Soapbox 2011 Launch Event

Soapbox 2011 kicks off with a very special art installation from the Post Madanist Movement.......a VCR floor, VCR robot foot and a collection of analogue themed artwork from local photographer Liz Fraser and the Dont Think Twice Collective.

This years theme for the soapbox is collaboration between music, Visuals, performance and local businesses!

Live music will be provided by Organised Babble, this highly original band comprised of 6 musicians from various backgrounds.... The term 'Organised babble' sums them up pretty well!

More Bands TBC!

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Over the month of march, the Dont think Twice Collective will be hosting a series of public art/music/creative events. Designed in collaboration with various artist, musicians as well as local businesses.

Soapbox is a platform for opening up space's up to form a creative arena, offering visitors a selection of video, sculpture, painting and installation and providing St.Helens with an arts platform that encourages creative collaborations between art, music and commercial spaces

Men in belted sweaters.

3 videos to keep you going.

Stephen Ball:::New artwork

'Look St Helens' Photography Festival

Sign up for Look St Helens updates

Soapbox 2011

Click for full size

The Wonderful adventures of Lazy Days.

Straight and to the point blog post (hopefully) on something I've been wondering all over for a while. How do you have a good adventure, which makes your week just a little bit better?

~ 

1) Think of something fun: 

An idea, a project, a game, a word. Something beautiful, that makes you smile (or just has you giggling like a school-girl with excitement). 

2) Gather your supplies: 

-Something to record your findings: a notebook, a camera, or just a photographic memory. 

-Snacks! To feed you, and any angry trolls that may only be defeated with a bribe. 

-Your weapon of choice: anything from a small note you plan to leave on a pavement somewhere, to your fake handlebar mustache that'll aid you in some impromptu mime.

-And a smile: Your never fully dressed without one after all.

(Oh, and don't forget to draw a picture with a brain melting fushia background... I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me...)

3) Plan... or don't:

Sometimes the best adventures are completely unexpected, but if your a bit of a super-sleuth you may want to plan ahead for a seamless mission. 

4) Execute: 

This is your moment; your time to shine! Greet the outdoors with open arms and be on your way! Don't be scared, you can conquer anything. 

Complete your plan with the utmost of care, or a complete lack of, do what makes you smile. 

5) Go home and relax:

Your hard work has finally paid off, well done to you! Mission complete. 

Hints and tips: 

-Step out of your comfort zone, it's nicer than you'd think. 

-Sometimes the secret-est of missions are best conducted alone, but we're not MI5 (or are we?) so invite a friend! Make a day of it and go for a picnic. 

-Doing what makes other people smile too is almost the most important thing, being inconsiderate = a mission failed. 

Small acts of kindness should be completed every day, whether it's opening a door, leaving a note for someone, or showing your one-hundred person strong flash mob to the public. 

Be daring, be wonderful, and spread the love. 

GeckoGrace. x

(To hear about my planned adventures go to: www.graciepie.com)

Ekta

Ekta

3D glass paintings

Using multiple layers of clear glass, Canada based David Spriggs and Chinese born Xia Xiaowan, transform flat artwork into 3D sculptures. Viewers are treated to different shifting perspectives of the works based on where they stand in the art space. Spriggs work revolves around powerful explosive imagery, often resembling storms, cosmic blasts or firework like explosions. Xiawan’s “spatial paintings,” which often feature distorted figures, are drawn individually using colored pencil on tinted glass. Only when these pieces are combined on their floor racks do the images create the whole hologram like effect.
more at Visualnews.com

stool

St Augustines School - Visual Art Festival 2011

St Helens Genius

Banksy's Simpsons storyboard

Banksy has put up his storyboard sketches on his site
more here http://www.banksy.co.uk/indoors/simp.html

Soapbox:::2011

In march, The dont think twice collective will be hosting a series of collaborative events in St.Helens.

Bringing together artists, musicians, film makers, and performers for some thought provoking , interesting, and unforgettable events.

We will be taking over and working with local businesses and venues.

Keep your eyes on the Official Soapbox::2011 facebook page for all the details.

Loop Da Funk

Hi all.

http://soundcloud.com/loop-da-funk

Bit of promotion for a local act here.. Straddling a fine line between "annoying" and "bandwagon" are Loop Da Funk. 2 guys who have been producing and DJing for over 10 years have just started making music again after a 3 year break.. There are 4 tracks which are available to download on the above link, and a few you can have a listen to.

The guys have said there will be regular updates with new tracks and ones from their back catalogue. Not to everyones taste admittedly, but you might find something you like there..

Any older house heads check out their remix (or is it bastardising?) of A.T.G.O.C - Repeated Love which went up the other day..

