Feeding an Obssesion

For many photographers a place that is close to their heart becomes the subject of their obsession.  It's a place that is generally close to their home; it's a place that they will visit regular; it's a place that they will know like the back of their hand; and it's a place that will be the subject of many, many photographs, even though most of them will not be seen beyond their computer screen.

How do I know this?  Well, I have my obsession.  My obsession is a hill in Lancashire called Boulsworth.  It lies to the south of Nelson and Colne  and towers above the village of Wycoller.

My favourite walk to the summit is from Coldwell Reservoirs. and is relatively flat until you take the concessionary path to the summit.

Boulsworth has been the subject of my photographs before, it in fact plays a part in Remnants and will no doubt feature in future landscape projects.  So why is this hill my obsession?

It would be easy of Pendle to be my obsession.  It has a lot going for it, it is unusual in the fact that it stands alone, it has history and atmosphere but for me Boulsworth is just something else.  I can't put my finger on it and couldn't say why, but this hill has to be one of my favourites in Lancashire and I definitely have more photographs of this hill than any other.

Last Wednesday I managed a trip back to my obsession and did I catch it at the right time?  I was there just as the sun was going down and managed to catch these images.  Although bitterly cold, the sun was out and the sky was threatening more snow, just perfect for a landscape photographer.  However, I didn't come away with the photograph that I was attempting to capture.  That one may have to wait until next winter now.

We've hit 1500!

We started the Pixel website at the back end of last year to support the magazine and help promote local photography and arts events.

Yesterday, we hit over 1500 visits to the site!

We would like to thank everyone who takes the time to call in and have a look at what we and our friends do.

Pennine Lancashire is a buzzing area of creativity in all disciplines of the arts and we are privileged to meet the talented people that work as professional artists/photographers and those that beaver quietly away as a hobby.

Thanks for your support!

Daisyfield Mills - Open Doors

Pixel firends Blackburn & Darwen Borough Council and Blackburn College have teamed up with a host host of organisations to create an Easter Event for all the family.

Daisyfield Mill will open its doors with this family orientated event that will include music, graffiti art, exhibitions, pop up coffee shop and loads more.

The event runs from Friday 12th April until Saturday 13th April 11am - 5pm.  For more information visit Daisyfield Mills website at www.daisyfieldmill.com

Spring Exhibition @ arteology

Arteology is a fantastic gallery in Colne.

Their Spring Exhibition opens on the 6th April and includes work by artist and illustrator Katie Hampson.

Katie will be attending the opening between 12pm and 2pm and will be on hand to talk about her work and give demonstrations.

  

In addition to Katies work there will be prints, paintings and photographs on display from a whole range of artists.

For more information visit the arteology website.

Just in time for Easter!

Our friends at Pendle Borough Council are kicking off Easter Festivities with an Art & Craft Market in Colne.  Click the image for an enlarged view and more details.

Artists Hangout

The monthly meeting of artists know as the Artists' Hang Out returns Cafe Cargo on Foulridge Wharf with a theme of Yellow on Wednesday 27th March, 7.30pm.

This is a great place to meet artists from different disciplines and experience their work up close and personal.

Click the image to see a larger version of the poster for further details.

Nelson's Art & Vintage Market

Nelson's Art & Vintage Market returns this April.

The last market attracted in excess of 3000 visitors over the course of three days.

Building on this success the Art & Vintage Market returns from the 12th till the 14th of April and promises to be bigger and better than the last.

For more information and to see some quite nice pictures visit the ACE Centre website.

A Festival of Wonders!

Our friends at Creativity Works and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council have asked us to promote this opportunity for volunteering.  Not only is this a great opportunity for you to get involved with your local museum, heritage venue or library but it will give you the chance to see the organisations from behind the scenes and take part in the Festival of Wonders event (see information below).

Would you like to gain formal but fun training in creative evaluation and visitor observation techniques and then use your skills to contribute to Pennine Lancashire’s Festival of Wonders on 16/17/18/ May 2013?

We are looking for 16 volunteers to attend 3 workshops in creative evaluation and visitor observation led by observational research expert, Lisa Baxter of The Experience Business - www.theexperiencebusiness.co.uk . You will devise fun, interactive ways to capture and contribute opinions, observations and visual evidence about a Festival of Wonders event taking place at a Pennine Lancashire Museum. No previous experience is needed, just enthusiasm, a willingness to work as part of a team and commitment to give 3.5 days of your time to the project including attending one Festival of Wonders event.

