Waterside Open - now open!

Bramley and Girtwistle - Box 1.  Copyright Beverley Gee 2012.

I went to the Waterside Open on Friday.  It is an annual art exhibition that is open to all, based in Sale near Manchester.  All work is judged and selected work went on display from 11th February.   I was very impressed by the high standard of both 2D and 3D work.  Interestingly, most of the work that won prizes were 3D pieces.  My new piece 'Bramley and Girtwistle - Box 1' is on show (though didn't win anything!).  It has taught me a few things about displaying sculptural art pieces.  It's free entry and worth a visit to see the talented artists of the region (and beyond?).  It is partly organised by Creative Industries Trafford who support the creative industries in the area.  Check out their website to find out about workshops.

Five a day

Salford has got it's own vegetable box delivery service!  The curiously entitled 'Biospheric Foundation' have started the initiative - buying locally and sharing the health not the wealth amongst the community.  Beats a soulless supermarket any day.

Alan Turing Memorial (1912 -1954)

I happened upon the Alan Turing Memorial the other day, appropriately situated in Sackville Park between the Gay Village and the University of Manchester.

Alan Turing, the father of computer science, developed the concept of the Turing machine which is considered as the basis for the modern theory of computation.  In World War Two, he worked as part of the team at Bletchley Park (the Government Code and Cypher School headquarters) that cracked the Enigma Code and thus saving thousands of lives.  In 1949, he moved to The University of Manchester, where the first digital computer 'The Baby' was developed.  He also carried out work on artificial intelligence.

Unfortunately, the story doesn't end there but in his persecution and ultimate 'suicide' due to his homosexuality which was illegal back in 1952.  To avoid prison he accepted injections of oestrogen to 'neutralise his libido'.  In 1954, he was found dead, a bitten apple beside him.  It is believed that he committed suicide, ingesting suicide from the apple. However, the apple was never tested for poison and some believe that he may have been assassinated as he posed a 'security risk'.

What a hateful way to end such a valuable and contributing life. Thankfully, times have moved on in Britain and homosexuality is no longer 'illegal' or hidden and denied.

Spot the cat?

Where is Mrs Mabel?

'I demand to be let in!'

Save the NHS

If you want to get involved then please sign the following petitions.


http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/Protect_our_NHS_Petition#petition


http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22670

Etsy Update

I've uploaded some new products for sale on my Etsy shop.  Here's a sneak peak:

Four Circles Porcelain Wall Art.  Copyright Beverley Gee 2011.

Porcelain Twig Bowl.  Copyright Beverley Gee 2011.

Porcelain Lidded Pot.  Copyright Beverley Gee 2011.

New Year, New Work

Copyright Beverley Gee 2012.

Copyright Beverley Gee 2012.

My stand at the British Craft Trade Fair.

My stand at the British Craft Trade Fair.

Charred wood fascade, Kurashiki.

Ambient sauna.

Happy New Year to you all.  Here's some new work that I've been working on. The idea is that I will make a series of boxes that will hold a glazed curiosity. The curiosity will be watched over by a bird.  There will be a stalking cat like creature, ever present, trying to see/reach the curiosity.  I am thinking of appropriate names for the cat and bird.

I've also shown some of the influences for this work.  I really like the rough texture of old pallets but prefer them to be black or charred.  The slats remind me of the structure of a sauna with ambient light filtering through them.