In issue 25 we told you about Ghosts of Gone Birds, an art exhibition set up to raise awareness of avian extinction and featuring an incredible range of artists, from Sir Peter Blake and Ralph Steadman to Digital Artist contributors Jack Teagle, Luke Pearson and Susie Wright. The exhibition is now open at the Rochelle School (Arnold Circus, London E2 7ES) from 2nd November 2011 to 23rd November 2011 and is completely free to view. If you’re in London – heck, if you’re anywhere in the UK and you fancy a day out – I really do recommend going along. I went  to the private view last night and this was honestly one of the most creative and exciting shows I’ve seen all year. If you’re used to common-or-garden wildlife art shows, you’ll be really surprised – it spins traditional wildlife art exhibitions on their heads. This is an amazing mix of art and illustration (digital and traditional) with installations, sculptures, crafts, soundscapes and even Victorian-style automata (which you can play with if you’re gentle).

Some people think that awareness-raising art is a bit preachy and, to be fair, some of it is. Ghosts of Gone Birds isn’t. It’s energetic, colourful and beautifully realised – a “rock and roll art event”, as curator Ceri Levy described it in Digital Artist. Ralph Steadman’s work dominates the show (there’s an entire floor-to-ceiling room of it!) by volume alone, but every single piece in the show– from artists as diverse as Rob Ryan, Jessica Albarn, Charming Baker, Margaret Atwood, Jamie Hewlett, Billy Childish, Kai and Sunny, Olly & Suzi, Matt Sewell and many, many more. Originals were being snapped up all over the place yesterday evening (I’ve never seen a Great Auk feeding frenzy, what with them being extinct and all, but now I can imagine one…) but luckily you can get your hands on some wonderful limited edition prints of the work in the show through Jealous, who have a stall set up in the gallery so you can order.

And there’s more! On 10th November 2011 at Rich Mix (just around the corner from the exhibition) will be the Ghosts Night Out featuring Jimi Godwin of Doves performing new music from Ghosts of Gone Birds with the 15-piece Bird Effect Ensemble. Tickets are £6 in advance from Rich Mix or £8 on the door.

Digital creative agency Line has partnered with the Edinburgh International Science Festival to create Under the Hood, an installation exploring the relationship between digital art and design, and data itself. They’re inviting technical (animation/installation), audio (music and sound design) and visual digital creatives to get involved with the Under the Hood event, to be held at Inspace in the Scottish city on 16th April 2011 (12pm – 6pm).

To get involved, head over to Line’s Under the Hood microsite to take a look at more detailed information, including available data, suggested themes and a full brief. Then send your proposal to the email address supplied in the downloadable brief (PDF file). All proposals must be received by 9th April 2011.

Note: Please do not send your submissions or questions to Digital Artist! This is an external call for entries. All entries and enquiries should be directed to the webpages or emails specified in the links above. Please be aware of the full terms and conditions of this call for entries, which can be found in the brief and include the fact that the final list of participants will not be chosen until 16th April at the Under the Hood event. Participants will be required to be present at Inspace, 1 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, EH8 9AB from 12pm – 6pm on 16th April 2011.

Bristol’s awesome independent music venue and art space Start The Bus is set to get a fresh new look as some of the city’s finest artists and illustrators collaborate to transform its interior.

On Saturday 31^st July a selection of local talent will take part in an all-day drawing event, turning decoration into a spectator sport as they use their skills to stamp some memorable imagery onto the bar’s interior.

With all the walls up for grabs and a bright new colour scheme planned the participants are bound to leave the space looking amazing. Everyone is invited to come and watch throughout the day for a chance to see some amazing artwork being created from scratch.

Each area of Start The Bus has been given its own special theme, which the artists involved will be free to interpret as they choose. For example, the bar is set to take on a piratical hue, whilst the challenge for the dance area is to cover the floor with a series of mind-bending optical illusions.

The project coincides with the Bristol Harbour Festival, which is taking placing throughout the city centre Harbour across the weekend.

