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To wrap up our 2017 calendar, Artizan Gallery is taking submissions for its annual Winter Open Exhibition. This annual show has been a staple of the Artizan calendar since our opening in 2014 and is a popular opportunity to exhibit at. This year we will be hanging the exhibition across both of gallery spaces and look forward to welcoming a large number of artists who have already confirmed submissions. After a very successful Summer Open we're really looking forward to our final exhibition of the year where we welcome artists from across Devon to help us fill our gallery with wonderful wall art, sculpture and prints for the Christmas season. This year, as well as inviting new submissions to the event, we'll also bring all of our 2017 exhibitors back under the Artizan roof one last time! Our open shows are an exciting opportunity for new artists to join us for the first time and for new exhibitors to test the waters in a friendly exhibition space. Equally, for long-serving artists and friends to the gallery, they're a great time to join us once again and share the space with local colleagues. Meanwhile for our visitors, these showcases offer an immense breadth of styles ensuring there really is a piece to suit every taste. The exhibition will run from 28th November to 23rd December with a limited space Cocktails Preview on December 1st and an open Artist Preview on December 2nd. We're now entering the last phase of submissions with a deadline of Midnight 20th October. If you would like to take part you can grab a submission from from our Calls page #2017 #call #exhibiting #opportunity #exhibition #open #WinterOpen

As we sat down to write our September culture update, we started to notice a common theme running through this month’s calendar. No, it’s not that they’re all events that we’re incredibly excited for (although that is certainly true also!) but the fact that they all revolve around journeying. So, this month, it’s time to satisfy – or perhaps arouse – that little bit of wanderlust that the Summer weather inevitably always brings. “Come, Tell Me How You Live”, this is the summons of the 2017 International Agatha Christie Festival taking place 13th-17th September. Taken from the title of the little-known Syrian memoir which Christie fought to publish, the words echo a request the author claimed she was asked often after her travels in the Middle-East with archaeologist husband Max Mallowan. It is also a request she playfully asks him in a poem entitled with the same name that prologues the memoir. A question that Max too may have asked enquiringly of the artefacts of ancient cultures he unearthed on the dig sites. And now it is a question posed to festival attendees, as this year the event considers the many “possibilities of literature” to share and explore a rich diversity of “cultures and histories”. An extensive programme of talks, performances, workshops and exhibitions will disclose stories of a myriad of stirring journeys, in a long weekend which promises to be as enthralling as it is eye-opening. A travel experience far closer to home is promised by “The Tale”, a mysterious arts event offering a “Journey of Discovery Across Torbay” on the final three weekends of September. Situations, the curators of the festival, are keeping their cards close to their chest when questioned on its contents, though some details were revealed at a recent event held at the gallery. What we do know, is that the festival is based on a text on Torbay written by author Philip Hoare which appears in his new book RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR, and will feature works from acclaimed international creators including artist Marc Rees, performer Claire Cunningham, and natural history and documentary sound recordist Chris Watson. This will undoubtedly be a journey worth taking. Finally, Artizan will be transformed in its very own journey as we welcome artist Martin Bush to the gallery in September. Martin will be bringing his exhibition “Jewel Temple” to Torbay, featuring a series of work inspired by his travels around Asia and specifically Thai culture. “Thailand and its temples are very much within this series. The serenity and spiritual moments felt when visiting these spaces while painting has given me a new concept. My latest work is a celebration of these magnificent temples, reflected through use of gold leaf and a bright colour palette.” The exhibition opens on 1st September with an Artist Preview event between 18:00-20:00. We do hope you can join us! #CultureUpdate #BeachHut #ArtizanTorquay #MartinBush #JewelTemple #IACF #InternationalAgathaChristieFestival #TheTale #Journey #Travel

