I am looking out of the window at the south shore of Loch Broom, where the water runs down to Ullapool. I’ll be getting the ferry soon to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.
A week ago on the drive here my heart soared as mountains rose from the horizon. Purple flanks, pink breathing masses of ancient rock.
Clouds as spirit whales over shark black sea; Orca pods skim the harbour waters in beautiful Stromness.
I saw a correspondence between the breasts of birds and the waters which swelled and carried them when they left their posts on the harbour breakwater at Helmsdale.
With reference to my work I’ve been thinking about what Barthes calls the ‘punctum’…a “detail that pierces the viewer and opens up the image, defying the closure any labelling implies” (Bronfen, The Knotted Subject).
I loved seeing the works of Barbara Hepworth at the Pier Arts Centre: the fineness of her elegant figures which suggested being in landscape held the heart of the experience of standing against the wind and amazed before the Stones of the Ring of Brodgar.
Crawling into the hilly wombs of earth finding tiny bird wall piercings, so many ears to hear you in there. Runes like drawings made by earth herself, catching noble profiles growing upon their rocky forebears.
It was great meeting Neil Firth, the Director, and Carol Dunbar again. It was fascinating to hear about the Orcadian people, their openness, their open-mindedness, their expansiveness; they are an exploring people, their influence wide, clear.
For pictures please see my Instagram account – katewaltersartist – until I have time and WiFi to upload them here!
Travelling across the fine and large county of Sutherland today was such a joy, and I found myself feeling very grateful to a-n for their funding – making this adventure possible.
I enjoyed meeting the curator at Timespan in Helmsdale, and I had a great time staying with Ann MacDonald beside the harbour, near to where the washing filled pinkly with breeze, and the cormorants dried their wings.
A heron flew over my head as I stood watching the birds leave their drying posts. It found another heron and together they performed acrobatics over the harbour.
More on my blog for a-n which I will be writing soon!
And some photos on Instagram and Twitter when I can find Wi-Fi….
I’ll be doing two sessions of my ‘hollow bone’ performance drawing at noon on the 23rd and 24th July.
I’ll also be showing a range of unframed work in a small installation and a series of related framed works, many of which had their genesis on the Isle of Iona, where I was recently artist in residence.
I’m hoping to meet people who will be interested in my work; I’ll be happy to speak about the themes which flourish in it.
Other news:
I’ve been invited to Barcelona to be part of Femtourtruck to do my performance drawing… thinking about it…
Just back from a wonderful trip to the Dolomites; and exploring early XIV century frescoes.
The cloisters at Bressanone Duomo.
Walking into the mountains on a fine afternoon after a great visit to Johannes Church in Bolzano – the pearl of Bolzano.
I met the caretaker, a very passionate teacher, who told me all about the frescoes, all the stories and legends. There was St. Oswald from Lindesfarne, the healer, and the spring beneath the spot where the preacher would speak. Apparently in days of old the clever builders knew where springs were, and they positioned the altars so that a Spring would inspire and vivify the words of those who spoke. (It does also mean that many old chapels are damp).
According to the town booklet Santa Maddelena Church would be open on Friday afternoons… so a long walk on a beautiful hot afternoon led us there (after a visit to Sarentino and San Cipriano Church). Santa Maddelena was locked. I went to the house of the caretaker, and spoke to a frail old lady at length in my broken Italian but she was a German speaker. She refused to give me the key. I waited and hoped she would relent. I peered through the large windows, and then another person arrived- a German speaker – who went and found the woman’s daughter, who was the caretaker, and after some discussion got us the key. It was such a wonderful moment to enter that beautiful little church. The frescoes were so tender and beautiful and in good repair. I spent around an hour there making drawings and taking photos.
