PRESS RELEASE

Press Release for August 2009

Preview night 15th August 7pm – 10pm

From 18th August to 11th September 2009 

‘The future of contemporary art 2009’ curated by Lloyd Gill 

This exhibition at the Lloyd Gill Gallery is titled ‘The future of contemporary art 2009’. The exhibition will have its Preview on Saturday 15th August and all readers are welcome to come. The exhibition will start on Tuesday 18th August and finish on 11th September. 
It will showcase examples of contemporary art from BA Fine Art degree graduates from Bath, Cardiff, West Sussex and London. The exhibition will feature paintings and photography by cutting edge young ambitious graduates with very bright promising futures in the art world. It is the galleries policy to once a year, showcase the best new graduate talent and this exhibition will epitomise that policy. 

Visitor Testimonials ’Great to see such an initiative in Weston, encouraging the arts’ Lord Brian Cotter 

‘The best place to be in Weston on a wet Monday morning. An oasis of colour, and thought provoking, wonderful’ Mel Ashworth 

‘Fantastic gallery. So pleased I found you! Especially liked Louise Reade’s Venice painting, Jules’ Jules Bulman 

Jane Askew

Jane has recently graduated at the University of Chichester, West Sussex, with a BA (Hons) Fine Art.
Jane’s current paintings, produced for her recent Degree Show, were developed from photographs of the view from her suburban home, some of which were shot through sheer net curtains.  The view provides continuous inspiration since it has elements which are reminiscent of an archetypal Classical or Romantic landscape as depicted in Poussin and Lorrain’s paintings: majestic trees, a distant island and glimpses of the sea.   These picturesque elements are however juxtaposed with banal 1970s housing, thereby creating a sense of dissonance, which Jane finds particularly interesting.  In some of her paintings, the landscape is also veiled, emphasising that the gaze is from the inside.
Jane has been inspired by the work of Peter Doig and the Swedish figurative painter Karin Mamma Andersson, both of whom are influenced by the Northern European tradition of Romantic landscape painting.  Jane has also been hugely influenced by Cezanne’s paintings and sketches of great pine trees in the Arc Valley, which She has referenced in two large-scale paintings of the great pines visible from my home.  
Although her paintings are derived from photographs, Jane takes liberties with the image, by heightening colour values and utilising painterly effects.  Jane also spend considerable time on the underpainting stage, often partially destroying the painting before applying layers of translucent oil glaze, rendering the paint in a way which is analogous with the veiling of the landscape. 

Click image to view Jane's work
Jane Askew Sentinel, Oil on Canvas, 100 x 150 cm, 2008

Annabel Shilliday

Annabel Shilliday is an aspiring artist with a diverse range of skills, working in acrylic, oil and mixed media on canvas. After experimenting with detailed sketches and life drawings, she applied her hand to this varied medium which has grown to be a particular interest of hers. Annabel has pursued her art within the territory of abstract expressionism, to expand on her painting skills; this has now led to her paintings consisting of both a detailed and abstract style.
Spirituality, space and psychology can be elements of consideration for Annabel. Her exploration of the physical world, making work that considers space, is married to the immaterial world of faith and religion, a major passion that fuels her practice and appropriate to her curiosity of the human mind. Working beneath the masks of individual personality and different personas, looking into the depths of the ‘inner self’ or ‘second self’ is an important subject matter within her work. She has concentrated her current work on Jungian theory that each person has an alter ego, or wears alternative masks according to different social situations.
Annabel has recently graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Oxford Brookes University, and has since shown her work at Free Range, a group show in London’s Old Truman Brewery.

Click image to view Annabel's work
Annabel Shilliday Burning Man, 46cm x 76cm, Oil on Canvas, 2008

Jan Williams

Jan has recently finished a degree in Fine Art from the Cardiff School of Art and Design, U.W.I.C. where Jan was awarded a first class honors.
Jan paints immediately with oil on board from direct observation. In these paintings, Jan explores the effect of light and shade on the architectural space of my studio.  On one hand the artist is observing the formal values of representational painting and on the other the work highlights the fact that the painting is a flat surface.
Jan has distilled and edited out all unnecessary furnishings and fittings, leaving at times just the room and the light focusing all the attention on these interior, silent spaces. The use of a neutral and reduced colour palette adds to the mood of contemplative stillness and calm.
Major influences include; Edward Hopper, Vilhelm Hammershoi, Gwen John, James Turrell, Richard Serra  and the photographer Candida Hoffer.
Favourite book at the moment ,‘The Poetics of Space’, by Gaston Bachelard.
Jan Williams won the Helen Gregory Memorial Trust, Purchase Award in 2009 for her outstanding effort towards her work.

