The Bristol Sea Shanty Shout returns this weekend for its fifth year running!
A celebration of Bristol’s maritime history returns to Underfall Yard on the 20th and 21st of September. There will be various musical performances and an arts and crafts fair for people to enjoy.
It is a free event organised by High and Dry with venue support from Brunel’s SS Great Britain and the Underfall Yard.
A local resident, Tony Taylor, who is showcasing his art for the very first time at this fair. He lived in Knowle for over 35 years before recently retiring and moving down the road to the harbour. He is a full-time artist and potter who works in clay, oils, pen, watercolour and pencil.
A selection of small pots, pen & watercolour Bristol sketches as well as life drawing works will be available on his stall at the Underfall yard.
The South Bristol Voice recently caught up with Tony to get an insight in to how he works and what inspires him.
Tony said: “I discovered the joy of working in oil during lockdown whilst taking part in south Bristol artist Cat Knight’s online workshops.
“When working with clay I generally don’t start with a preconceived idea – currently I’m working mainly on the wheel, and I like the clay to lead me into a general form that I feel my way round to create a shape that I then hone in on. I use the harbour and water to help with my colour glazing choices; early morning sun on the harbour can reveal some amazing colours that inspire my choices. I have recently started clay hand building and I’m combining it with my life drawing skills to create life sculptures.
“I use my own photography and social media for my worked-up oil paintings – landscapes start with a “en plein air” sketch and a photo that I take back into the studio. Life paintings I usually take from social media images that I find unusual and inspiring, I take the image and work it up into my own painting style.
“Life drawing, I think is the basis to all drawing art forms, it helps you get proportions and perspectives that can be used in whatever works you create.”
Tony can regularly be seen sketching around central Bristol and the harbour but is also a regular attendee at the Royal West of England Academy art gallery, Folk House life drawing sessions and is a member of the Zed alley pottery studio and the Quinton’s art group.
Samples of his work and process can be seen on his Instagram account @tonytaylor1302
Story by J Churcher
