Situated near East Brighton Park the shabby, suburban semi hosts a diverse and changing exhibition of work spanning over a decade. Familiar and new or unseen paintings on the walls with Smart Deco homeware furnishings. Weekday viewings by appointment contact info@jacquelinehammond.co.uk
Jaxx in a Box – Venue #19 Kemptown Trail Address: 25 Reading Road BN2 5NE Open 11-5pm Every weekend in May
Don’t miss this chance to see art as it happens, where it lives. Stock up on prints of favourites or snap up originals fresh from the easel. Witness the creative process first hand and join Jaxx in the studio as she builds a new body of work to let out the box.
Very popular as fine art prints Smart Deco developed the print to produce designer art print fabric to make deckchairs, lampshades and cushions. The poppy is a striking motif and looks so vivid in this painterly style.
Featured trend by WGSM at Spring Fair International, as seen here – our Poppy Bag in a display –
Poppy bags by Jacqueline Hammond selected by retail experts to represent a key trend for 2014 at Spring Fair Gift Box Hall 5
Poppy print fabric, prints and paintings by Jacqueline Hammond
The original series of paintings depict the traditional landscape of poppy fields but with a contemporary edge that combines the beauty of flowers with the symbolic role of the poppy in association with war throughout history.
‘The Signification of the Poppy’ began with a painting created for a web based competition in 2007 called ‘Seeking Picasso’ in which Jacqueline was a finalist. The theme was ‘A Troubled World.’ She was later commissioned by one of the judges to produce a series of paintings for exhibition.
Poppies for Remembrance Day in Brighton’s Jubilee Library
The works finely depict the poppy as a metaphor.’Remembrance Blast’ is the poppy worn for Remembrance Day: another life, another loss. Others depict farmed opium poppies; their beauty offset by the reason for their existence. There’s a simplicity with blue sky and horizons, most iconic, the piece Breakthrough’ represents survival.
‘Blowing in the Wind‘ and Carpet of Red’ are the pieces in which details are reproduced on fabric.
A field of flowers can be more than a pretty picture.
Last month a screen above the departures board was installed in Brighton station for people to text in and potentially have their inner thoughts, woes or confessions upload and displayed in public there in the station.
I didn’t get to see The Waiting Wall in action but enamoured by the concept I found myself logging in to read the realtime writing on the wall.
It was intriguing and slightly addictive, illicit text messages disclosing hidden thoughts, woes and confessions. Rarely joyous, often sad or pertinent, it seemed people mainly used the board to get things off their chest and showed that many people have an inner issue probing their daily existence.
Returning to look at the board last Sunday (clearly I don’t receive many text messages) I started to take a screen shot as each new text appeared. Looking back at them now the result is, unintentionally, one hundred texts shown in one hour. Unedited and in no particular order, here they are.
Just the weather for sitting pretty – Ultraviolet Jellyfish Deckchair – Striking Abstract Art, framed in a deckchair by Jacqueline Hammond at http://www.smartdeco-style.com
Ultraviolet Jellyfish – Art Print Deckchairs by Brighton artist Jacqueline Hammond
You only have to check out the Brighton Rainbow Crossing Forever page on Facebook to see how the rainbow has enchanted visitors and local people of all ages and persuasions. I should know as an exhibiting resident artist at JAG Gallery from the view outside my painting studio, I’ve seen the rainbow working its magic. It’s made Madeira Drive come alive rather than being treated as a car park.
Though not officially a crossing, as a piece of public ‘street’ art it encourages pedestrians to stop, look and listen and motorists to slow down, creating a traffic calming effect and rather magical effect. The rainbow effect on both visitors and locals to the area is a joy to see.
This truly is a piece of public art at street level, the rainbow has enchanted locals from all walks of life, groups and persuasions seen posing, performing and most of all, smiling somewhere over the rainbow.
Perhaps it’s time to develop this area. From Charleston to Morris dancing, bikers and beatniks. The rainbow’s proved to be a hit symbol of solidarity that reaches beyond Pride. Brighton and Hove city council wont solve the crossword by washing away the rainbow; I think we can safely say those who’ve seen the rainbow effect this past week would like to keep making Brighton safer, as well as brighter.
Support grows for the campaign to make the rainbow a permanent feature on Madeira Drive
A campaign to lobby Brighton & Hove Council to make a temporary Rainbow Crossing on Brighton’s Madeira Drive a more permanent feature is growing in momentum, with increasing support on social media and influential backers such as Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas. The Rainbow Crossing is making the neglected east side of Brighton Pier more than just a car park, providing a vibrant tourist attraction that appeals to people of all ages and persuasions, and creating a safe place to cross an otherwise dangerous road.
