December Buzz

It is really all very exciting at the moment, all the hard work and long hours are paying off and many fantastic opportunities are arising.

I am currently working with a number of interior designers who commission art for client’s interiors and have done a funky abstract New York skyline called ‘Manhattan Celebration’.

The interior designer, Janice Dalton was searching and searching for a particular painting but then decided to commission a piece of art by Joanna Gilbert. The painting is loved by the owner who very kindly leant it back to me for my recent exhibition at HJA solicitors.

This month also saw the big meet with Duncan Bannatyne. Completely in awe of being in the presence of someone so successful and inspiring, I somehow managed to keep my cool and present him ‘Mr Super Ice’. It was received very well and as I later found out via twitter, his wife loves it also!

I have visited his hotel in hastings to identify areas in need of artwork. And am creating concepts to present back to the big man himself shortly!


Finally I am embarking on a great journey with the wonderful commercial interior designer – Sarah Jones – from Grey Interiors Ltd. I have been chosen as one of their top artists to provide bespoke art commissions for company interiors and offices. More to follow on this exciting venture soon! But the below paintings are some sample canvases I painted for one of their clients. 

Social Media Inspires Artist Joanna Gilbert for her Touring Exhibition

An artist is using the phenomena of social media as the inspiration for her latest exhibition.

Joanna Gilbert is exploring our growing use of social media – on sites such as Twitter and Facebook – and how we bare our innermost thoughts to friends and colleagues with Windmills of My Mind, which begins touring this September.

Indian-born Joanna, who describes herself as “very much the modern working mother”, said she was fascinated by how much time adults spent immersed in one another’s thoughts and wanted to probe the trend deeper.

A specialist in pop art portraits and modern abstracts, she uses digital technology to create hand-painted works of art at her studios in London.

The collection of pieces – including NObama, about the American President’s first year in office; Painting Peace, done to remind us that everyday there are soldiers praying for peace in Israel; and Stay at Home Mum, illustrating the pressure on women to “have it all” and still look glamorous - are akin to status updates on Facebook and Twitter, but in tangible art form, she says.

Each canvas takes between ten and 15 hours to paint and is worked from digitally-enhanced photography.

“Art is an expression of inner self,” says Gilbert said.

“I’m trying to reflect the diversity of ours lives now, in this generation, by building a collection that will reflect what we think about what is happening now.

“My exhibition tells the story of a happily married mum of two. Perhaps it doesn’t sound particularly interesting, but isn’t that point? Through social media and blogs, we have all become obsessed with the minutiae of daily life.

“Think of it as a real life tangible blog, with each painting telling the viewer about a snapshot of a mind. It is status updates in art.

“My paintings are like blog entries – a snapshot of a moment or a day.”

Joanna, who has been commissioned by companies such as House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer, Sports Direct and B&Q as well as by private collectors, draws inspiration from pop artists Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Allison Lefcort, as well as younger artists such as Kris Hardy.

After attaining a BA (Hons) degree in retail marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2000, she furthered her qualifications by studying graphic design and photography.

She began painting in 2005 and started to experiment with mixed media on canvas, using metallics, gold leaf and other media to create 3D pieces of art.

In 2007, Joanna started to produce portraits.

“There are always going to be fine artists who can create paintings like they are photographs,” she says. “I like to turn photographs into paintings and add a little pop!”

Gilbert’s friend and patron, Michael Maslen, said: “I have watched Joanna go from strength to strength over the last year and really become an artist with great creative presence and one to look out for. This exhibition will give people the chance to see her talent up close.”


ENDS



For further information, interview requests or image requests please contact:

Monique Lester

London Digital PR

Tel: 07958411653

Email: info@londondigitalpr.com



Notes to editor:

• To find out more about Joanna please visit http://www.joannagilbert.com/

• Please note locations for the tour are yet to be confirmed.

The Stories Behind the Art – Artist Joanna Gilbert talks about her Inspiration for her Striking Art Work

April 2010

Part One – In the Beginning!

Joanna Gilbert is a rising art star and is building a name as a new talent not to be missed.

In this post, Joanna talks about the inspiration for some of her work.
The first piece of importance in Joanna’s collection is ‘The Piano Man’.

Jo wanted to give a 30th birthday gift to the most amazing pianist (and brother in law) she knows – Jonni Gilbert from The Gilev Showband. http://www.thegilevshowband.com/

The Piano Man - By Joanna Gilbert

Joanna says “I knew I wanted to give him something special but did not have a clue what – after all, he really does have it all. So I decided on doing a painting of him playing at one of his gigs. This revived my creativity and passion for art – a hobby I always loved doing but somehow never found the time”

This led to the next piece, aptly named ‘The Decider’.

The Decider - by Joanna Gilbert

“This commission from Mike Maslen for his daughter’s room was the turning point for me. The reactions I was getting from The Decider and The Piano Man – was proving that actually, art is an option, and I decided that art was the path for me!”

