BBC drops into the ANTFOX Gallery

Sat outside the gallery one morning and I became aware that someone was behind me.

‘Excuse me Sir, do you mind if we film you for a section putting together for the BBC’s The One Show?’.

‘Not at all', what’s it about?

‘What makes us happy.’

Bemused, ‘If I’m not painting, I’m not happy. The only time I’m happy is when I’m painting .’ was the first thing that came out.

My old favourite is, ‘find something you love and you will never work a day in your life.’ a quote often attributed to Confucius or thereabouts.

Either way, they caught me at a moment of reflection having recently moved into being a full time artist seems to be agreeing with me.

Aired on 27 May 2019 BBC One, The One Show.

Painting in the treehouse

During our recent painting tour of Sri Lanka I found a perfect tree top hideaway painting studio.

I am not saying it had an influence on the paintings I produced up there, but what do you think?

Canvas and Paper prints of this work are available here.

Nepal painting trip, sights & sounds

This April, the Foxes are having the pleasure of experiencing all that Nepal has to offer. From the sights and sound of the cities and the nature, to the food and the music of the valleys and the mountains. Here I have tried to encapsulate in 2 tiny minutes the bustle, calm, wealth and beauty of this amazing country.

We will be back in the Gallery with a tan and a head full of Nepalese spiced inspiration on the 20th April.

A Returning Model

5 years ago I sketched a random stranger’s dog as I sat in a sunny spot outside a pub in Brighton and shared a pint with his owner. 

And look who can to visit the gallery today.. 

Thanks to Tim Parfitt for bringing Suki along, it was nice to see you both again. 

Whatever Animation

Inspired by descriptions of Vigee le Brun, a controversial self taught artist in a time where women struggled to be accepted into roles beyond their gender expectations.

A satirical look at how this ‘powerhouse’ of her time, might elicit a smile from the staunchest feminist movement, if such a prominent and accomplished lady could be occasionally caught off guard in a modern digital world.

Available as mounted paper fine art print (with or without a frame) or as a hand finished, limited edition canvas. Click here for purchase options

Brighton Artist, Ant Fox is proud to be part of the new Superheroes and Villains exhibition.

It’s time to escape the realities of the real world and enter the alternate Earth's of the comic book and it’s heroes.

Following the incredibly popular War in the Stars group exhibition this winter, Brighton based Dynamite Gallery are championing Heroes and Villains and the comic book realities they inhabit.

Bighton Artist Ant Fox will be featuring along side a collection of artists from around the world, the comic book themed group show will display an eclectic mix of original and printed artwork, sculpture, and custom toys.

Gallery owner, Henry Gomez says of the show:

“Since Iron Man came out in the cinemas just over 10 years ago, the Superhero genre has taken over the mainstream. No longer the preserve of geeks in their bedrooms, these characters some of them over 80 years old, are everywhere we look, dominating the box office, taking over our TV screens, and becoming some of the biggest selling computer games of all time.”

While these comic book characters have escaped the confines of the original books and broken out into every form of media imaginable, the show aims to highlight and reinterpret what is traditionally a simple form of illustration into incredibly expressive works of art.

Gomez continued “The art work of Jack Kirby, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, and Bill Finger, and so many others, plus the incredible characters that Stan Lee and Jerry Siegal helped create have inspired generations of kids and adults alike. Taking us away from the monotony of real life and taking us to places beyond our imaginations. Metropolis, Wakanda, Xandar, none of these places exist but we’ve visited all of them. With Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and maybe the ultimate escapism character Shazam! all having new films this year, we felt it was the perfect time to celebrate these heroes who are better people than the political leaders we are meant to follow and be inspired by. We can escape the grim realities of the real world with the help of these colourful characters. 

You can see the Exhibition at

The Dynamite Gallery 13 Trafalgar Street Brighton from the 2nd of March - 22nd April 2019

BEER

I am proud to announce that in collaboration with Marwood Coffee Shop & Unbarred Brewery We have created a Beer

A while a go I did a painting for the owners Harry & Raf which hangs proudly on the wall behind the bar. Because of that painting they asked me if I would design the beer can for their new beer,, and at last, here it is

The beer is called “Jump in the Line” (after Harry’s favourite song) and is described as a “Conga starting Pale ale 5.7%”

The design features a scene of the inside of the Bar and characters including the brewers and staff.

So get down to Marwoods (52 Ship Street, Brighton) and grab yourself a beer.

Tell them that you are a friend of Ant and get a 10% discount (t&c’s apply (and depending what kind of mood Harry is in)).

A thank you painting

A few weeks a go, this beautiful man drove 400 miles to collect my Mum and brought her to me for a weekend in Brighton.

Thank you Rupert

(Ollie liked it too)

November Poppies at the Seafront Gallery

In between all those storm warnings it’s still been possible to adopt Brighton’s seafront as my open air studio to finish off work on these vibrant poppies. 

