Exhibition Opening for Desperate Artwives

Yesterday was spent travelling down to London to the private view of the Desperate Artwives exhibition which opened at The Vibe Gallery.

It was an exhausting 12 hour trip, we set off at 2pm, arriving at the gallery for 6, spending a few hours viewing the work and then returning, finally arriving home at 2am.  Needless to say, I am fairly exhausted today and tiredness is not a good state for me. 

The work at the Vibe Gallery was varied and curated beautifully.  The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, good wine and good food was available and later we were treated to some live music. 

I love how a group exhibition always has work that can be related to.  Speaking to one of the artists, I realised I had no connection at all with her piece of work, but could appreciate the power and symbolism that it involved.  I was totally drawn into the delicate drawings by Jasna Nikolic which were just beautiful, but reading her written word, I was left wanting more of an explanation.  But this is something I really enjoy as it leaves me the space to interpret the work how I wish to.

Lady and Ship, Mixed Media by Jasna Nikolic

Travellers, Mixed Media by Jasna Nikolic

Slavka Jovanovic's piece 'Broken' was a reconstucted dinner table and Jovanovic says, 'The piece encapsulates broken dreams and hopes dashed. An aggressive response to a hopeless situation, and yet a thing of beauty in its own right'  Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of this work which was exactly how the artists portrays in her words.

But personally, the piece of work that stood out wasn't one that I could actually stay with, I didn't listen to the whole soundpiece, it was too painful to listen too.  As you approached Chloe Bowles video and mixed media installation, it appears beautiful, a video of a baby lying under a sheet, happily playing and smiling but looking below the video was a darkly painted dolls house, with a single light shining on a miniature table & chairs, the house sat upon a small mat.  The immediacy of the scale comparison was powerful enough, but it only hinted at the full impact of the work, which was realised when you put the headphones on.  I have to admit I only stayed with the real recording of a domestic abuse event for a few minutes, but the impact of what the artist was conveying was immediate.  Every we do in our homes and our lives impacts elsewhere and these 'Ripples' can be long lasting.

'throw a stone into the middle of a lake and the resulting waves radiate outwards fromt he point of impact to the edges of the water, perhaps continuing beyond the shore, invisible and unspoken.' - Chloes Bowles

Ripples, Video and Mixed Media Installation by Chloe Bowles

Any work that has an emotional impact so strong, has to be a success.

Even if I wasn't part of this exhibition, I would have hated to have missed it.  It is definately worth a visit.

Belper Art Trail Submission - Schadenfreude

Even though I am an organiser of the Belper Art Trail, this year, I got to submit some work.

When we set up the theme of Recontextualisation, I didn't think I had anything I could work with, however, after picking up a book that has sat on my shelf for quite a while, quietly waiting for me to pick it up and read it, Status Anxiety by Alain De Botton has given me a revived interest.  I had made a whole body of work based around the emotion of fear, using symbolisms that encompassed that visceral feeling of repulsion.  So my submission for the Art Trail will be around Jealousy and Envy. 

The working title is Schadenfreude - Schaden = Harm nad Freude = Joy meaning the satisfaction or pleasure of seeing someone else's misfortune.

This is actually turning out to be quite a tricky emotion, not many people will admit to feeling it and I have come to realise it is one of our most secret emotions.

I can't post any pictures of the work in progress, because I am waiting for my new camera to arrive! Oh the excitement... I'm so looking forward to catching up with taking photos of all the glass eyeballs I have watching every move I make around the studio.  Feel free to feel jealous of the fact that I have a new toy to play with... I'm just hoping it will be here in time for the trip down to the Vibe Gallery in London for the Desperate Artwives opening night.

Not my eyeballs, but someone elses...

Desperate Artwives Exhibition, Vibe Gallery, London

The Blue Tree by Christine Gray

I am very very happy to say that my work got selected for the Desperate Artwives Exhibition at teh Vibe Gallery, Bermondsy, London on the 19th May until the 29th May.

