Simon Tozer

Open studios! Artists in Centrespace have been dusting for literally ages in preparation. It’s the annual event this Saturday - don’t come on Sunday - but you can come Friday evening. Come Friday for drinks, Saturday for cakes. There’s another reason to come, at the same time in the @centrespacegallery next door We’re Here Now: four of Bristol’s very best illustrators. @whnbristol check them out.. For reasons too long to explain in one post (another time) l have moved into a tiny cupboard studio and so am not showing my work. However, I’m going to be around. I am the official meet and greet, so if you come, you’ll see me.

Here’s another print from the back of the planchest, this never made it beyond the proofing stage - possibly the right decision, although I do like the recumbent Elvis. #elvis #hairart #morrissey

I found this while searching through my planchest. It’s called Swooning Woman and Folk Musician. . . #screenprintart #ukprintmakers #backoftheplanchest

I’m going through my planchest, and finding prints I forgot I ever made. I found this one from 15 years ago or something. It’s a cat ninja. . . #screenprint #catart #gingham #printmakingartist

Thanks to @theprinthaus for putting on another great weekend for print lovers with #printedfestival at @chapterartscentre . These pictures are from a little workshop I ran which was called Art Department Rules! It was based on the creativity teaching of Sister Corita Kent. I did a similar workshop at the festival last year, where we made fold out books; this time we made an album! Easier to store than a big fold out book - if you have a vinyl collection at least. Examples of some of the work made, using screenprint, collage and some markmaking. Thanks to everyone for taking a punt and trying out this workshop - and really going for it! And thanks especially to Lucy Male for all the help. And to the brilliant Tom and Aidan for making the whole thing happen. #coritakent #coritarules #screenprint

I had the great pleasure of meeting Nick Park a couple of days before the trail began at an event for the artists at Aardman. We are standing on each side of Astrognome, a gnome with extensions that Nick designed, and I was lucky enough to paint. He is based on the rocket in A Grand Day Out. I feel like there’s something of Noddy Holder in the gnome, but even more so with the glam rock boots. Astrognome is sited at @wethecurious_ an ideal spot in this weather as you can lie down in the fountains to cool off. (Don’t drink the water kids) or just get an ice cream. Hoping this trail (and the auction to follow) will again be a cracking success!

I’m a bit slow off the mark here as the Wallis and Gromit trail has started already - I have some catching up to do with the social media! Here are some closeups of Sweet and Tidy, my version of the deranged gnome. This trail is all about the movies, but my gnome is more about the cinema foyer, and some of the snacks you might think about on your way in to the movie. If you’d like to see him, he’s at the @warmley_waiting_room , a brilliant little cafe on the Bristol Bath cycle path, so you can visit by bike! And if you’ve never ventured up the cycle path, it’s a really lovely traffic free easy ride through Bristol. It used to be my route to work when I was art technician at John Bentley School, and I loved the commute. Being part of this third Gromit Unleashed Trail has been great. I have been lucky enough to take part in the others too, and it’s really nice to spend time in the painting space with the other painters. All of us working on our own visual conundrums, like in my case trying to paint a waffle cone or a rainbow belt. The popcorn was also a bit of a challenge, but I got there in the end. The whole point though is of course the astonishing fundraising work of @thegrandappeal that helps to improve the quality of life of children with the most serious conditions, and of giving support to families in unimaginably hard times. It’s a privilege to be able to be a small part of that work. The sponsors for Sweet and Tidy are @globalfurniturealliance whose generosity has paid the cost of creating the sculpture, and these sculptures are not cheap, so many thanks, and thanks to all the sponsors, without whom there would be no trail! There’s a special trail App, I’ll put the link to that in my bio now.

Another Printed Festival workshop drop! Join proficient printmaker and @screenprint2024 organiser, @simonjtozer in this super exciting workshop! Taking place on Sunday 29th June, 1-3:30pm in the @chapterartscentre cinema foyer. Power Up! In this workshop you will make art using some of the approaches to creativity that Corita Kent developed, with reference to some of the Art Department Rules that were pinned on the wall in the art room where she taught at Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles. Using mark making, collage and text and some screenprint, you will make foldout books using Corita’s principle that making art is just about putting things together. Gonna be a good one! Get your tickets via our Linktree in bio! // Gweithdy Gŵyl Printiedig arall wedi dod! Ymunwch â’r gwneuthurwr printiau medrus a threfnydd @screenprint2024 , @simonjtozer , yn y gweithdy cyffrous iawn hwn! Yn digwydd ddydd Sul 29 Mehefin, 1-3:30pm yng nghyntedd sinema @chapterartscentre . Pweru! Yn y gweithdy hwn byddwch yn creu celf gan ddefnyddio rhai o’r dulliau creadigol a ddatblygodd Corita Kent, gan gyfeirio at rai o Reolau’r Adran Gelf a oedd wedi’u pinio ar y wal yn yr ystafell gelf lle bu’n addysgu yng Ngholeg y Galon Ddihalog, Los Angeles. Gan ddefnyddio gwneud marciau, collage a thestun a rhywfaint o brint sgrin, byddwch yn gwneud llyfrau plygu allan gan ddefnyddio egwyddor Corita mai dim ond rhoi pethau at ei gilydd yw gwneud celf. Bydd yn un da! Sicrhewch eich tocynnau trwy ein Linktree yn y bio! . . . #printed #printedfestival #printfestival #festival #printmaking #printers #vivalaprint #community #local #supportlocal #printhaus #theprinthaus #cardiff #wales

There are more puffins now. Ive got them all over the studio. Both the sindgle and multiple puffin prints are now at @priorshopbristol . Three colour screen prints printed on luscious handmade @khadipapers . Feels a bit bold using the word luscious, but it is very nice paper. #puffinart #screenprint #birdart

Maybe it’s a seasonal thing but the seems to be a lot of puffins appearing in the studio. #screenprint #puffin #puffinsofinstagram #khadi #handprinted

Well Wallace & Gromit fans… We’ve just been given our first sneak peak of this year’s statutes for the film themed Gromit Unleashed Trail 🧀 👀 This year we take part again and we can’t wait! Our traders have teamed up with @bristolfilmoffice to host a Gromit in the midst of the market… Soon you’ll be invited down to hunt him out 🐾🐾 We’re still waiting to find out which Gromit will be coming to join our traders at St Nick’s… Watch this space!! We’d like to give a big congratulations to our artist friend and collaborator @simonjtozer for getting the opportunity to design a Norbot 🍦what an amazing job he’s done (far left!) The sculptures will be placed around the city 30th June - so trail maps at the ready Bristol 🔎🗺️ @thegrandappeal