The Discerning Eye & The National Open Art Competition

Some great news this week, the first painting in Ashley's New York Trilogy series 'City of Glass 1' has been selected for The National Open Art Competition to be held at the Minerva Theatre,  Chichester 11th - 21st October. The show then moves on to The Princes Foundation Gallery in Hoxton, London 24th October - 1st November.See link for more details. www.thenationalopenartcompetition.com/index.php

 
In addition 'Charlestown 7' has been picked for this year's Discerning Eye Exhibition 15th - 23rd November at The Mall Galleries, London SW1 www.discerningeye.org/index.php

 
Also in November, Ashley will be showing the complete 'New York Trilogy' series  at Canvas & Cream Gallery in Forest Hill, London 7th - 22 November. You may remeber that 'City of Glass 1' was one of Ashley's prizewinning paintings at the gallery in February earlier this year.   http://www.canvasandcream.com/2012/01/ashley-hanson/



Hotel Penzance Exhibition

Ashley has his next solo show 'Colour & Coast',  6th October - 3rd November at the Bay Restaurant and Gallery, Hotel Penzance. There will be a good selection of Cornish paintings including work from his Porthleven, Charlestown and Penzance series.

The gallery is open daily 11am - 4pm. www.hotelpenzance.com/galleries-in-penzance.

September Painting Holiday

We are very much looking forward to meeting our guests-artists new and old on our 'Freedom in Painting in the Cornish Coastal Landscape' Holiday next week and are delighted to say we are now fully booked. Let's hope the weather is kind to us. Regardless of the weather, we do hope you all find the experience worthwhile, inspiring and fun.

Part-Time Art Course with Ashley at Truro College

Ashley will be hosting his 'Colour & Coast' evening class at Truro College from Wednesday 3rd October once again.This is a great opportunity to work with Ashley over a 10 week period and develop your painting knowledge and experience. Using the 'Coast' as our theme, students will explore the principles of colour-mixing, composition and oil/acrylic painting techniques and application. As always, Ashley will be hands on demonstrating and sharing many tips and techniques.  

The course is suitable for all abilities and you are free to work in any meduim, although Ashley's speciality is oils.
For more details contact Truro College on 01872 265800 or see link
www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/pt/colour-coast-painting-with-ashley-hanson-2/

National Open Art Competition- 4 shortlisted!!!

City of Glass 1

City of Glass 6

City of Glass 7

City of Glass 2

Work in progress: 'City of Glass 9- Fiction & Facts'

In progress- 'City of Glass 9: Fiction & Facts'

'L'

'O'

During the final session of 'City of Glass 6', it struck me that one of the piers at the southern tip of Manhattan resembled the letter 'L'. Then I remembered painting the perfect 'O' of  Madison Square Garden, introduced to the painting as a subtle 'maverick element'. The excitement grew and the idea for a new piece took hold, reconfirming the magic of working in series with the paintings feeding each other.

The most striking image in the novel, 'City of Glass', is that of Stillman, by the means of his daily walks, invisibly writing the words T.H.E  T.O.W.E.R. O.F. B.A.B.E.L. onto the streets of New York.

What if, instead of the fiction, all the letters of 'The Tower of Babel', actually existed in the 'facts' of the streets of New York? Some were easy to find, like 'A' in the angled intersections of Broadway, others, like 'B' and the 'W' (Greenwich Village) more difficult to find. I still have to find an 'R' but am confident it is there. I love the connection with the spirit of the novel and the other paintings in the series, that of a building being there but not there.

At this point, the idea is stronger than the painting- I want the letters to have a neon-glow- but this will be resolved. 'Detectives' was my original title for the series and is both the central theme of the novel and the paintings. In the novel, Quinn, a writer of detective-fiction, - by accident, design,chance,choice?- becomes a real detective. In turn, myself, the artist, becomes a detective, looking for ideas, images, inspiration in Paul Auster's words. Then the viewer becomes a detective, following my clues and visual notes and language in order to understand each piece, and in this painting the viewer will emulate Quinn and follow the letters and find the Tower of Babel.

Exhibition News

Quite a lot happening at the moment- I have 4 paintings (including some of my favourites from the Charlestown series) in 'Coast & Country' at the Gloss gallery in Exeter which runs throughout the summer, 20 July- 15 Sept. 

PV is on Thursday 19th, 6-9, be delighted if you could join us.



'Charlestown 4'    60x50cms



'City of Glass 2' has been selected for the Ludlow Open 2012, (4 Aug-18 Aug) and 'City of Glass 6 (pages 106-112)' has been shortlisted for the Cork St Open. Fingers crossed.  Also from this weekend, 'Penzance 2' can be seen at Modern Artists Gallery, with some of the other paintings from the Penzance series.  The gallery is in Whitchurch-on-Thames, near Reading, a lovely spot. 
 

