International Artist Bridget Riley Teams Up With Hove Printmakers
Published 7th Apr 2004 by Matt Chittock

See for yourself at Artizan Editions exclusive Brighton Festival Open Weekends
May 1st and 2nd/8th & 9th 2004 11am-6pm.

It?s that time again. Brighton & Hove?s annual festival is approaching and the city?s artistic community is limbering up for its annual celebration of arts, culture and diversity by the sea. As usual the city will be facing a benevolent invasion of culture vultures eager to purchase that elusive ?something different? for their houses or private art collections. This year, they?d be advised to get off the beaten track and make a beeline for a Hove workshop for what?s shaping up to be one of this years festival highlights. Expert printmakers Artizan Editions are offering a unique opportunity for buyers to own incredibly rare art by internationally acclaimed artist Bridget Riley. Artizan are making available for sale the printers signed copies of Riley?s critically lauded recent works Blue and Pink (2001) and June (concept 1992, editioned 2003) alongside artists proofs of Magenta and Blue (2002) and Magenta and Green (2002). As well as owning breathtaking work that showcases the talent of one of our greatest living painters, buyers will also have made an investment in sought after art that has already shot up in value since its creation. Proprietor Sally Gimson will be on hand to talk visitors through the techniques used in the creation of these valuable and highly collectable serographs.

Bridget Riley CBE is an artist with a pioneering reputation whose work is appreciated by art critics and the general public alike. She was the first English painter and the first ever woman to win the Prize for Painting at the prestigious Venice Bienalle. Her visually striking Op Art had such an impact on the design world of the 1960?s that a 1968 magazine poll named her alongside sixties luminaries Mary Quant and Twiggy as one of the most famous women in the U.K. These days in an art world obsessed by the theatrical sensationalism of Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin she continues to further her own quietly revolutionary bold yet intricate style. A high profile, widely attended 2003 retrospective at the Tate Britain proved her enduring popularity. Bridget?s unique power to draw the viewer into her work led The New Statesman to comment ?No painter alive or dead has made us more aware of our eyes than Bridget Riley.?

Bridget?s art achieves its power through her vivid use of colour and the mesmeric technical precision achieved with which her ideas are rendered. Her insistence on rigorous traditional production techniques led to her 10 year relationship with Artizan Editions. Artizan pride themselves on offering a truly collaborative relationship with the artists that they publish. Initial ideas and sketches are discussed until a final, high quality serigraph is produced. In conversation with Craig Hartley, Bridget told him ?I have found most printers relatively reserved, content to do a professional job. Since working with Artizan Editions I feel I enjoy a more relaxed and communicative relationship.?

For the first two weekends in May Artizan Editions are throwing open the doors of their Hove workshop to display their Bridget Riley artworks to the public. Also on show will be art by Artizan?s roster of local and international published artists. Artizan are especially looking forward to exhibiting their new artists Sally McGill, Mark Johnston, Maria Kuipers and Kathryn Matthews. Also exhibited will be brand new work from John Marshall and Stella Maris as well as formidable recent work from Richard Walker, Henrik Simonsen and Katty McMurray. Sally Gimson and the Artizan team will be there to discuss the work while highly desirable original serigraphs will be available to buy.

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