The Rosalind Davis Newsletter has arrived !

My newletter has arrived, that’s right people, with pictures, jazzy boxes, links and everything. My friend Tammasyn Gambell ( www.tammasyngambell.com ) has a studio in cockpit arts and she sent me hers a while ago which was gorgeous and smart and I coveted it immediately and her lovely boyfriend Jamie Young assisted me.

Check it out here:
Rosalind Davis Newsletter http://bit.ly/dt3mxO

Why a newsletter one might ask, well what with exhibitions, press, core gallery etc its all too messy to put in an email and expect people to read all the info- this way people can just check out what interests them in bite size nuggets. I know it may not be very ‘ arty’ to be so professional and to do all this sort of ‘ marketing stuff’ but being an artist means you have to stand up and show yourself, get exposure, otherwise how are you going to survive telling no-one about your work? In this recession we have to work even harder to get noticed and you have to be professional; A two liner email with no image attached isn’t going to get people outside your circle of friends to a show.

On a different note our core gallery website may be live soon – only a few months delayed….somehow I ended up being the one to be instructed on how to update the website, a few words went into my brain from Max Saunders, our webdesigner and then the rest was dalek speak. Chantelle and I spent an evening tearing our hair out over the functionalities and I really did not understand what the heck I was doing…..so if it is down to me then it may not be live for a while…..plus I feel like I am going blind with tiredness at the moment, but one last push is the final week of Wilderness and open studios, a lovely blurb written below sums it up nicely;

We are sad to announce the coming of the end of the much celebrated “WILDERNESS” exhibition at Core Gallery, which will end on Sunday 20th June. *sighs and moans of grief*
But we are very happy to announce it has been a very great success. With over 400 visitors, an extended showing time, several artist talks including among them Deptford Arts Map and the fantastic discussion with the reputable Graham Crowley, we wanted to invite those of you who didn’t make it down yet, or for those who just want to see it again, for the final few days. *cheers and hoorays rise in crescendo*
Friday 18th June, we have a little chilled out bar, with some music and who knows what little surprises on the way.
Also starting on Friday through to Sunday there will also be the fabulous ‘JUMBLE JUMBLE’ arts sale going on in and around the space with guest such as Pigeon Wing Gallery and Miss Led…..and as if that wasn’t enough, the quite excellent Cor Blimey Artists are opening up their studios for everyone to have a little butchers at what everyone’s up to and maybe bag a bargain piece of artwork whilst you’re there. *exasperations of WoooooWWw*
Anyhoo…
It’ll be lovely to see you all again where you’ll all have the final chance to check out Rosalind’s dizzyingly beautiful painting-stitching, pull me up on my layering and spectaculour use of colour and have you’re photo taken in front of Neil’s now famous, idyllic mountainside wallpaper.

*applause ensues*


The Deptford X entries for Core Gallery’s open submission are pouring in which is fantastic and the entries are very strong already, Emily, our super intern is sending all over the place. If you would like to apply the info is here-
http://coregallerydeptford.blogspot.com
PLus theres a load of other great opportunities to get involved with Deptford X: www.deptfordx.org
we would love to hear from you……

Core Gallery in action!

In this insecure and heady world of art and creativity, I and Elizabeth as spearhead and momentum gatherer of many people’s ideas at Cor Blimey helped establish a gallery ,created in two shows so far, in two months , that most edifying addictive atmosphere that celebrates the expressiveness of exciting contemporary art, opened up wondrous conversations and serious discussion,created opportunities for artists, established relationships with artists, curators and fellow visionaries. All held up , supported and channelled by my fellow believers at Core

I have been dazzled by Chantelle, Enver, Leyla's, Neil, Arnold and Gillian's hard work who have also been key in this, by Lizzie who has stepped in as well. I am awed by the genorosity of local galleries and studios such as Bearspace , The Agency and Creekside and all the artists and curators who have joined us so far and are part of the core family now; Nick Kaplony and Helen Griffiths

……Although I feel finally part of something I am also at times a little scared by the responsibility of it all ! but driven too!

