SPOKE TO PAULY THE PAINTER ABOUT HIS MASTERPIECE UP FOR GRABS COMPETITION WITH VAN GOGH ALIVE

You may have seen Pauly the Painter on Hove seafront or in the hustle and bustle of the lanes. He always has an easel on the go and paintbrush in hand but the latest adventure for this beloved local artist is a collaboration with legendary Vincent Van Gogh.

To mark the 170th anniversary of Vincent van Gogh's birth, along with the upcoming Van Gogh Alive immersive exhibition to be held at Brighton Dome, local artist Pauly the Painter has created a never before seen artwork of some of Brighton’s best landmarks in the style of ‘Starry Night’. The unique piece is up for grabs alongside the chance to have a VIP private exhibition experience as part of a competition by Van Gogh Alive. We spoke to Pauly the Painter about creating the piece, his inspirations and what he is looking forward to about the VGA immersive exhibition.

You have painted a gorgeous piece of artwork of Brighton landmarks in the style of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’. How did creating the masterpiece come about?

The Van Gogh inspired artwork is essentially a combination of features that are Brighton; the nightlife, bold and brash, the architecture both traditional and contemporary ( in the form of the pavilion, the pier and the i360 as well as our shingle beach and sea.) I combined these with elements of Vincent’s artwork; the Starry Night, the sunflowers, the helter skelter (as one of his cypress trees) and crows converted to seagulls to produce a vision that would have him spinning in his grave.

Is Vincent Van Gogh an artist that you would say has inspired your artworks previously?

As a very old and antiquated artist, I have many influences on my art. I love the work of all artists and creatives whether they are famous or not. I love the energy and passion of Vincent’s painting technique. I admire his obsessive urge to capture landscapes, objects and people that surrounded him and his use of texture and colour.

You are often spotted around Brighton and Hove painting our vibrant streets, how did you decide that you wanted Brighton pier and the Pavillion to go into this specific painting?

Brighton pier and Brighton pavilion are two of the most visited and well loved landmarks of our city. They seemed to be appropriate to feature in the artwork. I am sure that Vincent would have loved the music room with all its colour and dragons and lost a stack of 2p’s in the amusement arcade on the pier.

You do a lot of your work plein air, so outdoors, capturing moments as you see them as opposed to painting from a photograph. How do you think this changes the energy of your paintings?

I paint on the streets of Brighton and Hove because I am a passionate creative and educationalist. The beauty of nature and our exquisite architecture inspires me as well as sunlight and the wonderful people in our community. Painting allows me to communicate to people of all ages and backgrounds. I often extol the many virtues of creativity, the success of the Seagulls and I (obviously) love a good chat!

There is a very distinct impressionist style to the Van Gogh inspired painting. Is all of your artwork usually in this style?

I consider that many artists have inspired the style of my artwork, for example; Bellini, Raphael, Titian, Monet, Van Gogh, Seurat, Hopper and younger artists such as Brook, Roux, Sammy and Alex.

The piece will be on display at Van Gogh Alive from May 12th, how does it feel to have your creation exhibited at such a renowned immersive experience?

I am honoured to be a part of this wonderful project. I hope that it inspires and encourages people of our community to become involved in creativity. It’s great fun being energetic and getting mucky!

What are you most looking forward to seeing at Van Gogh Alive?

I know that people who visit the experience will come out feeling energised and enlightened by Vincent’s artwork.

Do you think you will be painting any more specific artist inspired work? What is the next adventure for Pauly the Painter?!

As I mentioned in my earlier answer, my artwork is always inspired by the work of other artists. I do feel that this process of focusing on Vincent’s work has energised the way I work and inspired me to become more expressive and colourful with my own work. Next time I see him I’ll spoil him to a coffee and a fish finger ciabatta at the Big Beach Cafe!

To be in with the chance of winning this oneof-a-kind artwork alongside a VIP viewing experience with friends and family worth £900, register to the Van Gogh Alive newsletter via the Van Gogh Alive Brighton website before 17th July. The winner will be selected at random, from the emails collected through this competition as well as those already registered to the Van Gogh Alive newsletter audience, who will be automatically entered into the draw.

To find out more about the exhibition, to purchase tickets, register for the Van Gogh Alive newsletter and enter the competition please visit the website: vangoghaliveuk.com/brighton/register/

By Amy Stanborough

Hopping onto our zoom call, a bundle of energy and joy, was Brighton-based artist Faye Bridgwater. Immediately I was enticed by how much of Faye’s personality is transferred into her paintings. “I paint like this,” she shows me, pointing to the vertical canvases “and then they look like this” she says, turning them horizontally. Behind her was a complete backdrop of colour as though she had found herself buried deep inside a rainbow cave. It was in fact her shed at the back of her garden - a retreat where Faye’s creativity has the emancipation to bounce between four wooden walls and transform into the brush strokes on a canvas.

