Inside Artists | Issue 1

Events & Exhibitions | Artist Profiles | Interviews

ISSUE 1 | 2015

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INTRODUCTION | 03

If you’re reading this we’re sure you love art just like us. Maybe you’re a collector, you work in the industry, or you’re an artist yourself. Maybe you even tick all of these boxes, or maybe you’re just looking to find something new.

Either way we hope this magazine will be an exciting resource for you; something you will enjoy and take inspiration from while making new discoveries.

Each issue of Inside Artists will feature exciting curated artist profiles, insightful interviews and information on upcoming events throughout the UK. We love art of all different mediums and disciplines, and aim to showcase a wide range of innovative artworks from artists making work across all platforms.

Many of the artists we feature are emerging talents and are looking for representation and exhibition opportunities. All of them have amazing works of art for sale; so please do get in touch with them if you see something you like.

04 | CONTENTS

EDITORS Kieran Austin Toby Oliver Dean COVER IMAGE Simon Kirk, Pilon, Acrylic on Board, 2014 PROOF READER Daisy Francome FOLLOW US ONLINE @InsideArtists InsideArtists WRITE TO US Inside Artists 35 Holland Mews Hove, East Sussex BN3 1JG INSIDE ARTISTS ONLINE insideartists.co.uk ENQUIRIES info@insideartists.co.uk +44 (0)1273 748 630 SPONSORSHIP sponsorship@insideartists.co.uk +44 (0)1273 748 630 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publishers. The magazine can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.

"Pilon is probably most inspired by the work of John Steinbeck, specifically the paisanos from Tortilla Flat. When I read it, I was captivated by their quiet dignity; they have their routines and their way of life with no modern technology to speak of. They appreciate the beauty in the simple things – good food, good wine, friendship. This freedom is extremely appealing." Simon Kirk

CONTENTS | 05

06 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS 10 INTERVIEw: SIMON KIRK 14 ARTIST PROFILES Lisa Ridgers Ian Thuillier Emessel Liz Lloyd Heike Roesel Alice Neave Shannon Sait D.O.M. Sirenes Jason Clarke

14 18 22 24 26 27 28 32 34 38

40 Sali Muller 44 Sophie Hall 46 Peter Clarke 47 Sarah Eden 48 Matt Emmett 50 Peter Goodhall 54 Veronica Gudmundson 56 Vincent Donlin 58 Paula Lundy

59 UPCOMING ARTIST EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

06 | EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

Adventures of the Black Square: Abstract Art and Society 1915–2015

Dóra Maurer, Seven Rotations 1–6, 1979 Six gelatin silver prints, 20 × 20 cm each, Collection of Zsolt Somlói and Katalin Spengler, © Dóra Maurer

15 January – 6 April Whitechapel Gallery, London

T

his major show of abstract painting from the past century explores how abstract art has travelled worldwide, permeating our life and times, bringing together over 100 works by 80 modern artists including Josef Albers, Jenny Holzer, Piet Mondrian and Dan Flavin.

Kazimir Malevich’s Black Square (1915), acts as a starting point for the exhibition which presents work chronologically across four themes: Utopia, Architectonics, Communication, and Everyday. The exhibition explores abstraction's prominence outside of the gallery space, mapping its infiltration into the world around us. whitechapelgallery.org

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS | 07

History Is Now: 7 Artists Take on Britain 10 February – 26 April Hayward Gallery, London

(who split the atom in Manchester) and made them into graphene, from which the artist has developed a new series of work to mark the opening of the gallery and exhibition. whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

John Akomfrah, Simon Fujiwara, Roger Hiorns, Hannah Starkey, Richard Wentworth and Jane and Louise Wilson have each been invited to curate artworks and objects that capture pivotal events from the last 70 years of British history in the run-up to the 2015 General Election, offering a radical new way of thinking about how we got to where we are today. The exhibition brings together over 250 pieces from both public and private art collections as well as everyday artefacts, provoking reflection and debate on the events, people, and objects that have shaped the nation in recent decades, so informing our future decisions and directions. southbankcentre.co.uk

Cornelia Parker 14 February – 31 May Whitworth Gallery, Manchester Following a £15 million development, The University of Manchester’s Whitworth gallery reopens this February with a series of special exhibitions including this major solo show celebrating Cornelia Parker’s extensive and innovative career.

Signature pieces such as Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View (1991) will be displayed alongside new works including two exciting commissions which have seen Parker working alongside university scientist Kostya Novoselov, who, with Andre Geim, was awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of graphene - the world’s thinnest and strongest material.

