listings

Category: Art

Must see arts festival Pick Me Up returns for the fifth year running, featuring more late nights and an even wider range of illustration and design, from fashion and architectural drawing to comic books and album covers. Here's a brief taster of what will be happening:

Rastamouse creators Michael de Souza and Genevieve Webster will be leading children’s drawing workshops.

Judith Kerr (creator of the Mog series and The Tiger Who Came To Tea) will be hosting an ‘in conversation’ event with her art director Ian Craig.

Fabulous and much loved cartoonist Gemma Correll will be running a day inspired by her inimitable portrayals of animals.

Skylark, Matt Lyon at Colour Box.

Hot Dog, Steven Wilson at Unlimited.

Woolly Bear, Julia Pott.

Fashion is finally in focus this year! Hurrah!

Meet art director and animator Jo Ratcliffe, who drew and directed the animation in Lady Gaga’s ‘Applause’ video.

Fashion illustrator Daisy de Villeneuve (she of the ubiquitous funky felt-tip illustrations), will be leading a day of drop-in fashion focused fun.

Fashion artist and author Jason Brooks will be running a day of workshops.

Aso Oke, Kitty McCall at Unlimited.

Melons On My Mind, Lynnie Zulu.

New for 2014 is Pick Me Up Radio presented by Comms Bureau, which will stream live from Somerset House. With specially invited DJs, interviews and take-over days, festivalgoers will be able to see the radio broadcasts being put together live and listen online remotely. Furthermore for the first time, Pick Me Up is collaborating with signature skate brand DC Shoes to commission t-shirts from ten artists to be exclusively launched and sold at the festival. The dazzling designers involved include former Pick Me Up Select and professional doodler Hattie Stewart (read our interview here) and Andy Rementer (who we have also interviewed here), whose colourful and vibrant work has been featured through a variety of platforms including MTV, Urban Outfitters and Warner Brothers.

Clogs, Hvass & Hannibal at Outline Artists.

Sundance, Jessica Das at Outline Artists.

Moondance, Jessica Das at Outline Artists.

This, and much much more, including work by Outline Artists illustrators, who will present a jungle-themed showcase of prints, original artwork and wall murals created especially for the fair, including magical forest landscapes by Hvass&Hannibal, psychedelic jungle scenes by Pick Me Up Select Edward Carvalho-Monaghan plus extravagant jungle flora and fauna 3D collages by Kristjana S Williams. All work will be available to buy from just £40.

Lear 10, Kristjana S Williams at Outline Artists.

Kids, Ed Monaghan at Outline Artists.

Opening times: 10.00 – 18.00, late night Thursdays and Fridays until 22.00, Day tickets £10, concessions £8, Festival Pass £17.50. Buy your tickets here. Find out more about the event here.

Read my reviews of the 2013 Pick Me Up here and here to whet your appetite.

Category: Art

Paula MacArthur, Everything I've had but couldn't keep, 140x140cm oil on canvas.

Paula MacArthur’s recent series of large scale canvases focuses on jewels. Enlarged a thousand times these tiny stones transform into celestial entities. These paintings are a personal celebration of love and over time have come to encompass universal desires and obsessions. Working with viscous paint beside pools of barely tinted turps and using exaggerated intense colour the artist pushes the medium towards the extremes of its capabilities. Working quickly and instinctively MacArthur places colour onto the canvas working with wet on wet glazes, merging oily translucent layers with the brush and dropping colour, allowing it to bleed and grow into the surface.

Let me be your eyes, 140x140cm oil on canvas.

From a distance brush marks and the trails of running paint are invisible, the paintings appear cohesive, even photographic, then as the viewer approaches the images disintegrate. The paint becomes as ephemeral as the jewel’s sparkle, the focus moves from the gemstone to the physicality of the paint and echoes the elusive ideals these minute treasures symbolise.

Now & Forever, 3x2m.

There are problems in these times, 140x140cm oil on canvas.

Paula MacArthur lives in Kent and works from her studio in Rye, East Sussex. Trained at the Royal Academy Schools Paula has won several awards, she has exhibited both nationally and internationally and has work in major collections. You can view a biography here. 
 

