niche edition 1 - spring 2013
DESCRIPTION
Niche is a hub for creatives and art-lovers from the Channel Islands – a platform for spreading local talent beyond our shores. We nurture creative expression, understanding, involvement, interactivity and connection. That’s our niche, what’s yours?TRANSCRIPT
www.nicheshowcase.com
Cover artwork by Peter Root
Be Creative.
It’s Free!
Be Creative.
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Be Creative.EDITION #1 • SPRING 2013
DEVELOPING
PROMOTING
Want to get involved
Visit www.arts.gg
Sponsored by:
We are here to serve you. Got a creative idea? The Guernsey Arts Commission supports individuals and organisations year-round through funding. We also support the development of the Creative Industries in Guernsey to illustrate how important this sector is in our society. And our Community Arts programme nurtures talent in all areas, island-wide.
Our team works hard to develop opportunities for artists on the island. We recently published a guide, Opportunities for Public Art, and are in the process of building an island-wide Artists’ Network. Chances to be skilled up through training in specific areas of arts delivery are also in the pipeline.
Each year, we host artists through public exhibitions in our town-centre gallery, the greenhouse. We also run the island’s biggest arts festival, Arts Sunday, with over 100 artists showcased last year alone. Our Art on the Beach event attracts hundreds of participants in getting creative in our unique environment.
SUPPORTING
Niche is a hub for creatives and art-lovers from the Channel Islands – a platform for spreading local talent beyond our shores. We nurture creative expression,
understanding, involvement, interactivity and connection. That’s our niche, what’s yours?
IN LOVING MEMORY OF PETER ROOT & MARY THOMPSON
13/2/2013
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ContentsPetra Palmeri
Henry Chung
Beth Jarrold
Theresa Anne Thomas
David Hyett
Chris Vieira
Hugh Rose
Chelsea White
Robyn Sherwell
Jasmin Ferguson
Feature:Peter Root
Film Review:The Diary of Alice Appleby
Interview:Jack De La Mare
Article:When Does Plagiarism
Become Art?
Poppy Mathews
Bianca Swan
Isle Ure
Louise Lawton
Michael Dryden
Vanessa Cranmer
Michele Horwood
David Gilliver
Leon Fleming
Lisa Gaudion
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Petra is originally from Spain and moved to Guernsey in 1999 where she worked as a general practitioner.
She is a self-taught artist and has been drawing from an early age. Petra discovered her passion for painting almost 3 years ago. She paints with different mediums but prefers to work with oils and pastels, focusing mainly on still life and Guernsey cows.
Her oil painting “Lemon tea” was published in Artists and Illustrators magazine, November 2011 issue.
In the 2011 Sarnia Arts & Crafts Club’s summer exhibition, Petra’s paintings placed 1st and 2nd in the ‘Best Paintings In Show’ category; in the 2012 exhibition her painting placed 4th.
Petra exhibited at the Coach House Gallery in December 2011 and held a solo exhibition at the Guernsey Picture Framers and Gallery in March 2012. She is currently producing more works for sale and commission.
www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/petrapalmeri
Petra Palmeri GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Niche: Painting
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industry as a CG generalist artist and to one day create his own short film or series. He draws inspiration from a variety of artists, animators and directors such as Bobby Chiu, Genndy Tartakovsky and Satoshi Kon. He feels that there is a lot that influences and informs his work, however, finds that to be true about art in general. Henry believes inspiration can be drawn from anything and everything.
hchungpbrf.wix.com/[email protected]
Henry Chung JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Niche: 3d Animation
Henry is a 2012 graduate of Animation Production from the Arts University Bournemouth, and is currently studying a Masters in 3D Animation at Bournemouth University.
He has worked on several student productions as a 3D generalist artist and as a technical director in the latest film he has worked on - ‘Cosmo’. Henry completed an internship in London as a 2D digital artist for Karrot Animation which included work as a storyboard artist. Henry’s aspirations are to work within the animation
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Beth Jarrold GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
pedal powered cocktail machine commissioned by Courvoisier! Other work includes sign writing for the Punch Bar and exploring body painting at the Naked Bike Ride in Brighton.
Niche: Henna
Having spent some time in India, Beth is drawn to the intricacies of Indian patterns and colours. She is also interested in the rituals and traditions, together with old-fashioned calligraphy and traditional sign writing. Beth’s main body of work is sign writing and henna tattooing. Her experience extends to handwritten wedding invitations, logo design, tattoos, henna painting, illustrating, decorating furniture, painting murals and making jewellery.
