Carne Griffiths

The London Art Fair, The Wing Assignment, and other projects of distinction

carnegriffiths — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:34:18 +0000

So the London Art Fair is now over, a massive thank you to Opus Arts for supporting my work and showing the pieces at the London Art Fair – all wort represented at the fair (and more besides) are available from their website http://www.opus-art.com .

There was much expectation from Artists and galleries across the country at this year’s Fair, lots of great things on show and in my humble opinion some not so great things. Galleries pushing boundaries and some playing it safe. The Fair is always a good chance to see a lot of work in one space but that can also be it’s downfall – being bombarded with so many pieces in one room can sometimes give you a bit of a headache, however I really enjoyed the project space this year and discovered some exciting artists who opened my eyes to possible ways of working. It’s good to feed on this visual bombardment and absorb new influences but visiting the fair just makes me want to return to the studio and push my work further. Sometimes it can make you realise how far you have to go with your own body of work, it highlights things that you are missing from your own pieces and bodies of work but in a positive way.

Today I am working on a couple of projects and looking forward to some events in February which seem to have arrived far faster than I anticipated!!

The Wing Assignment

A good friend, Nina Farrell from KIAD (way back in 95!!), has put together a fantastic concept for an exhibition, using wings as an influence and starting point she has called upon various artists to produce images which will form part of an exhibition later this year. I have decided to keep the same format I used for the Journey pieces and am currently exploring the theme of old nursery rhymes and superstition for the piece. Here’s some work in progress images.

The Sketchbook Project

The fantastic Sketchbook project, which I became involved with last year is now touring the UK as well as many locations worldwide. If you haven’t heard of this project already – you should look it up. inspiringly ambitious, the project sent out over 28,000 books last year and exhibited just under 10,000 (artists!!) returned full sketchbooks as part of it’s tour in 2011. I was really happy to have work in the touring exhibition which allows you to check out an artists sketchbook – library book style – from any number of it’s travelling locations. This year’s book needs to be complete by the end of January. The work I have produced for this year is based on the concept along the line, and has really been a therapeutic return to automatic and abstract drawing. The type of work that you can really lose yourself in. It’s tempting to just travel around with this little book soaking up the atmosphere of different places and allowing drawings to take shape. I am looking to devote a couple of hours a day over the next week to complete the work but for now here is a sneak peek at some of the pages.

Postcards

Sending out packs of the new winter postcards which are available from Etsy. These have been great fun to send – something about sending artwork through the post and making a parcel something really special to receive gives me a lot of joy. Over the last couple of days I have sent out about 15 packs and I am not sure if I can continue to manage a full drawing on each envelope but it’s fun so I find it hard to resist. Plus the final action of sealing the envelope with a wax sealing stamp is just so satisfying.

Here’s a sample image of the cards and some of the envelopes but you can see plenty more over on my facebook page (I post them up just before sending)

Art For Heart’s Sake

A little reminder that I will be showing the work Margarita at a charity auction on February 9th. with the exhibition running from the 10th – 17th February 2012.Please do come along and support this great cause. If you would like tickets to the event please RSVP hello@artforheartssake.co.uk

Debut Contemporary

Private View 1st february – It would be amazing if you could make it along for the Debut Contemporary Private View on the 1st Feb, I will be showing some new works including the Tryptich ‘Immortal’ – to attend the evening please rsvp to rsvp@debutcontemporary.com or call 0207 221 1651

Some of the pieces on show …

Sold Works

2 original pieces were sold recently, Another Place, at debut contemporary and Swarm through Eyestorm. .. both below
Many thanks for the support of my work…

… I’m off to post envelopes – then to the studio!!

Happy mondays….

The Sketchbook Project

carnegriffiths — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:18:53 +0000

Just back from the preview visit to the London Art Fair and delighted to meet the team, some great works at their stand including stunning pieces by Hector de Gregorio, Michele Fletcher, Ali Miller Rachel louise brown and Vasilis Avramidis . Also great to catch up with good friend Dan Baldwin – see the new works on offer and meet the team at CCA Coriander, thanks for making us so welcome while we camped out looking at Dan’s work.

Spending the rest of the evening working on my sketchbook for the sketchbook project – getting very attached to the little book now.. will be hard to send this one off! Here’s a little vid of some scribbling

London Art Fair

carnegriffiths — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:03:23 +0000

Tomorrow sees the Preview launch of the London Art Fair and I am delighted to be showing some brand new work with Opus Arts If you are visiting you will be able to see the work at stand g35. This will be my second time showing work at the London Art Fair, and I’m delighted to be involved again. If you would like more information about the work showing – please get in touch with Opus Arts online at http://www.opus-art.com

I’m also looking forward to seeing the new print on display from good friend & artist Dan Baldwin.

Dan will be showing the working proof of ‘Love’.. in Dan’s words..”a pure silkscreen,(30 layers), diamond dust,gold leaf, gloss, satin glaze and more layering -about 1 mtr square..still being worked on -stage proof to be shown Tuesday then edition to be finished/tweaked after London Art Fair . .”

