Life drawing this Sunday coming

There's a life drawing session taking place at the gallery on Sunday morning, 10 am - 1pm. Do come along and draw Bryony Lewis, the professional life model who runs the class, she is according to Jeff easy and natural, holds poses for as long as necessary without movement, and is very good to draw. The picture above is one of Jeff's from last month's session. Jeff is available for guidance should you need it.

We don't provide easels or drawing materials so please bring your own along, but we will make you a cup of tea!

Film night - tonight!

There will be a screening event tonight from 6pm - 9pm, featuring a selection of local short films, including The Moustache, and many others from Coventry film making network, Call The Shots, and its members.

Principally, the night will mark the 3rd year anniversary of a film called Cat Kong (Neil Westwood's homemade epic). They'll be wine and nibbles going around and a big free standing Cat Kong cut out along with some limited T-shirts which will be put up for raffle or sale (proceeds will go to Cats Protection League thingy).

Confirmed films so far include:

Polar Bear performance film - Short Night Films/Tin Angel
Run - Dan Browett
Debut - Lyle Jackson
Invasion - Neil Westwood
Egg - Brian Harley
Welcome To My Country - Richard Wood
The Moustache - Brian Harley/Short Night Films
The Moustcahe Trivia & References featurette
The Moustache Behind the scenes montage
Call The Shots Promo film
and of course
Cat Kong - Neil Westwood - Celebrating it's third year anniversary!

Say Hello to Cressida!

We have taken on a new member of staff, Cressida Haughton, who will be working with us over the next three months and helping out with the workload created by the intense program of shows and events taking place over that period. Cressida is an artist living and working in Coventry, in fact she will be showing her own work here next year.

Summer snaps

... f-11 the first Fishbone Photographic Arts Group Exhibition ~ since forming this group has undertaken a number of projects set as briefs at the monthly meetings. This exhibition will be an expose of the work they have produced in response to these challenges.  

Ohh - we can't wait...

No, we really can't - Jeff's work is in the bog, as it's the best place for him.

The Carravagio interpretation produced by Kevin, Gaz and Jon, has to be seen - if you see only one thing this year it has to be this!

Exhibition starts with the private view (all welcome) on the 25th June and goes on until the 10th July.

and...not only that but also

The very first RED SPOT open will be taking place from the 11th July - this first open is a photography only exhibition (the next will be fine art).  The aim of this show is to ~

a) exhibit populist imagery 

b) produce sales for exhibitors 

c)  to stimulate the moribund art market 

d) to be inclusive of all photographers at all levels 

e) to have fun and fill the gallery to bursting point with work

So, we need you to make this first exhibition of its kind a roaring success - let make it so!

Bring your work along over the weekend of the 11 July... here comes boring bit ~ to make this initiative a success we have to charge a tenner per submission. 

It's going to be a busy couple of weeks - I'm already 'knackered'  but bring it on...

Thats all for now...Judy

(btw Jeff's work is not really in the loo - but it is true to say that as the gallery owner he is the last person to be allocated a space - quite right too!!)

 

WEEKEND IN WALES

You may or may not know that we recently arranged a 'field trip' for the Fishbone Photography group.  Now, often it is the case that groups talk about this type of thing - someone suggests a trip, everybody is equally enthusiastic and then it comes to naught.  Well... to buck this traditional trend, we at Fishbone, being the proactive group that we are did actually manage to arrange and depart on our trip.  OK so it was originally Whitby that we had in mind, but after travelling to Hay on Wye for a night I personally felt this would be too far to venture over a weekend - and anyhow Whitby is Yorkshire, being a native Lancashire lass there is always the possibility of turning to stone should I venture across the border to the 'dark side' (no offence intended here btw)

So a new plan was hatched and we decided on Shell Island in north(ish) Wales - last Friday Kate and Kevin meandered down (or is it up?) Jon and Gaz followed later the same evening, Jeff and my good self followed on Saturday as did Pete and Lynn...oh I forget along with this heady crowd of boho types came a pack of hounds - Molly with us, Colin with Kate & Kev, Dylan with Gaz and Pru & Alfie with Pete & Lynn.  Both Jeff and I have children and I was quickly reminded of what it's like with little kids on holiday.  Nicking balls - bikering - food - jealousy - and that was just the men!  No actually the dogs were great entertainment - Molly was a complete 'tart' teasing Pete's dog Alfie, with her female ways!!  Colin was just cute, a real teddy bear.  Pru was the head mistress - supervising from afar and Dylan was the 'dodger' of the crew - boy could he jump, reckon Gaz should put him for high jump for 2012.

