Newsletter Issue #23: So, who won?

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #23!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

As you may remember on the 24th of January I started a little giveaway competition lasting a week. Thank you to everyone that took part! 
The winner was Sax Sumeray, who received her print earlier this week.

The overall process of doing the giveaway was so much fun especially doing the draw using a spin-the-wheel simulation online, which selected a winner at random. 

Considering the positive feedback from this, I will probably be doing some more giveaways in time.

Here's a reel I made of the print's packaging process.
Not joking when I say this but it took me ages to make so I'm quite proud of it! Let me know what you think.

Detail shot from my painting Current History, 2020

In other news, since our last newsletter I’ve been working on two private commissions, which has kept me very busy over the past couple of weeks.

Working on commissions is something I really enjoy, and I actively set time aside for projects like these each year. I find there’s something really special about working on a piece that is personal to someone else, and subsequently being trusted to bring that vision to life in a way that does it justice whilst also being true to the way I paint. 

It's a process that's actually inspiring a lot of ideas for new pieces... I'll share more on this though in due course.
 

In the meantime, 

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #22: Just a few more days 🎀

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #22!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

This week I've been running my first ever giveaway competition on my Instagram account, the response for which has been really lovely!

I'm feeling grateful to everyone that has entered so far, and am excited to do the prize draw once the giveaway closes on Monday 31st of Jan at 11:59pm.

If you haven't yet entered, you can do so by following the instructions on this post.

Artwork & Shipping Info
An abundance of tales (green/yellow marbled fern). 8/8. 2021
Acrylic and oil relief print on 300gsm paper
15 x 24.5cm
Edition of 8
Signed & numbered on the back
Value £32
I will cover international shipping of this print to the winner of the giveaway. If you win please be aware that this print will ship from the UK so you may be liable to paying a customs fee once it enters your country.

I had mentioned last week that as a thank you for your continued support, everyone who was already subscribed to my newsletter or had collected my work prior to the start of the giveaway was automatically entered to the competition.

If you DID NOT want to be entered to the giveaway, now is the time to let me know by emailing info@ariettachandris.com.

I will be contacting the winner of the giveaway personally by the 7th of February, and with their permission will be announcing who they are in my Instagram stories and newsletter.

Thank you for taking part!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #21: A little announcement for next week 🎀

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #21!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Oops, I'm a day late in saying hi this week!

The reason for this is that I'm planning my first ever Instagram giveaway and I've been trying to work out how to go about this before making any announcements.

As you're in my newsletter you get to hear about this first! Woohoo!

Read below this week's picture (which consequently also happens to be the prize for my giveaway) to find out how this is going to work.

(Cropped picture) An abundance of tales (green/yellow marbled fern). 8/8. 2021
Acrylic and oil relief print on 300gsm paper
15 x 24.5cm
Edition of 8
Signed & numbered on the back
Value £32

The giveaway will take place from Monday the 24th to Monday the 31st of January, on my Instagram.

As a thank you for your continued support, I will automatically add you all to the prize draw, so those of you that don't have Instagram don't need to worry about entering the giveaway through there. (Though, those of you that do have an account and want a bonus second entry can still enter by completing the steps on the giveaway post, which will be published on Monday 24th).

If you DO NOT want to take part in the giveaway, just let me know by emailing on info@ariettachandris.com.

I'll draw the winner after the giveaway is over and contact them directly to arrange shipping of the print. I will of course cover the shipping.

Please keep in mind that the print will ship from the UK and, should you win, you need to be aware that you may be liable to having to pay a customs fee once it arrives to your country.

And there you have it!
This is my plan for next week, and I'm pretty excited to see how this goes.

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #20: A feature on Saatchi Art! 🌟

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #20!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

How has your week been?

I've had a much more admin-filled week than I would have liked, but sometimes they are necessary!

You may remember that last week I had promised a little announcement... well, here it is!

On Monday my painting (pictured below) got featured in the curated 'New This Week' section on the well known Saatchi Art website! This is a section that is updated once a week with their Chief Curator's top picks, so I can definitely say that I am so grateful to have had my work included!

You can have a look at my Saatchi Art page here.

