Old News from Candy Medusa
The stuff that wouldn't fit on my home page anymore, but I couldn't bring myself to delete it because it makes me look cool. Pretty sure most of the links are dead by now, in the unlikely event of you needing further information about a niche event that occurred eight years ago, by all means ask :)
January 2020: Fundraising update
Happy New Year and thank you all so much for your continued support! You're all marvelous! My kickstarter ended in December, and although I didn't meet my target, loads of people were happy to support me anyway (thank you again!). I've had sponsorship from local businesses including balmond's and mooncup, and sales of my upcycled artwork from Montague Gallery in Worthing have really helped fund-raise for my latest project. I've had such lovely messages of encouragement as well, it really means a lot.
My teeny tiny canvases (pictured) have been particularly popular, contact me if you'd like one - just £10 each plus shipping (£3 UK, £6 everywhere else, plastic-free packaging), all proceeds to marine conservation. Mixed media with upcycled marine plastic, includes tiny easel.
And if you'd like to help me keep our beaches clean, there's always gofundme or patreon. Thank you so much for being there!
All the loves, Candy xxx
November 2019: Kickstarter update
So far I've had a fabulous response to my kickstarter, thank you all so much! I'm at 14% of the total, but with only 19 days to go, I've got a lot more fundraising to do if I'm going to reach my target by 1st December. If you haven't had a look yet, please take a look here, you can help me fight plastic pollution and get lots of fabulous, ethical, arty rewards.
My project has also made the papers, I'm in the Portsmouth News, Shoreham Herald, and the Worthing Herald, and I'm delighted to have the support of my local Green Candidate Leslie Groves Williams.
Thank you again to everyone who has helped so far, and please do keep sharing, if you know someone who might be interested please tag or message them, don't rely on it coming up in their social media feed - you know what it's like :)
All the love,
Candy xxx
October 2019: Please support my Kickstarter!
I'm saving the world again :) I've been selected out of thousands of applicants (go me!) to sail to the Galapagos Islands with the eXXpedition Round the World project in January 2020, as resident artist and as a scientist, to research plastic pollution and find ways to reduce it, and raise awareness with exhibitions of my artwork made from upcycled plastic pollution.
It's an 'all-or-nothing' fundraiser, which means I have to reach my target by December 1st. There are lots of lovely, arty, upcycly rewards for you pledge, and they'll be with you by Christmas so they make great ethical gifts.
Please take a look here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/candymedusa/art-against-plastic-pollution
Rewards for backing my kickstarter:
August 2019: 'Waste' at Skyway Gallery
My new piece 'Waste' is on show at Skyway Gallery, Shoreham, every day until 31st August, along with lots of other lovely art from Adur Art Collective.
Waste is a mixed media piece showing marine life at risk from plastic pollution, mounted in a silhouette of a single use coffee cup. It highlights the dangers to our oceans from our throwaway society, and our disregard for wildlife, which so often comes second place to convenience.
Go take a look if you're local, it's free :)
All the love, Candy.
July 2019: See my art in a new gallery in Brighton!
The wonderful Clarkes Art Shop in Brighton's North Laine have converted their top floor into a beautiful gallery, showcasing work from local artists. My Upcycled Oceans canvases are being displayed, and you can also choose from a selection of my greetings cards. Plus downstairs there's a wonderful range of stationery and art supplies to browse, because who doesn't need more art supplies?
Hope you can visit soon :)
All the love, Candy.
June 2019: Plastic Free Lewes
After I made a couple of (fairly embarrassing) videos about plastic-free cleaning (which you can see here), I was invited by Plastic Free Lewes to come to their Plastic Free Pledge launch event, 'There is No Planet B', to chat to people about reducing their plastic footprint around the house. I took along my upcycled artwork, my plastic-free packaging-free greetings cards, and I also took a bunch of plastic-free toiletries and cleaning stuff from my own kitchen cupboards, which sparked far more interest than I was expecting...
Having people fondle my flannel was a unique experience, but so many people had never considered using a flannel or a cloth to wash their faces instead of using a face wipe (which contains plastic and is wasteful single-use) - it was wonderful to sow the seeds of plastic-free living with so many lovely visitors.
June 2019: Fauna (and Flora)
I was delighted to take part in the St Mary de Haura annual exhibition again this year, it was a great success as usual, with many visitors saying it was the best yet.
I displayed a new piece, 'Ghost', a whale fluke made from upcycled ghost net found on Brighton and Shoreham beaches.
