This is an exhibition to make you think twice about the ground beneath your feet. Ancient flint tools and Victorian bottles of coloured sand sit next to contemporary art including the large image of Durdle Door made from mashed potato and peas, brought together over the years by Portland artist Judith Frost.
Through this very personal collection, Judith tells the story of her fascination with the earth’s shifting and the ways we have used the rock and stone revealed.
Discover 17th century illustrations of rocks and minerals that contributed to the debate about the origin of fossils, the first images of Everest taken from the air in 1933, a fertility stone from India, a Pre-Raphaelite watercolour of igneous rocks and even stone sweets.
As well as showing her own work in the exhibition, Judith Frost has invited several other contemporary artists to take part, including Susi Arnott, Sian Bonnell, Tony Hill, Crispin Hughes, Dinu Li, John Miles, Suse Wiegand and George Wright.
Alongside the exhibition is an exciting programme of talks, walks and workshops.
On Friday 15 May at 7.30pm, architectural historian Patric Morrissey gives a talk about grottoes in the arts centre café. Earlier the same day at 10am, there is a two and a half hour walk on the Ridgeway above Abbotsbury and Portesham. Meet at GB Grid SY588 867. The following Friday 22 May, the Portland Rock walk starts at 10am, meeting at Quiddles café on the esplanade at Chiswell. These events cost £2.50.
The exhibition can be seen Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10am to 4pm, until Saturday 6 June. A full list of the events linked to the exhibition is available from Bridport Arts Centre or online at www.bridport-arts.com.
Associated events:
Free events:
Exhibition tour
Judith Frost talks with a Jurassic Coast geologist about their favourite objects in the exhibition.
Part of Evolution Rocks! The Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2009.
Saturday 23 May 2 – 2.45pm. Free (donations welcome)
Cutting the Jurassic Cake
Saturday 6 June 3 – 4pm
On the last day of Rocks, come and help us cut and eat the Jurassic Cake, made by children with help from Local Food Links and the Jurassic Coast team.
Walks & Talks £2.50
Rocks on the Ridgeway
Friday 15 May 2009 10am and /or 2pm
Two and a half hour walk on the Ridgeway above Abbotsbury and Portesham.
Meeting at GB Grid SY588 867
Grottoes
Friday 15 May 7.30 – 8.15pm, Arts Centre café
Patric Morrissey, architectural historian and curator of an exhibition on grottoes for Devizes Museum, will look at the origin and purpose of man-made grottoes, including how they were made.
Portland Rock
Friday 22 May 2009 10am and /or 2pm
A quirky tour of some of the lesser known sites. Two and a half hour walk meeting at Quiddles cafe on the esplanade at Chiswell.
May Half Term workshops:
£10 per child
Rock Star!
Drama workshop for 7 – 11yrs
Tuesday 26 May 10am – 3.30pm
Have fun with words, movement, and drama.
Led by Susan J Herrmann
Rock around the Rock!
Music workshop for 7 – 11yrs
Wednesday 27 May 10am – 3.30pm
Sing the big rock songs! Have fun with melody and rhythm and try new ways of singing.
End with showcase at 3.15pm.
Led by Julie Kingston
Fantastic Fossils
Art workshop for 6 – 10yrs
Thursday 28 May 10am – 3.30pm
Drawing, 3D, cutting, sticking and making fossils and rocks with Darrell Wakelam
Ruby's Chicky Boil-Ups is a themed music show presented by Ruby Wright and broadcast every other Sunday on Radio Nowhere.
Rocks and Stones on Ruby's Chicky Boil-Ups, 26 April 2009
To coincide with Rocks: from Axe heads to Zennor Head at Bridport Arts Centre, 2 May – 6 June 2009 the theme of this week's programme is Rocks and Stones.
The show airs at 9pm on www.radionowhere.org and is available for download immediately afterwards from the website and on itunes from May 1st.
