Video of Josephine Ikeda interviewed by Swindon Viewpoint

Swindon Viewpoint went to interview Josephine Ikeda who takes part in the Swindon Open Studios. Here is the link to the video.

Swindon Open Studios 2010 listed in the Wiltshire Times

The Wiltshire Times listed Swindon Open Studios and encouraged people to visit the different locations, including Swindon Central Library and the Platform Youth Centre in Faringdon Road (the former Railway Museum). Follow the link to read the article.

Swindon Open Studios 11 September at The Platform

On 11 September 2010, The following artists were exhibiting, creating and meeting the public at The Platform (Ex railway museum), Faringdon Road, SN1 5ED: 

• JESSICA HARDING - Mixed media, pen, pencils and acrylic  
• ANN JELLEY - Watercolour, watercolour pencil, pastel 
• BEA MENIER - Painting, sculpture 
• JANE MILNER-BARRY - Oils 
• BENOIT PHILIPPE - Oils 
• MARGARET SADLER - Acrylic, watercolour, textiles, collage 
• SARAH SOLLOM - Mixed media and watercolour. 

Jessica Harding in front of her works

SARAH SOLLOM Working on a new collage

Benoit PHILIPPE making an oil painting

Swindon Open Studios in Frequency Magazine

Frequency Magazine did in their September issue a full page on the Swindon Open Studios 2010, with a teaser on the cover: "SWINDON IS OPEN THIS SEPTEMBER". A big thank you to them!

Vikki Loeber-Hughes and Karen Miller

Vikki Loeber-Hughes and Karen Miller wanted to make sure they would be ready for the Swindon Open Studios... and they were a week in advance. Their display looks superb as you will see from the photographs. But don't take my word for it, go and visit them at:

Framework Art & Crafts - Unit 35, BSS House, Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, Swindon, SN2 2PJ 

Opening times for both artists: 
Sat 11th - 10am - 5pm 
Sun 12th - 11am - 4pm 
Mon 13th - 10am - 5pm 
Tues 14th - 10am - 5pm 
Wed 15th - 10am - 5pm 
Thurs 16th - 10am - 5pm 
Frid 17th - 10am - 5pm 
Sat 18th - 10am - 5pm 
Sun 19th - 11am - 4pm 

VIKKI LOEBER-HUGHES - Soft pastel, oil pastel, acrylic and mixed media 
Web: www.wikkiart.co.uk 

KAREN MILLER - Acrylic/collage 
Web: www.facswindon.co.uk 

An interview with Jessica Harding

Q – Could you introduce yourself briefly to the readers?

I’m Oldtown based and work mainly in acrylic, oils, ink and pencil. I also enjoy  photography and use photographic images in my work. My style concentrates on line and is generally loose and sketchy.

Self-Portrait by Jessica Harding 

Q - How did you become interested in art?

I don’t really remember a specific point where I became interested in art, I loved to paint and draw as a toddler, I’d go through masses of scrap paper in a single day! I suppose art for me is a compulsion, even when I’m not working on something, I’m thinking about what I’d like to do next.

Q - What inspires you most as an artist?

I tend to be drawn to anything that appears imperfect or disjointed in some way, it’s the little details that fascinate me - whenever I go for a walk it’s often the nooks and crannies and overgrown weeds that I find most inspirational(!) - things that appear somehow to have taken on a life of their own.

Q - What is your favourite medium or media? Why?

Although I like to use pencil, acrylic and oils I think if I had to pic a favourite it would be a simple ink pen - no way to erase, just keep going, in the moment and see what happens(!). I like the appearance of bare line, where the skeleton of the work is still visible.

Q - Could you tell us some more about your work?

As well as creating portraits I am also interested in 'doodles', I often think of them as links to the unconscious mind. I like to use a ‘sketchy’ style when I work, I feel it allows me to be more free.  I often work from photographs that I have taken.

Q - How would you define your style?

Scribbly, messy and a little anxious!

Q - What are your influences; artists from the past or present who inspire you? 

I’m drawn to artists that use a lot of visible line in their work such as Egon Schiele - his subjects appear imperfect, sometimes even grotesque and yet they are all the more beautiful for it. I’m fascinated by the under drawings of the great masters, where the energy and thought processes are still very visible, it’s like a narrative for their creation.

Q - How do you choose the subjects of your works?

I don’t really have a system for choosing subjects, if I see something I like I then think about how I might go about recreating and reinterpreting it.

Q- How do you prepare yourself for an exhibition or a show like the Open Studios?

