paula tod

In March, for the Artwalk, Paula Tod had an exhibition at Westgate Studios Project Space. Here are a couple of her paintings. 
She paints oils on canvas, with wonderful evocative images of landscapes. She and her husband are moving up to Eyemouth, near Berwick-on-Tweed. Where she'll have fabulous landscapes to inspire her! I'm looking forward to visiting her later in the summer.

At home, the garden is greening up; and the rhubarb started to come through, at last. Spring's late this year.

And, some sea holly, from my visit to Spurn Point last winter. I went to see Alice Fox's exhibition from her residency there.
Last week, I went to see the exhibition of the work at the 49 Gallery, at the Old Town in Bridlington. It was a lovely day; the exhibition worked very differently in a more domestic setting than the Lighthouse at Spurn Point. And the light is very different at this time of the year. We walked on the beach; paddled in the VERY cold North Sea, and experienced sun, hail, and snow, all in a matter of minutes! 

Spurn....again

 Photos from my recent visit to Spurn Point.

The door inside the lighthouse.......

 Cracked window looking out of the lighthouse.

Looking out the lighthouse window to the groynes on the beach. 

I love the way the colours come together at Spurn. The greens, browns, greys, blues, are a soft background that the lighthouse structure frames and focuses. 

To stand in the lighthouse, was to experience the overlap of the outside world and the inside of the building. And the rust particles and peeling of paint of the lighthouse structure, emphasised my sense of dilapidation, and things being worn away. Just as the sea pounds the Spurn peninsula, wearing the pebbles to sand. Everything is shifting at Spurn, all is in motion.  

Spurn Point; 'Textures of Spurn'

View through the lamproom window of the lighthouse at Spurn Point. Looking to the north (east) of Spurn Point.

We visited Spurn Point yesterday, to see Alice Fox's textile (and print) exhibition 'Textures of Spurn', on show at the Lighthouse. It was an opportunity to not only see the work (I've been following her artist-in-residence blog) but also to go inside the lighthouse, which is no longer in use.

Despite the weather; cold, windy, cloudy, with occasional rain; the views were fantastic, and the shape of the spit of land was made visible. 

The clouds were dark and threatening; the wind hummed through the telegraph wires like an Aeolian harp; the sea boomed and crashed.

It was an elemental place, and we were scrubbed clean by the sand blown across our bodies; faces and hands, scoured. I returned home with sand in my hair; dishevelled.

We walked the 3.5 miles from the car park, down to the lighthouse. Walked the steps up (and down) the lighthouse. Then walked the 3.5 miles back to the car. 

It was an exhilarating walk. A walk of memories, of previous visits to Spurn. And worth the walk, to climb the lighthouse steps, and see Alice's artworks. 

Alice Fox's enormous textile piece, 'Spurn Cloth #1', tied, and displayed around the circular space of the lamproom at the lighthouse.

 Another view of the lamproom textile piece, 'Spurn Cloth #1' by Alice Fox.

'Spurn Cloth #2' by Alice Fox. Hanging down two floors of the lighthouse space, at Spurn.

You can see Alice's blog, which tells the story of her residency, at www.spurnpointartistinresidence.blogspot.co.uk

'Spurn Point & the rest of it'.....

'Flotsam & Jetsum'

Today I've been over to Spurn Point; where the River Humber meets the North Sea. I've not been for a few years, and it felt time to visit the sea-side again!
I went with Tracey and Charlie; we had a great walk along the beach, which blew all our cobwebs away!
The batteries had gone on my digital camera; so I dug out my 35mm compact, and took some photos using that. It felt odd how used I've become to digi-cameras when for years I used 35mm with rolls of film.....I have to get the film developed now....which is weird, because the film was half-way through. And I have NO idea what's on it!
As Tracey said, 'you'll have a lovely surprise when you get the photos back'!

We saw lots of kestrels on our way over there; and a deer was in the long grass as we drove down to the point of Spurn.
I've often seen deer when I've visited Spurn. They are such secretive creatures, it always feels special when I see them. This time was no different.

 'The Larkin Trail'

You can see Alice Fox's artist-in-residence work at Spurn Point here