'Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better'  Albert Einstein.

Launch Night!

Thanks you to everyone who came and supported Edge Arts first show! We had a great evening and received some great comments on the show and our work. 


Special thanks to Jason Moss from Rugby FM for opening the show and to the very talented Becs who provided some lovely music for our guests.


If you'd like to be kept informed of future exhibitions and event please contact us to go on our mailing list. 


We are hoping to do some collaborations with other artists for future shows so if you are an artist (any discipline or media) please get in touch with some images of your work and a statement about you and we'll be in touch. 


We now planning for our next show which we''re hoping to bigger and even better than our Verve show. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates.


Take a look at some photos from the night!

Jason Moss cutting the ribbon

Opening Speech

The very talented Donna Thacker

Before the show

About the artists No.3 - Hazel Walker

After graduating in 2010 from the University of Northampton with a First Honorary Degree in Photographic Practice, I remain focused on making work evolving from my final year exhibition ‘Hinterland’; developing into a lifelong assignment.

The human species identifies natural forms by using constituents of the sensory system like touch and smell, more importantly sight to distinguish diverse botanical species.  Light is fundamental to the process of seeing, survival of all life forms, and Photography within the field of Art.  Scientific processes engage artificial light primarily in microscopy. The exhibited work was made by means of unconventional optics either connected to the camera body or a separate apparatus.

Layers of visual and sensory possibility embrace the natural environment, where the ‘visible’ touches on the ‘invisible’, offering a glimpse of the inner beauty of natural phenomena.

Photosynthesis is reliant on light in plants.  A leaf cell houses many components with the Chloroplast key in driving the process; daylight is absorbed by the pigment Chlorophyll in Thylakoid disks located within the Chloroplast.  The exhibition was designed representing in part the Chloroplast internal structure.

Pinhole imagery of trees signified rural space while their stance influences the ‘tree of life’.  Hence, the pertinence for pinhole subject matter to be trees presented as light ‘specimens’ depicting ‘absorption of light’ in its purest form.  This idea has its influences in the work of William Henry Fox Talbot, Scientist, (1800-1877), who came to realize how sunlight reacts with sensitized paper ascertaining the ‘negative’.

Natural wonder is encased not only in what the eye interprets, but its ability to transport one deeper ‘into’ the space, creating layers.  Initial images disclose radiance of colour, communicating a magical aura of rural space and the visible light spectrum.

Life cycle is demonstrated by the juxtaposition of triptychs: ‘forming’ of new growth, adulthood and ‘reproduction’, also living organisms having interior and exterior structures only to ‘decay’ over time while new life is born.  A further layer has been achieved by means of scientific approach encountering surface textures, whilst the traditional microscope enables the inner beauty of the natural environment to be revealed interlocking ‘art’ and ‘science’ by way of abstract visuals.

Hazel Walker BA (HONS), ARPS

Book available: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1539013

Look out for further editions in 2012!

© Hazel Walker BA Hons, ARPS: copying prohibited ALL texts and images

It's launch day!!

The day has finally arrived and we're almost set for our first show. It's shaping up to be a great event with special guests and live music. We look forward to seeing all our invited guests later on this eve. If you can't make it don't forget the show runs until 3rd December, Wednesday - Sunday, 4pm until late.

We'll be posting photos from the night and showing off all the work that's being exhibited so be sure to come back and check those out. We'll also be tweeting throughout the night so be sure to follow us @Edge_Arts

About the artists No.2 - Donna Thacker

DONNA THACKER

I graduated from Northampton University in 2010 with a degree in Fine Art. This course gave me the opportunity to develop skills in disciplines such as Printmaking, Photography, Sculpture and Painting. Prior to this, I spent four years studying Art and Design at Rugby College by completing two separate courses. During my time there, I was given the time and opportunity to experiment with different Medias and apply them in new ways.

As for my current practice, I am interested in both figurative compositions and the notion of ‘non-places’ and ‘non-spaces’. With these inspirations in mind, I concentrate my work around photography as a starting point, and develop my ideas through either abstraction or representation, both expressing my work through paint.

There are many artists who inspire my practice, but I feel I turn to the works created by Hughie O’Donoghue and Gerhard Richer the most. I will often refer to the works of these artists when I am constructing a painting, to gain knowledge on either depth of colour or information on compositions.

The colours of paint and the technique with which it is applied, are vitally important to my work therefore, if I want to handle a piece with more sensitivity, I use paintbrushes and turps, but if I feel it needs to be a little edgier, I will use a palette knife and spectragel to thicken my paint further and allow me to apply it more energetically. To be considered close to completion, I must be confident that the work is both communicative and atmospheric, although, with each and every work I have done to date, I always feel that there is ‘something else’ that could be done to it. This gives me comfort that I am still developing my skills and I still have more to learn about my abilities and, in turn, more to give to my work.

I am currently a member in two different artists groups, which is makes me increasingly focused on my own practice. I am also responsible for my own family, whilst working full-time at a local school. I love my busy lifestyle, and in turn I gain strength and have the opportunities to motivate myself and others whilst staying grounded, but continually inspired.

About the artists - No.1 - Coreen Harris

Here is an artists statement from one of our artists Coreen about her inspiration, working practice and methods

COREEN HARRIS

I am a combined artist, freelance writer and poet, who uses mixed media, abstract painting, mini installations and manipulated digital photography within my fine art practice. I enjoy working at full speed and am happiest when producing various creative writing projects, painting on canvas and working on my mini installations simultaneously.  My work takes centre stage, as if it were a canvas from Jackson Pollock’s studio.

My mini installations were recently shown at a London exhibition and were included in my graduate show at University. As a story teller I use the paradox as my key to conjure up ordinary characters, creating dramatic assemblages using found objects, exploring these characterizations and fragments of the identity which are revealed to the audience. These artworks are a cross between Cornell-like drawers and Mark Dion’s fabulous curiosity cabinets.

Working on various abstract paintings I am driven and inspired by the work of Jean Dubuffet and Cy Twombly who both used a sophisticated and very complex method of theory through painting, to translate their hypotheses into mark making. Within my own abstract painting practice I hope to discover some of these methods, using the narrative to produce biomorphic images interacting with the viewer to evoke emotion.

Want to know a bit more about us? Take a look at our press release

Press Release

Contemporary Art Group Launch in Rugby

A group of artists who graduated from University of Northampton, have just launched a new Midlands based art group and they will be having their first exhibition this November in Rugby.

Edge Arts Collective is an exciting new project to showcase cutting-edge art nationally.

The Edge members include Emma Carpendale, Ann Crearie, Leanne Gilroy, Coreen Harris, Donna Thacker, Kate Thomas, Jill Wales and Hazel Walker.  Some of the artists live locally in Rugby while the others live within a 30 mile radius of the town.

They all share a passion for art and their debut art exhibition has already been organised.  It will run from Thursday 10^th November until Saturday 3rd December 2011, opening times 4pm until late, in the newly refurbished art gallery above Verve Bar, 35 North Street, Rugby CV21 2AL. 

Expect to see a wide variety of contemporary art from the members of Edge Arts Collective, including paintings, illustrations, fine art, sculpture, photography and installations.  The exhibition is FREE to the public and many of the pieces will be available for sale.