Art @ the incubator

Private View 22nd of February 2012

2012-02-09T03:34:00.000-08:00

Kaloseidos

Photography and jewellery

Hosted by 2Bio Ltd at MerseyBIO

22nd of February 2012

5.30pm to 7.30pm

Come & meet the artists & view

our latest exhibition of photography and jewellery

from Matthew Thomas & Ann Ellis from the North West.

Refreshments served.

Kaloseidos - starting soon at MerseyBIO

2012-02-03T02:18:00.000-08:00

Kaloseidos will be an exhibition of photography by Matthew Thomas and jewellery Ann Ellis.


Necklaces and jewellery using plastic bags, plastic bottles, drinks cans, reclaimed metals, pc mouse cable, reclaimedplastic tubing, orphaned vintage glass beads.

Ann Ellis' jewellery is about transformation. It aims tocelebrate change and possibility, whilst challenging notions about preciousnessand value. She works by deconstructing, reforming and hand-dying discardedplastics, metals, paper, glass and textiles, including plastic bags, bottlesand drinks cans, often combining them with vintage beads, jewels and foundobjects.

Biography

Annis based in Lancashire. Shegraduated from Reading University with a BA (Hons) in Typography and Graphicsand went on to gain an MA in Educational Research (Lancaster), a BSc inPsychology and professional qualifications in psychotherapy and education.

Annworked at Marvel Magazines in London before becoming freelance, designingpublicity and promotional materials for the arts and entertainment industryboth here and abroad. For a while she lived in the Netherlands where her eldestdaughter was born.

Annhas always delighted in using everyday materials in unexpected ways and in 2008was added to the Index of Selected makers at the UK Crafts Council. Herjewellery won a Green Apple Award in 2009 and First Place at the 2010 BritishBead Awards in the Beyond Beads category. Her work, both 2d and 3d, has beenused in advertising, education, publishing, exhibitions and for corporateclients and private collections.

www.annellis.co.uk

Coming to MerseyBIO

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Matthew Thomas


Matthew Thomas (c)

A new year and talking to new artists about 2012 programme

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At the moment in discussions with new artists for exhibitions for 2012 at MerseyBIO. I took down the Christmas exhibition and reverted the walls back to their bare bones.

Six hours later and the show is up!

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The communal areas of the incubator has been transformed into an art fair for under £50 shopping from local artists and craftspeople, opening on Monday 11.30 to 2.30pm but will be on until after Christmas with work once bought and paid for, can be taken away and hidden away for Christmas morning.

Facebook photos of exhibition

By the way, this is our 18th exhibition in the incubator and our second under £50 Christmas exhibition. Plenty ideas for future exhibitions in 2012 with some of people we are considering for group, joint or solo shows represented in our fair - consider it a preview.

Artists who are exhibiting with us in the 12 Days show

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FreidaMcKitrick- print

Liverpoolbased fine artist and printmaker Freida McKitrick’s work reflects thetime-honoured practice of taking common, ordinary images and objects andplacing them in an artistic context, but with a little twist: She selectsimages or things that are or were at home in ordinary human life but have someextra significance. Freida’s artis based on observations of life using a variety of subjects to record events,situations and ideas that have inspired her, or given cause for amusement. Freida works from a studio in arenovated mill in the heart of Liverpool city centre, she draws her inspirationfrom the eclectic mix of architecture, people, and culture that radiates fromLiverpool and other cities that she has been fortunate to have visited.

NathanPendlebury - painting

NathanPendlebury studied Fine Art at Warrington Collegiate Institute and also atLiverpool John Moores University. He grew up in the North-West of England inChester, Salford, Manchester, and Warrington. Nathan lives and currently worksfull-time for National Museums Liverpool, he also has his a studio space inLiverpool City Centre.

GillCurry- print

(newto art @ the incubator)

Gillstudied Art and Contemporary Dance pursuing a career teaching Art andDesign. During the past 20 yearsshe has specialised in a variety of print methods (screenprint, linocut,woodcut and etching) exhibiting locally and nationally. In 2006 she read for anMA in Fine Art (Print) at Chester University and took part, in 2007, in anexhibition at the Bluecoat Display Centre commemorating 200 years ofslavery.Gill completed a series of etchings recording the crossing of theAtlantic on a container ship (May 2009) from Liverpool to New York. Her recent print projects have beenexploring the life and work of Merce Cunningham, contemporary dancer andchoreographer and capturing the landscapes of Hilbre Island and Les Alpilles,Provence.

MichaelWilliam Burn- photography

Mikeis a painter and decorator by trade. He discovered photography enhancementquite by accident, when in 2007 he started playing around with a computerprogramme which changed the colours and appearance of photographs. He reallyliked the eye catching effect and started manipulating my favouriteimages. His work is mainlyinspired by a love of iconic buildings and the ever changing Liverpoolwaterfront.

LindaMary Evans- painting

Lindais a Wirral based contemporary artist whose work explores personal imageryderived from the slate mining area of Snowdonia North Wales.

SiânBailey- illustration

(newto art @ the incubator)

SiânBailey studied Illustration at Newport and Brighton Colleges of Art. She hasbeen illustrating books for children for forty years and has worked for manypublishers and with well known authors. She has a special interest in theillustration of Fairytales, Myths and Legends and Poetry. Most of her paintingsare miniature in scale, usually still lives, landscapes or imaginativesubjects, sometimes inspired by poetry.

LisaWaldman - silver jewellery

(newto art @ the incubator)

LisaWaldman is a jewellery designer and silversmith based in the Wirral. Lisa hasbeen designing and making her collection for over 10 years. She has a newselection of ‘ready to wear' contemporary pieces in silver anything from simpleflower earrings and silver gem stone rings to gorgeous vintage pearl necklacesand the stunning butterfly range.

TheresiaCadwallader- beaded jewellery

TheresiaCadwallader was born and brought up in Java studying civil engineering at LeedsUniversity. She worked on building a university campus, bringing infrastructureto the jungles of Sulawesi and designing irrigation system for Lombok andSumbawa. After taking a master degree in Irrigation Engineering at Southampton,she practised as an engineer in Jakarta and Sumatra. She then settled in Oxton.She continued working as a water engineer in the North West for a few years.She then studied fine art and jewellery design at the Wirral Met. Theresia’swork combines a strong feeling for earth and stones, often geometric withrigorous design skills, and influenced by her early years among the colours andsounds of Indonesia.

MaryBryning - framed embroideries and cards

(newto art @ the incubator)

Patternson the land and the structure of towns and roads have always fascinated Mary,from her early days of studying geography. She is interested in them not onlyfor their visual impact, but also in the effects that human occupation,development and activities have on the landscape. She has been collectingantique maps for years and recently have also been influenced by the aerialphotographs.She began formal art training in her late forties with an A levelin Art Textiles followed by City and Guilds Creative textiles. Her work usuallyincludes techniques of appliqué, print, hand-dyed fabrics and machineembroidery, resulting in a combination of line, colour and texture to interpretmy ideas.

RachaelHoward- textiles to be worn and for the home

(newto art @ the incubator)

RachaelHoward was one of the Royal College of Art’s first six embroidery postgraduatesin 1992. Since then she haspracticed as a textile artist and designer exhibiting nationally andinternationally and she has undertaken a wide variety of commissions andprojects including being shortlisted for the prestigious Jerwood Prize forApplied Arts (1997). Howard has afascination with everyday life; she likes to sketch people – their postures,expressions and movements. Thesespontaneous sketches, notes and scribbles are then translated intoscreen-printed, appliquéd and embroidered narrative images. They embellish her large wall-hangings,small framed works and range of fashion and interior accessories.

ChristineToh- Textile/print/jewellery

Christinegrew up in the north of France and discovered printmaking when she moved toEngland in 1992. In 2008 she graduated from John Moores University, Liverpoolwith a BA (Hons. 1st Class) in Fashion and Textile Design.

JudithBrown- jewellery

(newto art @ the incubator)

JudithBrown hand stitches with fine wires to create feminine jewellery with anintricate and delicate feel, her techniques have developed from her degree inEmbroidery at Manchester Metropolitan University.