Tell me love is real, 140x140cm oil on canvas.

Opening times: 8am – 8pm weekdays and weekends
 

Category: Art

The Gentle Author has recently published local photographer Phil Maxwell's thirty year study of ordinary life in the East end's legendary Brick Lane, taking us through social and cultural shifts with intimate shots of the local population at work and at play. The photos are currently on display at the Rich Mix Cultural Centre situated at the top of Brick Lane.

Biography:
Phil was born in 1953 in Coventry, West Midlands. From an early age he was inspired by the people around him and had his first dalliance with photography at the tender age of eleven. He moved to East London and was quickly seduced by its vibrancy and influences from far flung countries. Over the span of 30 years he incessantly photographed and hence documented the lives of those in his own proximity, saying that 'During my life in Whitechapel I have been introduced to a wide variety of cultures and friends, which in turn have inspired me to travel. I have photographed in Bangladesh and other parts of Asia many times, although the centre of gravity in my work has always been the East End of London. My home is a tower block in Whitechapel. Over the years, from my flat on the eleventh floor, I have watched as the skyline of the city resonated with growth and demolition. In the early eighties, Canary Wharf emerged in the East as a solitary foot soldier for Capitalism and then the City of London itself began to expand. Yet whilst the corporate development gathered speed, the lives of people on my side of Brick Lane carried on as usual.'

Phil Maxwell will be giving a talk on Brick Lane at the Bishopsgate Institute on 10th April at 7:30pm and Waterstones Piccadilly on 14th May at 7pm. Both events are free. Find out more here.

Category: Art

If being a full time illustrator is your dream job this series of talks are the perfect way to get ahead in the field.
.. Professional illustrators and Amelia’s Magazine contributors Emma Block and Stacie Swift have begun a series of seminars sharing their experiences and knowledge.

Emma Block is a freelance illustrator with clients including UNIQLO, Orla Kiely, Anthropologie, Harper Collins and Mollie Makes. 

Stacie Swift creates illustrated greeting cards, art prints and paper products stocked throughout the UK and worldwide. Her stockists include SMUG, Paperchase, Urban Outfitters and London Graphic Centre.

Emma Block.

Sessions are small, fun and full of information to help kick start your illustration career.

 Perfect for anyone starting out in the industry or for students who are keen to get a relevant, practical and useful guide to becoming a self-employed illustrator!

 Emma and Stacie will give you a detailed run through of their experiences topics covered will include:
Self-promotion, Portfolio Advice, Licensing and Copyright, Contracts, Pricing, Wholesale Sales, Using Social Media, Finding Suppliers, and Gaining New Clients.

You will also be given feedback on your own website and will take away some information sheets and not forgetting some cake and networking opportunities too!

Stacie Swift.

Dates and times are as follows:



26th March // 18.30 – 20.00

Lois, Peckham

Tickets Here





15th April // 12.15 – 13.45

SMUG, Islington

Tickets Here



15th April // 15.00 – 16.30

SMUG, Islington

Tickets Here

Further dates and times will be scheduled; you can keep up to date with upcoming seminars and workshops here.

Category: Music

It's no great secret that Wood Festival is one of my very favourite festivals… and even more so now that I have a child. WOOD is powered completely on renewable energy and is a great place to take little kids, winning a Silver Award from Festival Kidz last year.. I can't wait to take my toddler along to the 2014 edition. The main stage is hand-crafted out of oak and has a cheery thatch of flowers growing on its roof. Camping is super simple and small scale, perfect for frequent trips back to the tent with little ones. Even better, children aged 12 & under go free when accompanied by an adult. It's barely more than an hour outside of London and located in a beautiful field in the grounds of the wonderful Braziers Park (an alternative community).

This year has been heralded the YEAR OF THE BADGER, so guests are invited to indulge in some black and white striped attire! Each year it is hoped the festival will focus on a different wild animal from our fair isles. Naturally the festival will be highlighting the plight of badgers and sharing all things wonderful about badgers and their very important role in the countryside. 