Beth has produced menu boards at Alexandra Palace in London, worked as a henna artist on the Brighton Pier and helped build a water
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Theresa Anne Thomas JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Theresa is currently involved with the Skipton Open Studios run by the Jersey Arts Trust.
[email protected]@tat.com
Niche: Painting
Hailing from Jersey, Theresa creates beautiful one-off warped distortions of various patterns through acrylic painting combined with secret techniques and mediums. Her works have been exhibited in several solo exhibitions throughout the years in addition to being selected in the Channel Island-wide 2010 JJ Fox Competition. Furthermore, Theresa runs her own gallery and studio in St Helier, Jersey.
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David Hyett GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Dave has a tireless work ethic, and it shows in his many achievements among which include: an appearance as a ‘bike thief’ in Mark Ronson’s ‘Bike Song’ music video; ‘Cosmo’ from Singing in the Rain; ‘Ariel’, The Robot in Forbidden Planet; and ‘Montague’ in the Romeo and Juliet outdoor performance in Shanghai, China. Dave is currently based in London and Guernsey, he enjoys the variety of projects both locations offer. He is working on forthcoming roles and building upon his experience in theatre and film productions.
[email protected]/davehyettwww.310647.heresmyprofile.com/?p=38787
Niche: Performance
Born in Guernsey, David is known for his extensive martial arts training, break-dancing and numerous Guernsey theatre productions. Training initially in Karate, Kung Fu and Ju-Jitsu, he then expanded out to developing a variety of disciplines and Mixed Martial Arts. He entered world championships in martial arts, competing both as part of a team and as an individual, and won several silver and bronze medals with his team.
David’s stage career started in 2000, where he worked as a fight choreographer in the GADOC production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He was subsequently involved in small solo parts and the chorus which opened doors to roles in pantos, comedies and musicals, usually playing a physical character in dancing, fighting or ‘cheeky-chappy’ roles. David refined his theatre skills at East 15 Acting School, Southend on Sea in physical theatre; honing such skills as stage combat, circus, Grotowski, aerial work, Commedia D L’Arte, contact impro-dance, puppetry and acting.
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Chris Vieira JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
situated in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Chris is currently preparing for an exhibition of his work in London.
Niche: Photography
Chris is in his 3rd year studying Photography at the Manchester School of Art. Prior to this Chris gained a Diploma in Media Studies at the Arts University Bournemouth.
Chris focuses his creative eye on deep explorations of the human mind and how various mental stimulations are affected by defective illnesses. This results in most of his work depicting quite dark themes, with melancholy tones present throughout. He has recently completed his first exhibition in Kraak Gallery,
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Hugh Rose GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Hugh’s current work involves a kind of psychological archaeology of his home island of Guernsey, uncovering obscure narratives and mysterious forces which are deeply embedded in, or emerge spontaneously from, the landscape. This has involved numerous rock climbs, a frightening encounter with an imaginary goat and constant monitoring of the moon and tides.
Every piece of work for Hugh is a psychological adventure and each one has taught him something, or revealed something that was previously thoroughly hidden.
Niche: Illustration / Customised Toys
Research forms a huge part of Hugh’s work; he endeavours to take a very pragmatic, practical approach to this aspect of his practice. He is inspired by the techniques used by method actors, psychotherapists and occultists to investigate and utilise one’s psychology to achieve authentic results - often embodying a certain narrative current in order to ‘get inside’ a character or story.
The body of work often culminates in a singular interpretation of landscape and the natural forces that shape it, be they the tides, weather, gravity or time itself. He aims to reach a quality of authenticity, a certain otherworldliness, or mythic quality that interests him to a point of obsession.
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Chelsea is a graphic design student from Jersey studying at the Manchester School of Art and just about to progress into her third year.
A large aspect of her practice is editorial design. She has a passion for collecting experimental magazines and zines, inspiring her to go down the editorial path of design as can be seen in her recent work. Gaining inspiration mainly from day -to-day life; Chelsea has a love for fixed gear riding, surfing and chilled out electronic music which she believes impact on the execution of her work.
