Wednesday 30 November 2016

Hello everyone,




I am very pleased and excited to be taking part in Big Deal Number 7,Space 2016, curated by Vanya Balogh. I'll be showing my Spacestronaughts - representations of The Sun in human form, and my Cosmic Dogs - manifestations of The Universe in canine form. The opening is tomorrow evening, 6 - 9pm, and I hope to see you there! If you can't make the opening party, I will be there next Thursday, December 8th, in the morning...All details in the invitation below, and here...www.deal-big.biz







On December 2nd I will be teaching day one of my Exploring Imaginative work and Visualisation course for Southwark Adult Learning Services. It's a two day course, December 2nd and December 9th, 10am - 5.30pm, at Thomas Calton Centre in Peckham. Learn how to unlock your imaginative talent, and how to transfer your ideas from the mists of your mind into drawings and paintings on paper.

More info here:




​This Sunday December 4th you will find me celebrating Christmas in Bermondsey, with Frog Morris and Alice Renouf. Come along and join the fun! Make a Christmas Crown, elf, or fairy for the top of the tree, and join the Christmas procession. The Blue Christmas takes place at The Blue Market Square from 12 til 5pm, and is supported by BID.



With love and best wishes - Joanna

Tuesday 13 September 2016

Invitations for tomorrow and Thursday, and some Moons...







Dear Everyone,
Tomorrow you will find me at Union Chapel running a drop in art workshop for their open coffee morning.

Every Wednesday morning Union Chapel open their doors for people to come and enjoy a range of activities, or just have a look around and view the incredible architecture.

I run the art session every second Wednesday of the month, from 11am - Midday. September's theme will be hot colours for Autumn. I hope to see you there!

More information here:


http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/visiting/see-the-building/#Open%20Wednesdays

Earlier in the month I teamed up with Neil Ellis from Brilliant Neon for the art gallery upstairs at Cass Art in Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey.
Our exhibition, Under the Sea, finishes on Friday this week.

I am hosting a finnissage closing party on Thursday afternoon - September 15th - 3.30 - 5.30pm. The address is Cass Art, 103 Clarence Street, KT1 1NW. Come along and see some of my new oil paintings, bask in Neil's neon lights and have a glass or two to drink.
And last Saturday Alice Renouf and I performed our Moontime Sing Sing singing moons for Frog Morris's Bermondsey Folk Festival at Bermondsey Blue market. Daren Callow took some lovely photos:

Friday 26 August 2016

​Hello everyone!
Please join me for drinks and snacks this Friday 2nd of September, 6 yil 9pm, at Cass Arts in Kingston, Surrey, 103 Clarence Street KT1 1NW for the opening of my new exhibition Under the Sea. 
It's really easy to get to Kingston, just a few stops on the train from Waterloo or Clapham Junction, and the shop is a very short walk from the station.
All the details are below, as well as some lovely photos by Nicole Mollett of the Snake Cake sculpture at Milton's Cottage, made in collaboration with Frog Morris, Martha and Ruby, last month. Curated by Kelly O'Reilly.
With love and best wishes - Joanna


"The holder of the blue rose will have her wishes granted."
A blue rose is a flower of the genus Rosa (family Rosaceae) that presents blue to violet pigmentation. 

In literature and art it is a symbol of love and prosperity, the impossible or the unattainable. Since the blue rose is a rarity in nature, it stands for something that is hardly within one's grasp, an object(ive) that seems too difficult to achieve.
​ ​
Thus​,​ the blue rose is admired and revered as an unachievable dream. It also expresses love at first sight, royal majesty and splendour.

One of the motif's in Joanna McCormick's oil paintings, vibrant blue roses dance across the canvas, sharing space with butterflies, sea monsters, sailors​ and mermaids.

Joanna's work snatches inspiration from retro imagery and texts from poetry and song lyrics. Victorian scrap books and medieval chap books, wallpaper and textile designs. William Morris and Sanderson. Old photographs, such as those found in "We are the people" - Tom Philips' exhibition of postcards at the V&A.

