Buying Art Materials in Dubai

As an artist I am often asked where I get my materials and what materials that I use. So for anyone new to Dubai or wondering where you can get art supplies from then the main shops I go to are Kazim at 'Magrudy's Mall' on Beach Road (near the flag past Mercato towards Diyafa Street) It is at the other end of the mall to Magrudy's on the ground floor and is a stationary shop but sells a lot of artists materials including canvases, oil paint, acrylic paint, artists papers, brushes etc. In fact almost anything you might want!

The other place I get my materials is Emirates Trading. They have a big branch near Maktoum Bridge and also smaller branches at DIAC, DUCTAC and Bin Sougat Centre amongst others. The nearest one to 'New Dubai' would be in the art centre at Mall of the Emirates, on the 2nd floor, access from the car park.

Guggenheim Exhibition in Abu Dhabi

If you get a chance before it ends (4th Feb) and you are a fan of abstract art then you must go and see the exhibition of more than 50 paintings from the Guggenheim collection in New York that are currently on display at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. There are some really amazing pieces there that just aren't done justice by photographs including some by Kandinsky, Klee, Pollock, Cezanne and Mondrian to mention just a few. You can really draw some inspiration from this exhibition and it bodes well as to what the Guggenheim will have to offer when it opens in 2013.

Back to the blog!

So it has been a while since I posted on this blog. A lot of things have happened in the last year most notably obviously is the financial crisis that has hit us all. Art has been no exception to this and for the last year the market has definitely been on the slide for original artwork both for individuals and corporate projects.

A lot of the hotels and residential projects have been delayed or put on hold and so interior designers are not getting so much work in as well as the art sourcing companies that are employed to find suitable artwork for hotels etc.

Things have been tough but it does look like they might be on the rise again. Having completed artwork in the last few years for 4 Points Sheraton, Marriott Harbour, Sofitel JBR and the Dubai Mall Hotel amongst others, I have recently been asked for quotes for 3 more hotel jobs so hopefully projects are being put back on the table.

I am still down at the market at The Walk at JBR every Saturday so if you are around come and see me there. I have a few new lines in smaller paintings and also the multi-coloured paintings that were received so well when I started them last year.

Covent Garden Market Dubai

The marina Market becomes bigger and better by moving to The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence and becoming Covent Garden Market Dubai. It will feature around 75 stalls together with street entertainers and is located right amongst the cafes and shops on the beachfront walkway. Come down every Friday and Saturday (I will be there every Saturday) from 10am until 8pm until the end of April.

Feature in Time Out Magazine 4-11 December 2008

Carrie and I were featured in Time Out Magazine in an article about Al Quoz and how it attracts artists. You can see the article here without the picture and I have also uploaded a scan of it.

Marina Market Starting Again

So another season at the marina market beckons from this weekend onwards. I am looking forward to getting out there and seeing people face to face on a regular basis again after the summer break. It will also be good to catch up with some of the other regular traders. The market is open Fridays and Saturdays from 11am until 7pm but I will only be there on Saturdays as I think 2 days will be too much at the weekend. I will endeavour once again to have at least one or two new pieces each weekend. You can see more info about the market at www.marinamarket.ae.

Summer is busy!

So the markets at Spitalfields went well and I sold 12 paintings over the 2 weekends. Heading back to Dubai for the summer I thought things might be a bit quiet but I was wrong! In addition to the paintings I knew I had to do for a new gallery/shop opening in the Dubai Mall in August (details when all is confirmed), I have another couple of orders in the pipeline for commercial projects. These will keep me busy for at least the next 3-4 weeks which is great. I am happy to be working once again in oils as they are my preferred medium but I just don't get the time to use them in the busy market periods.

Dubai Summer Surprises usually hosts an Art Oasis week and this year it is at Wafi. Unfortunately the space we have been allocated each is only big enough for 2 of my paintings when I would usually exhibit 5 or 6 so that is a bit disappointing but I'll go for it anyway and see what happens. It is on from 29th July to 6th August.