The artists I liked at Affordable Art Fair

Hello everyone! My morning started with, ehm, an almond croissant! Yesterday on the way home, I trotted back to Le Pain Quotidien, and bough two organic almond croissants, and one organic praine Danish that is Mike's favourite. You may wonder why two almond croissants and one Danish, Mike's favourite? Yes, you guessed right. Two for me and one for him! Ha-hahahaha (evil laugh).

My trusted and beloved boulangerie.

My friend, Mimi, likes to try this, but alas, she is in Japan!

Today, I will write about the artists I found interesting at the fair. The first is Nicky Cooney. I have always liked black and white wood prints, silkscreens. but not much lino cut only because I like details and delicate lines. But her lino cuts are done in details, and brought me smile. When I was going to pick up her business card over the counter, the galley lady said 'This is Nicky Cooney, herself!' who was just there next to me. She is very nice friendly lady, and we had a chat about her works. She started as ceramic maker, but after several years, her father told her that it was the time for her to get a proper job (he meant secretarial job!), then she became print maker and painter. It was so good that she didn't listen to her father! I like her stylised animals in collective. I liked 'Running away' in which a hare was running under sky where birds are flying.


Nicky Cooney's website  

Next, I found Ellie Howitt's girls portraits interesting. They are apparently inspired by Mucha, one of my favourite artists. She doesn't finish her works. Some details are missing from figures and some parts of canvas are bare. The more I looked at the girls the more sinister they looked. They are acrylic on a panel.


Ellie Howitt's works 


Then, there are beautiful ladies' portraits by Olga Oreshinikov. They are very nicely done. The colours are rich, especially red and gold. A couple of years ago I was sent a little  brochure about her works by a gallery. I have wanted to see seen her works in person. I liked what I saw.They are acrylic on panels.


Olga Oreshnikov's works


I also liked Raku female figures by Melanie Bourget. I feel similar vibes from her works. There were only two busts in the fair. I would love to see more of her works.


Melanie Bourget's busts


Lucy Campbell paints dreamy girls. I like her works. But I might want to see more details of intricated patterns, which obviously she is very good at.
 
Lucy Campbell's works


I was attracted by three of Alexey Terenin's oil paintings. 'The first tree', 'Pedestal' and 'Distant relative'. They touch somewhere deep in my heart. The tone of colours are very attractive. Funnily enough, it is the tone I use for my walls. Calm and resigned somewhat.


The figures in a couple of paintings wear folded paper-like hats. I asked why they wear these hats, the gentleman in the gallery said that Terenin was trained as architect and he uses lots of architectual motifs in his paintings. Then I pointed that the faces all look similar in his paitigs. He said they resemble the painter! I looked his face on Internet. Yes, they do resemble him. It is interesting. I met a local artist who made man's head from tree trunk. It looked just like him. I was curious, but I didn't dare to ask him about it becuase both he and his work were bold and looked a kind of odd. 


Alexey Terenin's works