Close encounters of the fake kind

Now here’s an exhibition I wouldn’t mind seeing – it’s called Close examination, Fakes, Mistakes and Discoveries’ and it is on at the National Gallery from tomorrow to 12th September.  The paintings were bought in good faith (for massive amounts of money) and have since been found to be fakes. The exhibition is dedicated to the scientists whose

This Summers day

Glorious weather! and I’m off out in it! (because summers lease has all too short a date…) Beautiful poem by the master, Shakespeare just about sums today up;- Shall I compare thee to a summers day Sonnet 18 William Shakespeare Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

Weird and Wacky Design – Strange Vessels

     As anyone who reads this blog knows by now, I like unusually designed objects – preferably made from unusual media.   So I was intrigued to discover these beer cans made from china!  These exquisite Chinese porcelain vessels – have even been crushed to resemble aluminium beer cans.  But who in their right mind would want

Etch a sketch – new art medium?

Who doesn’t remember etch a sketch – the portable little art screen  which you could draw on.  I always found it incredibly hard to create anything recognisable so I am full of admiration for this artist who makes it look all so easy!  It makes me want to rush out and buy one of these and

Health Fanatic (in spirit)

I’m toying with the idea of getting healthier.  Notice, I say ‘toying’ with the ‘idea.  Too much time sat at the computer I think.   Well I am going to have a bit of a shake up soon (1st July to be exact).  On that day I shall have kept to my resolution to blog every

Valley of the Broken Dolls

Inspired by artistatthexit0′ s latest post about the dolls he has found in the river, made me think about artist’s who use the doll in their work.  Of course Hans Bellmer and Cindy Sherman were the first artists I thought of.  Surrealist photographer Hans Bellmer (b.Germany 1902 – 1950)  used broken doll parts in a

Under Art’s Umbrella

It’s getting a little cooler here, but no rain as yet.  The umbrellas can stay dry for the moment.  The umbrella invented thousands of years ago, but became popular in the Western world in the 16th century.It  has been used in art quite a lot, more than I originally thought.  Renoir’s Lise with umbrella was painted in 1867.   Renoir

Art I LOVE – Arthur Rackham

I was first captivated by the illustrations of Arthur Rackham by reading the Ingoldsby Legends.  As children we weren’t really allowed to read this book because of the dark subject matter (mostly horror poems and stories).   Some of the illustrations were enough to induce nightmares – but all that made it all the more exciting!