Newsletter April 2009 - The Crows are nesting high this year...

And someone told me recently that this is the sign of a very good summer ahead.
The first summer I spent in Scotland after arriving from Madrid, in 2002, was exceptionally good. “It’s not always like this, so don’t get too used to it..!” some friends advised me wisely to enjoy the gift of sunshine without taking it for granted, for duller times might follow.
And I soon learnt to appreciate the courage of a ray of light breaking through the clouds against all odds.


Delicartessen was born in a rainy March, so it is used to storms and showers. It is powered by the torrential flow of talent I have encountered by chance, and committed to allow our artists shine in their own right …whatever the forecast.Two years later, you can see them sparkling at Joseph Pearce’s Bar. After its facelift Scandinavian style, this corner of Leith is blossoming into an all-day den for regulars. We do our previews on Saturday mornings to make the most of its crisp, natural light.


And on a more cave style note, perfect for winter or Scottish days alike, we also exhibit at The Jazz Bar. Owner Bill Kyle keeps the venue buzzing…7 days a week. Its music programme even reaches high altitudes as I have come across several reviews about it in different in-flight magazines. No wonder Bill has 1.800 subscribers to his own newsletter. Previews are on Monday evenings, so there is no excuse to say these are grey days any more. And you can always stay and let the band of the day please your ears afterwards too.


The current show at the Jazz Bar, “Material-istic” refers to the 3D nature of the works on show and to the financial crash…but with a twist.
Although financial cycles can bring unpredicted downpours which suddenly take you by surprise and leave you feeling damp, and intangible products like shares can drop to zero and freeze your heart in a second, with a painting you know that, no matter what, you will always have something to hold and keep you warm inside.

So, don’t let the current climate make you feel gloomy as it might be time for another good summer…
Let’s hope the crows have been wise!!


Join us at our next preview this Saturday 2nd of May from 10.30 am -11.30 am at Joseph Pearce’s Bar, 23 Elm Row, Edinburgh
“The Spring Exhibition” includes works by Edwin Slater, John Cannavan, Kate Lloydd and other invited artists.

Materialistic - April 09 -

"Beware of the Fish" by Kate Lloyd. Solder work, bone & acrylics, 58 x 40 cm.

In April 2009 we invited everyone to the launch of a new exhibition that had a tactile, material theme to it:

"I am pleased to invite you and your guests to the preview of our Spring Exhibition at The Jazz Bar.
Material-istic is a 2d/3d show with solder works by Kate Lloyd, slate works by Joshua Jack and oil paintings by Ronald Buchan.

Farewell to the winter blues and begin Spring with an event that, surprisingly, has nothing to do with the finantial crash and a lot to do with texture, colour and shape!

"Rolling Stones" by Joshua Jack. Slate, 40 x 40 cm.

Artmag April-May 09

March 2009 - New works: Ronnie Buchan, John Cannavan & Edwin Slater

In 2009 we recruited new artists like John Cannavan whose paintings of Edinburgh and Scottish landscapes became regular sight at all our existing venues at the time.

And on 5th of March we lauched a new exhibition that also included works by Ronnie and Edwin.

"Parliament Street", oil by John Cannavan
50.5 x 40.5 cm.

"Soul Mates" mixed m. 60 x 80 cm.

"Woman with cigarette" oil ,50 x 40cm.

February 2009 - Jacqui Higgs solo exhibition

After a short break to recover from all our hectic activities around Christmas time, we welcomed the new year with a Solo Exhibition by Irish artist Jacqui Higgs.


Above: Fettiye", 50 x 41.5 cm. Mixed media £495

"My Current practice involves on-site drawings, photographs and graffiti text sourced from the industrial spaces of urban and contrasting rural landscapes. These are then developed to create a multi-textured surface..."

J.H.

This painting below is my all-time favourite by Jacqui.
Due to the layer of varnish covering the canvas, the foggy quality of the "snow" is appreciated only when you see the painting in the flesh.
But when you do...you can almost feel the dampness in the air. This painting came back to mind after seeing a Portraits Exhibition in London in February 2010. From all the photographs on show, the one that caught my eye displayed an image of a young man laying with his greyhound dog in a beautiful, large field. Unlike most of the other photographs, this one had some information to complement the image. The text explained that while the guy in the photo looks somehow unaware of the camera, looking distracted; the dog, on the contrary, was looking right into it, as if posing for the photograph. It was this swap of roles between human and animal that had caught my eye. I found it surprising and interesting. And the same idea applies to Jacqui's "Walking the Dog in the Snow": the dog seems to be looking directly into the viewers' eye...with some sort of human-like awareness. He seems to be telling us about the cold and the dampness...

Paintings by Kenneth Le Riche

We closed 2008 with an exhibition of stunning work by Kenneth Le Riche.

Below: The Unbearable Likeness of Being
Oil on canvas
60" x 48"



"The Unbearable Likeness of Being" is a misquotation of Milan Kundera's book 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being'. This was the book that the young woman in the painting was reading when the idea for the piece was first thought up. I have chosen to use this misquote for two reasons: as a reference to what the woman was reading and thus where she was in her imagination as the idea was composed, and also as a comment on how in relationships there can be tension and discontent when the two parties concerned can feel too alike and each others' behaviour too predictable. In arguably a misguided way, both parties consequently look outside the relationship for contentment. In the painting I wanted to create an ambiguous psychological narrative. Kenneth Le Riche

Kenneth trained and lived in New York, where he adquired his outstanding figurative technique. 9 months after this exhibition his words "realism is the new avante-garde" served me for the introduction of an exhibition called "Beyond Realism", organised for Colours Gallery in collaboration with Spanish gallery Artelibre. What is remarkable is that one the participating Spanish artists: Aranzazu Martinez, had trained with Kenneth in New York...
It's a small world after all!

Artmag Dec 08 - Jan 09