ArtMANAC
effortlessly curated cool
GCA Gloucester Open
THE
ISSUE #2 2024
at Pink Vintage
with Jessie Carr
lifting the lid on life drawing
art in the city
deborah harrison
presents her playful and powerful sculptures
a new direction
for painter Hamish Blakely
The art of tutoring - Jessie Carr
Spotlight on - Deborah Harrison
Art news
Pink but not just pretty
'coastal view with golden colours' - by paul corfield myarto.co.uk @artostow
Musings on art
@theartmanacmag
IN THIS ISSUE
Editor's letter
t’s a privilege and a treat to be delivering the second edition of The Artmanac after the warm and supportive feedback we received for the inaugural issue shining a light on the Cotswolds art scene. There are so many talented creatives who’ve made the area their home and we’re delighted to be meeting more of them, in the studio and out and about, and delving into their methods and motivations. This issue takes us from Painswick and Gloucester to Cheltenham and the edges of the North Cotswolds as we explore the lives and work of Ange Mullen-Bryan, Nick Ozanne, Deborah Harrison, Hamish Blakely, Jessie Carr and Silvia O’Neill. We’re also thrilled to be able to share news of the upcoming Gloucester Open, which will feature an Art Trail and Open Studios, during August and ongoing plans for cultivating art in the city through the work of Gloucester Contemporary Artists. Happy reading in the sun (here’s hoping)! Emma Bovill, Editor
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Celestial and terrestrial - Hamish Blakely
Colour me
'frivolous' - by hamish blakely @hamishblakely
amish Blakely is sitting at a window table in a pub next to an inglenook fireplace, reading a book of Warwickshire countryside walks. It’s his new local, recently rescued from closure, and his enthusiasm to meet there is a clue as to his mode as he settles into village life. It only hits me after our conversation, which flows effortlessly for well over two hours, that I’d come to the table with preconceived ideas. Despite knowing how reverentially he approaches painting from life, with his wife Gail often his subject, I’d wanted to put him in the box of the enigmatic artist, weaving an aura of mystique about himself, running on a fuel on sensuality. Hamish is a real person. He runs on black coffee. He takes pleasure in cutting the grass at his new home, embracing the contrast after years living in nearby Stratford. He is finding the behaviour of cows in the fields neighbouring his house amusing and has, to his surprise and delight, received visits to his new studio from voles. The artist whose paintings depicting the female form sell for five figures now wants to capture local landscapes, do ‘a few painting favours’ and ‘repay people for help with the move’. We talk about many aspects of art and creative lifestyles (his parents and brother are actors) and yet the theme we circle back to is best summarised by one of his opening comments, ‘you’re never so accomplished you can’t mess it up.’ Thank you, Hamish, for bringing me back down to earth so gently, which strikes me as apt when his paintings have often combined the celestial and terrestrial. Our conversation is grounded at all times. There are hiatuses to order more coffee. He isn’t afraid to challenge Lucien Freud for demonising his sitters and ask, ‘what is truthful about de-beautifying beauty?’ We discuss his early career as an illustrator, creating conceptual pieces on a theme ‘taking clichés and making them interesting’ for articles for The Times and The Guardian in the era before stock images. Hamish also worked for clients including The Body Shop and was commissioned to paint two front covers for the novelist Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's List. Hamish talks readily about his illustration and graphic design studies at Kingston University, where in fact life drawing was a significant feature of the course, and the impact of tutors who both criticised and encouraged him. His years spent responding to deadlines and briefs as an illustrator have, he says, given him a self-motivated edge. The border between technical achievement and capturing the essence of a subject in a painting is of huge interest and importance to Hamish, who reveals he is inspired by the rawness of Renoir. ‘I love the granularity of an artwork and “the messy bits”,’ he muses. ‘I get that some people want perfection, but mistakes create reality in an original.’ ‘I’ve always avoided sketching out,’ he explains. ‘I don’t plan, I use intuition to work it all out. You could mess it up, but that’s the nice bit.’ Hamish’s wife Gail often adds a critical eye. ‘She’ll ask, “Are you finished?” and I know it’s a case of answering “clearly not”.’ Hamish appears as open to feedback as he is immune to it, explaining he is both happy to engage with viewers at a private view or give them space to absorb a piece in their own way. Hamish, whose iMasterpiece collection includes a playful reimagining of Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’, has plans for a take on Warhol's ‘Campbell’s Soup Cans’ alongside his change of tack towards landscapes. ‘Certainly a change from figure painting,’ he admits, to which he will no doubt apply his talent for straddling the border of precision and interpretation. In the meantime, Hamish and Gail are making roots in their new rural home, which was chosen partly to house their animals (Gail is the founder and director of Angels of Africa Rescue and Sanctuary, Zambia). Hamish seems quite at home at the pub table and is looking forward to country life. ‘‘I prefer close knit community. I haven’t got anything to hide,’ he jokes. @hamishblakely
celestial and terRestriaL
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he wonderful thing about going for a walk with no set timings, route or agenda (but not forgetting an apple and a flapjack), is that if you pass a sign declaring ‘Art Studios Open’ you can just stop and go in. I love open studios. I enjoy navigating the dynamics of someone’s creative space, embracing the implicit welcome but also being respectful of their productivity, as much as seeing what an artist is actually making. Wandering into The Painswick Centre on a Sunday introduced me to two artists. The first, weaver Nick Ozanne, was hugely generous with his time, describing how he juggles working on his traditional woodframed loom at the Centre, being a lecturer at the Winchester School of Art and frequent long journeys to Scotland. It was a reminder that the lives we lead don’t always make logical or logistical sense to others, and practical sacrifices are often needed to do what makes our hearts sing. The second artist, Ange Mullen-Bryan, wasn’t there, but her work had a conversation with me instead. It felt borderline intrusive to wander around her studio without her, but the warm presence of her neighbour Nick, who will forever exist in my mind as ‘the barefoot weaver’, legitimatised the experience. Noticing my interest in some coloured linen canvases propped expectantly against the wall, he explained Ange’s use of their pastel tones as components in her depictions of Swedish landscapes. As a writer I create, for the most part, in private, and the idea of a physical space visually displaying my output is an alien (alarming even) concept. I admire the bravery of artists to share their work, and not only that, to share their work in progress. Open souls in their open studios, accommodating interruption, embracing an energy interchange, exposed to an assortment of unknown responses – it’s always a privilege to encounter artists at work, even when they’re not in the room. Ange’s piece ‘Sentinel’ is being exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2024. angemullenbryan.com @ange_jolene @nicholasozanne
'sentinel' - by ange mullen-bryan angemullenbryan.com @ange_jolene
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editor's
G
loucester Contemporary Artists (GCA) has launched its first Gloucester Open featuring an Art Trail and Open Studios across the city centre during August celebrating the talents of local artists and the city’s cultural heritage. Set up as a CIC in May 2024, GCA was formed following a call out to local artists by Deborah Harrison (also in this issue), who along with fellow GCA founder members John and Cathy Steed recognised a need for a collaborative effort to make Gloucester a respected centre for contemporary art. The Art Trail organised by painter Wendy Golding will run across five venues throughout August and 19 city centre shops will also be participating in ‘Adopt an Artist’, showcasing a piece of work by a local artist in store. Alongside this six GCA member artists will open their private studios from 24 August to 1 September. Artists from across Gloucestershire can join GCA as members for a very small annual fee. GCA is keen to create a groundswell of creativity to benefit the whole county as well as giving students at local schools and the University of Gloucestershire a pathway to pursuing art. ‘It’s been a lot of work and a lot of commitment, but the results have been amazing with 30 members already,’ says Deborah. ‘We’ve been meeting with agencies, working towards the idea of a collective arts centre.’ ‘The GCA brand incorporates the ensō from Zen art - a circle that is hand-drawn in one or two uninhibited brushstrokes to express a moment when the mind is free to let the body create,’ adds John. ‘The brush stroke suggests 'art' and its simplicity suggests 'contemporary'.' gloucestercontemporaryartists.art @gloucestercontemporaryartists davidfinchpaintings.com @davidfinchpaintings
