Art in the Park debut in Jephson Gardens

For the first time ever, Jephson Gardens will become the stage of an exciting
contemporary art fest with cultural activities and events for all the family.

A Gentle Stroll by Kim and Paul Ingvar

On 2^nd-3^rd of August, Leamington StudioArtists (LSA) will be holding Leamington’s first ever Art in the Park event in Jephson Gardens.

Sponsored by LSA and the Warwickshire District Council Arts Development Grant scheme, the two-day event will be showcasing an eclectic selection of painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, jewellery, live music, dance, theatre and demonstrations by local and regional artists.

Tree carving by Graham Jones

Among the many artists involved will be Birmingham sculptor, Graham Jones, who will be creating a chainsaw sculpture live, and Leamington artist, Sonia Bubliatis, whose works are currently on show at Ryton Gardens, will be presenting an installation of her ‘log canvases’ created using recovered or dying wood.

A 'log canvas' by Sonia Bubliatis

Kim and Paul Ingvar of KPI Images, will be presenting a fascinating series of digital works, featuring surreal and ‘otherworldy’ images of some of Leamington’s key landmarks, whilst Caroline Gatehouse and pointillist artist Bryan Kelly will be exhibiting a selection of paintings inspired by landscapes and nature.

The Yellow House by Bryan Kelly

Ceramicist and glassworker, Gabrielle Rucinski, whose works have been included in the famous Wedgewood ‘Artisans Collection’, will be running a free pot making activity, where people of all ages can create their own pot to take home and keep. At the end of the weekend, the pots will be taken to be fired and participants will be able to collect them from Gallery150, in 9 Livery Street, Leamington.

Local organisation Swirls, who promote collaboration between schools, providing a wide range of engaging learning activities, will be presenting Birdsong, an exhibition of art works created by South Leamington Schools, in the Glasshouse.

At 3-5:45 pm on Saturday afternoon, Heartbreak Productions will be holding a free performance of their innovative adaption of Macbeth, directed by Oliver Hume.

A scene from Macbeth, performed by Heartbreak Productions

Sponsored by Wright Hassall, BRINK Productions, will be bringing a dynamic, urban edge to the event with a live painting demo in the Pump Room Gardens. During the event, Leamington’s iconic bandstand will be ‘wrapped’ in canvas and the creativity of five of the UK’s top street artists will be unleased to create a colourful contemporary mural that will be visible from every angle. The entire event will be documented in a stop motion video.

A contemporary mural by Brink Productions

Children will also be able to take part in a balloon art card competition, where they will be able to decorate their cards and launch their balloons throughout the weekend or in the group balloon launch on the last day of the event. The winners will be the art cards that are sent back or phoned in as having travelled the furthest distance. People can also report and/or photograph their balloon art finds by posting them on the Art in the Park LSA Twitter or Facebook page. The prizes have been kindly donated by WH Smiths Leamington.

As well as these events, there will also be live Salsa, Hair Art by Jane Ward and garden-inspired body painting.

Long-standing LSA member, Mo Finnessey, who is the mind behind the event said:  “The idea for Art in the Park came to me after seeing Art in Action, at Waterperry Gardens, in Oxford. It was so exciting to see so many artists doing live demonstrations of their work and I thought how wonderful it would be if LSA could hold an event like that in Jephson Gardens. There is such an active and vibrant, local arts community and it has always been my dream to organise an event where artists can promote their art or craft and engage directly with the public.”

Refreshments will be provided throughout the weekend by St Mary’s Church, with the proceeds donated to Myton Hospice. Food and drink will also be available at the newly-opened ‘Larder’, in the Aviary.

If you would like to take part or would like to help at the event, please contact Carole Sleight on 07768 617081 or e-mail Carole@artinpark.co.uk.

Art in the Park will open its doors on Saturday, 2^nd of August, from 11am-6pm and Sunday, 3^rd from 11am-4pm.

Leamington Studio Artists Seeking Artists & Crafters for Art in the Park

On the 2^nd and 3^rd of August 2014, Leamington Studio Artists (LSA), will be holding their first ‘Art in the Park’ event in Jephson Gardens.

As well as live painting, performance, music, activities, dance and theatre, the 2-day event will also be showcasing works of art by artists and crafters from across the region.

LSA currently have a variety of exhibition opportunities available and are calling on artists, working in any medium, to take part in the event.

To find our more or to book your Art Spot at a reduced price or for free, contact Carole Sleight on 07768 617081, e-mail: Carole@artinpark.co.uk, or pop into Gallery 150, 9 Livery Street, Leamington Spa. 

