Art Battle XXVI Raising the Roof

Absolutely loved this month's Art Battle XXVI Raising the Roof. I have wanted to go to an Art Battle event for ages but the tickets sell out so fast! Amazingly I managed to bag some for June's event hosted this time at Stretford Mall - love the unusual and unlikely venues chosen! Shop windows became active art pieces, rollerskaters were whirling down the avenue, there was a dance floor in the pawn brokers and especially appreciated the beer bar situated at the boot's chemist perscriptions counter! The competition was fierce, congratulations to the winner Sarah Betts! Lots of fun had by all!

ART BATTLE XXVI RAISING THE ROOF | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: sarah bett's art battle winning artwork, artist's at the ready chatting with host hattie pearson, portrait painting on the shop window, artist michael dunn and his cat, view down the mall, artists rebecca gallagher and michael dunn in action.

#stretford #stretfordtowncentre #manchester #manchesterevents #artbattle #artbattlemanchester #artevents

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief:

- listening to Cleo Sol
- reading Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson
- enjoying Anna Jone's Carrot Dal recipe 

 

MMU Degree Shows 2025

Oof it's hot in Manchester this week! I'm here with some cooling white tones, floaty linen and dappled sunshine images from this year's Manchester Metropolitan University & Manchester School of Art degree shows. Different to last year's overall bolder, high contrast work some of 2025's collection appear like a minimalist idyll with larger scale flowing organic shapes, pithy calming philosophical notes, relaxed colours and lots of white. It would be interesting to know the motivations behind it, a response to over digitialisation or AI? I'm loving the dose of serenity in these pieces. Hope to follow up with some of the more colourful work shortly. 

MMU DEGREE SHOWS 2025 | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: 

erin norcross 'once upon a never' ba hons fine art, 

unfortunately i didn't catch the name of this artist - what's tricky to see on the photo but great in person is the white vinyl messages camoflaged on the white walls,  

ruby butler's the space inbetween poetry see more on instagram here, 

esme ballard's 'light through trees' fba hons fine art and art history,  

amy bradnock's fluid clay knots ba hons fine art - more on instagram, 

lucy evans ba hons fine art glass work seen here and on instagram, 

#mmu #degreeshows #manchesterschoolofart #manchester #manchestermetropolitanuniversity #2025 #bloom

Progressive Greetings Live 2025

I'm here with news on Wednesday's visit to this year's Progressive Greetings Live show 2025 at the Business Design Centre in Islington. It's been a short break for me in the shows lately (last PG here) so it was fabulous to catch up with everyone at this well loved June show. 

Hugely exciting to see the popular new Cobalt Extreme designs including a super new set launched at this PG hot off the press on the Cinnamon Aitch walls. I'm eagerly awaiting samples of the latest action packed designs so I can share photos soon. New sneak peek too of the Pinstripe range soon to be available with Clare Maddicott, the gorgeous lilac foil details look beautiful and hopefully I'll have samples to share in the coming weeks. 

My bags were absolutely stuffed and I returned to Manchester with packs of gorgeous new paper, foil & envelope samples! Thank you Fedrigoni, Abbot Print, Enveco, Graphite Creative to name a few.
Lot's to go on!

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS LIVE 2025 | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

 

above clockwise from the top left: the popular new cobalt extreme collection, a view of the show at the business design centre islington, lovely mum design from the brand new pinstripe collection with clare maddicott abacus cards,  the latest designs in the cobalt extreme collection released at the show - cyclist - martial arts - kite surfer - runner - swimmer - sailor - badminton player - formula one, the laura ashley promo from ohh deer, a snap of me with the new cobalt extreme designs, 

#pglive #pglive25 #2025 #progressivegreetingslive #pglivelondon #cinnamonaitch #cobaltextreme #emilyhauckcreative #emilyhauck #pinstripe #claremaddicott

David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not Smaller & Further Away)

The schedule this January has been a little too packed to allow me time for my usual trip to Top Drawer this week. However I did happily pop out to see the David Hockney exhibition 'Bigger & Closer (not Smaller & Further Away)' that has come to Manchester's Factory International. 

Some of the new style immersive shows have come under criticism for offering a pastiche of the original art. With this however Hockney himself narrates the work and walks you through his thought processes whilst explaining some aspects of art theory in a compelling way. Having been lucky to view his work in person over the years (Salts Mill visit) I appreciated the story telling and being reminded of some of my own early art. Just as interesting as the work itself was watching the audience responses to it. The timing of the viewing on a very cold, icy and dark January week is something to note - views of lush scenery, warm sunshine and lux swimming pools can be refreshing for the soul, it seems others would agree with tickets selling out.