Our visit to RWA Bristol in August. #exhibition #2017 #bristol

As the season gets underway, Torbay’s cultural destinations launch their Summer shows and events for residents and visitors to go out and enjoy. With the weather surprisingly hot for a British Summer, heading to the beach, up to Dartmoor, or lazing around Cockington is probably the only thing on the agenda. But we know it can’t last and the weather will inevitably turn on your day off. So, this month, to save your holiday, we’ve got a “rainy day special” full of things to do indoors! Speakeasy strikes again, as Toorak welcomes 30s jazz-swing band Old Hat (30th Aug). Bringing bluesy improv up from London, this will be a great evening pick to get some chill after a day in the heat. Or if the swinging sixties is your thing, then head to the Palace Theatre to party with The Zoots at their hit-filled show, with numbers from Kinks, Beach Boys and The Monkees (25th Aug). A great schedule of theatre is also at your fingertips. The Little Theatre provides comedy with Dave Freeman’s farce, A Bedfull of Foreigners (7th-19th Aug). Brixham Theatre brings children’s classic Peter Pan to the stage with a modern take featuring new arrangements of the Disney score (11th-12th Aug). And finally, Princess Theatre will be “a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, a-wop-bam-booming” with classic musical Grease (21st-26th Aug)! There’s nothing damp about the exhibition calendar either. Torre Abbey’s headline Summer Exhibition Face2Face takes over the house. We’ve already been along and it’s not to be missed, with a curation of YBA works from the Arts Council Collection “facing-off” against Torre Abbey’s original masters hidden around. Our own walls will be busy too, with a group show from Devon artists Alan Gregory, Claire Jenkinson and Chris Pitman. There is of course the chance we’ll be proven wrong, so in case, here’s some events to enjoy in the sun. Outdoor theatre is king in August, Comedy of Errors visits Torre Abbey (1st-4th Aug) or you can catch Pride and Prejudice over at Cockington (28th Aug). Also, keep an eye out for announcements about outdoor cinema at Torre Abbey happening sometime this month! #BeachHut #CultureUpdate #ArtizanTorquay #Exhibitions #August #August2017 #2017 #Toorak #Speakeasy #TorreAbbey #CockingtonCourt #TheLittleTheatre #BrixhamTheatre #ClareJenkinson #Face2Face #ChristPitman #AlanGregory #ArtsCouncil

“Through art we seek knowledge. We are the sentient universe investigating itself and looking for answers to the ‘big’ questions. Ultimately, the one truth that we can rely on is that we can only experience the present moment.” Charles Somerton lives and works in Exeter, having settled down after several years travelling abroad. His paintings have a rich, deep, tactile surface and an exuberant colour palette which Charles mixes solely from the three primary shades. The sense of harmony present in his works is strongly reminiscent of traditional mandalas, reflecting his observation of similar patterns appearing in ancient artworks around the world. Cosmography: Paintings and Drawings by Charles Somerton will be on display in Artizan’s Main Gallery in May 2017 as a part of our 2017 Solo Series. The exhibition will run from 1st – 20th May with a ‘Meet the Artist’ private viewing on 4th May. About the Work "I have always worked automatically, spontaneously creating marks and symbols in geometric formations. I have subsequently found the same patterns and codes in “primitive” art from around the world and throughout history. Seeing those objects having already independently produced similar works has helped me to understand the nature of our own unique consciousness as a channel for our creative capabilities. Through my enquiry I have come to believe that all creativity comes from the same source and it is through our consciousness that we have the ability to tap into it and receive inspiration. The world of form can only provide the means by which we make art, be that through materials or experience. Art is process. Creating a work of art is a mystic journey; the result is a sacred object symbolic of the activity. At the outset of a piece I have a basic vision of what I am trying to achieve, but the magic takes place as the layers build and the geometric structure complexifies. In a ritual process, rhythms, contrasts, accidents and actions collide in fluid motion; then like grains of sand coming to rest in the desert everything ends up in its right place. As with traditional mandala my paintings are essentially an abstract representation of the universe. Making art, like meditation, clears my mind and allows me to be. With my paintings I aim to draw people into a state of presence; to focus their attention." #CharlesSomerton #May #2017 #Artizan #Exhibition

If writing these articles for Beach Hut has taught us anything, it’s that there’s really no shortage of things to do on our doorstep in Torbay! Easter was no exception, and we had a fantastic April taking in Speakeasy at the Toorak and having some “mudless” festival fun at Grinagog. We thought it was going to be difficult to top this month, but we were wrong; here’s your May culture roundup! We’ve already spent far too much time in Torre Abbey since it reopened (we’re considering moving in!) but there’s yet more excuses to visit. As well as their permanent displays and the historic building and gardens, until June 4th they’ll be exhibiting “Thread”, an exhibition of contemporary quilts from the Quilters’ Guild Collection. We popped to see this in March and there are some stunning examples of contemporary and traditional methods in the displays. On 6th, Ageing Well Torbay will be hosting A Symposium of Ideas at Central Church. This event will offer talks, workshops and drop-in sessions for over 50s to find out what’s available in Torbay. We’re involved in the judging of an art competition for the event and can’t wait to see the entries! Over in Brixham, as part of the Marine Conservation Day on 30th, there’s a chance to enter a photographic competition with the theme of, you guessed it, Marine Conservation! Deadline for entries is 10th, more details on their website. Finally, a quick music roundup. The popular Speakeasy series continues with the Joy Ellis Quartet at the Toorak on 17th, don’t miss this one, and we’ll be continuing our Acoustic Nights at the gallery with The Boys from Melbourne Street joining us on 29th. And that’s all we can squeeze into this one, but there is loads more going on. If your still stuck for things to do, come and join us for a coffee in the gallery for our May exhibition with artists Charles Somerton and Jo West and we’ll give you some more ideas! #BeachHut #CultureUpdate #ArtizanTorquay #May #2017 #TorreAbbey #CharlesSomerton #JoWest #SpeakeasyTorquay