12 days til Christmas Monday 12th of December

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Roger Sinek's photographs

Mike's wooden bowls

From last year's show

It is getting exciting as we are taking delivery of the art and craftwork for the Christmas exhibition at MerseyBio. All the work is under £50 making the pruchasing of art affordable for many. We will have photographs by Roger Sinek, wood from Mike Rule who exhibited with us in the Landscape show earlier this year, jewellery from Lisa Waldman of LW Silver and also from Theresia Cadwallader who showed her beadwork in the 2010 Christmas show, topographical embroideries from Mary Bryning, new prints from Freida McKitrick with her scenes of Liverpool that were so popular last year and were the Christmas card for 2Bio in 2009....and so much more...

12 days til Christmas - an art @ the incubator exhibition

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	Monday the 12th of December at 11:30 am- 2:30pm in MerseyBIO in the BioSciences building, next to the new Apex Building. Under £50 sale of artists who have exhibited at the incubator and other local artists, available for sale and removal there and then to be given for Christmas to your nearest and dearest. Mince pies and hot drinks. By invitation only email alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk or by University swipe card.

Monday the 12th of December at 11:30 am- 2:30pm in MerseyBIO in the BioSciences building, next to the new Apex Building.

Under £50 sale of artists who have exhibited at the incubator and other local artists, available for sale and removal there and then to be given for Christmas to your nearest and dearest. Mince pies and hot drinks.

By invitation only email alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk or by University swipe card.

Julie Dodd returns to the incubator

2011-09-07T05:58:00.000-07:00

I have put up a small exhibition of Julie Dodd's recent work, she had a solo show with us last year called Life in Paper.

 "My art practice is based in print, installation work and bookmaking. I usually work with paper, making books from it, printing on it, constructing with it, and recycling old paper to make new.

My work is generally based upon repetition and I focus my ideas on patterns and shapes found within the human body. I'm interested in human life, who we are, physically and emotionally, from how the body is structured to our characteristics and qualities. My obsessive nature compels me to work in multiples and I use it to illustrate how the body repeats functions in order to repair renew and survive, often mimicking life, growth and regeneration. My work is about the processes involved along the way rather than the finished product."

Julie Dodd 2010
www.juliedodd.co.uk

Profile: Growing Merseyside’s life sciences sector - Business Features - LDP Business

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Profile: Growing Merseyside’s life sciences sector - Business Features - LDP Business

Having a break

2011-07-07T04:18:00.000-07:00

We will be having a break while building work continues at MerseyBIO. But I am hoping this will increase the amount of space we have available to add artwork to adorn the walls.

In the mean time to satisfy any artistic needs feel free to join myself for "de-junk, re-junk"in Birkenhead Park for a project I have been working on with Wirral Council. The artwork has been created from junk, including my old kitchen that I have donated to local artists including Linda Mary Evans who showed in the recent Landscape show to recreate using their skills into something of value.

The exhibition will be in the visitors centre in Birkenhead Park from 18th to 31st of July.

Landscape - a private tour

2011-05-15T01:14:00.000-07:00

I would like to invite you to a special private tour of our current exhibition at MerseyBio with 3 of the artists on Monday the 23rd of May at 10am. We will meet at the nearby Victoria Gallery and Museum on the University campus and progress to MerseyBIO at 10.30 (after a coffee in the lovely cafe of the Victoria Gallery). Our show ends on the 25th of May and is normally closed to the public so this is a rare opportunity to see the space and the artwork on display. It would be possible for late-comers to join us directly at MerseyBIO at 10.30am also.

MerseyBIO

Crown Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom L69 7ZB

T +44 (0) 151 795 4100 F +44 (0) 151 795 4101
E info@2bio.co.uk

Currently, we have on display a beautiful range of work from 4 local artists representing the landscape in painting, drawing and woodturning in MerseyBIO. With the corridors adorned with images of North Wales, Cheshire and Liverpool and turned bowls made from wood from local parks and gardens in three cabinets, it feels fresh and colourful in the grey walls of the building. Mike Rule, Phil Dowling and Linda Evans will be in attendance to discuss their work. Sadly, Rowena Fergusson is unable to join us to represent her work for this visit.

Please RSVP to alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk or register via Eventbrite.

"Landscape" opened on the 13th of April

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Here are the images from the opening shared on facebook, click here (link)

Please support Liverpool for Japan

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Ian and Minako Jackson have been great supporters of our art @ the incubator project so in return, I would like to support their efforts for helping the people of Japan after the earthquakes. Hope you are able to support them too.

I have taken this from their website:-

Soon after the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated NE Japan we started to hear of several fund-raising and other events to support the people affected by the tragedy. We decided to setup a website (www.liverpoolforjapan.com) very quickly to help publicise the events happening in Liverpool.

There have already been several events which raised thousands of pounds and there will be many more over the coming months. If you are organising or involved in any Japan fund-raising projects please contact us via the liverpoolforjapan website so we can post the details.

Here are a few of the upcoming events

‘Babie Sato: A Girl Who Smiles At Confidence Crisis’ exhibition at LJMU ADA – 15 April 2011

Performance in Aid of JAPAN TSUNAMI APPEAL at The Pilgrim – 19 April 2011

The Print Aid Project – Liverpool Photographers raise money for Japan earthquake victims

ART AID AUCTION Liverpool for Japan – at Studio 2, 12 May 2011

We are also (along with Japanese residents, Threshold and CUC) organising a ‘Smiles For Japan‘ daytime family-friendly event followed by evening music event at CUC in Mid May so please keep checking the website for full details.

Please also ‘like’ the facebook page and follow on twitter.

You can also send messages, thoughts and positive words to Japan via the Messages To Japan website

"Landscape" opened on the 13th of April

2011-04-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

A beautiful range of work from 4 local artists representing the landscape in painting and drawing and woodturning is currently on display in the incubator building until the 25th of May. With the corridors adorned with images of North Wales, Cheshire and Liverpool and turned bowls made from wood from local parks and gardens in three cabinets, it feels fresh and colourful in the grey walls of the building.

"Landscape" opens on the 13th of April: Feature Rowena Ferguson

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Rowena Fergusson is an artist with a studio in Chester but I first encountered her detailled work in last year's Liverpool Independents, in a temporary exhibition space set up in the Georgian surroundings of Hamilton Square in Birkenhead. The gallery space was set up for 3 months and called "The Six Rooms Gallery" and housed 35 artists over three exhibitions.

"My current body of work aims to simplify the colour and stylise the textures and forms in the landscape. Each work, has within it areas of intense detail, which I take particular pleasure in observing and representing.

I have always painted the landscape and love observing nature as it continually changes with the seasons."

Event registration for "Landscape" exhibition at MerseyBIO - Private View 13/4/11 5.30-7.30pm powered by Eventbrite

"Landscape" opens on the 13th of April: Feature Linda Evans

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Wirral based artist, Linda Evans uses her work to explore personal imagery derived from the slate mining area of Snowdonia (Eryri) North Wales.

"My emotional response to this landscape is essential to my creative process. With this series of contemporary works, I am striving to provide a new perspective on the intriguing abstract shapes within the landscape of the moors which surround the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. I often start with sketches done on sight and then develop them later in my studio. I paint with acrylics, a medium I find very versatile, adding strong black lines to create structure. To add movement and define the abstract shapes I draw with pastels over the finished work."

"Landscape" opens on the 13th of April: Feature Mike Rule

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I was first acquainted with Mike Rule's bowls and platters during an exhibition at Alex Corina's venue in Garston. I feel Chumki Banerjee who reviewed the same exhibition at the time, perfectly describes his work:-

"Having been struck dumb by the beautiful portrait, I was then rendered completely speechless by the extraordinary beauty of Mike Rules, wood "sculptures", I don't know what else to call them, though many are functional, bowls, vessels, vases and such like, those words do not begin to describe Mike's unbelievably stunning pieces, spanning twelve years of honing his craft and individual style.

Moving from working commercially sourced wood to unseasoned and sometimes diseased or decaying wood, "scavenged" from tree surgeons, Mike reveals nature's art, even amidst the death throes of these fallen soldiers.

In his hands imperfections and decay are burnished and polished in celebration of nature's soul which glows in all her creations, however broken or fallen and glows again in Mike's work.

I cannot begin to imagine the patient hours and skill required to shape such forms of organic beauty from a single piece of wood. In particular, the narrow necked vases are astonishing in their construction but all are unique, decorated by nature's own hand, glorious patinations revealed by Mike's sympathy for his materials.

My favourites are the spatted or burr wood pieces, formed from felled wood invaded by fungus or the "abnormal wart like growths on the side of a main trunk", fragile beauty captured and preserved a moment before crumbling and a return to the earth that gave them birth, ashes caught mid flight.

