My art is going to space!!

My fluxface in space contribution

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Thought you might like to know about a little project I am involved in, where a digital copy of one of my meteorite photograms + a photo of me with my artwork will be launched into space onboard the final NASA space shuttle mission.  


The Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-134) will launch at 8:47pm BST on Friday 29th April 2011.  Here is a bit about the project.....

The Fluxface Exhibition Poster by Angela Ferrara

The "Fluxface in Space" exhibition is a commemorative project around the fact that the Space Shuttle program is coming to an end after this flight.  The exhibition is to be launched into orbit on the last Endeavour Space Shuttle mission in April 2011, this final mission will include a rendezvous with the International Space Station.


The 127 participating artists (from 26 nations) each created an original postcard sized work of art, in various media, interpreting the themes of Space Exploration & the Arts, the Shuttle Program, Outer Space, Rockets, Astronauts and Astronomy.  


As my darkroom (photogram) art is made using meteorites, it seems only right that at some point it should go to space, as that's where it all originates from, well, you could say that about all of us too.  The organisers are heralding this as an historic exhibition as apparently this is the first international group art exhibition in space.

The exhibit is expected to travel around the surface of the world as well, while the digitised versions are touring space on board the Space Shuttle, the actual artworks will be exhibited in a touring exhibition here on earth.  In October 2010 the touring show kicks off at the Kennedy Space Station in Florida where the Launch will occur, after that it's next stop is at the Fort Worth Art Center in Texas, it will continue to tour the world and it is expected to be seen by many thousands in art centers, museums and other art gallery environments. 


You can read more about my space themed photogram and cliché verre artwork made with meteorites over on my website... www.jobradford.com

Day 5, Vonnegut and Astatke make Fridays fundays

Day 5 from the Last Light Series by Jo Bradford.

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The week has flown by - today I will be busying myself with the following...

• Writing the text for my piece for Catalogue Of The Night, I may post the finished images and text here next week, but it may give you nightmares so don't say I didn't warn you!
• The final stages of uploading my NASA artwork submission.
• While I work, I am listening to Mulatu Astatke, just loving those sounds of Ethiopiques Volume 4 
• And at lunchtime I am looking forward to reading the last chapter of my current book, Cat's Cradle.  What's not to love about my beloved Mr Vonnegut's writings?  I already know the end as I have read it before, but I can't resist revisiting him from time to time :)
• Toughest task of all today though, is not to shake, prod and generally feel, the pile of packages in the lounge after the postman just did his rounds.....  I will patiently wait till the morning to check out my birthday stash, promise!

See you tomorrow for Day 6, the penultimate day in my series Last Light

Jo xxxx

Ripe Strawberries and good conversation

Day 4 from the Last Light Series by Jo Bradford

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Happy Thursday all, see you tomorrow for Day 5, my personal favourite picture in the Last Light series.

Night night xxx

Day 3, Getting things done!!

Day 3 from the Last Light Series by Jo Bradford

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I have just finished my piece of photogram / cliche verre art for my Space Shuttle Piece... more about that next week when I have finished showing you this last light series

Happy Wednesday!!

jo 

xoxo

Day 2 - and so much to do!!!

Day 2 from the Last Light Series by Jo Bradford

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Hello Folks!! Here is your Tuesday installment of my new series "Last Light".

This is Day 2.  

Last Light - 7 Days

Day 1 from the Last Light Series by Jo Bradford

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I have a new(-ish) series called Last Light, that I have not shared with you yet.

This week I am going to upload a new picture each day as there are 7 pictures in this series.   This is Day 1.  

Happy Monday!

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Halcyon Days

Halcyon Days by Jo Bradford

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It has been a fun week for the Poppytalk Gang as we celebrate summer colours week.  I have had a great time making new work especially for the occasion and including a few recent pictures from my back catalogue too.  Halcyon Days was a quick something I knocked up for Mondays Pink theme.  It has turned out to be something of an unexpected hit as it was selected to be an Utata Front Page this week.  What a lovely surprise :)  

Halcyon Days in now for sale in my Etsy shop

And my DaWanda Shop

xoxo

Pink Pleasure

Thanks to Poppytalk for featuring my photo on their blog this week :)

June Afternoons

June Afternoon by Jo Bradford

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"And what is so rare as a day in June.... 

Then, if ever, come perfect days"

~James Russell Lowell~

June is a month of the most perfect warm breezes and soft light - especially here in Cornwall where the light reflects off the sea in soft pastel colours that beg to be photographed.  

