Tag Archives: Bridport Arts Centre

#Letter365, Art, Bridport Arts centre, Polly Gifford

I never did that before

#Letter365 No184 goes in the box
No184 I never did that before

We are really lucky in Bridport. For a very small town we have loads going on. The flags in Bucky Doo Square for the Hat Festival today proclaim us a Britain’s Eventful Town. We have a film festival, a book festival, a literary festival, three performing stages and a number of pubs and other venues for music and events. One of the key arts sites is the Bridport Arts Centre where this project will be installed in March 2014. LIke all public arts venues the Arts Centre, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is always in need of funds. We are lucky to get people willing to give their time and performances to aid the cause: on of these was Mark Knopfler who appeared in conversation with Polly Gifford, the Arts Centre Director, to talk about his career and music. I can remember him talking about how he needed to have a little riff to let the audience know what song it was but that mostly he just improvised and it was different every time. He was playing guitar as he talked and a number of times said “I’ve never played that before”. Well I can honestly say about today’s piece, “I’ve never done that before”. The combination of surface treatment, format, materials and even the style of the marks and structures are totally new – and yet it sits in the flow of my work in a way that you can tell it is by me even though it is quite radically different to what I have done in the project before or even through all my work. Oh, by the way, I really rather like it!

Back of #Letter365 No184
Back of No184
#Letter365, Art, Not for sale

Dedicated to our beautiful cat Bramble

Dedication to Bramble on the back of the envelope of #Letter365 No181
Dedication to Bramble on the back of the envelope of No181

It’s been a very emotionally trying day for me and I have decided that today’s piece is not for sale, but is dedicated to our cat Bramble who may not be with us much longer. She went to the vets to have a dental treatment today but we had a call to say they were unable to give her the anaesthetic because her tongue was swollen with what is probably a tumour. It was that and not her teeth that has been causing her discomfort and difficulty in eating. We thought we might lose her today but she has had a shot that will take away some of the inflammation and discomfort and we have some time to love her until the inevitable time comes when we must decide to have her put down.

I have been pretty distraught and today’s piece is a personal response to the imminence of her loss and as such is not for sale, though it will be displayed in the #Letter365 installation.

#Letter365 No181 was delivered by hand
No181, devoid of much writing was delivered by hand
#Letter365, Art, Process

Looking forward to tomorrow’s #Letter365

#Letter365 No163 goes in the box in Bridport
No163 goes in the box in Bridport on Carnival Day

From the fact that I am looking forward to tomorrow’s piece you should not conclude that I am not happy with today’s. Today’s is just fine. What I mean is that I have an idea for tomorrow’s about which I am really excited. Now it could be that it turns out to be rubbish or I might even forget what I am currently planning or, as often happens, it will take on its own life and develop in a new, as yet unknown, direction. What ever happens I am really interested to see what happens.

#Letter365, Art, Bridport Arts centre

Great artistic delivery for No155

Sculptor Greta Berlin delivers #Letter365 No155 to Polly Gifford
Sculptor Greta Berlin delivers No155 to Polly Gifford

Acclaimed sculptor Greta Berlin delivered today’s piece through one of her sculptures. It was the Preview Evening of the combined show of three generations of the Berlin family at Bridport Arts Centre. Alongside Greta’s sculptures and paintings areworks by her father Sven, while downstairs her daughter Zennor Box is showing her puzzling and witty paintings. Greta kindly agreed to the last leg of the delivery and it was her idea to post it through her piece to Arts Centre Director, Polly Gifford. By the way it is a very interesting show and well worth a visit. I’ll certainly be popping back to give it a lot more concentrated time.

Front of #Letter365 No155's envelope
Front of No155’s envelope
Detail of back of #Letter365 No155
Detail of back of No155
#Letter365, Art

I treated myself to a different post box

#Letter365 No151 gets posted in a different post box
No151 goes in yet another new post box

The height of excitement yet another different post box.; a George V one at that! We know how to live in Bridport!

The musical allusion isn’t summery, but then the day didn’t really turn out that way. Added to which I cannot find a clip to embed so if you want to hear and see Talking Heads Live in Rome version of Electricity (Drugs) check out this YouTube video. It only got into my head because I have been dealing with electricity companies today.