However, every piece is exceptional in capturing the colorations and striations of natural wood, from beech to ash, yew, wild olive and a plethora of other woods, the individuality of each highlighted with such sympathy it is almost possible to not imagine the landscape of their lives."

"Landscape" opens on the 13th of April: Feature Phil Dowling

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Liverpool artist, Phil Dowling has been painting portraits and landscapes for nearly 30years. His main interest in painting landscapes is to capture natures abstract qualities, its light, colour, mood,but above all its energy in a harmonious way.  Phil says his feelings about painting are best summed up in the words of french painter Pierre Bonnard.

 "It's not a matter of painting life; its a matter of giving life to a painting”

"Landscape"

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By invitation only, please contact alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk for more details or click on the posting above "Landscape".

Private Tour of Complementary Colours

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Private tour of Complementary Colours at MerseyBIO

Tuesday the 1st of March at 10am:

Rendezvous at the Victoria Gallery and Museum prior to moving on to MerseyBIO
Click on post heading and it will take you to a link to the Victoria Gallery and Museum

Our current exhibition at MerseyBIO which opened on the 9th of February, features microscopic images by Dr Patrick Druggan and screen printed textiles and jewellery from Liverpool based artist, Christine Toh has been very well received by the staff of the companies in the incubator and the visitors at the private view but as MerseyBIO is a secure building on the University Campus, I have been unable to open this show to public view.

I have, by special arrangement, agreed to take a party of 20 around the exhibition on the morning of the 1st of March. I would like you to be part of our group visit, with an opportunity to talk with both exhibitors. As MerseyBIO is very difficult to find, I will meet everyone at 10am in the cafe of the Victoria Gallery and Museum opposite the back of the Catholic Cathedral and walk from there to MerseyBIO which is less than 5 minutes walk away. The VG&M is situated at the top of Brownlow Hill in the Victoria Building, with its distinctive red-brick and clock tower. It is a short walk from the city centre.

I have been art liaison officer for 2Bio Ltd since 2008 with the role of co-ordinating the exhibitions within the incubator but this is the first exhibition where an exhibitor has come from one of the companies housed within the building. The United Nations has declared that the next 12 months will be the Year of Chemistry, so it is appropriate that this show combines Patrick’s highly coloured microscopic images with Christine’s layered textile work in an exploration of colour and dyes. Christine is a former bio-chemist and takes great pleasure in all the technical processes she uses to achieve her colours and patterns. Her use of circles are echoed in Patrick's half tone images where he has manipulated his images of different dyes digitally to produce very minimal, colourful works on canvas.

RSVP essential to alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk or go direct to our Eventbrite ticket

Stephanie de Leng

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An interesting side shoot that came out of our exhibition "People In Liverpool" with Stephanie de Leng. Hydrapolymers, one of the companies that are housed in MerseyBIO. approached her directly after her exhibition and commissioned her to do shots of all the staff and these are the resulting images...presenting quite a different corporate image. Click on the title above to take you to Stephanie's blog to view the photographs.

Also her image of Sir Drummond Bone, former vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool and one-time president of Universities UK was recently used in the Times Higher Educational Supplement. This the same image as we used for our invitation to her exhibition. For a link to the article go to her blog and click on NEWS.

Opening Night at Complementary Colours

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From Complementary Colours

Click above to go to more images from the opening

Successful opening at MerseyBIO

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2Bio Hosts 'Complementary Colours' Art Exhibition in MerseyBIO Incuabtor, Liverpool

Click on title of posting for whole article

Last night hosted their first art exhibition opening event of 2011 entitled ‘Complementary Colours’ with work from Dr Patrick Druggan and Christine Toh on display in the MerseyBIO Incubator in Liverpool.

The exhibition is part of an ongoing programme called ‘art@ the incubator’ which showcases the work of local artists, students and school children from within and around the Liverpool region.

Dr Patrick Druggan is Director of R&D for Provexis Plc based in MerseyBIO, who specialise in the discovery, development and licensing of functional food, medical food and dietary supplement technologies.

The images in the exhibition were captured twenty years ago when Patrick first worked in diagnostic microbiology and was investigating impurities in crystal violet.

Christine Toh trained in France as a biochemist and became captivated by colours when she started printing in 1992 and has not stopped playing with colours ever since on paper and fabric. She obtained a First class honours degree in 2008 in Fashion and Textile Design from John Moores University in Liverpool.

Christine is establishing her practice as an innovative textile artist working from her studio at The Bluecoat in central Liverpool. Her work takes inspiration from nature, landscapes and the urban environment and has its roots in the idea of memories.

art @ the incubator is co-ordinated by Alison Roberts, Art Liaison Officer of 2Bio Ltd, who has many years’ experience in the creative industries arena and curating shows locally, nationally and internationally.

Commenting on the programme so far, Alison said “Since October 2008 I have had the pleasure of being art liaison officer for 2Bio Ltd, with the role of co-ordinating the exhibitions within the Incubator. This is the first exhibition where an exhibitor has come from one of the companies housed within the building.

“UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has declared that the next 12 months will be the Year of Chemistry, so I am delighted that our inaugural exhibition for 2011 will combine Patrick’s microscope images with Christine’s layered textile work in exploration of colour and dyes.”

To arrange to view the exhibition by appointment, or to register your interest in exhibiting at or attending future events, contact Alison Roberts at alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk.

‘Complementary Colours’ will run until 23rd March 2011

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Newsletter about Complementary Colours

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Christine Toh as part of Complementary Colours exhibition

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Dr Patrick Druggan as part of Complementary Colours exhibition

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Complementary Colours

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Since October 2008, I have had the pleasure of co-ordinating the exhibitions within the incubator, MerseyBIO. I hope to continue to bring you an interesting and varied calendar of exhibitions throughout the next few months. This is the first exhibition where we have had a particpant from one of the companies housed within the building. I am pleased to combine Patrick’s microscopic images with Christine’s layered textile work in this, our inaugural exhibition for 2011.

Dr Patrick Druggan is Director of R&D for Provexis PLC based in MerseyBIO, who specialize in the discovery, development and licensing of functional food, medical food and dietary supplement technologies.

These images were captured twenty years ago when Patrick first worked in diagnostic microbiology and was investigating impurities in crystal violet.

“The United Nations have declared 2011 to be the Year of Chemistry. The origins of the modern world can be traced back to William Perkin’s accidental synthesis of Mauvine in 1856. This first commercially available synthetic dye caused a technological and social revolution. It spawned the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Within fifteen years of Perkin’s pioneering work in chemical synthesis and commercial exploitation of the products he made, the artistic movement Impressionism had been born. Its radical use of light and colour was made possible by synthetic chemistry. Painters like Monet, Pissaro, Cezanne, van Gogh and Gauguin exploited the brilliance of the new light stable synthetic paints, and modern art was born. You can still buy the same paint they used to this day.”
Patrick Druggan 2011

More later about Christine's work

COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS

2011-01-20T05:03:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of the "Twelve Working Days til Christmas" exhibition at MerseyBIO which was received very well and resulted in quite a number of sales for many of the artists involved.

Thank you very much to all our past exhibitors and extras who contributed to the show. We plan to do the same again next year and make it an annual event.

Our next show in the incubator for starting in February will be a joint exhibition exploring colour from two different but related perspectives. The show is entitled "Complementary Colours".

The modern world around us, is a highly coloured one, with a palette of bright colours made with synthetic dyes. Synthesised dyes in themselves are very beautiful, yet we never see them for what they are. This exhibition exposes these dyes in all their glory from a microscopic perspective from Dr Patrick Druggan of Provexis and the artistic results when used on fabrics from Liverpool artist, Christine Toh.

Exciting plans for next exhibition

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The Twelve working days til Christmas

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Janice Thorn- mosaics, Theresia Cadwallader- bead jewellery and Nathan Pendlebury

The show is on until the 20th of January, email alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk to visit, with many Christmas gift ideas from local artists and contemporary craftspeople.

