleased to see that it did include a feature on an apartment in the Grade II Listed - Park Hill Flats housing estate in Sheffield. For those who don't know it, Park Hill Estate is the largest Grade II Listed building in Europe - a Brutalist building that stands proud in the landscape. Although, maybe a little dated as the book was first published in 2015, it's still an interesting read, providing insight into some of the striking architecture of social housing homes that are much loved in the UK today. Studio Playlist - Well! It just had to be something from Paul Weller, ex lead singer with The Jam, and founder of the English pop band - The Style Council. I have to admit I'm not really a fan of The Style Council music, but I am a fan of Paul Weller both as a solo artist and also with his time in The Jam, so I have chosen Broken Stones from The Stanley Road Album...seems fitting as the album is titled after the road where Weller grew up, oh and it just happens to have been a council estate in Woking, Surrey! Plus it's one of my favourites... Have a listen here. Thank you as always for reading!
Some people prefer landscapes, others love the realism of portraiture... One thing for sure, Art is a very subjective...  But what is becoming more evident is the impact that art can have our well being. As an artist, I know without doubt from personal experience that art has been good for my well being. Like many artists, whether that's a painter, musician or writer, when you get into a flow state where the gaze softens, the shoulders drop, and the breath calms...there really is nothing like it. However, you don't have to be an artist to get the benefits, a recent study conducted by Kings College London, has found physiological benefits of viewing original artwork. I was intrigued to learn that the study suggested that Art has a potential calming effect on the body's inflammatory processes, with Cortisol (a key stress hormone) falling by an average 22% in those viewing the artworks, the study also found that art activated the immune, endocrine and nervous systems all at once.  The concept of art helping with well-being has been known for a while, back in 2015 Fujurara & Mackerron reported that visiting museums and galleries had a positive impact on happiness and self reported health in adults. Nobel prize winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel went as far as to say that, " Abstract Art more than any other has the ability to connect more directly with viewers". Anything that can help with our well being has to be a good thing... but I for one am pleased to hear there is evidence to prove the benefits of Art, whether that is as an artist or viewer of Art - especially Abstract art. On the Studio Playlist - In the spirit of finding calm, this week we have Bruce Springsteen, I know he maybe not the first person who comes to mind when you think of calming songs, but personally I find "The Ghost of Tom Joad", always sets me up for painting, take a listen here.
As always thank you for your company - see you next week. |
Hello!In this space which has no ceilings, walls or doors... I would like to invite you in, and share with you some of my work and a few things of interest which help to inspire my work including music to the places and spaces we call home...
AuthorCatherine Hoggins |
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