Chelsea WhiteJERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Chelsea completed a two-month placement at Gallery Magazine: Jersey where she is creating illustrations and layout spreads for articles. It has been a great opportunity for her and she feels she has gained some valuable experience and skills in magazine production. Chelsea hopes to one day set up her own alternative fixed gear/surf/skate/music/lifestyle magazine.
chelseawhitedesign.com [email protected]
Niche: Graphic Design
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Niche: Music
London-based singer-songwriter, Robyn, grew up in Guernsey and credits the island as a key inspiration in her writing.
Her niche is confessional soul-folk and, armed with heartfelt lyrics, subtly-inspired melodies and those arresting vocals, her music has been hailed as refreshingly sincere and poised for a bright future. With several performances during the London 2012 Olympics already under her belt, as well as songs featured in the hit UK independent film Junkhearts (2011), Robyn is set to share her niche with an ever-growing audience.
Robyn SherwellGUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Her music has been featured and reviewed by the likes of Muso’s Guide, Emerging Icons and Absolute Radio.
Robyn is currently booking throughout the UK in advance of her debut album release in 2013.
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Jasmin Ferguson JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
completed work placements for renowned Downtown Abbey hat designer Katherine Elizabeth. In addition to interning as a design assistant for womenswear brands Bodyamr, Tour Deforce and Courtney Love’s clothing label, Never the Bride. Thriving in London, Jasmin was very happy to be selected for the Gallery Student Art Awards last August and to be given her very own exhibition space at the Berni Art Gallery Arts Centre, where 20 of her garments and various designs were showcased. Jasmin attained another prestigious award when her work was selected for one of the three prizes for “Best Collection to capture the Core Spirit Designers” after being set a live industrial design project for the brand Core Spirit.
www.showtime.arts.ac.uk/[email protected]
Niche: Fashion
Jasmin started making clothes at the age of 13 when her mum bought a sewing machine for her birthday. Finding her talent, she followed it through A-levels in Art and Photography at Hautlieu, as well as an extra A level in Textiles in the evenings at the Harbour Gallery to refine her skills. After completing the one-year foundation diploma with Merit she then had to re-apply to London College of Fashion against fierce competition to get onto a degree. Jasmin was overwhelmed upon successfully gaining a place on the FDA Fashion Design Technology course, specialising in pattern cutting. Now coming to the end of her third year, she’ll have to battle it out with nearly 70 other classmates for one of just 25 places for her final year.
Meanwhile, Jasmin’s garments have recently been selling via a vintage clothes store and a boutique in Southampton. Jasmin has
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Since graduating in 2000 with a fine art degree from University College Falmouth, Peter’s work achieved notable recognition including an exhibition in conjunction with the Saatchi Gallery, London and a commission for LIVELIVEProject - a digital arts periodical and community engagement programme supported by the BBC.
Lecturing in Art and Media, Peter worked in various professional fields including architectural presentation and model making; the associated techniques, both digital and physical, are evident in Peter’s drawings and architectonic installations. Peter’s work touched upon themes of impermanence, futility, repetition, structure, future, architecture and the city. His digital works ranged from meticulous sound edits to virtual installations in Google Earth. Physical installations manifest themselves as precarious and ephemeral arrangements of materials such as potatoes, staples and transformer laminates. The fragile nature of these installations left them exposed to micro-apocalyptic events such as a light breeze, a falling leaf or the furry infestation mould.
Tragically, Peter Root and his partner Mary Thompson passed away in February 2013 during their around-the-world trip (twoonfourwheels.com). Peter was incredibly supportive and giving towards Niche as only he could be. Both were inspirational, innovative and generous artists who brought joy to so many through their art, kindness and friendship. Our thoughts are with their loved ones. (Our tribute: nicheshowcase.com/tribute-to-inspirational-artists-peter-root-mary-thompson).
www.peterroot.com
Niche: Sculpture/Digital Art
Peter Root GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Cover Artist
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The Diary of Alice Applebe
Review By John McCarthy
This isn’t filmmaker Jack De La Mare’s first foray in to the horror/thriller genre, but there is an immediate sense of growth since his previous productions. The film establishes itself with a clear maturity to the cinematography and editing, while the powerful shots and mélange of gelled lighting help build the intended atmosphere. A strange sense of foreboding that weaves throughout the film crafts this suspense to a masterful degree.
There is however a parting of the ways between the style and substance of the production. The visuals take the high road, while the script veers off towards the low. The genre itself doesn’t always attract the most original of storylines, preferring to warmly embrace cliché, but the problem here lay mainly in its treatment of the sensitive subject matter that it grapples with: mental health.