read all the latest on http://coregallerydeptford.blogspot.com

A review of my solo show: A Difference in Vision

As I frantically finsh paintings for my upcoming group show at Wilderness in Core Gallery , a lovely review for my current solo show has arrived! Hussah!

http://poptartlondon.com/2010/05/10/a-difference-in-vision/
Check it out on :
http://poptartlondon.com/2010/05/10/a-difference-in-vision/

Pop T'art London
I first noticed Rosalind Davis‘ mixed media paintings last year at the Deptford X art festival. I was drawn by the vibrant colours and clever use of fabric to create collage pieces which she then paints and embroiders over.
So it was a real pleasure to be shown round her new solo show A Difference in Vision by Rosalind herself at Bloww gallery off Regent Street recently.
The above piece, from which the show takes its title, is oil and embroidery on vintage print cotton sateen. It depicts the huge Robin Hood estate in Poplar, East London which was designed in the 1960s and condemned in the 2000s (much to the dismay of many leading architects campaigning to preserve it as a modernist masterpiece).
What I really like about Rosalind’s work is the surprising contrast between her subject matter of brutalist architecture with the materials she employs to depict them – florid fabric and delicate hand stitching – to create otherworldly, surreal pieces. “I enjoy mark making with embroidery,” says Rosalind. “It’s more controlled and emphasises the fragility of our buildings and of our own existence.”

Rosalind meticulously researches the buildings she paints by photographing them and talking to their residents where possible (many of the buildings are derelict).

This one above called 26 Remain refers to the 26 remaining families in the Ferriers estate in Kidbrooke, Greenwich.

While you may recognise Elephant and Castle’s famously dilapidated, and soon to be demolished, shopping centre in this piece, Belong Nowhere.
It can take Rosalind between one to four months to execute a piece. Often sourcing the fabric becomes a mission in itself as she likes to incorporate material which reference the period of the buildings’ construction.

Her work highlights the breakdown of social housing, community and the overall failings of modernity. And it certainly lives up to this show’s title. I really like Rosalind’s unusual, thorough and intricate approach which gives layers of meaning to each picture. Go see!
A Difference in Vision runs until 9pm, this Saturday 15th May. After that you can see new and existing work from Rosalind Davis (and two other artists) at a new exhibition Wilderness which runs at Core Gallery in Deptford from Saturday 22nd May.

Bun House Bandits and Bea De Souza

My fingers are healing from my bike crash albeit a little sore, but I wanted to write a little.


My meeting with Bea De Souza from Agency Gallery was invigorating. Bea gave me lots of sage advice and also said she would help input into our development. It gave me an idea that I should try and set up a few more meetings with the Deptford Art map Galleries in the area and just say hi. Some are more forthcoming than others. I guess some people are part of something really because they have to be rather than want to have enthralling and stimulating conversations and exchange of ideas. Each to their own I guess…..



I mean in many ways I keep thinking what am I doing? Am I insane to be setting up a gallery? I have not only my own practise to think about , but teaching, lecturing and blogging, finding more art related work, entering competitions and writing proposals, well that is plenty to do but somehow I want to make this work and all the studio members that are working so hard alongside me and are such great cogs in this Core Gallery Machine , well they are relying on me to make this work…..so no pressure then!



…now my mind is occupied with how we could get a bit of funding to run the space, but my god, funding applications are an art of their own and so much trouble one just gives up………Bea suggested trying to get funding for an International Residency which sounds great , but just exactly how?



I did meet some other art geniuses last week as well who run an experimental art space and studios. The art space is in a place called The Bunhouse in Peckham, which always looked to me as I passed it on my journeys through Peckham like a scary tumbleweed blowing , locals only kind of place albeit with beautiful tiles and authentic mouldings. Well blow me, it actually houses a thriving exhibition space and arts community plus the bar staff give you chip sticks and jelly babies with your pint of Stella and are actually super friendly and have a fantastically diverse crowd due to the bunhouse bandits I am guessing. Plus of course intersting exhibitions.