Click image to view Jan's work
Jan Williams Night Studio with Artist’s Desk, Oil on board, 51cmx 40.5cm, 2009

Mary is a recent graduate of Bath Spa University with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. Mary studied for a Foundation diploma in art and design at University College Falmouth 2005-2006.
Mary Way’s paintings explore architectural spaces, using images of the built environment as a starting point and manipulating these forms to create a new kind of abstract space that rests somewhere between an existing reality and the imagination of the viewer.
This relationship between the viewer and the painting is important as the compositions are designed to play on the human compulsion to understand our surroundings. The works manipulate the viewers’ perceptions by using transparent layers of paint and glazes to create impossible and contradictory depths that form a kind of visual barrier that the viewer must surmount to gain a full understanding of the space.

Click image to view Mary's work
Mary Way Venice II, Oil on Canvas, 125.5 x 95cm, 2008

Seeing is Believing

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there”, L.P.Hartley, ‘The Go-Between’, (1953)

Moment by moment we engage with the world around us, looking through the prism of our accumulated experience. The past is not discreet and finished but exists in our present, shaping, colouring and forming our encounters.

Through the process of painting, layering, erasing or eradicating  to create marks and spaces, my work explores the fluctuations of meaning that we find at the threshold between one object and another, or the cusp between one self and another.

Rebecca Bergese is a recent graduate from Chelsea college of Art and design, UAL with a BA in Fine Art and recevied a Foundation in Art and Design from Chelsea college of Art and Design, UAL.

Click image to view Rebecca's work
Rebecca Bergese, Dusty Footman, Oil on canvas, 80cm x 80cm, 2009

Claire Butcher

Claire has recently finished a degree in Fine Art from DeMontfort University.
Claire’s work explores a range of different ideas and techniques through a non representational process. The term ‘process’ relates to the making of art and often doesn’t consist of a predetermined composition. The pieces do have some aesthetic value as the artist wants the viewer to find them visually interesting, however Claire’s main interest is developing the process through limitations and the environment. Claire wants the process of the making to be prominent and intrigue the viewer.
Claire’s work is split into two sections both containing elements of chance and control. This debate occurs throughout both sections of the work and is a constant in every piece. What decisions does Claire consciously make? And what is left to chance?
The first section focuses on a high level of control. Claire decides the composition, (geometric triangular designs), the repetition of the line, the gaps between them and the decision of which pen to use. The process itself is time consuming and needs a lot of focus and patience, but She enjoys the simplicity of the form, line and repetition. The limited amount of materials, which includes a pen, ruler and paper, relates to the process and drawings themselves as Claire has included this idea in the composition introducing limitations on the length of the line and given myself strict rules not to extend it for aesthetic purposes. Claire also likes in the works the chance aspect and the irregularity; they represent a personal journey of the making – like a record. The trembling of my hand, a slight slip of the ruler or the change in pressure of the pen is visible to the viewer. These mistakes add interest and primarily what Claire does n’t want to display is a perfect geometric drawing.
The second part involves loss of control and using the environment to create the composition. It looks at the effect of rain on a previously controlled drawing taking away any aesthetic considerations. The first part of this process is time consuming, measuring accurate gaps between lines as Claire wants the pieces to be as close to exact as possible in the first stages. The intention is that the effect on the pieces after this stage is down purely to the environment and location. The pieces were created in randomly chosen areas of Leicester. Claire feels the place is important to the work as it reflects a moment in time at that specific place. Claire likes the way the images completely transform while the ink bleeds and runs together creating unusual shapes and forms on the surface whilst a faint residue of the former drawing is left in the background.
Sol Lewitt has been extremely influential throughout the work as he focuses on the order of a drawing and changing different aspects slightly to create a new image like in his series ‘Grids, circles and arcs’. His carefully planned geometric wall drawings intrigue Claire, and is something She has explored and dealt with in her own practice.

