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a bit about
I'm Mike Fell, a south London-based tape artist and printmaker (when I'm not researching home energy use at UCL -- for info on my academic work see my profile page). I draw with cassette tape and nails on board.
You can "Like" my Facebook page below to track available/sold work and upcoming exhibitions. Please contact me about commissions, shows, pricing and with any questions (and see my FAQs). Some works are for sale at Makerhood.
mike at mikefell.co.uk // @mikefsway
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Tape
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where to see it
- Ongoing8-11 May 2013: ReARTiculate, Bermondsey Project, LondonI usually have a few pictures on display in 2&6 in Brixton.UpcomingDetails soon.Past
12 March 2013: UCL Art Society Growth and Decay exhibition, UCL, London12 Dec 2012 - 5 Jan 2013: Brick Lane Gallery's Christmas Pop-up Exhibition. Brick Lane, London.14-15 July 2012: Urban Art Fair, Josephine Avenue, Brixton (on Makerhood stall)9 June 2012: Brixton Makers' Market, Brixton Station Road, Brixton24-27 May 2012: Flint Art Fair, Norfolk1 Sep - 2 Oct 2011: The Fishwick Papers (East London Printmakers exhibition), Forman's Smokehouse Gallery, Hackney Wick.7 - 11 July 2011: East London Printmakers Annual Exhibition, [space], London Fields.
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FAQs
- Why do you draw with tape?I've been making tape drawings off and on since 2007. I love the way that the image changes completely depending on viewing angle and lighting. I started off using pins and cork pin-boards which allows finer detail but is less durable. Most of these early pictures ended up with friends or even random people who happened to be around the flat (we needed the space). I started selling in spring 2012.Where do you get your tapes?I used to get them in charity shops, but it's getting harder and harder to find them. My best source now is freecyle. If you have a bag/box of old cassettes you're thinking of getting rid of (and live in London), drop me a line and I might be able to make use of them.What about framing?Tape drawings look great in a glazed box frame. I can arrange framing at a favourable price compared to most high street framers, so get in touch if you'd like to discuss.Do you do commissions?Yes, I'm happy to discuss any kind of commission (including for illustration work). Please get in touch and let me know what you have in mind.
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Posts
- May 09, 13
I have some pictures up in an exhibition which is on at the moment in Bermondsey — ReARTiculate.
The exhibition features: “artworks that communicate sustainability and recycling, hosting artists who use discarded materials in their work”. Check out this video by the organizers:
The exhibition runs until Saturday 11 May 2013. Hope you can make it (and sorry for the late notice)!
- Jan 04, 13
Happy New Year! 2012 was a fun and interesting year for me, starting out with a stall on Brixton market, taking part in several shows and art fairs and ending up with the xmas pop-up exhibition at Brick Lane Gallery (which is on until 7 Jan I believe — and very happy to hear that both my pictures were sold). For most of the latter part of the year I was working on commissions (which I’m always happy to discuss), but in 2013 I “resolve” to also do more work off of my own back. As always, interesting tapes gratefully received! Finally, thanks to everyone who has encouraged me with suggestions, contacts, purchases and general enthusiasm — especially to Sofie and Fede for their early encouragement. Cheers!
- Nov 13, 12
The end of the summer has been a pretty busy time for me in my non-tape-related life, hence the lack of updates here. However, I’ve been privileged to work on a few commissions.
One was the above piece for Vision Nine, which is based on their new logo. I haven’t used lettering in tape pictures before but am very pleased with how it came out — and I’ll be looking to do some of my own designs along these lines in future.
- Jul 26, 12
I’m pleased to say I’ve sorted out a few framing options for my tape drawings. Here is one in a deep, glazed box frame.
The frames are available in natural wood, black and white finishes. I’ll post images of some of the other frames when I have photos and the opportunity.
- Jul 17, 12
I took a section of the Makerhood stall at Urban Art Fair in Brixton this weekend gone. Unfortunately the Saturday was pretty miserable weather-wise, but things cleared up on Sunday and there was more of the festival atmosphere I’d been looking forward to. Here’s a picture of the stall on Sunday.
The other work you can see on the stall is by local artists (from left to right) Ray Stanbrook, Sweet View and Sharon Kaye.
When we weren’t hoisting a plastic cover up and down over our work, the prints in particular were flying and judging by the tweets I’ve been reading during and after the show a good time was had by all. Just a shame London Kettle Popcorn weren’t on the food roster!