These elements are painted in oil on canvas, with vibrant colours, using a broad range of techniques. From free scumbling translucent brushwork, to intensely fine lined detail drawn in paint onto flat colours across the canvas.

Weaving historical and political narratives into a wonderland fairytale world, that viewers are encouraged to freely interpret and create their own story from.

Under the Sea - For this exhibition at Cass Arts in Kingston, Surrey, KT1 1NW, ​September 2nd  - September 16th 2016, interdisciplinary artist Joanna McCormick shows her paintings alongside Neil Ellis's Brilliant Neon, to create an installation that shines with vibrant colour and light.

The opening party on Friday September 2nd, 6-9pm, will be a musical dance extravaganza featuring Alice Labant and Gordon D. Raeburn.
Gordon's musical response on the bagpipes takes as its starting point the song Under the Sea. Weaving into this snippets and essences of hornpipes such as Crossing the Minch, Tam Bain's Lum and Little Beggar Man.

Alice Labant's contemporary dance movement research Current Biopsy, is a score based solo exploration of the components and mechanisms of the body. It explores the body's underlying kinaesthetic power of expression and examines volumes, gravity, fluids, cells, core bones and surfaces, and how these relate to water and currents of energy. Investigating and fishing for notions of spiral, tides and density.

The exhibition and performance is an experiment with spatial variations, and sits between disciplines. Exploring notions of materiality, repetition and how motifs and themes relate and interact across formats.

The anchor, the lobster, hearts, birds, words and rainbows.

The show connects personal and political impulses and transgresses boundaries to create an innovative and collaborative, bright and evocative installation.

Joanna McCormick is an interdisciplinary artist who has exhibited widely both in the UK and abroad. She has worked as artist in residence for organisations such as Westminster Arts, The Holly Lodge Centre at The Royal Parks at Richmond and the National Trust.

She has shown work at The Venice Biennalle as part of Vanya Balogh's Fall of the Rebel Angels - 2015.

Joanna has devised and delivered many live art interactions. For example with Sarah Sparkes for Chutney Preserves and Frog Morris for The Royal Academy of Arts.

Joanna paints and draws in oils, watercolour, pastel, pen, pencil and charcoal, and also makes sculptural objects linked to her live art practice. Joanna teaches art classes at The Thomas Calton Centre in Peckham, for Southwark Adult Learning, and runs a regular art drop in session at Union Chapel every second Wednesday of the month.


Born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Gordon D. Raeburn started dancing at an early age before studying at Trinity Laban, gaining a BA in Contemporary Dance and an MA in Dance performance, and is now a freelance performer.

Recent performances include 'Impronte' in Rome choreographed by Barbara Greco, 'Spun Through Shadows, choreographed by Thea Stanton and 'Stab' in Singapore choreographed by Peter Gn. 

As well as performing, Gordon is part of the Swallowsfeet collective, the team behind organising and curating the annual Swallowsfeet festival in Brighton, his main role is choreographing the collective.

Being a musician also, music is often involved in his projects, playing the bagpipes, harmonica and piano.


Alice Labant was born in France where she trained at the Conservatoire de Musique et de Danse of La  Rochelle. In 2014 she graduated with a First Class Degree in Contemporary Dance from Trinity Laban and won the Marion North Award for Outstanding Achievement in Performance. Based in London she has since performed for Charles Linehan, Marina Collard, Vania Gala and Jayne Port amongst others.  Alice has strong interest in other art fields, working in collaboration with jewellery designers, theatre directors, visual artists, video makers and musicians in Germany, Holland, Switzerland and France. Since early 2016, she has been part of Medeber Teatro in London and collaborates with Elia Patrizi in Berlin while developing her own creative research.


Brilliant Neon Ltd are a London startup, based in vibrant Peckham​, ​
designing and retailing bespoke neon at affordable prices. Our ethos is that we want everyone to be able to enjoy the beauty, craftsmanship and fun that traditional glass neon lighting can offer.
  
Our collection has been creatively constructed with a desire to spread happiness through artworks that bring a smile and embrace a sense of fun. The retro feel of neon in a modernist setting offers the fusion of vintage with cutting edge designs. 