Click image to view Claire's work
Claire Butcher 30cm Limitation Drawing, Pen and Somerset Paper, 30 x 44 inches (unframed), 2008

Aiden Mark Anthony Mlinthorp

Aiden has recently finished a degree in Fine Art from DeMontfort University.Aiden interested in the relationships between figures, objects, space and how they can be connected to form a narrative; this subject matter was discovered and has been developed from within the working process. A particular narrative is implied within the images but Aiden tries to hide enough information so the narrative may be read differently by each individual. No matter who views his drawings they always seem to produce more of a sinister outcome which was one of his sole intensions.Aiden wanted voyeuristic qualities in the work to connect with this sinister air to the work. Aiden does this by using large white plains around the outside of the drawings to form a view point from which the viewer can look through onto the unsuspecting figures and what is happening within in the scene he has chosen to compose. It’s important to understand that the images he has chosen to draw and the narrative within them are not fictional. All of the work comes from an experience in his life which makes them very personal.

Aiden works this year have been completely different to previous years. This is because he has focused on the medium of drawing. Drawing has allowed him to focus on the strength of composition and form without the added complication of colour. With drawing, Aiden can pay more attention to the finer details within a piece of work, textures, lighting and shadows, space and form. Aiden wouldn’t be able to do this adequately with the amount of attention that colour demands. Charcoal was an integral component to the works strengths; it has a capability to produce wide variety of tones and textures that he utilized to the best of his ability to gain the strongest images he could. Aiden originally relied on photographs for the basis of his drawings but as his work progressed it was the completed works that formed the basis for the next development.

Other artists work and literature that is informing some of hs ideas are Ray Richardson, Rolland Barthes, Peter Howson, Paula Rego, John Kirby and especially Stephen Conroy. Conroy's earlier work including a piece called ’Something special for Tea’ displayed all the qualities Aiden is aiming for in his own work, for example: the way Conroy uses light to direct your eye around an image or the way Conroy uses objects to cut up areas of space creating depth a strong sense of depth and perspective. Christian Metz has been a strong influence behind the narrative within his work. Metz published an article called ‘Photography as Fetish’; in this article he explains his beliefs on the connections of photographs with death, something that has a direct connection to the nature of the narratives in Aidens work.

Click image to view Aiden's work
Aiden Mark Anthony Mlinthorp, Stairs 4, oil on canvas, 59w x 74h inches, 2007.

Sarah Derby

Sarah Derby’s work is primarily based on an exploration of the relationship between man and nature. Previously working in 2D, using pencil and ink drawings, she aimed to show the viewer through symbolic reference, the uncanny similarities between trees and humans. Guiseppe Penone and Alison Jane Crowther were highly influential at this time creating work with a passion for nature and trees. The use of hands in Derby’s work represents the taking of life from nature and our ultimate but often forgotten dependence on them. Often using red in these drawings was a way of symbolising life, blood, passion, strength and beauty.

Although initially important, Derby has made a natural progression from symbolic 2D drawings to 3D sculptural work, realising the potential of the materials that could be used. By working so closely and tirelessly with wood and bronze, she has built a relationship and an appreciation for the material; an important issue within the work.

During the ‘running up’ process of bronze casting a pine cone, Derby stumbled across the naturally occurring mathematical sequence – the Fibonacci Series. Yet another miraculous wonder we are mostly unaware of, she has taken this sequence and is creating a Fibonacci Spiral of bronze pine cones, tackling an array of issues and continuing a development of research into forgotten or overlooked nature. Julian Wild has particularly influenced the ideas of the work in this series.

Derby’s work now ultimately deals with precious metals and issues of value, consumption, desire and obsession; our overwhelming need to order the world and our ability to turn something decomposable into something eternal. The work reveals an inner beauty, an elegant aesthetic that glorifies rather than gratifies. It aims to demonstrate a forgotten dependence by hinting at what humans conceive as value and beauty.

