artist Archives - Blackpool Social Club

03 Oct

Theatre Review: Martha Pailing – Chat Shit, Get Hit

Mully0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceArt, artist, blackpool art scene, community, performance, the old electric

The Blackpool-born performance artist's new show will shock and delight you, but no one will leave without realising something about themselves. Full disclosure: watching Martha Pailing’s latest work-in-progress show Chat Shit, Get Hit will be a very different experience if you’re a woman than it was for me as a man. If you are a woman going to see this startling work of spoken word and performance art, I imagine you might be wearily familiar with the ideas she explores, from the bubbling undercurrent of female rage to the reasons this rage rears its head. But if you’re a man,…

24 Jul

Story Trails Made us See Blackpool Differently

Linda Hampton0 CommentsFilm, Heritage, Visual Arts & Exhibitionsart exhibition, artist, Augmented Reality, Blackpool, community, entertainment, Exhibition, Film, heritage, history, library, local history, photography, Place, Virtual Reality

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] When you visit Central Library in Blackpool you expect to step into different worlds through the medium of books. Last weekend it was more ‘if you go into the library today, you’re sure of a big surprise!’ as audiences entered the worlds of Virtual Reality (VR) and interactive Augmented Reality (AR). Story Trails is the UK’s largest immersive storytelling project and brings together the past, present and future using the latest technology. Through immersive cinema experience, 3D maps of Blackpool or a VR headset bringing to life BFI & BBC archives, there was much to choose from. Throughout the…

12 Jun

Artist talk review: Rachel Goodyear at the Grundy Art Gallery

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitionsart show, artist, Blackpool, blackpool art scene, grundy art gallery, rachel goodyear, stirrings

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] It was a pleasure today (11th June 2022) to visit our lovely Grundy Art Gallery to see with Rachel Goodyear, as her show 'Stirrings' concludes. I had enjoyed this show previously and was keen to hear the artist's views upon it. Hosted by Grundy curator, Paulette Brien, the event was interactive with opportunities for questions and discussion of the work. Cabinets housed samples of Rachel's preliminary sketches in pencil and watercolour. Standing in front of the works, Rachel was able to expound on the creative process, influences and materials choice. These are mainly pencil drawings, but enhanced with watercolour,…

12 May

Exhibition review: Szidonia Gergely at Tea Amantes

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & ExhibitionsArt, art exhibition, artist, Blackpool, blackpool art scene, figurative, hungarian, portraits, tattoo artist, tea adamantes

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] David heads down to Tea Amantes tearoom and gallery to check out the current exhibition. Bank Holiday Monday and once more I find myself at the excellent Tea Amantes tearoom and gallery to view a magnificent collection of oil paintings, this time from the brush of Hungarian artist Szidonia Gergely. The show has the slogan Let's Fill This Town With Artists, an admirable sentiment. Indeed many of those present at this private viewing were creatives. Szidonia is self-taught from childhood and currently focuses on portraits and figurative pieces that reflect traditional, contemporary and classical style. She is currently working…

09 Mar

Garth takes the fight to London exhibition

Catherine Mugonyi0 CommentsVisual Arts & ExhibitionsArt, artist, contemporary art, contemporary artist, Exhibition, group show, London

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Blackpool based artist Garth Gratrix has been invited to join artist and curator Cecilia Sjoholm in an upcoming London exhibition that brings together seven contemporary artists who all engage in defiance. THE COMRADES THEY WERE BRAVE runs at 44 GRS Gallery in Bloomsbury from 18 March until 10 April 2022. Conceived as an homage to Edith Garrud (1872- 1971), Jiujitsu martial arts teacher to the suffragettes, it explores the theme of fighting for a cause. In 1909, in response to increasing physical abuse by the police and opponents to their campaign for women’s right to vote, Edith Garrud began…

24 Nov

Grundy Art Gallery: Show your work at OPEN 2022

Catherine Mugonyi0 CommentsLocal News, OpportunitiesArt, artist, call out, callout, Exhibition, open call, The Grundy Art Gallery

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] After last year’s online only exhibition, OPEN 2022 is set to return to Blackpool's Grundy Art Gallery. In line with Grundy’s founding principles of showing the ‘art of the day’ and echoing Blackpool’s motto of ‘progress’, the gallery is looking for artworks that have been created within the last 12 months and that have never been shown at the Grundy Art Gallery before. The exhibition aims to be illustrative of the diverse range of artwork being produced throughout Blackpool and the Fylde Coast today.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="31534" img_size="medium"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Once again they have decided to waive the submission fee for artworks…

27 Oct

Ride Your Pony at Abingdon Studios

Stephanie Cottle0 CommentsLocal News, Visual Arts & ExhibitionsArt, artist, Blackpool, Exhibition

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] From horse drawn carriages on the promenade to donkey rides across the beach, Blackpool has always played host to equestrian residents. From the 21st of October, Abingdon Studios gained some temporary, artistic neigh-bours. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ride Your Pony (No.4), curated by Marie Jones, Garth Gratrix & Kerry Tenbey is an interdisciplinary exhibition showing works by 26 international artists. The brief for works asks each participating artist to create work that responds to a letter of the alphabet chosen in ‘lucky dip’ style. On the preview evening I chatted to Reece Adair about his work, which depicts the form of a kneeling…

22 Oct

New Creative Market is coming to Blackpool

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsLocal NewsArt, artist, Blackpool Creative Market, Craft, makers, market

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] On Saturday 23rd October, Blackpool Winter Gardens will play host to a range of independent designers, artisans and creatives from across the Fylde Coast. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text] The first of its kind in Blackpool, the marketplace will bring together more than 20 invited artists and makers, giving visitors a chance to purchase unique artworks, homeware, fashion and foodie gifts. Visitors can explore at their leisure what the Fylde Coast’s talented artists and makers have to offer. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Jessie Crook from sustainable hair accessory makers That Scrunchie Brand says: [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1634897868048{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffe758 !important;}"]“We…

19 Oct

Grayson Perry wows the Blackpool audience with solo show

David Simper0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performancealanmeasles, artist, Blackpool, Grayson Perry, graysonperry, normalpeople, show, Winter Gardens

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Yes, after I was wondering how Grayson would handle such a show, Grayson Perry wows the Blackpool audience with a solo show, not an exaggeration. Two instagram chums posted their approval too. I have been a long term Grayson fan and absolutely loved his sweet Grayson's Art Club show (come back soon, please; I need some value for the bloody TV licence). Would Grayson do some art on stage? He doesn't throw his pots so I knew that wouldn't happen. No, he basically ruminated through his personal philosophy, gave us some life back story, threw in a few anecdotes…

30 Aug

Discover your Clown Spirit: Free online workshop

Linda Hampton0 CommentsOpportunities, Theatre, Dance & Performanceartist, clown, entertainment, performance, spirit, transformation, workshops

A FREE online workshop for people of all experience levels who want to unlock the transformational power of clowning. Have you always wanted to try your hand at clowning? Are you a secret clown at heart? Would you like to find out more about what being a clown is really about? Then read on-this could be your chance to run away and join that beckoning circus. Barnaby King has dedicated his life to the art of clowning since 2000. He’s written books, made shows and convened festivals. But he tells us that his greatest joy is passing on the spirit,…