Open Studio

Back in May I wrote an entry about my experiences of finding and moving into a studio in east London, it’s been 6 months since I moved in and this weekend we had our first Open Studio event. Open Studios are a chance for the public to look round artists’ studios and discuss the work with them, unlike exhibition openings this is a more intimate way to engage with art and its creators without the ceremony of a white walled space. Studios such as mine, which is run by ACAVA, host yearly Open Studio events to publicise their activities and those of the artists renting from them, it’s also a vital part of their funding and charitable status to offer an education and outreach program.

For the artists themselves it’s a chance to assess their work midway through creation and discuss thoughts with the public, it can also act as a great networking opportunity in which people are willing to approach you in your work environment and you never know who may turn up, whether it’s a gallerist, collector or fellow artist looking for works to include in group shows.

Over the past 6 months I have managed to fill the space with no end of clutter, numerous canvases and considerable amount of dripped paint – on the floor, walls and even the ceiling! So it felt strange to go and tidy it all up (purely for public safety rather than any real curatorial thought!), and while the space still resembles a painter's studio I hung a few of my large new canvases along with some smaller works for all to see.

The artists I share with: Alex Daw, Begoña Morea Roy, Elizabeth Eamer, James Unsworth who all showed a selection of work. Our studio is on Vyner Street between Nettie Horn Gallery and The Victory Pub.

25B Vyner Street
Bethnal Green
E2 9DG

Andy Wicks
Andy Wicks is a John Jones Artist Surfaces consultant and a practicing artist.

http://www.andywicks.co.uk

Sarah Kate Wilson 'Lunar Rainbow' opens this Friday!

Sarah Kate Wilson is an emerging British abstract painter who has been the John Jones artist in residence since August 2009. Throughout her residency she has created ‘Lunar Rainbow’, a nonsensical world where frivolity and flirtation are at play transforming the project space gallery into an interactive painted environment. Walkways guide the viewer into the space where swings replace conventional viewing and seating platforms and works are observed whilst wading through a ball pool.

To accompany this playful exhibition the Laurel Collective in association with Supine Studios will be performing, and the Two Blind Pigs will be making glittery, popping candy cocktails!

Private View 9th October 6 - 10pm
Exhibition 12th October - 13th November
Open Wednesday - Friday 10am - 5pm

Please RSVP to marketing@johnjones.co.uk

Amy Stephens Iceland Residency

Amy Stephens, who was a showing artist in the John Jones Project Space with Meet Pamela, has just been awarded a month residency! The residency is in Iceland, with organisation SÍM. SÍM is The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists who run nearly 100 studios for local artists and offer 10 spaces for their International Artist´s Residency program.

To view current residents work click here

To find out more about this residency click here

Artist Gideon Rubin on how he paints - The Observer

I'd like to think the figures in my paintings remind the viewer of certain people or evoke memories.
Click here to read

Sarah Kate Wilson answers FAD’s Questions

Click here to read FAD's recent interview with Sarah Kate Wilson our current Artist in Residence.
www.fadwebsite.com/2009/08/24/sarah-kate-wilson-answers-fads-questions

'Meet Pamela' Evening Panel Discussion at the John Jones Project Space September 1st

Image by Stephen White

'MEET PAMELA’ brings together four artists - Bronwen Buckeridge, Laura Buckley, Laura Morrison and Amy Stephens who have independently developed a perspective on the act of making, elevating it from a mode of production to assume a place within the subject matter of their work. The show is a space for reflection on the possibilities of art production within the dialogue of an individual practice, or in response to external systems and processes.

An evening panel discussion with Bronwen Buckeridge, Laura Buckley, Laura Morrison and Amy Stephens at the John Jones Project Space led by Sam Thorne Editor of Frieze.com will take place on 1st September from 7-9pm

The discussion will approach the ideas behind the show and its primary reference to Francois Truffaut's 'La Nuit Americaine,' 1973, which tells the story of the film 'Meet Pamela,' which shifts between a narrative of a film in production and the techniques of and processes of film making itself.

The evening discussion will also approach ideas on what it means to directly reflect the making of a work, the processes involved and what bringing these works together can achieve
RSVP to marketing@johnjones.co.uk For further information on the exhibition please visit www.johnjones.co.uk

John Jones Second Artist In Residence Sarah Kate Wilson

We are delighted to announce Sarah Kate Wilson as our next Artist in Residence at John Jones.

Sarah will be working in the lower gallery of the Project Space. Her residency will result as a solo show in the Project Space in October 2009.

Throughout her residency Sarah will be documenting her experiences on arthudddle. Sarah will also be available to introduce her work to anyone who is interested in knowing more, as well as to clients and to her peers; we will also be planning artist’s talks and a panel discussion.

Please see below for Sarah's first entry to Art Huddle talking about what she has experienced in the first weeks of her residency with us.

Firstly I would like to take the opportunity to thank Lizzie and Sam at John Jones for inviting me to be the second artist in residence at John Jones Project Space.

I have been provided with a huge studio giving me the room to scale up the size of my paintings to 2 1/2m x 2m etc. The studio is the entrance way to the Project Space, thus meaning that the general public coming to see the Show 'Meet Pamela' walk through the studio on route to the show. This has created many interesting dialogues between other artists, the public and myself.

The opportunity to work alone in the studio but have on hand the professional skills of the staff force at JJ's has been incredible; ranging from the conservation department to the artists surfaces team. I plan to visit the gilding department over the coming weeks to watch them at work. As my work contains many mixed materials I am always looking for new processes and application of materials to incorporate into my work.

I am currently working on 5 paintings simultaneously, this is how I tend to work to keep the energy in the studio high I move from painting to painting throughout the day. I rotate the works constantly, 90,180 degrees, on the floor and keep working the paintings until they find their own completion.

The paintings I complete during the residency with be exhibited in the Project Space as part of a huge installation I will be creating with the team at John Jones. This will feature an adult sized ball pool (more on this to be blogged later!) I am currently contacting companies with the hope that they might sponsor the show by donating swings, slides and plastic balls for the ball pool installation.

If anyone reading this blog can help in sourcing these materials in the form of sponsorship I would love to hear from you.

Please do contact myself at info@sarahkatewilson.com I will be working in the studio until the first week of October, so please do feel free to visit the John Jones Project space and the studio, and see how the work is developing.