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UID:8548@artinliverpool.com
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London;VALUE=DATE:20240402
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London;VALUE=DATE:20240421
DTSTAMP:20240325T140049Z
URL:https://www.artinliverpool.com/events/arthouse-gallery-abstract-connec
 tions/
SUMMARY:ArtHouse Gallery: ArtHouse Gallery: Abstract Connections
DESCRIPTION:“Abstract Connections”\n\nAngela Hill - Tracy Aston – Man
 dy Bevington\n\nArtHouse\, 65 Eastbank Street\, Southport\, Merseyside\
 , PR8 1EJ\n\n2nd - 20th April 2024\n\nDuring April\, three impressive l
 ocal artists will be showcasing their inventive creations in a new exhibit
 ion at the ArtHouse in Southport under the collective heading\, ‘Abst
 ract Connections’.\n\nAngela Hill\, Tracy Aston and Mandy Bevington are 
 all members of Southport Contemporary Arts.  Each exploiting similar prin
 ciples to create their own work\, it seemed a natural outcome that the thr
 ee artists should come together to hold a joint celebration of their diver
 se artistic abilities. All three love playing with shapes\, line\, space\,
  movement and colour\, but because they each work in a different way\, the
 ir exhibition is full of excitement and variation.\n\nA member of SCA for 
 nearly a year\, Angela is always keen to share her talent with fellow arti
 sts: “Over the years I have dabbled using many different kinds of media
  and wanted to meet others who felt the same”.\n\nDespite her lifelong e
 nthusiasm for Art\, Angela only recently found the time to reignite her in
 terests: “When COVID found us all in lock down\, it gave me the excuse 
 to try again and pick up a paintbrush. Well anything but a paintbrush to b
 e honest since I enjoy experimenting and finding new ways to make marks on
  a canvas”.\n\nAngela’s use of unorthodox methods to achieve her artwo
 rk is demonstrated in the composition ‘All Tied Up’: “It was creat
 ed using a trowel. I loved the dragging effect which unconsciously made th
 e paint look like rows of men’s ties.”\n\nUsually taking her inspirati
 on from Nature and Music\, Angela’s output is mainly abstract: “My pa
 ssion is for painting and more often than not there’s more paint on me t
 han the canvas.  I use acrylics most of the time but also enjoy using pas
 tels and pencils”.\n\nThe timeless jazz ballad\, ‘Cry Me A River’\,
  provided the motivation for another experimental artwork: “Blues and g
 reens are my favourite choice of colour. I pulled an old debit card throug
 h dripped paint to create the effect I wanted.”\n\nAlso a recent member 
 of SCA\, Tracy Aston\, is similarly enjoying the creative environment: 
 “Although I don’t have any formal qualifications in Art\, I have taken
  a couple of excellent online courses and am learning more from being able
  to mix with other artists at SCA. I’m a huge fan of Mid-Century Modern 
 design. That definitely comes through in my work. I love high contrast in 
 tone and colour\, and movement is a key aspect for me\, perhaps reflecting
  the fact that I’m rarely still!”\n\n‘That Twirl of Excitement’ r
 eflects Tracy’s love of the clean\, simple lines typical of Mid Century 
 Modern: “The title refers to the feeling I had once it got to a certain
  stage and I was adding finishing touches. Sometimes\, you feel you’re h
 eading in a direction but you’re not certain of exactly how you’re goi
 ng to get there or what it will look like when you do. The excitement came
  with the recognition that I’d arrived somewhere I wanted to stay for a 
 while…so I’m still exploring in this way\, which means starting with a
  background and a wandering line and then seeing where that can take me”
 .\n\nTracy’s digital composition\, ‘Tropic’\, was created during an
  on-line course – ‘Explore Florals’ - with commercial designer\, V
 ictoria Johnson: “During research for the course I was enjoying looking
  at leaf shapes as much as flowers and wanted to make something purely wit
 h leaves. I created this on an iPad with an excellent programme called ‘
 Procreate’. I worked in layers\, drawing different leaves on each layer 
 and then playing with the blending mode\, which has surprising effects I w
 asn’t expecting. I played with this until I came to this arrangement and
  these colours. I really like the transparency effect too. Playing is defi
 nitely the best way to learn”.\n\nTextile designer/maker\, Mandy Bevingt
 on\, primarily works with wool and yarn\, using both traditional and conte
 mporary techniques: “I enjoy creating pattern that is visually exciting
  but also tactile. It delights me to see people want to feel the texture i
 n my work”\n\nSimilarly addicted when growing up – “as a young chil
 d you would always find me drawing” – Mandy was later able to fulfil 
 her artistic ambitions: “After raising my children\, I had this ‘need
 ’ to use my creativeness further.  I pushed myself and enrolled back to
  Southport College and took a Foundation Course that then enabled me to en
 rol at University of Central Lancashire to undertake a Textile degree”.\
 n\nMandy’s first attempts using a handheld tufting gun resulted in an Ax
 minster wool rug\, ‘Urban Pattern’\, that incorporated the architectu
 re she saw on a university trip out to Portugal. For her final degree coll
 ection – ‘Dorothy’s Life in Pattern’ - Mandy used a muse closer 
 to home: “The inspiration for the collection was my grandmother and her
  belongings that I inherited from her.”\n\nMandy’s process always begi
 ns with drawing – pencil or digital – that is further developed utilis
 ing paint and collage before arriving at its eventual textural translation
  using either punch needle or a tufting gun.\n\n“Until I started univers
 ity\, I had never heard of\, let alone used\, a tufting gun.  It’s now 
 five years since I first picked up the tufting gun and to this very day\, 
 I still have the same feeling of excitement when I peer round my frame to 
 see how my piece is coming along.  And of course I just have to reach out
  and touch it.”\n\n“Abstract Connections” will be on view at the 
 ArtHouse\, Eastbank Street\, Southport from 2nd - 20th April 2024.  On 
 13th April there will be a ‘Meet the Artist’ opportunity where the 
 three artists will be explaining their practice.  Certainly not one to be
  missed\, the gallery is open Tuesday – Friday 10.00-15.00.  Saturday
  11.00-16.00.
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artinliverpool.com/wp-content/upload
 s/2024/03/Tracy-Aston-That-Twirl-of-Excitement-scaled.jpg
CATEGORIES:Exhibitions
LOCATION:ArtHouse Gallery\, 65 Eastbank Street\, Southport\, Sefton\, PR81E
 J\, Southport\, United Kingdom
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