I like to be aware of deadlines etc but also try not to be intimidated by them, I tend to continue to work on pieces as usual and then make a selection.

Q - Are there territories (media, subjects, etc.) you want to explore in the coming years?

I made a few videos when I was studying at university (one of which involved crushing fake snails!) and it’s something I would like to experiment with again, there are certain concepts I’ve struggled with in the past that I think could  be better executed as a videos piece.

Q - As an artist, what would be your dream?

To be able to sustain myself completely from my work, always creating and always moving forward - I think being able to do what you really love is an ideal for most people.

Q - Could you share one thing that you have learnt in your own art practice that would be useful to other artists?

Never wait to be inspired or for that ‘right’ moment - I think it’s possible to waste a lifetime this way, sometimes you just have to force yourself to do something, just keep on creating - it doesn’t matter if you don’t like the outcome, the process is still important.

Ocelot article on the launch of Swindon Open Studios

Ocelot published an article on the launch of the Swindon Open Studios 2010 at Artsite on 10th September: Artsite to host 2010 Open Studios launch.

Article in Link magazine - Nine days to view artworks across Swindon from 11th

Link Magazine published an article on the coming Swindon Open Studios, titled "Nine days to view artworks across Swindon from 11th".

They also published an earlier article giving the details of the event that will take place at Artsite during SOS 2010, under the title "Artsite pulls out the stops for Swindon Open Studios".

Come to the launch party!

The Swindon Open Studios 2010 starts on Saturday September 11th. To celebrate this, we have on Friday 10th a party at Artsite, one of the venues participating to the event.

• What: Swindon Open Studios 2010 launch party
• When: Friday 10th September 2010, from 7:00 pm
• Where: Artsite, Theatre Square, Swindon SN1 1QN

Everyone is welcome!

An interview with Sarah-Jayne Dixon

Q – Could you introduce yourself briefly to the readers?

Hello my name is Sarah-Jayne Dixon, I’m a local artist and one half of Pop Art Profile.

Jimi Page

Q - How did you become interested in art?

Can’t really say a definite age or time, as I have always been interested in art in all its various forms. I can definitely say that my tastes have evolved over the years into what I create now.

Q - What inspires you most as an artist?

Wow…pretty much anything I find interesting, this can be film, tattoos, literature, illustration, comics, pretty much anything I absorb, but I would say music is a huge inspiration to me (I know it’s a huge cliché).

Q - What is your favourite medium or media? Why?

I work mainly with acrylic and spray paint as both mediums have a permanence and immediacy to them. I like the fact that there is not a lot of margin for error, and you can work quite quickly too. I like to constantly create something new.

Q - Could you tell us some more about your work?

The paintings I create for Pop Art Profile came about as my partner Martin Lambourne (the other half of PAP) and I were looking for commercial art for our home. Everything we loved was way out of our price range so Martin suggested that we create our own artwork. Other people liked what we did and they commissioned pieces for themselves. That’s when we decided to sell to the public at prices we could afford ourselves. Our ethos is EVERYONE should be able to afford great quality art.

Karren O print

Q - How would you define your style?

Modern Pop Art with a twist.

Q - What are your influences; artists from the past or present who inspire you?

There are so many, here’s just a few (not all visual)…Shawn Barber, Barbara Hepworth, Philip K. Dick, Grace Jones, Glen Fabry, Dolly Parton, Charles Bukowski, Bob Dylan, The Smiths…

Q - How do you choose the subjects of your works?

Popular culture icons, people who are talented or celebrated for whatever reason. I try to bring out their individual persona with colour, pattern, posture and line.

Q- How do you prepare yourself for an exhibition or a show like the Open Studios?

Get messy and paint, paint, paint.

Q - Are there territories (media, subjects, etc.) you want to explore in the coming years?

I love doing what I do for Pop Art Profile, but would like to expand my skills by learning how to tattoo portraiture. What could be more satisfying than creating a very permanent piece of art.

Q - As an artist, what would be your dream?

That’s a big question…to be able to live off my artwork, and to bring beauty into peoples homes and lives.

Q - Could you share one thing that you have learnt in your own art practice that would be useful to other artists?

Notoriety and success as an artist becomes less important the more successful your relationships are. Concentrate on the special people around you, once you have love in your life everything else shall fall into place…promise.

An interview with Claire Davidge

Q – Could you introduce yourself briefly to the readers?

