Keep your eyes peeled

I absolutely love street art. It's brightens up the bland, grey walls and buildings of the city, and maybe even makes me smile.
A site that has collected some of the best is worth a share:

And for some of those clever little observational types..

 

Cosy Car

I came across these on a piece about art installations being used more & more for brands. (Think BMW kinectic scuplture). And I have to say, if it produces creations such as these then bring it on!

More local art

More of pop up Art studios are around this summer in my neck of the woods so I'm making the most. The latest I went was the launch of the art concept galley, Towner and Hoxton. Set up by artists who share a love for tea and making things, the gallery combines socialising, showcasing and creation of artwork. My kinda place.
I went to the summer bbq and sat alongside the pop up doll, and the bass player as well as taking in these cool pieces of Art:

Loading bay coffee table decorated with postage stamps. By Johnny Hoxton

1940 Pinups by ??

More works by Johnny Hoxton

The Hendrix cassette piece is very similar to the work of American artist I posted here, but I still like them!

Floppy D'Art

I'm managing to squeeze in a couple of local exhibitions lately, and one I had to share was a showcase of artists including the very talented Nick Gentry.
I'd spotted his work way back and shared a link with some mates and little did I know that I knew him through a friend of a friend! Anyway, as you can see he creates these amazing portraits using old floppy discs - A much better use for something I used to find so irritating only being able to save two word files on. See more of his work here.

BLAHHHH

I absolutely love these! Sheep sculptures made of old fashioned telephones. Created by French artist Jean-Luc Cornec.

Cassette illustrations

Some nice work from American artist Erika Simmons Iris, who has made use of old cassettes & the film to create images of famous musicians.

Sand drawing

Beautiful and very moving sand drawing created by Ukrainian artist Kseniya Simonova, who draws on a giant light box, accompanied by dramatic music to show here interpretation of the effect of Germany's invasion on her home country during WWII.

Rip Off!

Yes it has been a LONG time since I posted something here - that's partly to do with my new job & adjusting to being a full-timer & partly because I forgot my password to get in!
Anyway, several posts missed, I have yet another rant to share - This is relating to my first discussion back in Nov 07 about advertising creatives ripping off artists ; an ongoing debate that I think will continue since creatives naturally look to the artworld for inspiration. The solution I think to making sure you are always original is to be aware of all this stuff, but keep your self interested by anything and everything going on in the world. Expose yourself to not only art, but to literature, politics, talks on the science world, articles on Ugandan garners and their crops. Everything feeds the creative brain subconsciously - it's how you dip into it that is the clever bit. i am a of course a hypocrite of my own words, as I tend to follow my main interests and fall into a trap of reading the same blogs & visiting familiar websites, but I do try to venture elsewhere.
So back to the reason I have brought this up again - the recent BBC trailer for Radio 6 as created by RKCR/Y & R. In it, an animated character graffitied on the wall grows ears and gravitates towards wherever there is music. All fine. Concept relates to the client. Except it
uses EXACTLY the same technique, if not style of the well - known artist BLU, who I showcased here back in June. His work spread around the net like wildfire, basically because it was so great. So to see it replicated for an ad frustrates me so. Basically because the creators of Radio 6 get all the credit for being innovative and groundbreaking creatively, while the artist doesn't receive such acclaim as he deserves. That's why we have to spread the news on blogs like this!

Paper Cuts to Love

Here's some beautiful work by paper artist Rob Ryan who makes all sorts of intricate designs just from cutting out paper. Upon first look it is just 2d illustration, then you see the shadows and really appreciate the handiwork. Rob has created works for window displays, record covers, and book designs. Can't say anymore really, just check out his site!

MoveMe

For any of you that travel on the Victoria Line, an organisation called Artbelow have taken over the space at Finsbury park Tube station. During my many minutes on the platform, I've been admiring some nice pieces of work by artists supporting the 'Move me' campaign to encourage people to Cycle. I'm already a bike lover so can appreciate the sentiments expressed, and hopefully others do too.






To view the complete exhibition, visit http://www.anythingmac.co.uk/artbelow/

Peaceful London

I was really struck by this image in this month's Creative Review, created by artist Gregor Graf. By stripping streets of their commercial clutter, signage and advertising, the familiar Oxford Street becomes virtually unrecognisable. It's really quite liberating, and for me, reveals a beauty in what are usually quite mundane buildings. What an interesting concept.

Victoria

Soho

'Hidden Town' is on at the Austrian Cultural Forum until 4th April. More on the CR blog.

Tiny Art

I've been collecting a few images lately of miniscule art - It fascinates me that these artists have so much patience and time (and eyesight) to create these masterpeices. They are intriguing, and some really do make you question scale (and our size in relation to the universe). because you have to peer more intensely at them it also makes you spend longer digesting the work.

Hand etched patterns on eggshells (have lost the link, sorry)



A tiny street Art project by Slinkachu.



Amazing but strange: chewing gum painted by Ben Wilson. Well if it's stuck there it may aswell look good!




Miniature scenes from the exhibition 'Eyes Blind Arm Outstretched' I went to by Lisa Swerling