Ouseburn Open Studios 09

It's come to that time of year again. The last weekend in November sees the return of the much-anticipated Ouseburn Open Studios and this year’s weekend promises to be bigger and better than any before!

The studios in the Ouseburn Valley are home to a wide range of artists and designers. This year there are eight venues opening their doors to the public, located across the breadth of Ouseburn Valley. I have a studio at the Mushroom Works, and I would love it if you could come along and take a look. This weekend gives you the opportunity to talk to me about my work and learn what goes on behind the studio doors. It’s also a great chance to talk about commissions and there is always a wide variety of work on offer to buy, adding some relief to the tedium of Christmas shopping.

And don't forget out special 20x20 for £20 offer!
Original artwork that won’t break the bank! Now considered an Open Studio tradition, Mushroom Works will be offering the fantastic opportunity to purchase artworks (measuring 20cm by 20cm) by leading North East artists for the special price of £20.
Perfect for unique Christmas gifts!

Friday 6pm - 8pm (preview night)
Saturday 10am - 5pm / Sunday 11am - 4pm
Admission is FREE

www.ouseburnopenstudios.org
www.mushroomworks.com
www.jimedwardspaintings.com

Newcastle Gateshead Art Fair 2009

The largest commercial art fair in the North East returns to the Sage Gateshead, 1st - 4th October 2009. Once again I will be representing myself at this years event, at the Jim Edwards stall number P9, just at the top of the main central stairs. I will be exhibiting my most recent cityscapes, coastal scenes and abstract work, aswell as my new range of prints. This year, I will also be showcasing the ethereal, mutilayered paintings of Natalie Bell. It would be fantastic if you can come along and see some of the artwork on display. If you're interested, I have a number of VIP tickets for the event, which can also be used for the entire weekend. If you would like me to save you some tickets, contact me on 07946643306 or email jimedwards1@hotmail.co.uk.

www.ngartfair.com

Thursday, October 1st VIP Evening, 6 - 9pm (invite only)
Friday, October 2nd 11am - 6pm
Saturday, October 3rd 11am - 5pm
Sunday, October 4th 11am - 5pm

Hope to see you there.

Berwick Exhibition

Walls and Bridges - 150th Year commemoration of the death of Robert Stephenson

As part of the Stephenson 150th anniversary festival, commemorating the life and work of Robert Stephenson, the Gymnasium Gallery in Berwick-upon-Tweed will be hosting an exhibition on the theme of Walls and Bridges. The exhibition will include selected contemporary artworks by local, national and international artists inspired by the architecture of the town. The Gymnasium Gallery is located on Berwick-upon-Tweed’s walled Ramparts in a town with four distinctive bridges. I have been invited to submit four large canvases for the exhibition. As a cityscape painter, I am very interested in the iconic scenery of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in particular the bridges and the red rooftops. And this forms the basis of the proposed paintings. As with the attached incomplete picture, the four paintings are in progress and will (hopefully!) be finished by the end of the month, ready for the exhbition which runs from the 7th October.

7th - 24th October 2009 Wednesday - Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Proximity II

I've fallen behind on keeping the blog updated, so here I am overloading it with posts!
I haven't been working much with concrete lately, as I've been concentrating more on painting and turning art into money. The picture above is of my most recent concrete piece, 'Proximity II'. I made it as aprt of an exhibition with the theme 'Sustainable Environments', but I ended up putting some other work in the exhibition, as this piece was too heavy to hang on a wall that wasen't strong enough to take it. Its size is 60 x 35.5 x 3.5cm. As its a wall piece filled with holes, it also comes with concrete forms that fill the holes, so the background wall doesn't show through.
The sculpture explores overcrowding within a cityscape, where too little personal space is being shared by too many people. The hollow forms in the concrete represent reduced human spaces overlapping one another. I was also interested in the research of E. T. Hall, who introduced the term proxemics, to investigate people's use of personal space. Hence the title of the piece

Holy Island

I got carried away painting Holy Island recently, and am presently working on painting no.4. If the 4th works out well, I may get a print done. Each time I've finished a painting of the island, I've been driven to paint a different version, whilst remaining quite similar compositionally. Its really just a change in atmosphere, whilst trying to improve and have a better understanding of the subject matter. It's unusual for me to repeat a theme like this, as it would normally drive me mad. I usually like to be done with a view, and move on to something else before I get bored. I think I'll stop at four for now, perhaps come back at a later date. Take a look at the website at www.jimedwardspaintings.com to see the different versions I've been working on.