Hi, I’m Claire, I have a studio in Cheney Manor where magical things happen, and I’ve just got back from travelling around the US, which was an unforgettable experience. What can I say about myself? I can be shy sometimes, but once you get to know me or if we hit it off you will realize that I’m slightly mad, eccentric and seeking attention, but not too much only just a little bit. I don’t like to take life too seriously, I like to do fun things, meet interesting people and try new experiences. Oh and one day I hope to live in San Francisco with a big house, a yummy husband, two crazy kids and a couple of cats.

Q - How did you become interested in art?

I’ve always been naturally creative, from a young age. I used to spend hours in my bedroom writing stories then when I was 15 I discovered pastels… so my writing stopped and then I begun drawing. Since then I haven’t stopped creating, from making strange objects to experimenting with paint, video, installation etc...

Colour invaders

Q - What inspires you most as an artist?

I am inspired by my experiences, my emotions, how I feel on daily basic. My work mainly captures a childlike escapism, which makes it fun and silly. Overall anything colourful, organic and psychedelic inspires me ranging from sweets, supernatural films, electro music, plant life etc…

Q - What is your favourite medium or media? Why?

At the moment, painting is my favourite medium. However when I make a painting I tend to think about how it would look together with several paintings so it becomes more installation based, which is what I have worked with in the past. I have worked extensively with latex. I love using latex because it sort of personifies my work into supernatural forms, giving the sense of something growing, organic or ‘poking through,’ like an unrequited interruption. Which is what I’m very interested in- interruption.

Psycho Swirl

Q - Could you tell us some more about your work?

My work is predominantly based on play, fantasy and fiction. I work across a range of disciplines using imagination as a starting point for my work. I am interested in making colourful compositions, paintings that use toys and objects to depict silliness and conjure up a playful space. My work mainly derives from photographing, scanning or making miniature installation sets featuring tiny objects or funny necessities that are pleasing and humorous to both children and adults.

Q - How would you define your style?

Informal, experimental, bright and contemporary…

Q - What are your influences; artists from the past or present who inspire you?

I am inspired by a range of different artists including; Annette Messenger, Claes Oldenberg, Yayoi Kasuma, Pipilotti Rist and Louise Bougeoius. More recent painters would include Tal R, Danny Rolph, Marta Marce and Laura Owens.

Q - How do you choose the subjects of your works?

By listening to music and thinking about the things I’ve done, what they’ve made me feel and by wondering about what I want from the future. My work is a reflection of my life, how I want my life to be like it or what it is like now.

Q- How do you prepare yourself for an exhibition or a show like the Open Studios?

I try not to stress or force myself to prepare too much, I actually think that the best exhibitions are always the ones that are thrown together, out of the blue un-expectantly. For this open studio’s event I want people to come into my studio and get a feel of what I enjoy and work like, not put on a sophisticated, polished show.

Q - Are there territories (media, subjects, etc.) you want to explore in the coming years?

I experimented quite vastly with a variety of media during college including video, installation, sound and sculpture but all along I’ve really just wanted to paint, so I am happy to stick with that for now. Although performance art has always been nagging at me, my painting work actually has an element of this, I am currently in the process of preparing for a performance in my friends gallery in Belfast in September so that is something I am quite excited about. For subject matter, I would like to bring in content from my recent travels round the USA. I think travelling is a good source to inspire ideas, the problem is I always have too many!

Q - As an artist, what would be your dream?

I want people to smile when they look at my work and I want it to be able to brighten up anyone’s gloomy day. As an artist I hope to live a long and happy life, fall in love, make many friends, try new things and do what I most enjoy.

Q - Could you share one thing that you have learnt in your own art practice that would be useful to other artists?

Being an artist is about living, if you’re not living your life, your art will be very bad! Be bold, be different, never be afraid to try anything, and never care what other people think.

Swindon Open Studios 2010 goes to the Big Screen

We have sent to the BBC a slideshow that will play on the Big Screen in Warf Green, Swindon Town centre in order to promote Swindon Open Studios 2010. The Big Screen is 35 square metres.

If you don't get a chance to see it, you can watch the slideshow recreated on YouTube (Note: the video has background music, so put your headphone on if you are in the office).

An interview with Theresa Dowdeswell

Q – Could you introduce yourself briefly to the readers?

My name is Theresa Dowdeswell and I design and make ceramic lamps, tealights and other items.

Q - How did you become interested in art?

