Tony Nero’s Art
NEWS
The really random newsletter all about my art.
WOW! hold the front page
Well with all this creative excitment going on lately I really have to say, ‘hold the front page’. After the Find me Keep me event I thought it may have gone quiet, but oh no! We got live art in Art in the Heart, regularly every Saturday, a PAOS event in Queensgate, followed by the main three weekend events. Street artists were out of town doing their stuff and in between events I’ve had my head down producing some new work.
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So, what’s up next? Yeah Overground back on the block at The Green Backyard with a huge lineup and look out for the Fresh Take exhibition coming up, super cool artists creating intresting stuff up there at Burghley House.
In this issue: PAOS in Queensgate Summer Exhibition Idea 1 coming to P’town
August 2013
ISSUE 09
PAOS Queensgate event This year our Peterborough Artists Open Studios promotion event took place in May, in the Queensgate Shopping Centre. This was a one day event to promote our three weekend exhibitions in June. We spent the day talking to visitors at the shopping centre, telling them about art in Peterborough and giving out brochures and information to the Open Studios exhibition. There were displays from a few of our artists and we also did some live art during the course of the day. Garth Bayley worked on a painting of the esculator, while I started a pastel drawing of a tiger. Also demonstrating live work on the day were Carole Boyer, showing her water colour skills and Charron Pugsley-Hill working on a tablet.
Some of the other artists showing at the shopping centre included Mary Kemp, Karl Dardis, Mahemuda Arsalani, and Kay Hall. It was great news to hear that a gentleman had offered to buy Garth’s painting after chatting for a while and watching him work. But alas the said gentleman did not return. So, ok Mr, just so you
Steelpan maestro Don Saunders stopped by to mix it up a little.
Sitting it out with artist Kate Tameshanko Photos show a few of the artists at work
know, we’re looking for you and as mad artists, when we find you, we shall take your shoes and socks off and tickle your feet with the softest sable brushes, until you cry with laughter. I eventually finished my drawing of the tiger a few days before the June events. Just in time to have it displayed at the main exhibition.
Garth Bayley painting the exculator
Rene Viner showing some of her work
Carole Boyer and Charron Pugsley-Hill exchanging creative ideas.
Lynn George Love this pic of Lee Mason, posing like Bob
Front cover This issue’s front cover picture features an oil painting of a springbok, having a well deserved drink. Shown for the first time at the exhibition in June.
Most recent painting
Mayor’s portrait I must say, I really had some fun working on the recent mayor’s portrait. Cllr George Simmons, last year’s mayor and such a jovial guy made the whole experience an adventure. We started out at the Realitas art Centre, had some cool press and I also presented the painting to him on stage at the Key Theatre, while still wet. And even managed to get the council’s CEO to take a few pictures for me. After some slight retouching due to smudging, we finally ended up with another presentation with the press, in his chambers at the town hall.
Here we go again with another most recent piece of work. And this time, even if I say so myself, its a beautiful pastel drawing of Lyn Jobson. Now, this piece I particularly worked on to enter in the Derwent Art Prize. It was actually completed the day before final the entry deadline. Talk about cutting it fine! The sad news was that it didn’t get selected for the exhibition, so I dried my eyes and carried on. No doubt this will be exhibited at one of my exhibitions somewhere soon. I also have plans to do another painting of Lyn, just not sure as yet if it will be in oils or pencils.
Tony’s shout out!
Maia’s surprise gift It’s all smiles for Maia Fakolujo, as she recieved a surprise gift at the recent exhibition. As I promised on Facebook, there was going to be a surprise for someone, if they turned up. And why I hear you ask. Well at 6 years old in 2008, little Maia attended my very first exhibition in Peterborough. At the time she took a photo of me and wrote an article for her school project. She has since attended almost all of my local exhibitions, happily dragging the whole family along. This is just my way of showing a little appreciation for the support I recieve from all around. Thanks to all who have visited, commented or even smiled!
This time my big shout goes out to two super cool guys, who have both recently undergone major operations. First shout to Adam Brough who I first met at my first PAOS exhibition in 2009. Adam has since been to a number of my exhibitions and here we are at the museum with my drawing of him.
Second shout to a dear friend, Olympic torch bearer and UK Wheelchair Babminton champ Gobi Raganathan. Even though he couldn’t make it up the stairs he still attended my BHM exhibition at Embe a couple years ago.
