Brighton Art Fair 2007

I decided to "pay" a visit to the Art Fair held annually in Brighton today. They charged us a fiver each entry fee which I found a little cheeky. Isn't that like "River Island" charging you to enter their shop? I appreciate that you buy tickets for "Grand Designs" etc. but they lay on plenty of workshops, lectures and a host of amenities. At the least, I would have presumed that if you bought a painting the entry fee would be redeemable. Despite my silly grumblings, we had an enjoyable day and I discovered some rather interesting artists.

Dion Salvador Lloyd I accidentally kept referring to him as "Dali" to my boyfriend due to his middle name. When I came home I looked up his web site and apparently he was indeed named after the great man himself. He came from an artistic family and was surrounded by art from an early age, hence his middle name. Dion Salvador Lloyd paintings made the exhibition worthwhile for me. There's something about them that actually draws you into the painting. More info from his website http://www.dionsalvador.co.uk/

Richard Friend This cheerful charming gentleman's art stood out from the crowd. His seriously bright choice of colours hung in thick black frames made you stop and stare. Initially, I couldn't decide whether I loved or hated his paintings. Unfortunately, I uttered said sentiment to the artist absent-mindedly and I'm still feeling rather ashamed over my words as I write this blog. If you ever read this Mr. Friend - I hope I didn't offend. Sorry.

Fair dues to the guy though, he was either too nice, very thick skinned or genuinely didn't mind as he remained friendly and appeared unfazed. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I really liked them. He's layered the oils to varying degrees so his picture have real depth. More from this nice man at http://www.richfriend.co.uk/

Tony Owers

Part of his statement purloined off his website reads .... "work is an examination of impermanence and the concept that everything is in a continuous state of change. All things are transient and as they change so they leave traces or memories of an earlier presence.My references are the palimpsest, graffiti and the urban landscape. I am also interested in the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi, which values the imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete."

Tony Owers hails from London but lives in Brighton, well Hove actually, for the last ten years. And, you can see his love of all things Brightonian in his paintings. He's even included a parking meter in one and I believe, a parking ticket in another. What an apt representation of life living in Brighton. My boyfriend really loved his art and it's growing on me too.