There's always someone there for you if you let them be (unless you're a c***), 2021
Oil and biro on canvas
30 x 30 cm
Signed on back
To collect this piece, please email info@ariettachandris.com

Throughout the rest of this week I have been working on giving my website a necessary refresh. If you take a look, you'll find a renewed artist bio in my About/CV section, and you will also see a fresh cover page!

Most importantly, you will see that all the prints that I made in December are now (finally) available to view individually on my website, under the series title Same same, but different. You can take a look at them here.
Any thoughts or feedback on the updates are always welcome!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #19: New year, more art! 🎨

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #19!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Happy new year!
I hope you all had a good break over the past couple of weeks.

I often find it difficult to give myself the space to have a break, but this Christmas/New Year that just passed I fully forced myself into some rest and I think it did me quite a fair bit of good.
One of the nice things about forcing myself to stop constantly doing something is that I finally had a bit of time to reflect on how the year went, and also consider more ideas for the next chapter in my art.

So, before we look ahead, click here for a little recap of some of 2021's artwork highlights from the year that just passed.

Looking ahead to 2022, there's so much I'd like to do! Already, I have several painting and project ideas in the works. Though this month I am aiming to finish the final (for now) piece in my Finding Closeness series (pictured above a small detail of the piece in progress).

I am in talks for some exhibitions and collaborations, and next week I'll also have a little announcement to share with you!

In the meantime, if you've been enjoying these newsletters I'd like to invite you to please share my newsletter to whoever you think may enjoy them!
Doing this will really help get my work just a little step further out there, and every little bit of exposure helps!

(Hi! If you've been forwarded this newsletter by your friend and you'd like to see more, you can sign up here).

As always, I can't thank you enough for your support and faith in my work. I really can't wait to share with you what this year brings on.

See you next week!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! ⭐

A quick note to wish you all
a Merry Christmas and a
healthy & prosperous New Year.

🎁🎄🎁

Thank you so much for your continued support throughout this year.
It doesn't go unnoticed, and I can't put into words how thankful I am.

I hope you all enjoy spending the holidays in whichever way makes you happy.

Installation shot of 'A light to guide your way', 2021.
Acrylic and oil relief print on canvas board.
Photograph by Chris Zinas

See you in the new year!

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #18: Christmas market this Sunday! 🎄🎁

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #18!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

🎁🎄🎁
Come get your Christmas fix this Sunday, 19th December!
My prints will be available from 12-6pm at The Hawk's Nest Christmas Market onGoldhawk Road Station, W12 8DF.

It's all outdoors, and there will be plenty of mulled wine to make you feel warm and cosy! What more could you want just before Christmas?

The prints I have made have so far been incredibly well received, with over a third of them already sold!
(Thank you to everyone that has bought one!).

So, don't miss your chance to get one and to check them out!
(They make lovely gifts for yourself and/or for a loved one).

Each series of prints is limited edition, so while I may re-use a design, I will never do them the same.

Picture of me dusting off a print before packaging it for a client at the art bazaar I took part in, in Athens last weekend!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #17: Same same, but different! 😋

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #17!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

December is upon us and I am super excited to have some of my new prints available at Christmas markets this year, both in London & Athens!

🎄 CHRISTMAS MARKETS 🎄

Wednesday, 8 December 2021, 1 - 5 pm
Pall Mall Deposit
Barlby Road
London
W10 6BL
During this event a raffle will be held in aid of the charity Single Homeless Project 

I realise that a lot of you will be at work during this one, so I'll ensure I've got a solid Instagram presence (follow me here) so that you can send me a message if there's a piece you like! This market is directly opposite my studio space, so if you would like to come and take a look after work please reply to this email so that we can arrange this!

Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 December 2021, 12 - 9pm
Domatio Gallery
Solomou 55
Athens, Greece

Sunday 12 & Sunday 19 December 2021, 12 - 6 pm
The Hawk's Nest
Goldhawk Road Station
London
W12 8DF

A light to guide your way, 2021
12.7 x 17.8 cm
Acrylic and oil relief print on canvas board

An abundance of tales, 2021
16 x 25.5 cm (approx)
Oil relief print on 290gsm paper

🎨 ARTWORK ✨

For all these Christmas markets I have been creating handmade prints. I am calling this series of artworks Same Same, But Different to highlight the fact that even though they are prints no two are exactly the same because I am not a machine, nor am I a magician (despite what I like to tell myself).

