UMPEL meets MINI
This week I was contacted by a local car company, The Kloster Group, whom are having a ‘Pop Up’ Promo shop that will feature a graffitied car (artist unknown, at this stage, we will update when we know) inside a currently empty shop. Kloster specifically requested UMPEL, after finding these blogs that I (try) to keep updating with new content. It’s all pretty exciting, as it’s new territory and a different style of job. The artwork is to compliment an existing marketing campaign for Mini. Wow!
For those of you that follow my work in Gosford, you will know that I work trying to ‘fill’ empty shops, with creative projects. So there is a nice synergy here with this new project.
We have done the site inspection and UMPEL is scheming ideas. The project should be up and open for viewing after next Friday. Stay tuned for more details and images.
- Simone
Renew Newcastle’s New Adventures
Many people ask me, ‘What is it that you do?’
Since late 2008, I have been involved with Renew Newcastle (RN). It has made such a full contribution to my artist career and lifestyle, here in humble, Newcastle.
It still surprises me that some people may not have heard of (or seen) RN. For myself, and the many individuals that have been engaged with RN, it has been a life-changing experience.
My first involvement began when mustering interest with local artists to form an Artist Run Initiative (ARI). ARThive gallery, collective and studios was the result of my independent research and the collective efforts of over seven artists. We made ‘good’ in a building that was left empty, forgotten by the city. We swept, sanded, puttied, drilled and labored away for weeks to create a gallery space for ourselves, and new artists who could see the potential in our DIY space.
The experience of forming our own collective space was very empowering. We went from being Uni students to practising (emerging) artists. We were holding artists talks, curating group shows and ‘living the dream’ in our own ‘place’. This was the stuff we read about at Uni; artists forming their own groups and working towards a bigger goal. Ours was to have a scene worth staying in Newcastle for. Often, graduation meant a time to leave for bigger waters in places like Melbourne.
ARThive has been running since 2009 and continues to be a place for local artists to experiment with their art practices.
Today, there’s no need to flock to the big smoke. Newcastle has its own scene that’s abundant with the best kind of culture; DIY.
You may have heard about the grassroots movement happening in the Newcastle CBD?
Well, it’s kind of a big deal.
This Thursday, 29th March, is your chance to see it for yourself. Come along for some drinks from 5pm at the Renew Newcastle HQ, located at 3 Morgan Street in The Hunter Street Mall.
The evening will include an introduction from RN Founder, Marcus Westbury, followed by a guided walking tour of the latest RN shops and galleries.
All the RN spaces in the Mall area have special opening hours until 7pm so you can buy or browse for unique, local and handcrafted gifts, fashion, homewares, art.
Discover young, independant local fashion designers; contemporary jewellery, a vintage photobooth and lo-fi photography gallery; Roller Derby sticker design; delicate paper illustration; millinery; and fantasy clock sculptures which have to be seen to be believed!
Now is the time to visit your own ‘Hunter Street Mall’ backyard and discover the ‘buzz’ that has a lot to do with this amazing organisation, Renew Newcastle.
Cleaning up the city
This week we have been measuring up, well, lanes of space.
As many of you know, we have been (literally) working in Theatre Lane, pasting up art posters to ‘lift’ the area. The project is going well, considering the torrents of rain we have been having. Today, when we were doing some maintenance, we came across a very newly dead pigeon. We won’t go into detail, just to say, this is not the first time we’ve encountered such matter on the street.
In one area of Hunter Street mall, there are a number of properties sharing lane way space. Often, these areas, become overlooked and uncared for.
Our newest project is bringing together over three property owners, equating to over 500 per square metres of space.
The areas will need serious cleaning and clearing before artists can work in the area. Today we came across many spiders (including one very huge and angry red back), weeds and a broken couch, rotten with water and whatever else.
Soon the area will be transformed from a black hole into a brighter place, filled with artworks.
Expressions of interest from artists will be called very soon. Preparing photos, measurements and maps at the moment.
City of Sydney Launch for Creative and Cultural Spaces
I had a great night representing Create, Innovate Gosford City, mingling with some great people within the Creative Industries of Australia, as well as key government staff, that can make such a difference to arts and culture.
There was live paste-ups happening whilst The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore MP, addressed the floor, which immediately appealed to me. It’s excellent to see businesses, council and the like, championing the use of empty spaces for creative industries.
I feel very privileged to be part of a unique Contemporary Australian art scene that is right at the very forefront of the artist world. I’m not into white walls much. I respect high art institutions, to a degree. Yet, it is within the low (or no) budget, where upon my heart shall remain. It was great to meet so many like-minded creatives, on the same wavelength.
Theatre Lane Project
The Theatre Lane Project is really starting to gain momentum, with some great layering happening, now that we have received a large number of entries.
But don’t worry, it’s not too late to be part of this special, first of its kind, project.
Email your own poster for Theatre Lane to streetartwalking[at]gmail[dot]com
Theatre Lane (paste-up) Project
http://streetartwalking.wordpress.com/theatre-lane-project/
New Mural in Newcastle’s Hunter Street Mall
Just before Christmas we managed to finish our first community mural. The artwork by UMPEL is located at the rear wall (facing North) of 66 King Street in Newcastle, Australia. The mural is sponsored by Lost at E Minor, an online publication of inspiring art, design, music, photography and pop culture: low brow sensibilities mashed up with the grittier elements of high brow culture. If you haven’t bookmarked their website, do yourself a favour a do it now!
Supported by Lost at E Minor and Street Art Walking.
Theatre Lane – First Round of Installations
December was definately the month to get things firing, after two months of awaiting your amazing theatre poster designs, we managed to compile enough posters to commence the project.
We are only going to provide a ‘teaser’ image for you now. So make sure you visit Theatre Lane (Off Perkins Street) in Newcastle to see the artworks change each month.
Next installation will be at the end of January 2012. You can find out more about the project, including how to get involved by visiting the Street Art Walking (SAW) blog.
Theatre lane UPDATE
DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT BRIEF HERE
THEATRE LANE PROJECT
We have received a number of amazing submissions, yet there have been a number of entries that have not completely met the brief for the ‘Theatre Lane’ project.
Here is an excerpt from the full project brief.
OVERVIEW: Paper artworks inspired by theatre posters with a focus on older styles to compliment the vinyl artwork on the Victoria Theatre. The posters are to be installed on both sides of the lane way, capturing the feel of a rich history of theatre that the area is famous for.
The following examples of theatre posters indicate the potential style and scope the project could have. The poster’s content can vary from black and white to full colour, a mix of text, images and an array of fonts. The sizes can vary from small handbill sizes, to large A1.
Theatre Lane Project
Paper artworks inspired by theatre posters with a focus on older styles to compliment the vinyl artwork on the Victoria Theatre. The posters are to be collaged to both sides of the lane way, capturing the feel of a rich history of theatre that the area is famous for.
