The Exeter Daily - art

Shotgunned - UK-Wide Tour Kicks Off in Exeter This Weekend

kangaroocourt — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:39:24 +0000

Shotgunned, a brand new play written and directed by Matt Anderson, starts its 37 night UK-wide tour this weekend at Barnfield Theatre in Exeter.

Shotgunned tells the story of Dylan and Roz, a couple who unexpectedly fall out of love. It is a poignant and humorous reflection on the messy and the beautiful in relationships and how we can come up against a dead end, no matter how much we care for each other. It also speaks about our dreams and the courage and resilience it takes to follow them. In equal parts hilarious and heart-breaking, Shotgunned is a relatable and intimate piece of theatre about the people we lose that shape who we become.

The show is brought to the stage by Kangaroo Court - a creative studio specialising in theatre and film production. Off the back of a successful three-night run in Falmouth and Truro last year, the team at Kangaroo Court have been busy building a self-funded UK-wide tour of the show. Now, as things stand, Shotgunned has 37 shows performing at theatres in Cornwall, Exeter, Bath, London, Brighton, and Edinburgh.

Secure your tickets for this spellbinding new show on Exeter Northcott's official website by searching for Shotgunned. Performance dates are Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd March, 7:30pm.

Be sure to keep up-to-date with all things Shotgunned by following @roocourt on Instagram.

Shotgunned

kangaroocourt — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 15:54:44 +0000

Shotgunned tells the story of Dylan and Roz, a couple who unexpectedly fall out of love.

It is a poignant and humorous reflection on the messy and the beautiful in relationships and how we can come up against a dead end, no matter how much we care for each other. It also speaks about our dreams and the courage and resilience it takes to follow them.

In equal parts hilarious and heart-breaking, Shotgunned is a relatable and intimate piece of theatre about the people we lose that shape who we become.

Written and directed by Matt Anderson, Shotgunned is Kangaroo Court’s debut production. It comes to The Barnfield as part of a UK-wide tour, performing at theatres in Cornwall, Devon, Bath, London, Brighton, and Edinburgh.

Press for this production

‘Both actors did an amazing job… Roz and Dylan’s story is told with a healthy mix of charm and wit. You find yourself laughing out loud one moment and gripping for tissues the next… Shotgunned breaks your heart, patches it together and then breaks it again.’ FalWriting

‘Despite focussing on a break up, Shotgunned is very funny throughout.’ ★★★★★ The Packet

Image

Event Date

Friday, March 1, 2024 - 7:30pm to Saturday, March 2, 2024 - 8:45pm

Venue

The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter

New mural uncovered promoting acts of kindness in central Exeter

Al Gibson — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 21:23:17 +0000

The ‘Exeter Kindness Mural’ is now complete, inspiring passers-by to be kind to others. Painted by local artist, Paul Colsell, it is a reproduction of a famous Charley Mackesy illustration from his best-selling book and Oscar-winning film. The Exeter Daily previously covered news of the project getting the go ahead last July.

The Crossline Building in Heavitree Road has been scaffolded for several months while the gable wall was renovated and painted. Paul (82) started drawing the mural on 7th January and completed painting it within 12 days, despite cold weather. Apex Scaffolding removed the pipes and planks within hours on Friday 19th January, 2024.

The plan was to paint the mural in the Summer however it was completed in winter. The timing was not ideal but did make it possible for his son Harry, an experienced climber to join him up on the scaffolding. How does Paul feel now that the mural is finished? “Tired and cold!” he says. “We’ve been up here for 12 days. However, Harry lives in Norway so he thought it was rather warm!”

Paul’s wife Betty joined Paul on the scaffolding for the last two days, ensuring he kept safe. So what Paul say to other octogenarians? “Keep fit and be an active part in the community,” he says, noting that he has received much support from his church.

“Some people are unkind, like the ones who knicked a tin of our paint. We hope the mural helps people think about being kind because it’s a very basic virtue. And it’s a beautiful thing. I mean, everyone responds to it.”

About the Exeter Kindness project

The project has been a team effort led by Paul Colsell, Al Gibson, Gwenllian Riall and Tim Davies and paid for via Crowdfunding. Thanks to the generosity of the local community £5,000 was raised last year which paid for the scaffolding, renovation, rendering, etc with the surplus going to charity.

Exeter Kindness has also been sponsored by several local companies who have provided their services at no charge or at a reduced rate. These include Countdown Creative, White Linen Photography, Style Bookkeeping Services, Apex Scaffolding, CH Plastering, SAS Rendering Services, BSR Decorating, Johnsons Decorating Centre and Signs Express. (See list of contractors for details.)