The story finds our protagonist Miles Sayce, a recent psychology graduate portrayed by Chris Jehan, seeking employment at what is seemingly a private psychology consultancy under the guard of Dr. Jeremy Outhwaite (Mak Tachon). We are introduced to the two in an interview scenario, replete with intimidating camera angles which work well to impress Sayce’s own anxieties on the audience.
Here we see Sayce through a clear lens, as a highly ambitious but apprehensive graduate; Outhwaite’s motives on the other hand seem harder to read. Whether intentional or not, the character seems immediately dubious, with unclear morals and no evidence of his credentials in the way he conducts himself. He seems more car salesman than revered academic and professional clinician, the role that the context implies him in. Sayce
FROM its opening credits – a research montage set against Josh Loughrey’s luring piano and string score and a deliberate homage to the opening of David Fincher’s ‘Se7en’ – The Diary of Alice Applebe is forthcoming with its tone. Akin to Fincher’s opening sequence, the typeface of each credit twitches nervously between regular lettering and scrawled handwriting, conveying the atmosphere of the 70 minutes to follow.
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is hired and the two embark on a new case – that of the title character Alice Applebe (a great performance by Katie Flynn). The story focuses on Sayce’s inner turbulence, his relationship with Outhwaite and unravelling the truth behind Alice’s condition. The scenes with Alice are excellently composed and the paranormal aspects of the film, often featuring multiple Alices in the same shot, are all seamlessly executed.
The script deals very primitively with the subject matter – using dated vernacular like the term ‘insane’ very freely, misrepresenting pathologies and featuring a de facto ‘mental institution’ (shot pertinently at the Castel Hospital). Important aspects of the plot seemed poorly researched, which can cripple a viewer’s suspension of disbelief. While it is difficult to place what era the film is set in, with mixed indications from the various props, the ‘Ghostbusters’ poster in Sayce’s room suggests we’re at least post-1984.
Perhaps these anachronisms are a deliberate device; throughout the film it is also difficult to gauge time of day, with few external shots and eerie lighting joining the relatively short scenes, quick cuts and dynamic score (from chilling keys to bellowing timpani) to forge an overall compelling experience, without sacrificing subtlety.
The script is not without some merits too, with some interesting turns and effective nods to its key inspiration: the play ‘4:48 Psychosis’ by Sarah Kane. This influence isn’t something the writer, Rosie Le Friec wanted to hide; Sayce for example awakes daily at 4:48am in preparation for his sessions with Alice. The project is also the writers first; a credible debut given the weight of the task.
It is clear that the visual aspects of this production far surpassed the story, which in comparison appeared loosely scumbled over the intricate strokes of the cinematography and editing. It is a real testament to Jack De La Mare, who is proving more and more the perceptive and talented cineaste with each new production. The Diary of Alice Applebe shows what a 19 year old with a budget of less than £800, a small cast and limited equipment can put together. I only hope that Jack’s talents are married up with writing and acting of the same calibre in the future.
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How did you get into filmmaking?I picked up my mum’s camera when I was really young and ever since I’ve been making films. When we were 14, my friends and I filmed a 40 minute fan film called ‘Jurassic Park: Prime Survival’ which took three years to complete and currently has over two million views on YouTube. The Diary of Alice Applebe was our fourth premiere, the first being ‘Isolated’ (seven minute horror film), then ‘SIX’ (27 minute thriller set in the underground tunnels), and then ‘Zombey’ (45 minute zombie comedy set in the Grammar School, featuring teachers and students as zombies).
How did the new film come about?My girlfriend, Rosie Le Friec, wrote the story taking inspiration from the stage play ‘4:48 Psychosis’ which she studied during A-Levels. It has no characters or storyline, so Rosie came up with the main characters and story arc which turned into an amazing script that I knew I wanted to make into a film.
What was your main source for inspiration? Obviously the work of Sarah Kane (4:48 Psychosis), but I took a lot of inspiration from David Fincher. I like his style: dark, dingy, wet. I recommended that Rosie watched his film ‘Se7en’ while she was writing, as the characters resembled those in her script. The film’s dark tone and thriller aspects are something I wanted to replicate. I think Fincher is the source of a lot of my inspiration; my film ‘SIX’ has a similar tone to some of the themes he uses.
