Christmas Designer maker gift boutiques & weekend gift markets!

Christmas at View is very special and 2008 was no exception, as we showcased local designer makers in our gallery boutiques. Each weekend leading up to Christmas we also hosted a designer makers 3 day market with up to 20 stalls. The diversity & selection was brilliant with something to catch everyone's eye. Lizzie Adcock and Jill Perry Liam Woodgates , Anna French & Hazel Atkinson, Plum Brierley & Sally Cotterill were all local designer makers who created their own boutiques in the gallery throughout December!

Inspired Festive Exhibition 18th Nov-22nd Dec

Jill Perry & Lizzie Adcock presented their festive gallery gift shop for five weeks running up to Christmas with some gorgeous new gift ideas & original artworks!

To see more of their work visit their websites - Jill Perry, Arum Lillie Designs

Passionate Photographers 25th - 30th November

A collaboration of one hundred photographers from around the world has culminated in a this ground-breaking exhibition of photography.

Organised by the Olympus Photo Safari Group, this major event drew attention back to the quality of the printed photographic image.
Breaking new ground in worldwide collaboration, the presentation
featured 200 16"x12" high quality prints, representing highlights of
600 images contributed by over 100 talented photographers, from around
the globe.

The exhibition ran from Tuesday 25th to Sunday 30th November at
the 'View from the Top' art gallery in Nottingham.

The group were proud to mark the occasion, with the launch of their
first photographic book and DVD, which presented stunning examples
of photography by passionate photographers worldwide, using Olympus
E-System cameras.

Full details and more info on the exhibition will be posted here :
http://www.ukphotosafari.org/announcements/

Speed Exhibition 19th-24th November

Between 19th and 24th students from Nottingham Trent University exhibited their business ideas and products developed under an imaginative and enterprising scheme called SPEED. SPEED (student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education) is a pilot project which has been running at the university for the last 2 years.

20th Century Master Printmakers 13th -16th Nov

A wonderful collection of some of the best, most rare and beautiful works on paper by some of Britain's greatest artists since 1945.

With a particularly excellent selection of works by Howard Hodgkin, John Hoyland, Victor Pasmore, Henry Moore, Anita Klein and Julian Opie.


www.thefineartpartnership.co.uk

Embracing Africa The Alpha 4th -10th November

Embracing Africa The Alpha (T.A.M.F) is a collection of brand new works of art mostly paintings representing Africa. It is a celebration of Africa, primarily the hard working Women of Africa.

"There was always one man to guide me and help me with my projects when I visited Ghana so I dedicate the Embracing Africa exhibition to my father Tse Ataa Mensah. This year being the 3rd anniversary of the Death, it is with great pleasure and sadness to present this exhibition Embracing Africa The Alpha (T.A.M.F). This exhibition is just the beginning it is the first part of a collection of work, my father was a part of this project. Embracing Africa continues with many more drawings and paintings to be completed for next year."

Dark Entries - Trak E Smith 28th-3rd November

Trak was our winner of 2008's Cover Versions exhibition - he won his own solo exhibition in our small gallery.

Image left - 'In his Hands'(Black & White photograph 2008)

In his 'Dark Entries' exhibition Trak E. Smith incorporated a wide range of media to explore and illustrate the darker aspects of human existence (perfect timing in the run up to Hallowe'en). All the exhibition artwork was available for sale and included photography, sculpture, illustration and paintings with many successful sales taking place.

Look out for Trak's future work and a possible exhibition with us in 2009.

Danse Macabre(returns!) 29th -3rd November

The 2nd Annual Danse Macabre exhibition was a huge success with its opening on Halloween!

Ephemeral and faded beauty sits side-by-side with dark and brooding imagery; a haunting Otherworld of the imagination. This is a revival of the true essence and romance of the Gothic, stimulating a frisson of pleasure in the viewer; the exotic, sinister carnival has come to town with its sideshows offering tantalising glimpses of strange and fantastic creatures; an unsettling mix of wonder and fear.

Danse Macabre brings together artists from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines whose work explores the darker aspects of the subconscious mind. Look out for their future projects in 2009.

