Get involved!
Hi guys! So the artFix store has been operating for almost two weeks now, and we already have regular and loyal customers who love our fixes of art, as well as our coffee and homemade pastry. If you still haven’t visited us please do so, warm welcome is always guaranteed! We are open seven days a week: from 8am to 7pm on weekdays (so you can grab a coffee and get fixed with art on your way to work), from 10am to 7pm on Saturdays and from 11am to 6pm on Sundays. Pop in!
In addition to positive feedback from our customers we have received some great interest from artists who want to be involved with artFix in many different ways. So on 12th of January we decided to hold an open day for all interested artists where we will explain how artFix can be of assistance.
At the meantime, don’t miss out on a wonderful opportunity to hire some space at the artFix store to hold an event, to exhibit you work, to put on a performance, or even sell your art works. We have a few options! Window Space is perfect to reach new audiences and to project your brand onto busy Soho streets. Currently talented Nicole Pascauskas a London-based fashion textiles and accessories designer from York occupies the space. There is also a Show Case Space located inside the store where you can exhibit your art to the visitors of the store. Finally there is an Events Space in the back room, which is perfect for a promotional event or a performance. What’s more, during this festive season artFix welcomes artists of all art forms to bring their works for sale at the store at NO COST!!! Get in touch ASAP, this offer is limited.
Keep calm and get involved!
We did it!
Last week the first artFix store of London finally opened its doors to art and coffee lovers! What a week we had! Cheerful, eventful and extremely busy… Our massive screen was installed. Many thanks to YSLV for providing us with this giant! Coffee machine was also set up and ready. Cheers to the Black Sheep Coffee team for installing everything and giving us a master class on coffee making. And applause to our artists who managed to deliver their works of art on time!
Last Thursday during the day while the artists were finalising their installations, we had our first happy visitors! During the night we held the Launch Party! The artFix team would like to thank everyone who joined us for this special occasion! Now you all know where to go for a quick fix of art and a cup of great coffee (or tea, and there is also pastry)! Hope to see you soon in the near future!
More events, updates and exciting news are coming! We will keep you posted!
So Soon!
It was an interesting experience converting an ex adult shop into an art space but we have made it and are ready to launch. Tomorrow we are finally opening our first ever artFix store! 27 Peter Street! Remember this address as you are all invited to attend the opening night (11th of December between 6-8 pm). Please RSVP here. Treat yourself to a glass of wine and most importantly a fix of art!
From tomorrow onwards Londoners and tourists will be able to get a fix of art along with a cuppa Black Sheep Coffee seven days a week. As of other news. The third and final workshop of this year is taking place on Saturday as usual (13th December). This week’s topic is Creative Design & Social Media. The tickets are almost sold out, so book yours ASAP.
So far so good!
As you already know artFix team has been very busy lately simultaneously working on many different things. As the result, artFix workshops are now up and running. This week’s topic is Marketing and Fundraising. Our experts with years of experience will give tips on how to reach the widest audience possible and raise funds from various sources, as well as help creating a bespoke marketing and fundraising strategy that suites you artsy business best. So don’t miss out and book your tickets. Book ASAP the availability is limited!
What is even more exciting is that artFix store is opening in a matter of weeks now! Currently we are applying some finishing touches to our beautiful space in London Soho and everything should be in place by the end of the week (Fingers Crossed). So very soon Londoners and tourist will be able to enjoy a cup of Black Sheep Coffee and get a fix of art in the first ever artFix store!
There are many ways you can get involved! If you are an artist struggling to make your work seen get in touch, as we are calling for artists! You can also hire some space at the store for your event/performance/exhibition. So exploit the opportunity to showcase you artwork and/or hold your event in Central London for hundreds of visitors. On the other hand, if you are a philanthropist looking for a worthy cause, support the artFix store and pledge via Spacehive. Together we can make the arts even more accessible, fun and affordable!
Stay tuned for more news and updates from artFix London.
Thank you!
The artFix team wants to thank everyone who attended the Open Day and made it such a special event! It was a pleasure to meet all of you and hear about your aspirations to make it in the arts world. We will try our best to help you achieve your goals; one way, in which we can do that is through our carefully thought through seminars and workshops.
For a while now, we have been preparing a set of three workshops with the aim to help aspiring artists to set up and run their creative businesses independently. Through these workshops we want to provide artists with the basic knowledge in legal, accounting, marketing, fundraising, creative design and social media in order to equip them with the necessary skills so that they can manage their businesses by themselves.
The workshops take off this Saturday (29 November 2014) and will cover the following areas: Legal & Accounting (29 November), Marketing & Fundraising (6 December) and Creative Design & Social Media (13 December) training sessions. Our aim is to make you your own solicitor, accountant, marketer, designer as well as fundraised. Please book your tickets as soon as possible as there is limited availability.
artFix is back!
Hello guys! Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the festive season spirit! artFix London team has been working really hard lately and as the result of that hard work many exciting things are about to happen in the upcoming few months.
First things first. This Friday (21 November 2014) from 18:00 to 20:00 artFix holds its first Open Day, which is a free event at our arty headquarters on 29-31 Oxford Street. Everyone is welcome to attend and find out what artFix is about and what it has to offer. We will explain everything including how to showcase your work in our Soho store, how to participate in our workshops & seminars, how to join our enthusiastic team, how to use our smartphone app, as well as give you a valuable insight into the arts world. Don’t forget to bookyour free tickets! We hope to see you on Friday!
A FEAST!
Good evening everyone! Hope you are all happy and healthy on this fine (dare I say Spring?) day.
As the founders of the artFix field day, Jilke and Sophie have been creating new trails across London, as they explore and discover ever more new and interesting places to get their art fix. Last week they had the opportunity of indulging in a feast for the eyes, as they attended a private viewing of Richard Mosse’s debut solo exhibition, ‘The Enclave’ in the Brewer Street car park in Soho.
Running until the 26th April, both agreed that it was an amazing exhibition which depicts the culmination of Mosse’s work in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is definitely one which they would recommend to anyone out there interested in a powerfully vibrant creative experience. As a multi-channel video installation originally commissioned for the Irish Pavilion, Jilke said that the number of double-sided projection screens really succeeded in generating a multi-sensory experience. As you know, this is something that is particularly interesting for the screen design of our pop-up store, opening in June.
As well as this, Jilke and Sophie also attended the long-awaited London Coffee Festival on Friday. They had been excited about it since the beginning of the week so you can imagine their enthusiasm when they finally got their (and their conditions once they had loaded up on coffee).
As well as sampling the coffee they had the chance to try out the chocolate, frozen yoghurt, pastries, popcorn, whiskey, juice and tea from a variety of different traders (yes I wish I had gone too). As well as clearly being a delicious day out, it was useful and both spoke to a couple of traders whose brands they liked and whose products fit with the artFix identity.
