Green Island Studios

Life's unexpected turns

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:36:00 +0000

2011 - The year that took an unexpected turn!

(Why I took a 5 month sabbatical from my blog.)

In June I went to an auction and came home the owner of a new house with studio potential on Dartmoor.

I packed up my life throughout July and boxed up my studio, darkroom and artworks, putting all our stuff in storage. We moved into a static caravan (trailer for my American friends) in the garden of the new place to be close to the build site and maximise our time on the project. Our plan was to spend a few months doing the place up with while roughing it in the caravan. We had no internet access, no land line telephone, and no electricity, but the weather was great and the work was endless on the property so we just got stuck in and forgot about the real world beyond our garden gates. Those 'few months' dragged on and on, the weather got colder and the list of works that needing doing on the house got longer and longer.

We finally moved into the house on Christmas day, last week, what a relief. However we have not even made a start on the work on the rooms that will be my darkroom, admin office and my studio space. For now we are just glad to be in a warm place with four walls, insulation and cosy log fires :D

I hope that this explains why I did not blog for so many months, life just took over!

The Cure Of Souls

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:06:00 +0000

The radiant soda of the seashore fashions

Fun, foam and freedom.

The sea laves

The Shaven sand.

And the light sways forward

On self-destroying waves.

The rigor of the weekday is cast aside with shoes,

With business suits and traffic's motion;

The lolling man lies with the passionate sun,

Or is drunken in the ocean.

A socialist health take should of the adult,

He is stripped of his class in the bathing-suit,

He returns to the children digging at summer,

A melon-like fruit.

O glittering and rocking and bursting and blue

-Eternities of sea and sky shadow no pleasure:

Time unheard moves and the heart of man is eaten

Consummately at leisure.

The novelist tangential on the boardwalk overhead

Seeks his cure of souls in his own anxious gaze.

"Here," he says, "With whom?" he asks, "This?" he questions,

"What tedium, what blaze?

What satisfaction, fruit?

What transit, heaven?

Criminal? Justified?

Arrived at what June?"

That nervous conscience amid the concessions

Is haunting, haunted moon.

The Cure of Souls by Henry James

You've seen the photo - now you can buy it on a T shirt!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Sat, 07 May 2011 18:10:00 +0000

One of my photos is making an appearance on high streets all over the world as part of Zara's Spring / Summer 2011 fashion range.

This is the T-Short it appears on, I have had emails from people in the UK, USA, Norway, France, India and Hong Kong so far telling me they have seen it in their local branch.... is it in yours?

Here is the original photo....

Halcyon Days by Jo Bradford

Cliché Verre in The Digital Age

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:02:00 +0000

The Cliché Verre in The Digital Age exhibition Opens today in San Francisco.

Urban Illuminations by Jo Bradford, 2009. Unique Print from Cliché Verre

-----

5 of my Cliché Verre prints are in the group show at the Jenkins Johnson Gallery on Sutter Street in San Francisco.

Other artists in the show are Abelardo Morell, Peter Feldstein, Courtney Johnson, Maggie Foskett, Suzanne Izzo, Fredrik Marsh, Fred Parker, Frank Rossi, David Symons, and Käthe Wenzel.

Cut and paste this link to see the Press Release PDF

The show runs April 7–May 3, 2011

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 7, 5:30 – 7:30pm

Jenkins Johnson Gallery

464 Sutter Street,

San Francisco,

California

USA

www.jenkinsjohnsongallery.com

Opening Hours:
Tuesday –Friday 10 –6
Saturday 10–5

Earth by Jo Bradford, 2009. Unique Print from Cliché Verre

'Faces' Touring Show Opens at Guy's Hospital, London today

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:55:00 +0000

The 'Faces' Touring Exhibition Opens this week at the latest venue, Guy's Hospital, London

The poster image above is taken from my contribution to the show, a piece called Expressionless

(see previous post on the subject from February)

------

From the 8th April to the 13th May 2011 the exhibition will be in Atrium 2 of Guys Hospital, London Bridge.

There is a private view event tonight, Thursday 7th April, from 5:30pm to 8pm

Tickets are £5 on the door or £3 in advance from www.wegottickets.com

The exhibition looks at the face as the plane by which we interact with the world, and aims to raise money and awareness for the issues facing the facially disfigured in our society.

