Level Best Art Cafe

Jane Armstrong - Natural Colours

2012-01-10T03:01:00.000-08:00

My Art is inspired by the rich colours and shapes that nature itself provides. Having trained as a Textile Designer many of my designs are created from the amazing magnified detail of flowers and leaves. I also have a passion for creating models from paper mache, so I decided to combine both skills by making the model and printing them using my own designs.

1) Phoebe

£90

2) Lucy

£150

3) Josie

£90

4) Poppy

SOLD

5) Shirley

£180

6) Daphne

RESERVED

7) Florence

£70

8) Mabel

£40

9) Summer

£150

10) Miranda

£40

11) Emily

£25

12) Gemma

£25

13) Katie

SOLD

14) Lily

SOLD

15) Milly

£25

16) Olive

£25

17) Vera

SOLD

18) Verity

SOLD

19) Suzie

£25

20) Melissa

SOLD

21) Hen

£75

Papier Mache

22) Snoopy Dog £75

Papier Mache

23) Cat

£25

Papier Mache

Jane's show lasts from 6th January - 3rd february and can be viewed between 9:00am - 4:00pm
monday - friday.

Christmas Workshop

2011-12-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

Alison Stockmarr, a local freelance artist came to hold a workshop at the Level Best Art Cafe, making christmas decorations.

We made over the course of the day; rein deer heads from twigs and papier mache, snowflakes and father christmas' and santa corks, using pine cones, corks, velvet, wool and other materials such as googly eyes.

Lastly we fashioned a tree out of a large log and used it to hang our decorations and lit the whole thing nicely. Why don't you come in and get some decoratios for your tree, they look really good.

Launch TheRobin Event

2011-12-09T02:11:00.000-08:00

The Back Story

The group who work in the park were working in the sensory garden. On the roof of the little folly was a wooden weaved structure which Yaz the park ranger gave to us. We brought it back to recycle! Jeanette saw the shape of a robin in it. Simon, Jeanette and Jane covered it with papier mache, then gave it a coat of emulsion paint. Colin broke it down into three separate colour areas - white, red and brown. Our trainees painted the colours in, Simon, Christina, Tom and Derek all pitched in and finaly we chose where to paint the eye.

One friday morning we took it outside to photograph. Starting in the road outside we ended up out side Firstsite. The picture was for the poster for the event.

The Event

The launch The Robin event co-incided with the opening of our end of christmas show, show- casing art work made by our trainees at Level Best

Mary Pullen came over from 15 Queen Street "Creatives of Colchester" with the news that they were donating some of the proceedes from their Big Draw Event.

To say thank you we invited them to attend the launch of our auction show as special guests on the 1st of December 2011.

Joe our photographer captured the spirit of the occassion.

Level Best Art Cafe Christmas show

2011-11-28T03:10:00.001-08:00

As the year draws to a close, we felt it high time we gave ourselves a showcase at our gallery.
So the art department have created some paintings specially for our christmas show.

These pieces are a part of our 'Launch the Robin' auction and you can bid for them in a sealed envelope.
To see all the work on offer at our flickr page visit the link below
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artcolevelbest/

Our show lasts from 25th November - 23rd December and the gallery is open from 9:00 - 4:00 monday - friday.

Where the Land Meets the Sea

2011-10-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

My paintings are grounded in my love of colour and life long interest in people and my surroundings.

This show provides an opportunity to see her recent work.

My vivid colour sense portrays the passion I feel for my subject, whether it is landscape, coastal work or life.

My paintings verge on the abstract and have a spiritual dimension to them.

Over the years, I have become more observant and creative through filling numerous sketchbooks.

I started work teaching Art, and since further study at Colchester in the 1990’s my sole occupation has been as a working artist.

I work from a life model and paint from sketches in the studio.

I love life, I love Art and I need to do it!

