E17 Art Trail - A few of my favourite things...

Last Sunday I took a trip around the wonderful E17 Art Trail & I have again this Sunday on the last day. Why? Because I missed some (there are over 160),  I have to go back to pick up a purchase & I want to show my friend the wonders of what us locals call 'Awesomestow'.  

All signs point to art! 

As there are so many things to see I shall only be able to mention the places I have been to & feel it would be churlish to keep to myself. Firstly I must thank everyone & every venue I have been to so far for your warm welcomes. 

Armed with our trusty map we headed into the village via the St. Mary's Parish Church where the grounds are alive with the recycled rustlings of creatures made by the pupils of Whitefield School & Centre. My favourite has to be the fox though - always a weakness of mine they are such handsome fellows!

After a look inside we ventured into the village to see the offerings at Queenie & Ted whose up-cycled clothes are embellished & adorned with fantastic designs. However, hanging from the ceiling were some more lovely clothes, t-shirts by children provided by Little Mashers. There were so many good ones I can hardly pick one so here are a few.

I do too!

Say no more...

 Brilliant!

 Tell it like it is

 Ooh er, wait till he's a teenager, lookout world!

 So you are, fantastic design.

 Put an owl on it, fab!

 Join the gaps & voila! 

Indeed

I couldn't pick a favourite, they were all so good. I definitely think they need to make these designs to sell, I really would love some grown up sizes to wear myself - particularly the cat & Kevin & Dave the hamsters a brilliant!

Then into the village to see the work on show at the Deli Cafe, what a great selection they had, much of which had already sold. 

 Part of the display in the Deli Cafe

 This was my favourite (apologies fro squiffy angle I 

was trying not to disturb the diners at their table.)

Hayley Holliday's lovely drawings of Strangers on a Train are as varied as the passengers. There are many more on her Etsy site, see the link above to purchase.

 Little Boy Rabbit

©Eileen Kai Hing Kwan

Pencil on Paper

Blueberry, Raspberry & Cranberry Macaron 

©Eileen Kai Hing Kwan

Pencil on Paper

Donut Twist

©Eileen Kai Hing Kwan
Pencil on Paper

The charming pencil drawings by Eileen Kai Hing Kwan I liked were sold, but her online shop is coming soon, can't wait!

 Dr Knit in the flesh with his creations

Then the annual visit to Dr Knit, who creates fantastical knitted creatures (all with their own back stories) displayed on shelves, sideboards & inside bell jars. 

 Twisted tentacles

The narwhal was a particular favourite as both myself & Mat (a great blogger too see it here) love them - extraordinary mammals everyone should know about. 

We strolled down Beulah Road & to the fab shop Blackduke & Cashman on Grove Road - who sell lovely Mid-Century Modern gems & lots of lovely knic-knacs worth having. (Popped by today as well & spent a little on some lovely coffee cups)

 Wonderful walls 

Then another highlight, meeting the wonderful painter Saskia Huning whose house is painted by her trained hand with beautiful friezes & a mural. The house was teaming with drawings, paintings & gilded panels. What a privilege to see them in a home setting, something that you can imagine in your own home. This is one of the reasons I like small gallery spaces as they feel more domestic in proportion, allowing you to 'decorate' your own place with work as you look… 

Saskia Huning

Here she is in front of it, I was inspired to get on with one in my house I've been meaning to start since we moved a year ago. We talked about the line & how each artist has their own specific way of drawing. I asked if she was left or right handed as it does alter how you compose an image. As a lefty I like right to left, especially when drawing arcs, as she does so skilfully. 

There were also some lovely ceramics - which upon admiring them I was thrilled to here were also by a local artist who was exhibiting in her own home on the art trail only moments away. There was no time to loose, onward to Linda Green's house tout suite! 

 Last Sunday there were 30, when I went

back yesterday there were 2 left! 

