The organisers of the Artists Open Houses Festival, which will take place in Brighton, Hove and beyond over the four weekends, Saturday, May 2 – Sunday, May 24, have announced that over 40 new artists’ houses and studios will be taking part in the festival this year.
THE largest event of its kind in the UK, around 200 houses and studio spaces across the city open their doors to exhibit the work of over 1,000 artists and makers. Last year over 200,000 people visited the festival.
Judy Stevens, Artists Open Houses Festival Director, says: “We are thrilled to have so many new artists and houses taking part in this year’s festival. Brighton and Hove is an incredibly creative city with a wealth of talent. The festival is a fantastic platform for artists and makers and it’s a testament to its success that so many of them want to be involved.”
New participating artists and houses for 2015 include:
• Acclaimed Brighton photographer Andrew Forsyth, one of only a handful of British photographers to make it to the final of the 50th Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His abstract and expressive image was taken during a long-term project on the starling murmurations in Brighton and is currently on display at the Natural History Museum in London:
The Wildlife Photographer, 24 Balfour Road, Brighton.
• Joanna Osborne will be opening her Grade 2 listed house to exhibit dog themed art from 10 artists including successful portrait painter Sally Muir, winner of the Holburne Portrait Prize in 2012. Joanna and Sally are authors of the best-selling Best in Show series of knitted animal books:
The Dog Show, 33 Sillwood Road, Brighton, BN1 2LE
• Ian Lawrence spent years as assistant to his father, Don Lawrence, who was a world-famous science fiction illustrator – creator of what is believed to be the first British superhero – Marvelman. Ian went on to become Artist-in-Residence with Connex (later South-Eastern), the first residency of its kind – Ian studio was on platform 1 of St. Leonards Warrior Square station!
Ian Lawrence, Park Crescent Studios, 18 Park Crescent Place, Brighton BN2
• Brazilian jewellery designer Flavia Madeu creates stunning jewellery out of wild rubber which comes from the Amazon rainforest. The rubber is produced by local rubber tapping communities – model and actress Lily Cole has recently launched a website dedicated to it. Flavia will be exhibiting along with mosaic artist Helen van de Linden and painter Seana Mercedes Allen:
Old College House, Flat 6, 8 – 10 Richmond Terrace, Brighton BN2
• The Oriental Hotel, Brighton’s original boutique hotel, will be opening its doors as an Artists Open House for the first time. Showcasing 5 fantastic artists, there will be a range of illustration (Jasmine Mercer, Tom Stevens), photography (Julie Chamberlain), printmaking (Scarlett Rebecca) and ceramics. Acclaimed ceramic artist Saya McNairn-Yanagi will be displaying work from her recent arts council funded residency in Shigaraki, one of the oldest pottery producing towns in Japan:
The Oriental Hotel, 9 Oriental Place, Brighton BN1
• A collection of 7 artists brought together by their connections to the community space at The Hive cafe within Stoneham Park will be exhibiting their work at The Hive. Artists include fine artist Zoe Bailey, stone carver Claire Sheriff and painter Crimson Boner:
The Hive Cafe, Stoneham Park, Hove
• Southdown Mental Health Recovery Service will be presenting a diverse range of artwork produced by people using The Recovery Service, which promotes recovery from mental ill health and supports people to improve and retain mental wellbeing:
Preston Park Recovery Centre, 18 Preston Park Avenue, Brighton.
• Owners of the North Contemporary Fine Art gallery, John and Sharon Whiting will be presenting an exhibition entitled Two Cities featuring paintings and drawings of New York and London by artist John Whiting.
35 North Contemporary Fine Art, 35 North Road, Brighton
Artists Open Houses offers the chance to buy artworks directly from the artists and makers themselves. There is a hugely diverse selection of artworks on show, from original paintings, prints, graffiti arts, ceramics and textiles to photography, sculpture, crafts, jewellery and many other media.
The houses are grouped into one of 14 trails around different areas of the city, each with its own unique character and atmosphere – from the fishermen’s houses of Hanover to the urban warehouse spaces of the North Laine and cottages of the South Downs village of Ditchling.
Entry to the Artists Open Houses festival is free to the public.
For full listings, click here:
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