Here is Edwin Monk who has entered the Open Art Exhibition a number of times, you may even recognise him from last year's blog post. He has won Pendle in Paint four times and had many second places!
In 1958 Edwin decided to start painting people as they are. He draws a lot of portraits and people often ask him to paint. He doesn't normally sell personal portraits though.
Painting and drawing are a hobby of Edwins. But this year he went a step further and sent a portrait he had done of a Welsh Corgi to the Queen for her jubilee. He received a lovely letter from a lady in waiting saying the picture gave the Queen a lot of pleasure and thanking him for sending it. Edwin was very chuffed with this and even had his picture taken for the local media. He has since been known in the local area as Sir Edwin!
This is Paul Kirkup above who brought in his own photographic work and his 10 year old daughters photographic work.
I was blown away by the quality of his daughters work and could not believe she was only 10. You will have to come to the exhibition and see if you agree with me?
Paul himself has been taking photo's since 1964, when his Grandma gave him a little boxed camera. He hasn't stopped snapping since, although he tends not to take portraits. Paul does not use digital and always develops his films, He is inspired by landscapes and abstract images, anything with a message that says something about the world.
Paul is really please to put his work on show and won 1st prize last year for a photo he took with a cheap camera from a car boot sale. Paul is passionate that you don't need to spend a fortune on equipment to get great results.
We also talked to him about his daughter, Anna's work. Paul bought Anna a one pound disposable camera and then developed it for her. The work submitted was taken on this camera. The two of them went to Beamish working museum and Anna had a go at taking lots of images quicky pressing the buttons and taking 'jerky' shots.
This is Anna's first time exhibiting her artwork. We welcome her, it's a wonderful way to see a new generation of artists and photographers.
Above we have Jean Birkett who is a watercolour painter, and there's me in the green cardigan, staring off into space for some reason... Can I just interject here and say, how photogenic Jean is! I'm rather jealous!
Kiran, my assitant took these photo's and chatted to the exhibitors while I took the work in today. Thanks Kiran! Can I also add an extra big thank you as it was Kiran's 18th birthday today, and she didn't mind coming in to work. Happy Birthday.
Jean has been painting for about 10 years, ever since her daughter bought her some watercolour paints one Christmas. Jean likes to paint people, children and animals mostly. She is attracted to the colours in beautiful days.
Jean likes to exhibit as it is a nice social thing to do (if you didn't know, we do all get together on Thursday evening for the artist preview so all the exhibitors get the first look at the exhibition before we open to the public on Friday at 10am) and she really enjoys seeing how other people interpret the work.
This is Mr Carradice with his photo of St Ives. He is entering two pictures, St Ives in Cornwall, he took this because it is a haven for artists and it is because it is such a special place with wonderful light. Mr Carradice explained it was no wonder so many famous artists liked St Ives and the photo he is exhibiting just 'had to be taken'.
His other work is of a cold day in January at Malham Tarn but he thought the view could almost be a beautiful scene in the Mediterranean.
By the way, Mr Carradice used to be one of Kiran's teachers, she isn't always so formal, but school habits stay with us don't they.
Lastly, but actually the first interview I did, it's David James. David is exhibiting two photographs; Heritage and Tranquility.
Heritage is an image taken during a three day excursion following the Horse Boating Society who decided to take a narrow boat from Leeds to Liverpool pulled bu a horse. Which hasn't happened for 70 or 80 years. David heard about this and arranged to meet them and followed them over three days from Foulridge to Burnley.
Tranquility is again a photo taken on the canal, between Foulridge and Salterforth.
David often goes walking on the canal as it is only a few minutes from his house and he now never leaves his camera at home. This year he has been inspired by the canal and the life on it.
David has exhibited with Open Arts since 2005 and has had a reasonable degree of success; he has had judges awards, seconds and thirds but never a first, and this year, he wants one!
David and myself then had a little debate about why it is that the judges often pick differently to the public vote; although some of you may remember that last year we had two categories I think where the judges award and the popular vote winners were the same. Anyhow, David and I decided that the judges look for technical details, and the public go with their hearts.
Would you agree?
So, come and see the work for yourself, the exhibition is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10-4pm although if you want to vote you need to come before 12 on Sunday as we shut the vote then! Believe me, we need that long to count all the votes.
Winners are announced on Sunday at 4pm where we also have a prizegiving ceremony and take photo's of the winners for the press.
Thanks for reading, Kirsty
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