For each order of "Poppies" or any of the "Summer Sun" collection bought through the website for the whole of November, a £5 charity donation will go to The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal….

http://www.antfox.com/canvas-prints/poppies

Lest we forget.  

Opening of the New Antfox Gallery

A huge and heart felt thanks to every that turned up to help us celebrate the launch of the our new gallery on Brighton seafront on Friday evening. You are all welcome back anytime

 

Come and find us to see our range of original artworks and print

The Antfox Gallery

Arch 234,

Kingsway

Brighton

BN1 1NB

Paddle Round the Pier 2018 Promotion

This month, to celebrate Brightons 22nd year of Paddle Round the Pier, The Antfox Gallery is offering a 10% discount on any of our painting, just use the promo code "PADDLE" on checkout.

Offer last until 31st July

Ring-carnation

Once upon a time..

... a woman had a silver ring. The woman loved this ring and took it with her on many adventures around the world. The ring had magical properties and was adorned with a beautiful topaz  with the ability to summon barracudas from the depths. Alas, after it's many many travels, the ring got battered and bashed and the woman became worried that she might loose the magic topaz for ever to the depths of the ocean.

One day the woman met a man. The man liked the ring very much. Seeing that the woman was worried that one day she might lose the magic baracuda stone, he took the ring and turned it over in his hand. He imagined the stone in a new ring. One of stronger metals and a safer setting. 

The man then took the ring to a master jeweller, instructing him to use the finest and hardest metals to recraft the ring and remake it beautiful and strong. Strong enough for their travels together to the deepest sea and highest mountain.

The Jeweller did well and the man shook his hand. He gave the magic barracuda ring back to the woman and she was happy.

Happy Birthday Naomi

Hide & Seek

Our seaside city of Brighton & Hove has long had the reputation for salubrious frivolity with an alternative twist. 

As the city has grown in popularity the parking has remained at the top of the moans and grumble list along with stag and hen nights, seagulls, and the general crowds of tourists each year. 

Our traffic wardens have an uneviable repuation for being the most vigilant in the country as they pound the streets issueing tickets to the ill informed.  

As little protest, somebody (who shall remain namless) has produced a piece of wall art to entertain the locals and visitors alike as they drive around and around looking for an over priced and rare parking spot.

Antfox 2018 Artist Open House at YMCA

We are excited to be taking part in Artists Open Houses festival this May for the third year running. Our artwork will be displayed along with 20 local artists at YMCA head office in Reed House. All proceeds from artwork sales will go towards helping vulnerable and disadvantaged young people get back into work or education #AOH #AOH2018 #AOHMAY2018#HOVEARTS

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Pop in to YMCA's HQ on Palmeria Square over any of the next 4 weekends to have a gander!

"Major Budgie" hot off the press

Major Budgie becomes 1 of the 356 prints heading to (as yet) undisclosed locations in Cardiff and Portsmouth. More details  for this print can be found here

Image thanks to Harwood King Print Makers

Bubblegum Girl is a symbol for French "Smart Life"

We are happy to announce our "Girl with a Pink Bubble" as part of the French Bank #Sofinco rebrand and TV advert. Have a look from 30 seconds in and let us know if you spot it. 

Texture Painting Technique

I am often asked how we get the rich painted texture strokes on my our canvas prints. Here is a short video of the process as I add the final touches on one of our Chimpspeare canvases

Click here for more information on this piece

The Chess Game

A little while ago I found myself across a chess board in an hotel in Leicestershire enjoying a few drinks with my friend Slavomir. The sketches from that evening are now finished as a painting which I think capture the concentration and fuzziness of that evening.

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Brighton Bierhaus Reveal Their New Painting by Ant Fox

This week The Brighton Bier House unveiled a new painting of ours, "Brighton Bench".

In the original painting (based on the photography of Natalie Edge), the woman in the painting is passing the guy a milkshake. Now after the rework on this canvas, they are now sharing a Brighton Bier

Prints are available from the Brighton Bierhaus

“Wouldn’t it be great if we could put a beer in her hand”

— Ollie Fisher Brighton Bier Director

Husband and Wife, 60 years in paint

A year ago I finished a painting for my father of his favourite photo of my mother. The original picture was taken in 1957 on their honeymoon in Birkenhead. The photo has been next to his lounge chair in later years and been the cause of many daydreams of their years together, the reason why I decided to paint it for him.

On the 2nd of May this year my father past away at the age of 80 and was buried along with his favourite photo of his wife. In an impossibly futile attempt to redress the loss, I produced a painting for my mother, of my father, taken on that same afternoon, in Birkenhead of March 1957. The implied invitation of Dad saving her a seat next to him on the bench is not wasted on Mom.

Both paintings now hang next to each other in the home they shared for 60 years.