The Art of Line, currently at dot-art, is a summary of line drawing. Apart from that, there’s not much tying the work of Stu Harrison, Mike Goodwin and Charlotte Weatherstone together.
Forget the disparity in style between the three artists though, and what you’ve got is a potted collection of line in three of its most essential contemporary forms.
Charlotte Weatherstone’s prints are an eclectic mix of print and illustration, paring back their subject matter to its simplest forms.
Stu Harrison (AKA. Beastly), whose departure from the commissioned work you might be more familiar with is distinct, shows a more confident representation of his own style, outside of the work he does for others (Stu illustrated the “Liverpool says THANK YOU to our frontline heroes” flags that adorned the streets during and after the lockdowns).
Mike Goodwin’s use of line takes a few forms. From the lines of text that serve as a starting point for each work and the intricately cut mount boards showing the text as the artwork it is, to the scratchy comic illustrations, caricaturing imagined roles.
His work doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s polished and finished to a standard that should, with a style that screams of newspaper comics and propaganda posters… in a good way.
There is no visual similarity here at all, but they do offer something for everyone, and there is one unified starting point. There is so much to be gained from toying with the function of lines (in life as well as in art), so its refreshing to see three artists taking such different approaches.
As always, the work at dot-art’s Queen Avenue gallery is for sale, so its worth popping in if you’re looking for a refresh, or just fancy seeing something different.
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The Art of Line is open at dot-art until 30th March 2024
Words, Patrick Kirk-Smith