It’s a stunning original piece of work and I’m looking forward to seeing how it translates into print with so much attention to detail. – more of Dan’s work over at http://www.danbaldwinart.com/

With over 100 galleries also showing at the Fair it’s a great chance to have your senses bombarded…Roll on Tuesday!

Brown Paper Packages

carnegriffiths — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:28:00 +0000

The new postcard sets are now ready, signed, and I’m sending them out this morning to those who have pre-ordered. Each set is sealed in a cello envelope and then posted in a manilla envelope, with a hand drawn sketch on the reverse and a wax seal. The postcards are individually signed and editioned in a limited set of 250. If you would like a set they are available to order here and I usually send them out same or next day.

There are also just a few editions left of the print ‘Another Place’ (below) you can pick up one of the remaining prints here.

Current and Upcoming Exhibitions
TRIPTYCH OF DRAWINGS – IMMORTAL – MORTAL – 11 @ dEBUT CONTEMPORARY [LINK]
LONDON ART FAIR – 18th -22 January Stand G35 / Opus [LINK]
dEBUT CONTEMPORARY – 1st FEBRUARY – PRIVATE VIEW [LINK]
ART FOR HEART’S SAKE – EXHIBITION AND AUCTION [LINK]

Kick Start January

carnegriffiths — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:01:57 +0000

After a rather sleepy December and some lovely time spent with friends and family, a little break from the stone space gallery that I have some involvement with and a general look back over the last year, I started getting ready to ease into 2012 and plan some new works in the studio. Before I get down to the New Year sort out – here are a list of upcoming events that I will be attending / showing work at in Jan/Feb/March

The London Art Fair with Opus stand G35, 18-22 Jan

I will be showing 6 framed works with Opus over the duration of the show. Some new pieces previously unreleased and some represented pieces from 2011, I am really excited to be involved with the LAF again this year and am looking forward to seeing the broad spectrum of work to be found there – if you would like to come and see my work at the LAF please contact Opus for a a complimentary, their website can be found here ( opus )

Art For Heart’s Sake

I have been invited by Sophie Wharmby from Art For Heart’s Sake to donate a work for Auction at their exhibition which will run from 10th – 17th February 2012.

Art for Heart’s Sake is a social enterprise that seeks to raise awareness and encourage charitable donation through creative engagement. The event has been created in partnership with Hipstamatic, and is sponsored by Kids Company and EDC and will feature 100 photos, (selected from a submission of over 5000!) as well as a selection of creative works from supporting artists all available for auction over the course of the exhibition. I would love to see the piece raise money at the auction so if you are interested in any of my work and would like to support this great cause please contact myself or Sophie through the Art for Heart’s Sake website http://www.artforheartssake.co.uk/

loves me....

E D E N

Looking ahead to March, I am beginning to plan an installation drawing entitled eden which will take place from the 1-11 March 2012, The Stone Space, in Leytonstone. Here is the text from The Stone Space site where more information about their programme of exhibitions can be found for 2012.

The Stone Space is pleased to present the live drawing event ‘E D E N’ by artist Carne Griffiths. Created in calligraphy ink and tea, EDEN will employ imagery connected with creation and evolution whilst exploring the interplay between artist as creator and the outside influences of chance and suggestion from viewers.

Visitors to the gallery are encouraged to bring plants to the exhibition, to create a central installation which will be used as inspiration for the drawing, as well as write suggestions for imagery to be included within the piece. A live broadcast of the event will be available at the website http://www.carnegriffiths.com and http://www.thestonespace.com

So I already have plenty to look forward to in terms of creating and showing new work and am now keen to get into the studio to explore work for the exhibition ‘The Wing Assignament‘ which is being curated by a good friend from Maidstone College of Art.

Hope to see you at the LAF or sooner!

welcoming in 2012

carnegriffiths — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:50:15 +0000

Happy New Year!!! – I’ve decided to release a new set of postcards to mark the start of 2012. With a little bit more bite than the previous set, the four postcard winter pack contains prints of Choke, Guilt, Somewhere and Another Place. If you would like to buy one of the new packs they are now available to order here and the first sets will be sent out to arrive on the 20th January. Order early to get the 1st editions – I’ll be sending them out on a first come first served basis.

I’m looking forward to a packed january with the London Art Show starting mid January a few commissions on the go and really looking forward to the opening of Art for Heart’s Sake, who will be auctioning a new piece of my work in support of charity Kids Company. If you would like to attend the charity auction – just post on this blog or send an email to carne@carnegriffiths.com and I will arrange to have an invite sent for the preview on 9th Feb. More details here http://www.artforheartssake.co.uk/

Stationery whilst moving

carnegriffiths — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:53:13 +0000

One of the things that I get inexplicably excited about is Stationery. Particularly vintage pieces – so when I opened a small parcel on Xmas day (thank you Mrs Gx) to find 5 x 1950′s Russian and Lithuanian fountain pens lurking under the wrapper I couldn’t get them filled with calligraphy ink and put to work quick enough. Something about pens, like watches, that have a real sense of time and history, where they have been used, what they have recorded and written and with a ‘new’ pen just how it will write / draw. Yes – this is geek territory but these are tools of the trade for me… excused?