The Exeter Kindness mural has been four years in the making since Paul got permission from Charlie Mackesy to use the illustration and from the Exeter City Council to create the mural on a listed building. The picture is from The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse using colouring from the film that was featured on BBC1 over Christmas. Paul has signed the mural with the letters, AMDG. (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam – For the greater glory of God.)

Celebrating Acts of Kindness

The Exeter Kindness project aims to help people in need in the city. It has been overseen by Kondanani UK, a registered charity and to date £1,500 has been given to charity. This includes £500 to Crossline soup kitchen in the building which supports homeless people. The public can still support the project by donating at exeterkindness.co.uk.

“We’re hoping the mural will initiate many acts of kindness,” said Al Gibson, chair of Kondanani UK. “It has captured the imagination of the local community on social media and we invite people to do three things. Firstly, to take a selfie with the mural; secondly to make a donation; and thirdly to post this on Facebook using the hashtags #bekind and #ExeterKindness

About Paul Colsell:

Paul Colsell (82) is an artist from Windsor who is known for his large-scale murals. He and his American wife, Betty live in Exeter. Paul is passionate about using art to promote positivity and build stronger communities. He is part of a local Christians Against Poverty (CAP) group and attends Exeter Network Church.

About Exeter Kindness

Exeter Kindness is a project of Kondanani UK (Charity no: 1113426) an Exeter-based charity that exists to alleviate poverty in the UK and abroad. This includes persons who are in conditions of need, hardship, or who are aged or sick. Kondanani UK also supports the work of an orphanage and paediatric hospital in Africa at Kondanani Children’s Village.

Harry’s Restaurant Exeter set to showcase famous art pieces

Exeter News Blog — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 22:22:54 +0000

Harry’s Restaurant, Exeter, is set to showcase famous art pieces by Banksy and Connor Brothers, as they launch their Art at Harry’s Exhibition.

Harry's Restaurant, a beloved Exeter establishment, is proudly celebrating 30 years of serving delectable delights to its loyal patrons, and with the third generation of the family at the helm, Harry's invites you to join in on a series of memorable events to mark this momentous milestone.

Launching on October 15, 2023, is Art at Harry's, a captivating art exhibition in collaboration with Brentwood-based Brandler Galleries. This event promises to bring a touch of artistic magic to Exeter with a stunning selection of artworks, featuring none other than the legendary Banksy and the thought-provoking Connor Brothers.

The ever-elusive Banksy is world famous for their work, having become known in the 90’s for their unique and often satirical artworks that blend social commentary with bold visual statements. Banksy has transcended the boundaries of traditional art and found a permanent place in contemporary culture.

The Connor Brothers, a dynamic artistic duo celebrated for their intriguing and intellectually stimulating creations, have firmly established themselves as leading figures in the world of contemporary art. Their work, characterised by a blend of wit, irony, and social commentary, challenges conventional perceptions and invites viewers to question the boundaries of reality and fiction.

The grand unveiling of Art at Harry's will be taking place on 15th October, 2023, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, and art enthusiasts and Harry’s lovers are invited to a free, private preview of this extraordinary collection. Sip on a glass of bubbly, savour delectable canapés, and immerse yourself in the world of art and creativity.

The exclusive preview is being hosted for one night only, but this exceptional exhibition isn't just a one-night affair; it will run until Christmas 2023, giving art enthusiasts time to explore and appreciate the unique pieces on display. All showcased artworks will be available for purchase, offering the people of Exeter a chance to own a piece of artistry that includes famous Banksy pieces such as 'Cans Festival,' 'Timeout Monkey,' and 'We love you so love us.'

Art at Harry's promises to be a celebration of both gastronomic and artistic excellence, a true testament to Harry's enduring commitment to delighting the senses of Exeter residents and visitors alike. Free tickets for the event can be secured through Eventbrite.

Fun A Day challenge triumphs with weekend-long exhibition at Positive Lights Projects in Exeter with 45 contributors

Old Hack — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:02:36 +0000

Forty-five people from all over Greater Exeter have exhibited their creative skills in the Fun A Day project, a community show at the Positive Lights Projects in the city centre.

The Fun A Day concept is simple: pick a project, do it every day throughout February and record it. Adults and children drew, painted, sewed, baked, photographed and wrote to complete the challenge, lifting spirits, celebrating life and bringing a little colour to the dog days of winter.

The results went on display at Positive Lights Projects in Sidwell Street in a weekend-long show on March 18 and 19.

“It’s been a fantastic way of bringing people together, and we are thrilled by such a wide response to the challenge,” said Stephen Fisher, who co-organised the event with Ali Lucas.

Both live in St James Ward and co-chair the Bury Meadow Residents Association, which is very active in the community. But this was a personal initiative that they developed for the whole city.