The score in The Diary of Alice Applebe is very atmospheric. How did you come across the composer – Josh Loughrey – and how important do you think this is to the film?Originally, I had the composer from ‘SIX’ attached to this film, but due to circumstances he had to leave, so I advertised on a filmmakers forum. Josh responded within ten minutes and as soon as I heard his work he was attached. Music and
LOCAL filmmaker Jack De La Mare started thinking seriously about film at just 14. Now studying Film Production & Cinematography BA (Hons) at Bournemouth University, he has big plans for the future.
Interview: Jack De La Mare
DOB: 25/02/1993 (19)
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sound, as Spielberg says, is half of the movie, so Josh’s score was very important. He’s a great person to work with too – we went through a number of revisions on some of the tracks and he came up with something amazing.
Sound design is crucial too – if there’s a break in the sound the audience are instantly taken out of the film and Liam Inder, our sound designer, did a fantastic job recreating sound and creating tension and atmosphere.
What cameras did you use for this film and what is your weapon of choice?For the majority of the film we used my Canon 550D with Magic Lantern installed (firmware to add functions) and for a couple of shots we used a Canon 5D MKII. If I had the money I would have liked to
rent a RED, but there’s always time for that in future projects. I still stand by my Canon 550D.
What are your plans for the future and do you have any other projects in the pipeline?The debate of whether to do feature-length or short films is tough, but I think our team has settled on shorts; to get noticed but also to polish up our skills. Shorter films allow more chance to perfect each shot. We have a script being written now and concepts for future projects.
www.delamarepro.com [email protected]/jackdelamare
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become art?When Kevin Hector collaborates with all his favourite artists, current and long dead; that’s when plagiarism becomes art.
Showing at the Berni Gallery in the Jersey Arts Centre was an exhibition by plagiarist icon and the alter-ego of artist Graham Tansley, Kevin Hector. >>
By Leon Fleming
When does Plagiarism
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It was something of a surprise when after taking in the first couple of pictures on the trail around the flat white walls of the gallery, I realised there was something more to this exhibition than a cheeky mixing of well-loved images.
The pictures are made up of favourites by Suarat, Dali, Hockney, and even Gainsborough, and then overlaid with often recognisable pieces of reportage; on top of which sits the face of Queen Elizabeth II.
Hector claims that the Queen’s face is there as a representative of himself; that it is he, the artist, looking out at us, grinning, having fun with these images. After the first few pictures I started to doubt Hector’s statement a little. What had started as something fun was beginning to mutate into something disturbing; sharp and acerbic. An exciting, subversive social commentary.
What is it Hector is trying to tell us about the world? I reference the world, but by having the British monarch’s face as a focus of each picture, I get the impression it is Britain itself, its past and its present, its virtues and its evils, that Hector is actually pointing his finger at.
And it’s not just the images themselves that tell the story, it’s the whole thing; the art is a complete package made up of the image, the frame which surrounds it, and not least, the title it has been given. Here for me is where the true wit lies, here is what turns each picture into something you have no choice but to engage with; here is what forces your mind to try and make sense of it, even if you would prefer not to.
Where in one image we may find the grinning queen as a gymnast throwing herself about the high bar within a cubist masterpiece, in another we find this same face on the body of a Nazi storm trooper, trampling all over Gainsborough’s countryside. Did someone just cry treason?
The grin may not have changed, but its implication has, for now it is something maniacal and abhorrent. At this point I could no longer believe that the Queen represented Hector; it seemed certain that instead she was the figurehead for a kind of ruthlessness the establishment exerts abroad and at home.
In another frighteningly in-your-face piece, the Queen and her cohorts are now clothed in hazmat garb, and appear within what I believe is Gauguin’s Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? which is a scene depicting a number of young Tahitians existing innocently. The whole picture is pulled together by Hector’s chilling use of the title: I’m Frightened About Getting Ill.
The exhibition was topped off by a headless portrait, and this time with no monarch to grin at us, but the mushroom cloud of a nuclear blast; the picture sits within a broken frame, and is only part protected by shards of broken glass.One thing is clear from this show, and that is that Kevin Hector has much to say about the world about him, and that he has found a clever, funny, and incredibly succinct way of doing this.
The Age of Plagiarism by Graham Tansley/Kevin Hector was a must see for anyone who likes their art to take them by the throat and throttle them.