I started work on a piece which I am donating to Hanan Levin for a blog he is creating about his beautiful daughter Adora. For those of you who don’t know, Hanan Levin is the creator of the extraordinary blog ‘grow a brain‘ and more recently ‘Adorable‘ celebrating the birth and formative years of his daughter’s life with artwork and illustrations by thousands of artists. The new piece below will appear alongside the others on his blog shortly. Thank you Hanan & Adora!! – a fantastic project and very happy to be a part of it.

Giclee Prints

carnegriffiths — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:04:25 +0000

Now available via Etsy, all Giclee prints delivered anywhere in the world by courier free of charge between now and Christmas.

The following prints are available now with some editions running low or already sold out. Also available are postcard packs featuring 12 seperate images for only £12, delivered to your door.

Please note that after Christmas delivery charges willreturn to £10 UK £20 rest of the world

Strength and Another Place

carnegriffiths — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:55:53 +0000

… I’m still reeling from the speed at which everything has been happening recently and so blogs have been coming slowly so I thought I would recap and say a very big ‘Thank You’ to everyone who supported and visited the Journey exhibition over at G90 Finsbury park and particularly Mick and Michelle who put in all the hard work making sure everyone who visited was well looked after. It was a real pleasure to work with Gallery 90 and I am looking forward to showing work with them again in the future. Thanks also to those people who have collected and invested in originals of my work and to those who have also bought prints, it has been an amazing year and I am very grateful that I have been given the opportunity to work full time as an artist.

So what next… well hot on the heels of the Journey Exhibition, I have been invited by Debut Contemporary in Notting Hill to submit works for their winter exhibition which opens tomorrow night. 7th Dec.

It is an honour to have been selected from over a thousand artists, and to not only show work with this gallery but to get experience from their excellent workshops which give artists the opportunity to gain industry experience through introductions to experts from a number of fields including curators, practicing artists, publicists and collectors. The program began earlier today with the opportunity to present an ‘elevator’ style pitch about yourself as an artist. Public speaking isn’t something I’ve ever been fond of and with a camera in the mix even less so but it didn’t go too badly! It was a great opportunity also to meet the other artists who will be showing at Debut from Tomorrow night.

So to plan the direction of work over the coming year… I have had several slight changes of direction and experimentations over the last year but have mainly kept both thematic and stylistic elements which I hope identify the work as belonging to me. Next years challenge will be to take the work in a new direction whilst still maintaining the elements and freedom of line which make the work so enjoyable to make

Another Place

There is a very fine balance in the work between complete freedom, and the constraints put on the work by figurative elements. A particular piece which I think achieved this was ‘Another Place’ created just before the journey exhibition. Following on from the works ‘somewhere’ and ‘somewhere else’ the piece focuses on that moment where we allow ourselves to delve inside our unconscious mind, to drift and yet still have some lucid recollection of events, or an awareness of self. In this respect ‘Another Place’ is, in effect, a drawing of my drawing process – it calls upon personal symbols and shapes important to me and transposes them alongside an image of a daydreaming figure. The model reference for this piece is photographer Lisa Stefaniak lisastefaniak.com I asked Lisa if I could reference images from a series of photographs she had taken each day over a period of one year. There is something about the set which gives this feeling of elsewhere – a daydream or a longing and this is what I am trying to capture through a sense of abandonment in drawing.

You can purchase a ltd ed print of this piece here

Strength

Another piece which has just been released as a print is Strength.

Strength was a piece created in 2011 in response to the disastrous earthquake in Japan, it was a piece about human resolve and also about the terrifying force of nature. The concept of the piece is fairly simple A woman stands resilient against the force of the plant roots which try to break apart her figure. It focuses on the beauty and delicacy of nature and how a tiny flower will break through the toughest of grounds and overcome the harshest surroundings in order to survive

The print has been produced by Fine Art Publishers Harwood King who are well known for their creation of prints for artists such as Dan Baldwin, Hush, Henrik Simonsen, and Andrew McAttee
Details of the print (varnish layers and gold leaf treatments) can be found on Etsy where the first editions are currently for sale.

Strength Ltd ed print available for sale here

images below are actual pictures of the print from Harwood King

Live painting at Gallery 90

carnegriffiths — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:05:09 +0000

I’ve decided to take some stretched paper and my usual pencils inks and pens and of course a fine selection of Tea to gallery 90 for the final weekend of Journey. I’ll be there on both Saturday and Sunday 12-6pm making a new piece of work whilst people visit the gallery. It’s something outside of my comfort zone – I normally like to be almost meditative when I work and I may even have to throw on a pair of headphones to be able to work but I think it would be a good experiment.. who knows how the work will turn out – I have nothing planned as yet as I am sure something will occur between now and then which drives the work.

So please – if you can – come along to Gallery 90, enjoy some bubbly & refreshments provided by the gallery (I’ll be on the tea!)

Hope to see you there