Above are some examples of the prints that I have made. There are more designs in the making so be sure to come to the markets to check them out, they will make the perfect gift for your friends, family, and yourself!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #16: A note on inspiration 💫

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #16!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

We didn't meet in your inbox last week, how have you been?

Before I get to my updates, which are at the bottom of the email if you're in a hurry, I wanted to discuss the concept of inspiration, as this is a topic that has come up on several occasions recently.

The concept of inspiration is a funny one. It seems as though it is believed that all artists make things when they’re heavily inspired. I don't, and I can tell you now a lot of other artists I know don't either!

Inspiration in the sense that quickens your heart with excitement, where you can’t wait to put an idea out into the physical world happens inconsistently, often at an inconvenient time, and it is fleeting. Inspiration can be achieved though through hard work.

If I waited for inspiration to hit in order to make something I’d make one or two things a year, and those would probably remain unfinished. So instead, my method is to try and create all the time*, especially when I really don't feel like it. The mantra I've adopted is that even 5 minutes of mark making are 5 minutes more than if I had chosen to not do anything at all. And usually, these 5 minutes turn into 20, which turn into a few hours, and by that point I've done quite a lot and that's when I feel more inspired. 

I'm having a lot of these moments lately, and I'll be sharing the results with you soon! If you're in London you'll be able to see and acquire some of these results in person on the 8th of December. Info after the pics! 

*(When I say all the time, I actually mean most of the time because I'm still human, and need breaks and sleep like everyone else).

On Wednesday the 8th of December, I'll have some work available at a cute little Christmas Market that my studio space is organising. I'm working on some new relief prints for this, and because it's where my studio is you can also visit that! Timings and details tbc, as and when the organisers actually send the info out. Please reply to this email to register your interest in case I need to email separately in the last minute!

Finally, above are some images from my participation at Art Battle last week, which was exhilarating, informative, and an overall 10/10 experience that I am incredibly thankful I now have under my belt. If you want to watch it, you can do so here. Skip ahead by about 1h 24m to get to just before where the first round begins!

As always, thank you for reading!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #15: Making things is always a work in progress

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #15!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

How have you all been this past week?

I celebrated my birthday last weekend which was a lovely little break from the every day, and this week I've been working hard on preparing myself for the Art Battle (less than a week to go!).

I've also been trying to push through some issues with the painting I am currently working on, which is for now the last in my Finding Closeness series. It still has a long way to go, but I've added a progress pic below so feel free to let me know what you think!

If you haven't yet gotten your ticket for the Art Battle next week, now is the time to do so.

Event info:
Art Battle London
18 November 2021
Boston Music Room, 178 Junction Rd, N19 5QQ
6:30pm - 9:30pm GMT
TICKETS

Work in progress

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #14: 13 days to go!

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #14!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Remember, remember…

Only 13 days until I take part in Art Battle London!

Event info:
Art Battle London
18 November 2021
Boston Music Room, 178 Junction Rd, N19 5QQ
6:30pm - 9:30pm GMT
TICKETS

Read on for more information about the structure of the event and to see some ideas that I am considering creating.

A glimpse into my sketchbook
Preparation ideas for Art Battle London

Art Battle is a live painting competition where 12 artists are invited to create the best work they can using only acrylic paint.

Each event features three 20 minute rounds of public painting (6 painters will compete in Round 1, the remaining 6 in Round 2).

The top two painters from each round (as voted by the audience) will go into a 3rd ‘Final Round’ with a new canvas, where they will have to create another painting within 20 minutes.

In the Final Round, the audience will again vote, and a single winner will be chosen for the event, who can then advance to the next level of competition.

All work is auctioned to the highest bidder through a silent auction!

Above are two preliminary sketches I’m preparing for the actual event, as I figured it’s best to go somewhat prepared. What happens on the day, who knows! What do you think of these ideas? Be sure to let me know by replying to this email.

Hope to see you there!

Until then, wishing you a lovely weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #13: Behind the scenes: October round up

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #13!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Happy Halloween! (Well, in 2 days, but still!)

As another month comes to an end, it is that time in our newsletter series where I reflect on October, and look ahead to some of the exciting things happening in November!

