Our previous Kick-About, inspired as it was by the paper-layerings of artist Maud Vantours, prompted a number of us to consider the ephemera we collect about us and repurpose it. For this edition of our fortnightly run-around, we find ourselves similarly preoccupied with ideas of temporariness and the inevitable passings of time. Enjoy this latest selection of new works made in a short time and you can explore all previous editions of The Kick-About here.
Gary Thorne
“This indulgence began with a freak impulse to dress-up, not consciously driven by ‘vanitas’ yet, soon enough the photos began to make KA demands. These Phones offer basic tools, without specialist apps, which seems to me a comfortable enough limitation – no point in getting carried away – yet not so comfortable on the eyes for long periods of time, something of a nail in one’s coffin. Speaking of which…”
Itta Howie
“I picked up some wilting flowers from my local florist (thank you ‘The Flower Shop’ in Bristol) and started sketching. I enjoyed drawing the Clematis most, its shrivelling bell-shaped flowers hanging limply from an architectural framework of stems. Something about strength and fragility, and the beauty in both.”
Pencil sketch 30x42cm, charcoal drawing 42x30cm.
Jan Blake
“Back in late November, I went to visit the Botanic Gardens in Bristol. A regular haunt but not often as late in the year. I was spellbound by this dying of a garden in all the many ways that plants have evolved to disintegrate back into the soil. The thing that struck me was how many just curled up or had a sudden burst of energy as they stripped the leaves, often resulting in a spiral effect. I took many photos and decided this one was the most curious and related to the subject Vanitas. I thought at first it was an insect that was creating its cocoon out of the silken threads of the fading leaf, but apparently not? I made a quick drawing, but I’m including the photo as it was rather a cold day. I have inverted to show the structure a bit better with the silken threads.”
Vanessa Clegg
“So many options here and, researching, I found that the Hebrew translation of ‘Vanity vanity all is vanity’ is ‘Vapour vapour all is vapour’ so that would have been an interesting path to take. As it is I decided to go with Dutch Vanitas painting and try to semi-reproduce a still life in that area so… emptying my compost bin as background (excess) and including a wine glass (indulgence), watercolour of a bird (death) and nest (birth) and snuffed-out candle (mortality) it was, kind of, following that mantra that ‘you can’t take it with you!’ I loved this prompt and will carry on from here…“
Marion Raper
“This was a very thought provoking challenge. Firstly, I began taking photos of objects such as dried flowers, seed heads and shells, which were all once alive. Then I came across some assorted bunches of old keys, which I arranged on some old poetry books. Who did they once belong to? What mysterious doors or treasure boxes did they once unlock? Lastly I added am old charcoal sketch of William Defoe to my still life, with the very tenuous link that even film stars are not immortal and, in a lot of cases, their life of luxury is actually worthless.”
Graeme Daly
“A single but mighty rose has been bobbing along in my garden through the winter. I felt bad plucking the singular, gorgeous pink rose from my garden that stood out from the otherwise drab and brown. I felt even worse when photographing it – when all the delicate petals crumbled in my hands! I probably should have photographed it in the garden and kept the precious thing alive, but it’ll make some nice rose tea!”
@graemedalyart / vimeo.com/graemedaly / linkedin.com/in/graeme-daly / twitter.com/Graeme_Daly / gentlegiant.blog
Charly Skilling
Phil Gomm
“Did you know … quinces hold diverse symbolic meanings across cultures; they are commonly associated with love and romance, symbolising the enduring sweetness of relationships. Additionally, quinces represent fertility and abundance, often bestowed as wishes for prosperity to newlyweds. The fruit’s duality, starting tart but turning sweet when cooked, is linked to patience and temperance. Symbolic of forbidden fruit in some stories, quinces also embody beauty and seduction due to their enticing fragrance. With healing properties in traditional medicine, quinces can symbolise health and protection against negative energies…
We got given a whole box of these yellow fragrant fruit just before Christmas, some of which went spectacularly mouldy and were the obvious subject for this Kick-About. Given all the symbolism listed above, I’d suggest a mouldy quince has something to say about the inevitability of certain disappointments.”
James Randall
“The Vanitas link with my pic is somewhat tenuous but there are symbols and it’s sort of a still life, well kind of. It comes from my concern of industry influences on government (the figure is a lobbyist descending to climate-changed hell,) texture exploration and ongoing book-based figure study. Compositionally I was playing with shoving everything to the top in a very tight gridded space. The drapes and fire all began as circles set to the grid.”
Kerfe Roig
“I used this prompt to do the Death card for my continuing tarot project. I’ve also revised a much-revised poem I wrote in honor of Ralph Stanley, who famously sang the haunting “O Death”. Of course the Death card does not necessarily indicate a literal bodily death. We could all use some reinvention every once in awhile. And what better way to begin a new year?”
O Death (for Ralph Stanley 1927-2016)
some say yes
some say no
some welcome Death
some invite it
some force it to stay
some say wait
I’m not ready
some laugh at Death
some curse it
some are too surprised
to speak
is Death cold
or is it hotter
than Hell
or is it on
the borderline
hovering
between freezing
and melting
does Death have hands
does it embrace
or punch
does it strangle or
does it cradle
does it bathe
in darkness or
does it bathe
in light
is it a prayer
is it a question
what is it
this face
I cannot see
unmask yourself
O
Death
kblog.blog / methodtwomadness.wordpress.com
And from the wasting effects of time… to the ballooning subjects of Colombian artist, Fernando Botero. See you next time!
Red's Kingdom 
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