FOUND in Falkland

~ Jan Hendry ~ 4 Comments

From 24th August my Falkland Baskets will be on display (and some for sale) at a new venue in Fife.

I’ve very pleased to have been invited to show my work with other Fife makers at the Three Arches exhibition space at the Centre for Stewardship on Falkland Estate.

‘An exhibition of art and craft, drawing on inspiration found in Falkland’s landscape by Salted Moon creative arts group and invited local artists’

At: The Three Arches, The Stables, Centre for Stewardship,

Falkland Estate, Falkland, Fife, KY15 7AF

For dates and information about Meet the Maker demonstrations and workshops, please check the Centre’s facebook page and website:

http://www.centreforstewardship.org.uk/whats-on/

Salted Moon

Root-ropes and sand

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Strong westerlies have been blowing for the last few days, moving sand from one end of the beach to the other. The roots and grass clumps left by the last big tides are trapping some of it. The rest is building up at the east end of the bay.

If the tractor and trailer I saw a few weeks ago keeps removing that sand will it be gone from the system? Or is it constantly being created by the sea?

Last night I had to step up to the rock I usually sit on to watch the birds sheltering at the west end. At least a foot’s depth of sand has been eroded at the dune edge there, down to bare rocks.

A little bit less of Fife

~ Jan Hendry ~ 2 Comments

5.6 metre tides and heavy seas have taken big chunks out of the Fife coast this week.

Is this ‘normal’? I know sandy beaches and dune systems are dynamic and ever-changing (I’ve been amazed at the coming and going of sand and grass at Tentsmuir over the years).

Or is this connected with rising sea-levels?

It’s shocking to see this much erosion happening in 24 hours, on a quiet stretch of coast with a very settled character. It’s a mistake to see any coastline as settled now I think.

The last beach-hut was taken away the day before the big tide

Weather

~ Jan Hendry ~ 3 Comments

During Storm Ali and after… photos taken yesterday evening and lunchtime today.

I haven’t posted here for a while. Work and life have gone off in a new direction, with less visual output for the moment. That will change soon and I’ll put the results here 🙂

Changes

~ Jan Hendry ~ 6 Comments

Last week I moved to the coast. First night in my new flat I couldn’t sleep and walked to the beach as the sun was coming up. What a light! A lobster boat puttered past travelling west and three porpoises surfaced, wheeled and disappeared to the east. This feels like a good start.

Colour feast

~ Jan Hendry ~ 2 Comments

The oil paints are out of their box, for the first time in years.

I’m experimenting with walnut oil, going solvent-free. I’ve never liked the smell of turps or white spirit, they made me feel sick in the past. But I love the rich colours of oil paint and all the time you get to play with them before they dry.

We’ll see how long these experiments take to dry!

Winter workshops

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I’m teaching two workshops at Fife Folk Museum over the next couple of months.

This Saturday 3rd Feb we’ll be practicing mixing colours in watercolour, a great way to break through the short-day gloom. I always find this time of year a bit of a struggle, this not-quite winter cold and dark. A blast of colour always helps. This workshop follows on from last autumn’s ‘Watercolour Landscapes’, inspired by the work of Robert Home who painted in and around Ceres. You don’t need to have attended that one to do ‘Water Colour Mixing’.

On Sat 3rd March we’ll be making the most of the winter twigs before the new leaves start to bud. Using local birch, willow and larch, we’ll learn how to make small coiled and stitched baskets, held together with linen thread and beeswax. As usual, I’ll teach the basic technique and encourage everyone to create their own unique design to take home.

Both workshops cost £10 each, supported by the museum’s Heritage Arts Hub programme.

Book your place by emailing me at: jahendry@sky.com (eight places available in each workshop, first come first served!)

Crab apples

~ Jan Hendry ~ 4 Comments

Was it a trick of the light? This afternoon I stood and stared at the yellow fruit under this crab apple tree and the carpet of fallen leaves began to look purple. I can see it in the photograph too. I can guarantee that the leaves on their own looked brown. If this became a painting there would definitely be purple in the brown (apart from the lilac-coloured plastic object I’ve just noticed among the leaves!).

Lovely complementary colours in action.