Novoselov has taken microscopic samples of graphite from drawings in the Whitworth’s collection

by William Blake, Turner, Constable and Picasso, as well as a pencil-written letter by Sir Ernest Rutherford

Affordable Art Fair Battersea 12 – 15 March Battersea Park, London The Affordable Art Fair is an accessible event which encourages everyone to find art they can enjoy every day. Over 100 galleries will fill Battersea Park with original artworks from over 1,000 contemporary artists working in every style and medium imaginable. From contemporary painting and sculpture, to photography and limited edition prints, the aim of the fair is to make collecting art as fun and affordable as possible, with all artworks priced between £100 - £5,000. The four day event is also a chance to educate yourself with expert advice, or even get your hands dirty in an arty demonstration or workshop. [Image: Lisa Ridgers, Around the Island, 2014, acrylic on canvas] affordableartfair.com

08 | EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

Duck feather dress, The Horn of Plenty, A/W 2009-10 Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty 14 March – 2 August V&A Museum, London Following its original 2011 staging at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, which was the museums 8th most visited exhibition in its 142 year history and saw audiences queuing around the block, an expanded version of Savage Beauty comes to London as Europe’s first and largest retrospective of the late visionary designer Alexander McQueen. Conceived following his untimely death in 2010, the exhibition will display pieces spanning from his 1992 MA graduate show to his final

unfinished A/W 2010 collection, presented with the dramatic staging and sense of spectacle synonymous with his runway shows. McQueen challenged and expanded the understanding of fashion beyond utility to a conceptual expression of culture, politics, and identity. His iconic designs constitute the work of an artist whose medium of expression was fashion. vam.ac.uk

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS | 09

and nostalgia while at the same time instigating fear, uncertainty and anger. At the heart of Perry’s practice is a passionate desire to communicate his thoughts on aspects of contemporary experience. turnercontemporary.org

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2015 8 June – 15 August Royal Academy, London Now in its 247th year, The Royal Academy’s annual Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission contemporary art show, showcasing work by artists in all media, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, architecture and film. The show promotes a sense of discovery, with works by established and emerging artists often being hung side-by-side. royalacademy.org.uk

Barbara Hepworth: Sculpture for a Modern World 24 June – 25 October | Tate Britain, London

Grayson Perry, Sex and Drugs and Earthenware, 1995, glazed ceramic, Paragon Press and Victoria Miro, London, © Grayson Perry

Grayson Perry 23 May – 13 September Turner Contemporary, Margate This exhibition presents a selection of Grayson Perry’s infamously subversive ceramics, tapestries, prints, bronze and iron sculpture. Known for combining autobiographic references with wry social commentaries, Perry’s exquisitely crafted works use traditional media to document contemporary life.

Exploring issues within society and culture such as ideas of class and taste, politics, and the status of the artist, versus that of the artisan or maker, Perry’s works draw us in with beauty, wit, sentiment

This major retrospective will emphasise Hepworth’s often overlooked prominence in the international art world, of which she was a leading figure in the 1930s, and one of the most successful artists in the world during the 1950s and 1960s.The first exhibition of her work in London for almost 50 years, the show will bring together photographs, carvings and bronzes with some works on display for the first time publically since 1968 after the discovery of pieces which were believed lost. tate.org.uk

10 | INTERVIEW | SIMON KIRK

Middle Aged Michael, 2014, Collage, acrylic and pencil on board, 15 x 10 cm

SIMON KIRK | INTERVIEW | 11

AN INTERVIEW WITH

SIMON KIRK

S

imon Kirk is a London based artist, working with paint and collage to create poetic abstract works that have been sold internationally. There is a theme of layers that flows through many of Kirk’s pieces, both literally in terms of the layers of paint and collaged elements, but also in terms of the narrative each work presents. Through the pairing of found text and image, playful connections are made that are both illogical yet profound; the meaning is inherent but impossible to pin down precisely.

Tell me a little about your process, what is usually your starting point for a work? Do you actively seek out texts to turn into paintings?

I like to work across multiple pieces at once so I surround myself with boxes of collage and my cut up texts. The work is always on board rather than canvas, so I’ll usually start by pasting old newsprint down. This gives me something to kick against. I then start building up layers of paint and collage. I paint areas out and rip bits off. It echoes the editing process that would take place in a sketchbook, but the ideas are developing and decisions about composition are all taking place on the piece itself.

Gradually pieces reach a conclusion and so they are removed from the process. It’s often the addition of cut up text that completes them. It can be a memory game; this piece of text would be perfect for this piece - now where did I see it? But other times I’ll try variations and the images and text collide to create

observations I wasn’t expecting.

I do seek out texts to turn into paintings, but this has been a recent development. The images are more an illustrative representation of the text, so there’s a different dynamic.

I feel that there's a nod to philosophical ideas of "the Absurd" in your work; the conflict between the human tendency to seek inherent value and meaning in life and also the inability to find any.

Although there is a clear humour to your work, I find there is often an underlying melancholy; are these things you consider while creating new work?

Yes, definitely – you’ve nailed it there. My parents were big fans of Spike Milligan and The Goons, and I grew up listening to them and reading Milligan’s books of verse. It was a good grounding in the unpredictable and incomprehensible.

12 | INTERVIEW | SIMON KIRK

Santo Coba, 2014, acrylic on decollage, 152 x 102 cm

Although I didn’t know it at the time, Spike Milligan was a man who had struggled with depression throughout his life and later reading his war memoirs and the way he channelled his mental illness, anger and helplessness through humour was a revelation. It was such a perfect and human response. Historians took care of the cold, impassive documenting of events to try and make sense of it all, but the actual absurdity of being stuck in the middle was left to Milligan and writers like Joseph Heller with Catch 22, which I love.

