Brighton Magazine

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Selected Brighton Magazine Article

Wednesday 01 May 2024

Opening This Weekend: Artist Open Houses Across Brighton, Hove & Beyond

Over the next four weekends, venues across Brighton & Hove are participating in Artists Open Houses 42nd year. 
Credit: Sarah Arnett

The festival is free to attend and will take place on May 4, 5 & 6, 11 & 12, 18 & 19 and 25, 26 & 27. 

Highlights range from a dog themed house to a house on wheels moving across the city as a comment about rising rents in the city. 

This year's Artists Open Houses Spring festival is bigger than ever, with over 180 venues opening their doors to welcome art and craft enthusiasts in to explore their work and environments. 

Highlights of the AOH festival this May include: 

Brighton-born artist Bryony Devitt joins AOH this year with an unconventional venue, a portable open house (POH). 

This inventive addition is a dolls' house on wheels showcasing custom-made miniature artwork by local and international artists. 

The POH will roam the streets of one of Britain's most expensive cities, where Bryony herself cannot afford to purchase a home, it provokes reflection on the struggles posed by Brighton's housing crisis. 

Story Maps, an exhibition by artists with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence from the Figment Arts Studio that will explore the rich folklore of our locale, which will include a pop-up folklore library and opportunity to take part in collaborative painting. 

Visitors can explore more artwork by brochure cover artist Sarah Arnett in the unique interiors of The Little Picture Palace, which will be open to the public throughout the festival. Arnett's open house will also present jewellery by Vivienne Ridley, accessories by Holly M Atelier, cushions by Maria Tilyard and work by Raw Solace and Corpo Santo. 

The Dog show, a popular addition to AOH returning for it"s fifth year, presenting over 200 piece of dog inspired artworks. 

For this year they will have seven returning artists: painter Sally Muir, Felted Fido and her exquisite felted dogs, Lorraine Corrigan"s papier-mâché dogs, Bridget Baker's restrained wire dogs, Gemma Rees and her gorgeous Bedlington whippet sculptures, Sophie Thurlow's miniatures painted on teabags and Joanna Osborne's ceramic dogs. 

New artists for this year include: Josse Davis with his hand thrown mugs plus flat backs inspired by Staffordshire figurines and small rake dogs, Violet Von Riot and her intricate collage dogs, Justine Osborne's (no relation!) mugs and bowls, Sarah Gooder's refined watercolours, and  Lost and Foundry with her dog lamps. 

Plus, composer Orlando Gough has created a specially composed dog-scape - a canine polyphonic dog sound mash-up. 

This year, 19 Adelaide Studio is posing the question, how do ideas originate? and responds through Vision - an exhibition of sculptures and performances by artists Paulina Anzorge and a preview of Pascal Dowers' design practice. 

Each evening, there will be thought-provoking talks, performances and short film screenings.

AOH is a unique opportunity to interact with local artists and makers, and to discover their work in a variety of venues from Hove and Portslade to Fiveways, Seven Dials to Rottingdean and out to Ditchling, Newhaven and the villages beyond. 

"We were thrilled with the response to our call for open houses this year, with so many returning familiar venues and some exciting newcomers to explore, there really will be something for everyone to enjoy this May. 

"A huge thanks to Sarah for our beautiful brochure cover, and to all the artists and makers who choose to participate in Artists Open Houses." Judy Stevens - AOH Festival Director

by: Mike Cobley



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