‘Paintings ’23, there but not there maybe’. An exhibition by Dave Anderson

Background to this Exhibition

During 2019 I created and installed an Art Installation called ‘Shapes not there….’ at G. A. S. Art Space see: (davea.hardedgeart.com). This installation was made with many card squares painted with metallic paint with each group of cards defining a shape. Each different shape was defined by being ‘not there….’ leaving viewers seeing the shape implied on the wall of the space.

The squares were attached to the walls so over time so these squares gradually came off the walls, one by one, leaving the implied shape increasingly ‘not there’. Finally, there would be:

Not(hing) there….

Exhibition Paintings’ Development.

The square/diamond has been part of my work from my degree course (1976 to 1979) whether:

• Grey paintings

• Collages

• Contoured canvases.

• Constructed canvases.

Which can be seen on: daveahardedgeart.com

This carries through to this new exhibition along with ideas from the ‘Shapes.…not there, installation.

‘Paintings ’23, there but not there maybe’

at West Studios exhibition space, December 2023. Taking the idea of shapes not being there from the installation, these paintings also deal with the vague and unsure.

 Taking the square as a basic motif and relating to the square/diamond shape of the paintings in this exhibition was to increase the vagueness and using paint-space, one corner of a square can be in a completely different paint-space than another. Squares are often painted in completely so combined with the paint-space, leave the viewer to figure them out.

 All of my paintings are hard-edge style but unlike standard hard-edge paintings with flat areas of colour, these paintings use hard-edge in a different way. Firstly, most shapes are shaded, not flat areas and secondly hard edges can fade out, colours blend, shapes blend, all adding to the ‘there but not there’ idea. The corner of a square can be hard-edge and look very definite and clear in its paint-space whereas another corner of the same square can be way back in the painting making it more confusing to connect a square’s parts and location.

This exhibition explores space and the painting surface at the same time, vagueness and is it there but not there, maybe’

Festive Newsletter

Our upcoming workshops is the perfect way to get creative, learn a new skill and have fun! There’s also the opportunity to get gifts for loved ones by shopping at West Studios or buying from our monthly exhibitions. For those budding young artists there’s a competition that could see their artwork displayed permanently installed along the players entrance tunnel walls at the SMH Group Stadium as well as a £50 Amazon voucher. Finally we have some upcoming shows in the studio theatre.

Young Artist of the Year

If you’re aged under 18, live in Chesterfield or its surrounding area and enjoy being creative, this is a fantastic opportunity to show off your skills and have your artwork seen by thousands of people.

This year Chesterfield College has partnered with West Studios and Chesterfield Football Club to run a special brief of ‘Celebrating Chesterfield FC’ with two winners having their artwork permanently installed along the players entrance tunnel walls at the SMH Group Stadium as well as a £50 Amazon voucher each. Two runners up will also receive a £50 Amazon voucher.

Click here for further details about the competition and eligability criteria.

stung

Back by popular demand!

STUNG: The story of WASPIs - Women Against State Pension Inequality.

Saturday 11th November at 3pm.

Tickets £6-£8

Click here to book a ticket.

The wonders of nature

We spoke with Michael Benton, who will be displaying their work at West Studios in November, to find out more about his upcoming exhibition, his background and inspirations. The exhibition runs from Monday 13th - Friday 24th November.

Open Monday - Friday from 10am and 4pm.

Due to other events taking place at the centre we recommend people calling ahead to check the full exhibition is open for viewing.

Click here to read the blog post interview with Michael.

Gekkota Arts Presents: Festive Frolics

Festive Frolics - Yule Love It!

Gekkota Arts provide an evening of fast paced improvised comedy with a Festive theme, creating scenes with the help of the audience.

Tuesday 28th November.

Doors open 7pm, show starts 7.30pm.

Click here to book.

Collagraph Printing with artist Dave Elsom

Learn the basics of collagraph in this 2.5 hour workshop with local artist Dave Elsom.

