Hello everyone!

April has been a busy month for me...

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At the end of March I put the finishing touches to the Easter Candle sculpture for Union Chapel. I addressed the congregation on Easter Sunday, to talk about how the sculpture was made, and the different meanings behind the felt symbols that I'd embroidered onto the cloth. The eggs were blown and decorated at the Open Wednesday art sessions at the chapel, and I included symbols of flowers, birds and rabbits for spring, as well as the Babylonian Goddess Ishtar, amongst the traditional symbols of the Easter Candle - the cross, alpha and omega, five grains of incense and the year - 2018. Many thanks to Vaughan and Karen at Union Chapel for making this happen, and their ongoing help and support.

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I'm very happy to tell you that the art drop ins on Wednesdays at Union Chapel now take place every week, with the launch of The Culture Cafe. Come and discover magical music, fabulous food and art activities, in wonderful surroundings every Wednesday between 11am and 2pm.

Union Chapel is on Compton Terrace in Islington, London, N1 2UN. Art activities are free, with materials provided. I hope to see you there soon!

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For the next few weeks we will be exploring spring, making craft flowers out of paper. These will be displayed at the summer fete in Compton Gardens on Sunday 10th of June, midday - 4pm.

And on Sunday May 20th I'm having a pay what you like studio sale. Come and grab a bargain!  Send an email to vox@joart.info for more information.

I'm super pleased and excited that my painting "Croc Monsieur" was selected for the Animalia exhbition at KI Europe. More details soon!

Meanwhile, here's a detail of the painting:

Hello everyone,

I hope you are doing well and have survived the arctic conditions, moving swiftly into spring!

I'm delighted to be running a new free course at Besson Street Community Garden for the Telegraph Hill Festival and NXG Trust.

If you haven't been to Besson Street, it's a lovely space in New Cross Gate, a little oasis of calm in our dear city, and well worth a visit. For more information on Besson Street Community Garden go here: http://www.nxgtrust.org.uk/

Taking the garden as inspiration we will explore artists who have been inspired by nature and gardens, such as, Monet, Matisse and Maria Sybilla Merian. There will be demonstrations and practical exercises.

Inspired by these artists, we will work in the garden, using creativity, abstraction and poetry as inspiration to create unique works.

Materials will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring along materials that they enjoy working with if they wish.

To book a place, go here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creating-art-inspired-by-the-garden-tickets-42895794476

Happy new year to you for 2018!

There are places still available on my Still Life Artists course starting this Tuesday, January 9th.

The course runs for 10 weeks every Tuesday morning, from 10am - 1pm.

We will be looking at a different still life artist each week, and then working from an arrangement inspired by their work. Starting with Patrick Caulfield on Tuesday, there will be lots of interesting artists to explore, and plenty of practical help and advice for developing your artistic style.

Phone 0207 639 6818 to reserve your place, or:

Call in to enrol on Tuesday morning at the Thomas Calton Centre, Choumert Road, Peckham SE15 4NX. It's £120 for the 10 weeks, £60 concessions.

For more info follow this link: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/schools-and-education/adult-learning/our-courses/creative-leisure-and-health-courses/art

And on Wednesday this week - Jan 10th - I will be exploring the history of candle making and how to make candles, at the Open Wednesday art drop in at Union Chapel. The chapel is in Islington, on Compton Terrace, N1 2UN, very near to Highbury and Islington station.

Pop in, between 11am and 1pm, to make your own candle to light up January and bring good cheer for the new year! We'll be making candles form scratch, including the wicks, using all natural materials -  beeswax, herbs, rose petals, and essential oils. It's free, and all materials are provided.

​Also at Union Chapel, I'll be running a unique five model life drawing class on Sunday March 4th, 6 - 9pm. Tickets are now available, and cost £20, follow this link for more information or to book: https://store.unionchapel.org.uk/events/2018-03-04-five-alive-life-drawing-at-the-chapel-union-chapel

On February 18th, I will be collaborating with artist Caroline Gregory, as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations in Soho​. Save the date! More info to follow nearer the time.

With love and best wishes - Joanna

Hello everyone!

Are you looking for a unique last minute Christmas gift?

Why not give the gift of art?

My 15 week life drawing evening class starts in February - 7-9pm, on Mondays, at Thomas Calton Centre in Peckham SE15.

Also in Peckham, my Still Life Artists course will start on Tuesday January 9th, with a free drop in on January 2nd.

These classes run from 10am - 1pm, and each week we will explore a still life artist in depth.

Then we will try out different practical art techniques, working from an arrangement inspired by the artist explored.

We will be looking at contemporary as well as more traditional artists - from Cezanne to Patrick Caulfield - there is sure to be something interesting for you!

