Les Trois Inventeurs
November 5, 2009
Brilliant animation
November 3, 2009
Live Dulcima peformance combined with a whimsical and beautiful 1926 Animation, a wonderful evening spent at the De la Warr Pavillion last Frida. . The Adventures of Prince Achmed was the first feature length animation film in the history of the cinema. It is a ‘silhouette film’. Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) was the inventor of this genre. Work on The Adventures of Prince Achmed began in 1923. It was released in 1926. This wonderful animation film is full of adventure, lyrical sensuality, magic and romance, playful humour, strong female characters, exciting bat- tles and sinister evil. The story was inspired by elements taken from the Tale of the 1001 Arabian Nights. The Adventures of Prince Achmed is one of those rare and timeless films that appeal across the complete age range. The beauty and intricate detail of Reiniger’s exquisite filigree artwork is of the highest quality. She was inspired by Chinese and Indonesian shadow plays and adapted this ancient art for the cinema. The distinctive combination of silhouette characters, colour tinted landscapes and backgrounds is unique and profoundly evocative and seductive. Moreover, the use of silhouette characters leaves the imagination free to soar in response to the sensuality and magic of the story. We are treated to a splendid cast: Prince Achmed, Princess Peri Banu, the Witch of the Fiery Mountain, the Evil Sorcerer, The Magic Horse, Aladdin,xPrincess Dinarzade and The Caliph. The fact that all the characters are silhouettes is fundamental to the essence and power of the film. The Adventures of Prince Achmed is a captivat ing and beautiful work of art. It is a magnificent example of stop frame animation and consists of three hundred thousand separate frames. It is undoubtedly one of the shining gems in the history of cinema and is widely acknowledged as a masterpiece. It is the ‘haute couture’ of animation. Lotte Reiniger was a pioneer who dedicated her life to creating silhouettes. She made more than eighty animation films. The original prints of The Adventures of Prince Achmed featured colour-tinted backgrounds. Working from surviving nitrate prints, German and British archivists restored the film and managed to incorporate the original tinted backgrounds, which in their dynamic interaction with the silhouette characters are crucial to the aesthetic of the film. Prints available just prior to the restoration had only been in black and white. Geoff Smith’s new score for The Adventures of Prince Achmed has been inspired and led by Lotte Reiniger’s genius. He has attempted to do justice to her achievement. For the performance of the soundtrack Geoff uses numerous prototype Hammered dulcimers, one being the first ‘Fluid dulcimer’ incorporating his revolutionary ‘microtonal fluid tuning mechanism’ patent, without which it would have been impossible to compose and perform the soundtrack. For further information regarding this invention and some of its historic implications please refer to the Guardian newspa- per article ‘Composer reinvents the piano’.
Geoff Smith’s pioneering score for The Adventures of Prince Achmed is a revelation in the composition and performance of live music for animation. He has dedicated himself to exploring the wider spectrum of musical choices that his invention offers, so that in the composition of the score it has been possible to respond in more intimate, expressive and expanded detail to this unique and uplifting film. His immensely dynamic score illuminates and emphasises Lotte Reiniger’s aesthetic obsession, consummate artistry and passionate commitment to story telling.
Shoe Story
November 1, 2009
These are my prototypes, my practice run, they were only supposed to be a “rehearsal ” so to show up technicalities and find what worked for me. However, each shoe “walked” a path, not the one I expected, but one I that has opened a door to my ancestors. I even made the Guardian on line, and sold some to an advertising agency…………. Why shoes I have been asked? I wanted to do a piece of work about the path I have trodden these long and eventful 60 years but my soul seemed to want to go beyond. My grandmother and my great grandmother are people who have formed who I am today, it was a surprise to find myself scanning and printing images of them for use in shoes, but I knew my grandmother well, she would have loved them,. Not sure where to go from here, but this is my shoe story to date.
a new meaning to “bums on seats”
October 31, 2009
wow I came acroos this website this morning, the thought of something so utiliitarian having such beauty applied so captivating……. The rich decoration reminded me of the exquisite spanish leather tooled wall panels that adorned grand Baroque interiors. I think I might commision one myself!
