Sunday, 29 November 2009

Kirsteen Benson BA (Hons)


Kirsteen Benson BA (Hons)

Kirsteen is greatly inspired by both European and Japanese 20th Century art.
After three years teaching art and drama Kirsteen attended Heriot Watt University and graduated with Hons in Textile Design. She was also distinguished by winning two design competitions, which led to a career in innovation. During this time she worked as a graphic designer and developer of new products. Throughout this time Kirsteen continued to exhibit in various art and design galleries including Gallery Now (Birmingham ) and The Lighthouse Design Centre (Glasgow).
Now a full time potter and painter, Kirsteen is inspired by the thoughts and emotions of people and what they project about themselves, as well as life and growth.

Exhibitions:

1999 and 2000 Exhibitions of oil paintings with two other artists, East Grinstead Art Centre.

2002 Exhibition at the Lighthouse Design Centre, Glasgow.

2002 Degree show exhibition, Galashiels.

2002 New Designers, Islington exhibition centre, London.

2002 Now Gallery of contemporary art, Burmingham.

2005 Solo show, Wealden House, East Grinstead, Sussex.

2006 Bagsythat, Christmas "open studio show", Sussex.

2007 Bagsythat, Exhibition in the Burmingham City Theatre.

2007 Bagsythat, Forest Row village hall, Sussex.

2008 Bagsythat, Christmas art Exhibition, Tilgate Park, Crawley.

2007 - 2009 Bagsythat, Work in my own gallery in Tilgate Park, Crawley.

2009 Work in the St Hill international Arts Festival, Sussex.

2009 Bagsythat, Cralwey Library show with two other artists.

Competitions:

2001 First prize-winner of an industrial competition for Morton Yong & Borland. This was a prize for the best of Madras lace design and involved one week’s work placement gaining first-hand experience of designing Madras lace converting it into a suitable format for the computerised loom and seeing it woven. I was also involved in preparations for a trade fair the company were attending.

2001 Joint first prize-winner of an industrial competition for Muraspec, (a textile wall coverings design and manufacturer). The judges of this competition said I had won for the relevance and applicability of my response to the brief as well as the high standard of work, commenting “There are people out there making good livings with far inferior products”.

Qualifications:

1999-2002 BA (Hons) Textile Design 2(1). Involving; print, weave, knit, marketing, finance, management, coloration Technology, print technology, visual studies, professional practice, CAD and the design process. Also being entered into the Royal Society of Arts textile competition.

Kitty Atkinson MA (Hons)








Kitty obtained her degree from Glasgow School of Art in the 60s and was awarded an extra year of study there for outstanding work.




She specialised in study of murals, stained glass and mosaic, with a special interest in ceramics and has had many exhibitions of her work over the years since.

Following Art School, Kitty moved to the Isle of Arran where she painted for exhibitions held in Glasgow.

She then moved to the Edinburgh area and held shows in various places on the East coast.

She owned and ran a small craft pottery for ten years in Scotland and then moved to the South of England, still painting, making pottery and doing all sorts of art projects including theatre and teaching activities.

Kitty has always loved to paint from life, whether landscape, still life or figure, but also likes moving into abstract fields, usually very derivative from life images. Her work is therefore very varied and she does not like to feel that she has a ‘style’ but continues to experiment. However a distinctively recognisable quality is present in her work, caused by her use of brilliant colour adjacent to both contrasting and complementary colours and to use of a single very full brushstroke for emphasis of forms. Her obvious delight in colour is another way in which one would recognise her work.

www.bagsythat.co.uk

Exhibitions:

2006 Bagsythat, Christmas "open studio show", Sussex.

2007 Bagsythat, Exhibition in the Burmingham Cresent Theatre.

2007 Bagsythat, Forest Row village hall, Sussex.

2008 Bagsythat, Christmas art Exhibition, Tilgate Park, Crawley.

2007 - 2009 Bagsythat, Work in my own gallery in Tilgate Park, Crawley.

2009 Work in the St Hill international Arts Festival, Sussex.

2009 Bagsythat, Cralwey Library show with two other artists.

Saturday, 14 November 2009

The Big Fight Exhibition


The Big Fight Exhibition
Exhibition Crawley Library
Private view on Thursday the 3rd of December from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.
at Crawley's New Library.
Bagsythat Art and Wordie Photography.
Art by Kitty Atkinson MA (Hons), Kirsteen Benson BA (Hons) and Samantha Wordie.

Show runs from Monday 30th November to Monday 21st December.

Crawley Library, Southgate Avenue, Crawley, RH10 6HG (Opposite Crawley Mall Debanhams).
Library opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 7.00 Saturday 9.00 - 5.00

Please let me know if you are coming for the Thursday evening so I can buy drinks. Thank you, Very Best, Kirsteen

Bagsythat Artists:
Kitty 07853031693 Kirsteen 07799201417 www.bagsythat.co.uk bagsythat@yahoo.co.uk
Samantha Wordie Photography:
Samantha 07825395971 www.wordiephotography.com sam@wordiephotography.com

Thursday, 12 November 2009

The Big Fight: Painting V Photography


The Big Fight: Painting V Photography
East Grinstead painters Kirsteen Benson BA (Hons) and Kitty Atkinson DA (Hons) will be fighting it out with photographer Samantha Wordie in Crawley Library this December.
David Hockney believes that paintings can do things that photography can’t. Edvard Munch said “Photography can never depict heaven or hell." It’s a controversial debate that has raged since the invention of photography and the next chapter is taking place in Crawley’s Library!
“I think combining painting and photography in the same show is really exiting for the viewer but I would not be surprised if it causes some debate – am planning to beat Samantha over the head with a painting to make my point.” Kirsteen Benson – Painter - www.bagsythat.co.uk
“Photography is art every bit as much as painting and you can see so for yourself!” Samantha Wordie – Photographer - www.wordiephotography.com
The show will be open from the 30th of November to the 21st of December for the public to view paintings and photography by the three artists. Library opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 7.00 Saturday 9.00 - 5.00
Bagsythat Art has been established for four years in Crawley and East Grinstead and this is the artists fourth Christmas show but the first time that Samantha Wordie Photography has been included.
“If we all survive we may work together next year too” Kirsteen

