Tina Tighe selected for HOUSE open - art and craft made from recycled materials

I want to turn all this trash that we all keep filling the planet with into something natural and positive again, so, I try to just use recycled materials. I have been inspired by my visit to Africa where the African people have an ingenious ability to reuse everything! Nothing goes to waste. I enjoy the fact that I don’t have to go too far to source my materials and that everyone can join the cause and be creative with old rubbish, turning it into something new and unique.

Written by Tina Tighe

If you want to find out more about how to turn everyday rubbish into art check out the Bungeroosh Gallery's CHILDREN'S RECYCLING WORKSHOPS Sat mornings in May 10 - 11 am 5 yrs +£5 per child. Ssee the website for details: www.bungerooshgallery.co.uk

Suzanne Breakwell - The Hibaku tree selected for HOUSE open!

The Japanese word Hibaku translates as ‘something that has experienced a nuclear bomb.’ This sculpture/papercutting  is a representation of a weeping willow that survived and re-grew after the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6^th 1945. The tree itself stands 370 meters away from what is known to be the hypocentre of the blast. After the complete devastation the bomb left there was much speculation if the city could regenerate. 

One Manhattan Project scientist told the Washington Post the land “will be barren of life and nothing will grow for 75 years.” But the very next spring various species of trees budded. The indomitable vitality of the trees offered a much needed symbol of hope to the citizens of Hiroshima. Seeing this new life they took courage and realized that they too had the ability to rebuild, recover and regenerate.

 All components of this piece have been locally sourced & reclaimed, breathing new life in to the redundancy of these objects.

Written by Suzanne Breakwell

Bungeroosh Gallery artist Helen Cann is selected for HOUSE open 2010

Following the recent success of three Bungeroosh Gallery artists being selected for HOUSE Open in the festival of Artists Open Houses in Brighton this May, I asked each of them to send me some background information on their work and some stills for the blog. The first is Helen Cann, enjoy!

Helen Cann - rules of graffitti and regeneration

I’m interested in language, both verbal and non-verbal. Much of my acrylic work makes use of lettering and design and I often make pastiches of familiar printed ephemera – old posters, adverts, playing cards, book jackets etc…

I was interested in looking at the language and design rules of grafitti in the paintings made for the Bungeroosh gallery. Seemingly ruleless, grafitti has distinct types of lettering, design rules, language and codes of conduct. I wanted to contrast its anarchy and connection with the contemporary city with old myths and legends associated with the wild ancient forests – Little Red Riding Hood, The Green Man, Herne the Hunter and Titania, Queen of the Fairies.

The work displayed in HOUSE, at the Regency Townhouse in Brunswick Square has the theme of regeneration. I’m exhibiting a set of happy family cards based around the design rules and lettering of an old traditional pack that my grandmother used to own. Instead of using the traditional tradesmans’ families (butchers, bakers, sweeps etc) I was interested in the different “tribes” that people belong to now – the substitute families of people you spend time with in cafes, bars, at work…

Lastly, I’m a resident artist for one night only (8^th May) at Residence, a pop-up restaurant on Whitecross St, open for the duration of the festival. I will be making a piece based on an 18^th century fan design but using the contemporary restaurant and its customers as part of the image. Fans were used to communicate in code and I’ll be watching the non-verbal body language that inevitably happens when groups of people get together!

Written by Helen Cann

Three Bungeroosh Gallery artists selected for HOUSE open!

As some of you may know, I am currently stranded in Chicago due to volcanic activity in Iceland. You can't know how weird it  is to say that or how weird it was to hear that at the airport. I thought they were joking!

Anyway, despite not being home to accept delivery of 25 meters of fake grass (like you do), I did hear some great news from three of The Bungeroosh Gallery artists which I thought you might be interested to hear.

Tina Tighe, Helen Cann and Suzanne Breakwell have been selected for the HOUSE open competition and have been invited to exhibit in the Regency Town House. Amazing! I am really very excited for them and hope to put up some stills on the blog shortly. 

It's  also great publicity for The Bungeroosh Gallery and another really good reason to come by in May and check out some unique and very talented local artists.

Welcome to A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Kemp Town’s Bungeroosh Gallery.

Unique and affordable art and craft at The Bungeroosh Gallery, all weekends in May, Brighton Festival of Artists Open Houses 2010

Following the success of my Christmas Artists Open House, I am opening The Bungeroosh Gallery again for the May Festival (for the first time over two floors) with work inspired by a modern twist on the theme, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Not to be missed are the giant hubcap flowers which we plan to mount on the balcony and railings of the house, made by local recycle artists Tina Tighe and Su Breakwell. Other highlights include a unique tree installation on the first floor (along with with artificial grass floor) which will be hosting Liz Toole's birds painted on reclaimed wood.

Throughout April I will be posting information on progress of setting up the gallery and publishing a little information on work in progress and stills about each artist exhibiting this May to give you a taster of the forthcoming exhibition. I have loaded up some stills to give you an idea of the range and quality of their work. I hope this will tempt you out of your virtual bubble to come tread the slightly eccentric, artificial grass and recycled flower strewn floors of our gallery/home and explore a really stunning range of art and craft. This includes ceramics, jewellery, textiles, photography, clothes, cushions, recycled gifts / art, collage, paintings and prints. Oh... and maybe try some amazing cakes made by my mother in law. What's life without cake!?

Events at The Bungeroosh Gallery, May 2010 (other good reasons to come by)

Events at the gallery this May include children’s recycling workshops (£5) and face painting (£4) on Saturday mornings between 10 – 11 am for 5 yrs+. Kids will be making anything from flowers to treasure boxes and puppets all made from recycled materials. First come first serve basis. Maximum 10 children. Parents will need to stay but while the kids get on making things you can take in the gallery and grab a cup of tea, cake or try some freshly baked tea breads with home made jams.

Wake up your make-up! We also have walk in, 30 minute "refresh your make-up routine", sessions for women with professional make-up artist Siobhan Collett (£10) Sat/Sun, 12 - 5.00pm. One hour sessions (£20) can be pre-booked on email address art@bungerooshgallery.co.uk

Finally, we will be offering some free live music from my in house musical fella and co host, film and TV composer Rob Lane (his recent credits include BBC’s Jane Eyre, Merlin, HBO's John Adams & feature film, The Damned United). Live music, based around the theme, will be informally performed with musicians and collaborators weekends of the 15^th and 29^th May. See our website and link to our blog throughout April for more details of events on May weekends: www.bungerooshgallery.co.uk.