Judy Harrison's Rejected Collection

Judy Harrison's collection forms part of COLLE3CT at SPACE University of Portsmouth UK March 7th - April 4th 2011

"This collection of pottery is a personal response to the decline of the pottery industry of Stoke -on-Trent. Uncoloured ware (although it does, in fact, have a colour) or white ware as it is commonly known in Stoke, is generally overlooked. Either made for use as domestic receptacles and crucibles for utilitarian use, to be hidden away in the kitchen cupboard, or more often than not, it is ware that has been rejected in transition of production.
From a personal experience of having worked as a sorter in a potbank in Stoke-on-Trent; this ware holds for me, a resonance, a simple beauty, both in shape, form and narrative. In the normality of circumstances, it holds no visual worth and is never heralded to the cabinet or room in a museum." - Judy Harrison Artist

COLLE3CT -Cultures of Collecting

One of my personal fascinations is why do we collect ? I have, I realise many sets of collections and cannot resist the new starting of a collection every time I walk on the beach.
I helped to curate and set up COLLE3T at the Eldon Building University of Portsmouth, it was a fascinating and rewarding experience trying to exhibit 15 different collections. I couldn't seem to get a perspective on it , thanks to my wonderful colleagues Denise Callender, Sarah Turner and input from George Hardie (the ruler collector) and Judy Harrison (rejected creamware collector ) it may never have looked as good as it does.

Savannah College of Art and Design

New beginnings

I am very lucky to be going to teach at Savannah College of Art and Design for a year as Professor of Illustration.
I went for an interview in November and one of the students, Angela Stork drew me while I made a presentation to the students and staff. She said she loved my scarf I was very happy about her noticing it , (I found this drawing on her blog ) It is a wonderful School, I walked in to the Illustration building and felt instantly at home.

Kings Theatre Southsea Commission

I am working on sketches for a window commission at my local theatre the Kings Theatre in Southsea.
Zippo's Circus is coming to town and I have the exciting pleasure of promoting Britain's best circus .
I have known this elegant Edwardian playhouse since i was a child and travelled some fifty miles to see a pantomime.
I now live just around the corner. It is the result of the vision and business acumen of John Waters Boughton
and the architectural prowess of Frank Matcham, one of the greatest of theatre architects.

Much wonderful restoration work has been completed in recent years to restore the auditorium and some other public areas to their full beauty. The lady statue, originally mounted on the top of the Tower, was lost for many years and only found again by chance in 1998 in a Hampshire scrapyard. Renamed “Aurora” in honour of the Centenary, she is now on display in the main foyer, and a glass fibre replica was reinstated on the top of the tower in 2009 as the crowning glory of a £200,000 restoration of the whole tower.

new year thoughts

Christmas has come and gone with such speed and am now reflecting on some of the beautiful

images found around my house. My friend Glad embroidered the most beautiful tag on one of

my many presents, I have never known someone give so much love in the wrapping .

Charity Raffle and Art Auction for 45 Commando Woodlands Garden Trust

I have just finished a collage for the Charity Raffle and Art Auction

to help raise money for the 45 Commando Woodlands Garden Trust,

a garden of contemplation, rehabilitation and commemoration

for all members, families and supporters of the Royal Marines.

Good luck to Nikki Maynard who has organised this for

Thursday 2nd December at the Duke of Buckingham hostelry

ceramics is still on my hit list

I have been attending ceramic classes for nearly two years every Monday night with our fabulous tutor Mo Ottenson. I have learnt to combine many print techniques, this is using gum arabic and photocopies and with patience can work beautifully. I am too impatient I realise to get the best results but there is a great sense of satisfaction eating off something I have made. I also flit from one clay to another and think things will improve but if I slowed down and took my time I may make progress.

winter is coming ........

I am excited 3 x 3 might appear very soon !

 3 X 3  state that they haven’t produced an international issue in some time so Issue Fifteen is that issue. 

"We’ve gone to the United Kingdom, Argentina and Japan to bring you some of our indusry’s brightest stars. You'll also find more international illustrators in our Showcase and Gallery."

If you don't know this  publication  its the best illustration magazine published , as an artist that

struggles with much that is around the beauty of this production , the artists chosen and design is sublime 

The Big Draw

I love the moment the Big Draw arrives in October, its the perfect moment to have a good excuse for making your mark somewhere around the world. As a massive fan of sketchbooks and drawing for its own pleasure, we have created a mammoth blackboard in a corridor where I teach at the University of Portsmouth .

A huge amount of students walk to and fro and the urge to respond to our constant themes has been remarkable.The joy of picking up the chalk and having a go has brought about some wonderful drawing. I have photographed just a few of the little gems that have appeared.

I find myself making little small life set ups round the house 

and playing with bits of paper,  suddenly four hours have gone by!

new website is here

My new website is just about ready I am very excited a BIG thank you to
Mike Blackman for his inspiration and hard work in creating it , I love my sketchbooks!

I promise that these are the last images of Laduz, I saw the heads last year on a poster and was too far away to visit. Imagine the delight when we found them here, I haven't really managed to digest and draw from them at all and strangely now feel removed and sad about the feeling. I want to now make some new work based around the dolls and paper mache objects I had seen . I am starting a ceramic class next week so watch this space for what might happen next!

 

sketches at laduz musee france

just being loved........

 

The Fourth Plinth

This is a series of new collages I have been experimenting on. Using the rabbit as a starting point I have created different environments for him to occupy. He is my surreal narrative!