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Some Untold Holder’s History

by campbells on March 9, 2021March 19, 2021

Boscoe Holder and Sheila Clarke 1954, Monte Carlo

The Holder family is very well known in England, the United States and the Caribbean have various talents, from dancers, talents, from dancers, choreographers to artists they all have been blessed with artistic talents. Christian Holder is a good friend to Campbells and has always shared some interesting stories of his late father Boscoe Holder and mother Sheila Clarke. Here are just some slices of the little nits of history on the Holder’s life.

Boscoe Holder, painting American actress/singer Bertice Reading, in her dressing room at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1955.

They were both members of the cast of The Jazz Train, along with Sheila Clarke. The show opened in April of that year, touring London to Southend and Bournemouth. It was a revue charting the evolution of the African diaspora’s musical manifestations. Each “carriage” of the Train was devoted to musical “stations” including Gospel, Blues, Cakewalk, Calypso, etc., culminating in standards of the 50s.

Boscoe Holder and Sheila Clarke both toured the world together performing in various theatres and plays. Here is the happy Boscoe and Sheila, couple the year before, 1954, in front of the Casino in Monte Carlo. “Boscoe Holder and his Caribbean Dancers” were headlining the variety bill there. A publicity shot. 1954 was a good year for them; they performed in Finland, Belgium, France, Egypt, Spain, and Switzerland: always returning home to London with records, books, souvenirs and ethnic jewellery. Christian had the opportunity to perform with them in Belgium and France before he began primary school.

It is clear that Sheila Clarke was not only a star in the performances but in both Boscoe and Christian’s life. They both had beautiful paintings and drawings of Sheila Clarke throughout her time.

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A Short Story on the Timelapse of Gin Lane

by campbells on March 1, 2021March 1, 2021

William Hogarth a well known British illustrator of its time once released two striking prints called Beer Street and Gin Lane in 1752. These two images helped the parliament of Great Britain put forward an Act that reduced the consumption of spirits which was then named, Gin Act 1951. The name came from the illustration of Gin Lane which was especially meaningful to this act as it depicts the true evil of excess drinking in those days.

Even though this is over 200 years ago this picture is still fitting to today’s society and culture. Studies have shown that the average adult in the UK consumes 18 units a week. During this pandemic, it is not surprising that the consumption of alcohol has gone up for the individual and as a whole in our society.

Thomas Moore has worked in several bars and pubs from varies areas, so he has experienced the after-work drinking culture as well as witnessing the university students weekday night out. Seeing this ongoing health crisis as well as an ongoing problem that police, government and society still encounter, Thomas has illustrated his personal experiences with William Hogarth storyboard idea. Bringing this acknowledgement of crisis which is years apart but not that different.

Framing

Acrylics as An Alternative

by campbells on February 12, 2021March 1, 2021

Acrylics

Acrylic also known as plexiglass or perspex is a transparent plastic material with outstanding strength, stiffness, and optical clarity. It is usually a popular choice for in kids bedrooms due to its strength. It is more than half the weight of glass with thickness typically varying from 2 – 6mm. Having said this the surface of acrylic is softer and more easily scratched compared to standard glass. Scratches however can sometimes be easily polished in order to remove blemishes, this is different from the standard glass which would need to be completely replaced.

Non-Glare Acrylic Sheeting

The material doesn’t keep the light out entirely. The matte finish non-glare acrylic sheeting provides protection while also allowing clear imagery. This is similar to the non-reflective glass, but again it is usually cheaper and less sensitive to work with. Unlike Anti-reflective glass, non-glare acrylic does require the artwork to be placed directly against the glass in order for the reflections to be absorbed.

UV Acrylic

Solar/UV protected acrylic sheeting is a versatile plastic sheet product that allows for protection against any type of light, by filtering out the glare before reaching the object behind it. This type of acrylic has a variety of benefits including the protection of the artworks or fabrics.