Ode to our innocence, 2021
Oil on canvas board
25 x 25 cm
This painting is available to collect, please email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

This month I was pleased to introduce to you my new series of paintings that I have been developing since September 2020. These pieces explore storytelling, composition and how colour guides emotion, with the first piece in the series pictured below, and the second of the series pictured above.

This body of work remains untitled for now, so any suggestions or ideas are welcome! It is also not yet available on my website, as I am not ready to share it fully until I wrap my head around the series a bit further. This month I've added another 2 pieces to this collection that I will share with you soon, and have begun work on 2 more. I am curious though, what do you think of it? How do the colours make you feel, and what associations do you attach to them? Reply to this email and let's chat about it! I always love hearing your opinions.

This month I also unveiled my most recent painting 'Brothers' in my Finding Closeness series (pictured at the end of the newsletter). I posted a reel on my Instagram showing some of the making process of the piece, and you can view this here.

Study of my golden pothos in blue, 2020
Oil on canvas
50 x 50 cm
This painting is available to collect, please email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it
(First piece in the new series I have discussed briefly above)

Looking ahead to November

A reminder that I am taking part in the first ever Art Battle London on the 18th of November at the Boston Music Room.
Here, I will be competing against another 11 artists in creating a complete painting within 20 minutes. This is a live, ticketed event where the audience votes on whose work they'd like to go through to the next round, so if you're in London please do join! You can grab your ticket here.

This coming month I hope to conclude (for now) my Finding Closeness series, as I am keen to focus on the series I've briefly discussed above, and some other projects too.

One of these other projects that I am becoming incredibly excited about is entering the NFT space! And I am doing so with an idea that I haven't seen much of yet, so there's a lot of uncharted territory for me to get through.

The idea is to make my paintings available as NFTs, with the premise that anyone that invests in the NFT version of the painting will also be receiving the physical real life painting, and vice versa. In this fast moving environment where the audience is split between those that understand and believe in the NFT landscape, and those that remain unconvinced or uninformed, this is a way to bridge the gap between the virtual and the physical, in a way that is approachable and tangible.
I'm still working out my footing for this, but I'll keep you updated as and when I make progress! In the meantime, please follow my Twitter and bookmark my OpenSea account, as this is where most of this action will take place!

Brothers, 2021
Oil and phototransfer on canvas
122 x 152 cm
This painting is available to collect, please email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

A longer than intended newsletter today! My apologies for that, but if you made it all the way down here thank you for reading!

Next week will be shorter, I promise.

Until then,
Wishing you a spooky Halloween and a wonderful weekend!

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #12: An Announcement for November

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #12!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

I'd like to start today with a quick reminder that if you've only just subscribed (thank you!) and wish to read previous newsletters, you can do so here.

Read on for my announcement below!

20 minute Art Battle practice
The Orchard, 2021
Acrylic on Foam Board

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to compete in the first ever Art Battle London on the 18th of November! The event will take place at the Boston Music Room, and you are invited to attend!

Art Battle is an international painting competition with iterations across multiple cities, where 12 artists are invited to create a complete painting in 20 minutes in front of a live audience. The audience then votes on their favourite pieces and the selected artists progress further into the competition, with successful artists moving into national and international rounds. In addition, all the artwork produced during the event is available for the audience to buy through a silent auction.

I am both really excited and terrified to be taking part in this event! It is going to be an immense challenge considering my paintings normally take between 30-200+ hours, but I'm looking forward to the experience!

If you would like to attend, please reply to this email and I will forward you the ticket link with a friends & family discount.

Above is a slightly wonky picture of my first pass at a 20 minute practice painting. I used acrylic on foam board. I'm not sure if this is the theme I will choose for the event, but it was a fun bit of practice nonetheless!

Looking forward to hopefully seeing you there!

Until then,
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

p.s. my painting Brothers, which I showed you last week, will be available to view on my website from 3pm BST. Click here to see.

Newsletter Issue #11: The big reveal!

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #11!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Firstly, thank you for being here and for reading! If you're new to these newsletters and would like to read any of the previous ones you can do so here.
Today, I'd like to show you the most recent painting in my Finding Closeness series, and also one of the biggest!

