And now for another show, and this time I have a piece of work in it! I am delighted to invite you to LIP’s 35th Annual Exhibition Private View at Espacio Gallery in Bethnal Green Road on Thursday 25th January 2024, 7:00 - 9:00 pm.
Another year in pictures, and other stories.
Wow!
That snuck up fast. I’m going go reset my intentions to include monthly blog-posts again starting January 2024. That last quarter of the year went in a flash.
It was a tough one wasn’t it? I am sure some of you have had worries on an individual level, but to me it felt like their was/ is a collective sense of malaise in the country, and there are so many reasons why.
When our son was younger, and having a moan about something (or more likely, having a moan about having to do something) his Dad and I used to band about the response “nobody said life would be easy”. Our lives were certainly easier than many, and the same can be said now, when so many are suffering at the hands of others. I wish this was an easy issue to resolve, but here we are in the throes of human existence, and it doesn’t seem those history books change all that much over the years. This is precisely why it is so important to recognise those special moments, to remind ourselves daily for that which we are grateful. If we take on all the suffering of the world, we would never manage to even open our eyes. This is not a sermon, but a gentle reminder, that amongst all that seems wrong with the world, there is always it’s opposition, offering a glimmer of hope and a future to set goals for.
I follow several inspirational people on Instagram, some of whom are sports-people. Owen Barrow is one of those people, and although he seemed very fit anyway, running was new to him this year. I met him by chance when he had just completed his first half Marathon in April. Since then he has been incredibly dedicated, and has discovered the joy of running (something I have tried to explain to non-believers from time to time!) He has run multiple half marathons, started a very busy running club, and completed his first marathon a couple of months ago. His level of discipline puts mine to shame, but I like to watch people progress, and I am in awe of those who really go in 100 percent. **UPDATE I am feeling good in one way though, as I just did a bit of fact-checking to be sure my words are true, and I see that my half marathon came in a fair bit faster than his first, so I can bask in the theory that I would up there with the high achievers if I trained a lot more! They say you should believe in yourself, right?
With that in mind here’s some of the things I did, and achieved in 2023:
Participated in two group photography shows before the end of February
Ran a half marathon
Put my long-term project 4 x 4 x 4 up for scrutiny at Photo Scratch. The event was held at Fixation in South London.
Took the Fun Bus to Brighton to celebrate turning fifty (if you know, you know).
Visited Florence with a friend, and Mallorca with my Mum. The sun shone on us all.
Held my second ever solo show Getting To Know You, and created an accompanying publication under great time constraints!
Getting To Know You: The planning
Getting To Know You: The execution.
Image by Sandra Roberts.
Other things I did:
Surprised myself
Maintained a full-time job
Remained single
There are other things I intended to do, and those I had hoped for, but one can only do so much, and now I have written it down in a way I wasn’t intending, I see that I kept myself busy as usual! So now all I need to do is make plans to make 2024 an exceptional year. I have already started!
Words to live by! Another intention, and a Banner I made this year at Marcus Orlandi’s banner-making workshop to conincide with Thamesmead Festival.
NEWS!
Some of my fellow artists at Lakeside have initiated an online shop for some of our works. This will grow over time, but if you are looking for a unique gift, check it out now or later!
Look out for the Performance Delivery To Your Home! Sonia Roshal approached me to collaborate with her on this unique concept of having a takeaway delivered by us, whereupon Sonia will create a spontaneous site-specific performance. I will document the event, and send some images to the participants as a memory of a delivery that is literally one-of-a-kind. If you have any Bohemian friends with cash to flash, then this could add some flavour to their takeaway!
Please let me know anything you have achieved or had fun doing this year, and what’s in store for the year ahead. Whatever it is, be kind to yourself, and keep chipping away!
Go forth, and hold on to the good bits (not those!).
Much love
Amanda x
Private View and showtime!
Hello and welcome to sunny September!
August for me was a whirlwind, with fun, not a lot of sun and a lot of late nights and early mornings spent pulling everything together for my solo show, which is now merely days away!
There is a publication I have made, which coincides with the exhibition, which has been a feat of determination and mild despair! Starting with minimal knowledge of InDesign, the software programme from which it was created, and little time I have somehow managed (with the priceless help of a friend for one 8 -hour stint of design work!) I can barely believe I pulled it off, and was shaking when I opened the box on arrival of said publications.
My advice from this is Always believe you can make things happen, but give yourself time to make it so!
If you are in London it would be great to see you there! Lakeside Studios is holding an Open Studios event on Saturday 16th, as part of the wider national Open House event. This will allow people to nose around the iconic brutalist building that is home to Lakeside. It is also a coup for me, as my exhibition is based on the artists that are based at Lakeside, so it couldn’t be a more poignant show for those who want to learn more about the building and what it is used for.
Just a ten minute walk from Abbey Wood station, connected by the Elizabeth Line and National Rail.
Only available from the show (mostly). Come and grab your copy before they run out!
‘Getting To Know You’ photography exhibition. Save the date!
Upping the ante: Putting your photographs up for scrutiny.
Creating images that resonate with a wide audience, or any audience for that matter, can be like sifting for gold. The pioneers have long left the scene, and the chance of catching that glint of gold in a viewer’s eye amongst a million grains of sand, in the form of the photos we make is a hard task.
Photography on Show
Greetings readers!
Three weeks into the new year, and I am all set for another busy one! There is a lot planned, both personally and professionally, so I am hoping to stay focused (good advice for a photographer) and to reach new heights!