The Blue Tree has been selected to show, its a mixed media piece that I painted a while ago. I was looking at Franz Marc at the time and was inspired by his blue horses paintings which are a favorite of mine.

The Large Blue Horses by Franz Marc.

Blue Horse II by Franz Marc

Marc was part of the German Expressionist movement in the early 1900's and his paintings are just beautiful.   So I'm incredibly pleased that my painting which was directly inspired by him was selected.  It was an indulgent piece of work by me which I enjoyed doing.

The Power of Social Media

I've recently been included in a press release and we are to have a group interview and photo taken for the Derby Evening Telegraph next week.  It's very exciting and I have been boingy and buzzing since yesterday afternoon, I returned from taking Maybe for a walk to see my inbox flooded with emails arranging it all.   So today my mission is to go and get my haircut!


Four Belper Artists Brought Together by Social Media Have A Chance Of Selection to Exhibit in London Gallery

Back in summer 2011 Belper artist Ruth Gray read her twitter feed and the words ‘We are looking for Desperate Artwives!’ Jumped out at her. The call on the website read:

‘We are a group of women and artists who have been putting our "artistic needs" on hold to attend to our family and work duties, but who have also never forgotten who we really are at heart. We are now ready to reclaim our artist status and are looking for others who feel they belong to this category to join our group. Desperate Artwives aims to be a starting point and a common platform to gather artists and artwork that will make our project unique. We are looking for work that is entirely created at home, in between chores, family and paying bills. All artwork will be showcased on our website, while a smaller selection will join the Desperate Artwives group in our upcoming exhibition in London. Artworks in all media are welcomed, Inc. visual, film, sculpture, performance, textile art, poetry and writers. Submissions from international artists are also very welcomed!’

Ruth immediately submitted four pieces of work that she had been painting in the evening when her children were in bed and was accepted with her work show cased on the Desperate Artwives website. Since then the project has grown from strength to strength with over forty women artists from all over the world contributing. Amy Digham the project founder has announced that Desperate Artwives is now officially supported by the Women's Art Library, Goldsmiths University of London and the Desperate Artwives Exhibition will take place from the 19/05 to the 29/05 (PV friday 18th) at the Vibe Gallery, London. SE16 4DG. Student Jerwood Prize winner 2011 Nicki Rolls, will be taking part as special guest.

What Ruth didn’t bargain for was the project bringing together Jenny Oldknow, Christine Gray and Mandy –Jayne Ahlfors all Belper artists who all share similar stories of raising families and working yet still finding time to create artwork in between, this has been an added bonus and now the artists have had opportunities through social networks such as twitter and facebook to meet up and collaborate on other projects such as the Belper Art Trail and #twitterartexhibit (taking place in Moss Norway.) All have seen their profile raised since Desperate Artwives began and are now very positive that the time spent painting in between chores is paying off!


　

The Belper Artists

Ruth Gray

Ruth Gray is a fine artist who is both a British and Australian citizen specialising in semi abstract artworks that explore the emotion of natural environments through the use of colour and form.

Working predominantly in acrylics, using collage to add texture. With a long background in representational art Ruth also has a love of traditional watercolours and pencil work. Because fine art was not considered to be a stable career choice, she studied Textiles Technology at University and became a clothes designer for twelve years. But continuing her art education at night school and sketching at home. After immigrating to Australia in 2003 with her husband, she found herself living hours away from any major town or city and unable to continue her fashion career, so she reinvented herself as a fine artist. Successfully selling artwork in regional and national exhibitions, solo, joint and group shows. Media attention from newspapers, local radio and regional TV followed. Eventually writing ‘how to’ articles for national arts magazines. All the while discovering new skills in fine art at the local college.

Returning to the UK in 2009 and settling in Belper on the edge of The Peak District Ruth completed a degree in International Business and has continued with her art practice. Currently represented by local galleries in Derbyshire.