Artwork coming in

2010-12-06T04:30:00.000-08:00

We have books from Stephanie de Leng, 15 photos from Michael Burns, lots of photos from Roger Sinek and Nathan Pendulbury, 4 prints from Joel Bird, 1 giclee print from Claire McCarthy, lots of works by Susan Meyerhoof Sharples including Christmas trees, Prints and cards from Freida McKitrick, watercolour/ink drawings from Jane Hughes, mosaics from Janice Thorn, 4 framed photos taken this weekend by Sebastian Cowden, prints of Chris Millichamp's watercolours, jewellery from Alison Bailey Smith and Theresia Cadwallader....and more!

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New show starting 9th of December

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WATCH THIS SPACE

Jane Hughes of About here is On the Edge

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Jane Hughes who is currently showing at MerseyBIO is also part of Future Station at Metal, Edge Hill Station

She will be showing ten drawings from her latest documentary drawing project: On the Edge.

On the Edge is a project aimed at capturing life in the brave small businesses clinging on to life amidst the demolition and regeneration of the Wavertree Road area. The shops have approximately 12 months before they are demolished and many only renew their leases on a 3 monthly basis.

You might be interested in this because it's just up from Mount Vernon behind MerseyBIO, 5 minutes away and it's just such a different world!

The exhibition continues until 20th November and is open on Saturdays from 12 until 4.00pm and Tuesday to Friday times are 2 - 6.00pm.

There are other events happening - nights of music , film and theatre, so it's going to be a lively two weeks.

Susan Meyerhoff Sharples

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Susan Meyerhoff Sharples’ an international artist is based at Elevator studios Liverpool, was born and educated in the Merseyside area gaining a first class honours degree in Fine Art from John Moores University, Liverpool. In 2004 she was awarded a Fellowship from Wirral Art School.

Her work is concerned with evolution, provocative defence systems and the primal instinct for survival achieved via diversity and adaptation. Repetition is a constant element in the work: repetition within diversity and diversity within repetition.

She creates hybrid sculptural forms exposing a glimpse of evolutionary fantasy, suggesting relationships between ancient organisms and their modern descendants. Their ambiguity reflects cultural, social and environmental concerns of identity, protection, genetic engineering and global warming. Viewed from a playful perspective, they transform a materials utilitarian functionality into mythical forms linking prehistoric with futuristic.

Recent work, Cultural Crossing Series has been supported by World Museum, Bluecoat Liverpool, Atelierhaus Salzamt Austria, Ars Electronica Austria, Maerz Kunstlervereinigung, Austria, Sinebrychoff Gallery, Finland.

Exhibitions, commissions and collections include: America, UK, Eire, Canada, Spain, Austria and Israel.
Larger outdoor sculptures can be seen at:
Lancelyn Green Sculpture Garden, Poulton Hall Wirral.
The Woman’s Hospital, Liverpool.
The Leonardo Centre, Neston, Wirral.
South Wirral High School. Wirral.
Hope University, Liverpool.
Mount Pleasant Gardens, Cheshire.

BA Hons Fine Art
www.susanmeyerhoffsharples.com

Jane Hughes: About here

2010-10-17T01:13:00.000-07:00

Jane Hughes was born and educated in Liverpool, gaining a first class honours degree in Fine Art at Liverpool John Moores University.
Since November 2008, Hughes has been involved in a documentary project at Liverpool Hope University where she has been Artist in Residence. This follows a similar archival project at Liverpool John Moores University.
Hughes’ work has been shown in a number of juried national and international exhibitions. During October/November 2010, a series of her drawings will be featured in an internationally selected exhibition in the Czech Republic.
Hughes’ landscape paintings are all developed from on-site drawing and note making, never using a camera in preference to a much longer engagement with the real experiences of being there.
This may involve moving through, or simply sitting reflectively in the landscape. Sometimes a series of drawings emerges as a finished statement, and at other times they become part of an evolving and reductive process, resulting in acrylic paintings.
Hughes’ paintings concern the purity of the experience, often with all recognisable shapes being stripped away to leave the landscape represented by simple bands of colour.

Christine O'Reilly Wilson: About here

2010-10-17T01:09:00.000-07:00

"The Language of Colour

Painting Colour has been my chosen method of artistic self expression for the last ten years or so. Through the language of abstract colour combinations I attempt to evoke a glimpse of past experience. Using translucent paint is a means of allowing the colour to build in intensity while also allowing the previous mark-making to be seen.Working on a large scale allows me to become absorbed into the colour and generates an intuitive response allowing further creative development.

Printmaking formed a large part of my working process throughout my years at University but I never had the same enthusiasm when leaving the easy access to a printing press, upon graduating. Working mostly upon canvas, painting in acrylics employs many aspects of the printing process.

I will pour, splash, sponge and imprint colour onto the surface. Paint is applied to the surface of the canvas and can be scraped, scoured, sponged, wiped away or applied in thick opaque areas to cover over the previous painting. Colour intensity develops within the translucent layers.

With colour I am attempting to convey my own experience of humanity. Using the confines of the stretched canvas as the rigid boundary of my expression I concern myself with colour and the structure of a balanced composition. Over several layers the colour develops intensity and allows me to become absorbed into the colour.

Christine O’Reilly Wilson
2010

Wendy Williams

2010-10-17T01:05:00.000-07:00

Wendy Williams: About here at MerseyBIO

Wendy Williams studied Fine Art in Birmingham and took additional further studies later on in Liverpool, in both Community Arts and Interior design.

She has won several awards for her work and has been involved in artist exchange programmes in the UK, Europe and America.

The mixed areas of study has enabled her work to evolve and adapt from the painterly order of earlier years, to the more recent combinations of mixed media.

A concern for the environment has been the basis for this recent body of work. Working primarily with recycled materials, she uses plastic as a tool to convey the relationship between our own existence in the use of these materials with their or our follow on journey after disposal.

'A Means of Travel' was one of the works shown recently in the Independent Biennial exhibition 'about Here', at The Gallery, Liverpool. It is one of many pieces in which wings have been used to convey this personal journey.

It not only follows the literal interpretation of the Biennial integral theme of 'Touched', but conveys a sense of being 'moved' by the destructive elements of pollution.

Our new exhibitors

2010-10-17T00:47:00.000-07:00

Our next exhibition at MerseyBIO opens on Wednesday evening
in the incubator building, MerseyBIO
at the Biosciences building on Crown Street, Liverpool.

Susan Meyerhoff Sharples
Wendy Williams
Jane Hughes
Christine O'Reilly Wilson

About here. Image by Billy Wilson of The Gallery, Stanhope Street

2010-10-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

The exhibition "About here" is on public viewing at The Gallery in Stanhope Street, near Cains Brewery. The four artists make good use of the changeable hanging space, opening the centre up for all the work to be viewed as a whole. The show ends at The Gallery on the 17th of October. The image used on our invitation is by Billy Wilson of The Gallery, a wonderful shot of Sue Sharples piece "Follow the Spoor".

Our next exhibition: About Here

2010-10-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Former exhibitor _ Stephanie De Leng

2010-07-07T01:28:00.000-07:00

Our exhibitor from January, Stephanie de Leng has an exhibition of photographs called Body Landscapes at Blackburne House on Hope Street. If you would like to read a review of the exhibition go to l

Alex Corina - Collectibles

2010-06-26T03:31:00.000-07:00

The collectable ware in the cabinet in the kitchen is made of bone china and features Alex Corina's Mona Lennon and 3 graces. The pieces are decorated by hand using printed ceramic transfers, hand finished then fired to 800 degrees. The picture here was taken in Alex's studio in Garston.

When our exhibition is finished the mugs and placques can be purchased through this site http://www.liverpoolshop.com/blog/new-liverpool-art-mug-collection-october-2009

Alex's show will be finishing on the 14th of July so enjoy the artwork in the incubator while it is still there. We will be having a break from exhibitions for the summer while we resolve the issue of the lack of natural light due to the building work next door.

Former exhibitor at Blackburne House

2010-06-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

Click on the title of the posting for details of Stephanie De Leng's exhibition. Open to the public from the 5th of July at Blackburne House on Hope street.

Roger Phillips will chair a paneled debate entitled "Body Image and the Media and how it affects Young Adults" July 15th from 6.30 - 8.30 pm at the same venue. It is open to all, but again you are asked to RSVP. I am looking for a young female between 16 - 25 who would like to be a panelist so please Stephanie deleng@blueyonder.co.uk.

Former exhibitor _ Anthony Smith

2010-06-24T01:39:00.000-07:00

Latest from the Victoria Gallery and Museum (just round the corner from MerseyBIO)

Family Saturday Art Workshop
Saturday, 26 June, free event, drop in between 1.00 & 4.00pm
Join local wildlife artist Anthony Smith who will show you how to draw some of your favourite animals. This event is most suitable for children aged 4 – 11 but all are welcome.

