Natural North

An exhibition featuring Richard Serridge, Katherine Dereli, John Sharp & Zoe Roberts

Rolling hillsides and a colder climate; this is the North of England. It holds the Lake District, the moors and the northern coast. The artists in this exhibition explore the far stretches of the ‘Natural North’ and all it’s natural beauty, devoid of the urban and man-made.

Richard Serridge is a landscape painter from the Wirral with a BA in Fine Art and a passion for nature and the local environment. By using repurposed materials, Richard challenges the waste culture of everyday life, whilst selecting materials that reflect each specific scene. Richard explores locations that are in his everyday surroundings, but usually go overlooked. He captures atmosphere and texture using high contrast colour, a variety of mark making techniques and allowing the unpredictable nature of his ground to influence structure.

Dealing with issues surrounding mental health is represented by the deliberate lack of human figures within the landscape, creating a sense of seclusion and beauty without interference. With a keen interest in railways, gardening and general making, these themes are also visited within Richard’s painting practice.

Katherine Dereli is a Lancashire based oil painter with a classical training in sculpture. Her subjects are various: figures, carefully arranged still-life objects, landscapes, painted quickly in the field or laboured over in the studio. What unites them is a particular approach to paint. She carefully observes and reproduces colour from life, mixed cleanly on the palette and laid down to create a varied surface of alternating high detail and broad ‘messy’ brushwork.

John Sharp studied illustration at De Montfort University, John then went on to work as an illustrator, graphic designer and in design/visual effects for the film and TV industry at the University of Manchester. John has exhibited nationally and internationally, with his work showcased in the Serpentine Gallery, Abbot Hall, Videcolor de Palermo in Buenos Aires and The Storey, Lancaster. Most recently John’s work has been on show at The Liverpool Art Fair, Stockport Open and “Modern Madness 9” in Hoxton London.

Zoe Roberts creates artworks of various mediums inspired by the beauty and adaptability of nature, her main focus is on changes she observes in landscape caused by weather, lighting plant life, the movements of the planet and the interactions of the inhabitants within and everyday moments. She is fascinated by how these changes in the environment can affect the atmosphere, meaning or aesthetic value of a place, her practice involves taking a photo on a walk to later recreate the mood of a place with her chosen medium through use of colour, mark making, light and memory of place. Born and based in the Wirral UK, Zoë graduated in 2022 with a BA (Hons) Fine Art Degree through Chester University and Wirral Met.

All artworks are for sale.

Join us for the Private View of the exhibition on Thursday 10th October from 5pm-7pm.

All welcome, but please register here: natural-north.eventbrite.co.uk

The dot-art Gallery can be found at 14 Queen Avenue, Castle Street, Liverpool, L2 4TX (just 5 minutes’ walk from Liverpool One).

Halloween Print Party

Get ready for a spooky Halloween half term and join Bluecoat in screen printing your own cotton trick or treat bags.

Participants will be able to choose from a variety of fun spooky trick or treat designs. Children will be able to pull the screens themselves with a facilitator supervising if they choose to, or a parent/guardian can help. There will be ample time during the session for everyone to print their bags and get creative, further personalising them with provided fabric markers if they wish too.

All children must be supervised by an adult. Each ticket admits one supervising adult and one child to participate. If the supervising adult would like to take part in the activity also, please purchase a materials bundle add-on ticket.

Artists’ Talks & Performanc...

Artists’ talks & performance held at CASS Art, School Lane on Sunday 6th October, as part of  Liverpool Artists Book Fair. The main Book Fair event is held at Bluecoat, 5 / 6 October.

TIME ARTIST
12.00 Julie Dodd Talk
12.30 Andrew Morrison Talk
13.00 Alastair Noble Talk
13.30 Sue McLaren Talk
14.00 Amy Sterly ‘Sound Book Project’ Performance + Talk
15.00 North West Book Artists Talk

Young People’s Print Club

Learn all about screen printing with stencils and create a zine or poster to take away with you.

Learn all about printmaking, develop your creative skills and make new friends at this FREE Young People’s Print Club!

Join them at the Bluecoat this Autumn and Winter to learn new skills and make new friends at our Print Club Sessions. Each session lasts 90 minutes and focuses on a different form of printmaking, acting as an introduction to printmaking and helping you gain new creative skills!

Their Print Club sessions are free and include all materials. You are welcome to book onto one or all of the sessions.