Download the flyer below to find out more.

How to Approach Art Galleries

What they don’t teach you at art school: the dos and don’ts for approaching art galleries 

I’ve helped a lot of artists approach galleries over the years. I’ve also received a lot of artist CVs for my own shows and an exhibition organiser can be seriously put-off if they are not approached in the right way.

This is particularly so with large organisations and institutions, whose staff are extremely busy and inundated with submissions from hopeful artists every day.

Here’s a guide on some of the issues that could make the difference between your submission being considered or banished to the recycle bin in one swift click of a mouse.

Submitting Your Work to Galleries

• Each reality has different needs and expectations. One of the first things you should do before approaching galleries is check their website thoroughly for instructions on how to submit your work.

• Always follow these instructions to the letter, otherwise your CV might find itself in the aforementioned bin.

• Check that the style and medium of your work is suitable for the gallery you want to approach. To get a feel for their tastes/themes, look through the gallery’s history of shows. If they deal in art works that are light years away from your own portfolio, don’t submit your work. If uncertain, you can always call the gallery to find out more.

• Some galleries prefer to hunt the artists down themselves and will not evaluate direct submissions at all. They will usually state this clearly on their website. However tempting, do not contact these gallery owners. They’re busy people and will not appreciate you clogging up their mailbox.

• With galleries that don’t provide specific instructions, it’s a pretty safe bet that they are open to being contacted directly. Before you do, make a phone call, so you can get the name and the correct e-mail address of the person you need to contact. People like being addressed by their name and it also shows you’re willing to do a bit of groundwork.

Sending Images

• When sending images always make sure they are high quality. Never send blurred, grainy or dark images.

• Always follow the galleries instructions on image resolution and size. If in doubt, or no specific instructions are provided, make sure they are of a good quality but not too big, particularly if you’re sending several images at the same time.

• Unless requested, avoid sending images of your work taken on walls or in frames. This might be fine for an online store, but it may not be for the gallery. It can look unprofessional and also draws attention away from your work.

• Do not take pictures of works under glass: the glare and reflections will make it difficult to see the quality of your work.

• Unless instructed otherwise, always name your images stating the:

·         Year;

·         Title of work;

·         Medium;

·         Dimensions.

Alternatively, list your attachments at the end of the e-mail, stating the name of the file and all the relevant details. It might seem a bit long-winded, but it’s very useful for the people who have to sort through the images. And, the gallery owner will thank you for it!

"do not mention that part-time 

job at the local chip shop."

Polishing your CV

Your CV is a crucial presentation that should be prepared with great care. I’ve seen a lot of young and not so young artists get things wrong. 

Here's some tips on what you should and shouldn't include:

•         Include any relevant art-related jobs and experience, but do not mention that part-time job you had at the local chip shop. This kind of information may be fine for a normal job application but not for a gallery owner.

•         If you have had a lot of experience, be selective about the shows you list in your CV. Some of the more important galleries may be put off by the fact you did a show in a pub, so you might want to avoid mentioning it.

" a gallery owner wants proof that you're pro-active, productive and reliable." 

• If necessary, tailor your submissions to suit the different types of gallery/organisation.

• Split your exhibitions into two sections: Solo Shows and Group Shows, this makes your CV more immediate and easier to read.
• Remember, a gallery owner wants proof that you’re pro-active, productive and reliable. They also like to see that your work is endorsed and exhibited by others on a regular basis. Too many gaps between exhibitions could be a potential turn-off. The more you exhibit, the more chance you have of being taken seriously.

When listing your exhibitions always include the following information:

•     Year;
•     Name of Exhibition;
•     Name of gallery, organisation, institution organising the exhibition;
•     Venue (where applicable) and country.
•     Name(s) of the curators.

Be honest, accurate and check this information carefully before sending your submission. The gallery owner may well look you up online.

"a gallery will be more willing to invest in you if you’ve got some solid documentation and press coverage behind you" 

Bibliography 

Another thing I've noticed about many of the artist CVs, is that they don’t include a bibliography. 

Any press articles, critiques and catalogue texts that mention your name will make for a well-rounded CV. Also, a gallery will be more willing to invest in you if you’ve got some solid documentation and press coverage behind you.

When listing this information always include the following:

• Date of publication;
• Name of publication/exhibition catalogue;
• Issue number, if applicable;
• Title of article;
• Name of journalist/critic/writer.