Hopefully, we’ll get some positive feedback when we contact them next week!
TIME IS MONEY!
So today I walked into the office and it was a full house! And it was just as well because today was another one of those big meeting days. It was George, Jilke, Sophie, Longlong, Rashmi and Mario’s turn to perch around the a3 flipchart armed with ideas about the monetary aspect of the project but also to properly introduce Rashmi and Mario to the different stages of the artFix project, as the newest members of the team.
Across the 3-hours they discussed ideas about costs and revenues, as well as additional plans for funding towards the pop-up store, which is now due to open in June.
Otherwise, sunny Soho Square saw myself, Jilke and Sophie through our break, again, and reminded us that summer is on its way when we might even be able to take the office outside.
GET ON BOARD!
Today we’ve had a slight re-shuffle of the office as we welcome two new people to the artFix project! Rashmi, who will be joining the Marketing department, and Mario, who specialises in Project Management, are the latest to succumb to the attraction of the artFix concept and joined us on a full-time basis on Monday.
So work is continuing full steam ahead with the pop-up store little more than a month away from its launch! Exciting times. And there’s still room for a few more of you to get on board the project – make sure you support artFix via social media and by subscribing to our newsletter!
FORWARD THINKING!
As a present to themselves for working so hard on Friday Jilke and Sophie went to Art14, a contemporary art fair in Olympia, London. They definitely got their weekend fix of art here as the event was packed to the brim with a variety of inspirational contemporary pieces – just what they needed to recharge their batteries before the week began.
And what a week it is. Preparations for the April store are well on their way and the office is busy endeavouring to divert the course of pesky April showers and deliver sunshine to all – yay. As well as updating our press lists and our coffee supplies we are working hard towards the launch of our first pop-up – make sure you take part in our journey!
THE EVENING AFTER!
Good evening lovely people,
Hope you are all well and enjoyed the weekend. And what a fantastic start to the weekend it was with the launch of our first event on Friday!
Thank you to all our talented visual and performance artists for taking part to showcase their work and for being patient when a few things did go wrong – we did say there would be a bit of trial and error!
It was great to meet you all in person and a lot of you also stayed behind for a while afterwards to talk to us more about what we are doing and to tell us more about yourselves. It was lovely to hear your positive comments about the evening and hopefully now that you have become acquainted with artFix, you understand a bit more about our aims and objectives. More than just that we provide brilliant wine-and-cupcake-filled evenings!
So now that you have experienced a small taster of what we’re offering we hope that you are looking forward to April showers of everything art as our pop-up store opens in little over a month. Not long to go now but there’s still time to hop on to the artFix express.
Make sure that you support us via our social media channels and by following this blog, which will provide you with the latest artFix updates, including information about when we’re opening our doors to welcome artists to join in our April store.
Watch this space!
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!
Event day has arrived!! Here are the final list of artists who are showcasing their work today:
Robert West – Rather than create interesting patterns, West removes the image from the painting leaving an abstruse landscape of what there once was. Reverting us, the modern human species, back to a more natural, solitary existence, these paintings attempt to readdress our cultural understandings. This sense of unrest and the loss of identity are ripe throughout West’s practice. This heterogeneous way of erasing representation has driven West into becoming an artist who is no longer interested in just the process of painting but the potential of what a painting can become. www.robert-west.com
Robert Grosso – Every single piece is inspired by a particular song, that gives then the name to the artwork. My ultimate goal is to transform the music Robert listens to everyday into visual artworks, he wants you to “hear” with my “eyes”. The first award has been given by International artist Kanye West, as he has been featured on his personal website as artist of the month. I’ve been experimenting with several materials (metal, perspex, paper) since he started 3 years ago and lately he has partnered up with Aurasma to use their online app to enhance his art exhibitions around the world by bringing Augmented Reality in his work. robertogrosso.com
Samantha Payne – Samantha Payne is a Fine Artist from North London who focuses on the aesthetic of her work and its engagement with the viewer, rather than concept. The pure pleasure of creating is the driving force behind her painting, along with the belief that Art need not be complicated. Samantha has always had a strong opinion of this notion, having carried it through her work while studying Fine Art at Loughborough University. samanthapaynepainting.com
Sergio Gomez – Sergio Gomez is a Chicago based visual artist. He was born in Mexico where he lived until he moved to Chicago in 1988. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Northern Illinois University. Sergio has participated in numerous exhibitions in Italy, Vienna, Spain, Sweden, Mexico and the US. His work can be found in private and public collections of the National Museum of Mexican Art, Brauer Art Museum, and the MIIT Museo Internazionale Italia Arte among others. The human form is the most important element in Sergio’s work and it exists as an anonymous representation of the self. The figure dominates the work and it is depicted as a shadow, aura, ghost or energy light. Sergio is interested in the human and spiritual experience throughout the cycles of life. www.33contemporary.com
Susana Lopez Fernandez – Susana focuses mainly on photography and mixed media, where the subjects of her work are taken from and inspired by her personal experiences in daily life. She seeks to reveal this with a distance which reflects an objective and striking honesty. A constant feature in her work is the use of social network to diffuse her projects. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, town halls, cultural associations, and collective and individual exhibitions in Spain, Hong Kong and London. For her solo exhibition SinPrisas, she reflects on consumer society where any thought fits in 140 characters (thus part of the project has been developed on Twitter) it is a society that forgets, it is a society in a hurry, diluted by the conviction that perpetual motion is the only thing that keeps us away from death. Website: http://www.susanalf.es
Tanja Moderscheim – In admiration of the 17th C. Dutch Golden Age painters and through her passion for detail and anatomy, Tanja enjoys painting in the Dutch Old Masters’ style using traditional techniques and materials. As a Dutch national abroad, this also allows her to stay in touch with her home. She is known for her still lifes of food and tableware, crafted over time resulting in paintings with a timeless feel. She also produces paintings and drawings of wildlife, botanicals, landscape and the figure. www.dutchoils.com
Tony Raymonzrek – Fusing his artistic, manual skills and exciting experimental techniques drawn from his childhood, Tony has developed a personal language. The result is a mixed technique, applied to his work, bringing together the worlds of art, photography and fashion. His arts are a complement to modern interiors, colours and dimensions. www.trzgallery.com
Viviana Masullo – http://www.artbyvivianamasullo.com
Youngju Oh – Youngju Oh is a visual designer and media artist. She completed a BFA in Communication Design at Hongik University, and she is currently studying in Visual Communication at the Royal College of Art. She currently took part in the group show “When Nothing is Sure Everything is Possible” at Hanmi Gallery, London.” This work is a video showing visualized sounds and movements of airplane. Geometrical moving graphic, flashing lights and sound effects are visually beautiful and intriguing to audiences. www.youngjuo.com
SPREAD THE WORD!