Madeira Drive in Brighton was given a bold makeover with street artwork representing Europe’s first official ‘rainbow crossing’ was unveiled to celebrate the release of We Can Change, a new song celebrating LGBT Pride month and championing equal rights by actress, musician and local resident, Heather Peace.
With many motorists exceeding the speed limit on Madeira Drive, and with the pedestrian walkway currently cordoned off because of erosion of the walkway and road above, accidents are a risk. Recently, a woman was knocked off her bike by a pedestrian who was crossing the bike lane. However, the Rainbow Crossing encourages pedestrians to stop, look and listen and motorists to slow down, creating a traffic calming effect.
This issue was the primary concern of Neil Sykes, of Modern World Gallery – located in the Madeira Drive artists’ quarter – who instigated the Rainbow Crossing Forever campaign and has been liaising with Brighton & Hove Council.
Neil Sykes says: “The response from the public has been heart-warming to say the least and, although nothing is yet official, people have been able to cross a busy road somewhat safer than before. The average speed of traffic appears to have reduced significantly which, again, is something that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. I witness near misses on a daily basis, and dread the day that a fatality happens.”
He adds: “The Rainbow Crossing has uplifted the rather dreary Madeira Drive instantaneously, and has become a tourist attraction in its own right.”
Fellow campaigner, ‘rainbow warrior’ and JAG Gallery artist, Jacqueline Hammond, agrees: “The rainbow is working its magic in making Madeira Drive come alive. It is a prime example of public art and has successfully brightened up the beach, the road and the otherwise run down east side of the pier, making it more than just one huge car park. It was wonderfully apt watching the ‘I Charleston Brighton’ dancers performing their routine on the crossing while the proposal to retain it was being penned.”
Another local trader commented: “Our Rainbow Crossing could help bring much-needed clients to this otherwise downtrodden side of the pier, which benefits the businesses located here, and make the area more sustainable. Maybe it is high time to redevelop the whole east side of the pier.”
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas is an advocate of the Rainbow Crossing and supports its continuation. She said: “The Rainbow Crossing is a great tribute to the spirit of diversity and inclusiveness embraced by our city and it’s already clear that people really love it. I wholeheartedly support the campaign to keep the crossing, and was in touch with the Council at the beginning of the week to urge them to agree.” (see https://twitter.com/CarolineLucas/status/477227393493786624).
Negotiations took place on Friday 13 June between Neil Sykes, representing the Rainbow Crossing Forever campaign, and Brighton & Hove Council regarding making it permanent fixture. Jacqueline Hammond said: “Beyond Pride, everyone involved would like to keep making Brighton brighter. Whatever happened to rainbow warriors and CND symbol of peace? Other cities have grown to love this type of rainbow and realise its many benefits, while the creators have been granted permissions.”
The installation of the Rainbow Crossing was instigated to coincide with the release of the song ‘We Can Change’ by actress, musician and local resident, Helen Pearce. The song has been launched to celebrate LGBT Pride and champion equal rights.
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The Rainbow Crossing, created by local artists from a diverse range of disciplines, from oil painter Caia Matheson who relished the chance to help create such a large-scale canvas, to street artists paving the way; JAG Gallery resident stencil artists Zeezee Twenty Two and Cassette Lord who has existing permission from Brighton & Hove Council to place his popular cassette stencils to brighten up ugly green electrical and telecoms boxes and other ‘street furniture’.
Neil Sykes “As for maintaining the crossing up until Pride, we have financial pledges in place from various local sources, including the Pride team. If jet washing is suspended, then I have agreed with all those involved in the original work that we would freshen it up as early as the Monday they’re due to demolish it.”
Plans are currently being discussed to establish a Rainbow Maintenance Fund, where donations and sponsorship from local business can help keep the artwork looking fresh.
Neil explains: “The plan is to give the Rainbow Crossing another coat of paint and maintain it until Pride, and beyond. We’ll supply the paints, the brushes – after all we host a community artists working from their studios down here. Furthermore we have been given support and sponsorship from Johnstones of Hove, who mixed and supplied enough paint at cost price to cover the large area of public road.”
Jacqueline Hammond of JAG Gallery, who has designed a range of deckchairs to display outside the gallery this summer, now plans to design a rainbow deckchair. The proceeds from this new design could be donated to the Rainbow Maintenance Fund… if Brighton gets to keep Europe’s first Rainbow Crossing.
Members of the public are urged to do what they can to save the rainbow. Firstly, to “like” the Brighton Rainbow Forever Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/brightonrainbow?fref=ts and be prepared for a sit down protest to stop the council from jet washing it away at 5am on Monday 16 June.
