Gresford Library reopening - 21.5.2014

I was invited to attend the Grand Opening of the Gresford and District Community Library, on Saturday 17th May 2014, to photograph the event.

The official opening ceremony was performed at 11am by local author Judy Turner, who writes under the names of Katie Flynn and Judith Saxton. 

The event was also attended by Wrexham MP Ian Lucas and Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Labour Assembly Member for Wrexham.

Gresford Library closed on Monday 31st March 2014, following a decision by Wrexham County Borough Council. Gresford and District Library Company Ltd, a Social Enterprise Group whose directors are all local residents and will be supported by volunteers, was set up to take over the running and development of library after it closed.

The library have had letters of support from many local businesses, the local MP and AM and Lord Thomas and his wife, who live in Gresford, and the local free magazine, Essentials. The library has a Facebook page under the title “Gresford and District Community Library” and can also be contacted by email at: Gresfordlibrary@hotmail.com 

Library opening hours will initially be Tuesday 2pm to 5pm, Friday 10am to 7pm and Saturday 10am to 1pm. The library are actively looking for more volunteers for various tasks to keep the library running in all sorts of ways and are looking for people with a variety of skills.

The Little red me Exhibition of work by Jian Ai - 11.6.2014

This exhibition was a mixture of paintings and a new installation

 I first saw Hillary's work a few years ago at university in a show of other students work. I was very drawn to it because I felt a personal connection, which is something I look for when appreciating art work. The small red figure in her paintings remind me of what can sometimes be a lonely path in life, the figure representing our own individual journey. 

This is an extract from Jian Ai 's personal statement of her work:

"In my paintings you will probably find little narratives, strong emotions or illustrative poems. I love beautiful scenery, so landscape is my favourite platform from which I can express my feelings.

I like the smooth texture of oil paint, which makes me feel free when I am painting. I also enjoy painting gesturally and loosely; this way I can express emotion boldly and freely.

I met God after coming to the United Kingdom from China. Heaven is the most beautiful shrine in my mind - which is full of joy, passion, and freedom. I paint the way to heaven, seeking God.

The little churches, which feature in some of my paintings, represent a destination far away from earth. The little red figure is myself, on the way with a faithful heart. 

I like using striking contrast to intensify the emotion in painting, like the contrast between the vibrant warm and the dark cold colour. The purpose of this is to encourage and highlight that whatever distressful circumstances you are in, there is always hope and God is always there, helping you and protecting you." - Jian Ai, 2014

Beautiful World - Chester Exhibition 3.3.2014

A touring exhibition organised by The Photographic Angle

It had been the start of Creative Futures week at university on the morning I had gone to Chester and I  missed the opening speeches talk. I had wanted to go and see this exhibition on this day as it was only on for a limited time period and on the other days there were lectures that I needed to attend . 

The exhibition was held in a disused council building and covered approx. 5 floors.The areas the art works were displayed in was very spacious due to the size of the rooms. Each image seemed approx. poster size - some portrait but many landscape in orientation. I had liked this aspect of viewing the images on this large scale. All were free standing but due to the positioning of some, my images are spoiled by the sunlight filtering through. There was a great selection of images to cover the categories as mentioned below. 

Below is a list of the 19 Photographers involved 

Puneeta Sharma, Nicola Davison-Reed, Jagendra Bhardwaj , Dave Foker, Vishali Shyam, Aman Dhanani, Grace Hui, Dwaipayan Basu, Sandra Angers-Blondin, Nicolas William Hughes, John Walker, Robert De Paulis, Michael Gay, Shamma Esoof, Robert Davies, Saransh Bansal, Anikendra Ghosh, Frank Foster, Matt Walkley

The images were a mixture of  the physical landscape,  the animal world, nature that has  inspired and some hadchosen the beauty of people. Each artist has interpreted the  beauty they perceive in the world.

A great bonus of using this building was  the beautiful views of the city and its rooftops,  which I took full advantage of as I had brought my camera with me so that I could take my own images of the people within the city environment.

The image above is of one of the many quotes that were present in the exhibition.

Anikendra Ghosh

                                  Gangotri Glacier Vally by Dwaipayan Basu

         Below are the 4 hints and tips on different aspects of photography.

These are the 4 hints and tips on different aspects of photography. 

Future by Nicola Davies- Reed

Big Ben Light Trail by John Walker 

Back of Abbotsford 1 by Robert De Paulis 

                               Back of Abbotsford 2 by Robert De Paulis

A Mysterious Evening by Grace Hui 

An Owl by Aman Dhanani

Harvest in Himalaya by Dwaipayan Basu

Bouy By John Walker 

Green Himalaya by Dwaipayan Basu

A Beautiful World by Saransh Bansal

This is how The Photographic Angle described the exhibition

“Beauty can be found in all things, if we just take the time to look for it. Examining the wonders of the natural world has always been, and will continue to be, a great source of inspiration, excitement and intrigue. Capturing and documenting the remarkable, inimitable visual beauty of the world has been a preoccupation for artists, scientists, and photographers the world over as we seek to understand the marvel that is creation, both natural and man-made.

The physical world that surrounds us presents us with an ever-changing, awe-inspiring backdrop to life, from the magnificence of a morning sunrise, the heavenly hues of the changing seasons, the wonder of weather-beaten terrains to the careful construction of the built environment.

But the wonderment and admiration that we harbour for our beautiful world is far deeper than this material connection would suggest. There is also an immeasurable beauty within us which is portrayed in the human interactions that we engage in and the relationships that we form. Our journey through life, from the innocence of childhood right through to the wisdom that is bestowed upon us with age, is etched on our faces for all to see.

Beauty is also present in our close encounters with the creatures we share the planet with and can also be seen in their relationship with the natural world on which they depend.

http://thephotographicangle.co.uk/exhibitions/