Leading artist paints a Merseyside picture

ONE of Merseyside’s leading artists is presenting his breathtaking collection of local interest paintings in a Christmas exhibition at The Gallery Liverpool in December 2010.

Keith Francis Smith, with over 30 years experience in graphic art, sells his watercolours across the globe and his latest collection of paintings portray some of Liverpool’s finest landmarks including the Town Hall and Falkner Square.

The collection will go on display from Friday, 3 December 2010 until Tuesday, 23 December 2010 at The Gallery Liverpool on Stanhope Street.

Keith Francis Smith said:- “I have lived in Liverpool my entire life and I love the city. It is a fabulous place and I try and capture the feel of the favourite areas in my work. I am delighted to showcase my watercolours at The Gallery Liverpool and look forward to sharing my art with the many visitors.”

Keith joined SLADE art union (Society of Lithographers, Artists, Designers and Engravers) in 1980 and started a four year apprenticeship as a commercial artist, working in Liverpool. During this time, he attended Art School and studied life drawing, painting and art history.  He has worked as an illustrator, photo retoucher, graphic designer, typographer and also graphics studio manager in advertising agencies before starting his own studio and forming an advertising agency. 

Keith’s drawings, paintings and watercolours are regularly exhibited in Liverpool and have been published in several magazines. He also produced a 2010 Liverpool calendar featuring 12 paintings of local scenes.

The Gallery Liverpool opened just over a year ago in Stanhope Street and has quickly built a reputation for exhibiting work by some of the finest local and international artists. More of Keith's work is available to view online.

A motorcycling mission to spread Christmas cheer

ONE of the UK’s largest road safety initiatives for motorcyclists is co-ordinating a massive Christmas Toy Collection for sick and terminally ill children in the North West. ‘Elf & Safety’ bikers from RideSafe BackSafe will be visiting four of the most popular ‘Bike Meet’ venues in December to collect toys for nearby children’s hospitals and hospices and then delivering the gifts on behalf of the motorcycling community.  Ride Safe Back Safe spokesperson, Karen Delaney explains;- “Last year’s annual Christmas Toy Run was attended by more than 150 motorcyclists and we delivered nearly 500 gifts. However, Ride Safe Back Safe now extends as far afield as north Cumbria, south Manchester and the Wirral; so it would be unfair to hold a motorcycling Toy Run in just one place.   For 2010, we will be collecting toys from four of the most popular meeting places for bikers in the North West and then delivering gifts to hospitals and hospices in each area.  The children won’t know who the gifts are from, but it will show them that they deserve to be spoilt at Christmas. Bikers come from all walks of life and it is this sort of event where a mutual passion for motorcycling brings out the very best in a communities spirit.”  The toy collections will take place on Sunday, 12 December 2010, at Devil’s Bridge in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria - to support Eden Valley Children’s Hospice in Carlisle, on Sunday, 12 December 2010, at the Scotch Piper Inn, Lydiate near Maghull, Merseyside - to support Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, on Monday evening, 13 December 2010, at Fylde in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire - to support Donna’s Dream House in Blackpool and on Sunday, 19 December 2010, at Rivington Barn near Bolton, Gt. Manchester - to support Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity.  Ride Safe Back Safe are inviting motorcyclists to ride to any one of these collection points with a wrapped gift, clearly labelled for a boy or a girl with a note of the age of child it is most suitable for.

Creamfields Wins Again At UK Festival Awards 2010

THE Merseyside based Creamfields event has scooped the award for ‘Best Dance Event’ for a 2nd year running in the UK Festival Awards which was held in London’s Indig02.   This is the fourth time Creamfields has won in the Best Dance Event category since the publicly voted awards were established in 2004. The 2 day festival which takes place in Daresbury, Cheshire on August Bank Holiday weekend, sold out in record time for a second consecutive year, with this award topping off what has been an outstanding year for Creamfields, which also saw the northern dance festival scoop the highly coveted Music Week Award for ‘Festival Of The Year’ beating off the likes of Glastonbury, V and Reading. On receiving the award Cream CEO James Barton said:- “We are delighted to have won the award once again for Best Dance Event, the fact that the UK Festival Awards are voted for by the public makes this win even sweeter. Every year we set out to be better than the year before, and it’s great that people appreciate the festival and the hard work that goes into making it the best dance festival in the country.”

Other winners at this year’s UK Festival Awards included:-

Best Major Festival - Bestival
Best Medium-Sized Festival - Green Man Festival
Best Small Festival - Kendal Calling
Line Up Of The Year - RockNess
Best Dance Event - Creamfields
Best Toilets - T in the Park
Headline Performance of the Year - AC/DC at Download
Best Breakthrough Artist - Mumford and Sons
The Lifetime Achievement Award - Geoff Ellis
Promoter of the Year – Glastonbury Festival