You can read more about them here



http://www.bunhousebandits.com/about/

http://fieldonline.eu/

Craig and Francis are an inspiration to Core Gallery



Okay ouch ,my fingers hurt now. Have to go

Exquisite Corpse- our launch is confirmed!

Our launch show for Core Gallery, opening on the 30th April has been decided:

"Exquisite Corpse" An Exhibition and Curatorial experiment by 11 International artists and curators. Co-ordinated by Nick Kaplony

‘Also known as "exquisite cadaver" or "rotating corpse" Exquisite Corpse is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled

In this context Exquisite Corpse is an experimental approach to constructing an exhibition selected in response to the corridor like structure of the Core gallery itself. A number of curators and artists have gathered to play and to construct the Corpse. The game works like this. A chain of curators/selectors is established, the first curator in the chain selects an artist for inclusion in the show. The next curator in the chain selects an artist in response to the work selected by the previous work selected. Each curator can only see the selection of the previous link in the chain so it continues and so it continues until the Corpse is completed.’ Nick Kaplony

Nick is a genius.
Matt Roberts is going to be one of the curators which is fantastic news and it is going to be rather sensational!

The Olympic values.....

Its been a crazy 2 weeks- I shouldn’t be surprised really at this stage!
I have a freelance job as a project manager and workshop practitioner for a half term project with Camden council and London Transport Museum.

Part of the role is liasing with cultural venues in Camden- The British Library, British Museum, Wellcome Trust and Sir John Soanes etc. Writing workshops for off site trips as well as creating workshops to deliver myself to students. Its about the Olympic values- friendship, equality, courage, respect, determination…..etc. etc.
It is my biggest teaching project yet and dizzying to me in its magnitude, but thrilling also. I realise how much I love working with people, interacting and co-ordinating. I feel connected to so many people.

Compared to a about a year ago where I felt rather isolated and invisible, - I really am becoming part of something. The studio is a huge part of it- and now Core Gallery, this beautiful idea emerged as a result of collective thoughts and determination. I am project managing that as well

So much is going on- we have a wall planner and already it is filling up with exhibitions. We even had our first tour of the gallery space as a potential location for an MFA show from Goldsmiths! We are opening at the end of April with Nick Kaplony’s show and hope our website shall be up and running soon! I just have to keep my head screwed on and on top of everything- deep breath!

Deptford Art Map

Core Gallery is most definitely go!
A surge of momentum from everyone is giddying and delightful!

I have been sending out little jobs for people – to research and sort and they are busily finding the answers. The obstacles that seemed to loom before are melting away.
Cor Blimey Arts are now on the must see spots on Deptford Art map and we shall have Core Gallery on there as well as soon as
http://www.deptfordartmap.co.uk/
I shall be posting my blog about Core Gallery once we are more finalised onto there as well as going to a meeting with Deptford Art Map and Bearspace to meet and talk to other gallerists and studio spaces. Very exciting!

In addition I have had some good meetings with Curators and artists; Nick Kaplony, an artist and advisor from Artquest is going to collaboratively curate something. Our very own A-N editor Andrew Bryant is also on board to curate a show! Both of which sound very interesting. Hopefully Zoe Whitley from the V&A may get involved along the way as well. Chantelle Purcell is going to be liasing with students at Central St Martins and University of Kent, Arnold Borgoreth, a lecturer on the "Image & Communication" MA degree at is also going to see if he can get some more people involved there-perhaps a photography exhibition…. Already an interesting programme is unfolding…..
More plans unfold by the moment!

Core Gallery is go!

Core Gallery is go!

Hooray!

The trustees are letting us go ahead with the idea. Bless them!

Hooray again!

Core Gallery Meeting no 2.

Core Gallery


We had a second and fuller meeting about developing our studios into more of a gallery space/artists initiative…..as one of the newly set up Gallery Committee members there are lots of logistics and politics to get through.