Monday 13th November, 6pm - 8.30pm

Click here to book your space.

Lino printing christmas cards

Local printmaker Dave Elsom of Sombrero Printmaking will help you with the basics of lino printing, so you can make your own Christmas cards. All tools and materials are provided.

You just need to turn up, get creative and have fun!

Wednesday 29th November, 6pm - 8.30pm.

Click here to book your space.

Draw Derbyshire Landscapes

This workshop will introduce you to a series of techniques to help you capture your subject without the pain of traditional drawing methods.  Using textures, patterns and lines we will find ways to use mark making skills to loosen up the way you work.

Click here to book your space.

venue hire

West Studios has a range of facilities to suit all your meetings needs.

Our standard meeting room is a perfect space for formal meetings within a relaxed atmosphere. The studio room is a flexible space perfect for a range of community groups. The theatre is perfect for small theatre productions, concerts, dance shows, or conferences. More information can be found on the West Studios website or you can get in touch to organise a viewing.

Click here to find out more.

October Newsletter

October is a month of change. The summer seems a distant memory. The days are continuing to get shorter. The cold weather is creeping in and pumpkin spice flavouring has taken hold.

West Studios invites you in from the cold to take a look at our upcoming exhibitions, autumn workshops, and theatre shows.

Exhibitions

David Robinson - Woodcarver and Furniture Maker.

David Robinson is returning to West Studios for another exhibition of his work in October! The exhibition will be a range of ornamental and practical pieces all made by hand.

Open to the public from Monday 23rd October to Friday 3rd November between 10am and 4pm.

The Wonders of Nature

We spoke with Michael Benton, who will be displaying their work at West Studios in November, to find out more about his upcoming exhibition, his background and inspirations.

The exhibition will be on display from Monday 13th - Friday 24th November.

Workshops

Intermediate Lino printing workshop

Thursday 26th October, 6:00 PM until 8:30 PM. £30 per person.

During this 2.5 hour workshop you’ll work with Dave Elsom from Sombrero Printmaking to learn the basics of lino printing, a technique used by artists for over 100 years.

You’ll sketch out your design on a piece of lino and when you’re happy with it you can begin to carve out the design and get it ready for the printing stage. Once the design is fully carved you’ll be able to print this and make your very own pieces of art! You will also get to keep you lino carving to enable to make more cards & prints at home.

While water-based inks are used (which usually come out of clothes easily) we always recommend you don't wear your Sunday best!

Click here to book your place.

Street Scenes in Pen and Wash (Watercolour)

Saturday 4th November, 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM. £30 Per Person.

Pen and wash is the perfect sketching medium for depicting both intricate details and large pools of colour in your artwork.  Introducing all the basic techniques, this workshop is ideal for those wishing to sketch with simple tools.

Pen and wash is the perfect hybrid medium for both intricate details and large areas of colour, and you will enjoy sharing ideas with the group, and you will take home at least one completed work by the end of the session.  Suitable for all abilities and with all materials provided.

Click here to book your space.

Collagraph Printing Workshop

Monday 13th November, 6:00 PM until 8:30 PM. £25 per person

Printmaker Dave Elsom of Sombrero Printmaking will teach you how to create your own mountboard "plate" which you'll build up using other pieces of mountboard and cardboard to create fun, lively images which you'll print out onto paper and card to keep.

While water-based inks are used (which usually come out of clothes easily) we always recommend you don't wear your Sunday best!

Click here to book your place.

Lino Printing Christmas Card Workshop

Wednesday 29th November, 6:00 PM until 8:30 PM. £30 per person.

Local printmaker Dave Elsom of Sombrero Printmaking will help you with the basics of lino printing, so you can make your own Christmas cards. All tools and materials are provided. You just need to turn up, get creative and have fun!