And we thought yesterday’s visit by Violet Lines was a one-off but she has knicked some of the pigment at the trailing edge of today’s print.

Back of #Letter365 No151
Back of No151
#Letter365, Art, Birmingham, Process

A very interesting process

#Letter365 No149 gets posted in Birmingham
No149 goes in the post in Birmingham

Today’s piece was very interesting for me and apart from being hugely enjoyable for me it gave me a huge sense of confidence; a sense that I could work in a whole range of untapped and untried ways. I still feel quite excited about it. I had prepared and taken some materials with me with a specific idea in mind following on from the work I did in Bath the other day. The idea was very different from Bath in some fundamental ways but shared some features. Specifically, I had chosen different materials. As it turned out I was inspired by some aspects of Birmingham as a cultural centre and the whole thing took shape in my mind very quickly and very differently to the plan. Fortunately it worked really well, though it took rather longer than usual to create. I did have back up materials, but wouldn’t have been able to create the original idea without buying some more stuff and putting more money in the parking machine or abandoning the idea of creating it till I got back home or the studio!

It’s all Bs! Bradpole, Bridport, Birmingham, Bath! Have I created a #Letter365 anywhere else yet? Maybe I should just do work in places starting with B?

Seal on the back of #Letter365 No149
Seal on the back of No149
#Letter365, Art, Bridport Arts centre

I’m not getting into trouble again!

#Letter365 No147 goes through the Arts Centre letterbox
No147 goes through the Arts Centre letterbox

I am still not organised properly at my new studio. I have only part moved in so that I can do some much-needed work and photography that needed a bit more space, but my computer and printer are still at home. Earlier I had created the envelope but forgot to stick a stamp on while at home. Fortunately I noticed this fact and didn’t pop it in the box sans stamp, thus avoiding the embarrassment of a postage due. I worked hard on this piece to ensure that it was less than 5mm thick and as it turned out I didn’t need to worry as I walked past Bridport Arts Centre on my way home and popped it straight through their letter box. Must take some stamps to the studio.

I forgot to mention that yesterday we passed another milestone, I have completed 40% of the project – well that is to say that I have got through two fifths of the days, I suspect there will be more work involved in the second half what with marketing, selling and arranging the installation.

Back of #Letter365 No147
Back of No147
#Letter365, Bridport Arts centre

Gross but not gross

#Letter365 No144 gets posted at the Post Office in Bridport
Abby takes charge of my first day cover

It’s all a bit exciting today. This was not only the first #Letter365 that I created at my new studio, but also the first artwork of any kind created there by me.

It was also the first day of issue of the new WW1 commemorative stamps so I wanted to get it hand-stamped if I was in time, which I was: not at my usual Post Office 3 doors away from home in Bradpole, but at the main Post Office in Bridport. So while local postmaster Peter is good in front of the camera I think you will agree that Abby here does a great job! It’s just a pity that her nail varnish clashes so much with the green on the envelope! Unlike Ann who used to work in the Bradpole Post Office shop who (as you may remember from an earlier post) had a flair for clothing that matched the shelving, Abby has not chosen to blend in with her environment. I think she is a bit of a rebel who thinks it would not be cool to have nail varnish that matched, say, her name badge or the posters. Quite right too Abby! Abby clearly thought I was raving mad but said she couldn’t wait for the next time. Clearly Abby is a master of ironic wit too. Thanks for playing, Abby.

Now of course Abby is right to question my sanity. Had she looked at the address she would have advised me, I am sure, that it would be more economical and better for my health to just walk round the corner to Bridport Arts Centre and pop the letter straight in their letterbox. I will have to think how I will manage the delivery of #Letter365 now that the Arts Centre is actually nearer to my studio than the Post Office and its post box.

Another exciting thing is that I seem to have captured, accidentally, a personal reflection in the photograph. Anyone who knows me or follows me will be aware of my Personal Reflections series of self portraits.

David Smith's reflection in the Post Office poster
Personal reflection in the Post Office poster

I was quite anxious about making this first piece in the new studio but it worked out just fine even though I had to improvise a bit as not all my stuff has made it to the new venue yet. Of course reaching No144 is only gross in number: there is no unpleasantness involved at all.

No music today but you of course want to see the back of the envelope:

Back of #Letter365 No144
Back of No144