Julie Smith

Record of installation. A selection of drawings, oil paintings, etching and artefacts from the museum’s collection. Including horsebells drawing from the Wiltshire and HIstory Centre, Creative Wiltshire project, horsebells and rumbler bells, photograph Cathedral bells from Wells and Mendip Museum, etching Swans at Bishop’s house past and present, 3 oil paintings - copper ore, tin ore and zinc ore, horsebell drawing A6, silkscreen prints, advertisement, bell making and what remains of the foundry, etching framed horsebells in situ.

Detail, Cabinet 48 - Drawing, A6 depicts the horse-bells made by Robert Wells, bell foundry (part of the collection) used in the lanes of Somerset in the 18th century.

A view of the installation of the work in Cabinet 48.

Why draw horse bells? Curiosity was my first thought….Further down the line this led me to Zinc Ore atthe Wells and Mendip Museum

A tradition that has been happening since the 18th century. I have combined the recent addition of Grace and Gabriel with a previous pair. New and old bell. Etching, approx A6 plus border.

Installing work in Cabinet

silkscreen print, A6, edition

silkscreen print, edition.

from the Marlborough Journal advertisement 6th June 1772

silkscreen, A6 approx, edition

drawn from an illustration in the Bells in England, Tom Ingram, Illustrated Barbara Jones, 1954

The collection for the Antophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee….yet to meet

For the Fifty bees 111 project I was given Anthophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee (114) as my ‘bee’ to work with. This was a project that had been devised by Lydia Needle , ( being the third part )to highlight the plight of British bees, 270.

As an ARTeologist enjoying discoveries from the natural world, to consider a bee’s life,, pondering, noticing and wondering has been delightful. The pieces I have created reflect detailed studies and my observations tell their own stories.

Piece framed, 742mm x 642mm includes, drypoints, silkscreen, drawing, oil paintings, letraset

Fifty bees 111 project (114)

This is a detail of the dry point print, on zerkal paper, approx A6 which is part of the collection for the Anthophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee…yet to meet

Fifty bees 111 project (114)

This is a detail of the dry point print, on zerkal paper, approx A6 which is part of the collection for the Anthophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee…yet to meet

Fifty bees 111 project (114)

This is the details of the male and female, silkscreen print on recycled cartridge paper, 9cm x 14cm, which is part of the collection for Anthophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee….yet to meet

Fifty bees 111 project (114)

This the detail of the magnifier, including the habitat, drawing on medieval paper, which is part of the collection for Anthophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee….yet to meet

Fifty bees 111 project (114)

This the detail of Linaria purpurea, purple toadflax, habitat on/through microscope slides, oil paint on sized zerkal paper, which is part of the collection for Antophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee…yet to meet

Fifty bees 111 project (114)

This is the detail of lamium album, white dead nettle, habitat, oil paint on sized zerkal paper, on/through microscope slides, which is part of the collection for Anthophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee

Fifty bee 111 project, (114)

This is the detail of Stacys byzantina, lambs ear, on/through microscope slides, oil paint on sized zerkall paper, which is part of the collection for Anthphora furcata, fork tailed flower bee…yet to meet

Fifty bees 111 project, (114)

This is the pile of handouts that include the habitat, where you will find the Anthophora furcata, fork tailed flower bee, silkscreen on tracing paper, A4. to be go along with the exhibition

Fifty bees 111 project, (114)

This is 1 of 100, detail of the handouts, silkscreen on tracing paper, A4, showing the habitat, which is to go along side the exhibition piece

copper ore, 78% (horsebell metal ingredients) Cornwall, oil paint on sized mill board, framed 10cm X 15cm

Tin ore, 21% (Horsebell metal ingredients part), Cornwall, oil paint on sized mill board, framed 10cm x 15cm

zinc ore, 2%, (horsebell metal ingredients), Mendips, oil paint on sized mill boaard, framed 10cm x 15cm

ores, 78 %copper, 21% tin and 2% zinc (horsebell metai ingredients), oil paintings, on mill board framed in situ in one of the exhibitions for ARTeology project

ARTeology project/exhibition detail of part of the artwork in one of the exhibition venues

Bell drawing, Horsebells, Robert Wells, Aldbourne Foundry !8th century, pencil on Somerset paper, 74cm x 58cm unframed

Why draw the horse bells? Curiosity was my first thought. What an exciting find, the bells have made a long journey from an auction house in the USA, an interesting story in itself. They were made originally in a foundry in Aldbourne, Robert Wells in the 18th century.

