Open Art Gallery   6 Nevill Rd  Rottingdean

Nestling between the Downs and the sea, the quaint and quirky little village of Rottingdean has enjoyed an artistic, fascinating and sometimes turbulent existence, from smuggling to Burne-Jones. We are abandoning the smuggling but continuing  the artistic heritage to bring an exciting new venture to the village. This involves drawing together those in the community who would like to contribute to the atmosphere of  creativity, art and friendship.  Eight artists have made it their task to recreate the bohemian dream of an artists' café, where people can gather together to view paintings, sculpture, crafts and poetry, whilst enjoying wholesome hot snacks, cream teas and coffees in warm, welcoming and stimulating company.

Because we believe that children learn an appreciation of beauty and art early in their development, we provide each table with coloured pencils and paper and a children's art display area. We are also running workshops and art classes for children and adults and  Aimee's Saturday drop in mosaic workshop for children is proving to be very popular. Various evening and weekend activities are being organized.

Some of the workshops planned are painting, mosaics, calligraphy, creative word skills, colour theory and jewellery.

Gifts and artworks great and small will be on sale at a price to suit all pockets.

You may wish to sign up to be our Artist of the Month where we will be displaying work from different artists in the local community. Our artists will be exhibiting an ever-changing array of their work throughout the year so you need never be bored with the gallery exhibits.

Our philosophy in this endeavour is to continue the artistic heritage passed down to us from earlier times and to do this in a way that includes and benefits our community and its local artists.

Meet the artists:

Mick Bensley was a student at Norwich School of Art, after which he worked in London for fifteen years as a graphic designer and illustrator. Throughout the seventies, Mick continued to paint maritime watercolours and oils. In 1980 he returned to Norfolk to paint professionally. Mick has since gained an international reputation as a marine artist of skill and accuracy, with paintings in private collections around the world. He now lives anmd works overlooking the sea at Rottingdean on the Sussex coast. He divides his time between painting and teaching.

Christine Harfleet – Liquid Landscapes - sculptor painter published poet

Christine trained for seven years at Goldsmiths Art School, studying both sculpture and painting. Her work is featured in galleries and public and private buildings around the world. She has worked in a variety of materials ranging from metal and wood to her present obsession of fused glass.

‘ Her sculpture and her paintings reflect an endless fascination and appreciation of the natural elements of rock formations, fossils with their hidden secrets, sea and water movements and plant and cell life. Colour and vitality of forms  abound. Glass captures the sunlight and throws it back to us in vibrant colour, transforming the surrounding space.’

Her work is featured in glass art books alongside Patrick Heron and George Papadopoulos. Her published  poetry often has  connections with her sculpture.

Aimee  Harman     

Mark and Aimee Harman (previously Saic )  are known as The Mosaic Mad Romans from Peacehaven East Sussex, They delight in developing and manufacturing their own range of Mini Mosaic Kits, Designed with Children in Mind ! From Roman themed projects to Typically Modern English Ideas, they produce Female Gladiators, Rainbows and Cupcakes and many more

 Mosaic kits to take home that are Fun, Easy AND safe (they have been CE stamped for safety) Everything is included even the glue.

The Roman range has been successfully accepted and selling well at The British Museum, and many other well known Roman Sites across England and Wales ...even Ireland !

Their strengths lay in the good working relationship they have, turning their love for History into something real you can make and hold whilst learning a little bit about the Past at the same time.

They also organise School Roman Days , dressed as Minerva and Marcus Annoyus the slave ..they arrive at your school to teach you about the Romans and their way of life, as well get the opportunity to make a Mosaic to take home after grouting it !

Marcus also has a wonderful talent for making fused glass jewellery, and tiles which are used within the Mosaic kits for Adults.

Aimee continues to work on Commissions for The Orient -Express Northern Belle Train, based in Crewe, where she is designing and making 8 new floors in Mosaic.

Amanda Davidson studied Art and Design at Canterbury and Brighton Art colleges of Art.  After working in several design studios, Amanda was approached by Collins Publishers to write and illustrate a series of books for children. Teddy’s first Christmas was the first of 13 books. She then went on to create 4 books for Methuen followed by a series of Adult Craft books with David and Charles Publishers and numerous projects for craft magazines. Amanda has also enjoyed working with interior designers and architects to produce murals and paint effects for restoration projects, hotels and private homes around the country and abroad. Her first love however is to draw architectural buildings in pen and ink and watercolour. Teaching and running workshops has been she feels a natural progression to sharing and communicating the world of Art with those who wish to nurture their own creative abilities.

Mike Jerrome calligrapher photographer served an apprenticeship as a sign writer and has never lost his love of lettering. He is also an accomplished printmaker, working mainly with screen process and teaches both calligraphy and screen printing in the Rottingdean area. Digital photography and image manipulation is another more recent interest. He is experimenting with the production of digital art.

Sue Warner

Sue is initially a painter in acrylics and mixed media.  Landscapes, dynamic flowers and fascinating rockpools are amongst her subjects.   Recently she has begun to develop a range of jewellery which has caught the public eye, with its intricacy and richness of  colour.  Her displays are like an Aladdin’s cave and reflect the flavor of her paintings.