Optimum Museum Acrylic

It’s an acrylic glass that unifies many positive characteristics; It is anti-reflective, shatterproof, scratchproof and has UV rays protection. It is therefore a cheap and better-suited solution for valuable artworks. This is the type of glass we usually see in public spaces as it is protective and non-glare quality is similar to that of standard glass plus it has enough strength that keeps it save from the public.

Acrylic or Glass – The Choice Is Yours.

Artists Prints

Shaquille-Aaron Keith

by campbells on February 4, 2021February 9, 2021

Shaquille-Aaron Keith is one of the artists to collaborate with us and sell his prints worldwide. He was Born 1995 in South East London, Catford, Lewisham, United Kingdom. With his studies on Illustration and visual communication at the University of Westminster, he has become one of the hottest upcoming artists from London. Being featured in various different magazines and blogs he quotes that he never leaves his creative self.

‘Create to express, create to inspire, but none-the-less always creating.’ (Shaquille-Aaron Keith)

During his interview with Notion Online he talks about his aspiration and his goals;

“I dream one day of being able to pull a Basquiat and sell pieces for more than a decent amount of money,” he continues, citing one of “three major inspirations” – Tupac Shakur, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Alexander McQueen. “Those guys changed the world and the world’s way of looking at things,”

In his feature the HOLR in 2020 edition, Shaquille discusses the topics that are close to his heart which inspire his artistry from poetry to paintings. He tells HOLR how social justice and the events are ongoing battles he always had to deal with and he felt it was his responsibility as an artist with a voice to talk about those subjects and communicate the struggles some may not have ever felt or seen.

Shaquille’s artwork rarely comes on the market so we feel privileged he has chosen our platform to share his latest work.

“Everything I create is off feeling. Whether it’s an animation or a painting, there’s definitely a reason I decided to create each piece I make.”

(Shaquille-Aaron Keith)

Shaquille's Work

View more of Shaquille's Original Limited Edition Prints

Prints

Framing

The Use of Glass When Framing

by campbells on February 4, 2021February 12, 2021

Depending on the materials the art uses and where it is going to be placed, the best choice of glass will change accordingly. Here are the different types of glass used in framing and their purposes;

Standard Glass.

About 75% of ultraviolet (UV) light passes through ordinary glass, which may make the art fade or have a photochemical reaction. This means the artwork absorbs the heat of the light, which can make the artwork change in colour, crackle or lift from the surface.
Standard glass is usually a cheaper alternative when framing and is popular when the artwork is made on a canvas as it usually needs less protection, due to the canvas itself containing protective ingredients.

Non- Reflective Glass

Non-Reflect glass also known as ‘Art Glass’ is made with an optic layer which absorbs most of the light that reaches the art stopping any glare or reflection from appearing, this type of glass is usually 16x more effective than regular/reflective glass. A reflective glass will make those glare bounce back which causes the mirror-like effect we see.
Non reflective glass does not protect the artwork from light, it only helps on the appearance of the art itself.

UV Glass

Too much UV exposure from natural light or artificial source can damage works of art over time, which can sometimes be irreparable. When using UV protected glass it can block 99% of harmful rays, which is essential when working with works on paper.
The best way to prevent UV damage is to use glazing layer (glass) that filters out at least 92% of UV light.
With any special piece of artwork it being poster, watercolour, calligraphy or paintings we will always recommend UV glass to keep the work up to standard for a longer period of time.

Museum Graded Glass.

It is ‘Museum Glass’ because it is a museum grade product used to ensure the art is not altered by light or reflection, with the optimum image being shown. Museum Graded glass also helps protect from UV rays, much like the UV glass description shown above, so the art does not get damaged.
This type of glass is generally one of the most expensive choices when framing, as the glass is made to appear invisible and provides all types of protection for the art, it is quite literally what is used in museums.

Acrylics can be used as a cheaper alternative, when framing. Please Visit here for more Information.