Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Peter Quinnell


We are the proud owners of a Peter Quinnell assemblage that arrived today by courier. Sadly the glass had shattered into lots of tiny bits but we quite like it without the glass - you dont get those annoying reflections distracting you!
Peter was game enough to suggest a swap for one of my collages so I was very happy. We have several of Peter's boxes he made with Magda Archer ( Magda is now married to comedian Harry Hill but still a working illustrator with books coming out for Harper Collins and cards at Polite ) when they were working together - the graduated from the RCA at the same time that Hazel did ( or was it the year after?). We have always enjoyed the humour in their work and Peter has carried on that tradition with his "solo" work. Peter lives with his illustrator wife - another RCA graduate Claire Fletcher and his daughter in sunny Hastings by the sea. His recent exhibition was hung on the side of a very wind blown and surf sprayed beach hut on the pebbly beach.
Hazel and I used to enjoy trips to Hastings when we lived in London as it was within easy reach of Waterloo station. The wonderful tall wooden net drying sheds there were an inspiration for Hazel's "Currant Drying Sheds" - one of which is now in the collection of the Crafts Council of GB.
Back in the 90's when we still lived in Lambeth Walk we exhibited with Peter and Magda and some other artists at the Roupell Gallery just behind Waterloo Station. The show did very well and even got 2 minutes on a late night arts programme on Thames TV. Peter now does illustrations for book covers , magazines and shop window displays in Oxford Street as well as teaching at Hastings School Of Art.

17 comments:

Jonathan said...

Oh, I've broken things...
not in transport but in unfortunate mishandling. The worst was I pice that got rained on... I thought it was oil but it was more like guache.
Cost me two trips to NY and $800...

Wastedpapiers said...

I could have sent it back but you know me - hate to make a fuss about a bit of broken glass. We actually prefer it without the glass as its an assemblage and a funny rhomboid shape so cutting glass to fit must have been a nightmare for Peter! I dont know why he bothered really. Going to find some strong electrical flex to hang it up today. That should be fun as it weighs a ton!

Anonymous said...

be careful.

Wastedpapiers said...

Its done already. It was easier than i thought. I put it in the alcove over the PC - it looks better there. I put your ticket winders in the front room and the old photo of my Mum.
Not sure what to do with this tatty old cork board.

Anonymous said...

see if archie wants it..
good thinking

Wastedpapiers said...

He didnt want it. I cant blame him!

Jonathan said...

I probably would have used two D-rings... but that's me. Why electrical wire and not picture wire??? I'll bet it doesn't weigh more than 20 lbs.

Wastedpapiers said...

I'm sure you are right Jonathan - being a old hand at this picture hanging game. I'm a cheapskate so electrical flex seems the obvious choice to me as have tons of it lying around the house that isnt used. Picture wire would be hard to find and probably expensive.

Roger Stevens said...

You could you electrical picture wire. That way you could connect a little light over the art work at the same time.

Seem to have a soccer player as the verification this time.
Tivenes.

Roger Stevens said...

Could resist this word verification!

HOTS ME

Anonymous said...

he is always thinking that roger...
WV..ovessard..he play for spain didn't he?

Wastedpapiers said...

You could you boyo.

Isnt Ovessard a friend of Larry Grayson's?

Coffee Messiah said...

At least it arrived ; )

Sent a package to a friend with a book and compiled cd & cover. The postal service delivered the "one end opened envelope." He caught the carrier the next day, and told her the package was missing said contents. Her reply: " I found a book and cd."

Did he receive them? Nope, disappeared ; (

Ain't like sending things up through the 80s.

It's a bums rush now.

Liking your entries! Cheers!

Peter Quinnell said...

I like the broken glass photo... you should screw it to the wall with the mirror plates provided, for a really secure hanging: I'm worried it's going to fall on your 'puter and smash that, too. I might ring up Fed Ex and ask them about the damage - must have dropped it pretty seriously - not just a crack!
I'm going to frame your space cucumber collage soon: got my eye on a nice frame in the charity shop.

Love PQ xxxxx

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks for dropping by Peter. King For A Day is hanging over a gap behind the PC so if it should fall it will miss it completely and I dont think it will anyway. Seems pretty secure to me. His eyes follow me around the room as Pete & Dud used to say. Always the sign of a good artwork!

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks also Coffee Messiah for dropping by. I've done over 25 years of international mail art and hardly any mishaps in the post during that time. Pretty amazing really.

TinTrunk said...

What a marvellous piece. It does look fine without the glass but this means you will have to dust it carefully!

I bought some picture wire from a discount shop years ago and it looked like a bunch of copper fuse wire twisted together. Works like a charm anyway, and I have had no disasters with it so far.

My word verification is 'ovends'- does that mean anything in any language??