Paper Tattoo

Danish artist jacob dahlstrup uses a tattooing machine like a pen on heavy water color paper and creates a three-dimensional line.after sketching a skull and flowers with an ordinary pencil, he goes over the lines with a tattoo needle.

found at Design Boom

Poster Pocket Plants

http://posterpocketplants.blogspot.com/

Sometimes empty is good.

New Bast & Faile in New york

Images from Brooklyn Street Art

A kaleidoscopic-wonderland of hi-fidelity and dual-dynamic vibrancy

Like to see loads of vintage stereo banners stacked?

Stereo Stack

UES2AWTP3ZBG

Zap Graffiti Arts

Popped into the Zap graffiti arts studio yesterday, sick work on the walls, and decent prices on paint.

Established in 1995 in Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh. Zap are now based in their public studio and shop in liverpool, yet are active all over, on the move, continously......

Most importantly, each of the staff are writers.... and aim to create and develop graffiti as much as possible, share experience's and develope the scene from the roots, working with kids, and all the way up.

Images below are from what is currently on the walls in the forever changing studio.

2nd floor, Grand central, 35 Renshaw st, Liverpool

http://www.zapgraffiti.co.uk

info@zapgraffiti.co.uk

Outrageously eye-stopping chandeliers by Dutch artist Hans van Bentem

Hans van Bentem

Soapbox artist of the week::Jon Jet-Coaster

Every week we will be raising 1 artist upon the Soapbox. This weeks Soapbox feature artist interview is with the St.Helens based photographer Jon Jet-Coaster.

How long have you been a photographer and what got you started?

I grew up with my grandparents and my grandfather was a photographer, so I have been immersed in it from a very young age. Interest waned a little during high school, but I bought a cheap camera and just started shooting anything I could. I guess the recent push into real photography came when I started a photography course with a friend. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to run with it and make a career out of it.

What influences you?

The process of capturing an image, a memory of a moment in time that is special to someone is amazing. Photographing wildlife, flowers, a birthday celebration or wedding,, moments that come and go just as quick and preserving that feeling for other people.

I love candid street photography and big events as well as portraiture and wildlife.. I guess I like every aspect of photography. If I could have any photography job in the world, I would love to be a war photographer. :D

What projects are you currently involved in?

I am currently doing a lot of work with Imperial in St Helens. This ranges from general photography work, to promotion and celebrity photo shoots. I am also working along side a large number of local artists under the name 'Platform' to encourage both the local council and people to get involved in the arts and also to help find artist workshop and exhibition spaces within the town

What does the future hold?

Hmm, who knows really? I am working with a partner to establish a photography business within St Helens and over the next year we are looking to be fully set up and running. I am also continuing my work with Imperial and building up a list of contacts both professional and celebrity that are interested in my photographs. Maybe this will be the boost I need to get myself out there and make something out of it.

What advice would you give someone hoping to start photography?

First of all, make sure that you carry your camera with you everywhere! You never know when you will see something that is a once in a lifetime opportunity or something that catches your eye. Photography is an expensive hobby, but you don't have to have any expensive kit or fancy lenses to take a photograph, even something such as a mobile phone camera or simple point and shoot will do, but you probably wont get the best quality images. Even so, photography is about capturing a moment that has an interest to you, or will be important in someone else's life and it doesn't matter how much you spend on your kit, as long as you know the basics and how light and lenses work, you will always manage to take a good picture in practically any situation. Just keep shooting everything you see and you will soon improve and move on to bigger and better things.

For more information email Jon at: Jon@handlewithcake.co.uk

Backgrounds Needed!

Send us your backgrounds for the Soapbox 2011 Blog.
jpg, gif or png - 1800 px by 1600 px.

send to:
kevin@mashgallery.co.uk
dontthinktwice@hotmail.co.uk

'The Cat With Hands'.

By animusfilms
A dark animated tale about a cat who, the legend has it, wants to become human.
Year: 2001
Director: Robert Morgan

FFFFOUND!

FFFFOUND!

Thony Ritz - Remix Competition..

Could be of interest to any musically minded folk around. Thony Ritz, the French House/Electro producer, has just released the stems for his track "What I Am" on Soundcloud.. Unlike other artitsts *cough* Deadmau5*cough* who charged for their stems, these are free!

The competition ends on February 21st, and the 5 chosen winners will be on the EP release for the track.

More details, and the stems download links, are on the clicky link below:

http://soundcloud.com/thonyritz/sets/what-i-am-remix-contest-stems/

Cheers!

Sketch Book Work:::Stephen Ball

I get really frustrated when talking to artists and graphic designers who dont understand the basics of 1,2 & 3 point perspective drawing!!

Are the days of pencils, pens and rulers coming to an end because of CAD?

Here are some examples of my sketchbook 3d drawings!

1970's Film Titles

Christian Annyas site is full of film titles from every era.
See them here....