Hopefully there won’t be too many April showers to dodge this month and meanwhile we’ll pretend that a quarter of 2017 hasn’t already disappeared! We had a lovely March in the gallery, with exhibiting artists Jim Doran and Paul Ansell providing spectacular shows; you can still checkout the exhibition on our Facebook page so give it a look. This month we welcome Anna McDermott to Artizan with her exhibition “Presence”. But that’s not all you can expect from Torbay for arts this month, because April is looking good for anyone wanting to get their culture fix. Firstly, we can’t not mention Grinagog(!) a three-day festival of electronic, urban, indie rock, electro swing, world music and much more in venues across the Bay. We’ve got our tickets and we can’t wait (7th-9th Apr)! And if you want yet more music, Speakeasy Torquay brings you two great performances this month from the soulful Joanna Cooke (5th Apr, Toorak Hotel) and the ambient vibes of Big Bad Wolf (19th Apr, Toorak). Or, pop along to Artizan on April 17th for an acoustic night with Simon Coverdale and other local performers. And once your ears are tired, it will be time to take in some visual art from a group of Torbay’s best local artists at the Torbay Guild of Artists 50th Anniversary Exhibition (12th – 23rd Apr, Spanish Barn). Many of our past exhibitors will be appearing there and we wish them a great show, make sure to go and give your support. Our friends at Torquay Museum continue their series of talks and this month there’s a historical theme as Phil Badcott discusses “The Transportation of South Devon Convicts to Tasmania”. And sticking with the Torbay Museums, Torre Abbey officially reopened at the end of March; we’ve already stopped by to explore and we can tell you the building and grounds are looking as beautiful as ever! That’s your April Art and Culture fix, see you next month! #BeachHut #CultureUpdate #AnnaMcDermott #ArtizanTorquay #April #2017 #JimDoran #PaulAnsell #Grinagog #SpeakeasyTorquay

In 2017 we renovated and launched our Basement Gallery, a warm cosy space beneath our Main Gallery to display sculptures, crafts and 3D works. With one wall benefiting from large, bespoke display shelving and the room being laid out as an inviting salon, this is an exciting new space for our customers to explore and enjoy, and potentially spend time in enjoying a coffee and a book from our library. The space is available to exhibit in all year round and we welcome artisans and craftspeople to bring us their creations for consideration. The Basement Gallery is also available to hire for dedicated exhibitions and pop-ups. If you're interested in displaying, please get in touch with juliebrandon@artizangallery.co.uk or pop into the Gallery! #gallery #exhibit #coffee #art #3D #artizan #opportunity #call #exhibiting

“Painting is a lot like fishing. Stick your brush in the water and wait. Hope for something big (or at least funny looking…) Read the paper. Eat a sandwich. Think about painting. Call Baselitz (no answer.) Read “Hunger”. Crossword Puzzle. Whistle. Paint. Curse God. Go home.” Joe Bradley Having studied in Brighton, Sam now lives and works in Torquay. His series ‘Torquay Paintings’ will be on display in Artizan’s Main Gallery for the first month of our 2017 Solo Series. The exhibition will run from 9th – 29th January with an opening view on Thursday 12th January. About the Work This body of work continues to be an embodiment of my place in time and where I find myself in this particular moment. My paintings are a series of non-representational spaces and objects that echo a familiar environment but are not easy to pin down. They are created through fortuitous events caused by rupture and displacement of the surface, but are controlled by the decisive shapes, forms and brush marks I apply. I want to evoke the physical presence in the painting, the engagement and freedom I have with the paint and the intuitive and visceral marking of the surface. It is through the act of painting itself and the time spent with the paintings that I uncover their subjects. These paintings subjects derive from notions of the everyday, split second chances and the brief little moments we have the pleasure of existing within. #exhibition #artizan #soloseries #2017 #abstract #local #torbay #samregan

