It is said that it is the little things in life that make us happy. Discovering something new with a few smiles along the way be it physical or a smile in the mind.

Artist ‘Slinkachu’ is one of these such people that are to be admired. Quietly going about their work, the conceptual ideas and thought process behind the ‘Little People Project’ make for fantastic viewing whoever you are. The project has been running several years now and involves the remodelling and painting of miniature train set characters which are arranged in various scenarios within everyday city life. The work ‘plays with the notion of surprise’ and ‘encourages city dwellers to be more aware of their surroundings’.

Set up and left for passers by to discover, whether you think work is an exercise in creativity or aimed to reflect perhaps the melancholy of living in a big city it can not be denied that these small bursts of humour are welcoming sight on the streets.

Check out more work here!

If you are looking for unique artwork, submit a brief now!

Paper Boat Creative

Ever fancied escaping city life for an adventure in the outback? Architect Paul Morgan’s latest work ‘Trunk House’ seems an awfully tempting proposition.

Morgan’s design sought to achieve an element of a transparent relationship with it’s woodland surroundings and forest environment. Using forked tree branches to frame the southeast Australian building enables the build to blend almost seamlessly into the landscape and looks at sustainable, ecological builds. Inspiration for the design came from traditional aboriginal structures merged with contemporary design.

Whilst Morgan admits that a number of trees were felled to make room for the cabin, it’s great to know that to offset the carbon footprint, they were milled and cured on-site to provide panels and lining.

The project boasts aspirational qualities of living and of being in such an architectural masterpiece that offers the beauty found of living in the forest and closeness to wildlife.

It cannot be denied that this architectural wonder is a beautiful to behold. We want to know when we can move in.

If you are looking for original artwork, brief the Exchange now!

*Images courtesy of deezen.com

Paper Boat Creative

Recently, an unexpected masterpiece won an Oscar for ‘Best short film’. ‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore’ is an immersive animated movie and bedtime story all rolled into one. Completely revolutionary in its field as it’s not a traditional film or storybook…but rather an iPad app.

Created by author, illustrator and animator William Joyce, his work includes top character designs for many of Pixar’s classics as well as work for Dreamworks and Disney. In collaboration with Moonbot Studios the fantastical 15-minute movie has a variety of animation techniques and styles within it and uses music instead if dialogue to capture the audiences mind. Pushing the E-book boundaries and demonstrating the need for creativity in education, the app seems to push all of the right buttons in being interactive but not overpowering in weaving a great story.

A delightful tale that will inspire many a child as well as adult. Try the experience out for yourself on the iTunes store or watch the trailer!

If you are looking for unique artwork, brief the Exchange now!

Paper Boat Creative

The Hayward Gallery in London opened it’s doors for new artist David Shrigley’s exhibition last month and has been renowned as a thought provoking success. A range of work was on display varying from his photography and illustration to his slightly bizarre taxidermy sculptures.

What is particularly exciting about Shrigley’s work is his sense of humour and execution of concepts. Sometimes dark but fun drawings spark a slight amount of controversy with Shrigley’s character filled scribbles, whilst pointing the spotlight on a certain issue he wishes to highlight.

For example ‘Fight The Nothingness’ is a rallying cry proclaimed on a billboard sized canvas hanging from the side of the Hayward Gallery itself. Showcasing Shrigley’s illustrative style with a clenched fist and hand-rendered type make the piece say everything and yet nothing about consumerism, society and just plain corporate sloganeering.

Food for thought, his work certainly has a unique and interesting quality to it.

*Images courtesy of the Guardian.

Paper Boat Creative

The purpose of your artist statement is to provide the viewers with personal insight about your motivation and inspiration for your collection. When a statement is well-written, it will clarify, justify, or explain the artwork on display. Here are ten tips to help you write an unforgettable artist statement:

1. Don’t Postpone the Writing Process

Don’t save your statement for the night before the exhibit opens. Since a true artist statement is a reflection of every work included in your collection, it should be easy to begin. What made you begin the project in the first place? What inspired you to keep making the art on display? Answering those questions should give you more than enough fuel to get you started. Give yourself plenty of time to craft a statement that represents your work. Be sure to reserve extra time for revisions.

2. Your Words Should Complement Your Work

Is your work whimsical or serious? Is it abstract or realistic? Make sure your prose reflects the personality of the work it complements. Quotes from fellow artists, philosophers, and writers, can also add spice to your statement. If you’re in need of inspiration, then take the time to tour art galleries. Take notes on what made the featured statements successful.

