Wow, what a difference colour makes!

I recently posted a couple of photograms that I'd started with my AA2A research.

So, I did a couple of sessions in black and white before Chris, the technician showed me how to do colour printing (well, technically, didn't show me, as unlike with B&W where you can expose and print using the red safe-light, with colour you have to work in complete darkness as anything you can see, the paper can see.  As you can imagine, its not exactly easy lining stuff up, fumbling around and getting the exposed paper into the print developer doodah thingy, which has to be the right way up....

I've absolutely loved exploring the photo-grams, and really wish I could do more.  Have so many ideas on how it could be expanded further, by using different combinations of glass, whether that be shape, pattern or colour, but also would love to explore scale.

Alas, I ran out of time, and we have our exhibition opening next week, so I've had to bite the bullet and work with what I have already got.  I won't show you everything just yet, as there's an exhibition at the University of Derby for that purpose, but here's a few of my favourites (including a couple more B&W for interest!)

Metal Ages.... and it has been ages!!

If there's an award for bad blogger of the year, I think I would certainly be in the running!

There's been so much going off.   In March, Gavin and myself did some workshops in schools - this produced some fantastic work, including glass, metal embossing and casting - hopefully I can show you some of the work at a later point.  Who cares about chronological order?

I managed to get a few more sessions in at university doing photograms, and I was very sad when this came to an end - I feel like I've still got so much more to explore, but I need access to the darkrooms to be able to develop (hahaha) this further.  Do you think they'd notice if I just wandered in.... we've got the AA2A exhibition soon, I have to be ready by the end of next week.

We held the spring Open Studios at Shed 2 as part of Derbyshire Open Arts.  I managed to squeeze in a visit to Chelsea 100th Flower Show to help Rachel Carter - unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of chance to look round as it rained. And rained again.   And rained some more.  You get the idea.

However, I was very excited last week that we were able to install the first Metal Ages sculpture at the King George Gallery.  That's the Royal "we" - as in Gavin and his builder dug holes, heaved the thing around, and poured in post-crete, whilst I stood on the side-lines saying left a bit, right a bit and taking photographs.

I think it looks amazing.  I love the combination of new glass and old metal.  I love what Gavin has done with the found objects from the Stanton site, combined with donated tools from our walks and meets we did way back in February and March.

Anyway, here it is - the second sculpture should be installed fairly soon, more on that later!

An overview - slightly over exposed, but had to show you the beautiful settings:

The beautiful King George Gallery building

My glass element

Found metal objects from Stanton Ironworks

Donated tools from former workers

The glass set into the Stanton Arrow

"OLD MEN & PIPES"