Start The Bus is an independent venue committed to supporting Bristol’s creative scene as well as featuring talented artists and musicians from around the world. To find out more, visit www.startthebus.tv.

Confirmed artists (click for details):

Dave Bain

Cami Dobrin

Inkygoodness

Hot Soup

Peskimo

Seb Burnett

Ben Steers

Hannah Baber

Sarah Dennis

“The show is produced by The African Arts Institute (AFAI), based in Cape Town, in partnership with The Cape Creative Exhibition.

Fine artists, musicians, crafters and poets from Congo, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and others living in South Africa will collaborate to form a unique fusion of African rhythms, sounds and colours in celebration of World Refugee Day. Performances will run throughout the day from 10am- 5pm at the newly renovated industrial-style building on 37 Main Road, Greenpoint, which currently houses the multi-disciplinary Cape Creative Exhibition.

If you are interested in visiting:

When: Sunday, 20 June 2010
Where: 37 Main road, Greenpoint (across from the Cape Town Stadium)
What: Fusion of African art, music, performance
Time: 10am-5pm
Entrance: Free

The 20th June, World Refugee Day, is a reminder to us of the humanitarian crises faced by millions of people on a daily basis. People are forced to leave their homes and families to escape conflict, natural disasters, political instability and persecution. These stories are often not heard or understood, leading to spates of xenophobia and other conflict situations to arise. One of AFAI’s aims is to promote reconciliation, understanding and mutual respect between South Africans and immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers especially from other African countries, and to advance the rights and interests of such refugees – particularly artists and creative practitioners – living in South Africa.”

Happy Monday! I’m back after a few days holiday last week (with surprisingly good weather for the UK, too!). In my absence my inbox has filled up with all sorts of marvellous things to share with you. First off it’s back to Bristol, UK, this time to take a look at the AnyForty Versus exhibition. From the release:

“The exhibition will be held at the Start the Bus art space on Baldwin St from Friday 11th June till Sunday 13th June.
AnyForty invite you all to come down and check the fresh talents of the hand picked collective who are all part of the extended AnyForty family. If you just want to mill around at your own leisure, swing by on the Saturday or Sunday and witness the fitness.

AnyForty are proud to announce that all proceeds from the show will be donated to Knowle West Media Centre, a Bristol-based charity which works with the community to develop the creative, educational and social potential of people within the surrounding area.

KWMC produces high-quality film, design and media work, provide exciting experiences for young people and runs a diverse programme of arts activities, including exhibitions, events, talks and screenings. Limited edition prints of the work that is being showcased will be available to buy at the show for a bargain price of £10, with all proceeds going to KWMC.

Illustrators who have produced work for the project include 123 Klan, MegaMunden, Guy McKinley, Waste, Mr Bowlegs, iLK, 45 rpm and Another Example.

Full details of the exhibition and all the artists collaborating at  http://anyforty.wordpress.com“

If you’re a UK illustrator looking for some weekend entertainment then what could be better than getting together with a crew of like-minded individuals, kicking some tunes and chucking some paint around? Tough question, huh? Instead of taxing your over-worked creative brain trying to answer it, why not look up the coach or train times to Bristol and check out Upfest 10? Set up by illustrator Dave Bain (www.davebain.com), and held at the Tobacco Factory in Southville, Bristol,  this feast of illustrative awesomeness will, in its own words:

“..Be centred on live painting at the Tobacco Factory on 5th and 6^th of June. Over 200 urban artists and illustrators will be painting live over the weekend, with 50 artists having come from around the world to be a part of the event. The artists will be mixing it up with this year’s MashUP theme, with some very special collaborations due to take place.

Upfest’10 will kick off with a preview of the Urban View group show at View Art Gallery (159-161 Hotwell Road, BS8 4RY). The show features work from seven urban and contemporary artists and will run through 17th July.

