University graduate’s sponsored painting in Canterbury High Street
27 November 2006
A Canterbury Christ Church University graduate performed a sponsored painting outside the University’s Sidney Cooper Gallery on Thursday 23rd November.
Charlotte Baynes painting in Canterbury High Street
Artist Charlotte Baynes aimed to raise money to bring the Academia de Baile Mariá Victoria Gutierrez flamenco dancers to Kent in April as part of her 2007 exhibition at the Sidney Cooper Gallery. The sponsored painting entitled “Paint the Town Red” measures 40 inches by 60 inches, and is a scene of Canterbury in shades of red with yellow polka dots to continue her Spanish theme.
Charlotte, who is based in Cadiz and will perform a similar sponsored painting in Spain, will display the completed work in the Sidney Cooper Gallery and later put it up for raffle in an attempt to raise the necessary funds. Raffle tickets and individual sponsorship forms are available in the Gallery.
Charlotte, who successfully completed a Post-Graduate diploma in Expressive Arts in Education at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: “I will be documenting the flamenco dancers’ rehearsals in Spain and later in paint. The dancers are amazing and authentic; I hope I can raise the funds to fly them over to be part of my exhibition. My work is unashamedly garish, like a Ladybird book of colours and my pieces often have frames painted on them as an illusion to make people think about their function.”
For a photograph or interview, please contact Canterbury Christ Church University’s Media Relations Assistant, David Cutts, on 01227 782826. For more information please contact Sidney Cooper Gallery Curator, Sian Davies on 01227 453873.
Notes to Editor
Charlotte Baynes
In Charlotte Baynes’ paintings, she often takes seemingly inanimate objects and gives them an unexpected life. She is currently exploring ‘Frames’ and many of her paintings have illusory frames, which form an integral part of the painting. They encourage the viewer to consider ‘What is a frame?’…’What is its function? ‘ ’Where does a picture begin and end when framed?’
Children’s interpretation of their world - their amazing, natural sense of composition and an enthusiasm, greatly inspires Charlotte. She stopped teaching 7 years ago to devote herself full-time to her art.
For the past nine years Charlotte has been drawing and painting in Barcelona and more recently, Cádiz. Features of these two parts of Spain have dramatically influenced her pictures so that they often reflect magical Spanish narratives and flamenco rhythms. Recently, Charlotte has been working in a studio space in ‘Santa Catalina’, a beautiful, 16th century fortress, overlooking the sea. When she paints and draws, she is especially concerned with recording movement and likes to take familiar, everyday objects and themes and convert them into dynamic views. This could be anything from kitchen utensils, figures or urban scenes.
Charlotte has studied at Goldsmiths College London, Canterbury Christ Church University and Kent University and has also been a full time teacher at Thanet College. At Canterbury Christ Church University, Charlotte completed a Post-Graduate diploma in Expressive Arts in Education and B.Ed in Curriculum Development.
Charlotte’s recent exhibitions include:
October 2006 - Vecchio Parioli London; September/October 2006 - Grapevine Gallery Canterbury; August 2006 - Rapid Painting Exhibition, Regatta, Cádiz; July 2006 - IslahAbitadah Galería, Cádiz; June 2006 - Seblon Cádiz; February 2006 - Troubadour Gallery London; January 2006 - Horsebridge Arts Centre, Whitstable; December 2005 - IslahAbitada Gallery, Cádiz; October 2005 - The Affordable Art Fair, London; September 2005 - Pyramid Arts Centre, Warrington; August 2005 - Lamberhurst Vineyards, Tunbridge Wells; June 2005 -Turnstone Gallery, Margate; April 2005 - Old Town Gallery Contemporary Arts, Margate, Kent; March 2005 - Art Expo New York with Villanueva Fine Art, Seville.
Sidney Cooper Gallery
Canterbury Christ Church University officially opened the Sidney Cooper Gallery for students, staff and the local community on 26th March 2004. The gallery exhibits the work of students and staff as well as work by local, national and international artists working in contemporary art.
The building was originally opened as a gallery by the famous British cattle painter, Thomas Sidney Cooper, in 1868 for the local community and eventually became an art school in 1882. Rupert Bear creator, Mary Tourtel, was one of the school’s most famous students and received lessons on landscape and animal painting there.
However, by the 1980s the premises had become run-down and had a variety of uses. In 2000, the University bought the 20-year lease on the building and, after an extensive refurbishment programme, the property has now been transformed into the Sidney Cooper Gallery for students, staff and the general public to enjoy.
Contact
Claire Robinson, Media Relations Officer,
Canterbury Christ Church University,
01227 782391, cr54@canterbury.ac.uk
David Cutts, External Relations Assistant,
Canterbury Christ Church University,
01227 782826, d.cutts@canterbury.ac.uk
Contact Details:
Claire Robinson
01227 782391
Email the Press Office
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