Inspired by vintage signs of Soho and Las Vegas, our talented craftsmen are able to skillfully mould glass neon into our original contemporary designs producing a beautiful level of lighting through illuminated colours that would enhance any interior. 

Our neon signs work well in both home and business settings, so regardless of whether you have a large or small space that you want to brighten up, we are sure there is a neon to meet your needs and budget.

As well as offering our own unique range, we are able to create bespoke neons in a range of colours, fonts and sizes.


Under the Sea runs from September 2nd to September 16th 2016.
At Cass Arts in Kingston, Surrey. 103 Clarence Street KT1 1NW.
Opening party with live art musical performance on Friday September 2nd 6-9pm.

And here is the Snake Cake, from Art in the Garden, at Milton's Cottage:











 





Monday 25 July 2016

Hello everyone,
Tomorrow - Tuesday July 26th - I will be taking part in Art in the Garden at Milton's Cottage:
Frog Morris and I will be making a Snake Cake inedible sculptural delicacy, ably assisted by Martha and Ruby. Come along and sprinkle some glitter!


Directions
Chalfont St Giles is just off the A413, between Amersham and Chalfont St Peter.  There is a free car park adjacent to Milton’s Cottage.

Chalfont & Latimer (Metropolitan line & Chiltern Railways) or Gerrards Cross (Chiltern Railways) stations are both approximately 3 miles from Milton's Cottage. 

Taxis from the station can be booked in advance from Chalfont Taxis (01494 875522 / 01494 875000) or Clover Taxis (01494 763838) and the latter also has an office at the carpark side of Chalfont & Latimer station.  The fare is £8 and if you would like to arrange a taxi share then please contact Kelly O'Reilly on 07941125901.

And here is a photo from The Camberwell Beauty at the grand opening of Camberwell Green the Saturday before last. For SE5 Forum: http://www.se5forum.org.uk/
and The Camberwell Society:http://www.camberwellsociety.org.uk/




Have a super summer and see you soon!

Friday 17 June 2016


Hello!
Here is a picture of my Camberwell Beauty Butterfly from Camberwell Arts Week last week:

I'll be at the farmer's market on Datchelor Place tomorrow - Saturday June 18th - from 10am til 2pm. Find me fluttering around near the SE5 Forum's stall.
https://sites.google.com/a/se5forum.org.uk/news/


And this Sunday, 19th, I will be at The Camberwell Society's Open Gardens from ​2 - 5pm:



Come and collect a paper butterfly, and share your Camberwell memory with me!
With love and best wishes Joanna

Friday 10 June 2016

Hello everyone!

Last Saturday I was a singing mermaid for a series of events at The Bermondsey Blue market:



I was handing out free fishy facts about Bermondsey's rich cultural history. Curated by Frog Morris and featured in The Londonist: http://londonist.com/2016/05/meet-a-mermaid-and-a-lion-in-bermondseyhttp://londonist.com/2016/05/meet-a-mermaid-and-a-lion-in-bermondsey

Tomorrow there will be free cake!

But I won't be there, because I'll be manifesting as The Camberwell Beauty Butterfly in Camberwell, between 10am and 2pm, for the opening of Camberwell Arts Week.


On Sunday June 26th I'll be at the Union Chapel summer fair, from midday, offering butterfly painting, badge and hat making activities. Come and join in! http://store.unionchapel.org.uk/about/events/26-jun-16-union-chapel-summer-fete-union-chapel/http://store.unionchapel.org.uk/about/events/26-jun-16-union-chapel-summer-fete-union-chapel/

Last month my friend Debbie Elliott made a lovely film about my work, and I'm currently showing some paintings in an exhibition that she curated for Eltham Library, it's on until the end of June. Details of the Library are here: http://www.better.org.uk/venues/eltham-library http://www.better.org.uk/venues/eltham-library

 You can find the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzRL87wBWtU&app=desktop
My next most exciting project is happening in September in Kingston. I'll be showing some of my paintings alongside some works of art in neon, by Brilliant Neon, in a super space above Cass Art.

