Rain on the Aldeburgh Beach

 A grey beginning to the day.

The first thing Lucy and I do is to install the scrim work in the top tower room.

Stretched tightly against the sides of the projecting bay, this speciality textile is normally used to line old canvas during conservation. But its very stable weave of  a synthetic fibre means it has low elasticity so that when stretched its weave does not lose its straight of grain and it stays square and true. The result is satisfyingly magical; light plays on the surface, dimly revealing the merest shadows of the winds beyond; the sounds leaking into the tower from the outside world are pushed far into the distance. I am very pleased with this.

Next up is the transformation of the boathouse itself. I do a trial run of yarn stapled to the timber lined space, then draped with folded sheets of graph paper like a clothes line.

This required much folding of the reams found on eBay. A good task while it rains. Francis helps competently, amusing us with stories of when he was a bank clerk, adding columns of figures by hand.

Lucy and I start in stretching and stapling the lines to the walls, here across the front of the fireplace.

Up and down the ladder she goes to reach into the pitched roof and cutting across corners. 

The yarn creates interesting shadows

By evening the skies have cleared and it is a beautiful evening.

Sam and Jane, friends of Caroline and Francis, are staying for a few nights and we decide to dine inside the installation. After scrambling all day, I have a quick shower and join everyone for a glass of excellent fizz on the beach, courtesy of Sam

Once again, Caroline conjures a feast with no apparent effort.

 

A spectacular array of fresh seafood on greens - prawns, dressed crab and hot smoked salmon, followed by a spinach risotto bejewelled with a whole brie.

In the back, here and above, a fully clothed wall of paper is just visible.

Totally knackered and I fall into bed.

Once upon a Tide - one week in Aldeburgh

First day of residency here in Aldeburgh at Caroline Wiseman's South Lookout. I am working in the low white boathouse at the foot of the three-level tower. From inside the boathouse, a low window looking north.

The shingle beach has very small stones furthest from the North Sea's edge.

The Artist's bedroom, in an eyrie by itself, where I am staying for the week.

Late afternoon view out my window overlooking King Street,

and then towards the open sea.

As I'd imagined, the colours of sky and water are what I am trying to capture in gouache.

Each vintage watch face crystal is a different colour, but composed only of white, a green and a blue.

Also to be used for my tide drawings, where I am dipping water colour paper into the sea multiple times to affect the paper's surface. Or so I thought, as this is last  I saw of the tray holding several sheets as it floats off from the shore and is swept away by the force of the waves! So sorry to lose your tray, Caroline!

Instead, I get a small bucket of sea water and start over, just saturating paper and letting it dry. Will be continuing this until Thursday when I must do the drawing to get them to the framer spot on 10.00 Friday to mount.

Caroline cooking dinner at her fabulous Aga.

The lovely Lucy, newly graduated from Loughborough (with a First!) who I am happy is interning for this week, learning about how galleries work from Caroline and how artists work in residencies from me. She is carrying one of Caroline's visual feasts to

Francis, sitting at the dinner table set up on the beach.

What could be a more delightful setting?

And this is what Aldeburgh is all about.

Sat with candles until about 22.00, meeting new neighbours, one of whose son's, Joe, is looking to do art at school when he starts in the Autumn. He has been easily persuaded to assist me in installing inside the boathouse. Lucy, you now have an assistant!