For this you will gain expert training and experience that could be used to enhance your CV, contribute to volunteer time for university applications, improve confidence with the public and demonstrate clear team working. Travel expenses will be paid, refreshments and lunch will be provided at all workshops/meetings and at the end of the project you will receive a written letter confirming your participation and achievement.

Festival of Wonders is Pennine Lancashire’s Museums at Night campaign where museums, libraries and heritage venues open up late and put on special events to encourage new audiences to experience their venue and collections. In 2013 15 venues are taking part in Pennine Lancashire. The project is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and coordinated by Creativity Works.

To take part please email elaine.lees@blackburn.gov.uk by 2 April 2013.

You will be asked to complete and return a volunteer registration form. You must be over 18 and available for workshops on 18 April, 29 April and a preparation session on 8 May, as well as attending one event on either 16/17/18 May and one review session, date to be confirmed.

Pixel News

Pixel already brings you the latest news from the photography world but we want to make the news more personal to you.

If you are a photographer, club, association, gallery or just have something you want to share with the rest of the Pennine Lancashire Photography Community, why not drop us an email to editor@pixelmag.co.uk.  Feel free to include any information you want and even photographs

We look forward to hearing your news soon!

'Wonderful Things' Happen

Pennine Lancashire Museums and Libraries have received funding in order to promote themselves through a series of adverts that will start to appear on buses and billboards throughout the area.

Our libraries stock valuable arts resources whether is 'how to' or 'A dummies guide to' style manuals or books that can influence the way you work.  Blackburn even stocks Pixel contributor Simon Robert's Motherland book (well worth a look).

Our museums would be a very different place without photography.  Our particular art medium plays a vital role in the telling of stories over the course of our history and often house fantastic collections.

Why not visit your local library and museum and show them the support they deserve!

The Owl Project @ Turton Tower

Pixel friends at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Mid-Pennine Arts have sent us details about an exciting new Contemporary Heritage commission for Turton Tower.

Owl Project are creating a site specific installation for Turton Tower. K-Scope is their next major piece following on from the hugely successful ~Flow, commissioned as part of the Cultural Olympiad. Owl Project were intrigued by elements of the tower’s history that remain absent, in particular, rumours of secret tunnels and the work and the inventions of former resident James Kay.

They have developed ideas for a project that will invite people to enter an imaginary space where fact and fiction combine, drawing attention to Turton Tower’s rich industrial heritage and an age of wonder, when people were excited by what machines could achieve.

 

For this commission Owl Project are creating two elements that link the Tower and the garden; inside a wooden analogue computer that weaves light and fantastic listening horns exhibited in the Tower’s gardens.

The venue is open to the public March–October every year, and this new commission will launch on 16 March 2013. The Tower is a beautiful Grade 1 listed building located in the dramatic setting of the West Pennine Moors between Blackburn and Bolton. Turton has evolved over five centuries, from a defensive tower to a family home. It is now a unique and atmospheric visitor destination, housing a wonderful collection of period furniture and paintings.

For more information visit the Mid-Pennine Arts Website at www.midpenninearts.org.uk/home

The Ark: Call out for film interviewees

Artist Beth Derbyshire is launching The Ark, a new project for Pennine Lancashire in May 2013. The Ark is a pop-up sculpture that carries a sound and film installation along the Leeds - Liverpool canal.

 The Ark has been inspired by themes of shelter, home and rites of passage. The films shown inside the Ark respond to the elements of water, rain, rocks and minerals so pervasive to Pennine Lancashire’s landscape, heritage and culture. Beth has been inspired by the stories that intertwine the raw materials that have given this area such a rich industrial heritage, the stories of the communities that have developed around this industry and the landscape that has made all this possible. The Ark will be a celebration of the rich landscape of Pennine Lancashire.

 Beth is seeking to work with groups or individuals in local communities to gather reflections from their personal journeys. She is keen to record oral histories from both people who have grown up in the area and those who have settled in the area during the last 50 years. Beth is looking for participants who have a connection to or a story about any of these industries:


Coal, iron, limestone, wind power, water power, and the landscape in general.