Alex Corina's opening at MerseyBIO

2010-06-11T05:44:00.001-07:00

Alex Corina's opening at MerseyBIO, originally uploaded by abscraft.

Mersey Bio show | Project blogs | Artists talking | a-n

2010-06-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

Mersey Bio show | Project blogs | Artists talking | a-n

Julie Dodd who was our previous exhibitor at MerseyBIO with her exhibition "Life in Paper" has been blogging as part of her progress as a student, then as a graduate and now as an exhibitor and she has written up her experience of exhibiting at MerseyBIO.

Exotic passenger!

2010-05-28T14:55:00.001-07:00

Exotic passenger!, originally uploaded by abscraft.

We had the Mona lennon Lamb Banana for 2 days

2010-05-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

If you would like her for ever then this may be for you
Mona lennon Lamb Banana Auction (Sealed Bids Required)
FRIDAY 28 May 2010, 17:00 - 18:00 at STUDIO 2, 33-45 Parr Street
There is a reserve price (1,200). If interested you can hand bid in a sealed envelope into STUDIO 2 reception
Venue: STUDIO 2
33 - 45 Parr Street, Liverpool

Alex Corina at MerseyBIO

2010-05-20T08:33:00.001-07:00

Alex Corina at MerseyBIO, originally uploaded by abscraft.

We had our opening for Alex Corina's show last night and one have loan of his Lamb Banana - Mona Lennon before it goes back to Parr Street to be auctioned off in a silent auction.

Alex Corina- Past, Present and Future

2010-05-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Alex's opening is on Wednesday 5.30pm to 7.30pm. Wine and nibbles served.

Parking sadly, is virtually non-existent because of the building work.To find our building is easy, follow the white hoardings!

The best description of where we are is the Pembroke Place end of Crown Street, behind the Royal Hospital. We are between Brownlow Hill and Pembroke Place/West Derby Street.…

Currently we are a building site with white hoardings around where the car park used to be, so parking is a nightmare. My best advice is come by public transport and then you can have some of our lovely wine. If you are travelling by train go to Lime Street then walk up the Hill towards the University Campus or get a taxi.

RSVP's essential - alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk

More info on Former Exhibitors

2010-05-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

Former Art @ the incubator exhibitor Desdemona McCannon, who showed "Under a Victorian Microscope" and "Characters in Search of Science has been in touch about developments for her project

NWSAD staff and students will be running a 'Character Lab' creating 3d characters with scientific properties in collaboration with children during Wrexham Science Week
1st- 10th July 2010
Festival link is http://www.wrexhamsf.com/en/

"Characters in Search of Science was a very successful research project we ran with students from NWSAD and Rhosddu school in 2007, introducing children to scientific ideas using drawing, making, storytelling and animation. We asked them to create characters that embodied concepts in the school curriculum, and it was a great experience for all involved.

Since then I have given conference papers and talks in Oxford, Tokyo and Mumbai on the project, and have had a great response from educators, students and children as to the use of creativity in teaching traditionally 'dry' subjects in schools. We exhibited the puppets and animations from the project at the Wrexham Science festival in 2007, and have been invited to run a 'Character Lab' during this year's Festival in July.

The Festival runs from Thursday 1st - Saturday 10th July 2010, and we aim to run the 'lab' on two days including the Saturday. We would like to use the character lab to encourage children to make a 'science monster' in 3d, which we will photograph on the stand, and rate as to its scientific abilities. This may be part of its personality or make up or may be embedded in the character- magnets, propellors, lights etc."

Giclee Prints

2010-05-05T04:36:00.000-07:00

Some of Alex's work's that will be arriving in the incubator are Giclee prints. This is Wickipedia's description as to what they are:-

Giclée (pronounced /ʒiːˈkleɪ/ "zhee-clay" or /dʒiːˈkleɪ, from French [ʒiˈkle]) is a neologism for the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The word "giclée" is derived from the French language word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray". It was coined in 1991 by Jack Duganne, a printmaker working in the field, to represent any inkjet-based digital print used as fine art. The intent of that name was to distinguish commonly known industrial "Iris proofs" from the type of fine art prints artists were producing on those same types of printers. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s but has since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print and is often used in galleries and print shops to denote such prints.

About Alex in the Daily Post, Liverpool

2010-05-02T07:22:00.001-07:00

New Garston art gallery offering art and performance space in Liverpool’s far south

Apr 22 2010 by William Leece, Liverpool Daily Post

SOUTH Liverpool’s newest arts venue has launched a programme of performances and exhibitions stretching right through the summer.

The Garston Art Works, in Duke Street, Garston, is the project of Alex Corina, a Yorkshire-born artist who has lived in south Liverpool for 20 years and ran the Slaughterhouse Gallery, in St Mary’s Road, during Capital of Culture year.

But funding for the Slaughterhouse ended with Capital of Culture. Now the Art Works has been set up in the former Conservative Club in Duke Street, providing both a studio and living space for Alex, and an exhibition and performance area on the ground floor.

The first exhibition of Alex’s own work, including a well-know series of paintings merging John Lennon’s face into the Mona Lisa, has already opened, with the first performance evening pencilled in for Thursday, April 29, when local schools are being invited to a day of African drum workshops, followed by a performance from Global Pulse and Kevin Paton, a musician, writer and performer who makes instruments from recycled materials in a workshop located next to the Art Works.

An exhibition entitled Creative Cargo 2010 is pencilled in for the end of June, but before then there will be an exhibition and performance from pupils of St Benedict’s School, in Garston, marking the achievements of pupils and also the end of the school before it merges with New Heys to create a new academy from September.

“There is a huge pool of creative talent in south Liverpool, and we are aiming to give it a space in which everyone can come and see what is going on here,” said Alex.

Parking

2010-04-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

Normally we have problems with parking at our events, but now we are a building site and have less than ever, the best advice I can give is come by public transport or a taxi, then you can have some of our lovely wine and go on somewhere afterwards, as the night is still young.

Former exhibitor _ Anthony Pendlebury

2010-04-21T02:13:00.000-07:00

The Gallery Clayton Square (Madelaina Artz) presents

Thought & Surface

A small but perfectly formed exhibition

of paintings by Anthony Pendlebury.

(www.erpenstudios.co.uk)

Anthony paints from within, and lets the painting take on a life of it's own.

His paintings evolve and explore texture, mark making and surface, and tend

to take on landscape as a subject. The artist uses a variety of medium,

including aerosol paint, acrylic paint, pen, pencil, and ink on a variety of

surfaces including vinyl, paper or canvas.

Exhibition runs from April 29th until 15th April. (There will be no preview for this exhibition.)

Curated by Maddy Murthwaite.

Gallery email: thegallery@madelainartz.com

Gallery Website: www.madelainartz.com

Opening hours: Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun 12.30pm - til close of centre!

Location: First Floor, Clayton square Shopping centre, Liverpool.

Background of Alex Corina

2010-04-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

Our next exhibitor, Alex Corina is an artist and community worker based in Garston, Liverpool.He is an interesting character so thought I would give some more background information.

Alex is a Yorkshire man, born in Bradford where he attended Buttershaw Comprehensive School and Bradford College of Art. In 1985, he moved to Liverpool 1985 where he worked as a civil servant for the Drugs Prevention and Community Safety Unit.

Corina is known in Liverpool for his picture, the "Mona Lennon" which features the Mona Lisa, John Lennon (whose 70th anniversary will be celebrated around the world later this year) and the Liverpool waterfront in the background. It is a work that aims to represent Liverpool's past, present and future and is the image I have used for our invitation and I am currently in the process of trying to borrow the original purchased by Prof Phil Redmond and is now in the collection of the National Museums of Liverpool.

In 2007, Corina was named on Bradford College's list of 175 heroes as a celebration of 175 years providing education and training in Bradford. Corina is one of the leaders behind the idea of Garston Cultural Village which, is a campaign to encourage redevelopment in Garston. On 31 May 2008, Garston declared 'Cultural Independence' at the Garston Embassy, formerly The Wellington School. He has since set up an new studio on Duke Street, which will also be an exhibition space for himself and other artists.