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What is it all about?
For more information about how you could get involved in our next edition please send us an email or take a moment to visit our website.
[email protected] • www.nicheshowcase.com
Submit your artwork easily online and stay up to date with Niche on our website, Facebook and Twitter.
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Niche is a hub for creatives and art-lovers. We’re on a mission tofuel the talent that’s so evident throughout the Channel Islands, and to provide a platform for spreading that talent beyond our shores.
Every year we’ll hold an exhibition (among other events) of the best creative, chosen by our panel of experts.
We may select your work to feature in our quarterly publication, distributed to Guernsey and Jersey – at no cost to you.
We’re online!
Be Creative.EDITION #1 • SPRING 2013
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Poppy MathewsGUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
which the paint had covered, rather than purely viewing the physical action of the paint falling over the whole body.
Poppy utilised the subtle moments in which the paint touches the outer surface of the skin. The two materials began reacting with one another straight away. The thickness or thinness of the paint changes the way it moves over the skins surface: The dripping, moving, watery texture of the paint going across the breathing, living surface of the human body. [email protected]
Poppy’s work encompasses ideas about human interaction, personal space, sensitivity and colour. It addresses the tension in the complex relationship between artist and sitter.
For her final Fine Art degree project at the Arts University Bournemouth, Poppy explored the relationship between artist and sitter using a less traditional method. The photographs are outcomes of her final degree film piece in which a man, painted completely white, is slowly covered in purple paint which is poured out of sight above his head. The photographs became new pieces in their own right. They brought into focus the small detailed sections of the body
Niche: Conceptual Body Painting
Photography by Edward Johns
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Stylist and Image Consultant between London and the Channel Islands; working across editorial, e-commerce, music and commercial brands. Her list of clients includes ASOS, Burberry, Company Magazine, Lacoste and Marks and Spencer.
Bianca Swan GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Niche: Fashion Styling
Born and raised in Guernsey, Bianca moved to London after completing her BA in Photography at the Arts University Bournemouth in 2007. She began interning at various fashion magazines such as Dazed & Confused and Marie Claire where she found her passion for styling.
This led to work assisting several high profile fashion stylists. She became first assistant to Scott Clark and worked along side him for two years at Rankin Photography, where she gained invaluable experience within the industry. Over the past 5 years, she has worked with a number of high profile brands and celebrities building strong relationships with various creatives in the fashion industry. She now works as a Freelance
Photography by Rachell Smith
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nominated for Best Actress and The BFI Future Film Award (for outstanding work by a female practitioner aged 15-25.) She subsequently won Best Actress in December 2012 at Underwire Film Festival.
Passengers tells the story of a girl who gets on the same bus everyday, watching her fellow riders, imagining the lives they lead. But there’s only so long you can live your life in daydreams - a charming story of giving in to a moment in time. When talking about Passengers, Isla said, “It always amazes me how you can be on a packed bus and feel totally alone.”
Isla has adapted Passengers into a full-length feature film and is currently fundraising with the hope of filming in early spring. [email protected]
Isla Ure JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Niche: Film Direction/Acting
Isla graduated from drama school in 2010 and has since gone on to perform in the award-winning show, ‘Territory’, which has recently been adapted into a feature film. She played Lue in Time Out’s choice show ‘The Winterling’ and Issy in the award-winning short film ‘The Soldier Inside’. After recently returning to London from filming a new budding comedy, ‘I Have A Bad Feeling About This’, Isla is currently filming a lead in the British thriller ‘Candlestick.’ She also plays two characters in the new Red Dwarf X.
Working in film has developed Isla’s passion for all aspects of the craft: the writing, the direction, the lighting and the cinematography that all create a world in which we can lose ourselves.
Isla wrote and directed her first short film ‘Passengers’ which has gone on to screen at Ritzy Cinema, Brixton as part of the Underwire Film Festival. Off the back of it she has been
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Louise Lawton GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
individual within a metropolis. Louise graduated from Wimbledon School of Art with a BA Honours in painting in 2001. Having worked for a number of London and New York art galleries since her graduation, she has continued to exhibit internationally. This year she is showing in London, Hong Kong and New York with the Mark Jason Gallery.
Niche: Painting
Born in Guernsey, Louise is renowned for her stark monochrome paintings of figures and crowd formations seen from high-up perspectives. The paintings are made on boards with a beautifully prepared gesso ground and then drawn onto using compressed charcoal.