Bondi Rip by Ruth Gray

Mandy –Jayne Ahlfors
Before embarking on opening a working artist studio and gallery Mandy began exhibiting her art in the year 2007 it was a big step and was encouraged by her family to take the leap into the otherside of the art world. So her first exhibition was at a lovely little gallerynestled in Lea nr Holloway, followed by an exhibition at View from The Top gallery in Nottingham. The following year Mandy was made redundant from her job as drawing office administrator this meant looking for work,after six months of looking Mandy was approached by a friend who suggested sharing studio space. This was the beginning of something new and challenging. Mandy moved her studio and gallery to her home town and opened in July 2011 in Heage Derbyshire.

Mandy Jane Ahlfors in her Studio

Jenny Oldknow
‘I paint expressive and vibrant watercolour’s of ALL kinds of lovely animals - pets, wildlife, insects, horses, farm animals, you name it! I also paint pure abstract work.I have exhibited my work widely and my paintings have been sold throughout the UK and abroad.
Commissions are very welcome - pet portraits are a specialty! But I am happy to paint ANY animal, or an abstract piece, for your special commission!
I am an artist member of the 'Association of Animal Artists'.

Red Flight by Jenny Oldknow

Christine Gray

Christine is a mixed media artist who explores the use of colour and texture. Using a combination of collage, handmade silk papers, dyes and paint she creates abstract studies often combined with an illustrative technique.

Her work often reflects the landscape around her, including areas of Belper, Matlock, The Peak District and from visits to her parents on Anglesey. Christine also uses creative writing in her work. She is currently exploring Art and Running, painting abstract landscapes of the world in motion.

She moved to Derbyshire in 1991 and has made Belper her permanent home.

‘I studied Fine Art at the University of Derby and graduated in 2009 alongside bringing up a young family, I then continued onto a Postgraduate Certificate in Community & Participatory Arts at Staffordshire University . In 2010, I was selected for the ‘Start Up & Go’ business programme with University of Derby and since then have been working as an artist, making and selling work through various outlets and attending local festivals.
I am also working in collaboration with Andrew Martyn Sugars in our not for profit arts organisation called Corridor Arts, we put on art events in Amber Valley such as The Belper Art Trail with the Belper Food Festival Committee, that promotes collaboration between artists and works to keep our artistic community thriving.’

Belper by Christine Gray

Desperate Artwives Project Founder

Amy Dignam.

Amy graduated from Central St Martin in 2005. Dictated by the need to support herself financially and by the fact that job prospects for conceptual artists are not exactly flourishing, Amy ended up having to take up a job that is not even remotely near her artistic ambitions. A few years on and Amy is now married, has two gorgeous girls and is still in the same job. She is a housewife, mother and part-time employee, but at heart she is also an artist who is looking for an opportunity to keep her passion going.

Meditating on her situation, Amy realised that there are plenty of women in exactly the same situation – women that continue to produce incredible work behind closed doors while they feed their babies, support their husbands and chase a job that pays the bills but doesn’t satisfy their creative needs. These women need a voice and an outlet.

What if we created a movement to celebrate these talented women? What if we could find a way to collect the work of these women and then look for an opportunity to exhibit their work? In answering these questions, Amy created ‘Desperate Artwives‘, a movement, a website and a collection of work that will eventually be sifted and shortlisted for a London exhibition.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Links:

http://www.desperateartwives.com/desperateartwives.com/Welcome.html

http://www.gold.ac.uk/make/

http://www.jerwoodvisualarts.org/

http://www.familyfriendlyworking.co.uk/2011/11/27/new-project-desperate-artwives/

http://www.jennyoldknow.com/

http://www.purpleshedstudio.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/Ruthggray

http://www.ruthgraHYPERLINK "http://www.ruthgrayimages.co.uk/"yHYPERLINK "http://www.ruthgrayimages.co.uk/"images.co.uk

http://www.artbymandy.com/http___artbymandy.com/About.html

http://davidsandumart.posterous.com/call-for-artists-2nd-twitter-art-exhibit-in-m

http://www.corridor-arts.org.uk/