Artists Info artist Julie Wrathall will be joining Artistic talent from all around the world in Oxford this month as the city gets ready to hold the second Oxford International Art Fair from 6th to 8th February 2015.
We wish Julie a great show.
Some 150 outstanding artists and distinguished galleries from 30 countries as far flung as Mexico, Africa, the USA and Australia and many prestigious exhibitors from the city itself will be out in force at the fantastic free weekend long art extravaganza. Among these are Kieran Stiles, contemporary British landscape painter from Oxford, local artist Gena Johns who visited last year and was so impressed she is now exhibiting, and international artist Gareth Lloyd.
A former soldier who discovered his artistic talent while on tour in Iraq, Gareth Lloyd is now an Oxford based artist creating endearing wildlife art in pencil, paint and charcoal. He exhibited at the fair last year, as well as helping to judge the inaugural Oxford International Art Fair Awards, and is full of praise for what the event brings to the city both for exhibitors and visitors alike.
“The event is an amazing showcase for the Oxford art scene and something we should all be shouting about,” says Gareth. “Last year, its first, it was a great success, with six sales for me consisting of an original painting, an original drawing and four limited edition prints. On top of that, I met some fantastic new clients and collectors and also made new friends in some fellow artists from Oxford and others from around the globe as well.
“Since taking part, I have been asked to head up some drawing workshops and demonstrations for an art group in Oxfordshire and have seen interest in my work continue to grow. I’m really excited about coming back again this year at what’s set to be a bigger and even more successful fair,” he says.
That’s a sentiment echoed by Kieran Stiles, who adds, “The 2014 Oxford International Art Fair was a melting pot of diversity, with all its exhibitors fizzing with the excitement of being part of the inaugural event.
“It was also a great declaration of how popular contemporary visual art is in Oxfordshire, with hundreds of visitors queuing down the street with anticipation, and reassuringly buying art work, almost all the stock, in my case. This overall success is down to many different things, the venue, the exhibitors’ enthusiasm and quality of work, and crucially, the very personal yet highly professional organisational skills of curator Joelle Dinnage.”
As well as fostering local artistic talent, for whom the fair is an important and affordable shop window, the Oxford International Art Fair also brings high profile artists from across the country and the globe to the city.
Among the art on show this year will be sculptures created by Peter Hibbard, the former assistant to the late Henry Moore. Much of his work is in collections worldwide, but some of it will be in Oxford next month along with paintings from two renowned painters Jenny Graham who paints stylised landscapes and Janet Lawrence, famous for textured depictions of trees.
There will also be award-winning art from last month’s Barcelona International Art Fair in Gaudi’s Casa Batllo, including the subtly comic work of painter and illustrator Jordi Soler and the striking photo art of Belgian artist Glenn Bracke.
Every artist taking part will have the chance to enter the Oxford International Art Fair Awards to win the title of Best Oxford International Art Fair Artist 2015 and an exhibition at another forthcoming international art fair. A prestigious line-up of judges including rising British art star Tom Lewis, who appeared on BBC TV’s Junior Apprentice, Kieran Stiles and Esther Lafferty, Festival Director of Oxfordshire Artweeks, will take the public vote into account before deciding who carries off the title.
As a taster to the main art event, organisers the Global Art Agency are supporting the Doctors Without Borders charity to hold a gala evening raising funds to provide life saving assistance for people affected by the Ebola virus. On Friday 30th January, art donated by Joelle Dinnage and artist members of the Global Art Agency will be auctioned off after a three course dinner, entertainment and dancing, with all proceeds going to charity. Tickets cost £95 and can be booked here www.actagainstebola.weebly.com
The Oxford International Art Fair takes place from Friday 6th February to Sunday 8thFebruary 2015 at Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX. There is also a private viewing from 6pm to 9pm on Friday 6th February, with tickets costing £10 to include a glass of bubbly, live music and the chance to meet some of the high profile artists and galleries taking part.
