This is not the first time I have seen the London-based illustrator Hattie Stewart. I was lucky enough to view her exhibition last year which was a series of pieces that bastardised the front of magazines. It was beautifully executed and displayed some great satire that was both insightful and entertaining.
Read MoreSo, after the subtle and delicate musings of Elaine Bolt this morning, I thought I would go to the other end of the spectrum with the works of Jana Nicole. If Bolt’s work is a calming sip of peppermint tea, then Nicole’s is a shot of tequila, a sniff of salt and a squeeze of lemon in the eye
Read MoreElaine Bolt won Oh Comely magazine’s Best In Show award last night at Brighton Art Fair’s Private View, so it seems like her work is as good a place as any to start off the live blogging features from this weekend at the Brighton Art Fair.
Congratulating her on the award she still seemed very flattered and slightly in shock.
Read MoreThe past week in Brighton has had a distinctly oriental flavour to the town, the Costume Games organised by Moshi Moshi, the Japanese beating South Africa with a last gasp try and Lady Aiko’s residency at Ink_d Gallery.
The last one is (obviously) the most topical for this blog, but one that has had a significant impact in the city as a whole, from the exhibition itself to her mural in The Lanes.
Read MoreUntil the industrial revolution it was an honour for people to be known as a “renaissance man” – that is someone who is a scientist, artist and author. Leonardo Da Vinci was one, the other that springs to mind is the romantic works of William Blake who created art, poetry, also fascinated by nature and science.
Read MoreSometimes in Brighton we have a tendency to be attracted to the alternative. Whether this be alternative lifestyle choices, fashions or a perceived rejection of convention. Sometimes though, it takes an outsider to embrace the very consumerist culture we live in to better realise its ridiculousness and ridicule the very thing a lot of us try so hard to reject.
Read More“In years to come when I win the Turner prize you’re going to regret not walking in.”
Like a good headline; whether arrogance or tongue in cheek, a statement as brash as this on the sign outside any exhibition needs to be explored. Very quickly you realise the statement is intended as an irony - but perhaps with an element of truth - and sets the tone for the playful exhibition created by Distant Animals, the brainchild of artist Daniel Alexander Hignell.
Read MoreOften we are told that something has to have some great big deep meaning with 177 different techniques, and a concept that will contend with the meaning of life and transport your mind to a brand new level simply by being in its presence. Warhol changed all this with the advent of “pop-art”, literally meaning popular art. It became OK to create work that is simple to understand and appeals to people for its simple message.
Read MoreOften when we hear ‘squid’ we think of a delicious deep fried sea-side snack drizzled with lemon and sprinkled with salt. However, Lilia Yip’s exhibition urges visitors to reconsider the squid as resource for scientific discovery and intrigue. The fashion based exhibit focused around a fascination with synthetic biology and marine creature, the squid.
Read MoreThe Dorset Pub. Not usually a venue which I associate with the art scene in Brighton. The creativity usually associated with the food and drink there, and the creative ways you can incubate a hangover. However, this week Smoke + Mirrors collective, created by Alice Leverton, are hosting a design fair at the Dorset to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK.
Read MoreThe first word that comes to mind when visiting Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva’s installation is simply ‘wow’. Visually spectacular yet deeply unnerving, “Fragility” is a magnificent example of recycling i.e. taking a material usually considered waste and re-using it.
Read MoreFor photographers or artists who generally work on their own this provides a nice change of pace and a challenging little exercise in the creative process. It really challenges you to conceive and execute a concept accurately and, importantly for the purposes of the marathon, quickly.
Read MoreWhether we care to admit it or not, there is a need to play, be childish and express ourselves in all of us. Last night I was lucky to take a couple of hours out of my daily grind and play with the Doodlecats.
Read MoreMatt Smith uses Brighton, its gay community and his own experiences as a major influence in his work. He has managed to capture the essence of this community: the fun, humour, sassiness and finally the sexuality of this wonderful city and community by creating piece after piece that subtly reference these emotions but without sacrificing aesthetic or alienating anyone.
Read MoreHaving never been to Naked Eye Gallery I was very excited about seeing this space. I had heard about it’s unique location, nestled just off Western Road in Hove in an old stable house; but never had the pleasure of experiencing it for myself.
Read MoreLast week, I was invited to attend a private view at Worthing College, as part of the Worthing Art Trail this year.
Read MoreWhen making this blog one has to consider all kinds of thoughts: What will the blog feature? What will the tone be? What is the purpose of the blog? This last thought was the most significant, it is to celebrate the wonderful and unique artistic expression that this special city holds. And, act as a signpost for the visitor looking for suggestions from someone who spends too much of his weekends in galleries and pop-ups around town.
Read MoreYesterday, I attended a drawing club at The Cow near Seven Dials, one which I have been aware of for a while and summed up my feelings perfectly on exactly why I wanted to start this website.
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![[Over 18s Only] Playtime for adults with Judi and the Doodlecats @ The Sidewinder Bar, Brighton](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55158680e4b0c6d76a93a9cc/1436877552456-XWNT1LLAFFO3XDWFM571/image-asset.jpeg)
