I was browsing the internet a couple of years ago and I came across a little character with a yellow t-shirt and a red cap. I thought he was pretty cool and used him as my avatar on Facebook and Twitter for a while. I didn’t think much more of it.
Then the other day I was browsing the Jibbering Art website to see what they had on offer and, lo and behold, I came across some prints by that same artist – Tom Lewis.
He was born in Birmingham and works as an artist and illustrator in Warwick. If asked how he’s ended up where he has he’ll tell you that
The story is too long to be told now although, briefly, it led to the creation of a mythological 18th century French philosopher, the forging of a sword and the images that you see today.
That’s Mr Tilly at the top there. Prints are available from his own site and from Jibbering Art.
The Edge, “Birmingham’s first dedicated live and time-based arts venue”, wants to put the joy back into making art:
Saturday Sesh is not networking, it’s not a series of seminars, it’s just a place for artists to meet, to share ideas and resources and to make things happen.
All of which is highly laudable, so more power to their collective elbow. Anyone interested should feel free to drop in from 3pm on Saturday 3 May and every Saturday after for drinks, nibbles and a chat. Admission is free.
The Edge can be found at 79-81 Cheapside, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0QH, or roughly where the green arrow is on this map.
Sunday 27 April is the closing day of the Behind Closed Doors exhibition being held at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts.
Over the past two years the organisers of this show have visited in excess of one hundred private art collections within the Birmingham postal district. Now, almost 40 paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints have been brought together to reveal the range and variety of treasures that exist outside the realm of public galleries.
So you can marvel at works by Turner and Picasso, as well as more contemporary artists like Hockney, Rego and Parker, that are usually squirrelled away out of public view.
You never know when the next chance to see these will come around so if you’ve got a spare hour or two this weekend then why not pop down? Admission’s free, if you need any more excuse.