Lino printing has been around for over a hundred years and is a great introduction to printmaking. You'll learn how to design and carve a small lino image which you'll then be able to print on paper and also create six of your own personalised greetings cards. You'll also be able to take your lino home so you can print with it as much as you like! 

While water-based inks are used (which usually come out of clothes easily) we always recommend you don't wear your Sunday best!

Click here to book your place!

Draw Derbyshire Landscapes with Graphite

Saturday 9th December, 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM. £25 per person

This workshop will introduce you to a series of techniques to help you capture your subject without the pain of traditional drawing methods.  Using textures, patterns and lines we will find ways to use mark making skills to loosen up the way you work.

The workshop will begin with an exploration into all the different ways to use graphite and an eraser to make marks, patterns and textures, then go on to introduce a source photo on which to base our work.  Whether you have no previous drawing experience or are already an occasional sketcher, you will find the pace and subject enjoyable and absorbing as we learn to pick out a few basic features.  Using our warm up exercises as a “menu” we will then go on to add patterns and textures, and use smudging effects to build up the landscape quickly and easily, with options to add more details or experiment with blending tones to create subtle and effective mood. 

If you are not confident with your drawing, we will learn skills which will give you advantages and inspire you to draw.  At the end of the session we will all have at least one finished image and no doubt lots of ideas for future projects.  Suitable for all abilities and with all materials provided.

Click here to book your place.

Theatre Shows

Stung: The Story of the WASPIs - WOMEN AGAINST STATE PENSION INEQUALITY.

Back by popular demand! The WASPI women, who first performed the show back in March, are back to perform their show ‘Stung’, before taking the show on tour! Find out more about the show and get your tickets in the link below.

September Newsletter

Find out about our upcoming exhibitions, workshops and shows in the theatre.

Open Exhibition

The open exhibition is now open to the public! The exhibition is collection of work from different artists featuring different themes, styles and mediums. Opening hours for the exhibition are Monday to Friday, 10am until 4pm.

We recommend calling ahead of your visit to avoid disappointment as parts of the exhibition may be closed at certain time due to other events taking place at the centre.

Celebration Evening

Join the artists, their friend and family, at the celebration event. This is a great opportunity to discuss the artworks with the artist, meet likeminded creative people. The event will take place on Friday 15th September, 6pm until 8pm.

Click here to book your ticket - they’re free!

Metallic Diamond Paintings: 2020 to 2022. (Life During Lockdown)

We spoke with David Anderson, our October exhibiting artist, about his upcoming exhibition, background and inspirations. The exhibition will be on display from Monday 2nd - Friday 13th October.

Click here to read the Metallic Diamond Paintings blog post.

David Robinson - Woodcarver and Furniture Maker.

David Robinson is returning to West Studios for another exhibition of his work in October! The exhibition will be a range of ornamental and practical pieces all made by hand. Open to the public from Monday 23rd October to Friday 3rd November between 10am and 4pm.

The Wonders of Nature

We spoke with Michael Benton, who will be displaying their work at West Studios in November, to find out more about his upcoming exhibition, his background and inspirations. The exhibition will be on display from Monday 13th - Friday 24th November.

Click here to read The Wonders of Nature blog post.

Workshops

Over the next few days workshops our upcoming slate of workshops will be released. Workshops range from lino printing to making paints using natural pigments to more general art and drawing workshops and crafts. Check the link below to find out more.

Click here to find out about our upcoming workshops.

Back to School!

An improvised night of comedy.

A rip-roaring evening of improvised comedy and playground banter.

Doors open 7.15pm

Show start time 7.30pm

Click here to get your tickets.

STUNG.

The story of WASPIs - Women Against State Pension Inequality.

Back by popular demand! The WASPI women, who first performed the show back in March, are back to perform their show ‘Stung’, before taking the show on tour! Find out more about the show and get your tickets in the link below.

Click here to get your tickets.

Metallic Diamond Paintings: 2020 to 2022.

