listings

Category: Art

50 Years of Illustration accompanies the launch of a new book of the same title by Professor Lawrence Zeegen, Dean of the School of Design. The book charts the rich history of contemporary illustration, from the rampant idealism of the 1960s to the digital explosion of the 1990s as well as the increasing diversification taking place in the twenty-first century.
 

HOPE poster by Shepard Fairey.

The exhibition is part of a trio of shows named 160, that includes Alan Kitching and Monotype: Celebrating the centenary of five pioneers of the poster and Stereohype 2004-2014, which celebrates a collection of 1,000 button badges.

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak.

Dylan poster by Milton Glaser.

Speaking about the exhibitions, Professor Lawrence Zeegen explains: “160 at London College of Communication celebrates the work of numerous influential designers and illustrators across the past 100 years. Reflecting the disciplines of graphic design, typography and illustration, all taught and researched within LCC's School of Design, this trio of exhibitions has been curated to inspire and inform today's and tomorrow's generations of design creatives. Launched during the London Design Festival 2014, 160 aims to highlight the invaluable connectivity between design industry and design education, many of the exhibitors across all three exhibitions having studied or taught at London College of Communication.”
 

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John LP cover by Ian Beck.

Private View: Thursday 18 September 2014, 6-9pm
Opening Times: 10am – 5pm (Saturday 11am until 4pm and Sunday closed)

Category: Art

The AOI Illustration Awards 2014 Exhibition showcases work by category winning illustrators and highlights from this year's shortlist. The show includes emerging and established talent from across the globe. Two overall winners, The AOI New Talent Award 2014 and The AOI Professional Award 2014, will be announced at the private view and awards ceremony. After the show at Somerset House, the exhibition will continue on its tour across the UK. Some of the winners are profiled below, to find out more about their individual projects click on their names:

William Grill, the New Talent winner for the Children’s Book category, with his first book Shackleton’s Journey, which he started as a third year project whilst at university.

Andy Ward won the Professional award for the Advertising and Design category. His winning entry formed part of a mental health awareness campaign for the University Of California's Santa Cruz campus.

David Doran’s illustration for The New York Times Book Review won the New Talent category winner award. The piece titled ‘Going Home Again’ accompanied an article reviewing Dennis Bock’s novel. The story follows a man that spends a strange year at home, in Canada, after separating from his wife in Madrid.
 

Laurindo Feliciano is the Professional Editorial category winner. Flaunt Magazine commissioned the winning entry ‘Fabricating Art’, to accompany an article based on Laurindo’s answers to questions set by art director Jim Turner, on the topic of his work process.

Thoke Maer’s self initiated project ‘It’s No Biggie’ won the New Talent award in this category. The project is an ongoing series of animated GIF’s based on moments that are all too familiar and perhaps even nostalgic.

Opening times: 10am – 6pm

Category: Art

Wadsworth, In the Black Country.

Mordor conjured images of a charred wasteland exploited for its resources. The Making of Mordor exhibition at Black Country Echoes Festival explores the links between J.R.R. Tolkien’s depictions of this fantasy region in The Lord of the Rings and the Black Country of the 1900s, which lay a few miles from his childhood home.

Empire Marketing Board poster.

Alongside images from Tolkien’s sketchbooks, signed first editions of his novels and iconic illustrations by concept artist Ted Nasmith, The Making of Mordor features works by other 20th century writers and artists who have been influenced by the industrial powerhouse of the West Midlands. Contemporary responses to the post-industrial Black Country will also be on show, including works by Turner Prize nominee Richard Billingham, photographer Brian Griffin and artist Euripides Altintzoglou, along with an indoor forest by internationally-acclaimed installation artist Olafur Eliasson.

Richard Billingham, Black Country Night.

Opening times: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm

Category: Art

Opening on the eve of The London Tattoo Convention and with the popularity of tattoos on the rise, Atomica Gallery and Things&Ink magazine have collaborated once again to present an exhibition that celebrates the very best in contemporary tattoo artistry. Miniature Ink will feature miniature originals by 100s of tattooers from around the globe and showcase a diverse array of styles, techniques and subject matter. The exhibition is being held to raise awareness for Sarcoma UK, with profits from sales being donated to the unique cancer charity. 

Drew Linden.

Alexis Camburn.

Each artwork in Miniature Ink will be for sale at the same affordable price of just £60 and there is no preview list for this exhibition, work will be sold on a first-come first-served basis. Everyone is in with a a chance to own an affordable original artwork from some of the industry's most highly sought artists, or pick-up a hidden gem from a future star! 

Paupiette Scorbut.

Jack Thomas Newton.

Eva Huber.

The opening party takes place on Wednesday 24th September at Atomica Gallery from 6-9pm, with complimentary drinks from Sailor Jerry Rum and The Brooklyn Brewery. Everyone is welcome, just rsvp@atomicagallery.com or join the Facebook event here.

