Monday 8 August 2011

Pittenweem Art Festival

I haven't much progress to report on my painting, I have been spending my time looking at other art instead!  Every year, a local fishing village holds a week-long arts festival and it is an amazing event. 

It seems that every cottage has a room/garage/garden/loft given up to an artist who showcases his or her paintings.  As well as those, there are invited artists who also have art on show.  This year, Helen Delerney who makes large life-sized sculptures of animals out of scrap metal.  They were placed on and around the harbour wall.  As you can see, the weather turned very wet, but it didn't stope everyone enjoying the art on display!
Indoors, there were a wide range of paintings to be seen, using many media, from watercolour, textiles, acrylic to oils and resin as well as collage and mixed media.  In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at the increase in collage over the years.  I can remember when it was very rare and rather looked down upon!
One of my favourite exhibits was by ceramicist, Craig Mitchell, who made these fantastic large ceramic sculptures with even larger-than-life character.  The above is over 2 feet tall and shows two Frenchmen frantically rowing out to sea on a French Fancy cake.  Stunning.  This other piece, Fisherwife Presenting the Jazz Prawn is just delightful.  He also had a man in a kilt, a flying Scotsman, a hunter, a fisherman and many others, each perfectly designed and made, full of quirky detail and humorous.

It was much harder to photograph the paintings, difficulties with crowds, lighting and shadows made it nearly impossible, but here is a small sample of some others I did manage to capture:


Above, the Lomonds by Josephine Gillespie - a very prolific and versatile painter with a wonderful sense of colour.

Underneath, a collection of almost abstract landscapes by Mairi Clark that really caught my eye, they seemed to say more about what is just in front of us, but also to suggest a feeling and emotion that the landscape invokes.

There were over 100 exhibits and I only managed to see a quarter of these - I am hoping to get back again next week to see some more, even if it cuts into my limited painting time.



6 comments:

Keith Tilley said...

What an amazing collection of artwork in such a small place.

Rolina said...

Thanks Keith, yes I am very lucky to have so much so very near here - it is a surprising little treasure!

Caroline Simmill said...

Mairi Clarke's paintings are very lovely, they are all about colour and atmosphere. Lucky you to be at such a wonderful event. You must be feeling very inspired!

Rolina said...

Yes, Caroline, her work is stunning, I was smitten straight away and am just sorry my photos do not do them justice.

I am well and truly inspired, thanks!

Bruce Sherman said...

Hi Rolina!... Thank you for the guided art tour in Pittenweem! The work seemed so spectacular and playful... wish that I could have seen it myself.

I spent several pleasant afternoons there sketching last year while attending my daughter Allison's graduation at St Andrew's... as well as at Crail where I fell in love with the people and village!

I love your blog and guides to reading as well!

Your landscapes are powerfully felt... and well executed. A pleasure to the eye!

Good painting!
Warmest regards,
Bruce Sherman

Rolina said...

Bruce, I live not far from St Andrews and can understand why you loved the nearby fishing villages, they are fabulous.

Your daughter must have enjoyed studying here!