Brothers, 2021
Oil and phototransfer on canvas
122 x 152 cm
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

Here it is! One of the most challenging paintings I have ever painted. I suspect this is because I actually know the people I am painting, so there's a bit more pressure (from me to myself) to get it right. I started work on this piece in mid 2019, and I fully completed it in July 2021! It took over 250 hours of work in total to complete, and to put things into perspective, about 75 of those hours was spent on the striped shirt alone.

As good as it looks in a photo, this is a painting that has a lot to offer when viewed up close. The text from the phototransfer peaks through in the background, and there's some really lovely textures created by this under the paint. If you're in London, and would like to come and say hi in person in my studio let me know by replying to this email!

Above are some detail shots of this piece, so that you can take a closer look. Next week I will be sharing the full artwork on my website and social media, where I will also be sharing a video showing the process of making, so I'll add a way for you to watch that when it's available.

Until then,
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #10: Important Reminder: Be Kind!

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #10!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

We return to our normal broadcasting programme today, with a spotlight on my painting ‘There’s always someone there for you if you let them be (unless you’re a c***). This is a 2021 piece, and arguably one of my favourites. Still part of my Finding Closeness series, but quietly alluding to the direction I am taking for my new work.

There’s always someone there for you if you let them be
(unless you’re a c***), 2021
Oil and biro on canvas
30 x 30 cm
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

I made this piece for the exhibition Art in the Age of Now (which took place in May-June 2021), after my friend and curator MC Llamas invited me to exhibit. This is probably the fastest I’ve ever painted (about 25 hours of painting condensed into two gruelling days of work, not including the research for the background behind the paint). In the background I scribbled a lot: thoughts, headlines, quotes. It was cathartic; and then I painted. I painted from a photo taken by photographer Hannah La Follette Ryan, who runs the Instagram page Subway Hands (with her permission of course). It was a photo that moved me, and resonated with the overall line of enquiry for my Finding Closeness series. This painting was also the first time I painted ripped jeans, which was daunting before I actually did it and realised it’s a much simpler process than I thought it would be!

The title is, well, a valid point. We’ve all gone through the weirdest couple of years. The main thing I’ve learned is: be kind. You don’t know what internal battles people are fighting. This is an especially important reminder now in advance of World Mental Health Day this Sunday, October 10th. As such, if you or someone you know adds this piece to their collection, I will donate 10% of the sale of this piece to Mind charity.

Below some detail shots of the painting, as it dried my background scribbles have become more visible and I really love that.

See you next week, where I’ll be sharing with you my most recent finished painting for my Finding Closeness series. I haven’t shared it on my website or socials in full yet, so you’ll be the first to catch a glimpse!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #9: Behind the scenes: September round up

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #9!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Firstly, happy 1st of the month / October / spooky season to all of you! I don't fully understand how we're already in October, though as the days grow smaller I am starting to look forward to cosy evenings, warm jumpers and a strange sense of focus that comes to me in the winter months.
As is becoming tradition, with this newsletter I pause my weekly focus on a single artwork, and instead share with you some insights from the month of September.

Study of my golden pathos in blue, 2020
Oil on canvas
50 x 50 cm
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

September has been a bit of a whirlwind if I'm being completely truthful! I haven't spent as much time in the studio as I would have liked but the time that I have spent has been super productive.

Throughout September I have been working on three pieces: the final (for now) piece in my Finding Closeness series (check out a work in progress pic below) and two pieces that are part of a new series/project I have been thinking about for some time. (Pictured above is the first painting in this project, which I created around this time last year). The essence of this project is multilayered. It started as an exploration into the significance of colour, but is gradually becoming more than that as each painting takes on a storyline of its own and becomes a space for creative experimentation. I'll share more about these pieces over the next few months as the idea develops and I work on it further.

I also had the opportunity to collaborate with my friend and talented cellist Garwyn Linnell. He improvised on his cello and I painted, allowing the painting process to be guided by the sound of the cello, and vice versa for Garwyn's playing to be guided by my painting. This was such a different approach to painting for me, and I learnt a lot in the process. You can see one of the results of this collaboration below.

Finally, I've been rediscovering some older gouache drawings recently. I'll be archiving these and adding them to my website gradually over the next month or so. I will let you know when they're available to view.