There will be singing, dancing and bagpipes at the opening, so it's not to be missed! More information in due course...
in the meantime, happy sunny summer days!

With love and best wishes - Joanna

Sunday 15 May 2016

HELLO... here are some pictures of work made by participants at my regular Open Wednesday sessions at Union Chapel. The drop in art sessions take place on the second Wednesday of every month, from 10am - 12pm in the chapel. They are open to everyone, and we explore different themes, from springtime and colour, making flowers from newspaper and tissue paper, to watercolour, collage and egg tempera. These sessions are part of the regular weekly coffee mornings at Union Chapel in Islington, for more information follow this link: 

http://store.unionchapel.org.uk/events/18-may-16-open-wednesday-union-chapel/

I hope you enjoy the artworks here and that you will join me at a session one day!


















Monday 11 April 2016

Hello everyone!
I will be running a drop in art session at Union Chapel as part of their outreach coffee morning this Wednesday April 13th, from 10am until midday.
The sessions are free, the entrance to Union Chapel is on Compton Terrace, the nearest station is Highbury and Islington.

More information here: http://store.unionchapel.org.uk/events/13-apr-16-open-wednesday-union-chapel/


 Thanks to Alice Solantania Saga for this picture

 I hope to see you there!​


And here is a photo taken by Daren Callow, of my Mermaid Song mini performance for Search Party last month:




With love and best wishes Joanna

Wednesday 16 March 2016






Hello everyone!
I am very pleased and excited to be taking part in Search Party, this Sunday March 20th.

Search Party is a treasure hunt in search of… a secret party!  4 routes, 4,000 free tickets and 1 secret party – if you can find it. Organised by Sing London.   

This Sunday, March 20th, for one day only, London’s pocket parks, squares and piazzas will be transformed into an immersive green playground. 

Four trails of clues and capers will lead and mislead participants through hidden gardens, secret squares and side streets.


Participants will need to collaborate, take risks and interact with strangers as they make their way through 2 miles of London’s open spaces.
En route, they’ll find themselves solving riddles, taking taste tests and even herding sheep.   Each solved clue yields part of the party address.  Clues have been commissioned by artists, actors, gardeners, bakers and magicians.  50 volunteers will line the route, helping perplexed searchers get back on track - or to trick them off course… 

Search Party is a free event but places are strictly limited.
Pre-registration required:

www.eventbrite.com/e/search-party-registration-21781936358
Search Party is suitable for all ages. There is a "mini route", specially designed for children.
I will be manifesting as a Mermaid, and I hope to see you there!



Meanwhile, I've been teaching art courses at The Thomas Calton Centre in Peckham, through Southwark Adult Learning Services. The centre is on Choumert Road, just off Rye Lane, nearest station Peckham Rye.
 
Come and enjoy my courses in Life Drawing, Still Life Drawing and Painting, or Exploring Creativity. Start from scratch and learn new skills, or hone, cement and progress the skills that you already have. Enrolment week starts on April 18th, and courses begin in the last week of April.
Courses run for 10 or 15 weeks, and my Art Extravaganza summer course is for 3 consecutive days in July.

There's also Marathon Life Drawing on two Saturdays in a row - June 4th and 11th, from 10am til 3.30pm. This is taught in collaboration with Rebecca Allen.
More information can be found here:


 
 
 
I've also been thoroughly enjoying myself running art sessions for Union Chapel's weekly Wednesday coffee mornings.

You can find me there from 10am - 12, every second Wednesday in the month.


Union Chapel is just off Upper Street in Islington, entrance on Compton Terrace, nearest station Highbury and Islington.

On March 9th we made flower sculptures,(see above), and next month we will be making egg tempera from scratch and painting using this fine ancient medium. More info at:


http://store.unionchapel.org.
uk/events/23-mar-16-open-wednesday-union-chapel/
Finally, here is a picture of my recent oil painting commission, with Andy, its happy new owner:
 
 

With love and best wishes - Joanna