3. Keep the Mumbo Jumbo to a Minimum

Who hasn’t read the statement that overflowed with nonsensical jargon? During my years working in a museum, I read hundreds artist statements. Some were enlightening and increased a viewer’s anticipation. Others simply made museum visitors wonder if the artist had made it past Kindergarten. Keep in mind that the people who read your statement are looking for more insight into what they’ve come to view. A statement does not have to be incomprehensible in order to be artistic. You can make your statement artistic and concise.

4. Consult Your Fellow Artists

You can always have a fellow artist look over your writing in order to determine whether or not you’re communicating your ideas effectively.

5. Make Plenty of Revisions

Editing is a major part of the writing process. Every time you edit your artist statement, focus on refining your ideas and communicating in a more effective way. If you burn out, then take a short break and look for inspiration the same way you would for visual art.

6. Be Prepared to Revise Again in the Future

The statement you prepared for an art show one year ago may not necessarily reflect your present work. Revisit your statement on a regular basis to make sure it still represents the style of your current form of artistic expression.

7. Good Grammar is Essential

Good grammar keeps your statement legible and professional. Spell Check is wonderful feature, but don’t rely on it completely. If your editing skills are shaky, then have a professional edit your work.

Whether you love or hate the writing side of the art business, an artist statement is necessary. When your statement is well-written it will complement your body of work.

If you are looking for unique artwork, brief the Exchange now!

Kathleen

Color in Space and Time is an exhibition that reveals the creative genius of the Franco-Venezuelan artist, Cruz-Diez. This exhibit is in memory of the fabulous work that the artist created starting in 1940 and throughout his lifetime. The range of works on exhibit include paintings, silk screen prints, chromatic structures that exude innovation, enormous chromatic configurations, and the list goes on. As an artist, Cruz-Diez has always chosen the unconventional path. He ventured into experimenting with offbeat color combinations, street interventions, integration projects built on architectural bases, different light environments, and more. Masterworks that soothe the eye and tickle the nerves of color will be featured at Color in Space and Time.

Hosting Background

The exhibition is being hosted by the Cruz-Diez Foundation in collaboration with the MFAH. The Cruz-Diez Foundation was established in Houston by the family members of the artist. It exists to promote his amazing collection of work.

A Show for Color Lovers Everywhere

This exhibition combines color theory, science, mechanical engineering, and kinetics with the artist’s personal craft. The work of Cruz-Diaz is impossible to categorize.  The complex creations give new life to colors, and personify chromatic impressions. Cruz-Diez nurtures the ambiguity that lies in the color spectrum. The exhibition features works from the collection at the Cruz-Diez Foundation in addition to works from collections in France, England, and Venezuela.

Exhibition Details

The exhibit began in September of last year. It will continue through March 5, 2012. It is being shown in MALBA, Buenos Aires in the country of Argentina. A catalogue has been designed that features a complete profile of the man’s work starting from his teenage years and throughout his adulthood. The catalogue has been published by the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and it has been distributed by the Yale Press.

Art has a powerful impact on culture and society. Cruz-Diaz had a different perspective when it came to art and colors. Art enthusiasts can share his perspective by visiting Color in Space and Time.

Kathleen

We left you hanging with our last blog...The World Press Awards announced the first prize winner of its 55^th Photo Contest on the 10^th of January 2012.  Spanish photo-journalist, Samuel Aranda, captured an image of women embracing a distraught man in a Yemen Mosque, which became a hospital refuge for injured demonstrators against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, on October 15^th of 2011. The anonymous women whom is fully veiled in black robes with rubber white gloves comforts a naked man in her arms.  Metaphorical, and with a renaissance art quality, it is symbolic of the crucial role women played in the revolution that unfolded in the middle east; it is an intimate portrayal of tenderness and compassion.

According to one of the 19 distinguished jurors, Aidan Sullivan: “The winning photo shows a poignant, compassionate moment, the human consequence of an enormous event, an event that is still going on. We might never know who this woman is, cradling an injured relative, but together they become a living image of the courage of ordinary people that helped create an important chapter in the history of the Middle East.”

The contest, which is arguably the most prestigious photography competition in the world, saw 5,247 photographers from 124 countries submit a total of 101,254 images by the January 2012 deadline.  57 photographers were awarded prizes under nine themed categories.   The winning images will be exhibited in a travelling international exhibition, and will be available in a book.  The World Press Awards is an non-profit organization.

Whether you agree with street art or not, there is no denying that the movement is creating waves with visually stimulating adornment of our concrete and brick cities. Even more importantly, freedom of speech has found a contemporary niche; encourages a broader audience to question the reality of our fishbowl urbanization through art.

