Heart of Darkness: A Group Exhibiton by The Tunnel artists

Heart of Darkness

The Tunnel art collective will play host to a group show featuring some rather amazing artists I am very proud to show with. I’ll be exhibiting the new piece for the first time so I hope you can make it if you are in London!

The circular paintings will incorporate the Animal in Me and a series I’ve had in mind for a few years now: Kaleidoscopes. I am bringing back the surrealistic, erotic figure while still maintaining the automatic, spontaneous and almost abstract image making made possible by the inkblot.

I hope you will like them.

The Nineteenth exhibition by The Tunnel using the novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1902) and Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola (1979) as a base.

Join @thetunnelartists this Saturday to enjoy this carefully curated group exhibition and night of performances 🍂🔥🍁

When : SAT 30th Nov 6-9pm & Sunday 11am-5pm
Location: @hundred_years_gallery
13 Pearson Street
London
E2 8JD
( nearest tube: Hoxton)


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Below is a sneak peek of my new painting so far. After working so up close and intimately with the canvas, I’m always surprised at how the forms seem to form themselves and are revealed to me only as I stand back. In a way the act of painting is an act of love making. I always think of Bob Ross saying “make love to the canvas” I find this both hilarious and affirmative!


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Animal In Me: GreatArt Residency and FREE Inkblot Workshops

If we lessen the control of our logical and conscious mind we can access the unconscious and uncover its strange and dreamy symbolism, which is as unique as it is universal.

— Jessica Ballantyne


A cross between an axolotle, bat and a bee <3Acrylic and oil paint on canvas30x30cm£150A cross between an axolotle, bat and a bee <3Acrylic and oil paint on canvas30x30cm£150

A cross between an axolotle, bat and a bee <3

Acrylic and oil paint on canvas

30x30cm

£150

Join me for my first residency with GreatArt and have some fun with the magic of inkblots and animal guides <3

The surrealist methods of art making have inspired people all across different fields, from psychology to fashion, the surrealist’s use of powerful, subconscious imagery has been a source of inspiration. If we lessen the control of our logical and conscious mind we can access the unconscious and uncover its strange and dreamy symbolism, which is as unique as it is universal.

 The surrealist methods of art-making have inspired people from across different fields. From psychology to fashion, the surrealist’s use of powerful, subconscious imagery has been a source of inspiration.

Join in the art making with the artist, Jessica Ballantyne as she plays with subconscious symbolism using inkblots as the method and medium. During the GreatArt residency, Jessica will create paintings on canvas, in the theme: The Animal in Me. Fascinated by the mythology of animals, Jessica often sees different, wild animals in her inkblots, often melting into one another within the patterns and resulting in a surreal amalgamation of creatures.

Do you want to take an inkblot journey through the magic of your own subconscious symbolism? On the weekend of the residency, Jessica will hold two workshops. Participants can make their own inkblots on canvas, with the artist guiding each step of the way. The artist invites viewers and participants to share what they see in one another’s inkblots.

Using acrylics, participants may transform the inkblots into the illusions they inspire. With the help of the artist, participants can choose to layer and enhance certain features to produce a new artwork or simply, leave the inkblot as it is in its beautiful simplicity. The inkblots created by the artist and participants will hang to dry and be displayed around the red cube, encouraging the public to interact with the artworks.