When fishing nets are discarded at sea, they go right on doing what they are designed to do. Abandoned nets, known as ghost nets, can continue ‘fishing’ for decades, trapping,injuring or drowning many sea creatures, including seals, turtles, seabirds and whales.
Also pictured: My mixed media piece 'Old and New', juxtaposing the new BA i360 with the ruins of West Pier, Brighton, which was shown at St Mary de Haura in 2017. I have a some limited edition giclee prints of Old and New still available, do contact me if you'd like to buy one (ships anywhere, plastic-free packaging), and it's also on greetings cards here
May 2019: I'm going to be sailing (again) to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans!
I'm so excited to announce that I've been selected to sail to the Galapagos Islands with the eXXpedition Round the World project in January 2020, as resident artist and as a scientist, to research plastic pollution and find ways to reduce it.
You can find out all about what I'm doing, and how you can help, here.
Please do take a look :)
All the love, Candy.
Some images from my first sailing with eXXpedition in 2016:
April 2019: Montague Gallery is back!
Montague Gallery in Liverpool Street Worthing is now back and better than ever. With 37 artists there's a wonderfully curated collection to view and buy, including my Upcycled Ocean collection.
These canvases are made using upcycled plastic found on local beach cleans, and showwildlife at risk from plastic pollution. Every sale helps fund beach cleans,outreach, workshops and research into plastic pollution. The canvas is FSC sustainable, and the glue is vegan.
I'm in every Wednesday morning, come and say hi :)
All the love, Candy.
Twitter Art Exhibit in Edinburgh
This is my submission for the #TwitterArtExhibit, which this year is taking place in aid of the charity Art in Healthcare. I think it's my sixth year taking part, each year in a different country and for a different charity.
Mixed media, with surf and seaturtle hatchlings made from upcycled plastic pollution found on beach cleans.
#TAE19 takes place 11 to 13 May at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 32-36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG.
All the love, Candy.
March 2019: Upcycled Oceans
For the re-opening of Montague Gallery on April 3rd, I've been hard at work making some new miniature oceans. They are all mixed media on FSC sustainable canvas, with details made from upcycled plastic pollution found on local beach cleans.
Every sale of one of my upcycled oceans goes to help fund beach cleans, community outreach, talks, workshops, social media stuff, and everything that I'm able to do because of your support. You can also support my Patreon here.
All the love, Candy.
March 2019: Please support my Patreon!
So I've finally set up a Patreon to help me save the planet. All the stuff I do, cleaning beaches, making art by upcycling the plastic pollution I find on the beach, exhibiting the art to raise awareness of plastic pollution, giving talks and workshops, making infographics, doing social media stuff, working with lots of different groups, leading community outreach, showing people simple ways to reduce their plastic footprint and how they can make easy changes that can have a big impact for the planet, sailing with the eXXpedition girls as resident artist aboard Sea Dragon, working to explore solutions to the impacts of single-use plastics in the world’s ocean... all of this stuff and more is made possible by people buying my art, donations, sponsorship, kickstarter pledges, and the kind support of patrons - I couldn't do it without your continued support, so massive thanks for your help.
If you're new to the idea of Patreon, or new to what I do - Patreon is a funding platform for creatives, that allows you to support my work for a s little as $1 a month. You get to be a patron of the arts and and eco-warrior, you'll get exclusive updates, and I'll clean an area of beach just for you.
You can support my Patreon here. Thank you!
February 2019: I won another thing :)
Brighton and Hove Arts Council recently asked for submissions for publicity images for their prestigious Annual Exhibition in Brighton (I'll be exhibiting there again this year...) so I asked all the fine folks who follow me on facebook to vote for their fave pics of mine, and they chose wisely, because 'Seagull' went on to be chosen to promote the private view. The system works :)
You can buy this image as wall art, apparel, soft furnishings and other lovely stuff here.
Thanks to everyone who expressed a preference!
All the Love, Candy.
January 2019: Farewell for now to Montague Gallery
After a very successful two months in Worthing with more than 30 other artists, the pop-up Montague Gallery has closed its doors for the time being - but we are going to be back in the spring - watch this space :)
Thank you so much to everyone came to see us, and all the wonderful, positive comments we received about bringing unique art to the high street.
Until we're back in Worthing, you can always see my work at these locations / websites. All the love, Candy.
November 2018: Worthing, I am in you!