Visit their website danse macabre website

It's Showtime! 21st - 27th October

An inspirational exhibition and a great cause

When local fund-raisers for a breast cancer charity decided to create a fund-raising calendar, it resulted in a unique and inspiring photographic project with an uplifting message.

ORBS (the oncoplastic reconstructive breast surgery unit at Nottingham City Hospital) is leading the way in pioneering breast preserving techniques that help women with cancer reclaim their lives and face the future with confidence and optimism.

Lead fund-raiser, Sally White planned to feature 12 women who had experienced breast cancer. Then creative agency Jupiter’s team worked with the subjects to explore their dreams, styling and shooting the photographs to create images that reflect their zest for life and unique stories.

Shot on location around Nottinghamshire, the photography formed the centrepiece for a week-long exhibition at the View From The Top gallery. Jupiter managed to raise £1700 on the opening night alone for ORBS, with still many calendars yet to distribute!
Visit the Jupiter Design website

The Moon Tree 14th -20th October

Lois Cordelia came a close second in our Cover Versions competition earlier this year. We decided to award her with an exhibition in the small gallery too!

We presented a collection of her work utilising intricate cut outs in her paintings in our professional gallery. It was a beautifully presented exhibition with fascinatingly detailed work.

For more information about Lois visit her website

Norsaca 8th -20th October

NORSACA is a charity which provides services and support to children and adults with autism and their families. NORSACA is celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008.

As part of their celebrations NORSACA are held an exhibition of artwork produced by students from its specialist school and further education college.

Autism affects the way people communicate and relate to those around them. It can make expressing ideas and building relationships more difficult.

For people with communication difficulties art can be an important way of expressing their thoughts and feelings, and developing new ways of communicating.

Each person with autism is a unique individual with their own abilities and needs. Each pupil’s personality is also reflected in their artwork.

For more information on the work of NORSACA please visit their website at www.norsaca.org.uk or call 0115 976 1805.

Rachel Daws - Contemporary Photographer 7th - 13th October

Using the home as a base for the work links to the philosophical views of Gaston Bachelard who believes that the house is a shelter for daydreaming and creativeness and Sigmund Freud’s theories on the uncanny and dreams and daydreams. The work of Uta Barth, concerned with time, space, the familiar and the act of looking itself can also be contextualised within my practice. Gaston Bachelard once wrote;


“The house shelters daydreaming, the house protects the dreamer,
the house allows one to dream in peace.”

The work is constantly evolving, using the inclusion of windows, curtains, fences and barbed wire to create a barrier between the home and the outside before I make a subconscious movement out into the city. It is the shift between internal and external that these barriers begin to disappear as I leave the creative shelter that is the home and venture out into and embrace another type of familiarity; places that are passed and pondered upon. The vast empty skies allow a sense of wide open space and stillness to dominate my external everyday, which is not usually experienced within a city so full of noise and hustle.

R.Daws 2008

24th September -6th October - Manhattan Gallery - Clearance Sale!

'Best little gallery outside New York'

Manhattan Gallery closed in 2006 and another great independent business was lost from Nottingham City Centre. View from the Top persuaded Rosemary Pearson to bring her amazing stock and knowledge to the High St just once more and give them a new home!

Recognition 17th -23rd September

Following the success of the ‘Thisability’ Project at View from the Top, Crocodile House produced another successful exhibition to raise awareness and tackle the stigma surrounding learning disabilities. The photographs & presentation created poignant & thought provoking responses. The exhibition will now be on show in various venues and watch this website for details of their project next year.

Outside 3rd - 15th September

A small exhibition of images by local photographer/artist Keith Wright. The eerie, abstract results were all created using photographic and digital technology taking inspiration from winter visits to local nature reserve – Forbes Hole, Long Eaton.

Keith Wright - Photographer/local artist's Website

Green & Organic '08 3rd September - 13th September

This year's Green & Organic eco extravaganza was a green frenzy! Our opening night & fashion show was a foray of green love & we managed to raise over £150 for Music4Children a charity helping to build sustainable orphanages for street children in Nepal. BBC's Penney Poyzer stepped in to host the fashion show, she is also the patron of Music4Children.

The night saw fashions from Oxfam, Kathleen & lily's, The fancy Pants Parade, Savvy Style, Rhea Clements, Fresh Cargo & Hanna Randall! 28 hairstylists kindly did the hair for us, whilst Clare Gregory did the make up - thank you!