So today is the final day before the event – get excited!! There were a few technical glitches, as can be expected from the first event of any new company, but we are now ready to kick off the ‘artFix Experience’ tomorrow. So drop in at any time between 6 and 8pm to enjoy the launch of a new, creative venture – I’ll be there waiting at the entrance. Can’t wait to meet you all!
Today’s selection of artists come from a range of different backgrounds and are showcasing art from a range of different styles. Our very own Nadia Mowafy, arts producer at artFix London, is also due to showcase her latest work – something that you definitely do not want to miss!
Karen Piddington – Karen’s practice is concerned with magnifying and manipulating the awkward conjunctions and contradictions of 21st century living, often involving people and animals. Similarities are exaggerated and juxtaposed to create a paradoxical scene. She uses ambiguity, absurdity and humour to test boundaries and to question ways in which we relate to other species and to re-present definitions of humanness. Her work is not necessarily about animals – instead she uses them as a prism through which to look a humanness. Employing both a playful and a serious intent, her aim is to sweep the viewer off into the unfamiliar. www.karenpiddington.co.uk
Keith Newlove – Produced during the #Artmonkey72 project this series of sculpture depicts the “birth” of a human limb from a pod like object. This series marks the beginning of body of work examining the trials of life. The sculpture becomes part of a larger installation and the narrative follows the hand through various environments and obstacles. The hand must find its way out to the next stage of life and will go through transformations along the way. www.keithnewlove1.wix.com/keith-newlove
Lilas Bizrah – Lilas is an Interior Architect graduate from the University of Westminster, and currently doing an MSc at UCL. For her, art is the gift she always turns to for comfort – the only place in the world she feels she can freely express myself. Experimenting with diverse media and styles is her passion, and she always strives to be flexible and open to new ideas and types of art.The pieces she has chosen were created over a few years, some pieces embracing a relaxed style while others are much more detailed. She believes every artist seeks an identity through art. Every piece is a glimpse into the mind and heart of the artist.
Marina Ard – Marina’s work revolves around notions of storytelling, memories, heritage and movements. She employs printmaking to translate her thoughts into pieces of art as she has always been captivated by printmaking’s traditions, methodologies and function in contemporary art. Marina uses her prints and paintings to portray the affiliation between movement of time, memory and object; how they fade with time and how we constantly rebuild and append novel segments to each tale narrated to us. As a consequence, with the passage of time our memories tend to enhance, develop new meaning and become more magnetic and mesmerising. Marina Ard have endeavoured to depict these changes since life goes on… Website: www.marinaard.com
Mario Gonzalez Jr – Born 1970 and raised in the city of Chicago. Graffiti Writer “ZORE” Mario Gonzalez Jr. At the age of 17, Mario received a full scholarship to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has utilized various art forms and genres to create, destruct and push himself not only in the Graffiti and Fine Art but in life itself. Mario fuses all the elements that he had experienced over the years such as pouring, dripping, drawing and using non-traditional techniques and processes. These new approach culminated into a style of urban abstract graffiti and expressionism that is now highly acclaimed by local and international galleries and museums. www.33contemporary.com / www.zbcenter.org
Nadia Mowafy – Nadia Mowafy is a London based performing artist, costume engineer and a theatre creator. This work explores the idea of the unknown and the fantastical. Costumes are made by Nadia and photographed by Henry William Woide Godfrey and Sarah White. nadia.mowafy@gmail.com
Henry William Woide Godfrey – Henry William Woide Godfrey (photographer): A commercial West London based photographer whom studied at the London School of Photography, now pursuing a career in studio, advertorial & dance photography, working with like minded individuals in his industry. www.woideangle.com
Sarah White – Sarah is a multi-disciplinary artist based in London exploring cross- discipline practice between dance and visual art, she also works as a photographer specialising in dance and performance photography, under Jolt Photography www.sarahadams.org.uk
Petronilla Hohenwarter – Petronilla wanted to use her art to explore the SOMETHING that she could not see; to reflect it, make it visual, quite simply to reveal it. This SOMETHING has many definitions throughout the world: strength, energy, basic trust, love, power, God, and it is at the heart of us all, irrespective of the religion, philosophy, continent and culture in which we feel at home. With this in mind, she wanted to thank all those people who have accompanied, moved, formed, shaped, encouraged and supported her, each in their own individual way. www.petronillahohenwarter.com
Robert Marcus Klump – Robert is a photographer. His photographic style can probably be best described as “experimental”. By that he means on the one hand the use of analogue effect films – like infrared or “Revolog” -, on the other hand the development process – especially “cross-processing” – as well as the use of (colour) filters. In addition he applies photographic techniques which he considers unusual and that he partly invents myself such as “fotocubism” and “organic random photography” (or “images of the subconscious”). http://artspace191.com
So see you guys all tomorrow and remember, SPREAD THE WORD!
“I Shut my Eyes in Order to See” – Paul Gauguin
So, hope you guys all enjoyed the sunshine that graced us with its presence today. Apparently we are due for some good weather in the next couple of days so prepare to keep those coats at home! Hopefully…
However, some good news, which is more reliable than the British weather, is that we are having our first event, the ‘artFix Experience’ on Friday!!
Today’s selection of artists, who are due to showcase their work at the event, express themselves through a variety of artistic forms. All are visual artists.
Johannes Sailer – Johannes is an Italo-Austrian artist who lives and works in Edinburgh. He has a degree in sculpture, an MA in fine art and also in Engineering. He was recently described by The Scotsman as “a shining new addition to the Scottish art scene”. He is an award-winning sculptor and a master craftsmen in metal fabrications. Aside from creating his unique brand of engineered art, Johannes runs Austria based architectural practice Arch Sailer and works in collaboration with Konishi-Gaffney architects. He has shown work at the Royal Scottish Academy, Brave, Talbot Rice Gallery, Heartwood, ADBK Galerie and Sierra Metro. https://twitter.com/ELX_art
Ella Prakash– Ella’s professional art career started in the early 1982s. She has worked in various medium. Her acrylic paintings present the world as if seen through a prism, with bold colours parcelled out into geometric forms that offer fleeting. Her work as a painter takes her to the figure as it moves in space. The gesture is important to her and taking out the details and trying to capture the rhythm. The lines are what she tries to achieve as she draws and feels what the pose is about. www.ellagallery.com
Jamie H. Scrutton – Jamie creates short films. His film, “His Haunted Laughter”-screened at “Making Tracks”, Whirlygig Cinema in London and “Gilmmer Film Festival 2011” in Hull and was also shortlisted for “The Yorkshire Award.” He is currently filming a new short film called “A Midnight Momentum.” https://www.facebook.com/jamieh.scrutton
Jennifer Morrison – Jennifer’s work deals predominantly with colour and shape. She uses these elements to explore juxtaposition, repetition, movement and rhythm. Whether it is a plant or clouds or smudges on a wall, these can all serve as inspiration for her and act as a starting point for a painting. She has always loved the stuff of paint, whether it be oils, watercolours or enamels, and loves working with their different qualities. Although she has lived in London for two decades, the colours of South Africa have never left her and remain a central influence in her work. www.jennifermorrison.co.uk
Jesus Vidal Cortes – For Jesus, his painting below, “represents the woman some time in a past, a present … in the future? It was the enslaved woman, the housewife, the woman had no right to speak, to think, to decide anything in the house that she raised. She could not even choose the name of any of her seven children, children for whom she sacrificed her entire life. Children she never opted or not to have.”
