35 Years of the Open Eye Gallery
Edinburgh's Open Eye Gallery’s first exhibition of 2016 will celebrate their 35th anniversary, presenting the work of over 50 artists represented by the gallery.
The exhibition runs from 9th to 27th January 2016 at Open Eye Gallery, 34 Abercromby Place, Edinburgh EH3 6QE. Find out more
Here are a few of favourite works that feature in the exhibition...
‘Pole Star’ by Alex Malcolmson
Mixed media box construction - 59 x 45 x 6cm (open)
'Goshawk (From Life)' by Mick Manning
Mixed media - 40 x 50cm
'Before Winter' by Tom Mabon
Oil on board - 20 x 30cm
'Apple Crumble' by Brita Granström
Acrylic on canvas - 50 x 50cm
'Cluny, From Blackford Hill' by Catherine Davison
Oil on board - 40 x 45cm
Jonny Hannah’s Main Street
If you've yet to visit, we'd recommend you head up/down/across to Jonny Hannah's Main Street exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park which runs until 28th February 2016.
Jonny has transformed the YSP Visitor Centre, creating three pop-up shops made entirely from his 2D and 3D artworks.
The exhibition – a tribute to high streets of the past, lined with independent retailers stocking an assortment of curiosities – features a collection of new linocuts, screenprints, and paintings. Incorporating strong colours and typography, and inspired by Hannah’s love of jazz music, the works are reminiscent of 1940s shop signs and concert posters. The exhibition also features Heavy Wool Products Come to McVouty’s – a limited edition screenprint printed at The Penfold Press in Selby, created exclusively for YSP – together with a small hand-painted and printed edition of unique wooden ukuleles. View a selection of the works exhibited
Find out more via the YSP website - you might also like to take this expert's guide to the exhibition or book a ticket for The Darktown Valentine's Cabaret.
Concrete Antenna
Concrete Antenna, our third Random Spectacular project, is now available as a digital download and a deluxe 12” vinyl album package of new music, a set of art prints, a series of short essays and a specially created tide table created by Tommy Perman, Simon Kirby and Rob St. John inspired by their sound installation in the new landmark tower at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, loosely based on the urban history, architecture and ecology of Newhaven in North Edinburgh.
The sound installation is currently set to run until February 2016 (though this may be extended). Keep an eye on the Concrete Antenna website for details.
Jonny Hannah at YSP
Here's a great little film featuring Jonny Hannah talking about his current exhibition Main Street at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
The exhibition features three pop-up shops made entirely from the artist’s 2D and 3D artworks, all of which are available to buy. Navigate Main Street using Hannah’s traditional hand-painted signs suspended above the YSP Centre concourse; natter with the owner of the Record Store; and nip to The Hand and Heart junk shop to pick up anything your heart desires!
You'll even spy Jonny's wallpaper for St Jude's, The Darktown Billets-Doux.
The exhibition runs until the end of February 2016 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG. Find out more
Edward Bawden at Christmas
Edward Bawden worked with London luxury provisions store Fortnum & Mason for a number years either side of World War II, designing many catalogues, menu cards, brochures and other ephemera.
Bawden's work for the store was captured in Mainstone Press' wonderful Entertaining À La Carte. Unfortunately this limited edition book sold out some time ago but copies can still be found online from time to time.
Here are a few seasonal images of Bawden's work for Fortnum & Mason.
Concrete Antenna
We recently asked Cameron Duguid to created this animated film that interprets Tommy Perman's designs for the packaging of our latest Random Spectacular project, Concrete Antenna, a 12" vinyl and print set by Rob St. John, Simon Kirby and Tommy Perman. The project is inspired by the trio's sound installation at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.
Copies of this limited edition release can be found over at our Random Spectacular store - you can also hear what Jarvis Cocker, Stuart Maconie and Gideon Coe had to say about the release.
Nature Study, Late Summer
Earlier in the year I was delighted to be asked by The Pallant House Gallery in Chichester to produce a new screen print to celebrate the opening of their latest exhibition, David Jones: Vision and Memory.
I've written about the inspiration for this new six colour print in the latest Pallant House Gallery magazine, but you can find out more online.
I was particularly influenced by David Jones' Flora in Calix-Light (1950) and Briar Cup (1932). Whilst working on the print I visited Kettle's Yard, focussing on the collections of natural objects such as pale grey-brown feathers scattered upon a shallow glass dish, a small glass jug of asters beside a twist of seaweed stem and Jim Ede's pebble spiral on a simple wooden table.