Hello and Happy New Year! Welcome to 2017 and welcome to The Beach Hut’s new arts column from Artizan Gallery. We’re excited to bring you a monthly update on all things arty in the Bay, covering everything from exhibitions, to shows, to workshops. We’ll give you the scoop on the galleries we’re hoping to visit and events we won’t be missing so that you can get your fill of Torbay’s culture. This month though, we want to tell you a little bit about ourselves and why we care about the local arts. We’ve been running Artizan for nearly three years now(!), working with hundreds of artists from across Torbay and Devon to bring local art out of the nooks and crannies of our coastal towns and onto our venues walls for everyone to experience. Our family-run gallery has now curated over 30 exhibitions and we’ve been privileged to work with the wealth of talented artists living and producing in Torbay. 2017 is a huge year for us; not only will it mark our third Birthday, but it will also see Artizan bigger and better than ever. We’ve got two new gallery spaces with our Garden and Basement Galleries officially opening and there’s an incredible schedule of exhibitions for these already booked. Not only this, but we’re excited to be part of the Belgravia Galleries group, with The Gallery (Kevin Cowell) and the new Torbay Gallery (Andy Reed), which promises to be a big step for the art offering of Lucius Street and Belgrave Road. This month, we’ll have a solo exhibition from local artist - and coffee enthusiast - Sam Regan (you may know him from Calypso on the Torquay high street), who’ll be bringing his large, contemporary, abstracts to the main gallery (9th - 29th Jan, Launch 12th Jan). We’ll also be kicking off our Poetry (23rd Jan) and Acoustic (30th Jan) evenings with some great headliners. #BeachHut #2017 #January #Article #CultureUpdate

The idea for Arthub has come from nearly three years of experience in promoting and running a gallery in Torbay. That’s three years of working with artists, art groups and art businesses; three years of running art exhibitions, art projects and arts campaigns; three years of great work, with incredible talent in amazing venues. And in those three years we’ve learnt some valuable lessons from a sample of over 200 artists, all of whom are out their promoting themselves and their work; here’s just a few of those lessons: Artists are the best people to promote their work. No matter how hard we try, we will never be able to sell your artwork as well as you can. Buyers and collectors love to hear about your work from you. Artists often dislike talking about their work. We see it at all our launch events. Many artists hide themselves in the corners as far away as possible from their work because their nervous about discussing it! Online marketing is essential. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out, the internet has changed how we go about our day to day lives. This applies to everything we do from banking, to socialising, to how we shop, and that isn’t just isolated to ordering the groceries online, it applies to buying art too! Whether its Torbay or London, the tools at artists’ disposals to promote themselves online at a local or national level are lacking. There are some exceptions with sites like Art Rabbit offering a free, functional and stylish service to promote art exhibitions nationally, but its potential to reach people locally in small towns and cities is limited. Many local promotion sites are overcomplicated, inflexible in the way individuals can add events and difficult to navigate for visitors trying to find things to do; they’re often run by councils with limited funds and time to dedicate to them or as add-ons to sites with other primary purposes; none are dedicated to the arts. Disjointed and inadequate digital promotion sites make online marketing a full-time job. We should know, we’re doing it every day, fighting our way through a mess of local newspaper sites, radio pages, events listings and social media to best promote the exhibitions we run. It easily takes up two to three days every week for us! Artists are better together. Whether it’s affordability of opportunities, division of labour or simply having a louder voice, artists are more successful in numbers. When we think about the art group we believe it’s important that collectives are not just made up of artists but of arts businesses too and that connections are nurtured between these individuals to benefit each other; after all, we’d be out of a job if it wasn’t for artists! #promotion #artists #online

Artists often have different attitudes to online marketing. Some tentatively explore social media platforms and build an online following; some fully embrace it, listing themselves on numerous gallery and sales sites, setting up their own website and everything in between; others see it as a break from tradition and that the online market place can never offer what a physical gallery offers. We believe the importance of the online marketplace as a supporting tool for artists is indisputable; online promotion through social media is a must for any professional artist looking to make a living from their work, and a website with digital portfolio and CV are often equally necessary for maintaining a credible image. Many will even take on the burden of running their own online store, an undertaking which is both time-consuming and expensive. Regularly producing content for blogs and all manner of social media outlets can often take up more time than producing the work these tasks aim to promote! So, if it can't be avoided, we want to make sure the process of being "online" is as painless as possible, without being ineffective. And we'll tell you how Arthub aims to solve that, in our next blog post! #online #artists #ecommerce