Bath Open Studios 2013 - Newbridge Arts Trail

The Bath Open Studios events start this weekend with the Larkhall Open Studios.
Next weekend is the Newbridge Arts Trail followed by the Widcombe Art Trail the following weekend and finally the Bear Flat Artists Open Studios the last weekend of May.
Details and links to all the events are on http://www.bathopenstudios.co.uk/

In only it's 4th year,The Newbridge Arts Trail on Sat 11th and Sun 12th May, and there are over 30 artists participating at around 20 venues in the Newbridge and Lower Weston area of Bath. Work varies from painting, prints and sculpture to ceramics, jewellery and more, with artists exhibiting in their homes, opening their studios and also using local shops, businesses and Newbridge Primary School to display in.

Some artists opening their studios will be demonstrating their techniques and working practices and it's a great opportunity to buy work at very reasonable 'direct from the artist' prices!
Details of the artists, venues and opening times can be seen on the website http://www.newbridgeartstrail.com/ where there is a downloadable map. A paper copy can also be picked up in various places including shops on Chelsea Road, the Art shops, Libraries and Tourist Information in Bath.
Refreshments are available at some venues.

I will have my studio at 1 Old Newbridge Hill open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am -5pm and will have handmade woodcut and lino prints on display, as well as giclee prints and cards. I may demonstrate some printing or may be painting a large animal sculpture!

Great Gorillas - 'Five Minutes to Midnight' by Jane Veveris Callan

Great Gorillas is another wonderful public art event coming from Wild in Art in partnership with Paignton Zoo for the English Riviera in South Devon.

A trail of  colourful Gorillas will decorate the streets along the coast from Paignton to Exeter from 3rd August for 10 weeks.

They will then be auctioned to raise money for the zoo's Western Lowland Gorilla conservation projects.

I was lucky to have my design 'Five Minutes to Midnight' sponsored by South Devon Law firm Wollen Michelmore.

The concept for the design is the phrase 'Five Minutes to Midnight' from the symbolic Doomsday clock which heralds time running out and impending disaster...in this to highlight the urgent plight of the endangered Western Gorilla.

There will be a lovely additional feature to this event, as Babbacombe Model Village will be hosting a miniature version of the whole trail.

I was also very pleased to learn that my design has been chosen as one of the gorillas that will be available as a miniature ceramic figurine.

Relaunch of RABBIT PIE by Penny Ives (SW Illustrators)

"Rabbit Pie" was originally published in hard back by Puffin Children's Books.


Sadly for me it went out of print but luckily, Child's Play bought the title for their list.

Here it is as a board book with some of my rabbits. (Out of interest, the one with the carrot on his head goes round and round in a slightly manic way if the carrot is given a tug).


"Rabbit Pie" is available at book shops and on Amazon.

Written and illustrated by Penny Ives

Published 2013 by Child's Play in the UK and Barnes and Noble US.

Gromits Unleashed Update

Belated update on the Gromit Unleashed project.  Unfortunately, no SW Illustrators' designs were shortlisted for the project on 18 February.  As our designs were fantastic, the Gromits chosen must be blooming marvellous and well worth a trip to Bristol in July-September to see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, CONGRATULATIONS to former SW Illustrator Paula Bowles, who is one of the 70 artists who have been chosen to decorate a Gromit to enhance the streets of Bristol in the summer, before being auctioned in aid of the Wallace & Gromit Grand Appeal for Bristol Children's Hospital in the summer.  I believe Paula is one of a few Brillustrators to have been selected. 

Other artists include Nick Park (creator of Wallace & Gromit), Raymond Briggs (author/illustrator The Snowman), Axel Scheffler (illustrator of The Gruffalo), Trevor Bayliss (Wallace-like inventor of the wind-up radio) and Peter Lord (Aardman).  Comedian Harry Hill unveiled his bald Gromit yesterday (see The Independent).

See also Twitter: https://twitter.com/GromitUnleashed

Gromit Unleashed

Gromit template. 

© and TM Aardman Animations 2012 

Today, several SWillustrators will be looking in their Inboxes to see if their designs have been shortlisted to decorate a 'Gromit'.

70 decorated Gromit sculptures will be 'Unleashed' on the streets of Bristol this summer after the tremendous success of the Wow Gorilla sculptures which 'roamed' the city's streets in 2011 to celebrate Bristol Zoo's 175th birthday.  The project raised £427,300 for gorilla conservation & The Grand Appeal. The organisers Aardman & Wild in Art are hoping to raise even more money for the Grand Appeal in aid of Bristol Children's Hospital this year.

It was announced recently that entries had been received from over 500 artists - and some people submitted several designs - 1000+ entries probably?   3 of the gorilla-sized sculptures have been allocated as Gromit's creator Nick Park, and the illustrator Axel Scheffler (The Gruffalo), and author/illustrator Raymond Briggs (The Snowman) have been invited to each decorate a Gromit.

There are long odds against any artist getting a sculpture, but who knows...  SWillustrators have got some 'form' for decorating Bath pigs & lions, Bristol gorillas, Wells swans, as well as elephants.  Good luck to SWILL.

For further information on the Gromit Unleashed project, see their website, Twitter feed and This is Bristol website.

Snow permitting!!

http://www.grantbradleygallery.co.uk/current.html

January 2013 Exhibition

Showing 12th January - February 2nd 2013

Private view - Friday 11th January at 6pm