In association with Saving Faces, Guy's and St Thomas' Charity, King's Oral and Maxillofacial Society, Guy's and St Thomas' Arts Programme, The MDU.

Photo Alchemy Opens Today

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:42:00 +0000

The 'Photo Alchemy' show opens today at

23 Sandy Gallery in Portland, USA

Galaxy 9, by Jo Bradford, 2011

This exhibition showcases the revival in alternative process photography. In recent years contemporary photographers have been taking a fresh look at early printing processes‚ from cyanotypes to daguerreotypes, these deep, dreamy images bring a unique style and surface to a photograph that can not be achieved digitally.

As the juror for this show, Laura Moya tells us, “I am delighted with the recent groundswell of photographers rediscovering historic and alternative processes. There is still an inherent need for some artists to use photography to explore the unexplained in life. The processes in this exhibit lend themselves to the exploration of memory, loss, and the unspoken. It hints at traces—of people, of objects, of ideas. Perhaps unknowingly, poetry becomes part of the image.

These new images explore the notion that the time spent ‘crafting’ a photograph versus ‘taking’ a photograph gives the photographer space for thought. If one is working with heavy lenses, glass plates, or a multitude of chemicals, time slows down. If one is considering how air temperature might affect one’s film, time really slows down. It is the complexity of these processes that bring gifts to the table.”

My photogram of meteorites, Galaxy 9 (above) was selected for the show by Laura Moya, the Executive Director of Photolucida. The work will be on show, alongside some very beautiful alternative photographic images, from artists around the world.

Click here to see the catalogue

Countdown to launch.....

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:49:00 +0000

Space Shuttle Discovery Launched today and with it the first phase of the Fluxface Art Project has gone into space.

The next (and final) Space Shuttle to go up will have my art on board......

The final Space Shuttle Mission - Endeavour is currently slated to launch on the 19th April - but the date is still subject to some adjustments nearer the time...... not long now though!

Read more about it here.... My art is going to space

Congratulations to all the artists whose artwork is now in orbit!

Facing Changes an exhibition in conjunction with Saving Faces Charity

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:46:00 +0000

This is my commissioned artwork for the Faces exhibition organised by the
King’s Oral and Maxillofacial Society and Saving Faces. The brief for the commission was to explore the links between the features of the human face and the way personality can be read into them, and how our facial features shape our identity.
Facing Changes is a collaboration between King’s Oral and Maxillofacial Society and Saving Faces. It aims to bring attention and support to the work carried out by Saving Faces.
This is achieved through multimedia pieces executed by professionals in art, medicine, and science. The work offers a fresh insight into the plane by which we interact with the world and a key to our aesthetic identity: the human face.

The exhibition is a year-long touring exhibition starting at the Red Gate Gallery , before moving on to the Gordon Pathology Museum at Guy’s Hospital and after that it tours various sites in and around the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals.

Private View at the Red Gate Gallery: Friday 18th of February 2011 - 6.00 pm to 11.00 pm, will be an evening of art appreciation with live music African Asian fusion canapés at the gallery

Tickets: £7.50 www.wegottickets.com

Exhibition runs from: Friday 18th of February - Thursday 24th of February 2011

Gallery Opening Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri: 11.00 am to 6.30 pm - Sat: 12.30pm - 5.00 pm

Last day of Exhibition: Thursday 24th of February: 10.00am to 5.00pm

From the Saving Faces website....

"The face is the only part of our body we cannot hide. It conveys our emotions and innermost feelings. We often judge each other on the basis of facial appearance, making assumptions on a whole range of issues.
People suffer the consequences of facial diseases, injuries and disfigurement every day. In the United Kingdom alone 4,700 people develop oral cancer every year and 1,700 people die from this kind of cancer. Around 125,000 young people sustain serious facial injuries and 15,000 people receive treatment for facial disfigurement. Despite the severity of these issues, this remains a much neglected research area leaving thousands of those unfortunate enough to be affected with little hope for the future. Not enough is known about facial disease, injury and deformity, their psychological and emotional impact and, critically, which treatments are most effective.The Facial Surgery Research Foundation - Saving Faces, is the only charity in the United Kingdom solely dedicated to the worldwide reduction of facial injuries and diseases. We are taking the lead in education and research to improve the physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and other facial diseases."