'GLOUCESTER DRY DOCK' - BY DAVID FINCH davidfinchpaintings.com @davidfinchpaintings
GCA gloucester open
'palomo' - by deborah harrison debsharrison-sculptor.co.uk @debsjharrison
art news
Deborah Harrison
'before it melts' - by deborah harrison debsharrison-sculptor.co.uk @debsjharrison
Spotlight on
E
ncounter Deborah Harrison’s artworks at the Cotswold Sculpture Park this summer, and you’ll find beautifully executed stone sculptures set against acres of landscaped gardens. Meet her in her studio at City Works, Gloucester, however and you’ll find her in overalls and baker boy hat, chisel and mallet in hand, unfazed by dust as she discovers what lies inside materials including alabaster, marble and limestone. Deborah uses the direct carving method pioneered by Constantin Brâncuși to unearth forms from within the stone, operating with both intuition and faith. The approach isn’t one Deborah uses lightly. Her sculpture ‘Valley of the Shadow’ depicts, with brutal elegance, a figure being flogged. It is now owned by Sir Malcolm Evans, former Chair of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, and was used as the cover for his 2023 book on the challenging subject. In direct juxtaposition, Deborah’s recent piece ‘Before It Melts’ capturing an ice cream at that perfect point before the drips start to fall, is playful, as is its partner piece ‘I’ll Buy you Another One’, summing up a summer delight turned to bitter disappointment, splatted upside down. Both are composed from alabaster and Ancaster limestone and the calcite imperfections look so like salted caramel, and the textured cones so realistic, it’s hard not to want a lick. ‘Before It Melts’ was displayed at the Friends of the RWA Exhibition 2024 this spring (one of the Selectors Choices there) and travelled to London for the Society of Women Artists’ 163rd Annual Exhibition in June. Both ice creams also featured at the Fresh Art Fair in Cheltenham in April alongside a bronze based on Deborah’s original sculpture ‘Palomo’, a rendition of the head of the horse ridden by Simón Bolívar. The subjects of Deborah’s work are as varied as the stones she uses are unique. Despite only becoming a professional artist in 2015, Deborah has won multiple awards for her sculptures and her works can be found in major institutions. ‘The Hand of Fannie Storr’, honouring the life of the first Director of Nursing Education in Gloucestershire, who Deborah met personally before Fannie’s death in 2020, was part of the NHS 75th anniversary installation at Gloucester Cathedral in 2023. It has now found its permanent home at the Cheltenham Hospital Education Centre. It’s hard not to carry on the list of accolades and achievements, which includes being a founding member of the Cotswold Sculptors Association, and create the illusion of the elite artist when in fact Deborah is the very opposite. A warm, open and community-minded person with a self-deprecating humour and ready anecdotes, she runs regular carving courses from her City Works workshop and is a huge advocate for promoting the arts in Gloucestershire. She has campaigned for a fine art gallery for Gloucester (see our art news feature for more), the only city in England not to have one, and collaborated with Arts Diverse-City. Deborah lives and breaths her work, literally cohabiting with the stones in her Gloucester home and allowing their secrets to reveal themselves in their own time. ‘I’ve got them all over the house,’ she explains. ‘It’s like the stone has a personality. I’m led by the rock and it’s completely instinctive.’ She describes her practice as ‘discovering a new language’ which, unknowingly, she ‘could always speak’. It’s one in which she is evidently effortlessly fluent, and we the happy listeners. debsharrison-sculptor.co.uk @debsjharrison
pink but not just pretty
Where Pink Vintage is instantly recognisable, living up to its name with a soft peony-coloured façade on Cheltenham’s delightful Montpellier Street, tucked behind The Ivy. A leading light among the local independent and creative businesses, the regency architecture and enclosed garden are all part of the appeal of Pink Vintage, not to mention the outstanding array of art, interiors and jewellery on display. What Creative director Silvia O’Neill is an expert at reinvention and no two months at Pink Vintage are the same. She is as skilled at discovering one-offs to lift and enliven your living space as she is a talented artist, with vibrant creations by both her and handpicked artists adorning the walls. Time it right and you might also find one of her exquisite patisserie delights on offer. The simple fact is that at Pink Vintage when it’s gone, it’s gone. Why Pink Vintage prides itself on both responding to and challenging current tastes, offering items that are edgy and beautiful in equal measure. Former hairdresser and master barista Silvia brings her discerning eye for style and quality to all the pieces in the ever-evolving collection. Once you’ve got the Pink Vintage bug, you’ll be sure to go back to see what’s new. @pinkvintagecheltenham