The weather was brill', the camping area found by Kate and Kev was great - about a mile from the main area - it was lovely and quiet.  We had a fire basket, a barbie, lots of wine (for Jeff) and a good time was had by all - was there any photography - well yes there was and you will see the result of it very soon. 

 

One draw back of going away is having to come home to reality - both Jeff and I were sat in the back garden on Sunday evening wishing we'd taken an extra day off work and stayed an extra night.  

Back to real news -  Film night on the 18th June - 6pm until 9ish - an eclectic mix of short films from 'Call the Shots' a local film group - there'll a big cat (you have to see it to believe it - think 'Goodies' circa 1972) - food and vino - oh and some films - come along will be good!  I'll miss it as working 'till 9 - sympathy please for the worker here!

and...announcing...

Summer Opening Hours

Please note that as of today Jeff, who is at the gallery every weekday, has decided to change our opening hours to suit the Summer conditions having noticed that most visitors now turn up in the afternoon, with some visitors turning up well after the old closing hour of 2 pm. 

The gallery will now open from 12 noon and close at 4pm on weekdays, but open as before from 10am - 4pm on Saturdays.

Thanks

Was that it?

Saturday in the gallery and its seems that 6th June is the end of the summer - its freezing and raining and just yuk!  Really trying not to be tempted to open a bottle of red to compensate. The current exhibition is generating a lot of interest, it was featured in the telegraph last night so hopefully this will generate yet more visitors.   

Photo Shoot

Ben (reluctantly) and Zena (enthusiastically) had their photos taken by Kate last week - my mum's birthday brought up the usual situation of trying to find a suitable gift and Kate has come up trumps - check out some of the results on Kate's blog  when I asked my mum to choose some she liked she's come up about 15 - decisions, decisions... Zena and her friends have been inspired - Zena had a sleep over last night, they all dressed up and went down to the park to take photo's - very 'next top model'...

Talking of camera's Zena took Jeff's camera along to a Girls Aloud concert last week - it came back broken - Zena of course claimed it "just broke" ummmm! very suspicious.  Anyway after a suitable time of mourning Jeff brought another camera from Jessops (stick with me this story has a purpose) on Saturday last.  Lovely camera - great pictures etc...he took it fishing, you might be able to guess what happened.  The moral being make sure if you're near water and fishing don't leave your camera in your pocket and wade into a lake waist deep after a carp...so now we're in yet another period of mourning - black is so in this month ;-) Bloody fish !

We went along to the degree show last week at Coventry Uni' there was some interesting work and we've confirmed with Denise Startin her first solo show at the Fishbone.  Denise's work was the strongest (in my humble opinion) in the fine art section, but then I'm sure others will disagree.  Unfortunately we missed the MA show - it being held at the Herbert the closing time was strictly adhered to and the doors closed dead on 8 - the people running the Herbert should get their act together - its an ideal venue to remain open into the evening - normally closing at 5 its a wasted opportunity.

Afterwards we went on to Whitefriars and then on to the Lebanese restaurant next door with Kate, Kev and Jon - Jeff got drunk - it's good to see somethings never change...bless!

Jenny from Browns is looking for artists to show work in the bar - there is a small charge pop in and ask for more details.  Good exposure...

'Sod it' I'm opening the wine - see ya!

off to see Take That on Monday -  so just in case I'm spotted by one of the lads and whisked off to an exotic life on the road you may not hear from me again - sorry and all that.

Judy