RAT, the last of the Summer of Art...

Just managed this afternoon to install my display in venue 10 of Rochford Art Trail (RAT).  The unit, 'Beyond the Sun' is awaiting redesign and the owner, Robert Dye, gave me pretty well free rein to install around his eclectic mix of things for sale.  K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) was my approach.  The unit is not always open, so my work is visible from the street - window screen printed vinyls, mono prints and pastel portraits.

The Trail is on from Saturday 22nd to Saturday 29th October. See this link for details and a pdf Trail Map download.

HAT's off...

HAT (Hadleigh Art Trail 2011) is on this week.  My venue is in the back of beyond in the Regeneration shop.  Originally advised it was an empty shop, I discovered it is still operating 4 days/week at strange hours.  So, my 'view from the street' display of 4 old tellies showing my silent film of the rush hour seemed relevant to the plans displayed within to regenerate the Hadleigh centre and get a little more 'hustle' into this part of town.  So, my experience of exhibiting video is slowly growing (Rayleigh Mill was two projections, this one is multiple monitors).  Next step, I hope (I'm seeking some professional guidance) should be video wall effects.  I have in mind a great pile of old TVs (the Hadleigh ones were £6/each from Sue Ryder) showing various combinations of film.  It's whetted my appetite to extend some of the trial ideas I had around 3 years ago for sound/vision installation.  We shall see...

The display also included some linocuts...all to be viewed from outside the shop.

Chelmsford Arts Trail kicks off...

I have been busy with some carpentry these last few weeks - constructing (after some very dodgy initial  trial designs) a faux transmitter to install in front of the BBC Essex building in New London Road.  They apparently liked my last year's effort which was a window vinyl display alluding to the signals that carry the programmes. 'Carrier' has been allowed to remain up for a whole year so, this year I decided to take another step up the distribution chain with 'Source'.  More images on my website .  Chelmsford Arts Trail 2011 runs from 10th - 18th September (http://www.chelmsfordartstrail.com).  BBC Essex is venue 1.  I'm also in venue 60, Axis.

Clip of Dave Monk broadcasting from outside BBC Essex, New London Road, Chelmsford 9/9/2011:

Sketching trip to Shoreham, Kent...

Enjoyed a lovely day out with five others from my local Leigh Art Group, strolling past a hop plantation through the fields of wheat and lavender along the Darent Valley Path, with the tree covered North Downs as a backdrop.

Even my scrappy sketch brings back to me the aroma of wheat and lavender in the warm sheltered Darent Valley.

I must have another attempt back at the studio at capturing the lavender at Castle Farm which was at its absolute peak...

Rayleigh Windmill Installation closes..

My installation at Rayleigh Windmill closed on Saturday 23rd July 2011.  I met some really interesting people during the run and all were enthusiastic of the 'life' that I had temporarily brought back to the 200 year old building.  During the twelve days worth of 3 hour sessions, our best attendance was 41 and lowest was 10.  Comments received were very encouraging, such as: "This display is really unique and should be here permanently", "Mesmerising", "Fascinating, atmospheric, hypnotic!" and "...the window quite ingenious".
Here is a taste of the installation, followed by the main screen edit...
http://vimeo.com/maxdolding/videos

Blimey, I'm in the Essex Open...

I dejectedly mooched along to the Beecroft to collect my three 'rejected' entries for the 2011 Essex Open (9 July - 1 October) and, surprise, surprise, they had actually accepted one of my mono screen prints, Ethereal I .
Well, well, well...

'Ethereal I', mono screen print

Record attendance a't'mill so far...

Had 37 visitors to the windmill this morning (including a group from Cape Town over for a wedding). Lots of positive comments, including "Brings it to life". Now getting ideas for my next show. Watch this space.