Thanks to the wonderful food suppliers - Dotty's Cafe on Mansfield Road & The Screaming Carrot on Foxhall road, AND not forgetting the wonderful goodie bags from the Green Box Shop!!

Artists & designers involved in the show & exhibition can be found here...
Images by Adam Goodge

Fresh 08 23rd July - 30th August

An open exhibition featuring some of the best art and design work from the Midlands! The 6 winners (as voted by you and a select panel) will be given another opportunity in the gallery next year in the form of a smaller group exhibition of their latest work!

The opening night was a hot affair, literally, with plenty of smoothies & wine gulped down! The exhibition looks great, and the talent this year has really showed, especially in the comments made by visitors! We hope to continue this opportunity to create a platform for emerging artistic talents in the Midlands.

Visit our blog with details about all the artists involved!

One Door opens...16th - 21st July

An interactive exhibition of objects and images that widely explored the concept of openings and all that it entails. The main body of work was by the Access to Arts workshop group from Double Impact, (an aftercare service for adults recovering from substance misuse) with contributions from their partner organisations City Arts and Framework. The exhibition was met with a warm response from visitors, and the door for comments was filled with positivity! We look forward to welcoming the next exhibition of work from the workshop group in the future...

In House ...8th - 15th July(View Staff present!)

Behind the scenes at View from the Top lurk a good few artists, photographers & designers! This exhibition gave them an opportunity to exhibit in their own group show. It saw a variety of mediums, from video & installation to contemporary textile designs.

20th Century Masters 3-6th July

PICASSO – MATISSE – COCTEAU – BRAQUE – CHAGALL – MIRÓ
Six 20th Century Masters
The Fine Art Partnership presented the sale of some stunning original works on paper

An excellent and exciting collection of works by six of the greatest graphic artists working in Spain and France in the 20th Century including: Picasso, Matisse, Miro, Chagall, Braque and Cocteau.

It was a very special show and the visitors to the gallery displayed this perfectly! We look forward to the Fine Art Partnership returning to View in November this year with another stunning collection!

Red Shoes exhibition 24th -30th June

Red Shoes Memories Ltd are a company based in Nottingham who specialise in Ladies Fashion Accessories and have started their collection in 2007 with 3 beautifully hand made leather handbags. They are sophisticated handbags with a twist. Customers can have their own photographs, pictures or even love letters printed on the inside of the handbag letting each sophisticated lady ‘walk with their memories’.

Red Shoes held this exhibition of their history and beautiful handbags at the View from the Top Gallery from the 24th – 30th of June. There were red shoes a plenty leading up to the gallery and lots of beautiful bit’s and bob’s. The opening night went with a bang because of their generous prize draw & drinks courtesy of the Dragon pub!

The exhibition also showcased all the Firfield Primary School’s entries to their ‘Red Shoes Girl’ competition which was judged by the local Mayor. It really sparked the imagination of the school children which was evident from the variety of entries!

For more details about Red Shoes ...
info@redshoesmemories.com / 07906 915 445

www.redshoesmemories.com

Print One, Stitch One 25th - 30th June

A group of contemporary textile designers based in Nottingham. The exhibition showcasesd a variety of constructed, printed and stitched textiles. It was received very well by the public and achieved some real positive feedback with a good few sales too!

Art Aid 17th - 21st June

Christian Aid work with partners around the world, supporting both long terms projects and emergency response work. CCDB, in Bangladesh, are one of Christian Aid’s partners that could be funded through your generosity. CCDB assist communities in building platforms to provide shelter in emergencies, and provide loans to families, who have been displaced by flooding and natural disasters, to rebuild their livelihoods.

In June 2008 Christian Aid held a high-profile exhibition and auction of work by artists from around the East Midlands to raise money for Christian Aid partners in Africa, Latin America and Asia, working to combat the effects of climate change.

70% of the price raised at auction went directly to supporting such climate change mitigation work; the remaining 30% of the sale price of each piece was paid to the artist.