Alex has been very much involved in every community he has been part of and his interest in politics was fostered by his father. Joe was described by Bob Cryer MP as 'a well-known orator in Bradford'. Between 1980 and 1983, Alex was elected to Bradford City Council as a Labour Councillor for Wibsey Ward.

On 5 August 1983, after leading the National Union of Public Employees' Bradford Health Service Branch during the health workers' dispute of 1981-82, Corina led the Thornton View Hospital Occupation campaigning against the closure of the 82 bed long-stay geriatric hospital as branch secretary. The occupation lasted for over 2 years and was one of the longest ever hospital occupations.

On 3 May 2007, Corina stood for election as a City Councillor for the Liverpool ward of Cressington, as an Independent, in the council election of 2007. He gained 316 votes. Corina also publicly endorsed a campaign for a referendum on an elected Mayor for Liverpool.

As usual our exhibitions are closed to the public and limited to arranged viewings, should you wish to attend the opening please send a request to alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk

Alex Corina- Past, Present and Future

2010-04-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

Alex Corina- Past, Present and Future

2010-03-31T15:53:00.000-07:00

Our next exhibitor for Art @ the incubator will be Alex Corina, best known for his picture "Mona Lennon", used as an awning over the renovations of St George's Hall. The image represented Liverpool's Past, Present and Future but also symbolised the city's aspirations for the Capital of Culture. Alex's work from the year 2008 captured the spirit and humour in Liverpool. This exhibition is a review of his work and reflects a desire to move onto new ventures as he sets up a new studio space in Garston.

Opening night for Life in Paper

2010-03-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Great turn out from Julie's supporters

Julie Dodd's opening at MerseyBIO of Life in Paper

2010-03-19T15:24:00.001-07:00

Julie Dodd's opening at MerseyBIO of Life in Paper, originally uploaded by abscraft.

Nice opening with lots of support from Julie and a good number of sales.

Julie Dodd

2010-03-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

Artist Statement from our current artist at MerseyBIO

  My art practice is based in print, installation work and bookmaking. I usually work with paper, making books from it, printing on it, constructing with it, and recycling old paper to make new.

My work is generally based upon repetition and I focus my ideas on patterns and shapes found within the human body. I'm interested in human life, who we are, physically and emotionally, from how the body is structured to our characteristics and qualities. My obsessive nature compels me to work in multiples and I use it to illustrate how the body repeats functions in order to repair renew and survive, often mimicking life, growth and regeneration. My work is about the processes involved along the way rather than the finished product.

Julie Dodd 2010
www.juliedodd.co.uk

Our next exhibition: Life in Paper

2010-03-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Our next show with Julie Dodd's wonderful paper artwork is already up in the incubator and has caused a big stir including comments like "best show so far" and "what a lot of work goes into these". I am currently working on the individual statements for each piece which gives Julie's reasoning for creating each work.

If you are part of the university or the local bio sciences industry and would like to attend please feel free to email me for an invitation alison.roberts@2Bio.co.uk

Stephanie de Leng in group show that opens on Friday

2010-03-09T03:51:00.000-08:00

The Gallery Liverpool is situated in the Baltic Triangle District of the city, offering an exciting new venue which promotes a range of creative approaches, be it contemprary or traditional. It seeks to showcase and actively promote “ home-grown “ artists of all disciplines.

The gallery has been refurbished to retain the integrity of the buildings industrial heritage, occupies the entire first floor offering a large versatile space of 3000 sq ft which can be used for a multitude of events.

They are hosting a mixed photographic exhibition from the 13th March – 3rd April 2010 displaying a wide, diverse collection of works by locally acclaimed photographers. All works will be for sale

Private view 12th March 7 – 9.30pm

Francesco Mellina
Stephanie de Leng
Mark McNulty
Jim Connolly
Mary Fitzpatrick
Ken Lewis
Charlie Charlton
Charlotte Bird
Jen Allanson
Jan Rogerson
John Grieve
Claire Freeman

Opening Monday – Saturday 10.30am – 4.30pm. Free admission and parking available. For further details on our venue and future events please call 0151 709 2442 or email arts@thegalleryliverpool.co.uk web; www.thegalleryliverpool.co.uk

First floor, 41 Stanhope St, Liverpool L8 5RE

Former exhibitors

2010-02-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

Joel Bird who is exhibited with us in Birds of Feather with Anthony Smith is showing this week in Calderstones park .

Ruth Ball who had an exhibition with us in January 2009, will be giving a talk tomorrow at the Walker Gallery about her enamel work from 1pm until 2pm. Check with the gallery for details.

Liverpool Daily Post article

2010-02-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

The art in the incubator's current exhibition at MerseyBIO is featured in today's Liverpool Daily Post.

Image by Stephanie de Leng of Dr Rhys Roberts of 2Bio Ltd and Stephanie de Leng with her portrait in the background of local roofer,Eddie. Each of the images in the exhibition include a description of the person behind the image.

"– Eddie Woodchuck, Roofer
His face never fails to cause a reaction. Of all the people in this book, Eddie is the most talked about. In a different life he would have been a successful actor. But as it is, he is a roofer, a damn good one, and what’s more, he is not afraid of risky situations.
In circa 1998 there were some heavy storms in the North and we had quite a number of tiles blow off the roof. Worse, others were on the verge of falling, and I was worried that someone might get hurt. It was a Sunday. I called our then roofing company, Renown Roofing. We don’t do Sundays, the boss said. He had just collected £3000 from me one month before. I explained that the situation was dangerous. He hung up.
So Eddie entered the scene. He does Sundays, when it is important. He gets right in there and does what needs to be done. Even in winds. And if the wind is blowing, and his roll-up goes out, he re-lights it with his blowtorch. I witnessed this through the skylight and two years later asked Eddie to repeat this for the camera. He was a bit perplexed so I added that I needed some roof work done. He came and cleaned out my gutters, and then stood in the garden with his blowtorch and roll ups and I took a few pictures. He was still perplexed. When he saw the results, nothing was clearer, but he accepted a photo (it was free) all the same. His wife took one look at it and said he would not get any women looking like that. No way was she going to put that photo on the wall.
That was a few years ago and I think they may be beginning to come around to my way of looking at things now. " Stephanie de Leng

Ruth Ball

2010-02-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

Artist Talk
by Ruth Ball - Designer Enameller

Looking at the diverse aspects of enamelling, Ruth Ball will talk about the development of her work and sources of inspiration.
In addition Ruth will present an overview of contemporary enamels through the images of other leading practitioners.

The Walker Art Gallery Liverpool
17th February 2010 from 1 - 2 pm
Tickets are free and available from The Walker

More info > http://ruthballenameldesign.com/Press.aspx

People in Liverpool

2010-01-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

Sorry not open to public but look at my images on here of Stephanie's exhibition and check out her blog
stephaniedeleng.blogspot.com/

For those in the incubator and on the VIP invite list

2010-01-13T02:02:00.000-08:00

"PEOPLE IN LIVERPOOL"
- An exhibition of photographic portraits of people of Liverpool by Stephanie de Leng

Due to the current adverse weather conditions and the operational impact this has had on most organisations across the region, it is with regret that we have had to postpone the opening of the 'People in Liverpool' exhibition which was due to take place on Thursday 14th January.

The opening night Private View will now take place on Thursday 28th January in the MerseyBIO Incubator.

Please note this is a "BY INVITATION" only event. Please contact me for more information
alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk

People in Liverpool

2009-12-27T01:57:00.001-08:00

We are very pleased to have works by Stephanie de Leng for our next exhibition in the incubator with many portraits of the people of Liverpool, showing a variety of ages, backgrounds and professions.

Her work captures an essence of the people and her writing gives more background information to the shot and the moment it was taken, highlighting why she chose the subject, many are people who have played a part in her life, others are people of significance to Liverpool as a whole.

There will be many faces to recognise and others that although you may not know the individual in the portrait, you may recognise people from your own lives who have a similar outlook on life.

Happy Christmas from all the team at 2Bio Ltd

2009-12-15T02:10:00.000-08:00

We are proud to support local artist Freida McKitrick by chosing her work for our Christmas card this year.

Opening for Revolution in Evolution

2009-11-19T15:28:00.000-08:00

Some photos from the exhibition and opening

Farewell to the Pendlebury's

2009-11-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

A Place Worth Living came down today and packed up to go back to Nathan and Anthony who are exhibiting in various local art fairs and shows in the next few weeks but thought I'd add some final images of their work before we move on to the wonderful artwork from Prenton High School tomorrow in the Revolution in Evolution exhibition.