I have always been interested in art from a practical sense – I enjoyed drawing and illustrating my work at school, enjoyed art classes and making things. I re-established my interest in 2000 when, after being made redundant, I decided to embark on a journey to discover what I wanted to do when I grew up. This saw me taking art history classes, Access to Art & Design and finally an HND in Ceramics at Swindon College. I would like to study further, possibly in fine art or conservation, and this is something I hope to do in the future.

Q - What inspires you most as an artist?

Looking at the world around us, other designers/artists’ work, doodling and seeing what comes out of it, art galleries and my teachers.

Q - What is your favourite medium or media? Why?

Clay – when it behaves well it can be anything you want it to be. When it behaves badly it can be very frustrating! There is such a variety of clay available which means that one can have a very diverse range of work.

Q - Could you tell us some more about your work?

At present I produce lamps, tealights and vases from porcelain slip (liquid clay) and have also been commissioned to make tiles for a kitchen which have pheasants on them. I make all my moulds and, apart from one particular glaze, I mix glazes from raw ingredients and experiment with them to get the finish I require.

I am beginning to experiment with some handbuilt pieces which are taking shape slowly.

Q - How would you define your style?

Modern, unfussy and from the heart.

Q - What are your influences; artists from the past or present who inspire you?

Yves Klein; Barbara Hepworth; Antony Gormley – I love the way his figures are looking out and I want to know what they are looking at; Banksy – ingenious; Denise Roberts – my tutor at College and a true inspiration, she encourages everyone to realise their potential.

Q - How do you choose the subjects of your works?

It will sometimes depend on how I feel when I’m making as designs can happen as they are being made, some I have used in the past and know they will work well, and others will have been requested by a client. There are also times when I realise I’ve been drawing the same shape over and over so I feel it must be waiting to come out in clay form. I am currently trying to get from paper to clay with some new designs.

Q- How do you prepare yourself for an exhibition or a show like the Open Studios?

With a slight panic! Mostly making sure that I have enough of everything to put on a good display.

Q - Are there territories (media, subjects, etc.) you want to explore in the coming years?

I would like to explore different methods of decoration and would also like to paint/draw as well. I also would like to incorporate photography into my work, producing transfers for use on the ceramics.

Q - As an artist, what would be your dream?

To be able to work and live as an artist and not rely on another job to fund it, to have a gallery/café space for people to enjoy art of all types. To have my work featured in a publication such as Elle Decoration… many dreams, too many to list!

Q - Could you share one thing that you have learnt in your own art practice that would be useful to other artists?

Go with whatever is coming your way, it’s always worth giving a chance and you never know what may follow.

An interview with Carmen Beatriz Norris

Q – Could you introduce yourself briefly to the readers?

I am an American artist who recently moved from Hoboken, New Jersey to Swindon with my family. I was born in Puerto Rico and grew up in New York City. As well as exhibiting and creating art, I have taught art to children ages 3 to 18.

Q - How did you become interested in art?

Ever since I was a child I have always been either drawing, painting or experimenting with art.

Mujer, 2005; collage, acrylic paints, beads, embroidery floss,

skeleton leaves, hand embroidered on watercolor paper;

13½" x 10½.

Q - What inspires you most as an artist?

Colours, patterns, textures.

Q - What is your favourite medium or media? Why?

Mixed media, I enjoy combining mediums to create various effects.

Q - Could you tell us some more about your work?

I am interested in patterns-in fashion, geometry, nature and the human condition. I’m interested in exploring how things connect to each other.

Q - How would you define your style?

Abstract, organic

Q - What are your influences; artists from the past or present who inspire you?

I have many...Georgia O’Keeffe, Vincent van Gogh, Gustave Klimt, Raul Villareal, Joanie San Chirico. Writers-Sandra Cisneros, Esmeralda Santiago, Judith Ortiz Cofer.

Q - How do you choose the subjects of your works?

I collect images; anything that interests me. I keep a sketch book and use it to explore ideas and record my thoughts, a subject eventually emerges.

Palmas y Papel, 2006; digital collage, handmade paper,

beads, skeleton leaves, machine sewing, hand embroidered

on watercolor canvas; 10¼' x 8½".

Q- How do you prepare yourself for an exhibition or a show like the Open Studios?

I work in my studio; usually till the very last minute before I show my work.

Q - Are there territories (media, subjects, etc.) you want to explore in the coming years?

I still want to continue what I’m doing but devote more time to it.

Q - As an artist, what would be your dream?

To be able to create art and hopefully make a decent living from it.

Q - Could you share one thing that you have learnt in your own art practice that would be useful to other artists?

Be open to new ideas and where they may take you and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.