4G Design & ArtGrad Competition Winner

4G Design who helps retailers and their supplier’s source, manufacture, install and maintain shop-fixtures more sustainably. Have just moved to offices and
as part of their opening celebrations they launched an Eco Art Competition for graduating art students through Artgrad.net the online gallery for artists.

This very environmentally conscious company that works with many high street brands, assisting them with resource-efficient ways of designing and developing store equipment, embracing its complete life-cycle from cradle-to-cradle has gone for a real environmental piece. The winner is James Wood of Nottingham Trent University who wins £250 for his piece Entropy 1.

In James’s own words, “My piece named entropy 1 which is a painting placed on the cross section of two pieces of wood. This painting uses different application techniques and different materials that are suitable and represent the particular part of the image being depicted.This image doesn’t depict death as final rather that an end of a life span is the beginning of another, which should be celebrated. Life does not end, it merely changes form. Just as wood and other organic matter has been turned in to fossil fuel through intense pressure and heat they could well lead to the generation of some new species diversity. This piece is showing entropy and through that is dealing heavily with sustainability because in theory of entropy is the ultimate sustainability of everything.”

The ArtGrad.net Summer 2011 Competition OPENS 15th JUNE

Artgrad is launching its Summer Competition 2011.

It’s a competition with a difference – the judges are everyone, all our friends (yours as well!!) who view the site and those who buy from us too. Everyone has a vote which they can cast on-line through the Artgrad website.

All you have to do to take part is upload your gallery. Then you will receive an email from Artgrad giving you details of your unique URL that will direct people to your site to cast their vote. We’ll also share some advice on how you can help your voting soar by following a few simple steps to encourage your friends to vote for you!

On Artgrad already? Just drop info@artgrad.net an email telling us you wish to take part and we’ll make sure you are included!



The Prize Winner will be introduced to an International Artist, and have a meeting with him and he’ll explain how he developed his career and give you advice on how you can do the same.

You will also benefit from us raising your profile by featuring you on our blog for one month as well as issuing releases to AN (Artists Newsletter), Art Monthly, Frieze, and your local newspaper – we’ll also give you copies of the documents we write so that you will be able to use them for yourself in the future.

The Artgrad Summer Competition 2011 is a great exhibition platform for you to reach buyers and galleries. And remember to look on the Artgrad site for more information about developing your career on our ‘How To’ section


Start loading your work NOW!
The Competition is launched on the website and facebook on 15th June
All entries to be in by 30th June
Voting closes on 7th July
Announce the winner on the 14th July


GOOD LUCK from everyone at Artgrad!!

International Artist Graham Short Likes ArtGrad!

Famed engraver and International artist Graham Short has become a new fan of ArtGrad.

Graham recently wrote this comment on ArtGrad’s facebook page:
"Congratulations to Artgrad.net for providing a superb service, not only to art students but to buyers and investors who are always keen to buy work from emerging, up-and-coming contemporary artists. The opportunity for students to showcase their work is fraught with difficulties. Artgrad.net is to be commended for allowing students to show their work, and also for the artist to retain their independence while showing their art to a very broad market. Maria Potempski’s experience gained in PR and Marketing - at the highest level - will allow art students to concentrate on their creativity, knowing they are being guided expertly and securely towards a potentially rewarding and exciting career".
Check out Graham’s amazing work and read the comments of Kevin Roberts CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8315313/Worlds-smallest-engraving-on-the-edge-of-a-razor-blade.html

Eco design company 4G Launch Art Student Competition worth £250 in association with Artgrad.net

4G Design help retailers and their supplier’s source, manufacture, install and maintain shop-fixtures more sustainably. They are very environmentally conscious and work with many high street brands, assisting them with resource-efficient ways of designing and developing store equipment, embracing its complete life-cycle from cradle-to-cradle.

4G Design have moved into new offices in Kettering and now wish to hold a competition for graduating artists as part of their business launch.


The Competition
The competition is only open to art students who have registered on Artgrad.net and have uploaded images (which must be for sale) onto the site.