DAVID HOCKNEY: BIGGER & CLOSER | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

 

clockwise from the top left: sunshine from one of his later works on the ipad, a view of the most famous painting 'the splash' sold in 2020 for $29.8 million, hockney himself, view of the immersive experience audience, one of my faves 'pearblossom highway' made from multiple photographs, 'may blossom on the open road', finally an immersive interpretation of the pool series.

Florentine in France

Apologies for the sporadic postings this autumn. Last year we were in Lapland with some fab photos, this year we're on with a building project which means I've had a little less time for the day to day potterings on the socials. 

It's an absolute joy when lovely people spot my cards in far off places - here is the Florentine French collection in a gorgeous Papeterie, Cancale, France! 🇫🇷 There's exciting news coming for the UK Florentine collection in January and am very much looking forward to sharing it and other fab new projects in the New Year with you 😊✉️💌 

Oh and who saw the Turner Prize announcement last night! Jasleen Kaur wins 2024! 

FLORENTINE IN FRANCE | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

above clockwise from the top left: cards from the florentine french collection designed for kiub - seen here is the owl, the papeterie in cancale, florentine garden window and tree designs, the mountain bike, so want to nosey in those postcard racks, the presents designs from the florentine collection.

Turner Prize 2024

Ooh apologies for the lateness of this post. It had been in my plan to be on the Karika journal in September after the holidays but it has been whirlwind in the studio here both finishing the Christmas and Everyday collections whilst building a new studio space. Happily in the middle of it I did manage to pop out last month to the Tate and see this year's Turner Prize!
Complete with giant concrete jewellery, Irn-Bru, a red ford escort with a doily on top and blood red footprints 2024's Turner Prize lives up to it's bold memorable cultural statements that we have come to expect. Claudette Johnson's portraits had an unfortunate position at the end where they felt a little overlooked after the bold clashes of Kaur and the busy work of Le Bas. My favourites were the drawings by Pio Abad, incredibly detailed with purposeful themes. The Turner Prize is on show at the Tate until the 16th of February, winner to be announced on the 3rd of December 2024.

TURNER PRIZE 2024 | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

above clockwise from the top left: pio abad's exhibition space where the giant concrete jewellery can be seen, a piece seen on the way into the prize by hew locke - vita veritas victoria, a view of kaur's space with the giant persian rug, the famous red ford escort complete with giant doily by kaur, a snip of le bas painted fabrics, then a swatch of the paintwork from the alvaro barrington exhibition next door.

MMU Degree Shows 2024

Well it's been a packed month in the studio here so I'm sharing my fab visit to the Manchester Degree Shows a little later than planned. Similar to last year's visit (see here), summer is in full swing so as is traditional in greetings it's contrastingly wintery Christmas scenes in the studio. In between drawing robins and baubles I popped out to see the Manchester Metropolitan University & Manchester School of Art degree shows. I've dropped some fave pieces from Fine Art, Fine Art & Art History, Textiles in Practice, on the board below. Fascinating themes coming through where natural materials and organic form/process is put in high contrast against the digital world both in physical form of smart phones/tech and then the virtual thoughts of slogans or flags. Generally much softer colours, reflective maybe? Great to see the work of GFSmith's Portal project up on the walls (more in depth look here). Too many favourites to share here so I may follow up soon with a part two.

MMU DEGRESS SHOWS 2024 | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: 

neutral natural looking dye colours and fabrics in a piece called 'a duck swam from san francisco to portugal and never got wet' by madeleine calloway vietmeier ba(hons) fine art - instagram, 

i loved this piece in the holden gallery showing the high contrast between the spaces we inhabit and the technology that now lives there - unfortunately none of the pieces in the holden gallery were labelled and i haven't been able to find the artist elsewhere - please drop a comment if you know, 

can imagine this next piece made up of dozens of smartphones would be anxiety inducing for some - unfortunately as with the previous I'm unable to locate the artist, 

one of ba (hons) fine art and art history bethany royle's  pieces inspired by pictures of home life - bethany's instagram, 

the fabulous portal collab project by gfsmith on display here, 

another piece i'm frustratingly unable to identify (please sort this for next year guys!) with an interesting thought for the day 'oh dear how awful what a shame i'm sorry tea?',  

loved these flags made using natural materials by bertie (bear) thomas ba (hons) fine art - berties instagram, 

absolutely loved this note book of fabric swatches dyed with organic materials by ellen deane winner of the global challenges award in ba (hons) textiles in practice.

#mmu #degreeshows #manchesterschoolofart #manchester #manchestermetropolitanuniversity #2024