Free, booking required

For young people aged 14-18

Book now

Glorified: Ghost Painting Workshop

Welcome to the Glorified/Gore-ified: Ghost Painting Workshop! Get ready to unleash your inner artist as they dive into the world of ghostly creations. Join them on Sunday 6th October 2024 at 13:00 at Future Yard CIC for an afternoon of spooky fun.

No experience necessary – just bring your creativity and a willingness to try something new. Paint some ghosts together and make some hauntingly beautiful art!

Get involved by incorporating your own adorable yet undead companions into mundane thrifted paintings. It’s both eerie and eco-friendly! Spooky and Sustainable!

This social/workshop is open to all ages but tickets MUST be booked in advance.
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Paintings, brushes, paints etc are all provided but if you have your own feel free to bring them along!

Mildred’s Albert Dock Art Trail

Mildred, Tate’s art-loving cat, wants you to help her find 6 artworks posted around the inner quay of the Royal Albert Dock.

Collect a free Art Trail booklet from Tate Liverpool + RIBA North at Mann Island or The Nest art & design shop at The Royal Albert Dock. Follow the map on the back to find the artworks. There’s plenty of space and guidance inside the booklet to encourage young visitors to create their own amazing art along the way.

Inspired by the much-loved children’s book about Mildred the Gallery Cat at Tate, the Art Trail is available to take part in throughout the year and is a self-led, free, family activity suitable for children aged 7-11.

Mildred also likes word games! There are 5 hidden letters near the artworks that can be rearranged to spell a word.

The Art Trail is a great way for families to spend time together, doing something that is both creative and active.

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Visitors are encouraged to bring their own pencils to complete the trail.

Makers and Shakers: A Creative Family ...

Bring the whole family for a session full of eerie fun, creative crafting, and monster moves. Make your own spooky decorations with Bluecoat, and join a hair-raising dance led by artists from Movema. Don’t miss out—book now to avoid disappointment!

Sun 20 Oct, 2-3.30pm

Price:

Child: £15
Two child bundle: £26
Parents, carers, and crawlers go free

Children aged 4+ can participate in the session without a grown-up but must be supervised.

Makers + Shakers is a joint partnership brought to you by Bluecoat and Movema.

Anthony Ratcliffe: Of Time and Tide

‘Of Time and Tide’ showcases the work of artist and printmaker Anthony Ratcliffe.

Anthony was born in South Yorkshire and has always based his work around an exploration of British landscape.

His work extends geographically from Shetland, Northwest Scotland, Cumbria, North York Dales and Moors, Dark Peak and the Mersey estuary. Shipwrecks, abandoned fishing stations, tree forms, island shorelines, watercourses and mine workings are captured in watercolours, woodcut prints and artists books.
‘Of Time and Tide’ features recent commissions and projects looking at remote British Landscape from mountain top to shoreline in watercolour and woodcut prints.

Anthony said: “Most of my work is underpinned by the desire to discover things in seemingly bare and remote landscape, usually this starts with maps, literature, historically documented explorations and archaeological discoveries. As part of the exhibition, I thought it would be interesting to apply this approach to parts of the Mersey estuary.

“After some research and visits to Formby, Crosby and Ainsdale I became interested in the shipwreck remains which appear at low tide, known as the mussel wrecks, the reappearance of the remains of Harrington Barracks at Formby and the blitz beach at Crosby.

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“The series of watercolours and woodcut prints will visually explore some of these features against the backdrop of the busy estuary, random beach detritus and the broad western facing skyscape.”

Big Art Special: Art Sparks Christmas

Spark your creativity and have some festive fun with their fabulous friendly facilitators in Big Art! Big Art is a very special place for young children and their grown ups to discover arty things together.

This December explore your creativity  as a family with our special festive themed facilitated activities and make a marvellous masterpiece to take home. Plus you’ll have some  time to explore Big Art and all the wonderful resources for yourself.

Art Sparks sessions take place subject to availability on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Christmas themed sessions will take place on: December 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11

Promising Portfolios

Are you aged 13-18 and interested in studying art at GCSE, college, or university level? These artist-led sessions are the perfect place for you to independently develop your art skills, build your portfolio, and discover the different ways that art can be used in museums and galleries.

There’s no need to worry about buying expensive materials, everything you need will be provided for you. Below are a  few details of the sessions. They also will have a small amount of time at the end of each led session to offer help with projects that you are working on for your school and college portfolios.

Led sessions will cost £5 per session. To support these sessions they will also be offering Relaxed Promising Portfolios sessions which will operate on a drop in basis (see their website above for more details) .

If you want to find out more, you can email families@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk with any questions.