Exhibition: Mid-Wales Arts Centre from Sunday 23rd March

Heads-up: While getting new projects under way, drawings from the last project, "Synthesis" will be on show at the Mid-Wales Arts Centre at Maesmawr Hall, Caersws, Powys, SY17 5SB from 23rd March to 27th April.  Selected works will continue to be shown there afterwards as part of the group exhibition for Powys Arts Month, which continues into May.

A chance for those who didn't quite make the opening at MOMA Wales last year to come and see the project. All works will be for sale. Private view details will follow soon ...

Last chance to see ...

At the opening on May 18th. Photo by Arvid Parry-Jones for the Cambrian News

Don't forget, "Synthesis: Works on Paper by Martin Herbert" finishes at MOMA Wales in Machynlleth this Saturday 8th June! Don't miss the last chance to see the exhibition.

In the meantime, I haven't had time to prospect for other galleries to show this work, so to save it all being propped up in the corner of the studio doing nothing, anyone have a suitable space which is crying out for a ready-made exhibition of large-scale figurative drawings all framed and ready to go?

More private view news

Just so you know - the exhibition private view on Saturday 18th May at 12 noon also marks the opening of  2 other exhibitions at MOMA Wales.

The upstairs galleries will feature the annual exhibition of the Watercolor Society of Wales, while in the cafe there will be an exhibition of photographic work by Margaret Smith, so there'll be a lot to see!

We look forward to seeing you there! For full details click here.

Martin

Here's lookin' at you, kid ....

Poster for the show at MOMA Wales ...

Check it out! I have seen the new show and It Is Good -

General view of the show at MoMA Wales

We went by MOMA at the Tabernacle Arts Centre in Machynlleth the other day to deliver a new DVD (now up and running - hooray!) and a piece I had to re-glaze after a mishap on the way last week (now taking up residence in the gallery window), and found that gallery technician Peter has done a great job of hanging. Amazingly he managed to get all 15 pieces into the space available and it's all looking very splendid.

 

The exhibition continues until June 6th, and there will be a private view on Saturday 18th May at midday.

Photos by Vivi-Mari Carpelan.

Not my pic behind the desk - that's a Kyffin Williams from the permanent collection.  What illustrious company I keep!

Exhibition open at MOMA!

"For the Girl Had No Clothes On!" : Ink, red chalk, gouache & pigment on Khadi handmade paper : 70 x 50 cm
Copyright © 2012 by Martin Herbert

We delivered the work for my new show at MOMA Wales on Friday and apparently it's already up on the walls, a week ahead of schedule! The exhibition is the result of my Arts Council funded project "Synthesis" which ran for 6 months last year (well, the money ran out after 6 months - the project continues!), and is of large-scale drawings in traditional media (ink, red chalk, white gouache) on handmade Khadi paper (made in India from 100% recycled cotton rag). I haven't even managed to get over there to see the results of the hanging yet, so not sure exactly how many works they managed to fit in the space, but I'm told its looking good! They will also be a video installation just as soon as I get the DVD working!

There will be a Private View at midday on Saturday 18th May 2013, to which you are all most welcome. Two other exhibitions will be opening at the same time in the upstairs galleries so there'll be a lot to see.

Many thanks go to Ruth Lambert and all at MOMA, who are not only hosting the exhibition, but whose help in securing funding for the project in the first place was absolutely invaluable!

Here's a more comprehensive description of the work (scroll down for the Welsh version), and I'll be putting up images in an online gallery page on this blog as soon as I can find the time!

Hope to see you all on the 18th!

Project ”Synthesis” - Introduction:
Prosiect  “Synthesis” – Cyflwyniad:

This project has two distinct strands with one theme in common - they both concern the reconciliation between digital 'new media' and traditional drawing and painting techniques.  My goal is to explore ways in which computers and the internet can be used to source material which inspires illustrations and innovative new work to be carried out using traditional materials and techniques.

The first strand concerns the production of new organisms, machines and organic constructs using 3D computer modelling technology, which I then use as inspiration for new drawings done using the earthiest and most organic of materials - sepia ink, clay pencils, earth pigments etc.

The second strand involves sourcing written material from the internet - I am using these texts as the basis for new illustrated editions of neglected or beloved books which have now passed into the public domain through expiry of copyright and are now available to anyone who cares to download them from web archives.  The illustrated editions will then be uploaded back to the internet as e-books, completing the cycle.  The first book to receive this treatment is Irish author James Stephen's 'fairy tale for grown-ups', The Crock of Gold. The illustrations are a work in progress, leading up to publication of a new illustrated edition in 2013.


Mae dwy elfen bendant i’r prosiect hwn gydag un peth yn gyffredin - mae’r ddau’n ymwneud â chysoni’r ‘cyfryngau newydd’ digidol a thechnegau arlunio a phaentio traddodiadol. Fy nod yw edrych ar ffyrdd y gellir defnyddio cyfrifiaduron a’r rhyngrwyd i gael hyd i ddeunyddiau sy’n ysbrydoli darluniau a gwaith arloesol newydd sy’n defnyddio deunyddiau a thechnegau traddodiadol.

Mae’r elfen gyntaf yn ymwneud â chynhyrchu organeddau, peiriannau a lluniadau organig newydd gan ddefnyddio technoleg modelu cyfrifiadurol 3D y byddaf wedyn yn eu defnyddio fel ysbrydoliaeth am arluniau newydd a wneir gan ddefnyddio’r deunyddiau mwyaf priddlyd ac organig – inc sepia, penseli clai, priddliwiau ac yn y blaen.

Mae’r ail elfen yn ymwneud â chael hyd i ddeunydd ysgrifenedig o’r rhyngrwyd – dw i’n defnyddio’r testunau hyn fel sail i argraffiadau darluniedig newydd o lyfrau hoff neu anghofiedig, sydd bellach wedi mynd yn eiddo i’r cyhoedd wrth i’r hawlfraint ddod i ben ac sydd ar gael i unrhyw un sydd am eu lawrlwytho o archifau’r we.  Bydd yr argraffiadau darluniedig yna’n cael eu lanlwytho i’r rhyngrwyd, gan gyfannu’r cylch.  Mae’r llyfr cyntaf i dderbyn y driniaeth hon yw’r ‘stori tylwyth teg i oedolion’ gan yr awdur o Iwerddon James Stephens, The Crock of Gold. Gwaith ar y gweill yw’r darluniau, sy’n arwain at gyhoeddi argraffiad darluniedig newydd yn 2013.


Project Synthesis has been made possible with the support of:

Mae Prosiect Synthesis wedi’i wneud yn bosibl â chymorth:

New art! - "A Hat that Stirred Her to the Top of Rapture"

"A Hat that Stirred Her to the Top of Rapture" : Red chalk, ink, sepia ink & dry pigment on handmade Khadi paper : 70cm x 50 cm : Copyright © 2013 by Martin Herbert

Just finished the last piece for my solo exhibition "Synthesis" at MoMA Wales, Y Tabernacl, Machynlleth, which opens on 29th April.  This is one of the ongoing series of illustrations for James Stephens 1912 book of Irish mythology-based fantasy "The Crock of Gold". There will be a private view of the exhibition at noon on Saturday May 18th - please be there, and bring friends!  Mail me for further information.

In the meantime, to receive prints of art by myself and my wife Vivi-Mari Carpelan, (here seen wearng The Hat) in our brand new radical 'change-the-art-market' publishing venture - please check out our crowd-funding project at indiegogo.com/wowlookwhatigot !  Don't forget, the funding campaign closes on Monday 15th April, so please go check it out soon and if you can, contribute a modicum towards our small yet significant total!

More exhibition news soon ...!

Bye for now !

Martin

Last minute preparations ... phew !!

The last drawing for the exhibition in Llandrindod Wells rolled off the drawing board this morning and into a frame ready for hanging ...

"Crocodiles, Hens, Beetles, Armadillos & Fish (do not evince any remarkable partiality for man)" : 90cm x 70 cm :
Ink, pencil, gouache & transfer print on Khadi handmade paper : Copyright © 2012 by Martin Herbert

Last few prints just wrapped and ready for delivery.  The curator at the Radnorshire Museum, Will Adams, has been busy hanging things for the last 2 days, and (fingers crossed), everything is ready for tomorrow night's opening ... after which I will be taking a very well deserved week off before starting up the new business! (Of which more later, etc. etc. etc..... :-)

So remember - private view of the Project Synthesis exhibition at the Radnorshire Museum, Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells, Wales, LD1 5DL at 6:30PM tomorrow, Thursday 1st November!  Fourteen new large-scale works on paper, plus some of the older work which formed the original starting point for the project, and a video installation ....  All work is for sale.

If you can't make the opening, the exhibition continues until Sat. 12th Jan.  For a map and opening hours, especially over the holiday period, please check out the Radnorshire Museum website.

More information about the project, and link to a preview of the video, here:
http://artedstates.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/project-synthesis-exhibition-starts.html

"The Heart is the Fountain of Wisdom" : 90 cm x 70 cm : Ink, pencil, gouache & transfer print on handmade Khadi paper.
Copyright © 2012 by Martin Herbert

With the assistance of the Arts Council for Wales, and all these lovely people:

Project Synthesis: Exhibition starts November 2nd

Private View:

Thursday 1^st November 6:30 – 8:00 - all welcome.

The project I've been working on all summer is entitled “Synthesis”. I received a grant earlier in the year from the Arts Council of Wales to support the development of a new body of work, which is now going on show in a one-man exhibition at the Radnorshire Museum in Llandrindod Wells.

Exhibition details:

“Synthesis: New works on paper by Martin Herbert”

at the Radnorshire Museum, Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5DL

Friday 2^nd November 2012 – Saturday 12^th January 2013

Open Tues-Fri 10:00 – 4:00, Sat 10:00 – 1:00

For more information, mail me, or call the museum on 01597 824 513

Private View:

Thurs. 1st Nov. 2012 - 6:30 - 8:00 - all welcome

About the Project:

The “Synthesis” project has two distinct strands with one theme in common – they both concern the relationship between digital 'new media' and traditional drawing and painting techniques. My goal is to explore ways in which computers and the internet can be used to source material which inspires illustrations and innovative new work to be carried out using traditional materials and techniques.

The first strand concerns the production of new organisms, machines and organic constructs using 3D computer modelling technology, which I then use as inspiration for new drawings done using the earthiest and most organic of materials – sepia ink, clay pencils, earth pigments etc.

“Design for a Flying Machine to Escape the Bank Manager” (Detail)  : Ink, pencil, gouache & transfer print on Khadi handmade paper : Copyright © 2012 by Martin Herbert

The second strand involves sourcing written material from the internet - I am using these texts as the basis for new illustrated editions of neglected or beloved books which have now passed into the public domain through expiry of copyright and are now available to anyone who cares to download them from web archives. The illustrated editions will then be uploaded back to the internet as e-books, completing the cycle. The first book to receive this treatment is Irish author James Stephen's 'fairy tale for grownups', The Crock of Gold (Reviews here). The illustrations are a work in progress, leading up to publication of a new illustrated edition in 2013.

“Pan in Ireland” : Ink, pencil, gouache & pigment on Khadi handmade paper
Copyright © 2012 by Martin Herbert

Video installation:

A selection of work from the “unlikely realms” series of digital organic abstract prints, which were part of the original inspiration for the Synthesis project “organic construct” strand.

Project Synthesis has been made possible with the support of:

A wander through the heart of the artist... Entry for the Oriel Davies open 2012

"Functional Pumping Heart Model" : 71 x 52 cm : Ink, pencil, gouache, egg-tempera & transfer print on handmade paper :
Copyright © 2011 by Martin Herbert

New drawing I've entered for the Oriel Davies open exhibition for 2012 - a good show to enter work for in that the first prize is not only £1500, but also a one-man show in 2013.  Now that would be useful!  Vivi-Mari has entered as well ... fingers crossed.

Title - "Functional Pumping Heart Model".  Original drawing in sepia ink and clay pencil on handmade khadi paper, with transfer printed elements including a photo by Vivi-Mari (which is why it's only 'sort of' a self-portrait - I did lots of things to it, but the original photo is hers - I guess that really makes it our first collaboration - another one coming soon!).  A symbolic journey through the many byways of the heart.  I thought of the old idea of phrenology, assigning mental functions to different areas of the head, and transferred the idea to the assigning emotional functions (and dysfunctions) to areas of the heart.  Not for sale online yet, until I hear whether it's been selected for the show (mid Feb), but I'm always willing to entertain offers.  Now.. on with the next piece, in between decorating the house ready for Christmas, etc. etc.....

"Functional Pumping Heart Model2 (detail) : Copyright © 2011 by Martin Herbert

 I'm really into the Indian khadi handmade paper at the moment - it's 100% recycled cotton rag (made of offcuts from the t-shirt industry), completely non-acidic (i.e. archive quality), and has a superb heavy textured surface for the drawing techniques I'm using.  This is the first piece where I've used transfer printing, which I think looks great for including what are essentially collaged elements - Vivi-Mari's photo portrait, and the text captions I made up to add to the heart.  The heart drawing itself is based on an anatomical engraving from the original edition of 'Gray's Anatomy'.

"Functional Pumping Heart Model" (detail) : Copyright © 2011 by Martin Herbert

Last Month in the Arts: Part 2

So - the second exhibition opening in June was a 'retrospective' (sounds grand, huh?) at Pam Jefferies' 'PH Salon & Gallery' (formerly Pamperhouse Salon) in Newtown, Powys, about 15 miles away.  (Yes, 15 miles (24km) away is our nearest town - that's how far from civilization we are...).

"Aurora, Goddess of the Dawn" : Digital Painting 29 x 11in : Copyright © 2005 by Martin Herbert
Print available from PH Salon & Gallery, Newtown

PH Salon and Gallery is our friend Pam's hairdressing business in Newtown, and she had the great idea of turning it into an art gallery, mainly for her clients - she has a lot of people visiting every month, and she gets to have some great art on the walls to give the ladies something to talk about while they're waiting for their highlights to cook, while artists get to display their work to a discerning clientelle of potential art buyers.  It seems to work quite well. We held a private view on 24th June which was reasonably well attended and there were a few sales on the night.

Me, with Pam Jefferies (right) and Val Howard, mayor of Newtown, who officially opened the exhibition.

The show is a retrospective as it features all the framed prints which I had in stock after the gallery in Llanidloes closed when I went off to Spain. When I came back, I realised i had quite a lot of prints and greetings cards left and figured there must be a few hundred pounds worth which I could sell off.  I did an inventory and came up with over £11,000 worth, so I figured I can afford to have a bit of a sale - all this stuff is doing no good lying around in my studio, and I need to get get rid of it to make room for new work.  So - all the work at Pam's (1-2 Park Street, Newtown, Powys, SY16 1EE) is pretty much half price, as is much of the work on the website (www.spiritvisions.com).  I've also reduced the abstract work on the 'unlikely realms' website.  The main website will be redesigned soon as a showcase for new paintings, and more or less replaced by this blog, so now is the time to order prints!

"I'm for the Hare that Runs by Night" : Digital Painting, 36" x 24" : Copyright © 2003 by Martin Herbert
Full sized framed print for sale at the PH Salon & Gallery, Newtown

On the subject of private views, despite the evening at Pam's  being a success, both myself and my wife Vivi-Mari (go look at her art at www.vivimaricarpelan.com) have had opening evenings for exhibitions since setting up home again here  in Wales last year, and the experience has not generally been good. We've ended up spending time and money on wine and food etc. for a lot of people who just don't turn up - I figure there is no money about and people are embarrassed to come along knowing they aren't going to purchase anything. Actually we'd rather have the people there having a good time - at least it makes it look worthwhile!  However, we've pretty much decided not to do it any more - we need to find other ways of selling.  I read a piece by someone recently who was lecturing at Berkeley and was asked "what is the secret of selling your art?". His answer (paraphrased) was "You only have to do two things: do some great art, and get it in front of people".  All suggestions on how to get art in front of people will be gratefully received!

Martin Herbert: Retrospective continues at the PH Salon & Gallery, 1-2 Park Street, Newtown, Powys, SY16 1EE, UK for the next few weeks.

Last month in the arts ... dragons at the Oak

Well – a lot going on in June, and continuing into July – two exhibitions opening, submissions to be made for others – trying to find time for some grant applications, and in between all the marketing stuff, trying to actually do some art!

June's first exhibition started at the Great Oak café in our home town of Llanidloes, at the beginning of the month, and is under way there until the end of July.

In 2008 I was commissioned by LLANI Ltd. and the Town Council to design a set of 10 plaques to form a “town trail” around Llanidloes.  Ten of the drawings on show at the café are the original designs for the plaques, which were then made by local sculptor Sue Thornton and can now be seen on various buildings around the town centre.

The trail is meant to be followed by solving the riddle poems written in Welsh by children from Llanidloes High School, and these are displayed next to the pictures. Don't panic – there are English translations there as well! A leaflet containing all of them can be obtained from the Visitor Centre on Longbridge Street.  The names of the 10 dragons were also chosen by local schoolchildren

One of the original designs was never used and there is therefore an elusive eleventh dragon.  Visitors to the café can suggest a name - the winner will receive a signed fine-art print of the original eleventh dragon drawing.

"The 11th dragon" : Sanguine pencil on prepared paper : Copyright © 2011 by Martin Herbert

The drawings are done using some of the oldest drawing techniques used by masters such as Da Vinci and Rafael.   The paper is prepared using a diluted wash of red egg-tempera which I make by hand, by grinding red iron oxide pigment with a medium composed of Dammar varnish, beaten egg and water.  The drawing is done with red and sepia earth-colour based pencil and highlighted with white chalk pencil and white egg-tempera or gouache.  Sepia ink is also used on some of the drawings.

All the original drawings are for sale, and open edition fine-art prints are available to order at £75 (unframed).

At least our local news photographer was there to record the occasion...

A private view was held on the 11th of June and unfortunately coincided with someone's birthday party, which is a sure recipe for disaster in a town with only 2,500 people.  It's at times like this that you find out who your firends are - well, apparently I don't have many, that's for sure.  A grand total of several people attended - no sales.  Not the most uplifting start to the month, but we soldier on ....

The exhibition, “Dragons at the Oak” continues at the Great Oak café, 12 Great Oak Street, Llanidloes, Powys, until the end of July –  I hope you'll find time to visit.