Opening times: Mon – Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-5pm, Sunday 12-4pm 

Category: Art

Celebrating London Art Month, online marketplace Etsy.com presents OPEN: An exhibition of Art on Etsy. OPEN features exceptional contemporary work by 15 UK artists, specially selected to showcase the diverse range of artistic styles, practices and subjects found on Etsy.com. From painting to fine art ceramics to printmaking, celebrate all things 'art' in the broadest sense of the word! Here are a few sneak previews of exhibition artists, including a few friends of Amelia's Magazine.

Kethi Copeland, Balloons.

Kristi Cumming lives and works on the remote island of Shetland. Kristi's work aims to convey the emotions of fleeting memories; trips to the beach; trooping down through the dunes in battered trainers filling with sand. The abstract beauty of the piece encourages you to read your own memories. (Kristi's piece Path to the Beach is on the flyer)

Dawn by Midori Takaki.

Lucy Pass left college in 2005, since when has been practicing as an artist and designer in Lancaster. The intention of Lucy’s work is to produce intimate portraits which give an opportunity to take a curious gaze into the face of a stranger. The stillness of the images and absence of any background objects is intended to enhance the viewing experience, cutting out extraneous information and allowing the viewer to see beyond the immediate appearance of the subject.

Lou Taylor is based in Brighton, where she makes acrylic jewellery and intricate artworks inspired by a love of Art Deco, lidos and vintage quilts.

Ness Donnelly is based in Manchester and studied at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is interested in line, repetition, time, space and the process of making. The use of repetition is as much about the physical act of making as the appearance of the work. Lines of thread are overlaid almost resembling weaving, allowing the colours to interact with each other and produce new ones.

Maya Mladenovic, You are my rock.

Duck Ceramics is run by Alice Duck, a self taught potter with a whimsical style inspired by traditional ceramic ware with a modern twist. She makes one of a kind crockery in stoneware and porcelain.

Becci Maryanne, Habitat.

William White, Beach Huts.

All exhibiting artworks can be found here. Information regarding the event and further artist profiles can be found here.

Opening Times: Friday 17 October: 10am – 8pm, Saturday 18 October: 11am – 6pm, Sunday 19 October: 11am – 3pm

Category: Art

From the end of this month, the sprawling environs of The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane will once again become home to Free Range, the leading (and largest) showcase for creative graduates across the land. The exhibitions open to the public on Friday 30th May and run for seven weeks until mid-July, presenting the work of over 3000 students across five disciplines: Design; Fashion; Photography; Art; Interiors and Architecture.

Arat Komsawadichai, Ravensbourne Photography

Amy Watts, University of Hertfordshire Fine Art

Aimee Lupin, Roehampton Photography

What with Graduate Fashion Week making the big move east to The Old Truman Brewery (I am very excited to have this showcase on our doorstep at last!), Brick Lane will be the place to spot emerging fashion talent this summer. Catwalk shows at Free Range come from Winchester School of Art, Coventry University, Regent’s College and University of Brighton.

Nara Lee, University of Brighton Fashion

All exhibitions are free to the general public. I can't wait to spot the newest design talent, and you can too. Check the website for opening times: www.free-range.org.uk Here are just a few of our reviews from Free Range 2013.

Category: Art

The MA Illustration Final Show at Camberwell College of the Arts promises to delight, amaze and intrigue. On show this year is the work from 48 graduating artists, alongside a selection of pieces by part-time students completing their first year of work.

This year’s show explores a wide variety of contemporary illustration practice, including picture books, comics, and works created for a variety textiles. The show takes place as part of the larger Postgraduate Final Show at Camberwell, featuring work from students in Printmaking, Designer-Maker, Fine Art Digital and Book Arts as well as Illustration. For more information and a preview of some of the work being exhibited, check out the website here. Here is a selection of work from some of the graduating artists:

Fay Huo is a London-based Chinese illustrator and pattern designer. Inspired by her childhood and philosophy, Fay likes to create dreamy and uncanny works which invite the viewers to enjoy the details as well as her wildest imagination. She has worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for companies/ organization in Hong Kong, Bulgaria and United Kingdom. Her illustrations have been selected to show in the MTV Young at Art exhibition and the D&AD New Blood 2013, and her work caught my eye at the graduate shows last year. The concept of her MA project is Trap.

Emily Nash makes work that is primarily narrative based, taking inspiration from fictional stories, folk tales and current affairs. She uses collage and mixed media to create other-worldly characters and settings. Patterns, textures and found ephemera are built upon to create layered and playful imagery.

Jady Ong was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and graduated with an undergraduate degree in Animation from Dong Hua University, Shanghai in 2012. She is currently studying MA Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts.

Marja de Sanctis is a Brazilian visual artist and illustrator. She lived between Brazil and Italy and is now based in London. She is addicted to vibrant colours and enjoys making images using mixed media. Marja’s work is informed by a curiosity for human stories, romantic songs and relationships’ podcasts that she seeks to represent through the use of metaphor and symbolism.

Marina Muun is an illustrator working and living in London, whose work is a delicate synthesis of the digital with more traditional media. She has worked on various projects including editorial, fashion and packaging. Her illustrations was selected for D&AD New Blood 2013 and she has recently been shortlisted for the AOI Awards. Her latest work is centred around perception of external stimuli and the ability to match visions and experiences to a deeper knowledge within. We are lucky enough to have had her contributions on the website.