The following afternoon we set off for the mountains. The weather promised to be interesting, with mists, rain showers and possibly storms. The tops of the mountains swirled with water vapour. The first part of the walk up was good, sunny, bright, beside a rushing mountain river. Wild flowers decorated the pathways; clematis climbed the spindly trees. As we walked higher the weather closed in. We passed enormous wood ants nests, over two feet high and several feet in breadth; the ants had closed their doors and gone indoors. The path became more rocky, precipitous, and the views became obscured by light rain. Blue sky had gone. We were climbing all the time, legs grew tired, felt like jelly. Brief respites came when we encountered two meadows and their lovely occupants, the native blonde Haflinger ponies.
Eventually, after hearing thunder and worrying about the failing light, we saw a solitary building perched amongst the peaks. No road there; only narrow tracks. At first no sign of life, then through the dusk we saw a faint light and smelt faint whiffs of smoke – reassuring in this context. We arrived completely soaked to the skin, and were shown our little room, all clothed in wood. The stove in the dining room was huge and hot. We hung all our wet clothes around it and settled in for a meal of goulash and apple cake – most welcome! Our clothes dried overnight. I was disturbed in the night by severe cramp – my legs were very sore indeed. The next morning we walked up through snow and along via ferrata to the corrie – where several valleys met. It was all rock- whites, skins watery, hard, silent, no sign of life; as if there had been some kind of planetary destruction – or as if the world was just beginning. These are young mountains, and subject to change; the river beds move, the mountains shed their skin.
My work has been selected for The Other Art Fair, which is curated. It will be held at the Arnolfini, Bristol, July 22-24. I’m looking forward to showing my work to a new audience.
Here are some examples of recent works, in oil, monotype, ink and watercolour: These will probably be at the show.
My studio will be open on May 28 – 30th and June 3- 5, daily from 11-4….or by appointment (k.walters@outlook.com; 07816 098807).
(June 4 after 2pm I won’t be in my studio, someone else will be there; if you really want to see me and talk about my work, please don’t come then!).
Address is Studio 6, Trewarveneth Studios, Trewarveneth St, Newlyn, TR18 5JQ
I have selected drawings, monotypes and some watercolours and paintings to show you. Relaxed friendly atmosphere; and many lovely books, workbooks, music to share too.
A few vegetable seedlings will be available, and tea and possibly cake.
I’ll be happy to speak about what energises my work; my inspirations and my joy.
Yesterday I heard from the University of Northampton who will be hosting a conference called Trans-States in September. The conference is about exploring ways the Arts can help us to explore different areas of consciousness. My proposal to give a talk/performance about my work has been accepted…I am delighted! I will be talking about my ‘hollow bone process’.
Further good news: I recently heard from The University of Hertfordshire which will be curating and organising a project called BOOKS OF BLOOD: A CROSS-DISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATION INTO BLOOD AS REPRESENTATION, SYMBOL, AND TEXT IN MODERN CULTURE
All humans ‘are books of blood—wherever you open us, we’re red’ (Clive Barker). If our bodies are books of blood, then they can be read…
….. My proposal has been accepted for this project too, and I will be showing work and contributing to events and a publication. I am so thrilled! It is hoped that the project will travel from Ireland to London.
Water colour works about blood as life, about being in touch with the instinctual voices of our cells, about bodily knowing.
I have been awarded a generous Travel Bursary from a-n to enable me to explore the Outer Hebrides to enable me to broaden and strengthen the connections I made on Iona during the Winter of 2015/16. I feel very grateful and excited about this opportunity.
I will be travelling to Sutherland, Orkney (including Papa Stronsay), Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay and Barra. I’m also hoping to get to Tiree. I’ll be visiting Arts Centres and hoping to meet their staff. I’ll be making drawings and notes and paintings in my mobile studio with Pip Seymour paints, monotype equipment and several sketch and note books. These notes and drawings will be shown for the first time in a show I’ll be having in the Little Picture room at Newlyn Art Gallery opening November 11th 2016.
A bit later in the year I will also visit Tobermory on Mull to visit Comar, and I’ll return to Iona to teach a workshop and spend some time working on the Croft at Lagandorain.
