blog

Sophie Wake – Being an AOH First Timer

Red Brick House – Kemptown What could possibly possess anyone to consider opening their front door to the public for the month of May? Who would put themselves and their family through the upheaval of turning their home and lives upside-down in the name of art? I have to admit, until recently I would have thought […]

AOH Awards Night 2018

Last Wednesday’s AOH Awards Night, held at My Brighton, was a festival highlight. Eighteen brilliant artists and Open Houses were shortlisted for five awards generously supported by our wonderful sponsors. Marc Tulley and Suzanne Heaven, from Gemini Print, selected and presented the Gemini Award for Painting & Printmaking and the Gemini Award for Photography. A […]

AOH Festival Round-up – part 2

The Artists Open Houses May festival is over for another year –and what a festival it’s been, with fantastic weather throughout the four weekends. For the second part of our festival round-up blog, we went to visit the truly amazing Open Houses in the Ditchling trail. We also saw a few more great in-town venues […]

AOH final weekend gallery roundup

Here is a ‘gallery’ roundup of some wonderful Open Houses we’ve visited over the last three weekends. Don’t miss out on the last chance to this visit these and many more this weekend.  View all Open Houses All the way from Portslade to Rottingdean and out to Ditchling, Hassocks and South Heighton, Artists Open Houses […]

AOH Marginalised Artists’ blog- part 2

This week we follow up with part two of our blog talking to AOH venues who offer support to ‘outsider’ artists; these may be artists with learning disabilities, mental health issues, those who have experienced period of homelessness or are in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. This week we talked to Beth Shepherd from […]

AOH Marginalised Artists, part 1- Homeless and Recovery blog

 We are really delighted that several venues offering support to homeless and vulnerable artists, such as those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, are taking part in the AOH festival this year. They are: St Luke’s Church (Martin Poole: MP) Pavilions and Cascade Creative Recovery (Helen Begg: HB) http://storisse.com/ Justlife Creative Studio (Simon Gale: SG) We […]

Bright Moon Studio blog

Hi Melodie and Imogen – it’s great to have you back in the Artists Open Houses for a second year. Congratulations, Imogen, on being nominated for AOH Best Newcomer last year and to Melodie for being selected as AOH Brochure Cover Artist for 2018. AOH: Is your Open House, Bright Moon Studios, very different this […]

AOH talks to Patsy McArthur about her underwater paintings

AOH: Hi Patsy I think you’re taking part for the first time in the AOH festival this year, exhibiting your underwater paintings PM: Yes, I’m opening my studio for the first time this year and exhibiting some of my underwater oils and ink studies as well as some charcoal drawings.   AOH: Would you like […]

Amanda Davidson tells us about Murder at Tudor Close!

AOH: Hi Amanda  – your Open House sounds really fascinating this year! AD: Thanks, yes as soon as I moved into this flat my neighbours were full of tales of the old movie stars who had stayed here when Tudor Close opened as a hotel in 1930. AOH: Would you like to tell us a […]

The AOH launch got the festival off on a great note at The Old Market!

Entertainment was provided by the amazing Ed Briggs, artist-musician-scientist, Renaissance Man… who, via his specially created decks, turned paintings into sound! Many thanks to the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Brighton Fringe’s Julian Caddy and Val Birchall, BHCC Arts and Culture Programme Director, for their great input. Thanks also to The Old Market for hosting […]

BMECP CENTRE – The Other House

In The Other House you will encounter a haunted home – haunted by social and economic exclusion, wars, gender discrimination and environmental disasters. SEAS (Socially Engaged Art Salon) and Counterpoints Arts offer an exhibition with dark tones and social consciousness. Twenty five local and international artists exhibit work in photography, painting, installation, performance and talks, including […]

Two solo shows: Ryan Dawson Laight and Mackenzie Bell

See two fascinating solo exhibitions from two very different Open Houses artists… Theatre Designer Ryan Dawson Laight at Studio 17A says: This is the first time I have displayed work in the AOH festival. I’m hoping my house will add a new and exciting flavour to the rich blend of eclectic work already on offer. […]

AOH talks to new Open House, Lenin.Guru

AOH:  Hello Lenin.Guru! Welcome to the Artists Open Houses. Is this the first time you have taken part in the AOH festival? LG: Yes, it is our first time when we take part in AOH. Before we were only visiting places open by others viewing their exhibitions and houses, but this year decided to take […]

AOH talks to artist Idil Bozkurt about her project: New Grounds

AOH: Hello Idil, we’d love to hear about your new project with a group of emerging artists, called New Grounds. Can you tell us about the artists who will be taking part, what kinds of media they work in and how you selected them? Featured image: New Grounds Logo. Photo: Joshua Redfearn   IB: There […]

Artists Open Houses talks to artist and designer, Jehane Boden Spiers

AOH: Hi Jehane – welcome back to Artists Open Houses – we’ve missed you! JBS: Thank you – it’s exciting to be back! I’m opening as a new member of the Fiveways Artist group this year. Our address is 89 Waldegrave Road, Fiveways, BN1 6GJ AOH: When did you first start taking part in the […]

For the first time open house – Toby Mason (Colour Laine)

Preparation – the more you put in, the more you get out! Plan the space that you are going to use to exhibit – wall space, floor space, garden, etc. Think about “gallery” but also the space as your home – important to get the balance right. Cordon off areas that you don’t want visitors […]

Grace Eyre Christmas Open House

Our Christmas exhibition is a festive and inspiring collection of works made by people with learning disabilities. We talked to some of our artists about what they do and why they like to take part in Artists Open Houses. Why do you participate? ‘What we do is sell things and put pictures in the open […]

Guest Blog by Bing Hitchcock Gallery

The Bing Hitchcock Gallery has only been around since May this year, so I’m excited to be part of the Christmas Artists Open Houses. I’d like to thank Grayson Perry (2016 Turner Prize winner) for his wise words. I was lucky to hear Grayson delivered his BBC radio 4 Reith Lecture entitled ‘Playing to the […]

Guest Blog by Emma Stanton – Surf And Turf

SURF AND TURF, 38 Braemore Road, Hove BN3 4HB instagram.com/emmastantonjewellery So I just cleared the last remnants of fireworks from the garden and swiftly reached for the boxes of Christmas decorations …Because it ’s Open House Season !! I have been doing Open House at Christmas for 6-7 years and rather like having a baby, […]

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