Take a look at Kara’s website
the wild masculine
October 28, 2009
Mmmm he stands proud, a jaguar draped across his shoulders. Its no surprise I felt the need to surround him by horses, they respresent Power, grace, beauty, strength, wildness and freedom. He represents the masculine energy in us all. The bronze statue ‘Orpheus’ by Astrid Zydower, is larger than life and stands in the grounds of Harewood House just outside Leeds, Yorkshire. Orpheus was the greatest musician and poet of Greek myth, whose songs could charm wild beasts and coax even rocks and trees into movement. His magnificence radiates from this image. I put together the image with sky recently taken in malta, the land of the divine feminine, there are so many temples to the goddess here, it compelled me to produce a “balancing” image
she died so young – shoe no.9
October 25, 2009
this shoe is for my great grandmother ADA, she died long before I was born at the age of 34. How sad, she left five beautiful children, one of whom was my grandfather. The shoe is elegant, as she is in the photograph I have of her taken in St Petersburg, Russia around the turn of the century. This shoe seems more solid, its the first “complete” shoe, by that I mean it has a heel and and is fully enclosed. Again I printed my pattern using Ada’s photograph and printed it onto white tissue paper, everything is handmade in paper. You can see my collection of hand made paper shoes here http://www.flickr.com/photos/8853574@N03/sets/72157622409764848
It is Gouache, my dear, sir - amazing art imitating the computer generated image
Paintings by Japanese artist Kazuki Takamatsu.
looking back to my future
October 6, 2009
Looking back recently, photos of my grandmother taken in 1904, pretty starched frilled bonnet and beautiful wide innocent eyes. Then a photo of my great grandmother taken around 1900 in Russia, not long before her death at the age of 34. So young, to die, with 5 children too, how sad. She looks so serene, so beautiful. I dont know much about her only what I have drawn from census information and birth, marriage and death certificates, she died in the UK. However from what I know all the children, grandchildren and so on are all very creative. Through research I have met many people with the Swindlehurst name and the vast majority are in the creative arts, architects or designers. I have my creativity from both sides of the family, maternally and paternally, a double whammy!!
Knowing my genes come from such talented people gives me a real sense of what great gifts have been passed down to me, and to my very talented children…………. and hopefully one day to theirs
The above images have been digitally enhanced with many layers
my lovely daughter
October 5, 2009
Margorie Rose Memories – paper shoe no. 8
October 4, 2009
Marjorie Rose was my grandmother
an amazing woman who passed on her gift of creativity to me. Shoe no.8 is dedicated to her memory. Handmade in paper and tissue printed with images of my grandmother as a young child. Have so many happy memories of her, a fantastic cook, made absoloutely everything from her clothes to summer and winter soft furnishings. Made clothes for me as a child and always an identical dress or coat for my doll. Wedding dresses, wedding cakes, christmas cakes and puddings, christmas crackers, tree decorations, surreal savoury birthday parties for me to curried eggs and pineapple upside down cake. She was a treasure, died back in 1987 and buried locally.
Flickr: Your Photostream.
armorial amour paper shoe no. 7
September 27, 2009
Well todays effort was extremely testing of my patience………. managed to make a heel, not as graceful as I would like but it looks good. Shoe is made of hand printed tissue paper from my own toile erotique collection, black paper, together with its own coat of arms……………. What am I going to do with them, any ideas! these are meant to be just trials, but they are becoming very detailed and have a life all of their own…………..
a day in the country
September 23, 2009
a beautiful sunny day spent in the sussex countryside with my daughter Kirsty. A creative day spent painting birdcages!! for another IDC project, lunch with home grown veg, french beans, courgettes and sunshine yellow and deep red cherry tomatoes, yummy. Then of for a long walk over the fields, back through the churchyard in time for tea. Another happy memory to store away!!
lunch on Flickr – Photo Sharing!.
Made the Guardian! front page art and design section
September 22, 2009
toile d’erotique v2
September 21, 2009
Toile d’erotique, blue repeating pattern, shoe ruffles, paper dress, paper scultpture, rows and rows and rows. one image repeated back to back and then flipped vertically to form this geometric pattern. I love the way the initial image take on a totally differentt meaning.
this detail shows how the four images are repeated to form this lozenge shape
carolean red toile d’erotique
September 20, 2009
red toile, black shoes, red toile dress, red, blood, engorged, emphatic, enlivened. my version of toile in carolean red!
