I don’t think about my face because i live behind it’ was painted as part of a series of works called ‘The How and Why Library’. This series of paintings was created from appropriations of images found in Childcraft books of the 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s. Childcraft was created as an encyclopedia, of sorts, for young children. With simple texts and illustrations, the volumes were designed to make learning amusing and engaging. Each volume addressed different subjects, including literature, mathematics and the sciences.

This series began with the move, and loss, of McCaughey’s childhood home. This finality inevitably led to cataloging  preserving belongings, and filing the associated memories. The Childcraft books, a once steadfast presence on the living room bookcase, were unearthed once more. McCaughey recalls spending hours soaking in the pages filled with images and diagrams. Returning to these books years later, the clarity and freshness of the images in her mind led McCaughey to consider the printed image, it’s ability to encapsulate the past, allow the viewer to visit it, in the present. This particular painting was sourced from a paragraph explaining to children the idea of how we see ourselves differently from how others see us.

See more of Eleanor’s paintings here

Rachel Hannyngton Floating oil on canvas, 2009

We put together a little collection of paintings which explore the different ways artists have depicted water, creating images that make the water look inviting, refreshing and engulfing. Continue reading “The Art Circus Looks at – The Water” →

Suberites Domuncula is a natural sponge that a species of hermit crab pinches to camouflage itself. In this piece, the little crab has taken the idea of camouflage a step too far.

Timothy Foxon studied at Wimbledon School of Art. He collects and hoards items, then accompanied with other ingredients he reappropriates their original purpose and function. Using a certain naivety and playful approach, Timothy creates surreal sculptural one liners. Continue reading “Art Circus Spotlight
‘Suberites Domuncula’ by Timothy Foxon” →

My work stretches from the complete ridiculous to uneasiness and the oddball mystic. I often use objects in relation to paintings; alluding to the absurdity of a dating site, trying to match dysfunctional lonely souls that may not want to reproduce.

I have a particular interest in awkwardness and what specifically defines it. It is a phenomenon, which seems to dominate the Internet and much of the media world. Poor in resolution, production and subject matter, images float effortlessly in this non space. I look at stock photos and compare them with images from other eras. In the painting Fractures of the Modern World, I was trying to paint as effortless as possible (which is a contradiction) mirroring this economy with bits of pillars made of plastic/foam, which articulate an ineffective material for holding up an idea, no longer made of marble. A facemask references beauty but this couple border on caricature and composing/de-composing themselves can be a hard thing when, at the end of the day, they are still mortal.

See more of Sally’s work here

Chris Shaw Hughes CarbonCities, pencil on paper, 2009

Drawing is often seen as a tool for studying and for sketching out ideas. But during the renaissance, drawing was thought of as the true art form. ‘Disegno’ is the Italian word for fine art drawing. It is the principle which underlies sculpture, fine art painting and architecture. Disegno combines the ability to draw with design and creative imagination.

Once the drawing was completed, the Colorito artist would add paint to the canvas. Their job was to capture the light, shade and colours, Colorito was seen as a craft rather than an art form, more of a colouring skill.

Making something striking, aesthetic and unique with only a pencil and paper is difficult.
Here are 10 drawings we have chosen from the Art Circus. Continue reading “The Art Circus Looks At – Pencil on Paper” →

Art13, London’s new art fair at Olympia hosts 129 galleries from 30 different countries showing thousands of artworks. Over 70% of the galleries at the fair are exhibiting in London for the first time. If you couldn’t make it, here’s what you missed. Continue reading “13 Highlights from Art13
Mutant Baby, Cat Cubed and Unicorn with Face Off” →

Chloe Rosser is a final year student Falmouth University. Her latest project deals with the body as a strange sculptural form. Photographed in this contorted fashion, the body becomes inhuman. It is a mass of flesh, a growth. It intrigues us, with its strangeness and beauty, while its grotesqueness repels us. Here, the most familiar form becomes an unfamiliar sculpture. Continue reading “Art Circus Spotlight
‘Form’ by Chloe Rosser” →

Marion Balac likes to draw animals and nature and jungles and moutains and houses and trees. She however lives in a big city so she doesn’t draw humans that much.
Continue reading “Art Circus Spotlight
‘Hurralopecia’ by Marion Balac” →