In the meantime I have works in a couple of up and coming shows…
London Independent Photography’s first live show since 2019 starts tomorrow! 24th January, and won’t last long, so come on down if you can!
This should be cool! We were given a grid, generated from a map that covered a small area near our homes. The results are an eclectic mix of images that are our responses to these places. We have members around the country and overseas!
If you are in London I highly recommend seeing the Chris Killip retrospective, currently showing at The Photographer’s Gallery. Chris passed away in 2020, and leaves a legacy of some of the best British documentary images ever taken. The show runs until 19th February.
Last year, a lovely member of the Crouch End LIP group passed away after suffering a short illness. Her funeral was a real celebration of her wonderful life. At the funeral we were all handed a card that had one of Gwen’s images on the front, and the poem below, by Pablo Neruda on the back. I have the poem on my wall now, in front of my desk. It’s a reminder of how to live my best life!
I wish you all an excellent year ahead, and hope to see some of you at these shows!
Amanda xx
You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.
You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.
You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.
You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.
You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice…
Lights! Charity! Photography!
And now for some fun! For Christmas I am going to kick off an Advent count-down picture sale which will operate like this: Starting 1st December 2022 I will release a limited edition run of 25 images called ‘Dance Of The Lights’. One image from the edition will be available to purchase each day. They will go up in price by one pound more than the previous day’s price each time, until it’s peak on 25th December at £75
Welcome to my Hood, Abbey Wood
It pays to roll the dice sometimes, as my search led me to an affordable housing model via a collaboration between Bow Arts Trust and Peabody Housing. My flat is in a Tower Block that is due for demolition, although the date for the demo’ is vague, and there are even rumours circulating that it won’t happen at all. Bow Arts are acting as guardians for Peabody Housing who own the blocks. It’s Bow Arts job to fill any empty flats with artists, and that’s where I fitted in!
Mindful Photography, a book review.
Anyone who has been really listening to how things are operating in the world right now will resonate with this book within the first few pages. For others it may take a little longer, but I am sure it will be worth the investment. I read this book with no preconceived ideas, apart from making assumptions based on the title! To me it was intriguing, and I had no idea how the term The Mindful Photographer would play out as a book.
The art of collaboration
In the summer of 2020 when we were able to meet up with people outside, I took a couple of beers and my bike to Finsbury Park to meet a friend of mine who was in between countries, on her wonderful journey of discovery and learning. She is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work and work-ethic I admire. I proposed the idea of us collaborating on a project together, which would see us bring multiple additions to a final piece of work over a period of time; in a kind of relay fashion. She agreed, and we arranged to create a set of photographs as a first step.
Evoking the Single Image
This image was created on Kodak Portra film, which renders colours in a beautifully subtle way: perfect for portraying the subtleties of project 4 x 4 x 4. It was a bright cloudy afternoon, and I had been walking through a suburban backstreet which I had not visited before. It was summertime, and the hum of a lawn mower carried in the air.
Stream of consciousness
Photographer's Lot, 2022
One of two shows coming up is the London Independent Photography show: Crouch End chapter! We haven’t held an exhibition since 2019, so it feels good knowing we will be back at our favourite Crouch End Gallery; upstairs in Crouch End library. This is where I first saw an exhibition by this group, and what spurred me on to become a member of London Independent Photography.
Picturing a pandemic; kind of
During the first six months of ‘Covid’ I was compelled to shoot, shoot shoot, but as the malaise of our current situation took hold I was less inspired, and have lots of images that have never seen the light of day, until now! Creative people have spurned many a project from this period, and there are already books, exhibitions and TV programmes prepared for our consumption. I am not convinced that we have enough distance to appreciate the creative portrayal of what is still a very felt experience, but here are some images that I have taken at different stages since March 2020.
Photography and other stories
Since early April I have picked up from some training that I was doing just before the pandemic, for an event that I had scheduled for last year. The event is called The Ridgeway 40 and as it might suggest is forty miles long. It travels along the ancient ridgeway path from Avebury in Wiltshire to Streatley village in Berkshire. It is officially a walk, but they allow those that wish to run, to run! I have chosen to make it count by raising funds for Refugee Action: Refugee Action works directly with refugees to help them rebuild their lives here in Britain. They provide support with housing, finances and legal aid, as well as campaigning for their rights.
Oh! Messy England, Oh! Messy life.
Through observing the places I have visited, and within my day-to-day life, I can conclude that I find England to be a somewhat messy place. Messy in the way it presents itself, and messy in the minds of it’s people. I am pretty sure that messiness is not unique to England, but I do think all places, from the local to the national have certain qualities that make them recognisable or typical, in and of themselves. It is this sense of place that I want to consider, both through the familiar, and also the largely overlooked elements of the spaces we encounter.
Outdoor photography exhibition, Soho, and more good news!
The Colour Of Photography
Photography and Books: reference and research
This summer with lockdown, and an uncertain future ( in the short-term at least) it was photography that I turned to for support. The art world, and even people in photography’s commercial sector are notoriously hard to penetrate: from gate-keepers to 21st century ‘busy people’, securing a conversation with them is normally very hard. It turns out that they are human too, and they were feeling the loss of interaction with creative minds, and the freedom to visit shows, plan photoshoots, and arrange exhibitions and book launches for those they represent. Everyone became more accessible, offering Zoom talks from their homes, and relishing the opportunity to interact with other humans. It really was unique.