'snakestone' - by jessie carr discoveryartclass.co.uk @discoveryartclass
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The ART of tutoring
ost people in the arts have to diversify,' explains Jessie Carr. It’s an apt comment for an artist who began her career as a backdrop painter and worked for creative recycling project Remake Scotland before becoming an art tutor, all the while juggling her own practice. We meet outdoors at a café on Pittville Lawn before the weekly evening life drawing classes she runs at the Cheltenham School of Fine Art. Local school children circle around us on foot and on bikes and Jessie mentions she first became involved in teaching art when she led a mural project at her son’s school. Working initially for a nationwide art class franchise running a 14-week programme, she set up Discovery Art Class to be able to offer more flexible routes into art. She keeps her life drawing class fees deliberately low and offers single bookings because the artform is, she believes, ‘so important to do and a great way for anyone to further their drawing skills.’ Jessie’s life drawing sessions are perfectly curated, balancing a relaxed free flow atmosphere with a subtle backbone of reassuring structure. She is collaborative with her models but keeps poses to time. Easels are carefully arranged, but participants are welcome to move around to find new angles. ‘You’re not going to feel like creating if it’s too intense,’ she says. ‘There are no egos in the room, it’s quite a collective thing. It’s not about one person being better than anyone else. Everybody wants everyone else to enjoy it. They’re working on themselves really.’ Working alongside attending artists, no mean feat with multiple poses to orchestrate, allows Jessie to not only further her own skills but also break down the barrier between student and teacher. ‘I’m happy to be challenged and happy to say, “I don’t know”,’ she admits. ‘As a teacher you have to know your stuff but there are always gaps, that’s the beauty of it,’ she smiles. ‘I have my ways and methods but there are no set rules. It’s like Picasso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist”.’ Despite describing herself as a shy person, Jessie comes across as a generous and open soul for whom sharing art comes naturally. Perhaps it’s because creativity is in her blood. Her mum was a fine artist, her dad a graphic designer and her grandfather a paper sculptor for window dressing. ‘We used to go up to London to see his designs in the windows of Harrods and Selfridges,’ she recalls. Jessie would later echo this when she worked on the design for a Harry Potter book launch for the Oxford Street Waterstones. ‘My friend and colleague Lucy Dunsterville and I painted all the cut outs; Harry on a bench, the train, Hedwig.’ Partly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jessie offers both online and in-person courses. She sees art as a growth journey and is as much an advocate for making it accessible as for the need to practice. ‘It’s a life learning thing,’ she says. ‘You don’t see the finished article in one session.’ ‘I enjoy helping people to find their creativity and get through mental blocks,’ she enthuses. ‘Seeing someone have a lightbulb moment is everything to me. Making art is about finding your own visual language.’ Far from making herself redundant as people progress, she finds many will continue to come to classes as they improve. ‘The longer you teach people and the better they get, the longer they stay with you, and this drives me forward too.’ Jessie makes a clear argument for the virtuous circle of shared creativity. Our conversation takes many other turns. She reveals her interest and studies in art therapy and experience of moving to a new studio this year. We also ponder how to put a value on your offering as an art tutor and come up with a common mantra that you can’t copyright creativity. But life drawing class beckons. Jessie leaves enthusiastic for it to start and I buoyant in her wake. discoveryartclass.co.uk @discoveryartclass
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'Ferris Bueller Ferrari' - by william thomas coolioart.com @coolioart
COLOUR ME
'honey plant' - by jessie carr discoveryartclass.co.uk @discoveryartclass