Print

I'm beginning to put together a collection of prints, taken from my favourite, most recent paintings. The most recent is 'Free Trade View II', is a small run of 145 prints. If you're interested in this print or another one, and want more information or even want to purchase online, then take a look at my website:
www.jimedwardspaintings.com

Newcastle Artists Society Launch Show

Richard Ling Gallery
14 Lansdown Terrace
Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne

01 August - 30 September 2009

I'm presently exhibiting some of my paintings, along with other artists from the Newcastle Artists Society, at the Richard Ling gallery in Gosforth. Had a great opening preview last night (1st August), and sold a few prints. And hopefully some paintings will go over the next month. For more information visit
http://www.newcastleartistssociety.com

www.jimedwardspaintings.com

Ive updated my website, so take a look at
www.jimedwardspaintings.com
I was having a few problems with the last set up, but I will be able to update this one more effectively, take contact information from those who are interested in my work, and even make sales online.

Sustainable Environments

Grid XXIV


Grid XXIII

Sustainable Environments
Mushroom Works, Newcastle Upon Tyne

6th June - 11 July 2009

With World Environment day taking place on 5th June, Mushroom Works presents an exhibition which asks, should designers, makers and artists consider the environmental, sustainable and ethical concerns of modern day society within their work?

Good design, within and of our buildings and homes, is an important way forward in addressing the environmental challenges of today. Too much waste, not enough energy, too many people, not enough resources, complaints and worries we all hear.

I will be exhibiting 2 new abstract canvases for this latest exhibition, continuing on the 'Grid' series. These paintings are very much based on the urban environment whilst holding onto the roots of abstraction. The paintings for the exhibition will explore overcrowding within a cityscape, where too little personal space is being shared by too many people. The blocks forms in the paintings represent reduced human spaces overlapping one another.

1st Quarter III

Above the Oxo Tower

Quayside I

For a while now my cityscape paintings have been dominated by heavy, bold lines. In my new series of paintings, I've attempted to reduce the heavy lines, to not be controlled by it. And where the lines become broken and less fussy, there's a more interesting play between the blocks of colour.

Concrete Block

There is mean't to be lots of blocks of varying sizes, but I had to leave it at just one. It's relatively large and heavy, and took alot of bags of concrete to make, so space in the studio would be an issue. But it doesn't work aswell by itself. I was too impatient to make it hollow, and so it's a solid block. I underestimated the amount of concrete I would need to fill the space, and completely ran out. So to bulk it up I filled it with 2 tins of tomato soup! Not for any Warhol reason, it was the only thing in the studio that I didn't mind loosing in a giant block of concrete. At least it's always there for an emergency if I'm ever a starving artist, I can always crack it open and have a feed!

Quarry I

I've always had a fascination with opencast mines and quarries. I grew up near several in Wales, which I explored as a child. There's something amazing about the manmade marks made to a landscape on such a huge scale, almost like an inverted sculpture or building. I love the 'Manufactured Landscape' photography of Edward Burtynsky, and recently came across a book of his on Quarries.
This wasen't directly in response to this book, but more in response to wanting to dig out the contents of a plaster block (with concrete on the bottom). I'm obsessed with digging holes in the sand whenever I go to the beach, and this was similar in some way.

Newcastle VI

I've been away from the blog for a while. It's about time I uploaded some images of the paintings and sculptures I've been up to.

More Concrete Grids

This is a practice piece for something I've got planned, which I'm hoping to try out soon.