For the next two months I'll be joining 32 other local artists at the pop-up Montague Gallery in Worthing. We'll have a wide range of original art and crafts, including paintings, prints, photography, sculpture, glass, textiles and jewellery.
I've made some new illustrations of Worthing for the exhibition, including the Pavilion Theatre and the Southern Pavilion, pictured here.
**update: Southern Pavilion has now sold, prints available on request**
Find us in the Montague Quarter, Liverpool Road, Worthing, BN11 1YJ
June 2018: eXXhibition at Carats
June 2 to 17, I've got my upcycled artwork at Carats Cafe on Southwick Beach, raising awareness of marine plastic pollution and suggesting some simple ways to reduce your plastic footprint.
I'll also be running a beach clean and an upcycling workshop. More info here, or pick up a trail guide.
You can find out more about my upcycled artwork here, and the eXXhibition project here.
All the love, Candy
May 2018: Cover Girl
The pinnacle of my artistic career :)
Not only is my Adur Art Trail artwork on bus shelters, but also, a picture of me, with my artwork on a bus shelter, is on the front of the newspaper.
I'm fairly sure I must have exceeded my allocated fifteen minutes of fame by now...
This year for the Adur Art Trail I'll be showing my artwork at
Venue 1: Carats Cafe in Southwick,
Venue 4: Shoreham Art Gallery,
Venue 6: St Mary de Haura, and
Venue 8: Centrepiece.
(and on bus shelters...)
All the love, Candy
April 2018: Montague Quarter Gallery
For seven weeks from April 12 2018, I'll have my upcycled artwork at the Montague Quarter Gallery in Worthing, raising awareness of plastic pollution
Located next to HMV, the gallery will be open 10am-4pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each week and will offer a multi media mix of art, photography and sculpture. More here.
April 2018: Hot Off the Press
The adur art trail guides with my cover artwork have arrived!
Don't they look lovely?
This year I'll be showing my artwork at
Venue 1: Carats Cafe in Southwick,
Venue 4: Shoreham Art Gallery,
Venue 6: St Mary de Haura, and
Venue 8: Centrepiece.
All the love, Candy
January 2018: ingénu/e
I'm delighted to appear in the current print edition of ingénu/e magazine, which you can pick up for free at galleries, art centres, hotels, tourist information points, art, craft and music shops, theatres, and other such outlets across the south of England, including of course alongside my artwork at Shoreham Art Gallery.
You can also view the online edition here.
All the love, Candy
December 2017: Bears Ears
As Trump progresses further and further beyond parody, I find myself less and less able to control my incredulity at every single thing he says or does.
Amongst an ongoing catalogue of assorted environmental and human rights atrocities, Trump recently issued two proclamations to remove federal protections from roughly 2 million acres in Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, which is the largest reduction of public lands protections in U.S. history.
I've made the artwork on the right (or possibly not on the right, depending on what device you're using) for Creative Action Network, to help spread the word - it's time to stand together to protect our parks, our monuments, and our planet.
All the love, Candy
October 2017: Inktober
It's that time again! Every day in October I'll be making a pen and ink sketch for one of the daily prompts in Jake Parker's Inktober. You can see the sketches daily on my instagram, twitter and facebook.
Last inktober everyone loved my sausage dog in the bath so much that this year I'll be drawing him for every prompt :) If you'd like to commission a portrait of your pet, just get in touch.
All the love, Candy.
August 2017: eXXhibition in London
The eXXpedition girls, with whom I was resident artist in the Caribbean last year, are currently sailing round Great Britain aboard the Sea Dragon, spreading #oceanoptimism and raising awareness of plastic pollution.
I'll be joining them on the London leg of their journey at the following events:
August 31st I'll be running a free drop-in workshop upcycling beach litter into art at St Katherines Docks, where Sea Dragon will be berthed. More details here.
I'll also be showing people around Sea Dragon and talking about our mission on September 1st, more here.
And on the weekend of 2 and 3 September I'll be at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, upcycling with Jo Atherton of Flotsam Weaving. More here.
Hope to see you there, you can also catch coverage of all the eXXpedition Round Great Britain events on Sky Ocean Rescue.
All the love, Candy
July 2017: Brighton Journal
Had a lovely interview with Laura at Brighton Journal; you can read about my latest work, upcycling, #oceanoptimism, saving the world and smashing the patriarchy here.
All the love, Candy.
Candy Medusa
Artist, illustrator, marine biologist, environmentalist, loudmouth.
Creator of eXXhibition.
Mostly making art between midnight and 4am,
when the kids are asleep.
