Jamaica St Artists Open Studios 2015

The Jamaica Street Open Studios weekend is a highpoint of Bristol’s cultural calendar. Now in its 22nd year a visit to this thriving creative space is a must for anyone interested in art in Bristol. The collective have recently signed a five year lease on the building ensuring that exciting, challenging and high profile art in a variety of media will still be created by acclaimed artists in the heart of Bristol.

Bristol 24/7 spoke to studio manager Lucy Ward about 2015’s event.

”The studio has been running for over 20 years, and was formally set up as Jamaica Street Artists 10 years ago this year. Open Studios has been happening since the beginning, and it is a way for the artists here to show the community what they do. People are really interested in what goes on in the building, as it’s not usually open to the public. I think we sometimes forget how unusual this place is and how curious people are about the lives of artists”

2015 has seen a number of new artists take up residence in the studios including sculptor Dorcas Casey, who creates uncanny, dreamlike life-size sculptures of animals, and Max Malone, a collage artist working with billboard posters and other found materials. There are more than 30 artists working out of Jamaica Street Studios now including fine artists Anouk Mercier, Philip Munoz and Ruth Cole, illustrators like Christopher Wright, photographers Mark Kidel and Jessica Fairbrother, textile designer Helen Williams and sculptors including Hugo Helene, Jan Blake and Rose Vickers, so which artists and their studios can visitors expect to see?

”All the artists will be here over the weekend. There’s a couple of people away on residencies at the moment, but essentially all the studio artists will be here all weekend and all the studios will be open.”

The weekend begins with an opening party where there will be DJs and live music alongside all the art. Saturday and Sunday will also incorporate workshops hosted by artists. The workshops are always very popular with visitors, and people who have never been to the Open Studios weekend can expect informal taster sessions and demonstrations by artists in their studios.

The open weekend also provides an opportunity for visitors to explore the building at their leisure prior to the near legendary mini-canvas auction. The auction provides an opportunity for art lovers to buy an affordable piece of art and support the studios. The auction sounds an intriguing element of the weekend, Lucy explained a little more about it:

 ”All the artists at the studios make a piece of work for the auction. Our long term supporters, Winsor and Newton, donate mini-canvasses for all the studio holders to contribute a small artwork. There are usually about 40 artworks auctioned at the event.

It’s usually a very busy and dramatic afternoon! We have some regular supporters and collectors of peoples’ work who come every time. There’s also the chance to pick up a small piece of affordable work too, so it can be a great way to start or build on your art collection.

The auction is fundamentally a fundraising event. All the money raised goes towards running the studios, and helping to provide artists with affordable space in the city. It’s a fun and exciting event, but it’s also a key part of the studio’s ongoing support to our artists”

Lucy’s enthusiam for the event is infectious:

‘‘Open Studios is such a great way to show Bristol what we do. The studio works hard to support our artists with affordable workspace, mentoring and exhibiting opportunities, and the security of being part of a collective. We’re proud of the success of our studio, and of the artists who work here, and love to share that with the public. ???Open Studios is an important fundraising event for us, and vital in the continued support of our artists. We value the creative input our studio holders have to the city and beyond, and Open Studios is key to ensuring future successes.’’

The artists are equally positive and excited about the weekend, as painter Karen Edwards elaborated:

“At Open Studios we welcome in the community to see what goes on within the building. It’s a way for people to explore an artists studio, and for us to show people our work.”

Open Studios weekend 2015 will be held between 19 -21 June.

For more information see http://www.jamaicastreetartists.co.uk/artists.html