The great thing about today’s technology, is you can also create hyperlinks to the articles, making it quick and easy for the gallery owner to find your reference material.

"Never make exaggerated claims or make your work appear to be something it’s not."

Artist Statement

• Your artist statement should be clear and accurate. This is not a place to blow your own horn. Never make exaggerated claims or make your work appear to be something it’s not.

• Explain the concepts in a concise and simple manner, avoiding any complex, specialist terms, unless absolutely necessary.

• Where possible, avoid the use of foreign words, unless they are the specific industry names or terms.

• Explain your reasons for working the way you did and why you made those decisions.

• Don’t get too philosophical. Keep on topic and be objective about your work and practice.

Obviously, your artist statement will change over time. Go back to it regularly, and re-write it if necessary. Even if you don’t use what you've written, it's a great way to assess where you’re at and where you’re heading.

Covering Letter

• Remember, you are approaching a business. Like all communication in the business world, do it professionally.

• Write a letter, don’t write the e-mail like a text message and don't use smileys, Internet slang, or abbreviations like ‘U’ and ‘2’  – believe me, this happens often. It comes across as lazy and sloppy.  Not everyone is forgiving and there are still a lot of purists out there who will bin your e-mail at the very sight of it.

Don't do this: “hi I would like 2 exhibit my work in ur show heres my artist cv and a link 2 my website" 

If a gallery or organisation is going to invest in you, then you also need to show that you can work in a professional manner and that you’re prepared to make the effort. After all, if you don’t care, why should they?

Lay-out, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

• Once you’ve got all that out of the way, you will need to check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. Your submission will be better received if it’s well-written. 

"The right dose of bold print, underlining, spacing and bullet points will make your CV easier on the eye."

• Read it out-loud, does your covering letter and statement flow right? If you can, get an extra pair of eyes to look it over too.

• Look objectively at the lay-out and content. Is it clear and easy to read?

• Use a simple, readable font (Verdana, Georgia and Trebuchet MS are good choices, among others), they are clean and modern and much easier to read on screen – they also look pretty good in print too. Do some research online and find the one that works best for you.

• The right dose of bold print, underlining, spacing and bullet points will make your CV easier on the eye – just don’t overdo it!

• If you know how, and the submission process allows, you could also put all your information and images into a nice PDF presentation, a bit like an art catalogue.

I hope this guide has been useful. Obviously, there are lots of different situations and gallery realities out there, but I think I’ve covered most of the essentials.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions fire away!

Bastian Contrarian

Art in Rure Showcases Local Artists at Specsavers

Art in Rure presents an exhibition of works by established and emerging local artists at Specsavers Solihull.

Showcasing a varied selection of original paintings, limited edition prints and photography, the exhibition features the work of Hasret Brown, James Callaghan, Elena Cecchinato, Jan Gay, Paula Hamilton, Paul Jordan, Angus Kaye, Nick Logan, Roy Meats, Julie Robertson, Barbara Shackley, Mark Skirving, aka ‘King Pleasure’, Tim Southall and Mark Tilley.

All the art works on display are available for sale and a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Northleigh House School, in Hatton, which provides educational facilities and support to secondary school children who have been victims of bullying, and Solihull Fairtrade, a group that promotes fair-trade products and ethical trading throughout the borough.

Launched at John Lewis Solihull in September 2013, the event is the third in a series of cultural initiatives to promote the Art in Rure Fest, scheduled to take place throughout Solihull during the school summer holidays of 2014.

Local businesses, members of the local Fairtrade network and artists who would like to get involved in the up-coming festival can contact Sarah Silver on 07971-022369 or visit www.bastiancontrarian.co.uk for further information.

Art in Rure: Meet Director and Animator Kirsten Lepore

Kirsten Lepore is a young director and animator based in LA, with an MFA from CalArts. She was recently featured as a rising talent in Shots Magazine, Animation Magazine, Focus Features, and named one of the 50 most creative people of 2011 by Creativity Magazine. With a client list including MTV, Yo Gabba Gabba, Newsweek, Whole Foods, Toyota, Facebook, Nickelodeon, Nestle, and Glamour Magazine, her work has been featured on TV, the web, and at various international film festivals

Animated on location at a beach, in snow, and underwater, the stop-motion short, on show at John Lewis Solihull, details  a transoceanic conversation between two characters via objects in a bottle.

