Artists’ Purbeck inspiration
Charlotte Heath asks five artists what inspires them about the area ahead of this year’s Purbeck Art Weeks
Published in May ’18
Gillian Williams’s image of last year’s starling murmuration encapsulates this year’s theme of movement
The theme for this year’s PAW Festival is ‘Movement’ and you will be able to enjoy the various interpretations of this as you go around the Open Studios and events. For many PAW artists, it is their connection with the ever-moving Purbeck landscape that inspires them.
Gillian Williams remembers that in February of last year, she was captivated by the shapes and patterns of a starling murmuration at Shell Bay in Studland, and just had to paint them. The mesmerizing result can be seen on the front of PAW’s Events Programme. The changing colours of the seasons are important to her, as well as the movement of the sky and sea along the Dorset coastline. She tries to communicate the mood changes in her paintings, using the freedom and translucency of watercolour overlaid with pen and ink detail.
Charley Money’s inspiration comes from the Isle of Purbeck’s light… as well as its famous and less-well-known landmarks
Charlie Money settled in Swanage about eight years ago: ‘With its unique, ever-changing and luminous light and the quirkiness of the town and its inhabitants, I felt like I’d come home.’ She quickly discovered that her back yard, the Isle of Purbeck, was a treasure trove of natural and man-made wonders, with many showing the ravages of time. Along with the famous sites of Durdle Door, Old Harry Rocks and Corfe Castle came lesser-known but equally fascinating locations. ‘Some took a bit of searching for’, she says, ‘and I am still unearthing more hidden gems within Purbeck. All are gifts to an artist. I hope that my work – be it paintings, photography or ceramics – conveys something of the feeling of magic and of catching a moment in time within this unique and wondrous county.’
Marion Field’s ceramic ware is inspired by patterns of geological movement and human influence on the landscape
‘I have always loved the view over the dip in the hills above Winspit at Worth Matravers, where I live,’ says Marion Field. ‘It’s the way the lines of the lynchets draw towards the sea.’ Marion takes her inspiration from the landscape around her: the lines, patterns and colours in the fields, the rock faces and the ever-changing sea.
The Dorset Copperfish is both the subject and the maker of this piece, inspired by Purbeck’s sea life
Ted Edley of the Dorset Copperfish draws upon his automotive background to create detailed sculpture, using steel, copper, brass, aluminium and unusual found objects. He grew up in Swanage and is greatly inspired by the Isle of Purbeck and especially the sea, both above and below the waves. ‘The mystery of the darkness beneath the surface and a profound fascination with the sea has led me to create some truly dramatic sea creatures with an almost mythical feel.’ He adds: ‘My favourite place is Chapman’s Pool. It has a true feeling of escape and is a great place to clear my head and think about my sculptures. You could be anywhere on earth.’
A deep blue and heart shaped version of Jessamy Keily’s shoal of dancing fish features on the cover of this year’s PAW posters. This circular version has one fish swimming the opposite way to the others. Can you spot it?
Inspired by the wildlife and natural forms around her within the varied Dorset countryside and coast, Jessamy Keily captures these unique shapes and patterns with traditional dip pen and ink. Since moving to Dorset she has been noticing the movement of light and colours, from the way light falls through the different treescapes, or through a wave at the beach, to the colours of the coast’s geology. The details and patterns in nature especially capture her imagination, such as the patterns of a feather, constellations of stars, the vein on a leaf, or a shoal of dancing fish. You may have seen her striking swirling fish image on PAW’s posters this year.
About Purbeck Art Weeks
Purbeck Art Weeks (PAW) Festival is two weeks of visual and performing arts in the beautiful Isle of Purbeck. A huge range of artists open their studios, exhibitions abound and events of all descriptions are offered, including by world-class musicians in a variety of interesting venues. People of all ages from the community are involved in workshops, art projects and live performances
The Fieri Consort
You can explore the art and talk to the artists in the myriad of PAW’s Open Studios and discover new areas and hidden corners of this fascinating area. PAW’s collective exhibition in Rollington Barn just outside Corfe Castle gives a taste of what the 100+ artists involved in PAW offer, and helps you decide what you might want to see more of in their Open Studios.
PAW is also a chance to hear some glorious music, from the Renaissance to the 21st century, from Italy to England. The Gabrieli Consort is back with Visions and Mystics – choral masterpieces from the 20th century including by Walton, Vaughan Williams and Britten – with a virtuosic contribution from the organ in the Priory Church of Lady St Mary, Wareham.
There is a talk by Tim Arnold (ex-Chief Instructor Royal Military School of Music) on ‘Unravelling brass mysteries’. If you’ve ever wanted to know how a trumpeter gets so
After recording Monteverdi’s Vespers, here are I Fagiolini riding Vespas
many notes with just three valves, or the difference between a cornet and cornett, don’t miss this.
The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble bring the sound of 16th- and 17th-century Venice to St James’s Church, Kingston, while the Durufle Trio’s An English Journey explores works by 20th- and 21st-century British composers. They will be offering a workshop for all aspiring instrumentalists.
I Fagiolini are back by popular demand with Monteverdi, The Other Vespers – this re-creation of a 1620 Vespers for the Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist will be performed in the Priory Church of Lady St Mary Wareham on 2 June at 6.30 pm. The award-winning Fieri Consort return with The Unknown Traveller, a programme revealing how Italian 16th-century songs crossed the Alps and established the English School of Madrigals. They also offer a singing workshop.
And there is more – including a jazz evening, the 1969 biographical film Isadora with Vanessa Redgrave, and Purbeck Island Discs with Lord (Jim) O’Neill and the broadcaster Jon Snow.
Unravelling the mysteries of Brass
PAW Festival also encourages art created locally in the community. At Rollington Barn you can see the imaginative ways in which Purbeck Young Artists have interpreted the ‘Movement’ theme – the result of workshops in seventeen schools across Purbeck, led by some of PAW’s professional artists. These workshops enable young people to think outside the box, be creative and enterprising and work together to achieve things that we can all celebrate. The community art in Wareham Library garden, and alongside the path to Peveril Point, involves other young artists as well as those from The Purbeck Centre. Art is for all and PAW tries to involve as many as possible throughout the year.
For more details and to book tickets, please go to www.purbeckartweeks.co.uk
Pick up a free festival brochure or you can get an events programme (£2) from shops and other outlets throughout Purbeck.