Here is Linda in her kitchen with some of her stunning wares. It took me no time at all to find what I was looking for (collected & displayed in my home only moments before writing this) 3 ceramic vases. 

Some of the vases…

Her work begs to be picked up, turned to allow for a different view as each side has its own character & is of course unique. 

Some big bowls…

I have my eye on a big bowl next. When I returned today I met 2 loyal fans of her work back to buy more who have what they described as a 'shrine' to Linda in their home which is growing year on year. I suspect I may fall prey to doing the same myself. 

 All great works need to be signed

Better than the real thing me thinks!

 Mat sits for his portrait next

 Another happy customer

I couldn't forgive myself if I didn't mention the amazing young artist who did mine & Mat's portrait in front of Lotolie with works by local artists & the results of life drawing sessions for under 12's which were fantastic! 

Here is Edith herself, concentrating on getting the portrait just right. I am thrilled with it & here are the results:

Picasso would love this too!

I went back today to show my friend. Edith's mum goes to a life drawing class which runs on Monday evenings & of course she wanted to go to - as a solution her mum asked one of the models from her class (who is a flamenco dancer) to pose in his dancing clothes for the kids. 

Edith's is top left, she also put in the surrounding wooden frame

 in the room, setting the context of the room, brilliant!

 Don't know how old Jacob is 

but he has a expressive line I must say.

The poses are great

And some more...

And the dance moves in case you want to try them

As you can see the pictures are great, more budding artists are made in Walthamstow as a result me thinks. The adult class is on Mondays & above The Nags Head pub, another gem of the village (fab real ale & food to die for - pizza heaven). Here is a link to their Facebook page. The show they had on definitely inspired me to join them soon - however there was a lack of bigger models, I love a bit of flesh to draw after all the best models are always big ones! 

Also Penny Fielding Interiors had (as always) great work & wares for sale, with regular pop-ups like The Gentleman's Closet & beautifully hand crafted leather works by the talented Mia Sabel. Sabel Saddlery & Leather Design has so many goodies, it's hard to know where to start, just look & see for yourself. My bespoke watch strap is on my wrist as I type.

No Art Trail is complete without a visit to see Catboy, Carl Harris, an artist/illustrator whose work is a firm favourite for all animal lovers. Here he is in front of some of his work. Fabulous drawings & a lovely chap to boot, my kind of artist.

Look who I caught with his drawings!

There is so much to see I must mention the one I missed sadly as I met her recently in The William Morris Gallery, Alke Schmidt who will be exhibiting there soon. See her work here. It will be great in the flesh, I shall have to wait till her show.

From one of their groovy evening events

Then of course I had to pop by my favourite vintage store Fox & Bear, where the proprietors Margie & Mark reside. They have both on many occasions found the perfect items for yours truly. 

No more pics daarlings

The first time I went in I came out with glorious goodies & the next time I dropped by Margie knew my size & shape & found even more perfect clothes for me. The combination of clothes, shoes, jewellery & curios & their warm welcome make every visit a pleasure. (They are Open Thursday - Friday: 1-7pm, Saturday - Sunday: 12-6pm) 

Hopefully some of these lovely people may be attending L A Noble Gallery for our upcoming events during the Capturing The Narrative show, catch the artist talks & spoken word events see here for details. 

Till next time...over & out.

Telling Tales #2 Brittain Bright 'Opening Lines'

 Untitled

Series: Opening Lines

©Brittain Bright  

They say a picture can speak a 1000 words – so a photograph trying to introduce the thoughts & ideas one has when reading an entire novel would seem like a very tall order indeed. However, this is exactly what Brittain Bright set out to do from the viewpoint of the reader in her series Opening Lines.  Using the first lines of various novels, both real & fictitious she drew upon her extensive knowledge of the texts & genres she chose to create this fascinating series. As a Harvard University graduate of English & American literature (BA Hons), holding an MA in Fine Art Media at The Slade School of Fine Art & about to complete her PHD at Goldsmiths University in English Literature,  she was well placed within the literary & artistic world to take on such a challenge. 

