East Sussex Open at Towner Gallery, Eastbourne
4 July - 14 September

'Steam' - ready for the Towner Gallery.

I am very pleased to have a painting selected to enter the East Sussex Open this year. This is my first success with open competitions. Now all I have to do is get the work there and wait for the opening next week.

Steam, oil on canvas 100x100cm. Michelle COBBIN

The work 'Steam' is an exploration of energy and stillness in the cycle of a breath.  The invisible fullness and emptiness of breathing is represented by painting the background white so that the canvas is loaded with paint to give the impression of steam – making visual the empty space.

This abstract image of the breath resembles a steaming pan – the inhalation is contained in a pan shaped rib cage, the exhalation is expressed in an arc resembling a pan handle.

This work is from an ongoing series investigating movement and stillness, through examining the breath, and also links to another series that investigates vessels concerned with tea-drinking – teapots, cups and pans.

Studio Refit

Studio Refit

At last, my studio is finished and I can get back to work. Just in time for the longer days and the warmth of the sun to come streaming through.  I now have a proper work space, storage and a painting wall. Thanks to Elaine for her clever design of the space, and to Peter for his help in putting the whole thing together.

work bench & shelves

work bench

storage

painting trolley

bookshelf & planchest

'Don't Forget To Breathe' Launch Party

The Foundry Gallery, North Street, Lewes  Artemis-Arts
Show continues until 8 September 2013.

Finally after months of planning and making work, the show is up and open.  We had a lovely welcome opening by the Mayor of Lewes, Ruth O'Keeffe, and a wonderful opening speech by Art Historian Marcia Pointon.  The event was really well attended, and we have received some wonderful comments. I especially like the one that says 'It's the Tate Modern in Lewes'  - thank you to everyone who made it along. The show continues until 8 September.
 

Marcia, Michelle, Jenny & Carol

viewing the films

The Visual Culturists

Expansion

The expansion I feel during the hot weather, as the warmth relaxes my muscles and soothes my bones is both soothing and invigorating. Working on a large scale feels wonderful, to reach and stretch and to work on the ground outside. May this glorious summer go on and on...

Puglia Love

Over mid summer I spent some time in Puglia, Italy. It has since become one of my favourite places, so much did I love it there, I'm now learning Italian and taking inspiration from my photographs and memories to create a new series of paintings for my next exhibition later this month.

The exhibition is called 'Don't Forget To Breathe'. It is a joint show with Emily Ball and Jenny Shaw at The Foundry Gallery, Lewes. It is on during Artwave in Lewes - 24 Aug - 8 Sept.  My paintings are large scale and vibrant, reflecting the warmth of Italy, the vibrant richness of the earth and abundance of such wonderful architecture and food.

Trullo Noce

Masseria della Zinghara

The ground, Lecce

Old doors near Martina Franca

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?

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.