London Stretch

Newcastle I

Grid V

Grid XII

Take the 3rd Left

Half an Hour Wait

High Level Bridge

Above the Bridges II

Another concrete Grid

I've finished playing with concrete, for a while. Returning to the paint with some fresh ideas. I've got some other ideas for concrete, which I shall put on the backburner for now. Got a couple of commissions to get through first.

Sequential Plot

Sequential Plot, painted a few years ago, based on thumbnail sketch (see below).

Thumbnail sketch

Here's the initial sketch for the triptych painting 'Somewhere'.



This reminds me... I need to do a painting of the thumbnail at the top of the page. I painted the other a couple of years back.

Grid I

The 1st of The Grid paintings. It's turning out to be a long series, mainly because I keep coming up with good/new related ideas.

Grid in concrete

I'm mean't to be painting chubby bridges or something. Something constructive that I can sell. But at the minute, all I want to do is play with concrete. I'm having a Richard Drefuss moment (Close Encounter..), and I'm driven to do my abstract 'GRID' ideas in concrete. It's trying to tell me something, to go somewhere, and it's not Devils Tower! Maybe NY? I'm enjoying doing something sculptural, for a change, something that involves alot of process. I've been working on some other things, which I will put on the blog over the next few days (if they're any good).

Somewhere Triptych

I Went to an Investment bankers yesterday,to photograph an old painting of mine they had on their boardroom wall. It was the first large (triptych) I painted, back in 2002. Part of a solo exhibition I had at the Biscuit factory. It was my first attempt at abstracting the cityscape, based on a thumbnail sketch I did in Amsterdam. (I will have to try and find it). I was interested in the markmaking in the initial sketch, and was trying to reinterpret those marks in paint. Not the best splicing together of 3 seperate images. The stretchers have bowed a bit, since I painted them, and dont align so well anymore.

Grid XX

I'm juggling with a few ideas for new abstract paintings, continuing with the 'Grid' series. I've even been experimenting with different media, including more sculptural forms (cement and plaster). Partly inspired by Natalie Bells sculptures, who I just happen to be in a relationship with (and share a studio). I will try and remember to take some photos of my experimentations, and upload them. Maybe tommorrow.

Gateshead

I've finally put the finishing touches to an epic four panelled painting (polyptych), commissioned by Gateshead council. Measuring 50 x 160'', it took the best part of two months to paint, and it stretched from one end of the studio to the other.
It's my own interpretation of Gateshead, featuring familiar landmarks from the Shipley Gallery to the Tyne Bridge and Newcastle in the background. As with all of my cityscape paintings, the composition is worked out from memory. Certain buildings are altered, moved or forgotten, giving the painting a unique perspective.
Over the next month, Gateshead Council will be unveiling the painting in their newly refurbished 'Bridge Room', at the Civic Centre.

timeforfrida

Monday, February 23, 2009
Jim Edwards

Born in Bangor, Wales (UK). Studied at (BA HONS) Norwich School of Art and Design, UK.
Paints full time in Newcastle Upon Tyne, the city which is the main focus of his paintings.

Jim Edwards' work falls into two genres, contemporary cityscapes and abstract paintings inspired by manmade forms and buildings. Both styles follow a theme of architecturally inspired structures and dominating linear form.
Edwards' cityscape paintings are not studies from life, nor is he trying to capture a particular viewpoint or moment in time. His paintings have their origin in memory, how he remembers the workings and landmarks of the city, rather than a strightforward representation. The compositions evolve from a combination of imagination and selective memory, which are then altered and exaggerated. Certain buildings are forgotten, or simplified, creating a personal view of the city.
This personal impression of cityscapes often runs into his more abstract work, where the block shapes he paints represent manmade forms, rooms and human spaces. These combine with connecting lines, suggesting marks within a landscape, pathways linking seperate constructs.
Posted by KV Abbott at 3:41 AM 0 comments
Labels: Jim Edwards, KV Abbott TIMEFORFRIDA

timeforfrida

timeforfrida


Thanks again Kevin for featuring me as a 'guest artist' on your blog.

Grid XXII (diptych)

Three Newcastle Bridges, Revisited

Just starting to get my head around this, I will get the hang of it eventually.