Art Evolution artist Frank Briffa has been recruited as an advisor for the redevelopment of the Whitley Bay Playhouse.
Back in November the abstract painter was contacted by the Artistic Director of Whitley Bay Regeneration, with a view to assisting the project. Having seen Franks paintings, he felt he knew something about colour and enquired if the painter would be interested providing advice for colour choices used within the redevelopment of the Whitley Bay Playhouse.
For this seasoned painter this is completely new role for me and one he has taken on whole heartedly. As Frank describes “So far the experience has proved to be very interesting. As a painter I am used to a solitary way of working and now I am liaising with architects, surveyors, builders etc., at site meetings. This does lead to some constraints in realising ideas which are based on aesthetic considerations but I must say that all the people I have come into contact with on this project have been very receptive to my suggestions and ideas.
Frank goes on to say “On a personal level this has been a great opportunity for me to add another dimension to my practice. On a more general level I think it is very encouraging that a project like this is willing to have the input of artists I feel this is important – often the aesthetic possibilities (as distinct from design) are not considered in this type of enterprise. Colour in particular, which can have a huge impact on the feel of a place, is sometimes left as a sort of afterthought. The involvement of artists in this type of project should be more common than it is at present and I am very happy to be a part of what I hope will be a continuing trend.
So far Frank has completed schemes for the auditorium and his now working on the main reception areas.
December 3, 2008 8:39pm
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