For some artist whom have been elevated to an iconic status amongst art critics and collectors –such as London’s own Banksy– the streets have become a platform to raise awareness of social and political issues.  A contemporary hybrid of graffiti, it finds its origins in Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire and Urban Gangs to mark territories or broadcast social and political views.  Historical cave drawings throughout the world suggest an inherent desire to communicate through art as far back as up to 35,000 years.

While there is no question that illegal street art is vandalism, according modern artist Bansky “You live in the city and all the time there are signs telling you what to do and billboards trying to sell you something. I always felt that it was all right to answer back a little bit, I suppose. That the city shouldn’t just be a one-way conversation. ”

What do you think? And although it might upset Banksy, you can brief your other commercial artwork requirements now!

Paper Boat Creative

Amidst London’s maze of unconventional warehouse style accommodation, a new talent is emerging from the underground art scene with a force to be reckoned with.

Eugene Wood’s studio, a large classroom in an old run down school building distinctly smells of wet oil paints and is cluttered by random curios, such as the stuffed fox that greets you at the entrance.  The large canvasses that fill the room entice and hypnotise; transporting you into a dark and mysterious world.

‘Illuminating the Void’ couldn’t be a more befitting title for this body of work which is currently being exhibited at Art Work Space, London,  till the 4th of March 2012.   Wood, a graduate of the prestigious Institut Supérieur de Peinture Van der Kelen-Logelain (Brussels), combines classic ninteenth century art methods with contemporary surrealism to explore a balanced fusion of colour, form, composition and technique.

With the distortion of patterns inspired by isolating objects and surfaces–which within context could go unnoticed–Wood draws the viewer into a new perception of reality.  A subtle sense of tension and fear is coupled by the duality of soothing, fluid beauty, evoking emotions buried deep within one’s subconscious.

Paper Boat Creative

For lovers of history, artifacts, sculptures, coins, and various others forms of art, the Long Night of Museums is full of golden opportunities. This amazing art event spans for about 400 sq kilometers. The strip of artistic exhibitions is between the Waterplant Friedrichshagen museum and the Local History Reinickendorf. About 100 different museums will offer free visits to visitors. The museums are offering visitor access to their unique museum collections and featured exhibitions. This unforgettable event is hosted twice a year in the capital city of Berlin, Germany. The next event takes place during the months of January/February 2012. This amazing night of art not only features a variety of exhibitions, but it also features recitals, performances by well known celebrities, theatrical performances, and much more. This event is a highly anticipated night of enjoyment for local people and visitors from all over the world.

© PhotographerPaul Prescott

Where and When:

The Long Night of Museums is a biannual event that will be held in Berlin on January 28, 2012. The participating museums will remain open from 6 in the evening until 2 in the morning for visitors. All visitors will receive a significant discount since the tickets will be priced at an equivalent to that of a single visit. Tickets, directions, and bus routes are available online. The tours through these museums offer an excellent ethical and artistic evening of enjoyment to visitors. Though the time span for the complete tour is 8 hours, you will probably want far more time than that in order to enjoy each museum’s exhibition to your heart’s content. There are many collections and exhibitions to see, so choose wisely. Each museum has an enthralling display and its own unique permanent collection.

An Occasion for Art Enthusiasts

There is nothing more frustrating for an art enthusiast than to be surrounded by inspiration and not have the chance to take it all in.  Each visitor can get the best out of this event by learning about each and every museum exhibition and making a list of the ones they want to visit.  Visitors can also chalk out a suitable route that will allow them enjoy each of the museums on the list. The museums in Berlin are based on various themes and topics. Some of the museums depict a particular culture, while others may depict a particular period in history. The museums that deserve special mention include the Natural Museum of History, the New Synagogue at the Jewish Center, and the National Gallery. The Long Night of Museums is held in remembrance of the demolition of the Berlin wall. This amazing evening signifies artistic unity.

Enjoy the Night Out

There are also venues that show movies, hold concerts, and present dancing shows. There will be buses carrying passengers between the museums. Your ticket gives you free access to local transportation. So whether your passion is of sculptures, history, artifacts, coins, or other forms of art, be sure to take advantage of this amazing night of art. For more information visit Berlin’s site dedicated to the event.

This is the first blog post from one of our new bloggers, Kathleen Delaney. Kathleen had her first literary work published in 1990. Since then, she has been published in various publications and blogs. Delaney won a Georgia writing contest for 3 years in a row, between the years of 2001-2003. After 2.5 years of study, she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2003. Delaney is finishing a Science Fiction novel for young adults, and she is writing and illustrating several children’s books. She writes fiction and non-fiction on a regular basis, and she stays busy with creative projects through her freelance business, Mimosa Creations.