Phoenix Brighton Studio Award winners: Sophie and Jessie

At Cass Art we continue to support the next generation of artists through various prizes, awards and opportunities. We understand how much stability in working space can help aid an artist’s progression. Each year Cass Art, in partnership with Brighton University and Phoenix Brighton Studio sponsors a year-long studio space for up to three graduating students at the University of Brighton.  

This years winners were artists Sophie Hulf and Jessie Yates. We caught up with them both to hear about their experience of winning the prize, how their work is going in the studio and their plans for the future.

Exclusive Interview with the winner of Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2018

So there we have it, after being treated for so many weeks to beautiful paintings, wonderful landscapes and fascinating artists we have our winner! Read our article where we catch up with them and find out all about the experience of winning Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2018, the £10,000 commision to paint a work marking the centenary of The First World War Armistice and £500 of materials from Cass Art.

Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year, Exclusive Interview Final Three

So here we are, after weeks of wonderful paintings, tight decisions and nail biting moments the three semi-finalist winners are on their way to the finals of Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year. The judges location again saw the contestants contemplating man and nature, with the dauntingly detailed dockyard, where stones meet sea and cranes cross horizons. We caught up with the three finalists to delve into their experience of the semi final and talk to them about their work beyond the show. 

Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year: Exclusive Heat Winners Interviews

This years Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the year has been as spectacular as ever, from windy beaches, glourious green fields to misty loches, the competition has now reached the semi-finals. Over the past weeks the judges have selected their favourite works and the contestants are one step closer to the £10,000 commission and £500 of art materials from us at Cass Art. We caught up with each of the heat winners to find out a bit more about their experience of the show, their work, and the materials they love to use.  

Behind the scenes at Winsor & Newton Masterclass LIVE with artist Rebecca Boyd Allen

In April this year Cass Art Islington played host to a very special event and a world first - Winsor and Newton Masterclass LIVE. Artist and Winsor and Newton expert Rebecca Boyd Allen joined us for an evening of all things water colour. Participants watched as Rebecca demonstrated her mastery over materials with her water colour techniques and, as a special event for the evening they also had the opportunity to meet the Winsor and Newton lab technician and watch as he demonstrated exactly how Winsor and Newton make their legendary paint.

BP Portrait Award 2018: Exclusive Artist Interviews Part 2

The BP Portrait Award is back for its thirty-ninth year at the National Portrait Gallery. The prestigious painting competition brings us the very best in contemporary portraiture today; showcasing a breadth of approaches to portraiture this year’s award includes the unusual, the beautiful and the uncanny. The top prize of £35,000 was awarded to Miriam Escofet for her ethereal portrait of her mother: An Angel at My Table, with Ania Hobson winning the Young Artist Award for her painting A portrait of two female painters.  

This years exhibition has ranged from self-portraits, to portraits of friend, family and strangers - with the occasional famous face too! This year’s group of artists truly express the breadth and diversity of contemporary portraiture, from detailed hyperrealism to bold blocks of colour. They push the boundaries of figurative painting and show us that portraiture is still very much present in painterly conversation. Portraiture and figurative painting is as relevant and exciting today as it has been for hundreds of years.

We caught up with some of the shortlisted artists of 2018 for an insight into their process, their must-have materials to achieve their unique approaches to painting and the inspiration behind their works:

BP Portrait Award 2018: Exclusive Artist Interviews Part 1

The BP Portrait Award is back for its thirty-ninth year at the National Portrait Gallery. The prestigious painting competition brings us the very best in contemporary portraiture today; showcasing a breadth of approaches to portraiture this year’s award includes the unusual, the beautiful and the uncanny. The top prize of £35,000 was awarded to Miriam Escofet for her ethereal portrait of her mother: An Angel at My Table, with Ania Hobson winning the Young Artist Award for her painting A portrait of two female painters.  

This years exhibition has ranged from self-portraits, to portraits of friend, family and strangers - with the occasional famous face too! This year’s group of artists truly express the breadth and diversity of contemporary portraiture, from detailed hyperrealism to bold blocks of colour. They push the boundaries of figurative painting and show us that portraiture is still very much present in painterly conversation. Portraiture and figurative painting is as relevant and exciting today as it has been for hundreds of years.

We caught up with some of the shortlisted artists of 2018 for an insight into their process, their must-have materials to achieve their unique approaches to painting and the inspiration behind their works:

Chantal Joffe: Personal Feeling is the Main Thing, Exhibition at The Lowry

Personal Feeling is the Main Thing is the latest exhibition from renowned painter Chantal Joffe on show at The Lowry as part of Week 53 Festival. A tour de force in British painting this exhibition brings Chantals bold and expressive imagery to Manchester, where she reflects on the Week 53’s theme ‘Coming of Age’. Her works hang alongside four paintings by pioneering German painter Paula Modersohn-Becker – selected by Joffe herself. 

A KALEIDOSCOPIC CITY ABOVE LONDON – IRINA KIRCHUK AND BOLD TENDENCIES

Argentinan artist Irina Kirchuk built a vibrant installation out of discarded materials, overlooking the London skyline.

Interview with Stella Kapezanou: Winner of the MiAL Bursary Award

We’re delighted to continue supporting Made in Arts London (MiAL), a professional development initiative organised by University of the Arts London, by awarding a £500 Cass Art Materials Bursary Award. We caught up with the winner of this years award, Stella Kapezanou to find out more about her stunning large scale paintings that captured our imagination.