Our first main issue is the name. Cor Blimey Arts Studios is the current name for our space. We cant change it completely as we have charitable status, plus we have a board of trustees some of whom live in Somerset, half are up for it, the others it is unknown.…….the studios and their artists have moved on in their output. there is a desire for those of us in the studios to be taken somewhat seriously now . We pay rent so surely we should have some say so?

Hence kick-starting this gallery idea…..

We have to work within some kind of parameters of that name in terms of branding and also to try and persuade our trustees to allow us to do this, so the suggestion was Core Gallery. Connected but different…..

If we cant change the name of the gallery space we shall have to do something else, somewhere else……possibly we could have a splinter group of artists, collective, utilising empty spaces to put on exhibitions….be part of something….


Other news is that London Art Fair with Long and Ryle Gallery was a success and they have some of my works hanging in their gallery in Pimlico until mid feb which is great. Then 2 more solo shows pending in feb-literally opening on the same day I think. One in Regents Place, London with Trudie Stephenson and an exhibition with Bedford College where I lecture occasionally…..the new year didn’t take long to have many scheduling clashes! It is all invigorating though!

Unveiled!

The opening night was quite an event. Enver Gursev, an artist at our studios is a musician as well as an artist and he organised some great music and a performance piece. Two ladies, Luci Boccino and Denise Heinrich-lane http://www.myspace.com/ledonnedonnedonne did some beautiful abstract poetic performance art piece! It was brilliant and mad and created a great buzz. It emphasised the need to have something maybe apart from the 2d and 3d art happening in the main of the gallery on our private views to draw people in.……

The exhibition was pretty well attended – Cockpit arts had their open weekend and we were getting a lot of their audience popping in. Leyla was drawing them in off the streets, amazing lady! Despite numerous signage and leafleting and having listings on loads of websites, blogs, local newspapers it was a little quiet- although 200 people came so that is brilliant! ……..the gallery ideas were gathering momentum over the weekend too.

Quite a few pieces from our Fraction auction wall sold. Not enough as I would have liked. In fact I have ended up buying two pieces myself - i would buy a lot more if I could! I feel rather responsible that not everyone sold as as we set people the task. However I do know that they also enjoyed the task being set and we are now thinking how to sell them- a facebook page? A January auction…A corblimey art shop?

However, we still need to get more publicity for the studios somehow……so the good thing is that Greg Tallent from London Fringe came in to visit us about doing something as a collective in August. In a few minutes, Neil, Enver and I envisaged A Cor blimey boat, from Greenwich to central london, with flaming Japanese lanterns being thrown off it some kind of performance/ art thing going on, All sounds very fun and exciting….( Greg loves the name of our studios, ‘so London! ’He said. Harrumph say I…..scuppered )

After the exhibition finished we had a studio meeting to discuss the future and Core Gallery was unveiled ! Hurrah! People seemed interested and there will be some kind of gallery committee of us that will formalise and structure things and I guess start creating a programme of events. Neil mentioned the Chapman brothers may come and do something and I know a few guest curators I would like to get involved……Elizabeth is going to approach the curating dept at Goldsmiths….and maybe more stuff with the galleries and other studios in the area….exciting stuff.

Now, I have to read a lot of blogs…..I am to choose one this month as a guest editor on A-N….how terrifying and fun!
we are part of something…..

Core Gallery!

Fraction opened with aplomb and the exhibition is very strong. Talking to my fellow studio artists they say that Elizabeth , my studio mate and I who are amongst the new arrivals here have been told that we have come in with some great energy and organisation, that there is a feeling of productivity that had been missing here. Neil who helped with the concept of Fraction said the fact that people were forced to make new works for the show was motivating for everyone. For us, we are thrilled to have energised the space. We have lots of ideas of how we want to connect with people and the possibilites seem endless. We are all now discussing the possibilities of making the studios into a gallery space!

E and I have thought we could name the gallery ; Core Gallery. Then its linked into the title of our studios

We are hoping to get guest curators, make links with other studios/ students/ organisations. Invite proposals, possibly curate and more! Its very exciting, this new chapter.



We are all going to become part of something.