A La Carte

Java Jolt invites budding artists and photographers to showcase their creativity 

Java Jolt, the neighbourhood café for residents and office workers in the Dubai Silicon Oasis district, supports both amateur and professional artists and photographers by providing an opportunity to display their creative pieces.

Currently the café displays an array of original creations by artist Jennifer Simon. Renowned for her unique depiction of urban cityscapes, Jennifer draws inspiration from her time in the Middle East and her globetrotting experiences. Each painting is available for purchase.

Jennifer Simon (Jen) was born in the UK and has lived in the UAE since 2000. She first emerged on the Abu Dhabi Art Scene in 2007 with her successful solo exhibition titled ‘Lifescapes’. Her work is displayed globally in private and commercial collections.

Jen works closely with the Ewaa Women's Shelter. Under the Initiative of ADMAF (Abu Dhabi music and Arts Foundation), she conducts art workshops with women who have been victims of human trafficking. In May 2012 the first exhibition ‘Silent Voices’ was held at Ghaf Gallery in Abu Dhabi. It was a major success and the artwork produced by the victims raised nearly a quarter of a million dirhams for the shelter.

Java Jolt is located on level 1 of Le Solarium Tower, Dubai Silicon Oasis and is open from 7am to 5pm, Sunday to Thursday. The café is open from 8am to 5pm every Saturday. For more information on booking space for your artwork or photographs, please call 04 320 9292.

About Java Jolt

Java Jolt, the newest artisan café and bakery in Dubai Silicon Oasis, is fast becoming renowned for its organic bread sandwiches, and coffee made using only the freshest ‘RAW’ coffee beans.

In addition, the café provides a variety of organic teas and other refreshing beverages prepared with 100% natural gourmet syrups.

From the bakery, there will also be a wide selection of patisserie items bagels, muffins and even handmade salads.

Java Jolt is located on level 1 of Le Solarium Tower, Dubai Silicon Oasis and is open from 7am to 5pm, Sunday to Thursday. The café is open from 8am to 5pm every Saturday. For more information or reservations, please call 04 320 9292.

RAW boutique roastery ethically sources premium green beans from across the world. The practice involves providing a sustainable living for the farmers and their families.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Java-Jolt/293123844214861

Twitter: @JavaJoltDXB

Instagram: @JavaJoltDXB 

Art Trends 2015

Sorry I've no time to post much about it but wanted to share an event that is happening tomorrow: 'Art Trends 2015' - you can find more information here http://impacthub.ae/event/arttrends2015/

Call to Action for Dubai Based Artists

Call to action: calling local artists and art enthusiasts to submit their concepts for permanent, site-specific pieces of art and sculpture.

·         Supported by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the Al Ghurair Centre’s initiative is a call to regional artists and those residents in the UAE who have a creative flare and passion for art.

·         Concepts for public, site-specific sculptures and installations in the urban hub of the city.

·         Acting as a platform for emerging talent in the region

·         The judges will shortlist entries in October 2014 according to their interpretation of the “some things change, some things stay the same” theme, creative nature and innovative design.

·         Finalists will be announced in November and their installations will be publically unveiled in March 2015.

·         Industry experts involved in the project include;

o   Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum (Emirait) – Artist, photographer and progressive business woman. She is determined to promote artistic development in the UAE

o   Patricia Millns (British) –Her work can be seen in prestigious public and private collections worldwide, including The British Museum, the Royal Commonwealth Society, Sharjah National Museum, the Kuwait National Collection, the Royal Collection of Jordan and the Cultural Foundation of Abu Dhabi and UNIFEM New York.



o   Ebtisam Abdul-Aziz (Emirati) – She has exhibited widely both across the UAE and internationally. A member of the Emirates Fine Art Society she lives and works in Sharjah.

o   Colin Reaney (Kiwi) – Associate Professor in Sculpture at AUD, Colin is involved in many collaborative art projects internationally.

·         Submission are being taken until 10th October 2014

·         To submit a concept visit - http://alghuraircentre.com/publicartinitiative/

Where can I sell my paintings in Dubai?

This is a question that I get asked quite a lot from people already living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi or those wishing or planning to come and live over in the United Arab Emirates. There are a lot of artists in Dubai and the surrounding areas both professional and amateur who are looking to make some money from selling their paintings.

If you are a professional artist with a good reputation then you may be able to sell your paintings in one of the many galleries in Dubai but for most people this is unlikely to be an option.

The first place I would suggest you go if you want to sell your paintings in Dubai is to one of the Arte (Artisans of the Emirates) markets. They hold markets in various locations a few times a month and many amateur and professional artists try and sell their work here. You can find more info on their website here.

My advice would be to go to one of the markets first as a visitor and speak to one of the people who runs it (Miriam or Paul) and also some of the artists who are already selling there. Then you will get a good idea of what kind of art is sold and how to display it. Making contacts with other artists means that you might also find out about other markets and fairs.

Abu Dhabi Art 2013 Wings Project

I have received details of a project being run by Abu Dhabi Art for artists to showcase their work to an international audience so I thought that I would share this in case anyone is interested in taking part. The deadline for entries is Saturday 6th July so there is still time to get together an entry.
Here are the details below from the flyer:

Dubai International Jazz Festival

For the last 6 or 7 years (I have lost count!) I have taken part in the Arts and Crafts Village at the Dubai International Jazz Festival. An area is set aside for around 10 tents selling handmade arts and crafts for the duration of the festival. For a few years this was just 3 days but in the last few years this has been extended to around 10 nights and has moved to a great new venue at Dubai Festival City.

Although it is not that cheap to exhibit (it costs around 5,000 dirhams for a tent although I always share to halve the cost) every year I have covered my costs by sales and usually made a bit of profit. Last year I had the best year in terms of sales and covered the costs of coming over from the UK to participate.

The festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors with great music (not just jazz!). This year (2013) the headline acts are Deep Purple, One Republic and The Script :-) and it runs from 14th to 22nd February.

If you participate in the arts and crafts village then you need to be present every night of the festival to open your tent and sell your wares. However, it is a great atmosphere and you get to hear all the bands and the great music.

If you are interested in taking part in the Jazz Festival (if you are an artist or selling handmade crafts) then contact Carrie Wareham for more info. You can find her facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/CarrieWarehamArt

Where to Buy Custom Canvases?

Ok so I normally get my canvases made by Jam Jar when I am in Dubai but they have changed their price structure recently and they now seem to be way too expensive (I was quoted 432 dirhams for a 120x120cm gallery wrapped canvas). So I need to find somewhere else to get custom canvases made. Either that or I will have to stick to standard sizes.

A few years ago there were quite a few carpenters around who were making custom canvases for reasonable prices but they seem to have gone by the wayside. I know that Emirates Trading sometimes have custom ordered sizes in their shops so I will try them but otherwise if anyone knows someone who makes them then can you please let me know?