'Catastrofe' 2015
       
     
' Xylella Fastidiosa' 2015
       
     
 Painting the canvases in the olive fields outside Grottaglie...
       
     
 'Xylella Fastidiosa I, II, III'  Ink, acrylic, dirt on canvas. 109cm
       
     
XF1small.jpg
       
     
XF3small.jpg
       
     
XF2small.jpg
       
     
Ramblings in Grottaglie 2015
       
     
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IMG_8677.JPG
       
     
IMG_8675.JPG
       
     
IMG_8676small.jpg
       
     
Plate Installation, 2012
       
     
ceramicsplatesmall.jpg
       
     
piattilandscape.jpg
       
     
 'Ceramic plate 3'   Glaced terracotta, ceramic ink 35 x 35 cm, signed on the back.   Various works available via  Studio Cromie  
       
     
ceramicslargeplate.jpg
       
     
IMG_6896-Version-2.jpg
       
     
'Man v's Plant' 2011
       
     
 Still from a  short film  by Studio Cromie showing the tiles being  made. It also depicts the other floor piece I made that trip, a painted tree of faces and hopscotch, twisting up through the old streets where the children play.
       
     
italyfloor.jpg
       
     
lucy1.jpg
       
     
lucy2.jpg
       
     
lucy3.jpg
       
     
Murals 2010
       
     
wallfromscaff.jpg
       
     
Electricity Tower, 2009
       
     
'Without Us You Are Nothing' 2009
       
     
ceramicvases.jpg
       
     
Studio Cromie prints, 2009
       
     
 Making the two screen prints with  Studio Cromie .   
       
     
 In Grottaglie there was a derelict monastery that I'd painted the year before. I went back before the group show opening in 2009 to mess around and see what else emerged over the previous green image. Then my torch broke and I got chased out by a pa
       
     
newface-750x999.jpg
       
     
salvage-750x999.jpg
       
     
Fame Festival 2008
       
     
'No Compliments and No Complaints' 2008
       
     
fame-finishing-touches-3.jpg
       
     
fame-finishing-touches-2.jpg
       
     
 One of the plates which somehow ended up being recreated as a bad  copy  and discovered in a service station in Albania.
       
     
Vase Mural 2008
       
     
'Catastrofe' 2015
       
     
'Catastrofe' 2015

Group show from many of the artists involved in the Fame Festival held since 2008. Hosted by Studio Cromie (Angelo Milano) in the small town of Grottaglie in Puglia, Italy it has been by far one of the best.

' Xylella Fastidiosa' 2015
       
     
' Xylella Fastidiosa' 2015

In 2015 the visit to Studio Cromie in Grottaglie was different, all the olive trees are dying due to the bacteria Xylella Fastidiosa. A very sad time, also since this was to be the last group Fame Festival exhibition 'Castastrofe'.

 Painting the canvases in the olive fields outside Grottaglie...
       
     

Painting the canvases in the olive fields outside Grottaglie...

 'Xylella Fastidiosa I, II, III'  Ink, acrylic, dirt on canvas. 109cm
       
     

'Xylella Fastidiosa I, II, III'
Ink, acrylic, dirt on canvas. 109cm

XF1small.jpg
       
     
XF3small.jpg
       
     
XF2small.jpg
       
     
Ramblings in Grottaglie 2015
       
     
Ramblings in Grottaglie 2015

5 of the 9 'cluster' ramblings I made whilst visiting...

IMG_8674.JPG
       
     
IMG_8677.JPG
       
     
IMG_8675.JPG
       
     
IMG_8676small.jpg
       
     
Plate Installation, 2012
       
     
Plate Installation, 2012

Going back into the archives: Almost every year I've made a trip to Grottaglie. Enticed by the food, the Milanos and all those walls to paint but also it's terracotta ceramics. This year was the year of the large plates (45cm and 35cm diameter) with an experimental t-shirt and alleyway painting...here's a short video by Matthew J Watkins.

ceramicsplatesmall.jpg
       
     
piattilandscape.jpg
       
     
 'Ceramic plate 3'   Glaced terracotta, ceramic ink 35 x 35 cm, signed on the back.   Various works available via  Studio Cromie  
       
     

'Ceramic plate 3' 
Glaced terracotta, ceramic ink
35 x 35 cm, signed on the back.

