Cityscapes Preview

I am really pleased with the way the preview went, lots of old friends and collectors turned up but also some new ones. Painting the cities in my style was a challenge and one I hope I have achieved.

I love visiting cities whether it is my home city of Manchester or the exotic Marrakech I always come away energised and with new images in my mind. Deciding on my favourite city is almost impossible. Would it be Berlin for the architecture, Madrid for the squares, Paris for the romance, Sydney for the spectacular harbour entrance or new York for the buzz and the art. The list is endless. Working from ophotoraphs and memories I try to capture the essence of the cities in my paintings, the stillness of the evening when the people have left, the majesty of the building and the colour when the sun reflects on the buildings. I do hope you enjoy the exhibition as much as I have enjoyed painting it.

Photo shows John and Lis Kay and Cllr James Gartside with me.

Painting Holiday

Just returned from a great week painting at Higham Hall in the Lake District, they run some brilliant courses and the hall is in a beautiful place just above Bassenthwaite lake. The tutor was Ed Hinkley from Chicago and there were students on the course from Chicago and Norway as well as Littleborough! Ed was accompanied by his wife Ceramic Artist Laurie Sherman, links to both their websites are at the end as is the link to Highham Hall.



The group was very creative with people working in different styles which led to an interesting exhibition. There was much laughter and plenty of support when the painting didn't go as well as expected. At the end of the week we were joined by people from Woolfest and it was great to see the felt making and traditional knitting.

We were working in watercolours and gouache and as its 5 years since I worked in those mediums it took me a while to get going. You can see some of the results in my exhibition starting at the gallery on Thursday 30th June. Don't forget the Preview on Thursday night at 6.30.

Look forward to seeing you.
Liz



www.laurieshaman.con
www.edhinkleystudio.com
www.highamhall.com

Photographs are Ed, me and Laurie, Japke from Norway painting and one of my watercolours.

New Exhibition

I am busy painting new images for my next exhibition 'Cityscapes' its very challenging trying to create the textures and colours I love within a city landscape, do come along to the Preview and see if you think I have achieved it.

Hi
We have had a busy Easter at the gallery, the Easter Egg Hunt for the children was once again a resounding success won by 7 year old Ellie Brown.
While Bev held the fort I spent a week in Malta where I came across ar eally good gallery www.christinexart.com why not have a look or if you are going there its in Sliema. I always try and find private galleries on holdays although it not always easy, few guides think they are worth mentioning or they open and close too quickly.
We are preparing for another exhibition by Larissa Moskova Weatherhead, she is one of our most popular artists, born in Russia and now living in Hebden bridge, her work never fails to suprise and delight. if you would like to meet Larissa then do come along on Saturday 21st May from 2-4 when we shall be serving a glass of wine. Above is a preview of one of her works from 1001 Lights.

Littleborough Arts Week
I have just attended the AGM of Littleborough Arts Week. This year will be it's 10th anniversary and I am very proud that it is still going and improving every year. I started the arts week in 2001 with help from Kate Borgman, Alan Mellalieu and Walter Kershaw. We had two aims to raise funds for Springhill Hospice and to highlight the growing interest in art in the area.
I visited Holmfirth Arts Week and they gave us some very helpful advice and after some delicate negotiations with the Coach House and its users we obtained a whole week's use of the building and the rest as they say is history.
This years arts week should be better than ever. To celebrate the anniversary they have obtained a grant to put a major piece of artwork in the village which is a brilliant idea. To support the event the gallery is offering a £100 prize for the best painting in the Open Arts Competition. Details of this have still to be worked out but will be posted on the next blog.

Royal Academy Summer Exhbition

hello
Message for all those artists wanting to enter for the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Next Friday 11th March is the last day for entry forms. The Summer Exhibition is the highlight of many artists exhibiting year but to be honest actually being accepted is more of a lottery. Anyone who watched the BBC programme last year when the works were whizzed past the selection panel will know what I mean.
Over 11,000 works are submitted, 1000 are selected and about half of these are hung. Considering the expense its a gamble. Entry fees are £25 per painting and the cost of getting your painting to London (and back!) will be about £40 per painting using a carrier.
Is it worth it would you be more inclined to buy a painting if the artist had been hung in the Summer Exhibition? I'd love to know. One of our artists Geoff Butterworth has had the honour of being chosen for previous exhibitions and you can see his new work in our current exhibition at the gallery.
Still looking for textile and ceramic artists for our September exhibition, if you know anyone please contact the gallery 01706 377395.
Liz

Red Shoes

Red Shoes!

Finding the artist at a Preview can be a difficult task. Artists can be notoriously shy and retiring, terrified in case they hear a negative comment about their work. An article by artist Colin Ruffnell in Art Business Today tells the story of an artist called Michael who always wears red shoes to Previews, this makes him easy to identify when people ask 'who's the artist others reply the one with the red shoes'. An interesting idea, I haven't tried it yet but may certainly do so definitely more interesting than a badge.

Business at the gallery is brisk, we have a new exhibition starting this week with Geoff Butterworth, David Ainsworth and Bev Rigby titled Spring in the Pennines it focuses on the stunning light that Spring brings to the Pennines.
Just the thing to cheer us up as winter disappears.

Elizabeth White