The prize is £250, to purchase the chosen piece of work.

Entrants have until the 10th of June 2011 to email maria@artgrad.net an image their chosen artwork, with details including it size, media and a short description of why you think it would be an appropriate piece to feature in the reception area of 4G Design.

The judges of the competition will be from 4G Design, The Body Shop, HSBC and E3 – a reclamation and recycling organisation.

Short-listed candidates will be emailed on the 15th June and their work will appear in a ‘virtual exhibition’ at the 4G Design launch event on 23rd of June when the winner will be announced and presented with their cheque.

The winner will also be featured on the Artgrad blog and also in associated press that accompanies the launch of the new 4G Design premises.

If you have any further questions please email maria@artgrad.net for further help.

Figuring Light 2: Colour, Shifting Boundaries - an exhibition at the Atkins Gallery

The exhibition, Figuring Light 2: Colour, Shifting Boundaries is an exhibition curated by the artist John Lancaster and writer Dr Richard Davey. The show of contemporary paintings and sculpture explores colour as the catalyst for generating light, movement and rhythm. An additional visual dynamic is also created, that of a state of constantly shifting form and boundaries. A subsidiary theme continued from the first exhibition Figuring Light, Colour and the Intangible develops the curator’s interests in abstract works that create a deeper and more rewarding experience for the viewer; a spiritual experience operating outside of traditional religious parameters and expectations, where the works provide the opportunity for meditative contemplation.

Exhibiting artists in the show
Barrie Cook explores the ground form relationship through a heightened use of colour to create a luminescent glow in his work.
Ruth Sumner explores the figure ground relationship as an energetic struggle in which both sides fight for recognition and dominance.
Oliver Barrett’s sculpture explores the figure/form relationship through three-dimensional form (sculpture) and space, using colour to challenge and question our understanding and preconceptions of how this relationship is visually interpreted.
John Lancaster’s structures are based on geometry, and he introduces colour to break down the rigid structure thereby creating a flux of shifting form, pattern and rhythm.

Private view is on Tuesday 22 March 6.30 – 9.00pm and the exhibition runs until 23rd April 2011 at the Creative Hinckley Gallery, The Atkins Building, Lower Bond Street, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1QU
http://www.creativehinckley.co.uk

Slovakian Photographer in Staffordshire - Tomas Kotlar

Tomas Kotlar is originally from Slovakia where he is a graduate of Social Work from Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. He is now studying Graphic and Digital Design at Staffordshire University.
“When I was studying in Slovakia, I was interested in photography and graphics. Most of my photos were taken on trips to different places, around Europe. I like to take pictures of monuments, bustling cities, statues and landscape. I am inspired by Czech photographer Jan Saudek and the Slovakian photographer Jakub Klimo. I want my photographs to bring people the kind of feelings that I felt when I was taking them so that they may see things in different ways, as I do. I have been taking photographs for 5 years and although they get better, there is always room to experiment and improve. Whenever I have a camera in my hand it still feels like the first time I have taken a picture.”Tomas is focusing his studies on typography and editorial pieces at Stafford University, but continues with his passion for photography.

Lindsay Monk - Photographer

Lindsay Monk is a recent graduate from Southampton Solent University although her interest in photography started when she was 16 years old. In her own words: “When it comes to photography I am very keen on capturing the natural moment so I tend to stay away from constructed studio work. My main interests are in landscape and architecture. I think this has come from living in Suffolk where I had a variety of interesting environments around me including seascapes, farmland and cityscapes.” Lindsay particularly enjoys working with film but digital is also part of her portfolio.“More recently I have attempted to get out of my comfort zone, focusing on an interior project, called 15.4.10. For this project I worked with a variety of different locations until I found one that I really engaged with. This resulted in working in the home of an elderly woman, who I had not previously met. I identified the kind of person and lifestyle she had by capturing the home in which she lived, digitally capturing various rooms of the house and input her belongings to get a sense of it in its natural state.”

See the results of Lindsay’s piece on www.artgrad.net