- Jun 14, 12
This one came and went (sold) very quickly:
These ones now available:
- May 23, 12
The Flint Art Fair is being held to coincide with the Subaru Houghton International equestrian event at Houghton Hall in Norfolk. You can get in free with a ticket to the horse bit. Here are the artists who are featured:
Ben Allen
Steve Allen
Jeanette Barnes
Christopher Baxter
Sir Peter Blake RA
Paul Brandford
Katie Brookes
Bob Catchpole
Zsi Chimera
Dolores De Sade
Graham Dunn
Rosie Emerson
Pure Evil
Mike Fell
Matt Forster
Sir Terry Frost RA
Amy Goodman
Al Gray
Robert Indiana
Endri Kosturi
Jean Lagadec
Mel Ramos
Peter Rapp
Neil Weerdmeester
I have to admit I did a bit of a double-take when I saw some of the names. As well as those I know from East London Printmakers, there are also those I know from designing the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s (Peter Blake), a major exhibition at the Albertina in Vienna which I visited (Mel Ramos) and The Apprentice (Pure Evil)!
- May 16, 12
I had a really fun time on the day, handed out lots of cards and sold a couple of pictures. It was good to chat to Devastating Beauty people on the stall next to mine (couldn’t find a website or I’d provide a link)!
- May 14, 12
I’ll be using it (as well as this website) to upload images of new work and to post details of exhibitions and markets where I’ll be showing my work. Hopefully see you there!
- May 10, 12
Looking forward to having my own stand! Just head to Brixton Station Road between 10am and 5pm. Here are a few of the latest ones I’ve made — some to be available on Saturday.
- Apr 18, 12
I dropped off Where the Wild Things Were and Sleeping Beauty there yesterday. It’s a great little place selling a mix of clothes, furniture, art and most attractively of all (for me) banjos and cigar box guitars made by Flatfoot Johnny.
- Jan 12, 12
I submitted the research proposal today. I’m going to be paying particular attention to the use of home energy monitors in energy education, holding focus groups at a couple of schools. Now for some reading…
- Sep 05, 11
The latest East London Printmakers exhibition (“The FishWick Papers”) kicked off last Thursday at Forman’s Smokehouse Gallery and runs throughout September. Here is the piece which I submitted (a smoked woodcut print called “Preservation”):
The gallery is great — a really large, modern space which shows off all of the work to its best advantage. And as always, I was super-impressed by the quality of the work on display and it is constantly inspiring to see how different members of ELP respond to the challenges of their chosen printmaking method and subject matter.
The exhibition was one of Time Out’s five recommended First Thursday events and (perhaps naturally) I would also strongly suggest a trip out east.
- Aug 15, 11
My friend Rachel works for a charity called In Kind Direct. Businesses can donate surplus supplies or excess/end-of-line stock to them for resale to charities. In Kind sell it on at a super-cut price, basically covering their costs. I think it’s a great idea — finding a use for stuff which would likely otherwise be thrown away, and giving charities access to a wide range of useful goods at a price they can afford. If you have a load of stock to get rid of — whether it is office furniture, clothing, electrical goods, household products, or anything — follow the link to donate surplus goods to charity.
- Aug 06, 11
The next East London Printmakers exhibition is at Forman’s Smokehouse Gallery in Hackney Wick (details here). I decided to try out smoking my prints (in the “smokehouse” rather than the “cigarette” sense…). Here are some photos of the process.
I used wood I cut from the plate to create the smoke:
I used our Cobb BBQ to generate the heat:
A tarpaulin keeps the smoke in, along with the plate from the print for the previous ELP exhibition:
Smoke:
So, was it worth the effort? The ink did darken a bit, and the prints certainly have a nice aroma, but next time I’d experiment with different paper and possibly with dampening the paper in advance of smoking to try to hold onto more of the smoke. But check out the exhibition to see for yourself!
- Jul 27, 11
I mentioned in a couple of posts below that I had recently become aware of the Beanery cafe and the Whirled Art Cinema, both in Loughborough Junction. I now go along to both pretty often; the Beanery to get out of the flat when I’m working at home, the cinema to catch up on films which I missed in the Ritzy (or which themselves missed the Ritzy). Both are excellent and highly recommended. The cinema especially — it’s great to sit watching interesting film with the occasional train rumbling overhead and cool beer in my hand (and in the knowledge that I can be home within five minutes of the end).
NB Try the pizza at the Beanery — highly recommended and very good value!
- Jul 19, 11
Well, if you live in south east London (for the moment anyway). My friends Rob and Karen have set up London Kettle Popcorn, to my knowledge the only place you can buy freshly made kettle popcorn in London and possibly the UK. It is cooked at over 400 degrees C over a raging flame in a huge cauldron — so good theatre (and more importantly is great tasting and very addictive). Check out the site to see where the stand will be cropping up next.
- Jul 19, 11
A woodcut of me playing the ukelele:
