My own artistic activities in the last six years have mainly been abstract painting and occasional ceramics, but I have always enjoyed a wide range of exhibitions and other visual art events. My visits to Studio 36 over the years have been an inspiration to be creative myself, and especially to bring a smile or question mark when viewing. My own abstract painting is expressive and intuitive, with no pre-design element involved. The end result is always strong on colour and usually ambiguous in how it can be read, with unanswered questions for the viewer to mull over. I now may add collage or mixed media to increase the complexity. Whilst not abstraction from anything conscious I believe everything from the subconscious is linked to past experiences, observations and memories. In my case these tend to be the positives in life such as my love of hiking, food growing, cooking (and eating), environmental concerns, birdwatching, geology, etc etc….
Patricia caught COVID-19 recently and experienced vivid dreams as a result.
My first job was working as a plankton sorter at The National Institute of Oceanography. The plankton was caught by the research ship Discovery, bought back to the laboratory, preserved in alcohol or formaldehyde, washed and the different species sorted into petri dishes with the aid of a microscope.
I had two children and after my marriage to their scientist father ended, I changed career and taught myself about antiques and old books. I had two secondhand bookshops and sold antiques at fairs and markets. On the antique side I specialised in antique textiles but also other curiosities. Recently I’ve been interested in Victorian photography especially silver gelatine prints, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and carte de visite. Although now retired antiques are still my passion.
On the day I moved to St Leonards when walking past Studio 36 I asked Veronica did she know where area D was to park my car: she said no but come in and have a cup of tea!
Soon Veronica and myself were off exploring the Devon countryside, true dryads we prefer leafy glades and a bower. Veronica navigated with random left and right turns. I drove quite well forward but not so well back which led to a few memorable escapades trying to get out of ditches or wedges in lanes. . In March I caught Covid 19 and had quite a few strange dreams Veronica was often in them.
Here is one of them:
You know how in dreams they suddenly zoom in? Well anyway this last dream it suddenly zoomed in from a clear three quarter view of a tropical bird in muted highland tweedy mauve’s and heather colours to the breast feathers they then changed colour to vivid luminescent greens and blues. Another zoom in and exquisite detail of each feather. Then each feather metamorphosed into a miniature tuba and without a a player started playing zany music! The whole of the birds breast feathers were now tiny tubas playing scintillating tunes! A zoom out and I’m witnessing the bird moving on its perch with its breast feathers transformed and playing.
And another:
Last night we were in a great castle full of antique textiles laid before you and I were great swags of heavy ivory coloured silk each probably about ten feet in length. A boy about sixteen years old in c18th costume presented and turned them over for us each piece was decorated with exquisite calligraphy in brown or Indian ink, the characters were different on each silk. Some were Zen circles with a red chop. Others were in ancient languages complex with characters unknown to either of us. We looked into each others faces awe stuck, neither of us spoke. The rest of the dream was fragmented.
Early 90’s, & I’ve just confirmed a position as a Systems Administrator with a fashion wholesaler in Exeter. Conveniently a house in Pennsylvania is included. Having just returned to the uk after a year of travelling, most of my things were in storage. I’d sold most of the big stuff and so when accumulated, the room of boxes was what was left of my previous life.
Found a small weird house in St Leonards, near the river, which needed some renovation. Met an angel builder both capable & affordable, things were looking up. Or so I thought!
Within weeks the fashion company went bankrupt, & I had to move into my little house, & sadly, my lovely builder died suddenly! I was busy trying to find another position but there wasn’t much around of a similar level. I did a variety of things to survive. Finally, working on a magazine, covering the south west as Features Ed., a small organisation with the nicest of people and a excellent product.
Magdalen Road was my local shopping area & Denmark Road my doctors… so how could I miss Studio 36. I don’t know if you know what it’s like to arrive somewhere new, you know no one, then you stumble across a heavenly oasis, that was what finding Studio 36 was to me. It was, & hopefully still is, a delightfully whacky, anything can happen, sort of place, & it usually did..!
I often wonder why I ever left Devon as it became my adopted homeland, which for a Scot says a lot..!
Life in Brittany, France, for someone who is really bad at languages, is not the wisest of moves. Other than my failure with languages & the catalogue of French ‘trials’, it is truly beautiful. Very similar in its greenness to Devon, but with next to no traffic – I get excited on the extremely rare occasion I’m in a line-up of say 6 cars delayed for a few minutes.!
My next move must be, where English is spoken & I can emerge from my enforced semi-retirement to be the teacher & therapist I enjoy being.
As a sometime actor & director I have few reflections amongst the kind friends here.
I am not artistic. I don’t understand art. In fact, when I read an artist’s description of what inspires them and what they are trying to achieve, I usually end up completely confused. But that’s the point. When I walk into Studio 36, I am challenged, I have to set aside my assumptions, my expectations. Veronica always says it is best not to have expectations about anything, and this I try to practice.
Veronica and her fellow collaborators’ work is bright and colourful (usually) and always enlivening. Gordon’s art was the most colourful of all, as he celebrated and revelled in the bright colours we associate with childhood. Our house is now awash with brightly decorated mugs and plates and jugs and calendars, all from Studio 36 of course.
I cannot offer a painting or a sketch or a ceramic creation or inventive woodwork – or anything like that. I enjoy photography and that, and perhaps words, are the nearest I can get to artistic expression. But I can be in the audience and be appreciative – and of course challenged – by what I see and hear. Coming to 36 Denmark Road is coming to see friends.
And what about me otherwise? All the same things as many other people my age – birth, school, university, work, marriage (twice, second time much better), children, retirement…just one thing on the list left to do! I studied English Language and Literature at university, not half as assiduously as I would if I was back there now. From there a spell of voluntary work led me into social work and a career in Social Services, the NHS and lastly, before its abolition, the Audit Commission. I am interested in people, in nature and wildlife, and in history. I walk, cycle a bit, think (maybe too much), read, and write – a family history going back to 1379; my own history (because the 1950s was such a different world to that which my grandchildren inhabit); and even a history of our estate. Maybe I should be braver and try to write something more creative?
So, to end, and apropos of nothing in particular, here are spring tulips in the garden sunshine. Life continues.
It encompasses many materials, but also precious metals and gems. It is experimental, can be provocative, or political, and is wonderfully inventive.
Whether you explore the modern nostalgia of Jo Pond, Lina Peterson’s playful wooden jewellery, the precision of Daphne Krinos’ exquisite work, the riot of Jillian Moore’s resin jewellery, the delicacy of Kwon Seulgi’s silicone structures, or Mario Albrecht’s jewellery from recycled plastic, there is much to marvel at. Look them up, if you do not know their work. These are just a few of well known makers from around the world.
My own path to silversmithing evolved from a deep interest in art and crafts. I discovered silversmithing, admiring a brooch a young woman I met was wearing, which she had made. I was fascinated, attended a silversmithing jewellery evening class, was amazed by the tools, hammers, saws, drills, files and more and fell in love with material and process.
I enrolled in a silversmithing course at the School of Art and Design in Bristol and learnt the many different techniques for making jewellery. I have experimented with different materials, acrylic, paper, wood. Still, silver remains my favourite, and my favourite techniques are fusing and reticulation, using heat and layers of silver to pattern and shape. To create shapes, I draw plants and leaves, to learn their details, then search for interesting lines. Although many designs are based on natural shapes, I do not want these to be easily identified.
I am passionate about texture and colour and use dichroic glass to enhance my patterns. Colours and sparkle have seduced me into making flamboyant pieces of jewellery: neckpieces, brooches and cuffs. Each piece is unique and exuberant, and clients say, when worn, empowers them.
Uschi Arens Price 2020
You can view some of Uschi’s work below and on this website.