Darren Fower and Gobi Ranganathan
Summer Exhibition
Part of Peterborough Artists Open studios
Our annual Open Studios Exhibition was held in June, and again this year I was lucky to be showing at the Shine office, in the heart of the city. It was also exciting to be showing with the other three artists, Mahemuda Arsalani, Stacey-Ann Cole & Josephine Kelly-Gobuiwang. With all the different styles of work, visitors to the exhibition had an interesting time viewing the variety of pieces and chatting to the artists. I ran a mini art workshop for the kids, while Mahemuda’s mosaic workshop got visitors engrosed, with enthusiasm and smiles. One family almost spent a whole day and returned the following weekend for more! Stacey-Ann and Jose managed to do some drawing and painting during the course of the time, but i’m always too busy chatting, to get
any work done. Actually I’m quite surprised they put up with me for that long... But there were threats to hide my camera! While we had a stream of regular visitors over the three weekends. We also had quite a few new visitors, who knew nothing of PAOS or even anything of art in Peterborough. We were also honored to have guests, such as Mr Cliff Walker - the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Cllr Darren Fower, Cllr John Shearman and Mr Kevin Tighe - CEO of Vivacity. Spirits were dampened on the afternoon of the final day, as someone had come into the building and stolen laptops from the charity. Difficult to express my feelings at the time here in this
newsletter. But as visitors continue to arrive we hung tough to the end. Each artist had donated pieces of
work to raise funds for the charity Shine, and next issue I will bring you an update on the raffle winners.
Exhibiting artists Mahemuda Arsalani, Jose Kelley, Tony Nero and & Stacey-Ann Cole.
A young visitor trying some mini art with Stacey-Ann in the background sketching.
Mosaic workshop in full swing
Visitors leaving comments in my book
Artists happily chatting to visitors about their practice and inspirations.
In the mix with local councullors John Shearman and Darren Fower.
More photos from this & other exhibitions on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonynerotheartist/
Gallery and art in the heart Shop There’s no escaping art Just to add a bit of spice to the exciting amount of art going on in the city, get ready for another cool project. Metal’s Peterborough artist in residence, Lee Baker addressed a crowd of creative people over at Chaufers cottage, earlier in March. Lee spoke about his work, his journeys, inspirations, and influences as an artist. He also spoke about his idea for a new project, drawing inspiration from Norman Cross, and involving a large number of the public. Without giving anything away at this moment, just bear this little expessive word in mind, escape!
fine and decorative art paintings sculpture photography printmaking ceramics glass textiles jewellery handcrafted gifts prints cards picture framing
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47 Bridge Street, Peterborough, PE1 1HA www.artintheheart.co.uk info@artintheheart.co.uk Tel: 07910 118148
IDEA 1 comes to town Idea 1 is a new super cool website, being launched in Peterborough by Metal, as a hub of information for arts in and around the city. The website will go live in September, and promises to list a variety of events such as exhibitions, musical and theatrical events, drama, poetry, and a host of other things to do with the arts. All you creative people and promotors alike are encouraged to email information, to promote and list your events to ruth@metalculture.com This is exciting and great news, which means that at any time visitors can jump onto the website and find out what’s going down in P’town!
Ruth Campbell co-ordinator of Idea 1, visits us at the recent exhibition
Ruth Campbell who was appointed co-ordinator of the Idea 1 website, popped in to see us at the PAOS exhibition in June. As you know hardly anyone escapes my lens, so here she is beside a few of my paintings experiencing her first lens attack.
This little oil painting I worked on specifically to add to the June’s exhibition. At first I wasn’t going to do any new pieces for this exhibition but I really wanted at least a couple of new pieces. I really love the warmth and mood of this painting, and also how the subject and her surroundings appear to be at peace with the evening glow. I have to say, this one has grown on me the more I look at it.
Continuing the Urban collection Ok, so by now you may have seen a few pieces that I call my Urban collection. If you’ve not seen the originals, I have mentioned them in previous newsletters. The three paintings here, were shown in June at the Open Studios exhibition.
The human statues are frequently seen in Peterborough’s Cathedral Square, and always a joy to see. While working on the drawing on the left, of the silver human statue, I felt compelled to create something using metallic silver. So filled with inspiration and a few tubes of acrylics, here are the results.
What’s On ! l Live
art Saturday: Art in the Heart 47 Bridge Street, Peterborough, PE1 1HA. A different artist each Saturday www.artintheheart.co.uk l Art
Delivering Gillian’s portrait to her chambers
Picture of the day After starting the portrait of the council’s CEO, Gillian Beasley, sometime last year, I went back to it and finally finished it off! As usual, it’s always scary to deliver a portrait for the first time as you never know what the reaction would be. The painting was greeted with a smile from Gillian and her immadiate comment was ‘I love it, it’s me’!
in the Park Saturday 9th - Sunday 10th August. Live art and family entertainment in Central Park.
l Overground
Live Art Jam 17th August @ The Greenbackyard. 11am-8pm Free entry. Live street art, music, food drinks and a good time. Over 60 artists painting & performing in a wide range of styles. l Lantern
Parade - 6th September at 19.00. A Lantern Parade for Peterborough’s Arts festival. Parade by thousands of school children and their families. Free admission. City center. Come out and support all the efforts the artists, musicians, poets and craft men and women are putting in to keep their craft alive and local.
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