Val Bonnett

River in flood

Mixed Media

£230

Music by the Gipping

Mixed Media

£230

Happisburgh, Norfolk

Mixed Media

£260

Waterfall, Ystradfellte

Mixed Media

£250

Porthleven

oil on canvas

£250

Bruny Island, Tasmania

Oil on canvas

£270

Towards Ravenscar 1

Mixed Media

£440

Towards Ravenscar 2

Mixed media

£170

Ravenscar rocks 1

Mixed Media

£530

Ravenscar rocks 2

Mixed Media

£190

April Mood

Oil

£170

Lake Summer Water

Oil

£130

Happisburgh Screen Print

£98

Vals Show lasts from 28th October - 25th November and can be viewed monday - friday 9:00 - 4:00 at

The Level Best Art Cafe,

3 Culver Street East,

Colchester

CO1 1LD.

Tel: 01206 366059

Fabrications & A Glimpse of The Gambia

2011-10-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

Like many people, my art teacher, at school, told me that I was not good at art.
Later in my life, I decided that the art lessons were too restrictive.

Now, I make pieces of art from almost anything. I play with paint and colour and make collages.

Given freedom of expression, ANYONE can create something pleasing
to themselves ............. on many occasions, pleasing to others.

FABRICATIONS

I do not like knitting jumpers but ..........
I can be creative with wool
I do not like making clothes but ...........
I can be creative with material

For these latest pieces, I decided to use only material, wool and bits
and pieces which I have squirreled away for many years.

£25

2
£30

3
£50

4
£30

5
£30

6
not for sale

7
£50

8
£100

9
£30

10
£30

11
£12

12
£12

13
not for sale

14
£8 each

15
Cards
£1.30 each

16
£100

17
£12

18
£18

19
Large stone to the right - £25

smaller stones - £5

A Glimpse of The Gambia

I hope you enjoy looking at the artifacts and photographs from
my last trip.
Please feel free to handle everything and to taste some things.
The wonderful picture by my Gambian artist friend, Faminteh is for sale.

I have been lucky enough to run art and craft classes for people with
mental health problems. I was able to motivate and inspire them. We
had an exhibition in the library and the visitors' book was full of praises
for the work.

In October, I will be returning to The Gambia to work, as a volunteer at
Tanka Tanka, the ONLY mental health hospital in the country. As usual
mental health does not attract funds. I will have to pay for all my own
materials. All the proceeds from the sale of these pieces will go towards
my work.

Glimpse of the Gambia;
items to be bartered for or auctioned towards the end of the show

Linda's show lasts from 30th September - 28th October and can be viewed at the usual times of monday - friday, 9:30 - 4.00 and for the first time, a private view on tuesday the 11th, from 4.00 - 8.00 in the evening.

James McColl Smith - Abstract

2011-09-05T07:37:00.001-07:00

I am now over 70 and paint in my studio at every opportunity. I have displayed my work in the Caxton Library, fine art section and have done so for some time, most of my work goes to London now when the mood strikes me. I left school unable to read and write and as of today have never read a book, as my attention span is very short at times and I am dyslexic.

I paint what my mind sees and what I feel. I spent many years in East London where I became chair to the tenants and residents association and tried to help others in solving their day to day problems, as best I could. I formed three youth clubs, a mums and toddler group, before this became the norm. I also helped raise money for the Queen Elizabeth Children’s Hospital in Bethnal green, Still Painting and selling at the Local Public House, The Royal Standard in Victoria Park road E.9 for fifteen years.

One year I was asked by the art students who loved my work to go to Chelsea school of art to see their work, it was great, not unlike the young students in Colchester whose work impressed me with their bold vibrant colours being full of life. I now have arthritis in both shoulders so how much longer I can paint is with the gods. I sent some of my work to the art curator of the Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. I was given the Fenner Brockway rooms to exhibit some 30 original pictures. This was to be for three weeks but such was its popularity it went on for three months, even though it was never advertised. I was very surprised and grateful to those who came to see it. I like people who feel and express that feeling and then find time to help others.