Various works available via Studio Cromie 

ceramicslargeplate.jpg
       
     
IMG_6896-Version-2.jpg
       
     
'Man v's Plant' 2011
       
     
'Man v's Plant' 2011

I made over 150 tiles for this year's installation, varying sizes sprawling across the gallery floor. 

 Still from a  short film  by Studio Cromie showing the tiles being  made. It also depicts the other floor piece I made that trip, a painted tree of faces and hopscotch, twisting up through the old streets where the children play.
       
     

Still from a short film by Studio Cromie showing the tiles being  made. It also depicts the other floor piece I made that trip, a painted tree of faces and hopscotch, twisting up through the old streets where the children play.

italyfloor.jpg
       
     
lucy1.jpg
       
     
lucy2.jpg
       
     
lucy3.jpg
       
     
Murals 2010
       
     
Murals 2010

My visit in 2010 I painted a few murals, only have some bad photos left but the memories I'll never forget; biscuits and squash from neighbours whilst a man watched me all day in his pants. After I'd finished he invited me to meet his elderly mother and look in his basement...not something I'd usually take up the offer of but I couldn't resist. I ventured down the dark steps not understanding a word he said, into a huge room absolutely full of his sculptural religious artworks. I was blown away.

wallfromscaff.jpg
       
     
Electricity Tower, 2009
       
     
Electricity Tower, 2009

This electricity tower is in the middle of the countryside, from the motorway you can just see the bird peeping up through the fields. My favourite short film by Matthew J Watkins is of this being made whilst Angelo slaps his well fed belly for musical accompaniment.

'Without Us You Are Nothing' 2009
       
     
'Without Us You Are Nothing' 2009

Traditional jugs from the Puglia area. Fame Festival. The word 'fame' has a double meaning, that of hunger in Italian and fame in English. The large jug relies on the smaller ones to fill it. Hunger and need, ego and greed.

ceramicvases.jpg
       
     
Studio Cromie prints, 2009
       
     
Studio Cromie prints, 2009

'the world has enough for our needs...' 
Two color screenprint on 100% cotton ivory paper
56 x 76 cm, edition of 7 copies, signed and numbered by the artist

'but not for our greed'
Two colors screenprint on 100% cotton paper
56 x 76 cm, edition of 100 copies,  signed and numbered by the artist

Made in Italy, Studio Cromie.

 Making the two screen prints with  Studio Cromie .   
       
     

Making the two screen prints with Studio Cromie.

 

 In Grottaglie there was a derelict monastery that I'd painted the year before. I went back before the group show opening in 2009 to mess around and see what else emerged over the previous green image. Then my torch broke and I got chased out by a pa
       
     

In Grottaglie there was a derelict monastery that I'd painted the year before. I went back before the group show opening in 2009 to mess around and see what else emerged over the previous green image. Then my torch broke and I got chased out by a pack of feral dogs. One to remember.

newface-750x999.jpg
       
     
salvage-750x999.jpg
       
     
Fame Festival 2008
       
     
Fame Festival 2008

The was the very first Fame Festival with a strong line up.
Thanks Angelo Milano (Studio Cromie) I've had some of my favourite times in Grottaglie and made some good friends along the way.

'No Compliments and No Complaints' 2008
       
     
'No Compliments and No Complaints' 2008

Large vase and numerous plates, my early attempts at painting on ceramics. (Thanks to Angelo's dad Enzo for the title). DIsplayed alongside JR's photo of one of the oldest ceramicists in town.

fame-finishing-touches-3.jpg
       
     
fame-finishing-touches-2.jpg
       
     
 One of the plates which somehow ended up being recreated as a bad  copy  and discovered in a service station in Albania.
       
     

One of the plates which somehow ended up being recreated as a bad copy and discovered in a service station in Albania.

Vase Mural 2008
       
     
Vase Mural 2008

The first paint I laid in Grottaglie back in 2008 on the staircase in the Quartiere delle Ceramiche. Still there but faded in that Southern sun.