Jill Meager – For Jill, the open gaze of animals and children reflects the vitality, innocence and integrity of an instinctive way of being. As an artist I think about how I can capture that spirit in my work and reflect the intense attachment to being alive. My latest series is images of birds in charcoal 85x60cms. I am concerned with the vulnerability of birds and how they reflect the precarious balance of nature in the hands of heedless human activity. www.jillmeager.com
Lookout for information about more artists tomorrow – meanwhile make sure to let all your family and friends know about the best way to spend the evening this Friday. It’s the least you can do after they have worked so hard during the week.
STUNNING PERFORMANCE!
Yesterday I told you about some fantastic visual artists who are taking part on Friday so today I am going to tell you about 4 performance artists who will be showcasing a variety of different performances throughout the night. I can guarantee that they will keep you talking long after the event has passed.
Anne-Sophie Cochevelou – A performance/ design artist whose work is both visual and performance (see yesterday’s entry for her complete biography)
Jordan Birch – As a stand-up comedian, Jordan has performed in literally some locations, entertaining crowds of up to 40. At 26 years old, his withered cynicism and misplaced anger make him a refreshing change from enjoying yourself. Imagine Russell Brand having a baby with Stephen Fry. That’s not the kind of comedian Jordan Birch is, but wouldn’t that make a great sitcom? http://www.jordanbirch.com/
Nate Maingard – Nate is into lyrics, sustainability, romance, photography, music, travelling, community, local and organic produce, hugs, writing, poetry, reading, listening, surfing. His songs are about the deeper journeys we all experience as humans trying to make sense of this life we have been given, this minuscule drop in the ocean which still feels so incredibly precious to us. He has been playing guitar, writing songs and appearing on stage since 1998 and has been playing as a professional musician since the beginning of 2011. http://natemaingard.com/
Shanara Ali – Shanara is a storywriter. The idea behind The Story of Alex came to her on a trip to Aberdeen in August ’13. Visiting the old city or town in her opinion was always a welcome relief from real life as everyone who has lived there or still lives there knows about the bubble, the bubble that protects you from the real world where everything is rather scary. Every Alex she has met has been ridiculously good looking but definitely aware of that. Her Alex is the opposite. Having grown up hideously ugly he has no social skills but his heart is perfect. Although God does eventually bless him with good looks, its his years of solitude through no fault of his own that define who he is. She thinks he might just be her favourite…..
EAT YOUR ART OUT!
So, from today until the event on Friday the team has decided that it would be a great idea to introduce you to the artists we have participating in the ‘artFix Experience.’ I know that I have been excitedly updating you with the daily progress that has been happening in the office. I guess it’s our first event so everyone is rushing around and hyperventilating as a result of trying to make sure that it is the best that it can be. But now I’m going to stop…and give you a small insight into the talented people we have on board. I already provided you with some information about the fantastic artists we have taking part from Debut Contemporary; now I want to tell you about 6 more visual artists whose work is really exceptional:
Adrian Scicluna – In his paintings, Adrian places images from different sources onto the same picture plane to piece together a new form of landscape. He plays with notions of absence and presence, being and place, a kind of vacant reality yet very physical attachment and possibility. The canvases touch upon human desires and needs. www.adrianscicluna.com
Amanda Tomasoa – Amanda has gone through enough in life to know how it feels to be repressed and the euphoria of being set free. Among her professional artist tools, Amanda enjoys using a humble piece of plastic scraper to add that extra dimension of paint to her art pieces. Bold in colours, rough and rugged in shapes, deliberately done to look like life, she embedded stories to them… hidden figures of people living in the city, road signs depicting the speed limit, detours, frustrations, confusion, the respite and the beauty despite what life throws at us. amandatomasoa@gmail.com
Andrew Lambeth – Andrew lives at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds, in England and says that there is an atmosphere, and a light you just don’t find anywhere else. He tries to re-create this in his work, as he feels the wolds lends itself wonderfully to his impressionist style of painting. http://www.saatchiart.com/Andrew.Lambeth
Anne-Sophie Cochevelou – Specialises in performance and design art. In a cabaret style, including movements, dance mime and 4 songs from French and English old music halls, she explores the concept of relationship through the angle of queer performance.
Damian Wojcik – Damian specialises in photography and collage. Through his art he invites us into surreal world; a world of beauty but also the dark side of emotions and a society dominated by materialism, consumerism and sexuality. www.damianwojcik.com
Elizabeth Williams – Elizabeth is a representational painter in oils and acrylics on linen, board and canvas. Her work includes seascapes, landscapes and Still Life in a wide spectrum of colours. Elizabeth paints in wide range of genres (not to be stereotyped) and has sold her work on commissions, to private collectors and to individual clients. www.elizabeth-williams.net
I hope this has whet your appetite for everything art – especially our event! Add a cup of coffee and cupcake or two to the evening and you can imagine why interest has been so great. So make space in your diary and enjoy a Friday evening well-spent on 28th February.
Look forward to reading about more artists tomorrow and meanwhile, if you have a spare minute, have a read of what 3D Artist Magazine had to say about us via Facebook.
APPROACHING OUR DEBUT!
What a beautiful day! I had to say it just because the opportunity to do so is always so rare. I hope you guys all got a chance to get out and feel the sun for a few seconds.
So yesterday Longlong went to a workshop near Angel called ‘Start-Up Loans Introduction.’ This largely involved sitting around a large table with other representatives from start-up companies and sharing questions and answers about applying for loans. Stuart, a business advisor from Start-Up Direct was one of the main speakers at the event and it was fascinating to listen to him talking about the importance of start-ups in society.
Today was also the final day we are accepting payments for participation in the ‘artFix Experience.’ So, as you can imagine, the majority of the morning was spent on processing these and adding the names to our lists.
Several of our artists have come from Debut Contemporary, an art industry incubator and professional development business as well as an art gallery in Notting Hill founded by Samir Ceric. Samir is a good friend of the artFix London and has supported our project from the beginning. And the work by artists who feature in the gallery is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. The use of colour, shape and form in each of the pieces is really inspirational – exactly the kind of work that artFix is looking for.