Watch the making of the film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkgJ6R0S_H8

To see more films by Kirsten Lepore visit:

 http://kirstenlepore.com/

Art in Rure: Meet Artist & Printmaker Tim Southall

Tim Southall working in his studio in Spain

Tim Southall is a painter and printmaker, who graduated at the Northumbria University and the Royal College of Art.  

His favourite mediums are oil on canvas and paper, etchings and silkscreen, and most of his work is created at his studio in southern Spain. The London Print Studio and Birmingham Printmakers are his points of contact when in England. 

As a figurative artist, his work is a response to the world around us, with a particular interest in both the urban and rural landscape. From the initial sketches and thoughts, his ideas then spread out into whatever medium seems best to transform them into a piece of art. All of his work is informed by drawing and a strong use of composition.

The artist is concerned with colour, fluidity and the vibrancy of the brushstrokes, expressed through the landscape. In screen pint, with its process of colour separation, he takes advantage of the opportunity to make more graphic works. In his etchings, where he uses the medium in a highly technical and traditional way, he explores his interest for history, satire, portraiture and other traditional artistic narratives.

Tim with one of his oil paintings

Tim has exhibited in various national and European exhibitions, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2011, and also has works in various important collections, such as BP International, in Brussels, Northern Arts, Darlington Museums and Art Galleries, and Gateshead Libraries and Museum Services.

Works on show in the Art in Rure exhibition at John Lewis Solihull:

The Middle Bridge, oil on canvas (64 x 78 cm)

On the Tow Path, silk screen print (60 x 80 cm)

Prowling Cats, etching/aquatint, 34 x 37 cm

Strowling dogs, etching/aquatint, 34 x 37 cm

This exhibition has been organsied and curated by Bastian Contarian in collaboration with Solihull Fairtrade. 

Part of the proceeds will be donated to Northleigh House School, in Hatton, a school for children who have been victims of bullying, and Solihull Fairtrade, who promote fair and ethical trading throughout the borough.

All images are copyright of Tim Southhall.

Art in Rure: Meet Artist Laura Adkins

Demonstrating mixed media at a Stratford-Upon-Avon Art Society exhibition 

Born in Birmingham in 1967, Laura Adkins has always had a passion for writing and art. After her A Levels she took a foundation course at Bournville Art College, later going on to study graphics at Brighton.

Throughout the 90s, Laura worked as a designer, creating advertising, magazines and exhibition graphics and learning to use computer design software. She also worked as a marketing assistant and studied a Postgraduate Diploma in History of Art at the UCE (now Birmingham City University), before leaving employment in 2002 to look after her daughter. 

A peek into Laura's studio

Arrow Slit stoneware relief work on show
at John Lewis Solihull

During this time, she began to take various painting and life drawing classes at Solihull College (taught by Jan Gay RBSA) and creative writing at the Midlands Arts Centre. In 2006, she had a children's story published by Scholastic. Later going on to study an M. A. in illustration, with a view to becoming a children's book author/illustrator. And, although she later changed career course, she won the Macmillan Prize for her illustrations in 2009.

Feeling the need for a new expressive outlet, Laura joined a ceramics class, led by Stephanie Redfern RBSA, at Bournville School of Art, where she began experimenting with clay and acrylic paint to create mixed media works. This opened her mind to possibilities she had never considered before. 

She also took up photography, successfully holding an exhibition of her work in 2010. 

Since then Laura has been exhibiting and selling through galleries and art fairs across the Midlands.

Art in Rure exhibition: Small Rock pool pot with seaweed

Works in the Art in Rure show: Arrow Slit & Ivy mixed media and acrylics

Laura takes her inspiration from her surroundings, the natural world, landscapes, gardens, seaside locations and local history, exploring  textures and the passage of time, such as seasons, tides, day and night, and the effects of the elements on stone. Influenced by her background in illustration, she has a great passion for detail and narrative, often working from her own imagination.

Laura states: “I enjoy being inventive and combining clay modelling and other materials with acrylic paint. At times, I also work exclusively in acrylics or in ceramics, either for a change or to explore the medium. As well as being a pleasure in itself, photography plays an important part in my work. These photographic references help me to develop the ideas for each creative project"

Since 2010, the artist has been a regular volunteer at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery. In 2011, she did an apprenticeship with Solihull Arts Complex to learn about leading children's art workshops, now holding classes for both the Solihull Arts Complex and the RBSA.

You can view Laura's work in the Art in Rure showcase (on the top floor), at John Lewis Solihull. Other artists works can be seen in The Place to Eat Restaurant (floor 1) and in the television department on the basement floor.