‘The Boxer’ was a commission for Sportsworld who own the Lonsdale brand.

The Boxer - By Joanna Gilbert

The painting is currently in the head office boardroom and has triggered discussions into a pilot concept incorporating original art for advertising. This would mean that Joanna Gilbert would paint portraits of key sportsmen and women that would be photographed and reprinted on walls of retail interiors.
‘House of Fraser / Sophie Ellis Bexter’ was created as part of the Simons Group Exhibition of Original Art by Joanna Gilbert, this painting is one of Joanna’s personal favourites.

House of Fraser/Sohie Ellis Bextor - By Joanna Gilbert

It shows the flagship, beautiful Westfield House of Fraser store which was opened by Sophie Ellis Bexter.
It was so well received at the exhibition that Joanna was invited to meet the MD of House of Fraser and present him with the painting which he loved.

For your own original paiting, email info@joannagilbert.com and for more from Joanna visit:

http://www.joannagilbert.com/

Show Reel - Joanna Gilbert, Contemporary Artist

Sign Of The Times!

January 31/1/2010

Right,

So here we are… 1 month into 2010 and I feel I should keep you all up to date with the latest very exciting news.

This month I painted another two ‘Painting Peace’ pictures – one was for Alan Rubenstein, the Managing Director of the JC (thank G-d I only found this out after as I would have been on speilskas whilst painting it!) and another was for my dear friend Miri, who was overcome with emotion when she saw the original that I promised her one.

I also sold my lovely ‘Lily’ painting during a visit to Athena (a ladies networking group) so rather than having a blank space where it once lived in my lounge I have put up ‘Obama’ – not quite the same feel but still looks good. (This painting is for sale by the way!)

My dream of a celebrity client could be round the corner - It turns out I have got the opportunity to create a pop art concept forDuncan Bannatyne and James Caan through Janice Dalton, a lady I met at Athena. So I am trawling through the Internet to find ‘the photo’ I have in mind to ‘pop’ and will get to work on these first.

Exhibition wise – we are thinking something along the lines of ‘Sign of the Times – Where We’re At.’ This would incorporate a collection of paintings that represent where we are in terms of anything from TV, Cars, Politics, Music or Sport.

The collection will be complete and will tour the UK in September. Email info@joannagilbert.com to receive details of when & where the exhibition will be.

Big thanks to my Patron – the one and only Michael Maslen and of course Monique!

Links –

www.joannagilbert.com

www.mbhp.biz

http://www.londondigitalpr.com

Barnet artist easel-y raises money for Israeli Soldiers

The controversial painting by Whetstone artist, Joanna Gilbert, has been sold to an Art Collector in Elstree. 

'Painting Peace' shows a soldier praying by the Kotel which reminded the art collector of his days in the Israeli Army.

John Laslow, was the highest bidder on ebay, where the painting was being auctioned. Laslow arrived to pick up the painting two hours after the auction ended, armed with a newspaper cutting from the New York Times dated May 17, 2002. The headline read 'This is Israel, Too' and the article showed a photograph of him and his Officer walking along a beach in Tel Aviv with not a care in the world. Gilbert states 'if only Israel could be as care free as this all the time.'

Laslow has since commissioned Joanna Gilbert to 'pop art' this photograph in her Warhol style as he loves her work so much and feels this image reminds him of happier times.

All the money raised has been sent to UK Friends of AWIS to help build recreation centres for IDF Soldiers in Israel.

Gilbert is currently taking orders for Pop Art Portraits or Bespoke Art Commissions for Chanukah.

Email info@joannagilbert.com if you would like Joanna Gilbert to pop art your picture or if you have a bespoke art commission to discuss.

http://www.joannagilbert.com/

Barnet's own Lichtenstein paints for peace

2 December 2009

Barnet artist Joanna Gilbert has put one of her latest paintings on online auction site Ebay to raise money for charity.

The 31-year-old hopes her depiction of an Israeli soldier praying for peace at the Kotel in Jerusalem will raise at least £1,000 for UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s Soldiers (UK Friends of AWIS).

Gilbert decided to volunteer the picture, Painting Peace, after an Israeli friend, who had been in the army, was moved to tears by the image and suggested donating it to a charity that supported Israeli soldiers.

But it was eventually agreed that selling it to raise money for such a charity would be even more helpful.

“Miri walked into my house halfway through my painting and she burst into tears with emotion,” Gilbert recalls.

“The concept was borne out of a desire to remind people in the UK who can be quick to criticise the heavy-handedness of the Israeli army, that those soldiers are doing all of us a service and praying for peace just like us.”

It is the first time the artist, whose Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein-inspired works adorn the head offices of House of Fraser and M&S among other familiar High Street names, has sold a painting for charity, but there could be more in the pipeline if it generates sufficient interest.

The auction closes at 9pm on 6 December. To bid for 'Painting Peace' visit http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250538014019&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:GB:1123

View Joanna’s work at http://www.joannagilbert.com/