'The Valley Under the Skin' show at Lansdown Hall

Deadlines are tightening and I had to get the job description agreed and submitted today. That meant a range of emails before a meeting at the office in town followed by last minute adjustments. I finally finished about 12-30 and then wandered across town to check on our booking for the public event at Lansdown Hall at the end of the month. Each meeting was with a Sue, and both of them had just returned from holiday today and each was very productive.

Once I arrived at the Hall I was delighted to find that the exhibition which several people had recommended was still running at Lansdown Gallery, which is also part of the council's village hall. Having finished my meeting there I walked into the gallery which it is always a delight. We have improved the facilities and atmosphere there with the renovations we completed eighteen months ago. But there is more to be done and tomorrow I chair another Working Group meeting to check on the next stages of works to the Hall and Gallery area, which will begin in about five weeks.

The exhibition was created by Amanda Lawrence, a local artist who lives in the Slad Valley. I won't try to describe the work as she has done so much better on her website here. Suffice to say that the work was quite startling, particularly the glass based creations, but it was the assembly of the whole work that impressed me most, including the atmospheric sound recordings that filled the gallery with the atmosphere of the Slad Valley and its tumbling brook and wildlife.

I chose to photograph these six glass landscape views of the Slad Valley. They are mounted about half an inch from the white backgrounds. On the card each says something like 'Slices of Valley 1: From Folly Lane to Abbey Wood. Fused glass with coloured tint and enamel detail'.

The words on the banner beneath say:
'The Valley under the Skin: Slad valley in glass art, sound and photographs
Exhibition inspired by two years exploring and observing the valley with camera, recorder and sketchbook in hand.'

I will return before the exhibition ends on the 6th July, as I didn't do it justice today in my rather rushed state. My photographs don't either but they are the best I could do. Certainly do try looking at an enlarged view by pressing the 'L' key.


http://www.amandalawrenceglass.com/vuts.html