Fluxfest at Museum Of Contemporary Art, Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:43:00 +0000

FLUXFEST at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Illinios

February 15-20: This exploration of Fluxus activity includes contemporary re-interpretations of classic Fluxus scores and actions; new Fluxus performances by Fluxus artists. Performers include the Chicago Fluxus Ensemble and invited Fluxus artists.

A piece of my art (and a portrait of me with it) is in this interesting little event at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art this week. The space picture below is the art in question, it is a digital copy of the artwork that is going to space on board NASA's Space Shuttle Endeavour in April this year.

{fluxface in space by Jo Bradford 2010}

Fluxface in Space Poster below....

Book covers

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:25:00 +0000

Two of my pictures have been licensed for book covers recently, and both by Berlin publishing houses co-incidentaly.

These are the pictures in question.....

I will be asking my friends in Germany to keep their eyes out for these books in a bookstore near them in the very near future.

Hopes and aspirations

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:26:00 +0000

I have been working with this beautiful young lady recently. Harriet commissioned me to create a new portfolio of images for her, she is hoping to break into the world of plus size modelling and will be taking her new portfolio to Paris and New York soon.

I think she has a wonderful career ahead of her - she is both lovely to work with and drop dead gorgeous too!

Good luck Harriet!!

xoxo

Night, when words fade & things come alive.

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:11:00 +0000

"Night, the beloved.

Night, when words fade & things come alive.

When the destructive analysis of day is done,

and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again.

When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree. "

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~

Last of the snowy photos......

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:14:00 +0000

I couldn't let the week finish without showing you the last of my snow photos.....

You can see the whole set on my website

{ Winter 10 by Jo Bradford }

{ Winter 9 by Jo Bradford }

{ Winter 5 by Jo Bradford }

-------------------------------

Well that's all from me for this week - may the weekend bring you joy,warmth and happiness :)

Silent, soft and slow

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:26:00 +0000

{ Winter 1 by Jo Bradford }

{ Winter 2 by Jo Bradford }

--------------------------

Out of the bosom of the Air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare,

Over the harvest-fields forsaken,

Silent, and soft, and slow

Descends the snow.

{Henry Wadsworth Longfellow}

--------------------------

{ Winter 3 by Jo Bradford }

{ Winter 4 by Jo Bradford }

If this is not enchantment, then where is it to be found?

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:37:00 +0000

'Winter 8' by Jo Bradford

--------------------------------------------

The first fall of snow is not only an event,

it is a magical event.

You go to bed in one kind of a world

and wake up in another quite different,

and if this is not enchantment

then where is it to be found?

~J.B. Priestley

--------------------------------------------

'Winter 7' by Jo Bradford

Happy Snow Day Folks :)

No such thing as bad weather.....

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:44:00 +0000

'Winter 5' by Jo Bradford

--------------------------------------------

Sunshine is delicious,

rain is refreshing,

wind braces us up,

snow is exhilarating;

there is really no such thing as bad weather,

only different kinds of good weather.

~John Ruskin

-----------------------------------------------

Winter 6' by Jo Bradford

If you go down to the woods today......

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 13:34:00 +0000

I recently undertook a portrait commission and we ended up shooting it in the fading winter afternoon light at a local Christmas Tree Plantation. The lush green moss underfoot was so velvety and inviting, and the light shimmering through the trees was breathtaking.

Here are some of the photos from the shoot.....

If you want to see more of my portrait and editorial work come and check out my website at www.JoBradford.com

Sights For Sore Eyes 2011 Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0000

This year I have pushed the boat out and have created not one, but three calendars for 2011.

The third design is my own favourite, 'Sights For Sore Eyes'

I hope that there is a calendar here to please everyone :)

See below the images for info about the outlets where you can purchase the calendars......

Sights For Sore Eyes 2011 Calendar

You can purchase the calendar from one of my online shops.