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Most of Faye’s excitement and passion was bursting from the thought of May quickly approaching - her favourite month. Walking around the city, you may have noticed flyers and posters for Brighton Festival, Fringe, The Great Escape and Artists Open Houses popping up. “It’s an absolute party city!” Faye exclaims thinking about spring truly blossoming. Artists Open Houses is what Faye is most looking forward to as she will be at two venues this year.

The first venue Faye will appear at is part of the Kemptown Trail. Head to Understory Sat 6 - Sun 28 May for the delightful combination of art and nature. Here you can discover Faye Bridgwater's latest collection of original floral and landscape paintings as well as her limited edition prints amidst the abundant foliage of a charming plant shop. Inspired by the stunning Sussex coastline and the natural world, Faye's vibrant art is perfectly complemented by the lush greenery of this plant-filled oasis. Understory, 4 Church Place, Brighton, BN2 8EZ

Also, mark your calendars for Fri 19 - Sun 21 May to see Faye’s work on the Hanover Trail. This exhibition features Faye's largest paintings to date, capturing her pure emotional joy of paint. Held at The Ballroom, an intriguing venue in the heart of Hanover which is now open after 50 years, the immense and interesting space provides the perfect contrast to Faye's vibrant and bold brushstrokes. She is utilising the space to create an uplifting and inspiring experience that is not to be missed. 10am-5.30pm

Asking Faye where she finds inspiration, she tells me she is constantly creatively charged by the photography posted in ‘Brighton Skies’. Brighton Skies is a Facebook group created by Faye Bridgwater with over 43k group members. It is a “wonderfully positive place about sharing the joy of looking up” she tells me. While there are some incredibly talented photographers in the group, Faye’s favourite posts are by the amateurs who capture images of the sky when they are out and about. Thinking back to the process of starting this group, Faye explains how it was all very quick, flicking ideas between ‘Brighton Sunsets’ or ‘Brighton Dusk’ before landing on the chosen name. “I shared it with a few mates and artists” and now “I can’t believe it gets seen all around the world!” The virtual group embodies the collective creativity that radiates across our city, something Faye is all about.

Not originally from Brighton however, Faye tells me about how she would commute here from Watford to work in a gallery. “I’ve always wanted to live by the sea” she reminisces, “my brother and sister and law live in Seven Dials so [my husband and I] were always visiting.” It was thirteen years ago when her husband got a job at Gatwick and they took the opportunity to move. “I still pinch myself. I cannot believe that I can go and paddle right now if I wanted to.” She shares an awe and excitement that I am sure all Brightonians can all relate to. Faye continues, “we go on holiday and camp and it’s utterly inspiring living here. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Everyday Faye finds herself going for a walk to the sea or the racecourse, which she labels as a real hidden gem in Brighton. “You can see all the way to Worthing or down to the pier!” While on her walking ventures, she takes lots of pictures, but it is that connection between the city and the landscape which seems to really motivate Faye. She summarises, “Where else can you see a sheep then walk into town and see one of your favourite bands?”

Speaking further on her creative process she tells me that she uses acrylic because it dries quickest. Her paintings are not just landscapes inspired by Sussex scenery, but also consist of large crazy florals (as implied in the previews for her feature at AOH). “I go through the rainbow and work through the process of adding colours” she explains. When I comment on how visibly full of passion Faye is, she continues “paint is fully immersive in my life. I’m inspired by everything I see.”

The fun does not end with Artists Open Houses however! Brighton Festival opens with the Children’s Parade which is a free event at 10:30am taking place on Sun 7 May from Jubilee Street to Madeira Drive. For the last five or six years, Faye has helped out with St Luke’s School. “I actually get really emotional about it” she ponders, describing the overwhelming joy of the morning. “And you have all these little people, strands and webs of people, all coming together to make this celebration” where the hard work of building sculptures and making costumes pays off in this party.

On what else she is wanting to see at Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe, Faye loves the opportunity to see free art across the city most. “How amazing that there is free art and music and sculpture. It’s a coming together of creativity and acceptance. You never know what you are going to see; you’re walking down the street and suddenly a silent disco goes past you!”

From 1 April - 3 September, Out of the Ordinary is a photography exhibition from Roger Bamber at Brighton Museum. As a photographer herself, Faye is keen to visit this. She also says that Mattias SchackArnott’s Groundswell, coming to St Peter’s Square looks like a lovely thing to see (Sat 6-Sun 28 May). The Great Escape is a huge event for the Bridgwater household: “everyday we are deciding where to go and what to see.”

Faye embodies everything that Brighton is about - being inspired by the beautiful city and sea while embracing the creativity it has to offer. To discover more about Faye or purchase her art go to www.fayebridgwater.com

For more information about Artists Open House this May, go to aoh.org.uk