Augusta Akerman is a freelance Illustrator and surface pattern designer currently living and working in London. After Graduating from the Glasgow School of Art in 2008, she has previously worked as a Set Decorator for film and advertising before studying for an MA in Illustration at Camberwell College of Art in 2013. Her work is primarily narrative based combining a classic illustrative style with a looser abstract sense of design. She has recently begun working with textiles transferring her illustrations to silk and cotton, exploring repeating patterns that also lend themselves to wallpaper design.

Private View: 15th July, 6pm
Opening Times: 10am — 8pm, not open on Sunday

Category: Art

Laura Weston presents an exhibition of 40 vibrant Intaglio and Relief prints at Southbank Printmakers Gallery in Gabriel's Wharf. Laura Weston is the winner of the 2012 Artichoke Prize for the 8th British international Mini Print Tour. Her original prints are populated by trees, foxes, birds and the flora and fauna of 1920's garden suburbs. You can follow Laura on Twitter @laurawestonart.

Laura Weston,Seven Birds.

Laura Weston, Fox.

Laura Weston, Postcard collage.

Opening times: Mon To Fri & Sunday 11.30 – 6.30pm, Saturdays 10.00am – 8.00pm, Private View: Thursday 22 May at 6pm – 8pm

Category: Art

Is it For Now by Adam Hayes.

The Current is a group exhibition coinciding with the 10th Birthday of Bristol based Soma Gallery, and brings together the work of five contemporary graphic artists. Adam Bridgland, Matthew Green, Adam Hayes, Lucy Gough and Jessica Wilson have all exhibited widely throughout the UK and internationally and have completed major commissions for clients such as Nike, Uniqlo, the Guardian and You Tube. They are also held in a number of important collections like the Victoria and Albert and the British Museum. The Current is an exciting, fresh and vibrant exhibition showcasing recent works, including a number specially launched for this show.

Adam Hayes
Adam Hayes is a specialist in hand-rendered typography and intricate, intelligent illustration. His prolific work style has generated an impressive portfolio that reflects an interest in vernacular lettering and a fascination with urban and natural landscapes. Adam’s creative process see’s his simple pencil sketches transformed and refined into elaborate and optimistic illustration. Each project is concept-driven, allowing his work to grow and maintain a sense of energy and sophistication. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Adam has since established a diverse client base which welcomes collaboration with global companies, charitable organisations and small, local start-ups.

Spin 1 by Adam Bridgland.

Adam Bridgland
Born in 1979, Adam Bridgland studied printmaking at Norwich School of Art & Design and then studied at the Royal College of Art (MA Fine Art Printmaking). Since graduating in 2006, Bridgland has used a diverse range of materials and working methods to pursue an incisive and often witty exploration of distinctively British sentiments, externalising the underlying sense of loss and nostalgia that permeates our memories.

Hut by Matthew Green.

Matthew Green
Matthew Green excels in producing beautifully hand-drawn illustrations, his signature style is often compared to wood-cut prints and etchings. Beyond this craftsmanship and at the heart of all of Matthew’s work lies an enormous sense of fun. He creates worlds and moments where fantasy can meet the most mundane; from a voyeuristic zebra who resides in an old wooden shed to a glamorous blue tit dining for one.

Balloon Fiesta by Lucy Gough.

Lucy Gough
Lucy Gough studied Creative & Cultural Studies at Norwich School of Art and since graduating in 2002 has exhibited extensively throughout the UK and beyond. Lucy’s most recent work draws inspiration from a variety of sources including architecture, industry and the solar system. The stylised representation of everyday objects and use of hand drawn type are recurrent themes in her artistic practice. The content of the text varies in its sentiment from poetic to purposeful to playfully ironic.

Great Britain by Jess Wilson.

Jess Wilson
Jess Wilson graduated in 2006 and has been living and working in London ever since. Graduating from university with a 1st degree honours in Graphic design she started straight away getting her illustration work out there. Jess has worked with top clients producing big jobs for magazines, clothing ranges, prints, books and packaging. As well as working with clients Jess tries to get involved in as many exhibitions as possible and carrying out self initiated projects.

Opening times: Monday: Closed, Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00am – 5:30pm, Sunday: Closed. Visit Soma Gallery online here.

Category: Art

Atomica Gallery presents Metamorphosis, the debut solo exhibition from the London-based Tasmanian artist and illustrator Nick Sheehy.

Metamorphosis is a collection of graphite and watercolour works on paper exploring change, death and imagination. Sheehy’s subjects include his signature double skull characters, animal skeletons and the dead awakened by courses of coloured, ribbon-like energy streaming through their static forms. His fantastical characters are the results of cathartic and meditative drawings, documenting the emotional state of a person whose life is in a period of flux.

Sheehy has already exhibited in group shows worldwide and his work has been featured in art publications such as Creative Review, Tiny Pencil and NoBrow.

Everyone is invited to the opening reception on Thursday 12th June at Atomica Gallery, 6-9pm. Join the Facebook event or rsvp@atomicagallery.com.