For more information go here:

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/schools-and-education/adult-learning/our-courses/creative-leisure-and-health-courses/art

And last but not least, my Five Alive life drawing session at Union Chapel Bar in Islington will happen again on Sunday March 4th, from 6-9pm. With five models, music, and drinks available to purchase from the bar, it's a snip at £20!

To book please follow this link: https://store.unionchapel.org.uk/events/afa0c890-c955-0135-e439-2e857e902c2b

 

Hello!

Tomorrow evening, Friday December 8th, it would be lovely to see you at The Golden Anchor pub in Nunhead, for Mind Your Head. A magical evening of art, music and film, curated by Caroline Gregory and Calum F. Kerr:

I'll be singing at 8, so don't be late!

Then on Sunday, come and find some festive treats on my table, at Barnado's The Triangle Craft Fair:

I'll be sharing a table with artist Dick Graham.

And next Sunday - December 17th - the artwork Shrine to the Seasons will be on display at Union Chapel in Islington, N1 2UN, for Carols by Candlelight.

These 5 contemporary icons are the culmination of a year's work at the Open Wednesday sessions at the Chapel, where I have been working with members of the public, making art on the theme of the seasons.

Doors open at 6pm. The event is very popular, so be sure to get there early! For more information follow this link:

​https://store.unionchapel.org.uk/events/2017-12-17-carols-by-candlelight-union-chapel

​I look forward to seeing you! With love and best wishes - Joanna.

Hello everyone,

Lots of life drawing to choose from this November!

Marathon Life Drawing is a two day course taking place on two consecutive Saturdays at The Thomas Calton Centre in Peckham SE15, on Nov 4th and 11th:

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​http://www.southwark.gov.uk/schools-and-education/adult-learning


The course runs all day from 10am to 4pm on both Saturdays Nov. 4th and November 11th, and is priced very reasonably at only £40 standard, £20 concessions.
You must bring your own paper and whatever mediums you want to use. We provide the drawing boards and easels. There will be a mixture of poses, both short and longer ones, and the opportunity to learn different exercises and techniques. I will be teaching the class on Nov. 4th, and my colleague Rebecca Allen will be teaching it on Nov. 11th, so it's a great opportunity to experience different teaching styles!

You can email me if you have any questions: vox@joart.info

Or phone the centre on 0207358 2100

There is also a £5 registration fee for taking courses at the centre. 

My Monday evening class at the Thomas Calton Centre also has places available. It runs from 7-9pm on Mondays. There are 11 weeks still left to run. We try out different mediums and exercises for short and long poses each week. Come along and enrol! If you want to start this evening, we are having a special Halloween theme, with hints and tips for drawing circles and spheres and learning how to tackle "negative space".​ There will be pumpkins!

On Sunday November 19th, from 6-9pm I will be running a very special one off session in the bar at Union Chapel, Compton Terrace, Islington N1. Called Five Alive!

There will be five models, acrobatic and yoga poses, feats of strength, music, paper and charcoal provided, and drinks available for purchase from the bar. The cost is £20. For more info and to book tickets go here:

https://store.unionchapel.org.uk/events/bb532870-947e-0135-696d-7a259d08b8f3

 

 

This month you will also find me at Union Chapel running my Shrine to the Seasons session, all day on Wednesday November 8th. Drop in between 11am and 1pm or 2pm and 6pm to join me in making a contemporary icon wooden panel, on the theme of winter and the moon. The sessions are free, and all materials are provided, as well as tea, coffee and biscuits! The panels will be going on display at the chapel for Christmas, and will find a permanent home there next year.

And on Saturday November 25th from 6-9pm, I will be at the Hill Trader's annual Christmas Market, selling homemade bath salts, cards, watercolours and oil paintings. Come along to find an unusual Christmas gift, drink some mulled wine, eat a pie, or just have a look and a mingle. The Hill Trader cafe is situated on Kitto Road, at the top of Telegraph Hill, near the lovely Telegraph Hill Park, SE14 5TW.

 

 

And finally, here is a picture of one of my Boudieware Cake Smash Crash cakes that was on show at Vanya Balogh's Q Park car park exhibition The Crash, that took place during Frieze week, earlier this month. Thanks to Vanja Karas for the photo:

 

 

And thanks to Sarah Sparkes for this pic. of me with the cakes:

 

 

The cake shapes are cast in plaster from plastic food packaging, and decorated with broken toys, glass, crockery, beads, edible glitter and ephemera, discarded, found or salvaged from everyday life. The work was inspired by Boudieware - a little known eighteenth century craft technique and form of upcycling, from the North East of England. The sculptures reference environmental concerns, waste and value, indulgence, decorative aesthetics and beauty, the links between cooking and art, our English heritage and lost crafts. They are a development from my live art interaction "Cake Smash" and my Nippy Maid Vox Chocs work.

​Happy Halloween!!!

With love and best wishes - Joanna