Back with a new exhibition : There's nothing for you here

Hello hello hello.

So it's exactly one year to the day since I last posted, apologies but I'm back now so all is forgiven right? RIGHT.

Opening in just over a week is my new exhibition at Bury Art Museum, I'm very excited for this, there is new work for the show that will be great to share with everybody, here is a cheeky little detail:

There's Nothing For You Here: New exhibition by Alison Erika Forde 
at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre

28th November - 20th February

FREE ENTRY buryartmuseum.co.uk

Coinciding with my this will be a special retrospective exhibition of artwork by artist Jo Clements, below is a flyer for both events. 

Come along and see for yourselves!

Laters all,
Alison x

  

Inktober ( Delayed)

So it was Inktober last month, but after moving house no internet to help share my drawing a day with the world!

Better late than never is a compilation of the 31 days of October.  Not sure whether most people will be aware but I absolutely very much dislike(d) drawing.  Love painting of course, but preparatory drawings/ sketches and planning have not been part of my remit for years.  When a pal challenged me to partake in Inktober I have to admit I wasn't really looking forward to it.  I'm pleased to say, it has re-kindled something in me and ended with a pleasing complete sketchbook, others have even commented that they find these new drawings my best work.  Not sure how I feel about that hahahhahaha

Since around 2007 I've been heckled as an Illustrator and not an artist, so this will only add fuel to that fire, and to be honest, I love it and play on it.  Boundary blurring is my thing yo.  This is a light hearted daily diary over a one month period represented in sketches, and I love Halloween so there was bound to be kitsch Halloween imagery galore, I'm not sorry!!!

All of the drawings I made below were using a trusty Pentel paintbrush pen, with no pencil planning, strictly free hand!

Enjoy! (Hopefully) xx

Men Who Like Women Who Smell Of Their Jobs - OPENS TOMORROW!!!

It's finally here!!! At the wonderful John Ryland's library!

'Men Who Like Women Who Smell Of Their Jobs'
1st October until 31st January 2015
Launch Party 9th October 6 - 8.30

The exhibition itself is displayed at two sites within the John Ryland's library, as part of the Manchester Literature Festival.  Shared between the Map Room (which is attached to the Historic Reading Room) and the Cloist area.

The launch event will see David perform some of his micro fiction, I will introduce my pieces, and O>L>A present their new work. Authors Anneliese Mackintosh and Socrates Adams will also be reading, and all this will take place, for free, in the beautiful John Rylands Library, with wine.

Installation day with a winning team of David Gaffney, Paulette Terry Brien ( International 3) and Neil Dymond-Green at John Ryland's, here are some shots of the process:

 Here are a few details to tempt you over for a visit...

And as if that wasn't exciting enough, the fantastic O>L>A guys have released a preview snippet of one of their commissioned pieces for this project, which they will be performing at the launch on Thursday 9th October  GO TAKE A LOOK/LISTEN HERE!!!

Just one more thing....

XXXXXXXXXX

SOON - Men who like women who smell of their jobs: A collaborative project at John Ryland's library!!!

It's less than a month away (1st October ) until I'll be exhibiting at the John Ryland's library in Manchester and it really is too exciting.

Men who like women who smell of their jobs is a collaborative project where I have made paintings in response to the brilliant David Gaffney's short stories.  The wonderful O>L>A  have in turn created musical pieces in response to both the stories and my work.

Check out David's site HERE and have a listen to O>L>A  HERE

It's one big collaborative loop of sound, written word and visual art, I flippin' love it!!!

Here are some details of two of the new pieces I've made for this exhibition to wet your appetite...

For more information about the project please go take a look at the manchester literature festival  and the John Ryland's library websites.

Finding the Value video!!!

Some of you may be aware how I prefer to let my work speak for itself.

Here is a rare (excruciating) moment of me on camera if you are curious!  It is a lovely insightful video though, and a great explanation of what the whole project was about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO1bGWoojUM&feature=youtu.be

Finding the Value: York St Mary's

I am so So SO excited about this group exhibition, it should be an absolute treat at a stunning venue, preview glimpses below.

Finding the Value -  Contemporary artists explore aspects of the Madsen Collection

4 July – 2 November 2014

Andrew Bracey, Alison Erika Forde, Yvette Hawkins, Susie MacMurray and Simon Venus

In 2011 Peter Madsen left his estate, including his art collection, to York Museums Trust.  Five artists have made new work for this exhibition, using objects from his collection.

We can never know what drew Peter Madsen to collect and keep these things but each artist has found new ways to value them.

York Art Gallery is currently undergoing an £8 million redevelopment. This ambitious project was made possible by the bequest of £2 million by Peter Emil Madsen and his sister Karen Madsen, both from York. Their gift also included Peter’s diverse collection of paintings, books, prints, small sculptures and ethnographic objects.  York Art Gallery has been allowed to sell any pieces not taken into the City’s art collections.

Of course, the historical importance and artistic quality of some works meant they had to be kept. Other works were sold at auction, happily passing into the care of other collectors whilst adding to the monetary value of the gift.

To honour the Madsens’ generosity in a creative and innovative way, York Art Gallery invited five artists to make completely new artworks in response to what was left of the Madsen collection.

Andrew Bracey, Alison Erika Forde, Yvette Hawkins, Susie MacMurray and Simon Venus have taken items from the collection, both images and objects, as the raw material for their work.

Finding the Value questions the concept of value; considering human values in relation to calculations of financial worth.

For more information please visit yorkstmarys.org.uk and keep checking my blog for more installation shots over the coming weeks!

(detail) : exhibition!!!

Here you go, a wonderful installation shot of the (detail) exhibition currently in Bangkok, down to much hard graft from it's curator Andrew Bracey!

Incase you can't spot it, mine is the bottom right image of a toad's head and a flatulent skunk!

There's a great website to accompany the exhibition which you can find HERE featuring a time-lapse video of the installation process, check it out!