'Penzance 2'   150x120cms

Working together with Adventure Temples

We are delighted to tell you about some exciting developments with our Painting Workshops and Painting Holidays. We are now working closely with Adventure Temples, specialists in sourcing a host of high quality and specialist activities for people holidaying in Cornwall. Rest assured this will not have any affect on us looking after our  local people who attend Ashley's workshops, as they will be helping us to support our local courses. If anything they will help us to extend what we already do, by enabling us to offer a wider range of workshop options for the future with Ashley, offering his wealth of knowledge and experience in painting, as always, at excellent value. For more information and a wider insight into Adventure Temples see  http://www.prweb.com/releases/Adventure_Butler_Service/Inspired_Luxury_Holidays/prweb9654352.htm

Our next workshop 'Colour & Coast,' Sat 28th July & Sat 4th Aug is very much connected to Ashley's own art practice, his love of colour and inspiration from the coastal landscape. Come and join us in a friendly, relaxed and informal setting.

Using the 'Coast' as our theme, students will explore the principles of colour- mixing and how to use colour effectively amd creatively. Other areas covered during the workshop  include composition and oil/acrylic painting application. Ashley will be hands on demonstrating and sharing many tips and techniques. This workshop is suitable for all abilities and Ashley will introduce some new exercises and surprises for those of you who have taken part before.

New Painting- 'City of Glass 8 (The Red Notebook)'

'City of Glass 8 (The Red Notebook)'    150x120cms

I keep returning to red but there are a multitude of new reds in this painting.   The outsize notebook subverts the scale of Manhattan in the previous paintings.  Manhattan is transparent, is a window, is a city of glass. Through the window is a boiling sea or the inside of the detective's head. 

I think now is the time to introduce the New York series to the author of 'The New York Trilogy', Paul Auster. 

Last Week to Catch Ashley & Janie at the Shire Hall

Ashley & Janie McDonald have been enjoying their new studio space and working hard at the Shire Hall, Bodmin. During the first week of 'Open Studios', Ashley hosted a very well received workshop, 'Learn to Paint in Oils' and last week St Petroc's Primary School children enjoyed a visit and were fascinated with the exhibition and Ashley's oil painting demonstrations. Year 12 students at Bodmin College are looking forward to a 'Colour' workshop with him next week at the venue.

Ashley has been focusing on work for his 'City of Glass ' series which is now really taking shape and will be shown later on in the year at the prizewinning show at 'Canvas & Cream' in London. (Scroll down to view more images and info on Ashley's new work.) The 'Open Studios' exhibition runs until Sat 23rd June,  so come along for a last chance to preview the work and meet up with both artists.

Next Workshop -  'Colour & Coast' Sat 28 July & Sat 4 Aug

10am - 4.30pm, St Breward Village Hall

We are now taking bookings for our next workshop.

'Colour & Coast' is very much connected to Ashley's own art practice, his love of colour and inspiration from the coastal landscape.

Using the 'Coast' as our theme, students will explore the principles of colour- mixing and how to use colour effectively amd creatively. Ashley will be hands on demonstrating and sharing many tips and techniques. This workshop is suitable for all abilities and Ashley will introduce some new exercises and surprises for those of you who have taken part before.

Cost £30 for 1 Saturday or £55 for both Saturdays.

Limited space available , early booking recommended.

To Book: Contact denise@ashleyhanson.co.uk or call 01208 77656 

Honeycomb Studios Group Exhibition

Sat 23rd June Private View 11am- 5pm

Also open Sun 24th Jun 11am-5pm

Sara Bor who runs Honeycomb Studios is hosting an exhibition for students who have taken part in workshops she runs at her studios. There is an intersting mix of work on show, including several of Ashley's paintings from his Cornish series.

Honeycomb Studios can be found in a beautiful rural location in Devon.

The Hansons will be going along on Saturday, hope to see you there! See http://honeycombworkshops.blogspot.co.uk for more information.

The Gallery Exhibition,

Mon 25th- Sat 7th July 2012

The Old Threshers Shop

Fore Street

Bodmin

Local artists will once again be supporting 'The Friends of St Petroc's' in helping to raise money for St Petroc's Church and improve the facilities for the local community.

There will be a wide selection of paintings and ceramics on show at the exhibiton and Ashley will be supporting this event and exhibiting several pieces.

Come along and have a look and enjoy the delightful refreshments in the cafe during the exhibition. For more information see http://thegallerybodmin.yolasite.com/

We have been experiencing a few problems with our emails of late, which we hope to resolve very soon. However I would like to reassure you all, that we are able to send and receive emails, regardless of what message you might be receiving.

Please continue to use denise@ashleyhanson.co.uk and ashley@ashleyhanson.co.uk. We apologise for any confusion or inconvenience.