Collab Nation is a collaborative project, initially the brainchild of Bristol based street artist SPZero76 and recently adopted by North Wales based artist Mr Kobo.
My friend Stina Jones has been involved and actively participating since the projects inception. Now in it’s fourth year, Collab Nation features 50 artists/illustrators from very diverse backgrounds and mediums, who have all contributed to an amazing collection of artwork, and just recently so have I. So, what is Collab Nation?
Think of a chain letter for anyone who likes to Illustrate. Up and coming artists and well established professional doodlers working together to create beautiful pieces of art.. Talented illustrators and graffiti artists get to add their stamp and pass it on. In groups of around 4 people, each artist starts a piece off, and then sends it to the next person to add their bit, and so it goes on.
My own participation was a last minuted inclusion as I signed up too late to actively contribute this year. However, I was contacted a few weeks back by Mr Kobo, who asked me if I would like to be slotted in to be a Stage 4 artist on a piece that included Dave Bain, Pekoe \\ GMC and Phil Murrills. Naturally I jumped at the chance.
When the piece arrived and I rolled it out, I was both excited and slightly terrified. After all, if I got it wrong it wasn’t like I could tear it up and have a ‘do over’. I left the piece on my desk for a few days, staring at it periodically and wondering what I could add that would enhance the piece and harmonise with what was already there. In the end, with many ideas buzzing around my head, I simply sat down and got on with it. Once I got going, I couldn’t stop. However, whilst the deadline was looming, I was careful not to rush it as I wanted to do a good job, and do justice to the fabulous work already there. It took about a week and a half or so, working on it around my family life and other commitments. The content I added includes the stippled clouds to the right, the stippled wavy/wobbly patterns to the left and underneath the creature characters, and the patterned waves at the bottom. In the end, I was happy with the result.
Below are a few progress shots that I remembered to take on the way, though towards the end I was really all about getting it done, scanned (and that’s another story) and sent back to Mr Kobo.
It was loads of fun to do, challenging and very rewarding, and am keen to participate next year. If you are in Bristol in July, do go to the UPFEST gallery and check out the work.
An exhibition of the work is to take place in July. To find out more about the project and artwork, check out the Collab Nation Facebook Page or the website
11th July – 27th July 2014
UPFEST Gallery
198 North street
Bristol
United Kingdom
BS3 1JF
If you are interested in purchasing any original pieces, postcards and prints then please visit my ART SHOP.
Wow Lorrie, great piece of work. Well done. I went and looked at the Facebook page and was very impressed by all the artwork, what a great project to be involved in.
CR