Whisper

Whisper by Jo Bradford

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I hope that you have some fun and relaxing plans for your weekend.....  mine is going to be all about walking dogs, making pictures and hanging out at the beach, long may this glorious sunshine continue :)

Have a good weekend!!

Jo 

xoxo

Summer Sale!!

Cape by Jo Bradford

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What with all this glorious sunny weather we have been blessed with recently it feels only right to share some of my sunshine smiles around.  

Cape is a brand new listing in my Etsy & Dawanda Shops today.  

I hope you have a lovely day in the sunshine, whatever you are doing!

Jo xoxo

Aqua & White

I always love to be featured in Etsy treasuries...... 

I thought I would mention this one which made it to the Front Page of Etsy yesterday, because I just love the colours in it, not to mention al the lovely things featured to add to my burgeoning wishlist....... well done to Amanda from the delightful MilkandHoneyHandbags for the Front Page Treasury and thanks for featuring my photo "Sunday Morning (9am)"

Sunday Morning (9 am) by Jo Bradford

The Joy Of The New :)

Hello.


I have so much newness to share with you today!

I have decided to make my photo card range (notelets or greeting cards by another name) available online.
Up until now these art cards have only been for sale in a select few bricks & mortar galleries and gift shops across the UK.  However, due to popular demand, I have decided to offer them for sale to my collectors outside the UK too, so as of today, all 14 designs are now available to buy in my Etsy and Dawanda stores.

As you can see the card is large enough to be framed as a gift, and the photograph is full frame to the front of the folded card.  Printed on high quality acid free 290gsm card stock by a professional printer whose other clients include such luminaries of the art world as the Tate Art Gallery, St. Ives, the paper card is bright white. The rear of the card is titled and bears my name. 

The card is blank inside for your own message, comes with a white envelope and is packed in a clear cellophane sleeve for protection.

Oh and before I forget, I am offering free shipping if bought with another item!!

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p.s. I hope that you will like the new look of the blog, it was very much in need of a facelift and I am pretty pleased with the results.  But please do let me know if anything is not working properly for you on your screen / browser combo... I can tell that it looks pretty sexy on my Mac, but how does it look from your place?

Bye for now  :)

Jo x

Blue Beach Days ... the third

Blue Beach Days III by Jo Bradford

I am sure that if you are aware of my photographs in my Etsy or Dawanda shop, that you will be familiar with my very popular photographs from a series called Blue Beach Days. (see part 1 of the series below)

Blue Beach Days I ~ by Jo Bradford

I recently had the opportunity to make a new picture for the ongoing series, and have just finished working on it.

So with out any further ado, I am pleased to present Blue Beach Days III.  See the details from Blue Beach Days III below....

Blue Beach Days I, II & III are available to buy in my Etsy store in various formats right now.

Happy Monday Folks :)

Jo x

Singing all the while

~Ophelia by Jo Bradford ~ {click here to view at my Flickr instead}

Today is the birthday of Sir John Everett Millais, co-founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

He is most famous for his painting of the Shakespearian character, Ophelia, from Hamlet.

Millais' painting depicts the young Ophelia's final tragic moments, as driven to madness after her father, Polonius, is murdered by her boyfriend, Hamlet, she falls into the river while picking flowers and slowly drowns singing all the while.

I saw this painting in the Tate Britain as a teenager and have been haunted by it ever since. Millais masterpieces in the Tate Britain collection sparked a long time love affair with the works of the Pre-Raphaelites and to a lesser degree a greater interest in the writings of the Bard as well.

To celebrate the birth of Millais then, let me show you my own homage to Ophelia (top), as inspired by Millais, and all the other artists who have re-imagined this iconic image from both classical literature and art.

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~ Hamlet, Act IV, Scene VII ~

Laertes	Drowned! O, where?
Queen Gertrude	There is a willow grows askant the brook, That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream. Therewith fantastic garlands did she make Of crowflowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, But our cold maids do dead-men's-fingers call them. There on the pendent boughs her crownet weeds Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke, When down her weedy trophies and herselfFell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide, And mermaid-like awhile they bore her up; Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes, As one incapable of her own distress, Or like a creature native and indued Unto that element. But long it could not be Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay To muddy death.
Laertes	Alas, then she is drowned?
Queen Gertrude	Drowned, drowned