Revolution in Evolution

2009-10-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

Revolution in Evolution
Prenton High School for Girls

Exhibition runs from 19th of November until 13th of January 2010 in the incubator, MerseyBio.

An exhibition of scientific art, to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.

A collaboration of work by the students of Prenton High, Park High, Rock Ferry High and Upton Hall, funded through the Rolls Royce Science Prize.

Working with fine artist Philip Garrett, students experienced an approach that linked both science and art, and has its roots in the teachings of Italian renaissance masters such as Leonardo Da Vinci.

The exhibition is the resulting art work, produced by the students after several days of scientific study on the topic of Natural Selection.

Past exhibitor from the incubator at The Walker

2009-10-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

Glass Metal and Fire is a new display of work in the Craft and Design Gallery at
The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool by designer Ruth Ball who showed at the incubator at the begining of the year.

Her work will be there from Friday, 23 October 2009 until Tuesday, 23 February 2010 at 17:00. The showcase will focus on the various methods of enamelling, demonstrating how traditional techniques can be used in a contemporary way.

Ruth will give a talk about her work and techniques at the Walker Gallery at 1 - 2pm on Wednesday 17th February 2010

The showcase will be on display until late 2010

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/

A Place Worth Living by Anthony and Nathan Pendlebury coming soon

2009-09-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Our next exhibition will be A Place Worth Living
by Father and Son
Anthony and Nathan Pendlebury
From the 9th of October until the 18th of November

Nathan studied Fine Art at Warrington Collegiate Institute and Liverpool John Moores University. He grew up in the North-West of England in Chester, Salford, Manchester, and Warrington. Nathan now lives and has a studio space in Bootle (near to Liverpool City Centre, UK), he has won acclaim for both his painting and photography being selected to show in the 2007 International Chelsea Fine Art Competition in New York, as well as being a Prizewinner for the 2007 and 2008 National Wirral Open Exhibitions, and was shortlisted for a prize in the 2007 Sefton Open. Nathan currently also has paintings on show at the Liverpool John Lewis Espresso Bar. He had this to say about his art: "My painting, drawing and photography looks toward the presence of man within an urban and suburban environment, without necessarily being direct in figurative terms."

Anthony Pendlebury studied art in the 60's at Bolton Art School, near to where he grew up in Salford/Manchester. Since then he has worked in and around the North West in various non-art related positions. He is now retired and based in Cumbria, The Lake District. Tony had this to say about his art:"I am primarily concerned with producing original paintings on canvas and paper. My paintings look toward the human condition taking influences from the likes of Pasmore, Miro, Picasso, and Corazon. I don't like to stand still with my painting and am always striving toward new things to do and experiment with in my image making. I hope that my paintings offer texture, mood, and a sense of aesthetic through graphic mark making. I try to make my ever growing portfolio diverse, and the work I produce can vary from one piece to the next."

Birds of a Feather Blogged on Art In Liverpool

2009-07-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of the company of Ian and Minako Jackson at the opening of Birds of a Feather and they have followed it up on their blog.

You may notice a change on the walls, we have sold one of Anthony's paintings and wanted to let it go to it's new home straight away.

The new label for the new piece Anthony delivered to replace the piece will go up soon but here are the details of his watercolour.

'Chough at South Stack' - £200

'I visited South Stack in order to see the nesting Peregrine Falcons but
soon became preoccupied with the Chough that was walking around behind us.
It followed us around for much of the afternoon with occasional flights
around the cliffs. Choughs are a member of the Crow family and were until
recently a very rare bird in the British Isles. Their most characteristic
feature is their bright red bill which is slightly down-curved'

Former exhibitor's website Michael Burns

2009-07-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

Mike showed with us in the incubator in the first exhibition "Liverpool Scenes" and I thought I'd share his website details with you.

BIrds of a feather continued

2009-07-17T03:04:00.001-07:00

Birds of Feather

2009-07-17T03:02:00.000-07:00

Joel Bird

2009-07-15T06:52:00.001-07:00

http://www.no42.net/joelbird/

Anthony Smith

2009-07-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.anthonysmith.eu/

Joel Bird and Anthony Smith

2009-07-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

Birds of Feather

2009-07-10T05:36:00.000-07:00

Birds of a Feather
Anthony Smith and Joel Phelan

Exhibition runs from 17th of July until 26th of August (sadly as this is a secure building the exhibition is closed to the public - please look at the artists websites for more details of where their work can be seen in the public domain)

Anthony Smith is a very accomplished professional artist specialising in wildlife and bird paintings. He is currently the working artist for Chester Zoo and exhibits regularly at the ‘Society of Wildlife Artists’ at the Mall Galleries, London and at the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art.
http://www.anthonysmith.eu/

Joel Phelan or Joel Bird is a prolific young artist/musician/sculptor who will be showing his expressive studies of birds - paintings and sculptures. His paintings of birds have realistic qualities but are stylised to reflect the personality of the birds and the environment they live in. Originally from Liverpool, Joel has recently moved to London. His artwork is shown extensively in Britain and USA, with a show planned for Philadelphia in March 2010.
http://www.no42.net/joelbird/

Exhibition programme for Summer, Autumn and begining of Winter 09

2009-06-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

Confirmation of dates until the end of the year

"Birds of A Feather" Anthony Smith and Joel Bird, Opening 16th of July , show running 17th of July until the 7th of October
"A Place Worth Living" Anthony & Nathan Pendlebury, Opening 8th of Oct, show running 9th of Oct until the 18th of
Nov
Revolution in Evolution, Darwin, Prenton High School, Opening 19th of Nov, show running 20th Nov until 13th of Jan

Birds of Feather

2009-06-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

Anthony Smith and Joel Bird will be joining us in the incubator for our next exhibition begining mid July.

Louise Waller

2009-06-06T04:19:00.001-07:00

Roger Sinek

2009-06-06T04:17:00.000-07:00

Roger is from Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe. He started taking photographs when he was 11. He originally came to Liverpool to study architecture and play drums. In between working on his own photographic projects and undertaking on commissions, he works with Tate Liverpool. He exhibits with Soup and the Oxton Artists.

Artist Statement

“After an initial foray with a plastic camera aged 8, I was given a Twin Lens Reflex camera at 11 and started taking photographs in earnest. My father taught me; he had a darkroom so I experienced the magic. I did better work then; direct, no influences, emulating no one.

I prefer the waist level viewfinder. You look down onto a two-dimensional screen, image reversed laterally, so there is a remove from the literal. With a conventional viewfinder you look through. You see as a hunter, looking for food or for danger, spatially. It’s a different thing.

I believe photographs are abstract, because freezing a moment in time is unnatural, and there are many ways in which the camera sees things we cannot, or in a different way. We forget this because there's so much of it about.

Overall, I'm interested in essence and resonance, seeking the universal in the ephemeral. I do not rearrange what I find, nor manipulate the image, but I don’t mind if it looks that way. I like the facts to be ambiguous, for it to be unclear when and how an image was made – to allow space for the imagination. Again, there should be a remove from the literal, an image not a recording”.

Roger Sinek and Louise Waller

2009-06-06T04:03:00.001-07:00

The joint opening for Louise and Roger's exhibition on Thursday went very well, with fantastic light streaming in to the incubator

Roger Sinek and Louise Waller

2009-05-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Roger Sinek Photography
with ceramics by Louise Waller
Opening on the 4th of June

Exhibition runs from 5th of June until 15th of July

Wirral based photographer, Roger Sinek has been taking photographs with some serious intent since he was 11. As well as his personal work, he does some commercial work, including fine art catalogues and book covers. He spent three years studying architecture and has spent many years playing in bands. Roger is originally from Zimbabwe. He currently works at the Tate in Liverpool.

Lousie Waller is currently Artist in Residence at Liverpool Community College. Her ceramic designs are inspired by Architecture, patterns, variations and Art Deco design motifs. In the past , she has used DNA structures for visual inspiration as well as looking at components of tools and electrical machinery. She works alongside Roger at the Tate Gallery in Liverpool.

Characters in the Search of Science opening

2009-04-27T02:31:00.000-07:00

Our latest opening for the current exhibition Characters in the Search of Science

http://www.sawtrust.org/index.html

2009-04-10T07:45:00.001-07:00

The SAW trust looks like an exciting project combining artists with science into schools.

