For the first time for ages our weekly outing has actually been on a Tuesday. We went down to Gosport to the Gosport Gallery. It must be about 15 years since I last went to Gosport and on the way down I remembered why, when I was working in the area, I used to dread having to go there. I'm sure it's a great place - it is getting in and out that's the nightmare...
However it was well worth fighting our way through the traffic. We went to Kurt Jackson's exhibition, 'The Solent Project', although I must confess I hadn't heard of Jackson before we were shown some of his work at the first Contemporary Textiles Workshop.
The Solent Project comprises seascapes of - you guessed it - the Solent. For non-Brits, the Solent is the stretch of water between the south coast of England and the Isle of Wight which is the island at the bottom of a map of England. It is one of the busiest stretches of water in the world, and Wensleydale used to look out of his office window at it, lucky thing.
Jackson's paintings are beautiful, especially the moonscapes, which are breathtaking. However my favourite was 'Waders, flint, mud, light, geese' which gives you an idea of his evocative titles - and probably a fair idea of the painting. With the emphasis on mud. Jackson writes the titles on the paintings which somehow adds to the atmosphere.
As we drove home the sun was setting and there was a beautiful sky which reminded me of the paintings.
His work reminded me of Barbara Lee Smith who exhibited at the Knitting and Stitching show a few years ago.
I didn't realise until I started writing this that Jackson also does assemblages. Now I have a collection of driftwood and bits of fishing net but I couldn't make it look like this in a million years.
Unfortunately we couldn't afford even a little painting [I do have a tiny Lee-Smith!] but I did buy the catalogue and I've ordered another book so at least I can drool and dream of winning the lottery. Suppose I would have to do it first ...
2 comments:
I love Kurt Jackson's work. I saw an exhibition of his at Kings Lynn a few years ago and was blown away by the huge size of some of his works. The surface texture is amazing too I love the way he writes on the paintings and records what he noticed at the time he was painting. I think he must paint in his sleep, he has an astonishing output of work.
Thank you for the link to Messums. Maybe I can get to London for his next exhibition.
That assemblage is amazing. I am now torn whether to do some pre-Paris sewing or to go and have a look on my secret day off on Friday. Although I could always go on my return....
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