Clearly I don’t share Milligan’s experience of war, but his work really resonated and the idea of ‘the Absurd’ was ingrained from then. In my work the text and image combine to create a self-contained scenario with its own reality, and the viewer is invited to inhabit it. There is no undue wordiness;

Den, 2014, oil on board, 24 x 18 cm

the inherent simplicity of the cut up leaves a lot of room for the viewer to find their own meaning. I’m a big fan of haiku, the finding of profound meaning in modest things and the gentle playfulness that helps us view everyday life with fresh eyes. I like to use this device a lot. The cut ups often follow a path of taking the wonder of these small things and subverting them into something manic and fierce or poetic and evocative. The characters within the scenarios I create are challenged with weird and impossible predicaments, and the viewer is asked to join them in confronting the strangeness. Like you said before, it’s about facing the uncomfortable truth that human existence is essentially meaningless but still searching for what keeps us going regardless.

For me, it’s all there in the little things.

SIMON KIRK | INTERVIEW | 13

Azolay, 2014, acrylic on decollage on board, 30 x 21 cm

Kenneth, 2014, collage and mixed media on board, 15 x 10 cm

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on large feature pieces inspired by cave art; paintings that would serve as maps and stories but also reflect man's innate desire to paint and to create. The emphasis with these is on the painting process itself. I’m combining improvisation and a high physical energy to reach a balance of chaos and control.

the images is not the answer. I’ll be drawing on the work of Jean Dubuffet and his meticulous cityscapes, and also another outsider artist Howard Finster (famous for his Talking Heads album covers). There’s a nice harmony of text and image in his work which I want to explore. The piece Switch I did last year, which you can view on my website gallery, will give you an idea of the direction I want to take.

Is this the start of a new direction for your work?

The new work will run concurrently with the rest.

This is the largest work I’ve done, but the actual idea came from a small postcard size piece. The smaller works I’ll always continue, because the ideas develop there. They’ve replaced my sketchbooks.

But I’m very comfortable working on a bigger scale and my next challenge is to translate the charm of the small pieces into the larger work. Just enlarging

simonkirkfineart.com simon@simonkirkfineart.com

14 | ARTIST PROFILES | LISA RIDGERS

LISA RIDGERS

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or Lisa Ridgers the process of actually creating her works is as much itself an inspiration as the landscapes, figures and abstracts which are portrayed in her canvases.

Having lived in the USA for 20 years Ridgers returned to the UK, finding inspiration in the surroundings of her new home on the South Coast of England. A new sense of freedom found upon her return has seen a development of colour in her work.

Moving away from her usual standard Interior Design palette has allowed for the introduction of bright pink and red hues; these rich tones adding warmth and light to her paintings.

This new freedom of colour is an example of the authentic emotional connection which Ridgers shares with her work, and it is a sense which one can feel when observing her paintings. Her abstract, instinctual technique of adding and subtracting paint with scrapers, pallet knives, spray bottles and paper towels allows for every mark on the canvas to tell a story.

Ultimately there is a sense of calm which sings through her paintings amongst the chaos of her visceral process, hinting at ideas of evolution and transformation. ‘I paint instinctively and spontaneously’. Says Ridgers, ‘If I find myself at a loss or getting tight, I will take a sharp left turn and

LISA RIDGERS | ARTIST PROFILES | 15

Textured Views V, 2013, acrylic on canvas, 76 x 152 cm

a landscape can suddenly become an abstract, or a floral becomes a figurative’. This loose, playful approach allows the painting to grow organically, and gives them a life beyond the paint from which they are formed.

Please visit the website for representation details, upcoming exhibitions and events. lisaridgers.com lisaridgersfineart@gmail.com 07427 668700

Urban Girls I, 2014 Ridgers-Cobz collaborative series launched this fall, acrylic/ mixed media on canvas, 100 x 50 cm

16 | ARTIST PROFILES | LISA RIDGERS

Around the Island, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 122 cm

Crimson Land, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

LISA RIDGERS | ARTIST PROFILES | 17

Romance In the Air, 2013, acrylic/mixed media on canvas, 100 x 50 cm

18 | ARTIST PROFILES | Ian Thuillier

IAN THUILLIER

B

ased in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ian Thuillier is a self-taught photographer and award winning documentary maker. His observational photography documents contrasts in culture throughout the modern world.

Although it has only been a few years since Thuillier took up digital photography seriously, it is clear he has a natural ability both technically and artistically, seen through the beautiful compositions of his photographs which vividly capture glimpses of faraway microcosms.

A fascination with people and different cultures has taken Thuillier across the world to countries such as Morocco, Cambodia and Thailand, which were the

The Wedding 2, 2014, Digital/Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle fine art fibre based lustre paper (Photo Rag Baryta 315gsm), 51 x 76 cm

subjects of recent photographic journal, Images of Asia. An upcoming trip to Burma and Vietnam will continue his exploration of Asia, with the intention to study people and landscapes, shooting both digitally and with film.

