For the Art Trail this year three venues around the
Blackhorse Quarter teamed up to offer a weekend of exhibitions, workshops and
launch parties. There was much to discover and be inspired by.
Sonia Martin, Man In Blue, Acrylic on Canvas |
Martyn Cross, Air Bud, Acrylic Paint on found knitting pattern |
A trip to Blackhorse Studios this Saturday began with a look
at the ArtWorks Open exhibition. Now in its sixth year, artists from across the
UK and internationally can submit works into the ArtWorks Open and artists
working in the studios themselves also apply. The works on show were selected
from over 300 submissions by artists David Kefford and Paul Johnson. A range of
media are represented in the exhibition including sculpture, painting,
photography and collage. Though they can be problematic as it is inevitably a
subjective selection, these open competitions are very useful for emerging and
more established artists. The winner for this competition will win £1000,
second prize is £500 and as a new scheme for this year, the third place would
win the chance to exhibit in the space; all helpful in developing an artist’s
career.
On the ground floor, next to Michelle Reader with her lively
figures and animals formed from recycled rubbish, is the studio that Pauline
Evans shares with her son Duncan. She produces beautiful larger than life-size
portraits which are hung around the studio of herself as well as her two other
sons. The photographs below show Duncan in the studio sat in front of
self-portraits his mother painted and a portrait titled Joey Sleeping. Duncan
is a talented life drawer and painter himself.
The latest series by Matthew Krishanu are beautiful paintings of young boys,
based on himself and his brother. There is a blurriness to them suggestive of the
fading of memories.
As you leave the studios don’t miss this sculpture from Tam
Joseph, wittily titled ‘This wall is old and has become unstable'.
Just around the corner is Blackhorse Workshop. Artist Will
Cruikshank’s Horse Box CafĂ© serves cider and other refreshments to those
wanting to just relax outside. They can also admire or indeed activate his
Swing Harmonograph. This is an ingenious device that transfers the motion of
swinging into the movement of an etching needle which produces interesting
wave-like patterns on etchings that can be taken away.
Upstairs, among some quite extravagant fashion designs were
Isabella Nyapolo’s fantastic fashion and nude photographs (see below).
On the ground floor, by the bakery was the exhibition of the
Take a Mallet to a Pallet competition. There were some excellent entries, from
beautiful pieces of design, like the upcycled side table from Kate Alatterly
and Glenn Wooldridge and the steam bent pendant lamps from Group Design to the
satirical, as in Domingo Arjonilla’s Social Housing for Birds. A mechanical
skeleton in flames by Woodie Wright was another highlight. The official launch of this
exhibition was on Saturday night, so the welcoming atmosphere and celebrations
continued throughout the evening.
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