Sunday Art House Leicester 2012 & extra day at 190 Clarendon Park Road

The Art House 2012 Leicester set off to a flying start this Saturday. The venue at 190 Clarendon Park Road where a selection of my work is on display, was buzzing. 

All nine houses are also open on Sunday 10th June, as the final day of the houses art trail. However, since this is a once-a-year event, Louise Ellerington has decided to open her Clarendon Park venue for an extra day, on Monday 11th June, from 11am - 6pm.

Art House 2012 Leicester
190 Clarendon Park Road,
Leicester LE2 3AF

Saturday   9th June 11am - 6pm
Sunday   10th June 11am - 6pm
Monday  11th June 11am - 6pm

 See the post below for full details of all nine venues.

Local Art Trail - Art House 2012, Leicester

Maria Bragoli at Art House 2012, Leicester

I was delighted when Louise Ellerington invited me a few months ago to take part in this prestigious annual event. 

For two days only a selection of my fine art images will be on show at 190 Clarendon Park Road. This forms part of an artists' trail in a number of houses in Clarendon Park and Stoneygate and shows the very best of local artist talent with a wide variety of work, from photography and painting to sculpture and ceramics.

I finished setting up my pieces earlier this week and have a superb space to show my work.

Opening times are as follows:



Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th June 2012

11am - 6pm

190 Clarendon Park Road, Leicester LE2 3 AF

Please note that there is a free hopper bus service on these two days to transport visitors to the various venues.

_____________________________________

'... unique creative slant' - Solo exhibition: Beyond Contemplation, Charnwood Museum, Loughborough

1st - 29th June 2012

Below is an extract from the Loughborough Echo about my latest solo exhibition. I would also like to thank Alex Gasson of Charnwood Museum whose organisational skills and enthusiasm for my work have helped to make this exhibition possible. And to Councillor Paul Harley for his appreciative comments about my work.


Art collection on show at Queen's Park

May 30 2012 - Loughborough Echo

THIS month, visitors to the Queens Park Cafe Gallery in Loughborough will be able to set their eyes on the latest exhibition from Leicestershire artist Maria Bragoli.


The exhibition, titled Beyond Contemplation, is a vibrant collection of images, enigmatic and intriguing with Marias unique creative slant.


Coun Paul Harley, cabinet member for Leisure and Culture said: Were delighted to welcome an exhibition from such an accomplished local artist to the town.


With the exhibition running throughout June, including the public holiday, I hope residents will embrace the chance to enjoy her work for themselves.


Charnwood Museum Operations Manager Alex Gasson said: Id describe Marias style as work in which even the most everyday subject matter either shouts out at you, or makes you curious about where the image comes from and what it might represent.

Link to full Loughborough Echo article   HERE

Leicester Contemporary Art Group Exhibition - LGAG 2012 Annual Show

This is the last day of the Leicester Contemporary Art Group Annual exhibition. Each artist could exhibit a maximum of two works. As a newly joined member of this group, I have been very pleased with the feedback and comments that I have received. I am also delighted to be associated with a group of artists who produce such a high calibre of works.

The private view was packed and Don Hutson, an honorary member of the group and long-established artist, gave the main speech, showing an understanding of the sensibilities of artists and an awareness of the many reasons underlying the creative drive.

Louise Ellerington is the originator and driving force behind the LCAG. She encouraged artists to go to the West End Gallery during the two-week show so that visitors could not only view and buy the works but also meet and talk with the artists. This created a greater connection between artists and those who appreciate art, including when I went there. In my opinion, meeting the artists makes a gallery more interactive. In my imagination, it harks back to Mediaeval and Renaissance times, of the patron (as buyer) speaking directly with the artist, who has brought along a sample of their work to show.

Leicester Contemporary Art Group

Leicester Contemporary Art Group is a collection of artists brought together by Louise Ellerington, a highly talented artist in her own right. Her vision was to create a group where two and three dimensional artists could have a showcase for their work, both online and in real-life group exhibitions. Artists are able to explore and develop new themes and projects, while still working autonomously. I have known about this group for a number of years and was always impressed by the quality and diversity of the work on display. Following on from my first solo exhibitionn at the LCB Depot last November, I am now delighted that I have been asked to join this dynamic and locally based group.

New developments

I have been very busy over the last month, preparing some new work and organising it for display in some prestigious galleries and other events.

Talking of an exhibition . . . . .

I am currently in discussion with a museum gallery regarding an exhibition.

Photorealism, photography and painting

I am in the process of preparing new images. They develop and extend the theme of photorealism  and hyperrealism in art, but in reverse, that is, by creating photographic images which display a painterly aesthetic through the photographic medium.

'They need to be seen'

... a comment made by a visitor to one of the events I attended. So, I am pleased that my printed images are being seen by more and more people. Images look very different in print to when they are simply online. In print, the tonal quality of the colors and the texture of the fine art paper really come into their own. This is combined with seeing them at a size which complements the image, with expert mounting and framing. In effect, my fine art images are presented as they were intended to be viewed.


.

New work & 'Painting by Camera'

I have a number of themes which I wish to explore in the forthcoming year or further develop some existing themes. 'Painting by camera' is my term for many of the images that I create, combining my vision of an image, playing with light and using the camera as both the canvas and the brushes, where the final image is created in camera as much as possible.

Winter Contemporary Arts Exhibition

I am delighted to say that two of my images have been selected for inclusion in the Winter Contemporary Open Arts exhibition at the Pedestrian Gallery, Leicester. This event runs from 13th to 22nd December, with the private view on the evening of Monday 12th.

Contemplations on Darkness and Light

I would like to thank everyone who visited my exhibition at the LCB Depot, and the guests who attended the private view. Today was the last day of the exhibition and this has given me a chance to reflect on these last two weeks. I was fascinated by the reactions and perceptions of those who visited. The creation of the fine art photographic images in this collection was, for me, a two way process, and not complete until the images had been put on display for viewing. I found it enlightening to receive the comments and feedback from viewers, including the reactions of guests at the private view.

A selection of comments can be found on the Comments on an Exhibition page HERE 

These two weeks of the exhibition have flown by. It was a pleasure to have my first exhibition at the LCB Gallery. The gallery venue is superb, with well proportioned space and natural light and the staff there have been most helpful. I would also like to thank Pam and Lilianna for helping to create a delightful atmosphere at the private view and  ensuring that everything ran smoothly.