We spoke with David Anderson, our October exhibiting artist, about his upcoming exhibition.

What is your background/the background of your group? (How long have you been a practicing professional, when was the group founded, previous projects etc.)

My initial formal art training outside of school began with art classes on a Saturday morning which were at the old Chesterfield Art College, Hasland when I was 1213 years old. From finishing school, I then completed a 2-year Art Foundation course at the (then new) Chesterfield College of Art and Design, Sheffield Road. My Fine Art degree course was completed at Leicester Polytechnic and following on from this I worked as a Studio Assistant for:

            Brendon Atkinson/Larry Rivers (Pop artist)

            Al Held (Hard-Edge artist)

            Cora Cohen (Abstract Expressionist artist}

            Stephen Meuller (Color-field artist)

Exhibitions assistant and gallery photographer for:

Max Protech Gallery

Cable Gallery

From working for these artists and galleries, I gained ‘real world’ experience of being a professional artist.

What is the name of the exhibition?

‘2,020 to 2,022 Metallic Diamonds’

Metallic Diamond Paintings: 2020 to 2022.

(Life during Lockdown).

What materials have you used to create the work in the exhibition?

These paintings use:

Square canvases of various sizes.

Metallic Acrylic paints.

Mars Black Acrylic paint.

What have you taken inspiration from to create this exhibition?

As the Exhibition information notes, this exhibition is of paintings completed over ‘Life during Lockdown’.

2020, I was working in Malta and Covid arrived the 3rd week of my time there. By the 4th week there was talk of the airport closing and during this week my job disappeared, the company went into hibernation so it was time to leave.

Returning to the UK and with Lockdown imminent, I bought a number of canvases and paint for priming them. I had metallic paints from a previous Installation project (see Artist’s Statement for my Exhibition 2, December ’23) so decided to keep working with these as had been interesting from the previous installation. Lockdown arrived a week later and this is what I had to work with. The previous installation used the square as its basic building block so I decided to carry on with the square working with square canvases.

What can people expect when they come to your exhibition?

In this exhibition every painting in it is metallic, something I have never seen before in an exhibition space. My previous installation was all metallic also though the pieces in this were not paintings.

Along with this, these are all ‘Constructed Paintings’. Constructed Paintings are made by assembling a number of canvases, from 2 up to 8 or 9 together to form a painting structure that is not a single flat surface. I have been working with these for a number of years.

Many people have a creative passion but don’t ever think they will take it further. What helped you to decide that you were going to build on your passion?

Never really thought about this or it was never an item, more of a done deal for me. I used to win painting prizes at primary school along with Blue Peter badges (still have them) for art ideas sent into the programme. The art room was always my favourite place at school and during my second secondary school I was allowed to work in the art room during lunch time and after school along with winning art prizes from the school (1972 to 1974). After leaving school and returning to the first question, Chesterfield College of Art and Design exposed me to and broadened my world of art.

My degree course was what the college course was preparing me for and the next step. Taking the Fine Art degree where I was also a Stowell’s Trophy prize-winner (1978) also increased my knowledge, skills and confidence to be an artist.

Upon completion of my degree course, I moved into working as a studio assistant/gallery assistant while developing my own paintings and looking for exhibition opportunities. I also won a New York State Art Competition (1991) with the painting ‘on tour’, as exhibited at universities throughout New York State, Texas and California for nine months.

As an ‘emerging artist’ I started with group shows then solo exhibitions and later, larger installations also.

What made you chose West Studios when deciding where you should exhibit your work?

During the lockdown I did some web searches for exhibition spaces and galleries in cities around Chesterfield along with general searches of the East Midlands, looking for possible opportunities for after the pandemic. My art does not work in traditional portrait/landscape settings or in ‘gallery shops’. More flexible spaces suit my art better and after visiting West Studios during 2022, this space and the feel of it turned out to be here in Chesterfield and a suitable space for my work.