Influenced by the work of his late brother, fine art photographer Harry Thuillier Jnr, and looking to take his work to another level, this year will see Ian learning the art of Platinum printing, a process that provides the greatest tonal range of any printing method. ianthuillierphotography.com ianthuillier@gmail.com

Ian Thuillier | ARTIST PROFILES | 19

Hair Trim, 2014, Digital/Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle fine art fibre based lustre paper (Photo Rag Baryta 315gsm), 51 x 76 cm

Three Monks, 2013, Digital/Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle fine art fibre based lustre paper (Photo Rag Baryta 315gsm), 51 x 76 cm

20 | ARTIST PROFILES | Ian Thuillier

Angkor Monk, 2013, Digital/Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle fine art fibre based lustre paper (Photo Rag Baryta 315gsm), 51 x 76 cm

Water Tower, 2014, Digital/Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle fine art fibre based lustre paper (Photo Rag Baryta 315gsm), 51 x 76 cm

Ian Thuillier | ARTIST PROFILES | 21

Monk in Doorway, 2013, Digital/Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle fine art fibre based lustre paper (Photo Rag Baryta 315gsm), 76 x 51 cm

22 | ARTIST PROFILES | EMESSEL

Emessel

I

Emission Nebula IC 1805, 2014, Embroidery on silk organza, 41 x 51 cm

nspired by ideas of the infinite and vast astronomical imagery, Emessel’s work takes an entire star-filled cosmos and shrinks it down to a microcosm, painstakingly embroidering solar systems and patterns found in the night sky bead by bead, with each small piece taking weeks or even months to complete.

to minutiae became a source of inspiration and motivation for creating new works and developing her technique.

Emessel’s Parisian training at Lesage in haute couture embroidery affords her work a luxury quality, although the gradual and deliberate nature of this process presented a challenge at first. Eventually the repetitive nature of the work and the attention

emessel.net contact@emessel.net

‘For me, slowness allows reflection on the infinite’, explains Emessel, who sees her process as a way to ‘help fill the unknown’.

EMESSEL | ARTIST PROFILES | 23

Scorpius (detail), 2014, Embroidery on silk organza , 35 x 45.5 cm

Cancer Constellation, 2014, Embroidery on silk organza, 23.5 x 29.5 cm

Iris, 2013, Embroidery on silk organza, 42 x 54 cm

24 | ARTIST PROFILES | LIZ LLOYD

LIZ Lloyd

D

ividing her time between Wales and Catalonia, Liz Lloyd is inspired by the contrasts of colour found in the two locations, using the natural world as a starting point to create soft yet expressive landscapes and abstracts.

Lloyd’s landscapes are enriched by her fascination with light and its varying intensities at different times of day and year. Using abstract sketches of light and colour to create the structure of a work, she translates them both literally and figuratively to evoke an emotional response through form and colour.

Aiguablava, 2014, oil on canvas, 50 x 70 cm

For recent pieces Lloyd has used her background in woven art to experiment with creating textured underpaintings to highlight the nature of shadow, combining this with light brushwork to achieve delicate blending. Using deep-edge canvases, Lloyd wraps her paintings across all surfaces of the canvas, creating an immersive, sculptural feeling to her work. lizlloydart.co.uk eja.lloyd@btinternet.com

LIZ LLOYD | ARTIST PROFILES | 25

Behind the Storm, 2013, oil on canvas, 50 x 70 cm

The Lights of Home, 2014, oil on canvas, 20 x 50 cm

The White Cloud, 2013, oil on canvas, 50 x 70 cm

26 | ARTIST PROFILES | HEIKE ROESEL

Pier & Pavilion, 2014, etching in edition of 45, 20.5 x 13 cm

A motley Assortment, 2014, etching in edition of 25, 48 x 50 cm

HeikE Roesel

H

eike Roesel is a fine art printmaker creating vibrant etchings and watercolours from her Brighton based studio in East Sussex.

Although the city that surrounds her is a huge source of inspiration for Rosel, the environments she depicts in her etchings are only a vaguely true representation of what can be seen in real life; instead surreal worlds are created using features from significant Brighton landmarks which are re-arranged and layered with dreamlike details, inspired by an emotion felt in the place, a chance encounter or an experience shared.

“It is important to me to create these worlds that exist in their own right. They often do not hold any

relationship with the logic of the real world, like proper perspective and scale of imagery. In a way they are surreal, like abstract mindscapes”.

Composition of line, shape and tone is a large aspect of Roesel’s works, as well as her development of acrylic resist etching using steel plates, a technique which allows the introduction of bold, vivid colours which perfectly compliment the abstract linear aesthetic of her prints. heikeroesel.co.uk heike@heikeroesel.co.uk

ALICE NEAVE | ARTIST PROFILES | 27

When it's wet with rain, 2013, oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm

Tribe, 2013, oil on canvas, 50 x 40 cm

ALICE NEAVE

A

lice Neave works from her studio in South West London creating bold explorations into movement, colour and texture.

Working in oil, Neave considers each of her abstract canvases as portraiture, by using classically constructed compositions as if painting figures. Through this technique the paint itself has become the main protagonist of her work.