For UK Pound Sterling Currency click here to go to my Folksy shop

For US Dollar Currency click here to go to my Etsy shop

For Euro Currency click here to go to my DaWanda shop

'Beside The Seaside' 2011 Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 14:59:00 +0000

The second design is a new set of sea themed photos, the collection is called 'Beside The Seaside'

This set is aimed at those who liked and bought my sea themed calendar in 2010, the pictures in the 2011 are complimentary but every one is different from the 2010 set.

I hope that there is a calendar here to please everyone :)

See below the images for info about the outlets where you can purchase the calendars......

You can purchase the calendar from one of my online shops.

For UK Pound Sterling Currency click here to go to my Folksy shop

For US Dollar Currency click here to go to my Etsy shop

For Euro Currency click here to go to my DaWanda shop

'To The Sea' 2011 Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:58:00 +0000

This year I have pushed the boat out and have created not one, but three calendars for 2011.

The first design is 'To The Sea', those of you who bought the 2010 calendar will recognise this one. It has exactly the same photos as the 2010 edition, and has been made available for 2011 by popular demand, for people to buy as gifts for friends and family who have admired their 2010 calendar this year.

I hope that there is a calendar here to please everyone :)

See below the images for info about the outlets where you can purchase the calendars......

You can purchase the calendar from one of my online shops.

For UK Pound Sterling Currency click here to go to my Folksy shop

For US Dollar Currency click here to go to my Etsy shop

For Euro Currency click here to go to my DaWanda shop

New Folksy Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 10:45:00 +0000

Hi Folks!!

It has been a while since I posted anything, but with good reason, I have been so busy with my photography commissions, exhibitions and residencies that I have not had time for anything else besides.

After several years of selling my work in the Brooklyn, New York, based Etsy site and the Berlin based DaWanda Site, i felt it was about time I started selling from a UK based platform and after much deliberation I have chosen to sell at Folksy.

So if you are a British buyer of my work you no longer have to shop for my art in dollars and euros - you can shop with me at Folksy and pay in pounds :)

Here is a screenshot of my brand new Folksy shop

Hope to see you over there soon :)

Jumping for Joy :)

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:05:00 +0000

Joyful by Jo Bradford

I am having such a great month that I am literally jumping for joy on a daily basis. I have had 3 photos selected for a group show in London next month, and have just found out that I have been selected for the AA2A Artist In Residence Award Scheme run by the Arts Council, and I am really pleased to have 7 of my photograms in the 'Low Tech' show opening at the Center For Fine Art Photography in the USA this week.

More about all of this over the next few days....

This photo is taken from a portfolio shoot I did in mid September with a model called Charlotte. It was a fun sunny day of golden party dresses in gold and green cornfields and afterwards some trampolining in the afternoon sun.... this one makes me smile :)

Happy Wednesday!

300,000 views!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:57:00 +0000

The Sky's The Limit by Jo Bradford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My flickr photostream had it's 300,000th view this weekend.

Happy Monday

Up, up and away!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:51:00 +0000

Up, up & away! by Jo Bradford, 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The soundtrack to my early twenties were the hauntingly beautiful melodies of the melancholic Englishman, Nick Drake. His music still stops me in my tracks for a moment of quiet contemplation and his lyrics often run through my mind when I am working creatively.

The song "I was made to Love Magic" has some beautiful lines in it...

I was born to use my eyes
Dream with the sun and the skies
To float away in a lifelong song
In the mist where melody flies.
I was made to love magic...

I was born to sail away
Into a land of forever

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had so much fun shooting this in the sunshine yesterday afternoon, my main prop was my trampoline and of course the lovely blue sky and fluffy clouds. It was nice to feel the sun on my skin as I struck pointy-toed poses in the air, although my pointe shoes are half a size too small and particularly crippling after a summer in flip flops.

Happy Friday folks, I hope your weekend is full of sunshine and smiles!!

xoxo

The Old Man and The Sea

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Bradford) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:12:00 +0000

'Trade Winds' by Jo Bradford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'The clouds were building up now for the trade wind and he looked ahead and saw a flight of wild ducks etching themselves against the sky over the water, then blurring, then etching again and he knew no man was ever alone on the sea.'

The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway was first published on this day, the 8th September, in 1952. The above excerpt is one of my favourite lines from the book, one that considers man versus nature.