Photographic in appearance, there is an abundance of white space and the detailed figures are denied any identity with their environment. This is in stark contrast with some of her more recent work, which depicts intricate city-scapes of New York and London. In these, space is scarce and individuals are unidentifiable. When seen along side each other, these two works provide a poignant depiction of the
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a stable core meaning and a multiplicity of more contingent meanings that come and go according to context. He is also fascinated by how, in the contemporary art world, even elements of digital media can be considered ‘objects’.
In this current body of work, Michael’s aim has been to memorialise the tools of our last age of distinct technological progress: the industrial revolution. Many of the machines that changed the landscape of the western world less than a hundred years ago have already become antiquated. They will be seen as meaningless fragments of a distant past for the children of the new digital age, where consciousness is accelerated and the material world is experienced largely through the murky lens of cyberspace. Through this work he has attempted to provide the viewer with the dual perspective of looking backwards through history and forwards into an uncertain future.
Michael Dryden JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Niche: Sculpture
Michael is interested in the tools and technologies that humans have developed throughout history. In the last century, objects that functioned as extensions of our physical bodies were superseded by a single tool that had the ability to extend the power of the mind: the electronic computer. We now live in a digital age where our experience of reality is largely mediated by the screen. Living in a society that has become saturated by networked computers creates the feeling of being simultaneously everywhere and nowhere. In this context of spatial and temporal distortion, Michael sees renewed significance in the act of making sculpture, which, by its very nature, is able to locate and respond to a clearly defined space. In recent work, he has reduced drawing to a level of information that can be blown up, taken apart, or put into computer and re-drawn as if the computer had thought of the drawing. Michael has begun to inscribe these infinitely variable marks onto objects, as if recording the mechanics of our digital society for future generations. He is interested in the distinctive capacity that objects have for possessing both
The DeerSilver deer are crouching Fear of man and beast
Green fern offering comfortShe, the waiting feast
Jumping gazelle-like over chasmsSafety in the flight
Beauty in rippling muscled-movement Silent as the night
She must hide from searching eyesPanicked when faced
No rest as nerves are heightened Ready for the chase
A misted ghost in silent settingOnly dawn reveals her
The young around her are resting Shown to be a gentle mother
Tempting taunt for stealthy hunterInnocence beckoning in echoing eyes Sensual beauty alone won’t save herOr gentleness serve a disguise
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Vanessa CranmerGUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Vanessa’s poems have been published in various poetry anthology books; she is currently working on a book manuscript and is continuing to explore her love of nature through expression of the written word.
Niche: Poetry
Vanessa draws her inspiration from an admiration of nature; from it’s inter-connectivity, mechanisms and cycles. She has been writing poetry from childhood, among other pastimes such as painting, history and wildlife photography. She is particularly interested in our Celtic past and ancestry, legends and mythology.
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Michele Horwood JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Michele plays often at her favourite Jersey venue, The Blue Note. People come especially to listen to live music at The Blue Note so its a real treat for her to play there. Additionally Michele has been on BBC Radio Jersey playing songs live with interviews. The Bedell Project, the latest project she is involved in, is run by the Jersey Arts Trust; Michele is one of six composers chosen to expand on their work with the help and support of the trust. Michele hopes this will lead to funding for an album with the use of an orchestra. At present, she is promoting her recorded mini-album ‘Bird Cage’.
Niche: Music
Michele Horwood a.k.a. The Flower Singer hails from New Zealand but has made Jersey her home. Growing up in a family passionate about many different styles of music has led her to finding her own creativity with regards to song writing. For inspiration, she turns to her passion for exploring her own ever changing universe and that of those around her. The feel of the music is eclectic and experimental, with a soulful edge that always runs through it.
Michele has played the hospitality tent and the tease tent at Jersey Live for two years, Reges Stock for three years, Groove de Lecq and Muse Night at the Museum. She performs with quite a large band for these occasions and really enjoys the experience.
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David Gilliver GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
echoes and, perhaps, metaphors. David brilliantly captures the miniature ‘atmosphere’ these little people inhabit, effortlessly encapsulating the scene and giving the viewer themselves the feeling they are one of the little people involved.
David is currently continuing work on ‘Small World’, his light-painting photography and some experiments with photographing liquids in slow-motion capture.