These ‘portraits of paint’ give a life to Neave’s medium as the subject; they have weight and physicality, form and shape built up with texture and viscosity to examine the relationship between the background and foreground. Painting instinctively,

the works are built up with layers, marks and patterns upon colour blocked backgrounds.

Abstracted images captured from photography act as a catalyst of inspiration for Neave, and indeed each work hints at elements of flora, fauna and still life. However, for the artist it is the paint itself that remains as the constant muse, taking superior precedence in her artistic process. aliceneave.com aliceneave@gmail.com

28 | ARTIST PROFILES | SHANNON SAIT

SHANNON SAIT

S

hannon Sait’s work has always explored the relationship between humans and the landscape; attempting to recreate the feeling of a place with references to not only what is actually there, but what one feels and hears whilst in the space.

Recently moving to the heart of the National Park on the South Downs in East Sussex has allowed this approach to flourish as the work is informed by the area’s spectacular scenery and wildlife, building up an intimate knowledge of - and feeling for - the landscape. This has allowed Sait’s portfolio to build

Chalky runoff following a passing storm, 2014, acrylic on watercolour paper, 67 x 86 cm

into a striking examination of people’s relationship to the landscape as well as representing the complex and often fragile working of the human mind.

The latter aspect of the work is informed by a long struggle the artist has had with a condition known as dysthymia, a long term mental health condition which causes anxiety and depression. Now, fully under control, Shannon has been able to use her experiences to provide the work with an extra level of poignancy and humanity.

The paintings are created by taking inspiration from the landscape into the studio and using acrylics and

SHANNON SAIT | ARTIST PROFILES | 29

Summer rain, 2014, acrylic on watercolour paper, 67 x 86 cm

handmade pastels to build up the image. Sait also uses very distinctive marks and scribbles reminiscent of musical notes or ancient text in order to evoke deep feelings in the viewer, hinting at our connection to some kind of ancient universal source of human consciousness that lies within all of us.

Sait’s most recent exhibition was at the Brighton Art Fair where reaction was very positive recognising the artist’s vibrant and unique visual language. shannonsait.co.uk shannonsait@outlook.com 07814859101

Poppy fields on a blue day, 2014, acrylic on watercolour paper, 67 x 86 cm

30 | ARTIST PROFILES | SHANNON SAIT

Spring tides on the River Ouse, in the Ouse Valley, 2014, acrylic on watercolour paper, 67 x 86 cm

Ploughed fields en route to Lewis, 2014, acrylic on watercolour paper, 67 x 86 cm

SHANNON SAIT | ARTIST PROFILES | 31

Spring Day In Newhaven, 2014, acrylic on watercolour paper, 67 x 86 cm

Newhaven Harbour Sky, 2014, acrylic on watercolour paper, 67 x 86 cm

32 | ARTIST PROFILES | D.O.M.

Ana, 2014, oil on canvas, 76 x 51 cm

Phenix, 2014, oil on canvas, 100 x 70 cm

D.O.M.

O

D.O.M.’s conceptual intentions are clear, using painting as a form of self-expression whilst portraying the strength and beauty of women; ‘I love art filled with expression; dynamic art that can shout out loud… it should be able to make us lose our sense of time for a short moment’.

Working in oil, D.O.M.’s use of bold colours is a reflection of the women she paints. Starting with quick, abstractive sketches the paintings are formed as a transfer of the artist’s physical and mental state.

Contrasting colours are worked into the canvas as the model and background merge, using her artistic instincts to create fearless, seductive depictions that entice the viewer.

domart.co.uk dominika@domart.co.uk

riginally from Poland, D.O.M. has established herself in the UK, working from her studio in Paisley, Renfrewshire, creating strong, expressive portraits inspired by the raw emotion of her female protagonists.

D.O.M. has had many successful exhibitions in both Poland and the UK, and has sold work across Europe.

D.O.M. | ARTIST PROFILES | 33

New Empiria, 2014, oil on canvas, 91 x 61 cm

34 | ARTIST PROFILES | SIRENES

SIRENES

A

lifelong fascination with colour has been an unimitable source of inspiration for lyrical abstract painter Sirenes, whose canvases offer a moment of calm and reflection for the viewer.

Sirenes’ practice in meditation and yoga has informed the expressive, emotional element of her work which houses a refreshingly uplifting quality.

Influenced often by simple pleasures of life such as flowers, love, hope and happiness, Sirenes often incorporates finger-painting into parts of her works, and at times even full canvases are painted this way.

You are Enough, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 80 x 100 cm

This technique adds a tactile appearance to the paintings, and reflects Sirene’s desire to express her inner feelings directly into her work.