Interviews can take place where ever you feel most comfortable and any expenses will be met. We would love to hear from you and share your stories to help shape this exciting new artwork Please contact Laura Rodgers on 01254 667130 or on Laura.Rodgers@blackburn.gov.uk

Introducing Tom Koene

At Pixel, we like finding new talent and if you follow our writings here it becomes apparent that we like documentary photography.

As we have mentioned before, on our reading list is Verve Photo (http://vervephoto.wordpress.com/) which has set out to make the world aware of talented documentary photographers.  The latest offering from Verve Photo is the photography of Ton Koene.

Dutch born Koene began his career with Medicins Sans Frontieres after graduating from Oxford with a degree in Humanitarian Practice.  His role in MSF took him to the front line of many conflicts and desperate situations including Afghanistan, Somalia and Chechnya.  In 2006 he left MSF after 16 years and began working as a freelance photojournalist and began covering a variety of subjects from conflict to the environment.

Koene now lives in Afghanistan and works for the agency DeVolkskrant.  He has published five photobooks and one text book.  He was also winner of the 2012 World Press Photo competition.

To see more of Koene's excellent work visit his website (http://www.tonkoene.nl/)

March/April Issue of Pixel is here!

The new issue of Pixel is here!  This month we have a lot of exciting features, we hope you enjoy.

An Opportunity for Northern Artists

Call for artists - please circulate Applications are now open for a £10,000 prize offered by New Lights to young artists who were born, are based, or have studied in the North of England: areas include Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Liverpool, NorthEast, and Northumberland. Plus an exhibition at The Mercer Gallery, Harrogate for all shortlisted entries. Work must be wall-hung, in a media that does not require a power source, and excludes photography. Artists must be aged between 23 – 35 years.  WHEN: Deadline 31 May 2013 PRIZE:  Include £10,000 first prize and £2500 sponsors award CHARGES: Entry fee £15 TO APPLY: Visit www.newlights.org.uk CONTACT: info@newlights.org.uk /NewLightsPrize   @newlightsart

Blackburn & District Camera Club

Blackburn & District Camera Club's trophy competition season got under way last night with the Winsor & Rosenburg Cup print competitions.  See the full story on B&DCC's website.

Information updates from our friends at Redeye

Redeye Survey and Prize Draw

Every couple of years we run a major survey which is your chance to tell us in detail what you think of Redeye, and help us improve our service. We want to hear from everybody, however much or little you are involved. We have six great prizes including books from Dewi Lewis Publishing and Imperial War Museum; three £50 vouchers from Bob Books, and a free Redeye Membership. Anyone who completes the survey by 17 March will be entered into a draw for these prizes. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

  

Work for Redeye

We are seeking a part-time freelance Events Co-ordinator to work for us on our highly-respected events programme. The fee is £4,800 over the first 6 months, with the likelihood of extending. The work will include planning, marketing, delivery and evaluation. Deadline for applications is 17:00 on 15 March 2013.

Eva Stenram talk

We are very pleased to welcome Eve Stenram, the accomplished and highly praised photographic artist who works with digitally manipulated and found photographs, for a talk Liverpool at 19:00 on 12 March 2013. Tickets cost £5 or FREE for Redeye members. Advance booking strongly recommended.

Conexiones exhibition by Redeye members

Instituto Cervantes Manchester with Redeye, the Photography Network, are delighted to present Conexiones - British Photography in Spain and Latin America, showing eight UK-based photographers, all members of Redeye, who have worked in Spain or Latin America. The exhibition opens on 23 March and runs until 15 May 2013.

Redeye printing bursary with Rob Sara

Our printing bursary with Rob Sara is now launched for 2013 - one Redeye member will receive up to £750 worth of top quality hand prints from colour negatives. The deadline to apply is 22 March. This is open to paid Redeye members only.

New Issue Out Soon!

The March/April Edition of Pixel is due to be released and we have a packed issue this month.

Features this month include:

Sarah Lee's photo essay on the Barefoot Shepherdess
Regular contributor, Steward Ellett writes with his wife, Jan on Escaping Christmas.
We have not one but two In-Profiles featuring the work of Mark Ridehalgh and Mark Robinson.
We also take a sneak preview at the Annual Exhibitions of Nelson Camera Club and Burnley Camera Club.
Finally, we have all the news from the world of photography.

Look out for the release next week!