Gallery 54, Ross-On-Wye

Great day out yesterday. Many thanks to Ian for taking me and my work.

We visited a lovely little gallery in Ross. My work has been there for a number of years now. It is Gallery 54, and is at the end of the High Street. Sue Williams, who is great, owns and runs it. We also met the very excited Lulu! A very sweet little terrier. 

Very exciting, my first 'heads' are in a gallery.

If you fancy a day out, Ross-On-Wye is a beautiful market town in rural south Herefordshire. We had an excellent lunch at a little country pub a couple of miles along country lanes, called The Lough Pool Inn.

Inspirational : Artist books (Photographic)

Really enjoying making this 'Inspirational' series of blogs! I am so enjoying re-finding all my old favourites.

This is a collection of photographic artists that I discovered way back in my college days, when I studied photography and art.

'Kingswood' by Susan Derges, is my first book. It is a culmination of a year long residency by the artist, in a woodland, in Kent. The book is a collection of photograms and pin-hole images. Susan Derges is a very exciting, experimental artist, who also made a very innovative series River Taw and the Under the Moon, creating prints in the water at night. In 2003 she was commissioned by the Eden Project to create a series of glass windows.

'Beauty of Darkness' by Connie Imboden is a beautiful collection of her photographic work. They explore the transformation and mutation of the human form floating in dark water.

'Head On' contains the exciting work of Cai Guo-Qiang, the very famous Chinese artist. It is a book-within-a-book (a tiny book is inlaid in the cover). The project was for the Deutsche Bank and reflects both his own heritage and Berlin's, with gunpowder and fireworks. There are also 99 life-sized wolves and a glass wall.

My final photographic book is 'Explorations along an Imaginary Coastline' by Martha Casanave. A stunning book depicting the beauty of the Californian Coast. I love her  imaginative pinhole images of the seascape.

Other blogs in the 'Inspirational' series -

Inspirational : Work books

Inspirational : Work books (Not ceramics)

Inspirational : Myths and Legends

Inspirational: Garden Books 1

Inspirational: Garden Books 2

Inspirational : Garden Books 2

'Great Gardens for Kids' by Clare Matthews. A book to help you create a wonderful garden for the children i n your house. There are over 50 step-by-step educational and fun projects including a climbing frame, tyre swing, living tent and maze. 

'Living Willow Sculpture' by Jon Warnes is a lovely book. It shows you how to make wigwams, domes and tunnels and for the more adventurous fences, chairs and arbours. ``````the author also encourages you to create your own designs.

'Planting Native Trees and Shrubs' by Kenneth and Gillian  Beckett is brilliant. This book tells you what to plant and where to plant it. Each page is devoted to an individual species ( Latin and common name) with a detailed description, associated species, how to propagate and a location map. A great table in the back too of all the possible categories you might need, This book has everything. Sorry about the poor photo but I wanted to show you the layout.

The last gardening book is 'Decorate your Garden' by Mary Keen (the cover has changed). There are masses of very achievable, fun and affordable ideas including topiary shapes, birdbath and collection of seaside pebbles. Cheap garden centre sheds are transformed as well as pots and garden furniture given a new lease of life.

If you have a favourite gardening book, I would love to know about it?

More in the 'Inspirational' series -

Inspirational: Garden Books 1

Inspirational : Work books

Inspirational : Work books (Not ceramics)

Inspirational : Myths and Legends