Artists who are due to feature in the ‘artFix Experience’ are:
Carne Griffiths
Marina Ard
Tony Raymonzrek
Eleanor Cunningham
Roberto Grosso
Susana Lopez Fernandez
Jennifer Morrison
Ewelina Kolaczek
For more information about these artists and their work please visit http://www.debutcontemporary.com/artists/
Next week be sure to look out for our artFix sweets, flyers and maybe even a surprise performance or two on Oxford Street as the final week before our first event kicks off. Your support so far has been really great. The number of positive e-mails and phone calls we have had about how much people support and appreciate our concept and wish us luck for the future has been overwhelming and given us great confidence in our work.
So don’t stop now! Make sure you come and see the results of all of this hard work on Friday 28th February between 6-8pm. If you can’t stay long it is a great opportunity to experience a 15-minute live performance by talented performers and view a variety of visual artwork – because that’s the point of artFix: to make art more accessible and affordable for the public.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING!
Good evening fellow art-lovers! So today Joseph was telephoning potential sponsorship companies so the phone was constantly in use and constantly ringing. Meanwhile Sophie, Jilke and I spent a lot of time dealing with artist enquiries and sending e-mails. Longlong, however, left the office early today to go to a workshop event nearby – there will be more about that tomorrow.
A lot of our time has been steered towards the event next week of course – Sophie designed a timetable which divides all our responsibilities so that we can work quickly and know exactly what everyone else is doing – because it will definitely get very busy next week.
We’re all really enjoying the work of all the artists who have applied to participate in the evening – your work is really fantastic Remember that tomorrow is the last day for payment!
“It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more roses.” – George Eliot
So this morning, Monica and Zafeirenia were rehearsing in preparation for pitching at the Lion’s Den Competition at King’s College on Monday. We’re really excited about this competition; in fact the team are looking forward to taking part so much that we have decided to dress the part as well. Ioanna spent her lunch break buying white t-shirts for the whole gang and will print them with our artFix logo for the event – go team artFix!
Meanwhile, in the office, there have been intermittent ‘woops’ of excitement as artists have been confirming their participation in the ‘artFix Experience.’ In fact it’s been all GO GO GO – answering calls, writing e-mails, having more discussions about event technicalities and dealing with the sometimes temperamental Internet connection. And you know what – there wasn’t even one cup of coffee in the office to give us a kick start :O. There were chocolates bought by George and Zafeirenia from their trip to Brussels (I told you we’d be celebrating right?) but an office working happily without coffee definitely defies some kind of law. I guess the reason it works for us is just because we really have a vision to see this project succeed and with our first event literally around the corner, it is an exciting, busy and crucial time to make sure everything is planned perfectly. For this only genuine determination and dedication will do.
So tomorrow is the last day for applications! Get them IN!! And if you find yourself on Twitter, have a read of what Aesthetica Magazine had to say about us: https://twitter.com/AestheticaMag/status/436178011516579840
Have a great evening guys!
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED!
So today the team were in for a long discussion to discuss the finer details of the ‘artFix Experience.’ It was a great opportunity to re-group and ask and answer any questions that we had. So now we’re up-to-date to each other’s activities I can definitely say that you are in for a treat when you arrive at the event on the 27th and 28th February.
And we encourage everyone to attend! Art –lovers, friends of art-lovers, those new to art and those who are just curious to know what all the fuss is about…do come. You can find out more about the event at www.artfixlondon.com
Watch this space!
Meanwhile, if you are an artist and are thinking, ‘Ah man, I completely missed out on being part of something amazing,’ do not worry because we have extended the deadline to Thursday 20th February. That’s in two days’ time and that really will be your absolute last opportunity to get involved so make sure you do!
Looking forward to hearing from you guys…
DAY-DREAMING REALITY!
So today we kicked things off with a mini team discussion to reign in and discuss some of the ideas which were bouncing around the office regarding our first event coming up at the end of February. We’re saving the larger part of this for tomorrow when Nadia and Zafeirenia are also here.
Coming into the office today I noticed new additions to the space – some more posters, a colourful explosion of thoughts artfully scattered across several white a3 sheets and a whiteboard. There’s just something about a whiteboard that when you see one you instantly want to grab a pen and start doodling away.
Perhaps what really lifted the atmosphere of the office though were the certificates newly won from the TiE International Business Plan Competition in Brussels…
…back to the work.
So today Joseph followed up on a long list of e-mails sent in by artists and arts societies in the vicinity. I also similarly followed up on e-mails from magazine and newspaper editors interested in the venture. It’s a great feeling to capture the interest of people on the telephone; hearing a couple of ‘oohs’ on the telephone definitely gives us a good feeling and always increases our confidence in the project.
George was also engaged in a couple of calls posing the possibility of launching an artFix store abroad – very exciting. It looks like it’s not only London that is embracing the concept but also the world that is looking forward to making art more accessible and affordable for the people.
LOVE IS A PRIZE!
Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone who may be celebrating out there ❤
In the office we were also celebrating our love – for the arts as we heard news from Brussels that WE DID IT! Third prize at the European Final of TiE’s International Business Plan Competition 2013-14! George and Zafeirenia went to make the pitch on behalf of the team and, as you can already see from the picture below, the judging panel were fierce.
However, travelling all that way clearly paid off – there will be celebrations back in the office on Monday!
In the office today, the rest of the team continued discussion of the ‘artFix Event’ taking place at the end of February and contacting artists and organisations on our shiny new telephone. So the office was nice and alive with ringing phones and voices – look forward to speaking to updating you all on Monday and enjoy the weekend!
P.S: Make sure you get your applications for ‘Calling All Artists’ in this weekend if you have not done so already! I would hate for all you talented people to miss out!
SHOWTIME!
So we have become the finalists of another competition – yay! The Lion’s Den Challenge is a business programme which is supported by the King’s Graduate School. This year, artFix London entered and now we are due to take part in the final on the 24th February! As part of this we have to pitch the artFix London project to an audience – hopefully it will go well!
Outside the office Nadia and Jilke enjoyed an evening at the Superbolt Theatre at the Vaults by Waterloo station yesterday. The show was called ‘Uncanny Valley’ and as well as being invited to watch the performance they had a meeting with the cast regarding their potential participation in the artFix venture.
Jilke said that the play was really fun and definitely something she would recommend to others. It is set in the future and tells the story of a boy falling in love with his robot. She said she was literally under her chair laughing most of the time – especially when they did a robot dance together and played the future play-station 25. However, it had an interesting underlying message as well (don’t worry I’m not going to spoil it for you!) The three actors were incredible, both individually and together – they kept her on the edge of her seat for the full hour. So make sure you get down to see it too – the weekend is coming!
SHORT & SWEET PART II!
So today your blogger has been taken ill and did not go into the office. As a result this entry will generally be a short translation of what I have heard on the ‘office vine.’
