23rd Exhibition at the incubator: Cluster by Wirral artist Fiona Philipps

12 working days with 25 artists til Christmas

  Margi Adams - mosaics and framed butterflies from cans,   Sian Bailey -  illustrations, Helen Bennett or HeB Designs - animal illustrations, Mary Bryning - framed topographical embroideries, Theresia Cadwallader - bead jewellery, Helen Chatterton - sumptious home ware and clothing,   Jane Coyle- glass ware, Julie Dodd - artists books and ornaments ,   Jenny Dunlop - enhanced illustrations, Sophie Green - illustrations,   Pam Holstein - mixed media, Paul Irvine - silver jewellery, Sabine Kussmaul - cyanotypes, Marianthi Lainas - photography, Roy Lewis - Candlesticks, Freida McKittrick- baubles, prints and cards, Janine Pinion - watercolours, Mike Rule - turned wooden bowls Brenda Sharp- books and brooches, Roger Sinek - photography, Helen Smith - flowers and vases, Jo Smith - sea glass jewellery,   Patsy Taylor - textiles, Matthew Thomas - photographs,   Lisa Waldman - jewellery    

Twelve Working days til Christmas

Here are some of the people I have lined up with goodies for you all:-

Roy Lewis – metal candlesticks made from old motorbike parts (NEW)

Freida McKitrick – prints, ornaments, mugs, Christmas cards with her wonderful line drawings of the Liverpool Skyline (contributed to last 2 Christmas shows)

Theresia Cadwallader – pretty bead jewellery (contributed to last 2 Christmas shows)

Helen Smith – flowers & vases made from recycled glass (NEW)

Margi Adams – Butterfly pictures made from embossed cans (NEW)

Brenda Sharp – Exquisite hand made books  (contributed to last 2 Christmas shows)

Julie Dodd – delicate decorations and Sinister books (showed previously in a solo show at MerseyBIO)

Matthew Thomas – photography from his Spectra range (solo show in our 19th exhibition)

Paul Irvine – silver jewellery (shown in our 20th exhibition)

Marianthi Lainas – landscape photography (shown in our 20th exhibition)

Jo Smith – jewellery on little stands made from sea glass (NEW)

Helen Chatterton - cushions made from tweeds and velvets (NEW)

Janine Pinion – prints and  watercolours (NEW)

As usual a proper invitation has to be made as we are a secure building so please email me, alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk if you would like to attend.

Sabine Kussmaul: Fragmented Views starting 3rd of October at MerseyBIO

Sabine Kussmaul: Fragmented Views

Sabine's pictures are "physically sandwiched" images, collages happening on different layers - like life that expresses itself on separate levels and in various physical dimensions. 

She draws and stitches on transparent fabric, weaving and threading an image, a network of paths.

Colour comes in on a separate layer, on a canvas on a frame.

Both of these work together, at a distance from each other. 

Some artworks have an extra layer of cut steel.

Sabine is intrigued by the idea that the expressions of life are so manifold in nature: Memories, feelings, scientific data, visual information, , ... are all experienced in different ways  and  the "final picture" of  it (.... What is the "final picture" ... What is the "it" ? ) only exists in the experience of the viewer. 

Sabine trained as a Fashion Designer but soon moved on from the world of fashion to work in illustration and teaching. For three years, she has been exclusively working on her own fine art.

Rather than designing garment shells for the human body, she now explores how visual statements can be made, often referencing architecture, which – similar to garment design, provides an interface between body and environment and creates a home for a viewer's visual experience.

Her exhibition will open on the 3rd of October in MerseyBIO (next to Biosciences building on the University of Liverpool campus) and will come down on the 1st of November. Sadly, the exhibition space is not open to the public and is by invitation only.

To receive an invitation to the opening and networking event, please email alison.roberts@2bio.co.uk

20th exhibition has new exhibitors - Paul Irvine

In addition to Marianthi and Dennis, we are proud to present the silver work of local artist, Paul Irvine.

Paul Irvine is Wirral born, and has lived in Hoylake for twenty five years. He is a full time teacher of Design & Technology, and has always enjoyed the challenge of designing and making his own ‘stuff’.

He trained at Shoreditch College in the 1970s, and has returned to working in silver relatively recently, although he is equally happy working in both wood and engineering materials which proves to be useful, as it enables him to make the tools and formers that he needs to work silver. Perhaps because silversmithing is first and foremost a hobby, Paul’s pieces are somewhat eclectic, ranging from pieces of jewellery to candelabra to napkin rings.

His preferred method of working is to beat and hammer silver into shape, where the material’s malleability (‘smackability’ as one of his pupils memorably expressed it), enables the silver to be wrought into shape. For some pieces silver sheet is ‘pressed’ into shape using handmade wooden formers and the pressure of a vice – this is particularly so on some of the bangles, where the curvature is anticlastic (it curves in opposite directions); this form is particularly strong along its length, and can be seen in natural structures such as leaves and grasses. He also fabricates pieces, joining them together with heat and solder.

Design sources are picked up all over the place: from natural forms, from geometric shapes, from the inspiration of the work of other artists and craftspeople, and from simply thumping the silver to see where it will go. Sketching sometimes forms the basis of ideas, although more often than not three dimensional modelling is the preferred method of development. For each finished piece of silver there are usually at least a couple of rough hewn pieces of copper or gilding metal languishing in the corner of his workshop.

