Artist Introduction: Andrew Major

We're half way through the artists now and just under three weeks away from the exhibition!

Here is the introduction to our fifth artist, Andrew Major...

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

How did you get into art? 

When I was about twelve years old I had the most inspirational art teacher at school.  He was french and classically trained with leanings towards the impressionist movement, quite the eccentric, and as my name was Major would salute me on entering the classroom.

Path to Porthcurno

Where did you study?

Initially from a artists co-operative working out of the iconic Folk House in Bristol.  There was an eclectic group of painters, potters and printers teaching and working from their studios.

SW2555644 

What are your main inspirations in your work?

Walking through the landscape with my sketch pad taking inspiration from the beauty of the coastline to the desolation of the moorlands, and Turner, I love Turners skies and the painterly qualities in his work.

Carminowe Creek

How did you get involved with Midsummer nights?

Saw a poster in the brewhouse coffee bar in Porthleven.

Highburrow

How do you wait out a storm?

Looking out of the studio window, a cup of coffee in hand with peraphs a Mahler symphony or Nick Cave track playing in the background.

Porthleven

Website : www.amajorart@yahoo.co.uk  (to be updated!)

twitter: @amajorart

We have such a lovely range of practices from our artists, the show is shaping up to be pretty exciting and varied!

Artist introduction: Zoe Howarth

Here is the introduction to our fourth artist, Zoe Howarth

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

How did you get into art? 

Ever since I was little I have always been creative. My nana taught me how to knit when I was very young and I learnt some basic lace making techniques when I was only 7 years old. I taught myself how to sew and growing up I would often make my own clothes and have even made costumes for my siblings’ Christmas plays as well as my step-mums wedding dress!  Being creative has always felt like a strange obsession, an addiction, I guess you would call it a great passion. I cannot help myself, I have a constant need to create and be creative.

Blue hand dyed silk

Where did you study?

I went to London College of Fashion to study for my art foundation which specialised in fashion and textiles. I then went on the complete my BA(Hons) Textile Design at Falmouth University in 2010 where I fell in love with weaving and the hand dyeing process.

Handwoven and dyed scarfs

What are your main inspirations in your work?

I am obsessed with the patterns and textures of the Cornish coastline and I love to capture these natural abstracts within my textile work. It is always the same details, a section of rock in the cliff face, the marks left in the sand by the moving tide or the peeling paint on a fishing boat.  The coastline gives me endless inspiration, with different weather or times of day it can transform the same stretch of coast. The colours, textures and compositions can all change so I am never quite sure what I will find.

Montage of Cornish coast

How did you get involved with Midsummer nights?

I got involved with Midsummer nights when I was in the Four Crows gallery in Porthleven where I stock some of my work.  I noticed their poster in the window calling for artists to take part in the ‘Cornish storms’ exhibition so I emailed them straight away and then got stuck into this exciting project!

Pink shibori silk

How do you wait out a storm?

We live quite high up, surrounded by fields so our house is really exposed to the elements. When a storm hits we can always hear the howling whistling winds and lashing rain beating down on us.  It is usually once the storm has subsided that I love to go down to the beach to watch the huge crashing waves. The power is so immense I am in awe of its natural beauty and surrender myself to never really being able to comprehend the true power and strength of the sea. I always take my camera too, I can’t resist those gorgeous silvery tones!

Silver sea after a storm

To see Zoe's work in progress visit her blog:

www.zoehowarth.blogspot.com

And here is her website:

www.zoehowarth.com

We hope you like these posts about our artist, if there is anything else you want us to blog about leave a comment below!

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: 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

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.

  

Calling All Cornish Artists!

We are organising another event in December, if you are at all interested in getting involved then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on midsummernights21@gmail.com
We have a limited number of spaces at this upcoming venue so confirm your place with us as soon as possible!