George’s meeting with Michelle Wright from Cause4 was really successful. As well as finding artFix a really interesting project, she said that she is willing to help us fulfil our objectives, which is great news. We expect to hear more news from her soon.
The rest of the team have also been busy continuing discussion with artists and with each other. The design of the space being used to host the ‘artFix Experience’ is coming together which is good news especially as more artists are signing up to take part. Remember to get your applications in! Read more on the ‘Calling All Artists!’ tab above – Monday is the deadline!
COMMUNITY CALL!
So today the combination of strikes and floods have been pretty disastrous to give me any good chance of coming into the office.
Thankfully, the phone lines are still pretty good which meant that George could have his telephone conference with cause4 this morning. Cause4 are a great organisation which support charities and social enterprises operating in the arts, education and sports sectors. Will let you know how this goes, along with what happened with Longlong in Shoreditch, tomorrow.
Meanwhile Nadia continues to contact artists and discuss the work of artists who have already applied with Jilke and Sophie. And Joseph has also been creating a contact list of people involved in arts societies across universities and colleges. With this we aim to reach out to students by talking to them about the artFix project. This will be a mutually beneficial opportunity to let potential artists know what we can offer them but also give artFix more exposure. So all you universities and colleges can look forward to receiving an e-mail or call from us in the next few days and to hopefully meeting us in your lecture theatre soon – watch this space!
CAPITAL CONNECTION!
In the digital office of today, I’m sure you will agree that there is little that trumps the feeling of being securely connected to the Internet via your own router. For the artFix team today was that exciting day. It was great to go a whole day with no breaks in connection – previously even plugging in a phone charger in one socket would disrupt our ability to connect online. And then in those 15 minute to half an hour spaces we’d all purposefully rise to make a not-really-needed coffee. So this permanent Internet connection is definitely a more economical move.
We also have our own phone line which means we have our own phone number (see the artFix London website for details). So if you would like to discuss anything arty or would like a personal recommendation regarding the best coffees currently on the market then please do give us a call.
As always, the Call for Artists is the biggest news and will remain the biggest news up until Monday 17th February when applications will close. So make sure that you GET YOUR APPLICATIONS IN via the artFix London website or alternatively find out more by emailing info@artfixlondon.com
In the office, Joseph has made the finishing touches to a 5-minute video which I would encourage those of you who are looking to submit a film, to watch as a brilliant example.
![mqdefault[1]](http://artfixlondon.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/mqdefault1.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGTVDyExmAA
Meanwhile, outside the office, George is being mentored by Viren Lal in preparation for the Tie International Business Plan Competition being held in Brussels on Friday. For the ArtFix team it’s exciting to be there as finalists in this competition particularly as it is so prestigious. Hopefully it will go well.
On the other side of town, Longlong took time out to have drinks and chat with some key potential investors at the Blueberry Bar in Shoreditch. Apparently, you will always meet someone interesting at this event so it will be interesting to hear what Longlong has to say tomorrow.
GOOD DAY!
Happy Friday!!
So today has been a great day for progress which means that the team can go home happy – just in time for the weekend.
Longlong has been working on applications to True Start and the Big Venture Challenge, both of which help start-up companies in the retail business sector, like artFix to develop faster. If we succeed to the final stage then they will not only provide us with funding but also space and mentoring which will allow us to develop a complex and accurate financial strategy for our venture, which would be fantastic! Wish us luck!
On the other side of the office Jilke and Sophie are continuing their work to get more artists on board. In addition to receiving a lot of positive feedback from artists they also have a lot of meetings scheduled in the next week so the office is looking to get very busy! I had a conversation with them this morning about how they were doing and they were really excited by the energy in some of your replies. Sophie said that she really liked it when artists said that the concept of artFix is something which is really needed in society.
Sam also arrived at the office today and met with George to discuss the need for projectors at the ‘artFix Experience.’ He is going to help us to locate projectors and install the pop-up and is also thinking of inviting some friends who are video-artists, to the event on the 27th. They will not only be able to film the event in its entirety but also individual artists which is great for you who are participating. So things are looking very good for the end of February.
Finally for today, Ingrid came over to discuss the technical design of the event space with George, Jilke and Sophie. From exhibition areas to drinks at the bar, they bounced around lots of ideas – a very good meeting and a nice way to close the day.
Have a great evening and an arty weekend!
COLD CALLS WARMLY RECEIVED!
So what did you think of the outtakes – funny right?
Today I have been working hard on researching contacts and updating our press list to send out e-mails about the ‘artFix Experience’ on the 27th and 28th February (make sure you get your applications in!) and in preparation for when we send out press releases.
Researching the work of a variety of art bloggers was really interesting – I discovered some amazing and unusual talent from fantastic origami experts to enthralling visual artists. So thank you for publishing all your work – a lot of you will have received a message from me inviting you to participate in the end-of-February event. I hope that you do get in contact with our team.
As well as this I experienced the joy of cold-calling numerous magazines around London. It was actually a great experience and I had some very interesting chats, one of which lasted 30 minutes!
In the office today Nadia met a visual artist called Alexandre Piacsek who makes abstract paintings and figurative works. In talking to us about his work Alexandre said ‘I build original sketches into colourful fine art illustrations which resemble the title cover of a comic book. I recently finished a collection of vintage-style postcards named Britannia depicting infamous and typically British culture and people throughout the ages. My paintings are actually done very fast, I rediscovered a glorious surrealist technique that is allowing me to produce lots of works a week. The paintings evoke mystery and the ethereal and allow the viewer to channel his own imagination.’
In speaking about artFix Alexandre said
that it was the ‘idea to showcase art on high street for a large audience’ which excited him most – it’s really good to see that the unique concept of art on the high street is being received so well by both artists and the public
SHORT AND SWEET!
So tube strikes might reduce our productivity on the trains but clearly not in the office – we have a flyer! The flyer is a great way to tell everyone about the ‘artFix Experience’ happening on the 27th and 28th February (get all your applications in artists!). This is probably because it is that sweet eye-catching shade of purple that has a habit of reminding me of Ribena
Will catch up with you all tomorrow – I know it’s an even shorter one today but, never fear, tomorrow I will be back with some interesting news – watch this space!
THAT’S A WRAP!
So we took the metaphorical form of busy bees in the office today. With the ‘artFix Experience’ just around the corner on the 27th to the 28th February, the pressure is on to develop videos and engage the interests of artists and the public – we knew we all had a long day ahead. As a result, it was great to come in to the office and discover that George had developed the final edited version of the Outtake Video from the filming we did on the 24th of January! Needless to say, it was a pleasant way to start the morning – laughter and coffee will always be the best combination.
So sit back, relax and enjoy watching the team work – and mess up.