You can find out more on their website - the auction was hosted by Graham Penney & raised well over £2,000 for charity! It was a fantastic result and a lovely event!
www.art-aid.org

Unseen Photography 4-16th June

This exhibition was part of Nottingham Trent University's Photography degree show 2008. Showcasing students on the verge of graduation and their cutting edge photography work.
Unseen Photography will certainly be seen again!

Cover Versions 14-31st May

Handcut, stitched, painted, collage, political satire - how many ways can 14 creatives reinterprete the humble record sleeve? Take a look We asked visitors to vote for their favourite artist, the prize being a week's solo exhibition in our small gallery. Over 300 people voted and Trak Smith emerged as winner,
but the voting was so close, we've decided to award Lois Cordelia Bulow-Osborne a week too. Watch the website for details.

Illuminating Illustrators April 17th - May 9th

Illustrators are often overlooked when it comes to exciting exhibition opportunities, yet illustrators combine art, design and creative skills to produce often very distinctive styles.

Our new exhibition proves this with a varied selection of Illustrations, from delicate watercolours to stylised line drawings. There are illustrative works to suit every viewer. Don't miss the graphic compelling illustrative paintings from Todd Wood.

The show includes amazingly detailed imaginary maps; natural and military history illustrations and the yellow submarine on its way to exhibition in Liverpool, City of culture 2008!

See our Artists' Blog for the exhibition...

Science City & STEM partnership - Commissioned photography by Mark Enstone 9th-14th April

An exhibition of photographs from Nottingham Science City and the East Midlands STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology & Maths) Partnership.

Aidan Shingler One in a Hundred 3rd-6th April

Aidan with his work "Brain Storm"









Aidan's moving and challenging multi media exhibition drew a large crowd for his talk and book launch Saturday 5th April. View from the Top was proud to host Aidan's acclaimed & thought challenging exhibition.

Reality Tester Aidan Shingler has worked in the field of visual arts for 30 years. His work is imbued with signs, symbols, synchronicity and significance. He has exhibited throughout the United Kingdom, including: Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, Durham Cathedral, Kent Institute of Art & Design, Bournemouth International Conference Centre.

He campaigns to reform the mental 'health' system and highlights Human Rights violations within the psychiatric establishment. His new book - One in a Hundred - explores the spiritual and creative potential of ‘schizophrenia’ and how those labelled as such are treated by psychiatry. The accompanying multi media exhibition of the same name, also addresses these themes.

“A shaft of light into the darkness” Arts Journal
“Inexplicably beautiful” The Guardian
“Sharp, witty and in places very funny” Northern Review
“Beyond categorisation” Artesian Magazine
“Sheer brilliance” Mail-Out

Art previously hidden from view! Exhibition & Sale March 12-29th

VIEw from the Top Gallery Presents
Art previously hidden from view! Exhibition & Sale - Artists, first-time exhibitors & art owners

Exhibition & Sale open to the public Wednesday 12th – Saturday 29th March. Also Unframed Art and Print Table-top Sale Saturday 29th March

We put a call out to find those art treasures that people have hidden away in their studios, attics, garages or under the bed! They could belong to artists, to secret artists that have never revealed their work to others, or to owners of artwork that no longer has a place in their home.

What we unearthed is spectacular local talent. Exhibitors range from a 16 year old new photographer (we're definitely going to be watching this guy make his mark in the future!) unseen work from some of our best selling artists, and gorgeous watercolour and collage work from a retired artist new to Nottingham.

On the last Saturday (March 29th) there was a table-top sale of unframed artwork held in our Events Room.
Visit our Artist blog about the show...

Luke Shreeve-Small Gallery 25th-31st March

Luke Shreeve - Contemporary Artist, a successful show of vibrant screenprints.

Roger Howe- Contemporary Photographer's Debut show! 12th-17th March

Born in Nottingham, Roger studied at Clarendon College, before completing an Art and Design foundation at The Derby College of Art.

Roger finished his formal training at The Falmouth School of Art and Design, after which he embarked upon a successful career as a Graphic Designer. As a Multi disciplined individual, he has chosen to express himself through various media from photography to illustration and sculpture.

His artwork is now available exclusively through Originator Ltd and their authorised agents. Roger's contemporary photography is crisp, clean and stunning. Highly detailed, his images are printed with utmost care and have their own distinctive feel.