Song of the Weeping Wood, 2021
Oil on canvas
Created in collaboration with Garwyn Linnell

Work in progress painting

October is looking like a busy month ahead with quite a few paintings underway! Next week, I'll be returning to discussing my Finding Closeness series with a spotlight on my 2021 piece 'There's always someone there for you if you let them be (unless you're a c***)', and the week after that I'll share with you the most recent piece I completed in the series earlier in the summer!

Until then, feel free to reply to this email with any thoughts, feedback or questions!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #8: A different approach to Finding Closeness

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #8!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

In continuing our journey through my Finding Closeness series, today I share with you my painting 'The 11th Plague'. Can you guess what this one is about?

The 11th Plague, 2021
Oil and biro on canvas
50.8 x 61 cm
SOLD

The pandemic has affected everyone, of course. One of the things that changed for me was how I approached my Finding Closeness series. The project is based on trying to capture moments of fleeting intimacy primarily in public spaces, something that had to be reconsidered as it became difficult to go out and look for those moments. However, as we are humans in need of social contact we found other ways to be together. This painting is an example of just that.

Based on an image that was shared with me by a friend, The 11th Plague depicts my friend's experience of the 2020 Passover Seder. A tradition normally observed amongst family and friends, was still observed as such but in a different way.

Fun fact: The lurpak took me about 10 hours to paint! You can click on the video below to watch a time-lapse showing some of the painting process.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #7: Current History

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #7!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Today we will be looking at the painting 'Current History', from my Finding Closeness series.
But, before we jump in here's a couple friendly reminders:
(1) the two unique rose relief prints are up for grabs and can be viewed on my website, check them out here, share to whom you think may enjoy them, and reply to this email to enquire!
(2) If you'd like to read any of the previous newsletter issues, you can find them on my website here. I release each newsletter on my website a week after it has been sent out to you, my lovely readers. As always, thank you for the time you spend reading these. It really is a treat to have this space to write to you.

Current History, 2020
Oil and phototransfer on canvas
190.50 x 102 cm
Signed on back
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

'Current History'; an oxymoron of a title, but in a way it makes a lot of sense. This is a painting that came to fruition last summer, and with the help of my family and friends. Perhaps some of you can spot yourselves in the photo transferred border?

In a loose sense I wanted this painting to resemble a tapestry. This endeavour was vaguely inspired by the myth of Arachne, which I became familiarised with a few years ago and it has been embedded in my mind ever since. This was the first painting I created following the first lockdown of 2020, after several months of not creating anything because I'm not great at working from home. 'Current History' is a culmination of all those months at home: the weird aspect of trying to navigate a reality where we couldn't actually do much at all, so many walks, really beautiful sunny days (the world was taunting us), a lot of time spent on zoom and houseparty calls (is the houseparty app even a thing anymore?), even more time obsessively reading the news, because listening to it is a bit much, and finally a secret kind of gratitude for the excuse to be a bit of a hermit. It was current life, but also history in the making.

Fun fact: In the expansive green background I've used a lot of one of my favourite oil paints - Michael Harding's Genuine Naples Yellow Light, which is handmade using techniques dating back to the Old Masters. It's a rather pricey paint, with a 60ml tube costing between £57.24-£71.56 depending on where you get it. (Not as expensive as Lapis Lazuli, but not too far off either). Worth every penny though, I can't imagine my palette without it.

'Current History' as it could look situated on a wall.
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

This painting was featured on a two-page spread in the September 2020 Print Issue 162 of the magazine BHMAgazino in Athens, Greece. I am so grateful to curator Maria Migadi of Martix Art for organising this. It was blissful, as at the same time I had my two other pieces 'We read & read but what do we actually take in?' and 'Love on a Night Train pt. 2' on view at Domatio Gallery also in Athens! Life works itself out so nicely sometimes, don't you agree?

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #6: Seriesception: A mini series within the series

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #6!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Following the August round up in the last issue, I am happy to announce that the two rose artworks are now officially released on my website! Take a look, and share to whomever you think may like them! Also, I would like to extend a warm welcome to my new readers, if you would like to read any of the previous issues, you can find them on my website here.
Now, it is time to continue our journey through the Finding Closeness series. Today we are looking at the mini series within the series Love on a Night Train parts 1-3.