![mqdefault[4]](http://artfixlondon.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/mqdefault4.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI7gtqQP_mw
Will catch up with all you lovely people tomorrow.
BUSINESS AND LEISURE!
So, artFix gossip of the day – Longlong and Zafeirenia discovered that they go to the same gym as David Beckham (!) which I must say is an added incentive for me to re-start that New Year’s resolution.
Having spent most of Saturday at the UCL Student Enterprise Hub event, however, Longlong needed some time to relax, with or without the presence of David Beckham. The busy one-day event hosted several pitches and discussions held by eminent business individuals in the morning and two interactive workshops in the afternoon. Particularly, the Finance workshop proved to present some useful information on important tools which we will definitely be looking to implement in our own business plan.
This morning, the team were continuing our good work on engaging the interests of artists and investors by meeting up with a representative from London Fusion. George, Sophie and Jilke met with Vanesa Sánchez to discuss further funding opportunities to boost the development of the artFix venture. As part of this, Vanesa has promoted the artFix blog to the London Fusion website so now I am probably also speaking to some of you who have arrived here along this alternative route! If so then hi – welcome to artFix.
So discussion is continuing and we are constantly reaching out to widen our circle and develop our network via business events, meetings with individuals and even by bumping into the odd celebrity, which is great.
READ ALL ABOUT IT!
With only a few members of the team in the office, today was a relatively quiet day, although that did not stop us from continuing our aim to send new rhythms through the art world.
This week has been a good one to engage the interests of new artists and investors at a variety of events. Not only have they been interested in what artFix is currently doing but also our plans for the future which is great! The mock pop-up store in February is an event which is capturing particular interest.
As a result, we have come up with a plan to send out a monthly newsletter to all our lovely subscribers. So if you are reading this blog and thinking, I am really interested to get to know more about what these guys are doing, then please add your name to the list via our website or contact me via the address below. The newsletter will be a fantastic way to keep up to date with our current and future plans but also the latest news about artFix’s position in the art and business world – something which is becoming increasingly important as it is more widely recognised.
We are also getting our creative hats on and working on the initial stages of scripting for videos to be screened at our first store. Cameraman, Sam, from Gro-up arrived to discuss our general concept so now it’s all about building this up into something special.
Have a brilliant art-filled weekend and speak to you all on Monday!
POP-UP ARTISTS!
Calling all new and aspiring artists! This morning the energy has been high to meet and converse with artists specialising in a variety of different types of visual and performance arts. This is in preparation for our mock-up pop-up store which has now become a confirmed event, taking place on the 27th and 28th February 2014! Get excited!
So today, alongside the pattering of rain on the windows, the office was alive with the furious rain of fingertips on keyboards as Jilke and Sophie contacted several museums, galleries and dance companies with information about artFix and the benefits it would bring to have them on board. It is fantastic that so many organisations have responded so positively towards the project. If anything it gives us greater confidence in what we are doing which is why we are so enthusiastic about the mock-up pop-up store.
Taking a break outside of the office, Nadia met up with Margherita Franceschi, a performance artist who used to run “Cardboard Cabaret,” and is currently looking to get back into physical performance. Her reason for taking an interest in artFix is that ‘It’s a concept I didn’t meet before, therefore it’s already interesting!’ Margherita’s love of art is the opportunity to ‘let the audience feel part of something special’ and this is what will be so unique about the artFix store; whilst people can come and browse art, they can equally come and enjoy a very interactive experience which has the potential to enrich their minds.
So please contact us if you are interested in having your work in our first store! Artworks from all disciplines are welcome, including painting, video, theatre, dance, photography, installation, stand-up comedy and the performing arts. Chosen artists, will be selected from proposals and submissions sent to us by Monday February 17 2014.
In order to apply please send us an email containing:
- A short (max 250-word) artist’s statement or proposal
- A small description of the technical requirements, duration, number of performers etc. of your work
- A short biography (max 250-word)
- Examples of the work(s) you would like to showcase
Files should not exceed 5mb
Or simply fill in the application form on the website: http://www.artfixlondon.com/are-you-an-artist
We look forward to hearing from you!
SHOW TIME!
Good afternoon readers! So by now you are probably well acquainted with the wet, windy and generally miserable weather which has replaced that bright sun we had on Tuesday, but as they say in theatre, the show must go on. With this in mind, therefore, I am delighted to announce that the new video for our campaign has finally been released! It has undergone a series of edits and now even has a pleasantly melodious accompaniment – we hope you like it, share it and look forward to reading the opinions you have of our work. I have attached it to this blog so that you may easily watch it to your heart’s content.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjezKSVOdfU
Meanwhile the Outtakes video is currently being worked through the production process – I for one, am really looking forward to watching this because I know that it will be quality viewing but also because I do not feature in any scene.
This morning the team got together for our weekly meeting. We discussed some marketing issues and more about how to get the artFix project out there to all of you in a clear and exciting way. Also, one of the many ideas which have been floating around the office lately is to set-up a mock-up store; this was agreed today.
So, exclusive news! – artFix will be setting up a mock-up pop-up store (a little bit of a mouthful) at the end of February. This will be a fantastic opportunity for artists to come and present their work to us so if you are at all interested in the project I encourage you to contact us NOW – hopefully you will already have noticed my e-mail address at the bottom of the blog page! It is truly a fantastic opportunity to get your work out there – event details will be announced shortly so, as always, watch this space!
SPRING AWAKENING!
So spring seems to be coming on early for the artFix team as the office is opening out to shake hands with more artists and investors which is great! Continuing on from the buzz of yesterday morning, Monday evening also saw the team working hard as Jilke, George and Nadia attended two business events.
Jilke went to the King’s College Social Entrepreneurship Competition Launch – an inspirational event which encouraged small companies to see solutions through problems and foster a positive and resilient attitude from the outset. Whilst it was a long evening, with one speaker conducting an impressively engaging talk utilising 77 motivational slides, it was an invaluable opportunity to learn about the power of motivation from companies such as Ashoka and Divine Chocolate (yes there was free chocolate :).
At the same time and in a nearby area of London, George and Nadia attended a Crowdbnk event where they set up our campaign video in a small booth to promote artFix and potentially raise funds for the project. With so much welcome interest in our work it turned out to be an exciting and busy three hours interacting with a number of investors and other start-up organisations. I have strong faith that this will amount to some good news very soon!
Currently, as a new company, the team is investing a lot of effort into engaging the interest of the public and pitching our aims and the benefits of artFix to artists and investors. We wholly believe in this project and this is what allows us to persevere with passion and turn up smiling on a Monday morning, with or without coffee.
So it is rewarding, at this stage in the process, to hear it from you that you are also excited by what we’re doing. One artist, Lilas Bizrah, specialising in visual art, visited us at the office today and treated us with a showcase of her portfolio and the variety of projects she has undertaken. She is one of the many artists currently interested in the artFix launch and says that ‘Art for me is my haven, my sanctuary from the stresses of life. I think innovation and creativity are key to free our imagination.’ In speaking about what we were doing said that she ‘thought it was about time someone did this. It is a really nice idea.’
