the good and the bad....

Many of you might know that I have links with Zimbabwe, if you didn't basically my uncle lives their, has done for over 20yrs (a great story apart his past may one day be written by myself - starred in the film Cry Freedom as himself, a small featured part), anyhow, thats for another time. I visited Zim last February for a whistlestop tour of schools and some of the sights, again a very long and at times not a nice story. So, I keep an ear to what is happening over there partly to make sure he is safe and follow the news as it happens.

the good:

DOMBORAMWARI Arts Centre in Ruwa is conducting independent studies for artists in various art genres.
Established in 2002, the centre provides resources for resident students in line with their aim to nurture upcoming artists and shape the careers of established ones.
"We want to share the exposure that we have acquired from various prestigious exhibitions that we have participated in to help other artists realise their dreams," said Chenjerai Mutasa, one of the centre's founders.
Mutasa said they came up with the idea of studies as a way of ploughing back to the community, adding that providing an artist-to-artist platform was critical for the development of artists.
"This programme is one way of showing our gratitude to the community which has made us what we are today and we aim to sharpen each other's skills," Mutasa said.
The centre is currently housing 10 artists who specialise in sculpting, painting and ceramic works.
Tendai Dhlamini, a Bulawayo-based artist undertaking the studies, said the programme was of immense benefit to him.

the bad:

Zimbabwe's soaring inflation hit an annual rate of 100,000%, new official figures show.
Ongoing shortages of food and fuel helped drive inflation from December's rate of 66,212%.
Government officials say the shortages make it hard to work out inflation with any degree of accuracy.
About 80% of the country's population lives in poverty and it is estimated that three million people have left the country for a new life in South Africa.
The economy has been in trouble for seven years, with supplies of basic foodstuffs, cooking oil and petrol all running low.
The central bank has introduced new banknotes to cope with the spiralling prices. Last month it issued a 10 million Zimbabwe dollar note

for those sticky moments!

Getting back to it now with a new charge of energy after weeks of bid writing and the other stuff.

Came across this new dimension in creating artwork, not up my street (excuse pun!) but clever nonetheless. I don't like the images, then again, working on this scale and on the provided materials, beggars can't be choosers!!

A STREET artist who paints on pieces of discarded chewing gum is back and working in Muswell Hill after a court case against him was dropped. Ben Wilson, 43, a father-of-three, of Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, specialises in tiny artworks - not much larger than a penny piece.He said of his work: "I try to encourage spontaneity and for there to be more random events. By painting on chewing gum, technically you're bypassing bureaucracy."He added: "It's taking something that's been thrown away, a thoughtless action, and turning it into something more positive."The artist was touching up a collection of works on the corner of the Broadway and Queens Avenue and residents were pleased to see him out and about.

Daniela Jovic, 25, of Hampden Road, said: "My three-year-old is a fan. She gets out her magnifying glass from her bag to see them. She still hasn't spotted these ones.

"Subject requests for the paintings - which can take up to seven hours to create - are taken from the public and he always uses gum already on the pavement."I do a lot of pictures for people that have died in car accidents," he said. "I've been arrested so often for doing dedications to people, but advertisers have a monopoly over public space. Hopefully this redresses the balance."He has worked all round the world in countries including Finland, America and Australia, and used to make impromptu sculptures in woodlands before moving onto gum art.

Mr Wilson was charged last year with resisting arrest near St Paul's Cathedral after he began work on a piece of gum. (source: Hornsey and Crouch End Journal)

Picture artist alphabet - just for fun! K

Just in case I don't get time!!!

Happy Mothers Day

(got card and present for JJ to give, although I dont' think he will use the card I chose; he spent time today creating a collage card, will post soon)

bbc newsnight review - Banksy

caught the end of this, discussion on Banksy, it takes a while to get through total program time 35mins - Banksy discussion appears approx. 29mins!
click for link

Banksy - on show

One of Banksy's earliest commercial artworks - complete with Tipp-Ex amendments - is to go on show in one of the largest exhibitions of his art yet seen.
The original drawing was made for the band Onecut in Banksy's native Bristol in 1999/2000. It pre-dates album covers he produced for Blur and other bands.
But time pressures meant the graffiti artist did not follow his usual method of producing a stencil. His original workings on paper include the use of felt tips and correction fluid.
The image, Underground Terror Tactics, goes on display at the Andipa Gallery in Walton Street, Knightsbridge, from Friday to 29 March. Its price tag is £35,000.
Gallery director Acoris Andipa said: "It is believed to be one of Banksy's first commercial works."
His previous projects for Onecut included a stencil that caused a scandal when it was sprayed on the wall of a sex clinic.
Some 60 works can be seen at the exhibition, all tracked down from private owners - many in Bristol.
Titles include Paranoid Pictures, Roadwork Rat and Precision Bombing.
Prices range from £7,500 to £300,000 - higher than the current £288,000 auction record for a Banksy. (source: evening standard)