Sunday Pt 3 – the artist Sally Bradborn – identifying reality using forms

by | Sep 24, 2017 | Latest Post | 0 comments

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So we are within a two week event, Somerset Art Weeks Festival 2017,  starting yesterday 23rd September where the artists display their finery and the public can meet them in their homes.  One such was Sally Bradborn. Interestingly the surname originated from the village Bradbyrne in Derbyshire. The name comes from two old English words; biad, meaning broad or wide, and burna meaning stream. I derive from this the term ‘streaming broadband’ but that’s just my left brained take, being a mere male.

Sally moved away from the metropolis with her lawyer husband the while producing three children. The focus on the art suffered somewhat but art is like riding a bike – you never forget it, indeed a rest or a pause can enhance growth on the subconscious level. She and I have one thing in common apart from the fact that she has read the same book by Claire Tomlinson on Samuel Pepys. We do not know what is going to happen when we sit down, she with her ceramic materials and me with my keyboard.

I commented that Barbara Hepworth waited for her stones to call her. I believe that we are not originators of creativity but the receivers of harmony or otherwise.  I am very sympathetic to all artists which is why I forgive them for what they have done, are doing or might do sometime in the future. They are seeking to reach into base matter and produce gold, rather like the alchemists of old. This is not possible without INspiration. NB it is not EXpiration. In order to do so the psyche needs to be held in a space between matter and spirit, or half way between heaven and hell if you want to be fundamentalist.

This is why artists are so often ‘oddballs’ as if they to interact with normal (compromised) people they lose the very essence of what they are trying to achieve. Same with musicians I guess. I get very excited when I recognise a kindred spirit and nothing stops the flow of what appears to be inspiration coming out of my mouth. There are so many DEAD people around that it is such a joy to find a live one. Artists often have difficulty in marketing their work. They are either too greedy and try to monetize everything or they give their work away. This is why an agent should be sought to give an unbiased second opinion.

Sally’s studio

Alas due to the peculiarities of my humble camera (or was it the shaking of my hand) the photos made in her studio – a converted garage – were not as clear as I would have liked. I quite like the ethereal look.

My wife talking to Sally

All work should ask a question. I am fascinated by the nuance of the face and what is behind it.

this model does not have a point to prove. She is asking questions but falling short of interrogation.

this example shows how important the lighting of the work is

I almost feel I could use this as a Rorschach Ink Blot test and see what people see in it. Such an interesting psychological study. I found with Sally’s work that a group of her works would have considerable interaction power or should I say ‘presence’.  We both agreed that space and being alone was an essential ingredient for inspiration.

I love Edward Hopper’s quote “If I could see it in words there would be no reason to paint” and Francis Bacon’s quote “the job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery“. We should not do the viewers work for them but ask questions, then more questions.

I know we shall be seeing many good things coming from Sally and I can’t wait to visit her first one woman show. Watch this existential space.

*****

Back to Rockaway studios (see yesterdays blog). I wanted to see Marta the wife of Mark the owner to offer to do some voluntary work. She greeted me with a lovely smile although she was rushed off her feet. I think I could really do a good job of helping with the web site, a newsletter, and the garden which for such a place needs to be something special.  We agreed to talk in the week.

Meanwhile my camera was out, itching to make more photos so here are a few:

Richard and Joyce, who is supporting traffic cones on her head.

an intricate design made by cutting up a tyre.

children soaking in the atmosphere wile a band plays in the background.

A worker building up the heat to forge metal

The creativity bubbles up from the word go on his website.

speaks for itself

Oh and I put this image in because I think it is funny. If you are doing or thinking exactly the opposite of the majority you must be getting something right.

Lots of love and good night

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