blackpool art scene Archives - Page 2 of 5

19 Sep

Art Exhibition Review: Paintings by Elizabeth Ward

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitionsart exhibition, blackpool art scene, paintings, tea amantes

The month had turned to September and that meant a new exibition at the Tea Amantes venue. This time local artist, Elizabeth Ward, had taken over the cafe walls. David Simper caught the service 61 bus once more to view this collection of paintings. On entering the Tea Amantes gallery a tidy crowd was already in residence, admiring the paintings upon the walls. Blackpool-based Elizabeth is a graduate of Blackpool and the Fylde College. Her work includes vibrant renditions of landscapes, seascapes and portraiture. This latest collection employs mainly oils, many developed from plein air work along the Fylde Coast.…

07 Jul

Theatre review: Th’ESP’s production – Memoirs of a Blackpool Mermaid

David Simper0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performanceblackpool art scene, community theatre, mermaids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""] Having enjoyed several productions at The Old Electric's former Springfield Road venue, David Simper was keen to see how the company fared at the Winter Gardens conference centre this weekend. Disembarking from the Service 61 bus in Corporation Street, he got in some steps to the Leopold Grove entrance. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=""]The new Winter Gardens (in the new bit) venue doesn't have a stage and in this respect mirrors the old Springfield Road premises in providing an eye level performance space, now enclosed by chairs on three sides. I expected some lights to dim, concentrating illumination on the centre,…

10 Apr

Exhibition Review: Come As You Really Are

David Simper0 CommentsLocal News, Visual Arts & Exhibitionsblackpool art scene, hand made, hobbies

Grundy Art Gallery, Artangel and award-winning artist and Spider-Man enthusiast Hetain Patel present a new exhibition that began with a nationwide call-out inviting members of the public to share the activities to which they dedicate their spare time. David Simper heading to the town centre gallery to fine a colourful, creative and touching body of work. The show features many artists and craftspeople and is based around hobbies, from which come quirky beauty and art. The exhibition is underpinned by the work of Hetain Patel and Andy Holden and works with local people, while being a national initiative involving 13…

14 Mar

Retro photo gallery: a walk on the south prom

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitionsblackpool art scene, blackpool photowalk, film photography, monochrome photography, photo gallery

David Simper takes a creative look back to January 2024. Lured out of his domestic fastness by bright January sun, he took his film camera for a bracing walk from Starr Gate to central Blackpool. 26 January 2024 was my post-Yuletide leave day and I wanted to use it to do something creative. Waking to sun, a photo walk was the obvious choice and some useful exercise too. Picking up my 35mm Yashica Electro 35, with its excellent 45mm lens, and loading it with a favourite Kentmere 400 black and white film, I headed down to catch the service 18…

09 Feb

Exhibition Review: Inkden’s tattoo artists shine

David Simper0 CommentsLocal News, Visual Arts & Exhibitionsart exhibition, blackpool art scene, inkden tattoo parlour, tattooists

A regular at the Tea Amantes venue, David Simper has become accustomed to walking past the Inkden tattoo parlour, partner business to the tea room and cafe. Now the tattoo artists bring their work to the fore in this exhibition. David was there to review the display and chat to some of the artists. I don't have any tattoos myself and most of my knowledge of tattooing comes from reading John Irving's magnum opus 'Until I Find You', but I've always admired the skill that goes into this art. The Bob Ross edict, "we don't make mistakes, we have happy…

14 Jan

Exhibition Review: Wild at Heart – Martyna Pichalska at Tea Amantes

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitionsart exhibition, blackpool art scene, painting

Keen to get out of the house and to the first Tea Amantes exhibition of the year, David Simper caught the service 61 bus down to the town centre, to take in the work of Polish painter and tattoo artist, Martyna Pichalska. It didn't disappoint. The weather wasn't too good for this evening at Tea Amantes, but this show was well worth the effort to get down into Blackpool. The work has a wonderfully wild, spontaneous grip about it, apart from possibly the pooches wearing bow ties. Materials switch between watercolour and acrylic using a restrained and effective palette. Acrylic…

27 Nov

Theatre Review: Here You Come Again!

David Simper0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performanceblackpool art scene, dolly parton, musical theatre, The Grand Theatre

As a long time fan, David Simper just had to see this new Dolly Parton musical at the Grand Theatre which did not disappoint. A must see, and not just for Dolly fans. Arriving at the Grand Theatre I expected Here You Come Again! to be more of a Dolly Parton tribute act. Instead this was a full on musical play, featuring Dolly Parton as a character as well as her music. It was undoubtedly the more satisfying for that. The stage lights rise and a man throws large bales of toilet rolls through a window and then uses a…

24 Nov

Exhibition Review: Please Believe Me – Charley Baines

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitionsart exhibition, blackpool art scene, hive blackpool, painting

Having had a preview of Charley Baines's work at a recent Saturday morning HIVE Jive event, David Simper was keen to see her exhibition launch and caught the service 61 bus down Hive despite a minor blizzard. He was well rewarded by the work on show in the downstairs cafe area. On entering HIVE, the room was already full of people. This was in fact a dual exhibition with Charley's work downstairs and a display of children's artwork upstairs. Several of the child artists and their parents were there and were able to participate in the event. The children's art…

12 Nov

Exhibition Review: A.L.M.O.R.A

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitionsart exhibition, blackpool art scene, Music, painting

David Simper caught the service 61 bus to the Tea Amantes cafe and gallery to take in its latest arts offering with some live music thrown in. If you like art nouveaux and the pre-raphaelites with a flavour of pagan imagery, this is the show for you. On entering Tea Amantes the place was already buzzing. The pieces in this exhibition are generally large and it didn't take long to get round despite the number of people. These paintings use a bright palette and reference mythology and pagan themes, art nouveaux and the pre-raphaelites being clear influences. Several are self…

11 Jul

Exhibition Review: Sandra Openshaw at Tea Amantes

David Simper0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitionsart exhibition, blackpool art scene, drawings, fine art, paintings

Sandra Openshaw returns with a second exhibition at Tea Amantes cafe and gallery. David Simper caught the service 61 bus to check out the show opening and see how things had moved on since his review of the first exhibition. Sandra Openshaw's work is a set of finely honed images of great pictorial quality using a range of materials, including charcoal, pastel, watercolour and ink. Subjects include picturesque buildings from foreign locations, animals and flowers. One might say that these are traditional subjects, but they are executed with aplomb and love. The colour palette is carefully selected so that these…