Having shown work internationally in exhibitions as far as China, Brazil and the USA, Sirenes has gained a world-wide following and client base. Last year her artwork You Are Enough was viewed by millions when it was showcased as a billboard on the London Underground. sirenes.no post@sirenes.no

SIRENES | ARTIST PROFILES | 35

Dolphins, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 70 x 100 cm

No Title Grey, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 80 x 80 cm

36 | ARTIST PROFILES | SIRENES

On The Way, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 70 cm

Thank you all, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 70 x 100 cm

Lake at Night, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 70 cm

SIRENES | ARTIST PROFILES | 37

Hidden Face, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 70 cm

38 | ARTIST PROFILES | JASON CLARKE

Jason CLARKE

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or Jason Clarke, a Birmingham-based artist living with Bipolar disorder, the introduction to art was a life-saving moment.

While hospitalised with the disorder, art therapy became an invaluable experience for Clarke. The ability to draw every day allowed him to focus and empty his head of all of the bad thoughts weighing him down. Since this introduction Clarke has continued with his artistic practice, exhibiting across the UK. Using black ink, Clarke creates large scale bold, graphic monochrome drawings. Each picture is filled with personal visions representing the artist’s

Congestion, 2012, Gel Pen, 45 x 64 cm

innermost thoughts and feelings; Clarke continues drawing until his head is clear.

Although each work may appears chaotic, with lines and shapes filling the page, there is a definite sense of a precise, organisational element to Clarke’s drawings; an almost methodical quality that mirrors the therapeutic nature of his practice. jasonclarkebipolarart.com bipolar.art@gmail.com

JASON CLARKE | ARTIST PROFILES | 39

Peace and Love, 2013, Gel Pen, 45 x 64 cm

Rock Bottom, 2012, Gel Pen, 45 x 64 cm

40 | ARTIST PROFILES | SALI MULLER

SALI MULLER

S

ali Muller has exhibited across the world; creating installations, sculptures and erased photographs that address important contemporary social issues.

Ideas of environmental pollution, disastrous events, recycling, and consumer culture are presented with wit and a sense of dry humour.

Works such as Centre de Recyclage, play with contrasts and juxtapositions, as waste-filled refuse bins are coated in a layer of glitter - contents and all - in a statement against a throwaway society.

Muller’s Erase Project, a series of altered photographic images, are particularly arresting as the colours in scenes of war, violence and extreme

Centre de Recyclage, 2014, Glitter on Waste, 240 x 130 x 70 cm

pollution are wiped away to examine the desire to cover up and ignore important world events. With just the pink hues of the images remaining, the result is a ghostly, otherworldly effect which plays on the idiom of rose-tinted glasses.

Although Muller’s work may lean toward the cynical, her playful treatment of dystopian ideas and use of visual jokes allows the viewer to laugh while considering critically the disenchantment of the world. sali@21artstreet.com www.works.io/sali-muller

SALI MULLER | ARTIST PROFILES | 41

Sponge Battle, 2014, Blackboard, Chalk, Bucket, Water, Sponge, 200 x 200 x 300 cm

42 | ARTIST PROFILES | SALI MULLER

Erase Burning Forest, 2014, Water & Wipes on Photograph, 120 x 85 cm

SE7EN, 2014, Liquid Soap Bottles, Bathroom Shelf, 80x20x20cm

SALI MULLER | ARTIST PROFILES | 43

Bill, 2013, Brand Labels on Purse, 20 x 10 x 3 cm

Moving House, 2014, Newpapers, Glue, Objects, 1room

44 | ARTIST PROFILES | SOPHIE HALL

SOPHIE HALL

S

ophie Hall creates beautiful oil paintings and drawings working entirely from life, creating serene works that softly capture small moments in time, taking inspiration from the classical masters and the natural world.

For such a young artist to be influenced by the likes of Vermeer and Rembrandt may seem unusual, but Hall explains her fascination with the old masters and in particular still life painting; ‘Still life allows us to pause a moment and consider the beauty of the ordinary, and for me this is the embodiment of true art’.

A year-long apprenticeship with renowned artist James Gillick informed Hall’s practice; from the

Garlic, 2013, oil on handmade panel, 11.5 x 18.2 cm

development of her draughtsmanship to the introduction of more traditional skills. The opportunity has since allowed Hall to set up her own studio in Buxton, where she continues to paint as a solo artist.

A big part of Hall’s process is creating each painting’s panel by hand from scratch. This bespoke method ensures a long-lasting quality for each work, while allowing the artist to work with a variety of sizes and textures. sophiehallartist.co.uk sophie.hall.63@gmail.com

SOPHIE HALL | ARTIST PROFILES | 45

Three Forelle Pears, 2014, oil on handmade panel, 15.7 x 29.5 cm

Citrus Fruits, Black Jug and Knife, 2013, oil on handmade panel, 30.4 x 49.2cm

Red Gerberas, 2013, oil on handmade panel, 44.2 x 20.6 cm

Single Pink Tulip, 2014, oil on handmade panel, 12.5 x 30.6 cm

46 | ARTIST PROFILES | PETER CLARKE

Fresco D, 2013, oil on canvas, 61 x 53 cm

Fresco Les Abo, 2013, oil on canvas, 38 x 46 cm

PETER CLARKE

P

eter Clarke has been creating work across several decades, having studied at Camberwell School of Arts during the fifties, obtaining a solid grounding in life drawing, painting, architecture, lettering and sculpture.

