Monday 20 May 2013

BareFoot ArtHouse 2013


Pots & paintings in the Yoga room

















Pictures from the BareFoot ArtHouse this year. All paintings by Michelle Cobbin, and pots by Anne Meg Griffiths (www.megonthehill.co.uk )

Both Meg and I are delighted with how well our work goes together. We hadn't any idea about what the other was making and the day before opening Meg arrived with a car load of pots and plants. As soon as I saw them I knew they'd look stunning at BareFootArtHouse.

Paintings and pots in the Bathroom

Pots & a painting in the Yoga room

Paintings in the Bathroom


Paintings & pots in the hallway



















It's great that so many visitors really get the no shoes ethos of 'BareFoot ArtHouse' and are happy to wander without shoes around the house. As this is how we live in the house, it didn't seem right that we'd allow visitors to wear their outdoor shoes in the house when we wouldn't do that ourselves. It is a shame that it has been so cold though, and people have had to grapple with boots and laces rather than flip flops and sandals. Where is the summer?













































Monday 20 August 2012

Interbeing

Aren't deadlines just great at focusing ones concentration.  I'm working on a new series of paintings under the working title of 'Interbeing'.  I had hoped to get the four that I'm working on completed by this weekend to take to Chalk Gallery for the new hang.  Actually only one was finished enough to take, so I've had to rely on my back catalogue to make up the others for this hang.  Still, the deadline does focus my attention to painting rather than gardening, painting rather than lazing on the beach...

The series is about interconnectedness of things, both in the process and materiality of painting, and in how I experience life. It brings me back to my 'Emptiness is Form' series and contemplations of impermanence. They are taking a while to produce, lots of layering and contemplation. Colour is important, and finding the zing where the colours buzz and yet rest comfortably together. I look to Patrick Heron, the master of colour zing, for inspiration.

Interbeing (acrylic on canvas) 40x60cm approx 

So, there is another six week until the next gallery deadline. Time to do a little pottering in the garden before the tension of a deadline pulls me back into sharp concentration in the studio and I finish layering these embryonic paintings.

Monday 11 June 2012

Unit 4 Commission



I was asked to make a painting for studio1 to cover what was once a hatch between two rooms. The dimensions and situation of the piece were determined – approx 100cm x 140cm, otherwise I was given free rein with the work. 

Initially I thought I would paint it as a mural in situ, but realised that the studio is too busy for that, and I therefore cut a piece of MDF to size, and have had it on my easel, on and off, for the past six months. 

This was my first commission and site specific piece of work, and was a more challenging project than I envisaged. The main challenge was my familiarity with the studio, I’ve taught a yoga class there for the past several years. I am aware of how the room is lit by sun and artificial light and how the painting is likely to be seen from the yoga mat at varying angles in the room.  All of this is a help and a hindrance – the hindrance, my self consciousness and concern about how the painting would be received by Pete, the commissioner of the work, and by the numerous students.  I found it difficult to bracket this information and just paint, I kept wondering how it would look in situ and whether it would be liked. Each Monday at my yoga class I would look at the space and try to imagine the painting there.

Over the months it has had many, many coats of paint. Many attempts to create something that would sit well in the studio and not appear incongruent with the nature of Unit 4.  It had layers of floating colour – very Rothko-esque but not right, it had drips and misty colours with circles floating – very lily pad Monet, definitely not right, it was taken into the garden and sloshed with calligraphic marks and shed loads of water, but still it wasn’t right and I feared all the water would warp the MDF. Eventually I settled on an abstracted anatomical theme and predominantly monotone colour scheme.

The result is called Acetabulum  which was installed yesterday with the help of Richard and Peter M with the drill and hammer and lots of support that all would be well and look fantastic.  Hoorah! It hadn’t warped too much and was easily fixed in place.  A smaller series of five works to complement Acetabulum have been made for the hallway, and were also hung yesterday.  
Acetabulum  102cm x 136cm, acrylic on MDF 2012






















I’m delighted and relieved to finally install the pieces and complete the project successfully.
.
Epicondyle 70 x 50cm acrylic & charcoal on canvas
Sacrum 60 x 40cm acrylic & charcoal on canvas








Friday 1 June 2012

Favourite Artist Series - Soulages

Pierre Soulages


Since I first stumbled across the work of Pierre Soulages in Musee Fabre, Montpellier,  I have been totally transfixed and in awe. Unctuous black textural images that reflect light and colours, are a wondrous study into the depth of black. Sophisticated and elegant these monumental images are quietly imposing and very inspiring.  I was influenced by Soulages investigations into light through using only black, to make my Singularity Series.

Black singuarity series. 2010
Cobbin. Untitled (Singularity Series) mixed media on canvas 2010. Sold



Soulages. 55x46cm Jan 1960


















Mel Gooding wrote:

'A painting by Soulages:
expresses nothing,
describes nothing,
refers to no object outside itself,
has no subject but its own nature
It is not about something,

it is something.'













I am very excited that in 2013 there is a Soulages Museum opening in France, that will showcase a large body of his work, donated by the artist. I will definitely need a study trip to France next year.
Musee-Soulages 






Thursday 31 May 2012

After BareFoot ArtHouse May 2012



It's all over far too quickly and I'm gradually taking down the work and wrapping up all the sold pieces ready for collection, and storing the others ready for another show.  It has been great engaging with so many people about my work, and seeing so much of it up on the walls for a month. Huge thank yous to all who came to see, who left me comments, sat with me and made me tea, and those who smiled and loved the bath, - and thank you all for taking off your shoes and walking barefoot. Thank you.

Now I want to find ways of getting the work seen outside of BareFoot ArtHouse, in Brighton and beyond. 


I'm also eager to get back into the studio to finish off the Unit 4 commission over the next week, then start a new body of work.







Monday 21 May 2012

Cornwall connections

This weekend was busier than ever, as the Open Houses gather momentum. Still no photos to post here, but next weekend I have a photographer helping me, so I'm hopeful that some snaps will appear here soon.  On Sunday a young girl, of around 10 years old, commented that the paintings in the browser reminded her of Cornwall. She was looking at a series I made inspired by St Ives.  I'm thrilled the essence comes across to all ages!
Tidal Gouach on paper

















Thursday 17 May 2012

Midway into Artists Open Houses Festival

I'm half way through my first AOH (artists open house, brighton) and all is well.  Actually all is very well. There have been some lovely visitors, genuinely interested in the work, and some very nice compliments. I was genuinely concerned that I would find it all a bit too much, having the public trampling through the house each weekend, but actually, the reality is fine. People have been very respectful of taking their shoes off - this is the BareFoot ArtHouse, and just opening for the afternoons has been very managable. If you're considering opening your own place, I'd recommend going for it! 

After St Ives Gouache on paper. 2010. Sold


AOH website