The bells being the oldest purchase of the Creative Wiltshire project- a collection that has brought to light the breadth of creativity of Wiltshire. What is fascinating is these bells were worn by the horses in the wagon teams to warn of their approach on roads where passing was difficult. ‘It was said that craftsmen like Robert Wells could produce sets of team bells, the sounds which were unique to each set.’ (1)

For my part becoming an Arteologist, simply drawing, has been a lovely way of making discoveries and considering how we can tell stories whether based on reality or imagination through the magic of creativity. This has led me also to researching further the origins of my chosen object with subsequent oil paintings, prints and written text.

I hope in a small way you can hear the echoes of the bells…

1.Horse bells by Terry Keegan, Douglas Hughes, Claude A. Brock and Ran Hawthorne, A National Horse Brass Society Publication, second edition, revised and enlarged 1988.

ARTeology project/exhibition, one of the etchings that was shown in the exhibition. In this case under perspex. A team, wagon, horses and horsebells. Inspired by the 18th century bells cast by Robert Wells, Aldbourne. Used as part of the passing to let approaching horses know. Each set had a different sound.

This was a piece I made to tell the story of the foundries at Aldbourne and the journey that these particular horse bells took from an auction house in America back to the Pewsey Heritage Centre via the Creative Wiltshire project and the subsequent ARTeology exhibition. This being one piece from the collection I created

A team, wagon, horses and horsebells, detail, etching on paper, framed, 35cm x30cm .

Part of the ARTeology project/.exhibition, the etching was part of the story of the horse bells that were in common use in the 18th century, to indicate the passing of a wagon pulled by horses. They were attached to the horses.

installation - St. Peter's Church, Brighton, collaboration with audio artist Matt Hegarty (sound track, You-tube, making notes.wmv.), organ music/manuscript bird-boxes, piano wires,  led lights, wood, paint, electrics, beeswax, speakers

installation - St. Peter's Church, Brighton, collaboration with audio artist Matt Hegarty (sound track, you-tube, making notes.wmv.), organ music/manuscript bird-boxes, piano wires,  led lights, wood, paint, electrics, beeswax, speakers

detail of exhibition

detail of exhibition

looking down on the bird-boxes, detail

organ music manuscript bird-box, on speaker

installation - St. Peter's Church, Brighton, collaboration with audio artist Matt Hegarty (sound track, You-tube, making notes.wmv.), organ music/manuscript bird-boxes, piano wires,  led lights, wood, paint, electrics, beeswax, speakers, pinhole camera

the organ in the church, design for poster

image for poster

pinhole, Black and white film, single frame

installation - St. Peter's Church, Brighton, collaboration with Don Clarke,  detail of city, wax, led lights, wood, paint, electrics 

cities, detail

installation - St. Peter's Church, Brighton, collaboration with Don Clarke, Cities, boats, beacons - wax, piano wires,  led lights,  reeds, wood, paint, electrics, beeswax, speakers

detail of city

view on right, Cities, boats, beacons - wax, piano wires,  led lights,  reeds, wood, paint, electrics, beeswax, speakers

installation - St. Peter's Church, Brighton, collaboration with Don Clarke, detail on left, cities, boats, beacons, wax, piano wires,  led lights, reeds, wood, paint, electrics, beeswax, speakers

installation - St. Peter's Church, Brighton, collaboration with Don Clarke, corner view, Cities, boats, beacons - wax, piano wires,  led lights,  reeds, wood, paint, electrics, beeswax, speakers

view in day-light