The time since has seen him change styles and medium many times, from abstract collage and photography to more figurative paintings. He has exhibited widely across London and the UK in both group and solo shows.

Clarke’s ongoing series of paintings, Frescos de France started while living in the South of France where he ran a gallery in Argeles sur Mer, based on the old advertisements that were painted directly

onto the walls and buildings across the country.

Many of the original messages have been painted over or have decayed, creating layers and texture that that form a new abstract image when recreated on canvas.

Clarke sees these works as a small tribute to the many nameless artisans who created the original images many years ago. frescosdefrance.com peter@frescosdefrance.com

SARAH EDEN | ARTIST PROFILES | 47

5 Days Old, 2014, oil on deep canvas block, 38 x 29 cm

It's Behind You!, 2014, oil on deep canvasblock, 40 x 30 cm

SARAH EDEN

W

orking in oil, self-taught painter Sarah Eden has carved her career as an artist from her ability to create beautifully life-like paintings that bear a striking resemblance to their living counterpart.

Working to commission has allowed Eden to create a large collection of work that shows the extent of her skill as an artist, and her natural ability to capture the sentient essence of her subject beyond the flatness of the canvas on which she paints. Her continuing artistic goal is to make wildlife art more contemporary and accessible to all.

Based in Wiltshire, pets, people and livestock feature heavily throughout the artist’s work, particularly dogs and horses. Living beings have always been the main source of inspiration for Eden’s work as her studies in paint allow her to convey life onto canvas; not only in terms of physical likeness but also the very essence of the model’s personality.

sarahedenportraits.co.uk sarah@sarahedenportraits.co.uk

48 | ARTIST PROFILES | MATT EMMETT

MATT EMMETT

T

o view the work of award winning photographer Matt Emmett is to explore, as through his images forgotten spaces are rediscovered, each revealing hidden moments in time and history.

For Emmett the pristine holds no interest; it is places of disrepair and abandonment that inspire him to continue taking photographs. It is here that stories unfold, where discarded artefacts and machinery rendered useless through time whisper of past inhabitation and construction, where textures of peeling paint and cracked windows tell a narrative of their own and the shadows of history take over as occupants. Commercial, industrial and historic buildings such as power stations, castles and underground Victorian tunnels are of particular

Control Desk, 2012, C-Type on Kodak Endura Metallic, 49 x 76 cm

interest to the photographer, presenting portals of adventure that Emmett in turn shares with the viewer.

Although there may be a sense of morbidity associated with the documentation of ruin and decay, in the case of Emmett’s photography the theme seems to be in fact the abundance of new life taking over; vines erupt over crumbling walls, weeds sprout through floorboards and whole structures are enveloped in branches. There is a sense of nature taking over and reclaiming the land, slowly creating new landscapes of the future. forgottenheritage.co.uk matt_emmett@yahoo.co.uk

MATT EMMETT | ARTIST PROFILES | 49

Abandoned Farm Kitchen, 2013, Fine Art Giclee on Hahnemuhle German Etching, 60.5 x 85 cm

Ruined Colonnade, 2014, Fine Art Giclee on Hahnemuhle German Etching, 46.5 x 85 cm

50 | ARTIST PROFILES | PETER GOODHALL

PETER GOODHALL

P

Liberty VII, 2015, oil on linen canvas, 102 x 153 cm

eter Goodhall has always been fascinated by water, and much of his work has obvious marine influences.

Having painted from his studio on a Devon cliff top overlooking the water for 25 years, he continues to make work now not far from the sea.

high degree of realism on capturing the forms and patterns that emphasize both movement and the play of light. Focusing particularly on transparent water with its depth, reflective properties and clarity producing hues of blue and green to create images that are bold yet tranquil and abstract yet representational.

As an award winning professional artist, Goodhall is internationally recognised and collected. Whilst at art college he was influenced by the photo-realist movement, and today is still a representational painter preferring to work in oils and predominantly on a large scale.

More recent pieces have seen Koi carp taking precedence; inspiration from his own fish has led him to look for ways to paint them so as to emphasize their interesting colours. Goodhall won the SAA title ‘Artist of the Year’ in 2011 with his painting ‘Liberty’. This was the first in this current series of nudes in water.

In his paintings of water and those that combine water and the female nude, he works exclusively from his own photography concentrating with a

petergoodhall.co.uk petergoodhall@live.com

PETER GOODHALL | ARTIST PROFILES | 51

Tranquillity X, 2014, oil on linen canvas, 77 x 153 cm

Koi Anticipation, 2014, oil on linen canvas, 92 x 122 cm

52 | ARTIST PROFILES | PETER GOODHALL

TRANQUILLITY XI, 2014, oil on linen canvas, 122 x 122 cm

KOI ANTICIPATION III, 2015, oil on linen canvas, 41 x 61 cm

PETER GOODHALL | ARTIST PROFILES | 53

LIBERTY III, 2013, oil on linen canvas, 122 x 72 cm

54 | ARTIST PROFILES | VERONICA GUDMUNDSON

We Are All Made of Stardust, 2013, acrylic, mineral pigments and gravel on mdf-board, 120 cm diameter

Veronica Gudmundson

H

ailing from Dalarna in Sweden, Veronica Gudmundson creates swirling cosmic paintings that investigate the similarities between ancient philosophies and modern science. Having studied painting and sculpture in Sweden she has gone on to complete a BA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins.

