Up Next: Tate the Biscuit, 3rd to 6th Dec 2009 Shorditch Town Hall

Doorway to Dignity, bringing toilets to India through art

This being World Toilet Day I thought I'd give a sneak peek of the painting I have done for Doorway to Dignity an organisation dedicated raising money for sanitation and water projects in India. The works will go on show next year and then will be auctioned off on World Water Day, 22nd March 2010.

Toilet on Orange Pattern, Oil & Acrylic on Canvas, 76cm x 76cm

Hot off the easel - preview of Dutty Wine

Preview

This is the second in new a series of work not yet up on my website. It's a move away from my beloved appliances and into my Jamaican roots. The series (yet to be titled) is an exploration of modern Jamaican culture.

This painting is titled Dutty Wine (named after a popular dancehall move)

Acrylic & Ink on Paper
40cm x 50cm

Below is the first in the series Titled The Dragon (the phrase is taken from an old Jamaican saying about those with power and the extents they go to keep it)

Acrylic & Ink on Paper
60cm x 42cm

Talk on Selling Fine Art: from studio to exhibition – Podcasted for the ECCA

I was asked to give a talk about my journey from studio to exhibition for the Enterprise Centre for the Creative Arts (ECCA) a while back and it's been made available to listen again to on podcast here

I was very nervous as it was my first go at such a thing and I was also sharing the hour with Stephen Beddoe from Artquest and Dan Thompson, of Empty Shop Network fame, who is by the way an absolutely lovely guy.

My voice trembles at points and I did loose my way at one junction but it's by no means the car crash I initially feared it would be. Best of all if I do say so myself it has a few very useful points in it about the world of exhibiting (at least from my perspective of it)

Have a listen if you dare....

www.ecca-london.org/assets/podcasts/grad09_Selling%20Fine%20Art%20Robin%20Clare.mp3

Oh and there are also some other very useful podcasts about setting up creative businesses on the site too check it out www.ecca-london.org/resources/podcasts/

Up Next - Tate the Biscuit, A Proverbial Christmas Show - Shoreditch Town Hall - 3rd to 6th Dec 2009

‘Watch This Space’ Young and Emerging Artists Charity auction at The Special Yoga Centre - Tuesday December 8th, 2009

Thatcher, Blair and Brown, Oil on Canvas, 40cm x 40cm each





PRESS RELEASE

‘Watch This Space’ Young and Emerging Artists Charity auction

at The Special Yoga Centre

With Special guest host

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Over the past 3 years, The Special Yoga centre has hosted charity art auctions of artworks by some of the country’s most celebrated contemporary Artists including; Damien Hirst, Sam Taylor-Wood, Peter Blake, Marc Quinn, Ollly & Suzi and Natasha Law. The last auction, introduced by Samantha Cameron, and hosted by Gabbi Roslin, raised a staggering £100,000, even more amazing since this event took place in the midst of an economic downturn. A Christie’s auctioneer auctioned off some exquisite pieces, including a spot painting and etchings by Hirst.

The success of these auctions was the catalyst for an auction that champions the next generation of YBA’s. On November 26, arts organisation ‘Watch This Space’, who curate exhibitions of talented emerging Artists, will organise the first Special Yoga Centre auction of young artists. This will not only give collectors a chance to discover some hot new artists, and support their practice by purchasing their work, it will also raise much needed funds for the Special Yoga Centre.

Yoga expert and co-author of ‘The Spiritual Teachings of Yoga’ Jo Manuel founded the Special Yoga Centre in 2004 as a charitable organization supporting children with a variety of conditions, which can be aided by the practice of yoga. Children with Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, ADD, ADHD and other physical and developmental difficulties all benefit from the expert teaching offered at the Special Yoga Centre, whose policy is to offer yoga to all without regard to financial or cultural constraints. Children from all walks of life, including the late son of shadow Prime Minister David Cameron, have benefited from the care and teaching of the Special Yoga Centre.

Artists featuring in the auction will include; Andrew Campbell, Ann-Marie James, Arran Gregory, Ben Jenkins, Best One, Cereinyn Ord, Daisy de Villeneuve, Elliott Young, Epoh Beech, Eugene Wood, Graham Hudson, Harry Malt, Ilaria Conte, Izzie Klingels, Jim Cooper, Julie Umerle, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Konrad Wyrebek, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry & Peter Harris, Lee Jones, Louise Richardson, Mat Pringle, Matilda Temperley, Max Parsons, Monkey Punch III, Niall O’Brien, Nick Cunard, Nick Jensen, Peter Edwards, Ricky Adam, Robin Clare, Sam Szulc, Sarah Cooney, Sarah Kate Wilson, Sara le Roy, Sky Sharrock, Sohrab and Suzie Wright.

An Auctioneer from one of the leading Auction Houses will take the auction, with a special celebrity host getting the crowd going. Therefore this event provides an excellent opportunity for collectors to discover exciting young Artists. It will also aid the career of these young Artists (who will receive a percentage of the proceeds), and allow the Special Yoga Centre to continue it’s invaluable practice with the aid of the auction proceeds

Committee members are; Damian Barr – The Times; Jonni Fitzgerald – Fashion Stylist; Lucy Meakin – All Visual Arts; Meritaten Mance – Mance & Rose PR; Tiger Savage – Creative Director, M&C Saatchi; Iram Qurashi – Cultural Consultant; Irshaard Ibrahim – Director of Sleep Clinic; Paddy Barstow – ART MOSH; Rachael Barratt – Kultureflash Art Editor; Sydney Levinson – Rhodes & Rhodes.

The last auction at the Special Yoga Centre was featured in the Evening Standard, London Paper, Daily Express and Daily Mail. Watch This Space will curate the auction and take care of the PR. Watch This Space have already been featured by BBC News, New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Evening Standard, Amelia’s Magazine, MySpace, Art Daily and The London Paper.

For further information go to www.watch-this-space.org or contact Lee Johnson on lee@watch-this-space.org or Bakul Patki on bakul@watchi-this -space.org.

Or Rebecca Ward, Events Co-ordinator of The Special Yoga Centre on Rebecca@specialyoga.org.uk. www.specialyoga.org.uk

Exhibition venue: The Special Yoga Centre, The Tay Building, 2a Wrentham Avenue London NW10 3HA

Date: Tuesday 8 December, 2009