My first exhibition in the seventies was to have been at the White chapel Gallery in East London this was cancelled over lack of funds shall we say, so I had it in the White chapel library next door. This I enjoyed, seeing peoples reaction to my work gives me a buzz. I always say I am self taught, but I saw lots of work and copied it from the greats.

I love the impressionists, the Pre-Raphaelites, artists like Picasso, David Hockney and Wassily Kandinsky. I love copying their works and I learned so much even though I could not read much at the time about them.

I once painted the glamorgan cricket team against Sri-lanka for Mr Graham Jenkins, brother to Mr. Richard Burton (the actor) no less, ha ha. He works for the BBC. I did not like the painting I did for him but he did and paid for it, no accounting for taste?

A SMIDGEN OF COLCHESTER

ACRYLIC

£80

THE ABA DABI BEACH PATROL

PASTELS

£70

AN IMAGINED COSMOS

ACRYLIC

£50

THE COLOUR OF SPACE

ACRYLIC

£70

FALL OF TWO LOVERS

ACRYLIC

£80

MADAM BUTTERFLY

ACRYLIC

£80

NIGHT CLUB WITH MIRRORS

MIXED MEDIA

£70

PRIMEVAL SOUP

MIXED MEDIA

£70

SAWN LAKE

MIXED MEDIA

£80

MAGIC FLUTE

ACRYLIC

£140

THREE WAYS TO SEE NATURE A

ACRYLIC

£75

THREE WAYS TO SEE NATURE B

PASTELS

£75

THREE WAYS TO SEE NATURE C

PASTELS

£75

THREE WAYS TO SEE NATURE SET £150

UNEQUALIBRIUM

ACRYLIC

£70

WORLD OF GREGARIOUS PEOPLE

ACRYLIC

£70

James McColl Smith, Pensioner, Patron of the Level Best Art Cafe, abstract paintings

show lasts from 2nd—30th September and can be viewed from 10am - 3pm mon—fri

Amy Sims eclectic show at Level Best ArtCafe

2011-08-10T01:53:00.000-07:00

My name is Amy Sims. I'm currently studying BA (hons) Technical Effects for Performance at London College of Fashion, aspiring to develop a career in model making for the film industry. I have a strong interest in creature effects, animatronics and also stop-motion, which will be the focus for my final major project at University. Although I am concentrating on my scuplting and model making skills at present, I enjoy experimenting with other artistic practices such as drawing, painting, printing and photography - the results of which are displayed in this exhibition. I hope you enjoy the show!

Perched
Etching Dry-point
£45
1 of 2 (unframed £35)

Webbed
Lino-print
£40 1 of 10 (unframed £30)

Good Vibrations
Lino-print
£85
1 of 10 (unframed £75)

Guitar
Watercolour
£220

Luminous Cacti
Photograph
£60

Sally
Acrylic
£90

Melting
Acrylic
(Not for sale)

Lucky Penny
Acrylic
£90

Cacti Shadow
Photograph
£60

Hiding
Lino-print
£65
1 of 3 (unframed £55)

Look into my Eye
Watercolour
£200

Wired
Screen-print
£85

Puppet Illustration
Acrylic
(Not for sale)

Frankenstein's Monster
Watercolour and pastel
£180

Frog in Wonderland
Watercolour and pastel
£160

Luke
Pencil
£65

Frankenstein's Opium Pipe
Fast cast resin and acrylic
(Not for sale)

Moreau's Ugly Experiment
Silicone
(Not for sale)

Willy Wonka
Wire, plaster bandage, acrylic and fabric
(Not for sale)

Luke II
Acrylic
(Not for sale)

Sienna
Acrylic
(Not for sale)

Amy's show lasts from 5th August - 2nd September and can be viewed from 10am - 3pm monday - friday.

Paper Making

2011-07-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

26 July Cut up paper, 30 minute boil, process to a pulp, cover with water, mix, pull paper!