Through the exploration of colour, form and sound, Gudmundson creates an experience of synaesthesia, with electronic soundscapes used to create an additional element to her paintings. An interest in astronomy and cosmology are the main inspirations for her work, which attempts to grasp ‘a glimpse of our oneness with the cosmos’.

It is Gudmundson’s belief that there is a transformative power within art that can act as a catalyst for positive change, and an interest in social projects - particularly in healthcare environments and in economically or socially deprived areas - has led to her creating many artworks for public spaces.

Using her training in art therapy these works are created with a holistic approach, incorporating healing aspects of colour and form, with the intention of contributing to the well-being of the observer. veronicagudmundson.com art@veronicagudmundson.com

VERONICA GUDMUNDSON | ARTIST PROFILES | 55

Northern Light Green, 2012, acrylic, ink and spray colour on mdf-board, 70 x 40 cm

Existence, 2014, acrylic, mineral pigments and spray paint on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

Space Cloud, 2012, acrylic and spray on canvas, 60 x 40 cm

56 | ARTIST PROFILES | VINCENT DONLIN

VINCENT DONLIN

V

incent Donlin started painting in the early 70s having been encouraged by the late visionary artist Donald Pass whilst at secondary school. His work has changed styles many times, however after a period of experimentation with other mediums he returned exclusively to painting; discovering a method described as ‘hieroglyphic pointillism’; a technique midway between painting and writing.

During the early eighties Donlin and the artist Stephen Postgate spent time working together in Wales, sharing ideas, dole cheques, tomato paste flapjacks, beer and canvas. Later in London they

Peace statue and Embassy Court, 2014, oil on canvas, 60 x 80 cm

continued painting large scale canvases using paint taken from skips, powder paint mixed with washing up liquid and sized with wallpaper paste on calico.

Miraculously some of this work has survived and is in remarkably good condition.

Vincent continues to paint cityscapes in oil, acrylic and mixed media which take inspiration from his surroundings. He also takes commissions to paint buildings, portraits and animals. vincentdonlin.co.uk vincent1311@btinternet.com 07738981805

VINCENT DONLIN | ARTIST PROFILES | 57

Hastings, 2013, oil on canvas, 50 x 60 cm

Shops at night, 2013, oil on canvas, 46 x 60 cm

58 | FEATURE PROFILES | PAULA LUNDY

Hubble, 2015, clay, acrylic and mixed media, 100 x 100 cm

PAULA LUNDY

A

passion for creativity from a very young age has seen Paula Lundy develop her unique style across several years, through study and experimentation, to become an internationally collected artist exhibiting in galleries across the UK and Channel Islands.

Working in large scale she creates highly textured pieces that appear mysterious and dark; depicting shadowy landmarks and architecture that make up iconic scenes from earth and space. Lundy’s distinctive technique uses materials such as clay, resin, glass, silver and even real moon dust and solar

panels to build up texture and detail, before coating the surface in high pigment metallic paints and metal leaf. The result is an absorbing inimitable sculptural effect so visually tactile it compels the viewer to want to reach out and touch the shining surface of the canvas. The moon acts as an ever-inspiring muse for Lundy, both aesthetically and conceptually; finding intrigue in the folklore which surrounds it and visual inspiration from its aura as it illuminates the night sky and accentuates features of English architecture, both old and new. paulalundy.co.uk paula@paulalundy.co.uk

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS | 59

Upcoming artist events & Exhibitions D.O.M.

Sireness

D.O.M. solo exhibition Santander Bank, Paisley 7 - 11 March 2015

Polychromatic Visions, ArtFushionGalleries, Miami United States Jan - March 2015

D.O.M. solo exhibition Santander Bank, Paisley 4 - 8 April 2015 Exhibiting 3 paintings during #NOFilter Project event, Glasgow 18 April 2015 "This is me" solo exhibition, Glasgow June 2015

Liz Lloyd Reading Contemporary Art Fair, Reading 25 - 27 April 2015

Shannon Sait Jubilee Library, Brighton 31 May - 7 June 2015

Solo show, TheLittleCafe, BĂŚrums Verk Norway March - April 2015 ArtExpo Milano 2015, Artmeet Gallery, Milano Italy July - Sept 2015

Lisa Ridgers Affordable Art Fair, Hollywood road Gallery, London 12 - 15 March 2015 Affordable Art Fair, Turner | Barnes Gallery, Hong Kong 22 - 24 May 2015

Simon Kirk

Hillside, Ventnor, IOW Throughout May 2015

Affordable Art Fair, London 12 - 15 March 2015

Vincent Donlin

Affordable Art Fair, Hong Kong 22 - 24 May 2015

Sophie Hall The Green Man Gallery in Buxton Until April 2015

Ripley Arts Centre, Bromley 30 March - 24 April 2015