Niche: Photography
David graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 2001, having studied Fine Art Photography for 4 years. He then moved to live on the beautiful island of Guernsey and has remained there ever since. David has enjoyed wide exposure in recent years with his stunning light-painting photography. However, he has recently been revisiting his miniature models photography, which was a pronounced dimension of his practice during his university years, in a new project titled ‘Small World’.
This body or work depicts witty and humorous scenarios that also instigate contemplative
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Trust-supported monthly new theatre writing event, Plays Rough. As well as writing plays, Leon has also written: book reviews for the online section of the former literary publication Chroma Journal, contributed pieces to a book on lifestyles; features for sixteen consecutive issues of Gallery Magazine: Jersey; a novel (not published); and he has been commissioned to write a feature film (not produced.)
Leon’s work is generally of a political, sociological or psychological nature, and he is never afraid to ask difficult questions or to affront his audience with contentious points of view.
Leon Fleming JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
Niche: Writing
Leon has been living on the island of Jersey for the last six years and has continued to write since moving there from the UK. Within just a couple of weeks of stepping foot on the island, Leon’s first produced play, Monkeys in Toy Town, started a short run in Birmingham.
Since then Leon has: been a winner of the Channel Islands Radio Drama Competition (the winning pieces later broadcast on BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Radio Guernsey); worked with the new writing theatre company, Paines Plough, on their ‘Come to Where I’m From’ project (also broadcast on BBC Radio Jersey); and has been selected to be part of the Jersey Arts Trust Spearpoint New Plays Project for the last three years. This year, his winning entry was the full-length play ‘The Kids Got Lost’. Leon is also co-creator of the Jersey Opera House/Jersey Arts
The Kids Got Lost (excerpt)
Hayley snorts a line of coke.
Hayley Are they going to be long?
Naz How should I know?
Hayley I haven’t seen Gary for over a week.
Naz He’s been with me.
Hayley Does he talk about me?
Naz No.
Hayley He missed my performance. I was the lead in a spoken version of Bizet’s Camen. No music, so not really Bizet’s at all. New lyrics. Not really lyrics though, but spoken, so just lines. And shorter. Obviously shorter. (beat) Don’t you think Carmen is a wonderfully clever metaphor for the struggle between love and hate that takes place inside us all, all of the time?
Naz snorts another line of coke.
Hayley I was amazing by the way. I’m sure you wondered. You can tell Gary. If you see him before I do; tell him, I was amazing.
Naz I’m amazing. He’s told me.
Hayley Your eyes have gone funny. Have mine?(beat) You’re going it hurt him, aren’t you?
Naz I might.
Hayley If he’s your… I mean, well, how come he’s in there with…?
Naz I’m his pimp.
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Guernsey-based film maker and freelance graphic designer, Lisa, graduated in 2011 from UWE Bristol with a 1st BA Hons in Media Practice. Her graduating piece was a live interactive event held in a cave system beneath Bristol and was opened to the pubic. Lisa and her team used live acting, live music, projections, 5.1 surround sound, motion sensors and staging to create an immersive interactive media production which was well received and reviewed by the media community in Bristol.
Lisa joined forces with Wynter Tyson to re-launch the Guernsey International Short Film Festival for October 2012 as Sarnia Shorts (www.sarniashorts.co.uk). She has recently
Lisa Gaudion GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS
completed a commission to produce a promotional film for the powerboat racing which is being used to secure funding for next season and promotions in the UK racing circuit along with additional design work for personal acquaintances and businesses such as the Red Onion bar. Lisa recently worked on Island Hospital for ITV and is now working as a media associate for a local company in Guernsey.
[email protected]/pub/lisa gaudion/ 26/264/864
Niche: Film/Graphic Design
Would you like to share your creative talent? For more information about how you could get involved in our next edition please send us an email or take a moment to visit our website.
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Our team works hard to develop opportunities for artists on the island. We recently published a guide, Opportunities for Public Art, and are in the process of building an island-wide Artists’ Network. Chances to be skilled up through training in specific areas of arts delivery are also in the pipeline.
Each year, we host artists through public exhibitions in our town-centre gallery, the greenhouse. We also run the island’s biggest arts festival, Arts Sunday, with over 100 artists showcased last year alone. Our Art on the Beach event attracts hundreds of participants in getting creative in our unique environment.
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Cover artwork by Peter Root
Be Creative.
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Be Creative.EDITION #1 • SPRING 2013