Roger showcased his work in this show at View from the Top, but we haven't seen the last of him! Visit his new website! Roger Howe-Originator Design

Nottingham Creative Business Award Winners 26th Feb - 10th March

Nottingham Creative Business Awards last October celebrated and rewarded the talented individuals and businesses that make Nottingham one of the most exciting cities in the UK today.

This exhibition at VIEw from the Top organised by Nottingham Creative Network celebrated the creative practitioners and the winners from a tough competition bursting with talent & innovation.

Together Agency, Debbie Bryan, Philips Watts Design, CPMG Architects, Mixed Reality Lab, Michael Pinchbeck, Daniel A Hanson, Simon Ellis, Cubic, Spectrum, Dance4, John McLean, Moot Gallery, GH Hurt & Son Ltd.


Image - Photography winner John McLean!

Nottingham Creative Network

One Nottingham 12th-18th February

Nottingham is sometimes seen as a "tale of two cities" one rich and prosperous, the other suffering hardship and deprivation. The city centre, with its wealth and cosmopolitan lifestyle is surrounded by some of the poorest communities in the country. One Nottingham's goal is to narrow the gap between these areas, and to shape a better future for us all.

In this successful show, Toby O'Neal's enigmatic images of Nottingham's community projects were showcased. Each photograph seemed to really capture the character and
essence of the subjects.

One Nottingham

Made in Nottingham 16th Jan-17th February

MADE IN NOTTINGHAM was a new successful venture by the gallery to help showcase and provide a market opportunity for some of Nottingham's most talented designers and makers!

A unique selection of accessories, individual one offs and unusual gifts showcase in the gallery alongside our photography show. All items on display were for sale at affordable prices, and purchases from our collection helped Nottingham based designers & makers continue their creative and innovative work.

We exhibited and sold work by;
*Elefair giftware(designed in Nottingham, fairtraded jewellery)

*Fizgig Glass(individually created glass jewellery & beautiful light catching pieces) FIZGIG GLASS

*Have Cake Designs(Embrodiered individual bags & purses)

*Vintage Reclaimed(recycled watch faces, scrabble pieces, unique charms and antique silver reclaimed and given new life in contemporary jewellery!)VINTAGE RECLAIMED

*Sue Holdaway(dramatic one off jewellery from recycled glass, winner of Paul Smith award in 2007)SUE HOLDAWAY

*Joy(quirky now online shop showcasing some of their locally created pieces, including retro comic book badges & handknitted roses)JOY SHOP ONLINE

*Frailloop (unique metal pieces created using recycled metal)FRAILLOOP

*Alys Power(recycled metal jewellery with real attention to detail!)ALYS POWER

From vintage jewellery to recycled metal snails! The collection was bound to have an impact and bring visitors back for more! We had many visitors returning after our Made in Nottingham collection had finished, so now you can find out more about those lovely items which caught your eye!

Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage13th-17th February

In February, VIEw from the Top, city centre gallery was proud to present Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage and their exciting new venture celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) lives, hidden history and culture. This three-year project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Representatives from a variety of LGBT Community and Voluntary groups, professional LGBT networks and interested individuals – including Lesbian and Gay Switchboard, the North Notts LGB Development Group, Notts Police Outnetwork and Nottingham Pride - are involved in the project.

The exhibition saw a hugely successful “launch” event, and a great response from visitors throughout. Watch this space for more from Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage!
http://www.nlgshistory.ik.com/

Our 1st Photography Open show-Resolution 16th Jan-9th Feb

VIEw from the Top Gallery Presented RESOLUTION our 1st Photography Open Show & Live Auction in support of PhotoVoice - January 16th – Feb 9th 2008

PhotoVoice’s mission is to bring about positive social change for marginalised communities through providing them with photographic training with which they can advocate, express themselves and generate income.


VIEw from the Top’s first photography open exhibition aimed to help raise awareness of Photovoice, a charity giving the most disadvantaged people the chance to represent themselves.

The exhibition presented an exciting, diverse selection, highlighting the vast spectrum of the art of photography, including landscape, portrait, wildlife, architectural, abstract and photo-journalism.

See a Review of the show by Hugh Dichmont on Left Lion's website