Artist Friends - Vlog #5
I take you to meet some of my artist friends this week. In this weeks episode you'll …
❤️Sneak peek behind the scenes at Smart About Art, meeting the art world experts
❤️See the results of the first “How to paint a cow” workshop
❤️Watch artist Minty paint a huge golden hare for the Cotswold Hare Trail
❤️Join me at Kate Ree’s exhibition in aid of Rees Care Foundation
It’s been an action-packed week of making new friends and catching up with some of the old ones too! It’s typical of artists who often work in isolation, just like I do, to sometimes neglect the social aspects of their work. It can take a special effort to prize our introverted selves away from our projects and put on clean (non-paint-splattered clothes) and get out there. It can be especially frightening to do so in a networking setting with unfamiliar faces.
Well, this week I scrub-up and get out!
I head to London first of all to meet with Susan Mumford and a collection of art industry experts, with the opportunity to discuss my art business next steps and potential support. Susan runs an organisation called Smart About Art, delivering professional development courses - face to face and online (selling and marketing your creative enterprise; developing professional partnerships; running and growing a micro or small business; raising funds; using tech to save time and make more money; staying focused by making a plan and holding yourself accountable; and more); Networking opportunities that result in business deals, partnerships, support and more (in London, New York and online via the Member community); Industry talks and tours at art fairs for art world professionals and collectors, to give insight and support creative enterprises with sales.
Whilst I attended the Smart About Art event I unexpectedly bumped into my artist friend Lisa Cirenza, she's usually flitting between the Uk, Canada, USA and Japan so I was totally amazed to see her. Lisa’s art represents today’s social conflicts and she is fascinated her materials and tools - the properties of pigments, tech and mediums. She’s often found sketching someone on her iPad and layering textures and photographs to tell a multi-layered story with her art. It just so happened we escaped the networking session for half an hour of exploration with Ross Belton aka “Modern Eccentric”. Ross, (a true eco craftsman) taught us how to make brushes from natural resources, using found objects and natural foliage.
Then I take you back to Tewkesbury to share with you the results of the first “how to paint a cow” workshop. 13 nervous cow art students joined me for a whole day of painting, working hard to finish their cow art canvas by the end of the day so they could take it home with them. I love the smiles on their faces at the end of the day as they proudly hold their cows!
Then I take you back to Tewkesbury to share with you the results of the first “how to paint a cow” workshop. 13 nervous cow art students joined me for a whole day of painting, working hard to finish their cow art canvas by the end of the day so they could take it home with them. I love the smiles on their faces at the end of the day as they proudly hold their cows!
Kirsty who attended the workshop said “I loved it and can highly recommend it. I had not painted since school about 35 years ago and I came home with art that my husband is putting up in our bedroom! Now planning to set up an art room in my conservatory!”
I heard on the grapevine that my friend Araminta Fogden had managed to take a huge hare to town with her! The project known as “The Cotswold Hare Trail” promoting a higher awareness and focus on public art, design and sculpture and interest in arts projects; their impact on daily life and the local environment and an understanding of the way in which the arts can support environmental conservation. It looked beautiful, I had to quickly pop into town to see them both.
Finally for the most social week of the year (so far) I join Emma and Jay (Emma kindly supported me with studio space for the “How to paint a cow” workshop) to see the dynamic work of Kate Rees, a contemporary artist raising funds and awareness for “Rees” The Care Leavers Foundation. I fell in love with the painting of the peacock which had unfortunately sold before I got there!
What a week! A special thank you to all of the contributors in this weeks vlog episode:
❤️Smart About Art
❤️Eco Craftsman, Ross Belton from Urban Eccentrics
❤️Urban Artist, Lisa Cirenza
❤️Beautiful creature artist, Araminta Fogden
❤️Tewkesbury Cards & Gifts
❤️Emma and Jay, Ell Hair Studio
❤️”How to paint a cow” workshop 1 participants
❤️ Dan Jepson, DJ productions
❤️Kate Rees, Libre Comme L’air exhibition katerees7@gmail.com
❤️Music “Make new friends"
Every Sunday I will publish a short film that will take you with me on my ‘who knows where’ adventures finding inspiration and then back to the studio taking you through the stages of creating a finished piece of art.
Vlog #1 Walk with me in the snow
Vlog #2 Seize the day
Every Sunday I will publish a short film that will take you with me on my ‘who knows where’ adventures finding inspiration and then back to the studio taking you through the stages of creating a finished piece of art.
Vlog #1 Walk with me in the snow
Vlog #2 Seize the day
Vlog #3 Are you ever ready?
Vlog #4 Inspire the future
Vlog #4 Inspire the future
Vlog #5 Artist friends
To subscribe to my YouTube channel follow this link http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3D3brndoUx7bVXvNhm_jzA
This vlog is part of the "Be An Artist" collection of storytelling, courses and experiences inspiring a generation of creative minds to take action on their artistic ambitions. Art has the power to transform, illuminate, educate, inspire and motivate. Art offers us a reason to come together and share in an experience. Art will keep us connected.
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