I have always discovered amazing new music at Wood Festival, as well as enjoying old favourites in an incredibly laid back setting. This year Luke Sital-Singh will headline the Friday night, chosen as one of the BBC’s Sound of 2014 artists. Born in New Malden and the youngest of three brothers, Luke Sital-Singh was encouraged to embrace music from a young age. He cites his influences as Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, but this takes nothing away from Luke's originality: The Guardian described him as “breathing life into a tired form.” With a hefty trio of EPs already released, Luke’s much anticipated debut album is expected in late Spring.

Also joining the line up: My Sad Captains, who have just released their 3rd album, Best of Times, on the excellent Bella Union label. And expect the sweet Welsh sounds of Valleyers, quality songwriting from Oxford’s My Crooked Teeth, Tape Club recording artist Sephine Lo, Brighton harpist and singer Ellie Ford, and jazzy world grooves from Natureboy. All of these will be joining an ever growing roster of already announced artists: Sweet Baboo, The Original Rabbit Foot Spasm Band, Alessi’s Ark, Jackie Oates, Oliver Wilde, O’Hooley & Tidow, Dancing Years, Nick Cope, Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou, The Dreaming Spires, Vikesh Kapoor, Rachael Dadd, Trent Miller, Jack Day, Co-Pilgrim, Edd Keene, Nick Jonah Davis, Jali Fily Cissokho, Paul McClure, Count Drachma, Knights of Mentis, Julia Meijer, Art Theefe, Jordan O’Shea, Macamu, and the Oxford Ukuleles!

Weekend and day tickets have been frozen at last year’s prices (£75 for an adult weekend ticket, including camping) and are available now from the Wood Festival website and Truck Store, Oxford.  Music starts at 6pm on the Friday, gates open at 3pm. Keep a watch on the website for a full list of workshops, activities and talks. You can read my review of last year's festival here.

Category: Art

One of the main graphic artists behind European skateboard powerhouse Polar Skateboards, Jacob Ovgren’s work is skate-art in it’s purest form. influenced by classic, golden-era board graphics for Blind and World Industries by the likes of Mark McKee, Sean Cliver and Todd Bratrud, Ovgren retains the crude, adolescent humour (rollerbladers getting their legs guillotined off, obese children fighting over scraps of cake…) of those artists, but eschews the overtly direct, comic-book-narrative that those artists used: Instead we find individual characters trapped in a dialogue only with themselves – snippets of a story that, only when brought together – perhaps as a series of boards, or, in this case, a body of work form part of a wider commentary on a subject.

Opening Times: 10am-6pm Tuesday – Sunday.

Category: Art

Sirens showcases a stunning new body of work by Rosie Emerson, who experimentally combines print, photography, collage and film to portray mysterious goddesses as ethereal yet beautiful creatures. Like Sirens, these femme fatales lure the viewer into their romantic mythological worlds.

Celeste

Ondine

Rosie Emerson’s inspiration for this new collection derived from the historic technique of cyanotype printing, developed in the early 19th Century and used by engineers to reproduce notes and diagrams known as blue prints. Influenced by botanist Anna Atkins, who brought this technique into photography, Rosie has adapted the cyanotype technique and given it a modern spin. The artist combines collage elements and found botanical objects with life size negatives to manipulate the female form and revise our perceptions of the contemporary model. Shooting her desired subjects inside her studio for the very first time, Rosie playfully uses ornate props, costumes and dramatic lighting to remodel her subjects into goddess-like, alluring creatures.

Swarm

Rosie Emerson was born in Dorset in 1981 and graduated in Fine Art from Kingston University In 2004. She has exhibited widely in the UK, as well as in Europe, LA, Singapore, Hong Kong and has a forthcoming exhibition in Dallas. Her unique collage style has led to her work being featured in the likes of Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Another Magazine, The Financial Times Magazine and The Sunday Times Style Magazine.

Vega

Find out more about Rosie Emerson here and about Sirens at the Hang-Up Gallery here.

