Category: Uncategorised

Manchester Poplars

We’ve been doing a series of Socially distanced walks – here’s a beautiful response from Roger and Anastasia (thanks to Rae at the Mapping Manchester’s Quiet Spaces blog for putting it together)

Roger and Anastasia sent the following, on their discovery of the beautiful Black Poplar.

Image by Anastasia

Anastasia:

Artwork from our trip to Alex Park, 24th September,  which I enjoyed immensely! A combination here of photo’s taken on my phone,  bark rubbing, (the paper was too thick, and I think pastels or charcoal would have been more effective), contour drawing (it’s so hard not to peek at the paper!!), and sketching using Caran D’Ache watercolor crayons:

Roger Howard:

I came across this blog when in Alex Park with Anastasia and Akinyemi. Anastasia and I saw this magnificent tree with deeply fissured bark and I did a quick identification on an app on my phone. From the bark alone, it came up as an oak, but when I looked at the leaves (spade-like ♠️, typical of poplars) I knew what it was. 

I remember reading about “Manchester Poplars”, which thrived at the height of the Industrial Revolution, as they were resistant to pollution and came across this: https://www.cityoftrees.org.uk/news/blog-manchester-black-poplars-tall-tale-how-city-got-it’s-very-own-tree Anastasia and I attempted bark rubbing, but as the bark was so rough, it was hard to get a good impression, so we played with colours and line. Anastasia has got some fantastic drawings of this tree, so it is great that she’s agreed to share them with us. Akinyemi came later and did some ink and watercolor paintings of trees too. 

This is one of my efforts, but Anastasia has got much more of the range of colours and textures, as you can see above:

Image by Roger Howard

We had a great afternoon in the park and I’d love to repeat it with Pool Arts members and others if we could arrange another date. I know the year is on the decline weather-wise, but we could find the odd day when it’s sunny or at least not raining. Also, the colours will be changing now, so it would be a good opportunity to catch some of those “autumnal hues“ before the leaves fall. 

We all agreed how important it is to our good mental and physical health to have trees around us and to get out and be amongst them. Other trips to other places would satisfy this yearning! Chorlton Meadows, Styal woods, Fletcher Moss, etc, etc. Tree hugging was also touched on (and attempted!) and I remember a trip with Rae to Formby once, where we had microphones to hear their inner processes. 

I also came across this poem, posted on FB by Sue Aunty of Whalley Range All Stars, 

Binsey Poplars

    felled 1879

My aspens dear, whose airy cages quelled,

   Quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun,

   All felled, felled, are all felled;

     Of a fresh and following folded rank

                Not spared, not one

                That dandled a sandalled

         Shadow that swam or sank

On meadow and river and wind-wandering weed-winding bank.

   O if we but knew what we do

          When we delve or hew—

     Hack and rack the growing green!

           Since country is so tender

     To touch, her being só slender,

     That, like this sleek and seeing ball

     But a prick will make no eye at all,

     Where we, even where we mean

                To mend her we end her,

           When we hew or delve:

After-comers cannot guess the beauty been.

   Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve

      Strokes of havoc únselve

           The sweet especial scene,

      Rural scene, a rural scene,

      Sweet especial rural scene.

 

Credit: Gerard Manley Hopkins

Source URL: https://poets.org/poem/binsey-poplars


Human Nature project: What we’ve been up to during Lockdown

I. Baron

 

Annette Ebanks

 

Paul Richards

 

Alan 

 

Anastasia

 

Roger

 

Ruth, Dave, Pam, Alison, Becky, Nathan and Nick


Manchester Open at HOME

We are delighted to announce that some of our artists were successful in applying to the Manchester Open


Manchester Art Fair

we enjoyed our annual visit to the Manchester Art Fair. As last year we became cultural partners of the fair and very much enjoyed meeting artists and organisations taking part


Pool Arts RESILIENCE a work in progress

Join Us for a weekend of art and fun as part of Manifest

Our title reflects the determination of an organisation run by and for its artists to survive todays slings and arrows of austerity


Aviva Investors Manchester Art Fair & The Manchester Contemporary 2018

We are delighted to be cultural partners this year with Aviva Investors Manchester Art Fair

The North’s Favourite Art Fair
12-14 October at Manchester Central

Aviva Investors Manchester Art Fair is the most prestigious art fair in the North. Over 120

galleries and artists will be selling thousands of modern and contemporary paintings, sculpture,
photography and editioned prints at a wide range of prices.

Your ticket to Aviva Investors Manchester Art Fair also includes entry to The Manchester Contemporary. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council, The Manchester Contemporary, now in its tenth year, takes a uniquely artist-focused approach, inviting the most exciting international and UK galleries to participate

www.manchesterartfair.co.uk

The Manchester Contemporary

Bringing leading international and UK contemporary art to Manchester

12-14 October at Manchester Central

Now in its tenth year, The Manchester Contemporary takes a uniquely artist-focused approach, inviting the most exciting international and UK galleries to participate. With careful selection and bold curatorial vision, The Manchester Contemporary showcases the strength of the UK’s regional artists and galleries alongside key international presentations that can only be seen in Manchester.

www.themanchestercontemporary.co.uk


Join in with our crowd fund! Akinyemi Oludele’s first solo show


A.G.M

Our AGM is scheduled for Thursday 5th July at 5:30pm

at our Ardwick studio base.

This is a public meeting and anyone may attend, though only members may vote

The agenda is:

Apologies
Presentation of the Annual Report and Financial Report
election of Trustees for 2019

If you would like to attend, please email us by clicking here


Three Chord Zen

An exhibition of large scale abstracts by member Lee Hadfield will be showing at Cass Art Gallery from 12th – 26th February.

Abstract painting with block of text underneath on pale green background. Text says "Three Chord Zen, an exhibition of paintings by Lee Hadfield, 12th - 28th February open daily 9-6pm, Cass Art Gallery"

Initially inspired by Japanese Zen gardens, Hadfield creates impasto surfaces using a palette knife and washing technique developed over the past 15 years. The images contrast movement and texture reminiscent of natural forms – waves, fingerprints and even invisible but imagined radio waves – with sharp machined lines and shapes that dissect and contain the field of vision. These two contrasting elements create harmony and disharmony simultaneously.

We’d love you to join us at the preview;

5-7pm Thursday 15th February in the basement gallery of the Cass Art shop (opposite Night and Day cafe in the Northern Quarter)


Studio Space Available

We have a studio for a new Associate artist coming available in September.

Please let us know if you would be interested. download further Details here Pool Arts studioA