Art

The Newhampton Arts Centre is pleased to showcase the work of local artists on display areas in the café, studio block and theatre foyer. Information on works for sale is available from the NAC Office.

You can also see large community art pieces created by local children and others working with professional artists during school holidays.

Local artists are welcome to contact us with a view to displaying art work in diplay areas.

LOOK AT ME NOW!

A Portrait of Youth Theatre History

Central Youth Theatre turns 25 this year. The specially commissioned exhibition “Look at Me Now!” tracks down 25 former members to discover where they are in the world and how Central Youth Theatre shaped their lives.

Almost 3000 young people have passed through CYT since its beginnings in 1983. The youth theatre was awarded £35,000 by the Arts Lottery to help it mount a truly innovate exhibition to mark its 25th Anniversary. Members in the exhibition include:
Tim Routledge, lighting programmer, Art director Liz Griffiths, Theatre producer Edmund O’Driscoll, Ian Connop, stage manager at the National Theatre,  BBC News at Ten journalist, Alys Cummings,  Boyzone production assistant Claire Pearson,  Rising comedy stars,  Tom Parry and Ben Clark.

Created by West Midlands photographer Kate Green and exciting new artist Rhiannon Worgan, “Look at Me Now” ran was displayed at the Arena Theatre and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre in 2009 and is now on permanent display in the lift stairwell in the Studio Blo

NEWHAMPTON MOSAICS

The Newhampton Mosaics were created by local people of all ages, working with artist Ann McArdle during October Half Term 2002. They reflect the lives and interests of our local community. They are on permanent display in the downstairs c orridor in the Stucio Block

ONE WORLD BANNERS.

Artist, Nancy Evans , worked with young people from 3 13, during October
Half Term 2005, to create these colourful and personal textile banners which are on permanent display in the STUDIO BLOCK STAIRWELL

OUR WORLD

These colourful 3D wall plaques were created by local artist, Kanj Nichola.  Kanj led ceramics workshops during the One World Children’s Arts Festival in July 2005. She has presented the children’s work under the titles: My World, My School, My Home. They can be seen on the stairs near the Theatre.

ANDREA LEECH

Andrea lives in Wolverhampton and graduated from The University of Wolverhampton with a BA (Hons) Fine Art degree in 2007. She specialises in painting using mixed media.

“From a young age I have had a personal love for dancing which has now stimulated my paintings. The work is inspired by dance costumes, especially Latin and ballroom dresses in which the creative use of transparent, semi-transparent and stretchy lacy material brings flair and style to the dances.

The relationship between the figure and the material fascinates me, as the fabric reveals and conceals the female form like a piece of art. This enhances areas of the body that are used sensually throughout the dance, which I hint at in my practice. I have been probing the space on the canvas with abstract shapes taken from forms I see in the costumes to create a parallel/ partnering relationship between them.

I have stretched the lace across the canvas mirroring the fabric stretched over the figure. Layering up the surface with pattern and embellishment emulates the layers of fabric on the dresses. I have been dealing with elements of the figurative and abstract qualities in my work in which the revealing and concealing imagery flirts openly with the viewer.

In choreographing the paintings together, they can be classified as a set but each one also performs its own solo and therefore playing its own role amongst the other pieces.”

Andrea’s art is on display in the theatre corridor.

SIMON FRANCIS

Simon Francis is a local artist living in Whitmore Reans.  He is currently based at Eagle Works Studios and Galleries in Wolverhampton

Simon prefers to use “abstract, visual language” such as colour, texture and form instead of simply painting objects as we see them.  By doing this, he allows a direct emotional response to the mood of his work. his medium is almost always oil on canvas

Simon’s work can be seen on the upstairs corridor of the Studio Block