Love on a Night Train Pt 1, 2020
Oil and phototransfer on canvas
50.8 x 61 cm
Signed on back
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

Love on a Night Train Pt 2, 2020
Oil and phototransfer on canvas
50.8 x 61 cm
Signed on back
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

Love on a Night Train Pt 3, 2020
Oil and phototransfer on canvas
50.8 x 61 cm
Signed on back
This painting is available to collect, email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

Working well as a triptych or as stand alone pieces, Love on a Night Train parts 1-3 have an interesting backstory: I don’t know the people in these paintings but their interactions are etched fondly in my memory because they are so similar, yet so different.

In Part 1 we have an older couple: the woman looks so at ease as she rests on the man who is absentmindedly staring toward the adverts at the top of the carriage, waiting for their stop. There’s something peaceful about this, I remember the interaction put a smile on my face. In Part 2 the couple is younger; their energy was chaotic, and to this day I am not sure if they are friends or an item. They hopped on the train like a whirlwind, dropped their bags and plonked themselves onto the seats, where they proceeded to have an animated conversation. I was reading a book at the time and the whole interaction was so out there it made me look up and chuckle. In Part 3 the couple are so enamoured with one another, this was a late night interaction and they were definitely boozy, perhaps they were on a cheerful journey home after a successful date? Who knows.

This is what I really love about the ‘Finding Closeness’ series. In the instances where I don’t know the people I am painting, it is an opportunity to create small stories about who they are and what they’re doing. To people watch, if you will. I’m sure I am often wrong in my assumptions, but that’s not the point. The point is to try and explore this aspect of humanity, these curious fleeting moments that highlight a sense of humanness.

Love on a Night Train Parts 1-3 as they could look in your home.
If you would like to see them separately in different settings email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

These three paintings were featured in the exhibition People Like You + Me at the East London Liquor Company, which I co-curated with Julia Howe in February 2020. 'Love on a Night Train pt. 2' was then also exhibited in September 2020 in the exhibition In Connection at Domatio Gallery in Athens, Greece.

Slightly delayed in sending this newsletter out today as I’ve been travelling!
Feel free, as always, to let me know your thoughts. I always enjoy reading them.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love (from Greece),
Arietta xx

Newsletter Issue #5: Roses are red

Hello, and welcome to Our Newsletter Issue #5!

It is a pleasure to have you here.

Each month I like to spend some time reflecting on how the month that has come to a conclusion has been.
As such, in this issue I pause our journey through the Finding Closeness series, as I instead would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of the work I've been doing throughout August.

Bottom artwork:
4 Roses, 2021
Oil relief print on canvas
20 x 40 cm

email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

Top artwork:
3 Roses, 2021
Oil relief print on canvas
25 x 35 cm

email info@ariettachandris.com to enquire about it

Alongside my painting practice, I strongly cherish any opportunity to try my hand at different types of making. Throughout August, I did just that.

Recently, I've been playing with some new paintings that focus primarily on colour and composition, I'll share more about this this in due course, but the reason I bring it up is because at the core of these paintings is a desire to experiment. In some of these new paintings I wanted to incorporate some relief prints. I wasn't sure how to go about this, but after quite a bit of research I found a way. Before printing directly on my painting I did some trial runs, and honestly, these little experiments had me so excited! They really reminded me of the Greyhound prints I had done in school (links to pics at the bottom of this newsletter if you're curious). As such, I have decided to let these roses have their own life as stand alone pieces. They are available to collect, and soon I will be uploading some proper photos onto my website. I'm so excited about these because it's opened up a potentially entirely new body of work, so watch this space!

Throughout August I've also been working digitally by reimagining some of my drawings that are available through my website. Here again, the practice has centred on playing around with colour and composition so as to complement the new paintings that I've been working on. Eventually I would like to make some of these digital drawings available to collect, but I'll share more information on the release of these when I've ironed out the details.

Sometimes you have to take a close look at yourself, 2021
Digital drawing
Coming soon

In the horizon are dreams, 2021
Digital drawing
Coming soon

So there you have it, some of the work I've done throughout August!
What do you think? Let me know by replying to this email!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of love,
Arietta xx

p.s. here are the Greyhound links in case you're curious:
Greyhound 1
Greyhound 2
Greyhound 3