“It was especially pleasing to see students from the university join in, as well as enthusiastic participants from further afield in the city, who had heard about the Fun A Day project through social media and more than rose to the challenge,” said Ali.

One of the latter was Megan Dowsett, a Heavitree resident who pledged to make a Nature Doodle each day, inviting others to join her in the task. The result was an amazing nature book of art, a whorl of photographs of everyone joining in and even an interactive sculpture for visitors to adapt at the exhibition.

“I realised it was about collaboration – what happens if I bring other people into my Nature Doodles?” said Megan. “I thought it was about helping people connect with nature, which it was, but even more than that it was about connecting with people.”

University of Exeter student Tuong Nguyen, who is studying for an MA in Creative Arts & Education, devised a project called We are what we eat. She used pictures of food, recycled newspapers and discarded and ready-to-eat meal boxes to create highly imaginative and colourful collage portraits.

Third-year Liberal Arts student Hannah Wix cooked a new vegetarian meal every day to explore more inspirational recipes while pursuing a healthy diet. “I wanted to show what could be done by mixing different ingredients to create really tasty meals,” she said. Her display was a collage of photos of all the meals she cooked during the month.

Youngsters also got in on the act. Izzy, aged 6, rose to the challenge with her friends Maya (7) and Elana (6). While Izzy put her artistic skills to good use in creating a North and South Pole landscape, complete with igloo, polar bears and penguins, Maya and Elana each built a portfolio of photographs, snapping their pet cats and rats each day.

Sheila Thorne, an accomplished artist, created abstract pictures each day using acrylic paint on pastel paper, displaying the results on a print rack. As with so many other of the exhibits, they attracted a lot of attention.

Mick Braddick photographed the same patch of garden each day to record the early spring sequence, showing buds and flowers emerging after winter.

Project inspired by King Charles III’s Coronation in May

Inspired by the forthcoming Coronation, Peter Davies produced a folder titled A Jewel A Day, researching Royal regalia and revealing each of the important pieces to be used on May 6, along with their often-astounding provenance. These included gemstones that have been in the Royal collection for centuries, such as St Edward’s Sapphire, now set in the diamond cross atop the Imperial State Crown, but once gracing Edward the Confessor’s coronation ring, and even visible in the celebrated historical artwork, The Wilton Diptych.

Ali Lucas created two bird-inspired workbooks called The February Flock, containing paintings, graphic illustrations, collage and even elaborate needlepoint portraits of garden birds.

One participant dropped off a large abstract design quilt, which took pride of place at the entrance to the Positive Lights Projects gallery space. An amazing work, but the artist neglected to leave her name or details!

Fun A Day is an American invention that started by a group of friends, who wanted to stay lively band creative throughout winter, in Philadelphia in 2004. It has since been adopted across the USA and has ventured as far as Dundee, Scotland.

“It’s been a highly rewarding experience,” said Ali. “There are no fees, no prizes, no age limit and no exclusions, which means that everyone can just concentrate on the joy of taking part.”

Stephen agrees. “One of the best parts has been watching the community evolve and engage, with children, university students, people with no formal art training, and accomplished artists all sharing the same space and co-creating something wonderful. It’s just great to see so many people contributing to a wholly positive project, and to have reached such a wide range of artists, cooks, photographers, writers and others.”

All the participants appear to have finished the weekend with the same question: “What am I going to do for Fun A Day next year?”

Beyond Face Presents: A New Writing Scratch Night

TamBeyondFace — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:50:56 +0000

Since April 2021, Beyond Face has run a Writers’ group for global majority writers from across the South-West called We are Here to Write. Now in its 2nd year, this event showcases their work.

Expect monologues and two-handers from multiple genres, thrillers, comedy and state of the nation plays that will challenge, entertain and invigorate, performed script-in-hand by local actors. These are some of the most exciting writing talents coming from the region, come along and watch their words and stories brought to life. Directed by Beyond Face Artistic Director, Alix Harris.

Founded in 2015 by Artistic Director Alix Harris, Beyond Face CIC’s mission is to provide opportunities for artists of the Global Majority to live, work and thrive in the South West. We aim to reframe the narrative around what is perceived as quality and to bring focus to the region

Book here: https://exeterphoenix.org.uk/events/beyond-face-presents-a-new-writing-scratch-night-2/

The Exeter Daily - art

Shotgunned - UK-Wide Tour Kicks Off in Exeter This Weekend

Shotgunned

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New mural uncovered promoting acts of kindness in central Exeter

About the Exeter Kindness project

Celebrating Acts of Kindness

Harry’s Restaurant Exeter set to showcase famous art pieces

Fun A Day challenge triumphs with weekend-long exhibition at Positive Lights Projects in Exeter with 45 contributors

Beyond Face Presents: A New Writing Scratch Night

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