Each image contains the same protagonist, a woman (the reader) & also occasionally other characters whose character whose sex may or may not always correspond to the original text. The viewer becomes the reader, whose omniversal presence we see throughout. She places herself into the narrative as she reads rendering the text immaterial. “This is a form of extreme personalisation to consume the text by entering into it’” says Bright. In doing so Bright allows the viewer to open up to a similar experience – posing a more interactive experience.

 Untitled

Series: Opening Lines

©Brittain Bright  

Choosing to photograph on medium format black & white film the photographs are instantly imbued with a sense of period, something past, something written, thus placing the pictures in the past tense whilst present. Without the distraction of colour the authenticity of each ‘opening line’ is reinforced.

Don’t be mistaken that Bright’s series bears any relation to Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills series. This common misconception is easy to reach at a glance. Sherman’s work typifies film genres – appropriating styles, generalising styles – to raise memories of film through self-portraiture. Bright does not appear in Opening Lines other than as the architect & director of her photographs. Sherman’s role is that of an imaginary blonde actress styled to embody post war American clichés in cinema such as murderess, sex kitten, housewife or ice-cold sophisticate amongst others (there are 69 in total) without a hint of irony. As Andy Warhol said, “She’s good enough to be a real actress.”

In Brittain Bright’s series the educated eye sees beyond the staging & into the connection with the work it relates to. However, when this work is exhibited the ‘opening line’ is not prominently displayed – in fact the reverse is true. The books, which coincide with the work are also displayed – in order to suggest not only the literary implications of the photograph but also to impart the viewer – inviting them to read & experience the work first hand. This results in a more visceral incentive to become part of the work. 

Untitled

Series: Opening Lines

©Brittain Bright 

By placing her audience into a more responsive mind-set Bright leaves us room to breathe & enter into more imaginative realms. You are no longer a passive onlooker but a protagonist of the work itself. Being given such freedom – or should I say options (you can opt out & not take part at all if you wish) – the narrative can be bent & twisted to expand much further beyond Bright’s (the author’s) vision.

Opening Lines are open-ended questions, the beginning of something, filled with possibilities, starting a sentence that you feel duty bound to finish – or asking a question in which you need to seek the answer.

Each photograph is inspired by the imagination, skill & authorship of a work that although now rested in the canon of literary history can now re-animate in the minds of a new audience – literally growing in depth meaning before our eyes…

Witty, serious, dramatic & detailed, each picture dangles a thread waiting to be pulled.

Opening Lines by Brittain Bright will be on display at L A Noble Gallery as part of Capturing The Narrative: A visual exploration of fact & fiction

Exhibition dates: 12 June  - 5 July 2014

Venue: L A Noble Gallery, Maybe A Vole, 51 King Henry's Walk, London N1 4NH

Transport: Dalston Kingsland Overground

MAP

For further details see the website here.

Narrative Values – Artists Talks & performance programme – Wed Evenings at L A Noble Gallery

18 June 2014  - 18.30 – 20.00

Brittain Bright will discuss the use of narrative as a constant theme within her practice, followed by a Q&A. 

After the talk in response to Bright’s Opening Lines series in collaboration with Goldsmiths Writers Centre : Corrine Barber, Charlotte Heather & Elly Parsons will be performing 5 minute spoken word pieces especially for the exhibition.

Places are extremely limited. To book a place, please email hello@lauraannnoble.com with ‘Narrative Values – talk reservation’ in the subject line. Spaces will be reserved till 6pm. 

Tickets on the door will be subject to availability on the night. Any latecomers will not be able to enter the building after 6.30pm until the mid-point break & will still be charged the full ticket price.

£5 per-person. (Please include your telephone number for conformation.)

The gallery will be open as usual from 11.00 – it looks to be a fascinating & intimate evening – we look forward to welcoming you.

All works on display are for sale - for further information please contact the gallery.