"About SAW

In September 2004 scientist Anne Osbourn was awarded a ‘Dreamtime Fellowship’ by the National Endowment the Science, Technology and the Arts. The fellowship’s aim was to explore ways that science can more fully connect with the lives and languages of ordinary people.

Anne used her enthusiasm for inspiring schoolchildren about science to develop ‘science, art and writing’ (SAW) projects in local schools. These brought together children, teachers, scientists, writers, artists and the local community, with science as the central theme.

The response was overwhelming, and the schools projects have been in demand across the UK and abroad. With support from the Society in Science Foundation Anne has subsequently set up the SAW Trust – a registered charity that encourages engagement between science and the arts."

Brown to launch drive for science

2009-04-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

I found this article on line by Andrew Woodcock of the press association that I thought was pertinent to our exhibition opening on the 23rd of April "Characters in Science". It was concerning Gordon Brown announcement regarding science and maths in British state schools.

Brown to launch drive for science

By Andrew Woodcock, Press Association

Friday, 27 February 2009

Gordon Brown will today announce ambitious targets to increase the numbers of pupils studying sciences and maths in state schools, as part of a drive to ensure Britain produces "the great scientists of tomorrow".

The Prime Minister will argue that investment in science is key to Britain's future competitiveness and will signal his ambition to shift the UK economy away from its over-dependence on financial services and towards science and technology.

In a speech in Oxford, the PM will promise not to let science become "a victim of the recession", vowing to protect funding for science from competing demands for Government support during the downturn.

And he will announce initiatives to encourage graduates with science, maths and IT degrees who lose their jobs during the recession to retrain as teachers, as part of a drive to ensure almost all state schools offer physics, chemistry and biology as separate subjects within five years.

Mr Brown will say: "The time has come to build a society that seeks high-value engineering not financial engineering. A country whose young people are more inspired by those who give to the world, than by those who take from it.

"And a nation that values Britain's great history of scientific achievement and that backs Britain's capacity for scientific discovery.

"We have a scientific record to be proud of. The question now is how we build on this strength to make Britain the best country in the world in which to be a scientist in the months and years to come."

Mr Brown will set out a "national ambition" for Britain to educate the next generation of world-class scientists.

He will offer a guarantee that within five years, 90% of all state schools will offer the "triple science" option of single-subject teaching of physics, chemistry and biology. At present, only 32% of state schools offer triple science - up from 22% in 2005.

The aim is to at least double the number of state school pupils taking the three science subjects from its current level of 8.5% over the next five years, involving 100,000 children a year.

And Mr Brown will set a new target to increase the numbers of young people sitting A-level maths from 56,000 now to 80,000 by 2014.

He will recognise that mainstream comprehensive schools have suffered from a lack of specialist science teachers able to take single-subject classes and stretch the brightest pupils.

To address this shortage, graduates made redundant in companies working in science, technology, engineering, maths and IT will be offered personalised support from education consultants to consider the option of retraining as teachers.

Mr Brown will promise to maintain the "science ring fence" which guarantees that state money earmarked for science is protected from competing demands.

"Some say that now is not the time to invest, but the bottom line is that the downturn is no time to slow down our investment in science," the PM will say.

"We will not allow science to become a victim of the recession - but rather focus on developing it as a key element of our path to recovery.

"That is why we will maintain the ring fence we have placed around science funding."

Mr Brown will also promise to "promote a positive public debate about the proper role of science in the service of humanity" in order to improve public understanding and awareness of science.

Characters in Search of Science

2009-04-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

incubator

Our next exhibition at the incubator will be some artwork produced during an investigative project undertaken by Desdemona McCannon(our current exhibitor until 22nd of April) with primary school children from North Wales in 2007.

Des' work as a designer and illustrator is all about communicating ideas , and trying to use visual language that is easy for all to understand.

Her artistic background is both wide and varied. She has written and illustrated several children’s books, worked on editorial commissions , and produced many book jackets and packaging solutions for clients. In her employment at Glyndwr University (since 2003) she has focused on academic and theoretical aspects of design thinking, and has gained many skills in presenting and teaching to groups of people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse ages and skills.

As a lecturer in Illustration at North Wales School of Art, she instigated an action research project called ‘Characters in Search of Science’ in 2007. This explored the use of drawing in facilitating conceptual thinking in 6-7 year old children at Rhosddu school in Wrexham. Her project was well received by policy makers, educators and academics when she presented a paper based on the findings at an international conference on ‘Visual Literacy’ at Mansfield College, Oxford (summer 2007).

She has designed and illustrated several pictographic representations of conceptual narratives to demonstrate this hypothesis. One was based on the ideas in Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’, in another she collaborated with a biochemist on an explanation of the Periodic table, called ‘The Atom Family’.

She is interested in facilitating ‘visual thinking’ and the empowerment that comes from realising intelligence is not always expressed verbally, that ideas are not always located in words.

We are delighted to have a second opportunity to show work from this talented artist.

Desdemona's opening

2009-03-05T06:01:00.001-08:00

Here are some snaps taken at the opening of Desdemona's exhibition at MerseyBio on the 26th of February.

Under a Victorian microscope - Feb until April 09

2009-03-05T05:58:00.000-08:00

Desdemona McCannon is a writer, lecturer, designer and maker living on Merseyside. She works at North Wales School of Art where she lectures in Design Theory and teaches Illustration and Decorative Arts. She has worked with a variety of different clients across the world, including a two year stint in Tokyo.

Victorian Bacteria

This collection of images is inspired by a collection of old Victorian illustrations of Petri dish cultures found in my mother’s book collection. I was intrigued that something so small should be drawn with such attention to detail and I was also charmed at the skill and labour involved as this kind of imagery has been replaced by photographic processes.

I have recently been using a heat transfer technique to apply images to ceramic tiles, and the idea of displaying imagery based upon germs and bacteria onto a medium that has been traditionally used for its clinical and sanitary properties appealed to me.

I investigated the colour palettes of traditional tile designs as well, and tried to convey a ‘victorian’ flavour to the designs.

I investigated using the designs as repeats and will eventually develop a range of wallpaper and products with the ‘Victorian Bacteria’ theme.

I am excited to be showing these images exclusively at MerseyBio and would be very interested to see how modern imaging techniques of bacteria and microscopic forms could be developed into decorative design.

Desdemona McCannon February 2009

Please respect the artist's images and do not use or copy them in any way without permission

Ruth Ball - January until February 09

2009-03-05T05:55:00.000-08:00

Designer enameller, Ruth Ball utilises the fusion of glass on metal to produce a diverse collection of products including:-

• Contemporary Jewellery
• Miniature Enamel Painting
• Small objects – Bowls / Vessels
• Panels – Larger wall based Art Works

Ruth graduated from Middlesex University (formerly Polytechnic) in 1987 with a BA Honours in Jewellery Design. As a student, she was awarded the RSA Bursary Award in 1985 and the prestigious Platinum Award in 1987.

Today, she regularly exhibits work both in national and international exhibitions and is an active member of The British Society of Enamellers and the Merseyside Jewellers and Metal Artists Network.

Ruth is skilled in all aspects of champleve, cloisonné and painted enamel. As well as producing her own designs, she undertakes commissions and trade work. Each piece is unique or made as limited editions.

Ruth is an experienced teacher at Further & Higher Education levels, and offers a range of workshops in Enamelling and Art & Design. Her educational work features in the Craft & Design video display at The Walker Gallery in Liverpool. A recent highlight in her career was the publication of a “How To” book on enamelling, commissioned by the publishers A & C Black for their Jewellery Handbook series.

www.ruthballdesign.co.uk

Claire McCarthy and Sebastian Cowden - Nov - Dec 08

2009-03-05T05:52:00.000-08:00

Claire McCarthy

The Urban Spiritual Expression of Liverpool

When future, past and present converge at one moment…
The artist makes you confront the city with friction and ghost-like speed. Capturing the life of the buildings, streets and corners of Liverpool’s atmospheric town, she reflects the real heart of the city unlike any other.

Profound collectables with compelling style

Sebastian Cowden

Sebastian Cowden aims to create images that relate the North West of England with directness and without manipulation. To Sebastian, the spirit of photography is not about seeking (or creating) the perfect scene, but rather to “catch the best from the things we look at everyday”. Sebastian was born and raised on the Wirral, where he still resides.