Saturday, the festival will be in full swing at the Tobacco Factory (North Street, BS3 1TF). From 11am, over 200 urban artists and illustrators will be painting live. Visitors to the free event are also invited to take part in the painting, with a children’s painting area and the Kiss101 Give It a Go painting boards.

The Tobacco Factory will also host a Very Affordable Art Sale and dedicated print room, where original artwork and prints by the artists painting at the festival will be available for sale at bargain prices. There will also be badge making, clothing, and art material stalls around the venue.

Throughout the weekend, DJs, beatboxers, hip hop groups and MCs will take to two stages at the Tobacco Factory. Along with music, the world renowned Kompany Malakhi will host dance workshops on Saturday.

During the day (11 am to 6 pm) on Saturday, a live illustration event will take place indoors in the Tobacco Factory Theatre Foyer. In the evening (6 pm), six artists will battle it out in a Secret Wars live art competition. The public will vote to decide whether Upfest or Monorex will be named champions of the 90-minute battle at the Tobacco Factory Cafe Bar.

The evening will wrap up (10 pm to 4am) with the Upfest’10 Mid-Festival Party at Basement 45 (8 Frogmore St., BS1 5NA), presented in association with Kiss101, featuring The Loose Cannons, Ninebar Sound System, Chris Read (Music of Substance), Dave Cridge (Ninja Tune) and Kiss101 DJs. Tickets available at Bristol Tickets Shop (£4.50) or on the door (£5 before 11, £6 after).

Upfest’10 continues on Sunday at the Tobacco Factory from 10 am with additional live painting, music, and art sales. Upfest has raised over £10,000 for Nacoa (National Association for Children of Alcoholics) since the festival began and as in previous years, Upfest’10 will raise awareness of and fundraise for the charity.”

Check out the Upfest 10 website by clicking here. Hmm. Considering the amount of DA’s contributors who live in and around Bristol, I’m kind of regretting posting this – no hangovers for deadline day, okay guys? Not unless you’re bringing me back badges, anyway…

Artist Jon Burgerman and ustwo creative director, mills, will be discussing their brand-new iPhone app at the Apple Store in Regents Street, London UK, tomorrow (20th May) between 7 and 8pm.

Inkstrumental is a mad mash-up of an app which lets you poke and prod at a selection of adorable illustrated creatures designed by Jon Burgerman. Each little critter moves around and makes its own unique noise so the end result is a harmony (or cacophony, depending on your point of view and/or finger skillz) of animated illustration and sound. Remember being a kid, eating too much sugar and imagining what it would be like to be in charge of your favourite cartoon? This is how it feels.

Head on over to www.inkstrumental.com to check out screenshots and videos, get some free desktop and iPhone wallpapers and find the iPhone App Store link to Inkstrumental.

Find your way to the Regents Street Apple Store by clicking here.

Adobe Creative Juices is running a UK roadshow to show off the benefits of the lovely CS5 suite throughout May and June! You can sign up to visit the free roadshow in Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham or London, and find out info about the dates and what’s on offer, right here. To do so, visit DigitalArtistDaily’s home page (click here) and click on the ad on the mid-right, just underneath the Pic of the Week.

Writer and artist David C Hill will be attending the renowned Bristol International Comic & Small Press Expo next weekend, to sign copies of his esteemed yet off-beat comic, GLORY BE! –  offering fans a priceless competition opportunity.

Open to everyone who buys a copy of the comic at the event (or via the Glory Be website until 1st July 2010), which is held on 22nd and 23rd May at the Mercure Bristol Holland House Hotel and Spa in Bristol, UK, the competition gives you the chance to be immortalised in comic character form! You can pick up a copy from www.glorybemagazine.com if you can’t make it to the event. If you can, you’ll be treated to signed copies, the opportunity to chat to David C Hill, and to meet other upcoming and established comic book talent like Chris Claremont and the truly legendary Pat Mills.

For more info about Glory Be, click here.

For more info about the Bristol Comic Expo, click here.