Paul is registered with the Assay office at Goldsmith’s Hall in London, and all his work is assayed and hallmarked by them to guarantee the quality of the silver. The majority of his work is produced in Sterling silver, which can be seen by the 925 mark within the Assay marks.

Paul would probably like to describe his silver work along the lines of ‘The product of many hard won years of experience, finely tuned and realised in individual pieces in his studio workshop in Hoylake’ His wife translates this as ‘Rustling up bling in his garage’.

Marianthi's photographs for our 20th Exhibition

©Marianthi Lainas

©Marianthi Lainas

©Marianthi Lainas

©Marianthi Lainas

©Marianthi Lainas

©Marianthi Lainas

Our next exhibition will feature Marianthi Lainas and Dennis Spicer

Marianthi Lainas

Marianthi is a professional photographer based in Hoylake. Whether it be capturing the interaction of light on the land, recording the architectural landscapes of urban life or highlighting the intricate details of a flower or plant, she enjoys the challenge of new and varied subjects.

Land and seascape photography remain her particular love however, and form the subjects of most of her photographic images. She is inspired by the rich colours of dawn and dusk when natural light is at its most special and also loves working in black and white, creating striking monochromatic images to emphasise texture and form in a scene.

 

Her images are made using digital camera equipment with an emphasis on capturing the essence of a scene ‘in camera’ rather than relying on computer enhancements afterwards.

“The stunning views around the North West coast, with its fantastic skies and ever-changing light provide a constant source of inspiration for me. I have a fascination for how the camera records movement in the landscape, its ability to capture magical moments of light and will frequently use long-exposures to explore the different effects that can be created.”

Her images are regularly published in travel guides, magazines and newspapers, feature on greetings cards and calendars and her limited edition prints are increasingly in demand from private clients.

www.openspaceimages.com

Dennis Spicer

Dennis attended the Byam Shaw School of Painting in London from 1979 to 1983. Since then he has supported himself as a teacher and by selling his art. In 2000, he moved to the Merseyside with his family where he continues to teach and paint. The majority of his work are of still life.

"Perhaps it is the idea of the momento mori, the idea that life is transitory, or perhaps that the objects within a painting are somehow carrying on a dialogue with each other, but whatever it is, I find the subject endlessly stimulating and fascinating. The painting of the varying textures and the way that the surfaces reflect light constantly challenge the artist and the spaces between the objects become just as important as the objects themselves. In the tradition of "nature morte" I am attracted to paint things that are cast off and have no importance. I find objects in charity shops or sometimes in the detritus of the street or on the sea shore. I am trying, through painting them with the same attention and scrutiny as more precious objects, to reclaim them from being simply overlooked.  Life drawing and painting are also important to me as a change from the static nature of the still lives to the more spontaneous capturing of a momentary gesture. In addition I have lately been doing landscapes of the country side around West Kirby and portraits."


Dennis has had two one man shows in London and regularly exhibits at the New English Art Club and Royal Institute of Oil Painters exhibitions, as well as shows in the North West. He has paintings in both private and public collections in this country and abroad.



dennisspicerartworks.blogspot.com
www.dennisspicer.co.uk
 

Private Tour with animation by Matthew Thomas

 

2Bio Ltd will be having a Private tour of our new exhibition Kaloseidos with main exhibitor Matthew Thomas on THURSDAY the 1st of March, let me know if you would like to be included in the tour. We are meeting  for a coffee at the Victoria Gallery and Museum near Metropolitan Cathedral/Crypt at 10am and then saunter over to MerseyBIO around 10.30 am for a tour of the show and a viewing of an animation Matthew has produced.

Private View 22nd of February 2012

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

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, reclaimed plastic tubing, orphaned vintage glass beads.

Ann Ellis' jewellery is about transformation. It aims to celebrate change and possibility, whilst challenging notions about preciousness and value. She works by deconstructing, reforming and hand-dying discarded plastics, metals, paper, glass and textiles, including plastic bags, bottles and drinks cans, often combining them with vintage beads, jewels and found objects.

Biography

Ann is based in Lancashire. She graduated from Reading University with a BA (Hons) in Typography and Graphics and went on to gain an MA in Educational Research (Lancaster), a BSc in Psychology and professional qualifications in psychotherapy and education.

Ann worked at Marvel Magazines in London before becoming freelance, designing publicity and promotional materials for the arts and entertainment industry both here and abroad. For a while she lived in the Netherlands where her eldest daughter was born.

Ann has always delighted in using everyday materials in unexpected ways and in 2008 was added to the Index of Selected makers at the UK Crafts Council. Her jewellery won a Green Apple Award in 2009 and First Place at the 2010 British Bead Awards in the Beyond Beads category. Her work, both 2d and 3d, has been used in advertising, education, publishing, exhibitions and for corporate clients and private collections.

www.annellis.co.uk

Coming to MerseyBIO

Matthew Thomas

Matthew Thomas (c)

12 days til Christmas - an art @ the incubator exhibition

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

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

"Landscape" opened on the 13th of April

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

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

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

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

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”

Stephanie de Leng

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.