Poster for Storm Front

We have finalised the poster for our next exhibition, so here it is:

The background image is by Alex Morton (who we introduced on the blog here).  We've also made another version that we'd like to share with you too....

So if you're free on the 20th December at 7pm come along and meet us and see the artists, and their work, that we've been introducing on the blog.     

Artist introduction: Alex Morton

Here is the introduction to our third artist, Alex Morton

We asked Alex to answer our questions, and to share some of his work with us, so you could find out a little more about him...

How did you get into art? 
I start painting in 2012 accidentally, an artist friend of mine encouraged me to have a play with paint to try and lift me out of a mood one day, I found I really enjoyed it and had a natural flair, since then the creative process of painting and the feel of completing pieces has become a key part of my life, it has sent me off in a completely new life direction. Unexpected and brilliant.

'Late winter sun'

Where did you study?
Never studied, never been to a class.

'The might of Fistral'

What are your main inspirations in your work?

As a surfer it is the surf, sea and wind that inspires. Many of my pieces aim to capture the expanse and space that one feels when standing at the edge of the ocean, it makes me feel alive.

'Winter and heavy'

How did you get involved with Midsummer nights?

Twitter, a brilliant invention.

'Cold and brisk'

How do you wait out a storm?
I don't wait it out, I go out in it, the ocean is at its best when its unloading, my favourite place to visit in a storm is the tip of the Pentire Headland, brutal and awesome.

If you like Alex's work check out his website where he has lots more examples of his work:

Website: www.alexmortonart.co.uk


One of Alex's pieces will feature on our poster, which we'll be unveiling on the blog next week, when we will also be introducing you to more of our lovely artists, so keep tuned!

Artist introduction: Amy Freeman

Here is the introduction to our second artist, Amy Freeman

We asked Amy our set of questions to find out a bit more about her and her work to share with you...

How did you get into art? 
When I was 16, my parents took me to New York for a week. Whilst my mum and sister shopped every waking hour, I dragged my doting father from gallery to gallery, whilst I sat on floors and surrounded myself in colouring pencils and copied and scrutinised image after image. I had always been arty and decorative, but this made me realise that I needed to be a part of the art world. 

'La Luna #1'

Where did you study?
I came to Falmouth for my foundation year, and am now in my third year of studying BA Drawing. 

'La Luna #2'

What are your main inspirations in your work?

My work has two very different threads, one being process lead, exploring printmaking and it's capabilities and allowing meaning to emerge from experiment, and the other, a more socially aware but joyful approach to issues such as gender equality and female sexuality. The work that I will be exhibiting in Midsummer Nights will be from the former part of my work. 

'La Luna #3'

How do you wait out a storm?
I am affected by a storm much like a child sometimes, bizarrely excited but perturbed, watching and listening from my bed, preferably with chocolate. 

Added Extra...

Amy's recent work is very different to the work she'll be exhibiting with us but we think it's great so here are some examples for you to browse:

Check out her website and Tumblr here:

www.amyislesfreeman.co.uk

amyislesfreeman.tumblr.com

We hope you enjoyed this second post and we'll keep introducing you to our artists as we get closer to the event date!

Porthleven Lifeboat Studio

Imagine a building so close to the Cornish sea, you not only taste the salt in the air you can hear the sea through the very walls of the building...

Welcome to The Lifeboat Art Studio, Porthleven

This exciting building is the home of our next exhibition: 'Storm Front'.  It has a rich history in the story of Porthleven.  Built in 1894 for £1395 it launched the lifeboats in Porthleven until 1929.  After this the slipway for the boats was dismantled and the building went through many guises through the years before being turned into the Lifeboat Art Studio that it is today, almost 100 years later.

It's now run by the lovely Rosie from Porthleven Holiday Cottages who let us in to take some sneak peak photos to share with you all...

When we first stepped inside we were awed by the bright, surprisingly large, space.  We can't wait to see the inside of this studio full of art, people and life

Through the salt water sprayed door you can see the famous Porthleven clock tower

Just waiting for the art...

Willow came along to check out the view (she say's it'll do!)

We hope you like this little sneak peak into the Studio and hope you'll want to come and see the space used and full of life on the 20th to the 22nd of December!

For more information on the Studio visit: 

www.lifeboatartstudio.co.uk 

For more information on the lifeboat history of Porthleven visit : freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~helstonhistory/porthlevenlifeboats.htm

Artist introduction: Laura Menzies

As promised, here is the first of our introductions to the artists in our show!

Today is Laura Menzies, here she is in the Lifeboat Studio...

We asked her a few questions to get to know her a bit better (and dotted a few of her paintings through the text as well)...

How did you get into art? 
I have always enjoyed art and making things, but in the last few years it has become an integral part of my life and the thing that I enjoy doing the most.  Growing up I was really into performing arts and attended dance and drama classes several times a week. This passion lead me to study a degree in Performing and Visual Arts, which allowed me to continue developing both.  It was during my degree that I realised how important the visual arts were to me and it is this that I have since focused on.

'Inscribed'

Where did you study?
I studied a multi disciplinary arts degree at Birmingham University, which combined aspects of fine art, theatre and contemporary dance. Studying this way allowed me the opportunity to work in many different ways and to combine elements of different disciplines together, which was a very exciting way to work. In September this year I completed an MA in Fine Art at Falmouth University, where I spent a year focusing on developing my painting practice. I decided to study for an MA as I was looking for new ways to develop my work and challenge myself. I now feel I have the skills to be able to take me practice forward independently and am currently focusing on getting my work into the public realm. 

'Deluge'

What are your main inspirations in your work?
As an artist I am interested in the visual remembering of personal experiences and seek to communicate this through the medium of paint. My most recent work, developed during my MA, is formed from construct of memory, emotion and in-direct references to place. 
I try to integrate the sensations I feel whilst in the landscape into the making of my work. The extremes of weather and light I witnessed during my explorations have had a strong influence on my colour pallet, which has gravitated towards atmospheric, darkened hues. The paintings are not of specific places, but are of elements that have been experienced and then fused together using imagination, exploration and chance.

'Flux'

How did you get involved with Midsummer nights?
I attended the Midsummer Night event in the gardens of St Michael’s hotel in August. The great thing about the event was the location and how each artist responded to the site in a completely different way. The diverse mix of artwork shown and the ways it was displayed was very inspiring and original and after the event I approached Cathy and Natalie expressing my interest in any future exhibitions.  

'Percolate'

How do you wait out a storm?
I grew up on the island of Portland in Dorset which is very exposed and gets regularly battered by storms during the winter months. When the sea is fierce and sprawling I love nothing more than wrapping up and heading outside.  One of my most recent paintings was inspired by the sublime feel of the ocean and how at times it can feel completely overwhelming and incomprehensible. 

Check out her website and Facebook here:

Website: www.lauramenzies.co.uk
Facebook page:  Laura Menzies Art

We hope you enjoyed this post and we'll keep introducing you to our artists as we get closer to the event date!

We've chosen our final artists for the Porthleven exhibition!

We've chosen our final artists for the Porthleven exhibition!

We're so excited that so many artists were interested and think we have a nice range of disciplines in our final group.  (Each week we'll be introducing you to one or two of the artists, so keep your eyes peeled!)

On Saturday we had our first meeting with a few of the artists and looked around The Lifeboat Studio, where the exhibition will be taking place.  It's a wonderful building, full of atmosphere and as close as physically possible to the sea.  (We'll have to do a blog post on the studio soon!)

Here's a photo of some of the artists looking around the space, sorry about the quality - it was taken on a phone.