For us, it gives us great pleasure to get feedback from you that we are doing something which has the potential to enrich your lives in some way so make sure you let us know your thoughts about what we’re doing because it’s always great to hear what you have to say.
CAFFEINE ENRICHED!
Firstly, apologies! The video is not ready yet – the team had an initial viewing of the first edit today which was great but there are still a few sound tweaks to be made and of course, the valuable outtakes need to be strung together.
So this morning there was the unmistakeable smell of quality cappuccinos buzzing through the office. The jar of instant was near untouched, except to move it into a stowaway box and that’s when I knew – we have a coffee machine! It’s true when they say that it’s the little things that make a day go well and the team were ecstatic, not least because we also had installed a mini-fridge. Milky coffees all round then!
And it’s just as well because times are getting busy. Last week Jilke went to the London Creative Works Workshop hosted at Rich Mix in Shoreditch. This was a great opportunity to mix with professionals from other cultural and creative companies and consider potential team mates in application for the Creative Voucher Scheme. Moreover, today, both Jilke and Sophie have a deadline to submit an application for the London Creative & Digital Fusion Collaborative. This is a really important opportunity for artFix because it is ideal to show off our unique creative and digital blend. Plus, the research prize money would be great to fund key developments in the artFix project – fingers crossed!
A NEW FIX!
Good evening fellow art-lovers! Today is Sunday which, for me, means a day to recover from the week, relax and read. So in between munching through a late dinner and watching re-runs of Eastenders, I was willingly captured by ‘Fairly Popular’ an interesting article featured in the Economist online. It is about the competition between art galleries and art fairs and is a really great read, not least because it provides supporting context to the work the team is doing at artFix.
The article is interesting for the way that it attributes the declining interest in museums/ galleries to the increase in demand for modern artists but also the old-fashioned nature of art establishments; unlike art fairs, museums/ galleries generally demand a lot of time to explore.
It’s funny because a lot of the time we talk about the way that technology is becoming more and more advanced so that we can get/ do things easier and faster. However, as it develops so does our desire for everything in our lives to advance in a similar way – including our experience of art. People don’t like to spend half a day ‘traipsing’ around a single gallery. Consequently, dealers are also becoming more efficient about changing the way they operate to meet this need. NEED is the key word in all of this; it is all about having and being able to satisfy ‘need’ which allows for organisations to do well.
Going to seasonal art fairs is one increasingly popular way this need is met. With several dealers in one place they are suitable to host a variety of art at the convenience of the public. artFix also supports this idea, supporting and encouraging the boom of modern art as well as the classical style with the aim of not only making art more accessible but also affordable. Unlike art fairs, artFix stores will also have the added advantage of hosting art all year round. In the UK the creative industry is the second most-powerful sector, worth $32 billion a year. Despite this, however, 85% of the population still do not attend art events more than once a year because it is expensive and time-consuming.
If anything, reading this article has made me more excited about the future of artFix because it confirms that there is a need for everything that our store represents – accessibility, affordability and variety, needs which are only just beginning to be met.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, SATISFACTION!
This morning I walked into the bright lights of the office and the bustle of cameramen and team members – time to film! In moving from museums and concert halls to the high street art is coming out in the form of artFix but it was also coming out in the team as we prepared to learn the script. In fact now would be a great time to introduce them!
From left to right:-
Long Long – Specialises in business development. Enjoys constructing military-themed models in his spare time and is a badminton enthusiast
Adnan – Project/ Construction manager, specialising in construction engineering – he also skis, plays volleyball and is a general action man
Monica – Works in Marketing and Communications and loves photography
Jilke – Works in Arts Administration, specialising in fine arts. In her spare time she enjoys photography
Sophie – Works in Arts Administration, specialising in performing arts. In her spare time she enjoys attending Pilates and life drawing classes
Nadia – Part of the Arts Production team, specialising in arts management. She loves performance and used to take part in theatre in Athens and Cyprus
George – Founder and CEO of artFix. 20 years of experience as a solicitor, entrepreneur and arts producer. In his spare time he enjoys taking road trips on his motorbike
Zafeirenia – General Manager, specialising in marketing and production for cultural and community projects. Previously trained as classical ballet dancer and is a professional pianist
Rita – Works in graphic design/ photography which she also loves to continue in her spare time
Ioanna – Works in Arts Programming, specialising in performing arts, narrative building and learning activities. In her spare time she enjoys making jewellery
Joseph – Works in Arts Administration, specialising in Learning and Partnerships. In his spare time he enjoys playing the guitar
There are a few other members of the team who weren’t able to attend the photo opportunity:
Samir – Works as a curator. 20 years of experience in retail, fashion and the arts business
Ingrid – Designer/ Scenographer, specialising in theatre design
Liu – Technology expert specialising in digitalisation and 3D visualisation of art works and heritage artefacts
And of course myself, Gurpreet, who took the photo: I work as part of the Marketing and Communications team and in my spare time I enjoy baking and watching the f1
Apart from taking many of us back to the terror of our school days, filming was fun. Not only did we laugh so much but the weather was lovely, energy was high and the artFix message came across brilliantly: that art, in all its forms, can and should be accessible, affordable and enjoyed on the familiarity of the high street. Will definitely update you all when it’s finally edited and broadcast – make sure you look forward to some cheeky outtakes which are just too good not to post.
WELCOME TO THE HUB!
After much hard work and perseverance artFix are proud to present our new office! Not only is it nestled in the heart of London but its rather attractive bright orange walls make us think, ‘what January blues?’ So for the past few days our team have been busy buying candles, printers and drilling in curtains around the creative hub of our new and exciting artistic venture! Of course no office would be complete without coffee, the fuel of inspiration. At the moment tea and instant coffee minus milk is on offer – we’re working on it.
So, today Sam and Tom, from production company Gro-up, arrived to discuss the hows and whys of the filming for our second campaign video. The team are definitely getting ready to playing their starring roles and Zafeirenia, our General Manager, is working closely with Sam to judge the film’s direction. The video is one of the most important aspects of our campaign because it is a great way to introduce artFix as a uniquely creative high street store, and ourselves so that we can get to know you! I definitely look forward to watching the energy and creativity that I know will go into the film tomorrow so watch this space!
Lunch was a mixed one today. No, we didn’t change from our Yo Sushi! local – why fix something that isn’t broken? – but we simultaneously celebrated the birthdays of Joseph and Long Long and waved goodbye to Yiting, our Finance management team member who has been with artFix since last year. It’s always sad when someone leaves the group so there were a few smiles and a few tears but lots of well wishes…