The show runs from the 30th of November to the 21st December.
Crawley Library, Southgate Avenue, Crawley, RH10 6HG (Opposite Crawley Mall Debanhams).
Library opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 7.00 Saturday 9.00 - 5.00
Bagsythat Artists:
Kitty 07853031693 Kirsteen 07799201417 www.bagsythat.co.uk
bagsythat@yahoo.co.uk
Samantha Wordie Photography:
Samantha 07825395971 www.wordiephotography.com
sam@wordiephotography.com

Wednesday, 4 November 2009

Exhibition Crawley Library




Exhibition Crawley Library
Private view on Thursday the 3rd of December from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.
at Crawley's New Library.
Bagsythat Art and Wordie Photography.
Art by Kitty Atkinson MA (Hons), Kirsteen Benson BA (Hons) and Samantha Wordie.

Show runs from Monday 30th November to Monday 21st December.

Crawley Library, Southgate Avenue, Crawley, RH10 6HG (Opposite Crawley Mall Debanhams).
Library opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 7.00 Saturday 9.00 - 5.00

Please let me know if you are coming for the Thursday evening so I can buy drinks. Thank you, Very Best, Kirsteen

Bagsythat Artists:
Kitty 07853031693 Kirsteen 07799201417 www.bagsythat.co.uk bagsythat@yahoo.co.uk
Samantha Wordie Photography:
Samantha 07825395971 www.wordiephotography.com sam@wordiephotography.com

Monday, 8 June 2009

Learn Art


Always wanted to be able to draw?

Gave up after school and regretted it?

Private lessons available for adults and children from Kirsteen Benson BA (Hons) who is a qualified artist with years of teaching experience.
“Anyone can draw or create the only part you can’t teach is wanting to!” Kirsteen Benson.
Art Subjects available: Painting, Drawing, Pottery, Calligraphy and Textiles.
Lessons are £20 per hour including materials and can be arranged for day or evenings and weekends. 6 lesson discount £100.
Contact Kirsteen Today!

Phone: 07799201417 or 01342 324738
kirsteenannhodgson@yahoo.co.uk

30B Cantelupe Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 3BJ
www.bagsythat.co.uk

Crawley gets art but no dead sharks please!

Crawley gets art but no dead sharks please!
Crawley is to have a new craft fair this year on the 21st June in the town centre. It will be handmade crafts and art by mostly local artists for the public not critics.
The fair will start on Sunday the 21st of June from 10:00 to 4:00pm and be repeated at Christmas on Saturday the 12th December.
Kirsteen Benson a potter and painter who has her studio in Crawley is organising the new fair. “This is a unique new opportunity for local artists and crafts people to show and sell work. It can be very hard for artists to make a start but once out there the public do want to buy good art, it is a real joy to be able to help. You can start to feel the only art out there is the half sharks and portraits of child murderers much talked about by critics but my experience having a gallery in Crawley has shown me that mostly the public hate that kind of art and many feel it is not really art, people are delighted to see art they can understand and would want in their home.”
Crawley Town Centre Partnership is launching this new event as part of Crawley festival.
This exciting event will combine stalls from Crawley’s permanent craft community at Tilgate Park with work from many more local artists. Visitors to Queens Square (in the town centre near the mall) will be able to browse and buy unique quality local crafts from the stalls. There will be children’s craft activities including paint your own pottery and face painting. Live music will be provided by musicians in the band stand.
Interested in exhibiting artwork?
28 3 x 3 meter spaces are available to crafts people now for only £30.
(Spaces can be split up between several artists).
Please contact: Kirsteen Benson, Bagsythat Pottery, Tilgate Park, Crawley, RH105PQ
07799201417
crawleyfair@yahoo.co.uk
www.crawleycraftfair.co.uk

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

Face Painting at Tilgate Park















Bagsythat Pottery and Gallery have started face painting for children every weekend at Tilgate Park.


Face painting is very popular, people are looking for something to do with the children on the weekend and we have: "paint your own pottery", "have a go on the potter's wheel" and now "face painting"!

The new activity is a big success and lots of fun for the kids!

It is good to provide a kids activity in Sussex.

Visit: www.bagsythat.co.uk to see how to find us.

Tuesday, 10 February 2009

Crawley Craft Fair (Queens Square)











Crawley Craft Fair

Crawley is to have a new craft fair this year

The fair will start on Sunday the 21st of June from 10:00 to 4:00pm and be repeated at Christmas on Saturday the 12th December. Crawley Town Centre Partnership is launching this new event as part of Crawley festival.

This exciting event will combine stalls from Crawley’s permanent craft community at Tilgate Park with work from many more local artists. Visitors to Queens Square (in the town centre near the mall) will be able to browse and buy unique quality local crafts from the stalls. There will be children’s craft activities including paint your own pottery and face painting. Live music will be provided by musicians in the band stand.

Interested in exhibiting artwork?

28 3 x 3 meter stalls are available to crafts people now for only £30.

Please contact: Kirsteen Benson

Bagsythat Pottery, Tilgate Park, Crawley, RH105PQ

crawleyfair@yahoo.co.uk

www.crawleycraftfair.co.uk

Craft Fair