Art Friday

I've been off all week, it was a much needed rest and I've thoroughly enjoyed pottering around my little house with no schedule. I spent a lot of time catching up with friends and generally just chilling out. 

On Friday I went for a little jaunt to the Nottingham Contemporary Gallery in Hockley...it's well worth a visit, you can find more info here

The exhibition focused on two artists Tala Madani and Marvin Gaye Chetwynd. What was really nice is that as the gallery was pretty empty one of the curators was able to give us a lot of information about the paintings which was much appreciated. 

Tala Madani

I enjoyed this exhibition, the painter is a feminist from Iran who now lives in Los Angeles. Her work often reflects the repression she felt as a woman living in Iran and the subject of the paintings often focused on men in vulnerable and degrading positions. Some of the pieces were not to my personal taste but there were some paintings that I really liked, unsurprisingly the ones I enjoyed gave a nod to Pop Art...the painting below 'Action Painting Room' was influenced by Jackson Pollock . (They don't have pink walls at the contemporary by the way just my dodgy photography )

Marvin Gaye Chetwynd

It was nice to see some sculpture and I enjoyed this exhibition. A lot of the exhibits were puppet like and from what I understand provide the back drop for performance art. 

It spoke to me on an anarchic level, whether it was supposed to or not I'm not sure...I do like my art to be conceptual and bordering on the surrealist. I particularly enjoyed a series of paintings entitled 'Bat Opera'. 

It was the large TV sculpture that captured my attention...not enough to take down it's name though it seems, whoops sorry about that...

After looking around the gallery, we went to get some tea and cake at Wired Cafe Bar which is fast becoming one of my favourite places for tea in Nottingham. You get a timer for your teapot...AWESOME!

If you are ever in Nottingham, I would really recommend you check out both the Contemporary Gallery and Wired Cafe. 

Ax

Change your mind...a book review

I know it's a genre that makes people turn their noses up but I've always liked to read 'self help' books, I like reading things that pick you up and encourage you to think and act in a more  positive way.

I think it's important to continually develop and encourage yourself to think in different ways...no wait, it's more than important...it's what gives you the edge...in er LIFE. 

Well, if you follow me on Twitter you'll be aware that I had been experiencing a slight creative block in January, you know the feeling when you just can't seem to get motivated past the sketch phase? So I dug out a book that really really , yeah double really, helps you to unleash your creative side...

Change your mind- 57 Ways to unlock your creative self - Rod Judkins

Hardie Grant Books

ISBN : 9781742705576

£8.99 and also available as an ebook

(Can you tell I used to work at Waterstones ...)

This book is great because not only does it contain some great advice about the creative process but stylistically it's also really cool and inspiring.

Judkins writes in a really honest and direct and encouraging way, it's almost a manual of how to retrain your brain to forget every crippling thought you've ever had during the creative process. 

Some of my favourite chapters are:

Don't Strive to be Original ( personally the desire to be 'original' was crippling me from doing anything, when in fact if you emulate those that inspire you, your natural style will come through anyway...wish I'd read this book 10 years ago!)

Don't compete CREATE and Don't leave ideas in your head

I would highly recommend this book, it's one you need to read from cover to cover and then dip into periodically during your creative lulls. 

Have you read this book? tweet me what you thought @amandainateacup

A x

Tate Modern baby!!

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to be in London with work and managed to fit in a quick visit to the Tate Modern  before I had to get the train home. This was my first visit and was something that i had been wanting to do FOR SOOOOO LONG!

You can find out more about the Tate Modern here http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern

Needless to say I got pretty excited! which if you follow me on instagram you would have seen here http://instagram.com/amandainateacup conveniently it was national selfie in a museum day so that's my excuse!

I got RIDICULOUSLY excited about the Mondrian and Dali art works...and it's definitely inspired me to get back down to London to visit all the other galleries.....oh and it's also working to remove my 'artists block' which although not fully gone is on the way out. 

If anyone has any cures for 'artists block' please tweet me @amandainateacup !

Ax