Opening Hours: Mon – CLOSED, Tues – Sun 12.00 -1800

Category: Art

Design Your Career is holding a one-day conference & workshop that will offer all of the information & inspiration your need to establish or develop your own creative enterprise. It will be held at The Guild Hub, Bath, and is jam-packed with experienced professionals, networking break-out groups, the chance to gain essential skills through practical demonstrations and insider tips. Alongside local and national speakers from the world of craft and design, retailers, copywriters, agents, accountants, branding experts, designers, social networkers, bloggers, and web designers will all be on hand to offer an insight into what makes their tills tick and customers return for more. There will be experts from NOTHS, The Design Trust, Seek & Adore, Mark Masters of the ID Group, Z Sinclair and many more!

Throughout the day’s workshops and seminars there will be guidance and inspiration ideal for budding designers, crafters, photographers, illustrators and other individuals with a creative flare. Organised by Bournemouth based Neil and Sarah Leonard, the aim is to help creative practitioners raise their game to the next level and succeed on a national (and global) stage.

Spaces are limited, so book soon! Tickets are available now through EventBrite. Two further events will take place in Bath later in the year (see below), to purchase a cheap advance ticket for all three click here.

July 5th: Retail & Sales: get ready for Christmas
October 4th: Marketing & Promotion: get ready for 2015

Category: Art

Hello Cheeky is the first solo show from talented young London based illustrator Hattie Stewart, who we interviewed a year ago in Amelia's Magazine. It opens on the 28th March at the Brighton based No Walls Gallery.

Best known for her tongue in cheek 'doodle-bombed' magazine covers that are part satire, part adoration, Hattie has adorned such influential and iconic publications as The Face, Vogue, ID, Dazed and Confused, Interview, Rolling Stone and Playboy along with developing a client list that includes House of Holland, Marc Jacobs and Adidas.

Hello Cheeky will include a collection of brand new doodle bombed covers along with a selection of new illustrations and prints and is the second show in No Walls new building, a former 19th century funeral parlour in Brighton’s cultural quarter – opened earlier this year with The Megamunden Show, a solo show with British illustrator Megamunden.

In a short space of time, No Walls has developed a reputation as one of the UK's leading independent galleries, turning the traditional gallery model on it's head in the process and growing a roster of artists that includes Ben Eine, Sickboy, Ben Frost and Hayden Kays.

Opening hours: mon – sat, 11am to 7pm

Category: Art

Orso Major Gallery presents 'Drawing Inspiration' an exhibition featuring the work of artists Sarah Hamilton and Gabriela Szulman who produce art across different disciplines including prints, drawings, paintings, ceramics and jewellery. These two mid career London based artists share a passion for vibrant colour and the fragmentation and reassembly of images. The exhibition showcases work across different media giving a narrative to pieces which could otherwise be seen as unconnected by focussing on the relationship between drawing, painting, and product design. Both artists have a strong following and regularly work to commission.

Sarah Hamilton's work has a hint of the Mid-Century Modern about it yet it remains contemporary and fresh. Her deceptively simple images start as delicate pencil drawings, and from sketchbooks that are filled with drawings by hand or digitally printed, they complement her colourful prints and collages. She is inspired by a love of natural forms, Folk Art and 1950's design. Hamilton trained at Central St Martins and Camberwell College of Art. She has produced numerous private commissions and her work has been featured in magazines from Ideal Home to World of Interiors. Her work most recently appeared in Country Home magazine,
last week.

Gabriela Szulman's work is inspired by the nature of memories. Over the years she has saved family photographs, letters, technical manuals and womens magazines from the 1940s and 50s. Her work is a blend of painting and digital media where she uses acrylic paints, inks and watercolours with digital print onto paper and canvases, to create collages and prints. She has extended this practice into a line of jewellery with miniature prints set under glass. Szulman trained in 3D design at Camberwell College of Arts and later in Printmaking at the University of Brighton. She exhibits widely and is currently preparing for a solo show in Buenes Aires in June 2014.

Opening Times: Tues to Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday 11am to 3pm