Tuesday 30 July 2013

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!

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