Keira Thomas presents LGBTQIA+ exhibition, Out of the Artist

from BN1 Magazine June 2023

TV GUIDE

The Out of the Artist is a multi-artist exhibition created by local poet, and event manager for Worthing Pride 2019, Keira Thomas.

The exhibition creates a safe and accepting space for local independent LGBTQIA+ artists to creatively share their voice and personal experiences, free from restrictions and discrimination. Out of the Artist has no strict theme, allowing the artists to create and portray whatever art they wish, in their chosen form or medium.

It features work by Amelia Armande, Bryony May, Caroline Osella, Emma Clowsley, Gil Mualem-Doron, Helen Bedding, Joanna Barr, Kai Hilton, Karen Palzeaird, Keira Thomas, Kym Kovary, Leoni Thomas, LG, Mars Chicca, Robert Ryan, Stephanie Young and Tor Lloyd.

Out of the Artist will be presented at Worthing Museum and Gallery’s Studio Gallery from Sat 27 May - Sun 10 Sept 2023.

Exhibition Creator & Coordinator Keira Thomas says "In my current chapter, allied with my significant journey of being a proud lesbian, alongside supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in various ways; I feel passionate about creating an open and safe space for local LGBTQIA+ artists to creatively express and share their voice.

The name, 'Out of the Artist', derives from the importance of each artist having entire freedom to share the individual voice that lies within them.

Working collaboratively with 'Worthing Museum & Art Gallery' and local artists, to create the Museum's first LGBTQIA+ exhibition, is a very proud and monumental milestone; aiming to inspire, encourage and support other LGBTQIA+ artists to share their voice, as well as individuals from other underrepresented communities.

A number of our exhibiting artists are members of the 'LGBTQ+ Community of Worthing' Facebook group, who are fully inclusive and warmly welcome you to join their flourishing community.

Full inclusivity is at the heart of the exhibition, which is represented amongst our exhibiting artists and their diverse, powerful and influential work.

Proudly celebrating the innovative talents and bravery of our inspiring artists, we welcome all to visit the exhibition...and invite you to open your mind; ready to support, to immerse yourself in creativity, and to be part of the progressive future of Worthing."

Gil Mualem-Doron, an award-winning transdisciplinary artist, researcher, curator and contributor to the exhibition, will be running 4 free workshops titled Planning Worthing LGBTQIA+ Beach, to ignite the artistic passion of the Worthing community. Gil's art is based on his lived experiences of intersectionality as a migrant, person of colour, and neurodivergent queer.

In collaboration with LGBTQ+ Community of Worthing Facebook group, and with full inclusivity being at the heart of our values, the exhibitions invites you to open your mind, ready to immerse yourself in the work and celebration of our inspiring LGBTQIA+ artists.

Describe your artwork in three words.

KAI HILTON: Bold. Colourful. Minimalist.

JOANNA BARR: Humanitarianism, love, non-representational

GIL MUALEM-DORON: Socially Engaged Art

AMELIA ARMANDE: Colourful, Fun and Mythological

KAREN PALZEAIRD: Seascapes, Beauty and freedom

MARS CHICCA: Personal, chaotic, imperfect

KYM KOVARY: Challenging, honest, real

HELEN BEDDING: bold, colourful and big!

EMMA CLOWSLEY: Rhymes, pebbles, memories

What is your creative form or medium of choice?

KAI HILTON: Adobe Illustrator is my go to design software, as for printing my work, I always go for Fine Art Giclée printing on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth Paper.

JOANNA BARR: I've chosen to use acrylic paint for colour purposes. Oil paint and clay work are a typical go to though not featuring in the Out of the Artist exhibition.

GIL MUALEM-DORON: A collaborative storytelling created through various media and in this case performance, photography and installation art.

AMELIA ARMANDE: The pieces that I have brought to the gallery are digital remasterings of a series of watercolours I created for a display at Colonnade House last year. But they are inspired by my primary art form, which is performance storytelling. I have been collecting LGBTQIA+ folklore and mythology for the last two years, and look forward to being able to share the stories connected with the seven different artworks at the gallery.

KAREN PALZEAIRD: Generally Acrylic painting but also graphite pencil sketched drawings.

MARS CHICCA: Mixed media collage -- I like to use a variety of objects and textures including photographs, drawings, letters, words cut from books or magazines, even bottles or computer chips and arrange them in a way that evokes a particular feeling or echoes a theme.

KYM KOVARY: Songwriting/video and broadcasting

HELEN BEDDING: My preferred medium is acrylic paint.

EMMA CLOWSLEY: Poetry

What excites you most about the Out of the Artist exhibition?

KAI HILTON: The first exhibition in Worthing of It's kind, as well as an amazing opportunity for us local LGBTQ artists to express ourselves in our chosen art medium.

JOANNA BARR: I'm excited that LGBTQIA Artist can collectively express through art. I'm extremely grateful to Keira Thomas for making this happen and to Worthing Museum.

GIL MUALEM-DORON: Being part of what I hope will become an LGBTQ+ artists' collective.

AMELIA ARMANDE: It's amazing to see all of these different styles and forms and themes all in one place. I think it shows how, even just in Worthing, the queer community is vibrant, thriving, and filled with creativity.

KAREN PALZEAIRD: Being free to express my thoughts and feelings in art form having spent my life struggling with my sexuality. It has given me confidence to draw and paint more.

MARS CHICCA: As someone who grew up queer in America in the 1980s and 90s, the sense of acceptance and belonging to a supportive community of like-minded people in Worthing has been helpful in healing from past shame and embarrassment over my gender identity and sexuality.

KYM KOVARY: The thing that excites me most about being part of the exhibition is that being an LGBT exhibition, people are coming to see our work for that very reason.

HELEN BEDDING: I am excited about having the opportunity to exhibit alongside other LGBTQ artists.

EMMA CLOWSLEY: It's a fantastic space for LGBTQ+ artists to express themselves through different art forms, share with the public

Where else can we find your artwork?

KAI HILTON: You can find my artwork on Instagram @kaijedcreative As well as on Etsy kaijedcreative.etsy.com or search KaiJedCreative (one word)

JOANNA BARR: My painting and models are rarely seen A few originals have been sold or gifted in the past. both pieces shown in the Out Of The Artist exhibition have new homes already.

GIL MUALEM-DORON: During May-June at P21 Gallery London, Jubilee Library Brighton, and online: www.gmdart.com

AMELIA ARMANDE: Follow me on Instagram at @theydyamelia to see more of my performances, writing and art.

KAREN PALZEAIRD: I have an Instagram and Facebook page… Instagram. @Kj25_01_art Facebook KJ Art

KYM KOVARY: soundcloud.com/kymkovary, soundcloud.com/ kymkovarypodcasts, youtube.com/@TheKymKovaryShow

HELEN BEDDING: You can find my artwork on Instagram, @hebe_ artist

EMMA CLOWSLEY: Instagram @emmacpoetry; Poetry pamphlet 'Don't Forget Your Toothbrush' by Emma Clowsley (Flight of the Dragonfly Press) (Publisher based in Worthing)