Click image to view Sarah's work
Sarah Derby Untitled (2009), Bronze, 14cm x 13cm, 2009

Nicola Barnes

Nikki has recently finished a degree in Fine Art from the Cardiff School of Art and Design, U.W.I.C. where Nikki was awarded a first class honors.

Nikki's work reflects British Society, the dysfunctional everyday public representing ‘normality’.
Bimbo, Chavs, Old people, Stereotypes, Indecency, McDonalds, Marks & Spencers, Fame, Working-Class, Forgotten, Blue Eye-shadow, Fake Burberry Caps, Grey, ‘Snog, Marry or Avoid?’, Market Stall Sportswear, Martin Parr, Pension, Dole Office, Blonde, Petty Crime and Violence, Helpless, Barbie, Fags, White Cider, Cups of Tea, Fake Tan, Fake Breasts, False teeth, Argos 9crt Gold Jewellery, Makeup, Jeremy Kyle, Status, Retired, Child Benefits, Page 3, Bitter, Poor Health, William Hogarth, Hanging Around Parks and Bus-Shelters, Stella Vine, Materialistic, In-Bred, Littering, Vandalism, Old-Fashioned, Money, Massive Stolen Television, Bungalow, Tasteless, Poor Education, Crap Modded Nova, Attention, Huge Gold Earrings With Your Name Across Them, Grandparents, Lotto Lout Michael Carroll, Chantelle Houghton, Tracksuits, Zimmer-Frame, Council Estate, Underage Sex, Reputation, Weak, ‘Up The Duff’, Bling, Cruising Around in Cars, Designer, Playboy, Charity Shops, Lily Allen, Football Hooligans, Past Memories, Drugs, Slag’s, Lyrics, Soup, Cheating, Pushing ‘Bab-ees’ Around in Car boot Sale Prams, THC, Carlsberg Special Brew, Lonely.

“My Idol is Jodie Marsh”, “Ey, I been shaggin’ Joe’s mom, she’s a right dirty slag mate!” “The youth of today is a disgrace, back in my day there was nothing like this, you don’t know your born!”

These are things Nikki's interested in and inspirations Nikki uses within her practise. When creating paintings, the main key part of my source material is extracting from photographs. In general Nikki uses the internet, magazines, television and newspaper clippings  but the most comprehensive image is retrieved when Nikki goes out among the streets and town centre and asks permission for a photograph of someone who catches her eye. This enables her a primary photograph but also from the two minutes asking and taking the photo, Nikki gets to meet this person, so She can conclude a clear image of their personality and who this person is. 

Old people in our generation are generally ignored and disregarded, functioning as  the forgotten people (the dregs) of our society. We don’t particularly pay interest to them and they’re not seen as icons on our television screens or magazines. When painting the elderly, the paint strokes Nikki uses are thin and layered concentrating the image. Nikki projects their vulnerability and fragile, awkward, stiff body language, their trapped lifestyle and the elderly person representing a ‘shadow’ of their past.

Television is another favourite source, as for example ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show’. Nikki enjoys experiencing these characters on T.V when they’re the people you would bump into in everyday, public places. We watch appalled and snigger at them on our screens, shouting publicly their personal, outlandish problems which makes ‘good T.V’.

Lily Allen, a British pop singer, also drives major incentive for my work. Her songs are about British culture, violence, sex, relationships, drugs and people including Cheryl Cole, George Bush and Kate Moss. Nikki has used some of her controversial lyrics within my Jeremy Kyle paintings instead of using the normal problem headings. This injects humour and a sense of fantasy into my paintings, which have been originally derived from reality. Lily Allen’s songs regard deep, dark subjects, but her music and voice creates a bouncy, happy, upbeat tune. Her lyrics create contrast against the music and Nikki wanted to portray similar contrasts within her own work. Nikki has used pastel colours to create a cute, pretty palette imitating a degraded fictional character when the person is actually existent.

Click image to view Nikki's work
Nicola Barnes, Bus Stop, Acrylic on canvas, 51 x 40.2cm, 2009

Thank you

Antria Pelekanou
Assistant Curator

Artist submissions

The Gallery curators are seeking for Artists whose work focuses on contemporary issues such as place, identity, landscape, gender, or language. If your work fits the criteria please email a submission of up to 12 jpegs, cv, statement and work list to the gallery email address below.

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