Today I’d like to introduce you to a very talented artist, Brigit Collins. Perhaps you’ve seen her work on other Arsenal sites. If not, you are in for a treat. Below you’ll see what I think is a really fabulous work of art, and I know a little something about the subject as I studied Art History extensively in college. I encourage you all to take a look at her sight and strongly recommend you pick up a copy of this picture. Under any circumstances it’s terrific, but when you add in the fact that Highbury is soon to be banished to the history books this really makes an ideal gift for yourself or a Gooner you know.
I had an opportunity to exchange some emails with Brigit, so let’s get to know the artist, and her patron for this piece…
ArseAm: Are you an Arsenal fan, and if so, what’s your story?
Brigit Collins: I grew up in North London a stones throw away from the Stadium, and being surrounded by so many people who did/do support the Gunners it’s difficult not to feel an affinity with them!
The painting of the Arsenal Stadium actually came about through a commission by someone who wanted a painting of the beautiful art deco stadium for their partner’s 50th birthday (it also had to include an image of a Citroen DS, as
this is the car their partner has always wanted!). What with the new stadium being built it seemed like a really good time to capture the ground
while it is still in use.
ArseAm: Favorite Arsenal/football story?
Patron Andy Whitefield: No single favourite, just lots of glorious moments ? and some inglorious
ones. To start near the beginning: one of my clearest early memories at Highbury was seeing George Best beat us on his own in 1968 ? he scored one and harried Peter Storey into a delightful lob over Jim Furnell for the second. But we got our revenge the following season with an
outstanding 3-0 win on Boxing Day ? merry xmas! And I still look back fondly on the night we won the Fairs Cup at Highbury in 1970 ? the club?s first trophy in my lifetime and the precursor of the following season?s Double.
ArseAm: How long have you been doing art?
Brigit Collins: From as soon as I could hold a pencil! I studied at Central St. Martin’s
School of Art and Design in the early 1990s before embarking on a degree in Art & Psychology (I think at the time I had plans to combine the two).
However, it wasn’t until after an illness in 2000 that I began to take up painting seriously and have now sold paintings all over the world.
ArseAm: Is art a hobby or your profession?
Brigit Collins: I paint, as it is something that I most enjoy in life and defines who I am as a person. However, even artists have to pay the bills and so I do have a day job! I work for an academic institute, which just so happens to be whistling distance from the construction of the new stadium. It looks to be a monster! At the moment a huge bridge has been constructed over the
main railway line at Drayton Park to enable access to the new stadium from the existing Arsenal station. The actual stadium itself is being built in
massive sections around existing buildings, which are yet to be demolished.
ArseAm: Any predictions for this season?
Patron Andy Whitefield:We?ve been the best team in England for 3 years in a row (even though we
somehow managed to throw away the title in 2003) so that?s got to give us confidence for this season. We?ve lost a lot of big-game experience
in Keown, Parlour, Kanu & Wiltord, so there will be opportunities forsome younger faces to make their names - Reyes will surely step up to be a frequent matchwinner, Pennant will put some serious pressure on Ljungberg to be at his best, and I hope Edu builds on last season’s performances to start taking games by the scruff of the neck. I think
the title race will be closer than last season.
ArseAm: Who is your main artistic influence?
Brigit Collins: I love the work of Edward Hopper, especially his use of light, colour and atmosphere. I also particularly like the photography of Martin Parr, an English photographer who manages to capture images in a qwerky, colourful manner.
Brilliant Brigit, thanks so much, good luck with your art. You can find more examples of Brigit’s work
here
To order the Arsenal print, click here
11 Responses to “Arsenal Art”
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August 31st, 2004 at 8:46 am
Lovely stuff…a bold, clean, gently-stylized reproduction of the stadium’s art deco architecture. The Citreon DS ups the hip factor, too. Hard to believe its going to be residences in perhaps two years. Would make me feel a little better if she were falling apart…
I’ll be making my next journey to the mecca this Spring. Hoping to squeeze yet another trip at the front of 2006.
Time waits for no one. Not even THOF.
August 31st, 2004 at 8:56 am
The architecture of the building really is fantastic, isn’t it?
We’ve been in an era of new ballparks here in the states, some have been terrific “throwbacks” and some are state of the art. I don’t think any of them can match the look of Arsenal Stadium. This print really captures it well.
August 31st, 2004 at 9:12 am
I remember first laying eyes on Highbury. I came off Islington station, I believe (right at the tiny circle), so I grabbed a wuick breakfast at the coffee shop there and took the mile or so walk by the park to get there, past the large red flats on the right. I only knew I was going in the right direction as there were plenty of replica jerseys to follow. My girlfriend and I had no idea what to expect…didn’t know if it was going to loom ahead over the hill, or pop up to the left or right. Then, I glanced down a street to my left from the right side of the street, and there she was…a street-wide piece of her. I’d never seen a stadium like that before or since. Kind of lost my breath a bit.
Being a Philadelphia sports fan, as trying as that can be, I always hated Veteran’s Stadium but did like how you could walk around the whole thing without leaving the building. The Concrete Monster was apparently brutal to play in, as the turf was slightly softer than cement. The new stadiums, especially the new baseball one, has a certain degree of open air charm. Slightly thrown back, slightly perched forward. “The Linc” has a wonderful patio area where anyone can watch the game from 3/4’s behind the goal/end zone. I watched the entire second half of the Chelsea-Milan game there on a beautiful, breezy evening. Milan’s go ahead free kick past Cudicini saw me incongruently throw my arms in the air and yell “Gunners!”. The look from a nearby Blue was one I can only describe as “smelling bad eggs”. Glorious.
Let’s hope Ashburton Grove will take a few architectural and artistic chances that will make it stand out a bit from the norm. Of course, it doesn’t have the same task of setting off the surrounding homes, and artist’s renderings to date bring to mind “state-of-the-art”. I imagine Nike swoops emblazoned everywhere. Hope not.
August 31st, 2004 at 10:27 am
And I will, but I had to go off-topic again and post this bit from a recent Vieira interview. If its accurate, I think maybe its telling of his hedging this summer and similar to a theory I posted here:
Speaking at Tuesday’s press conference for the French national team, Vieira said: ‘Arsenal changed a lot during the summer, a lot of young players arrived but I truly believe it was the best decision for me to stay.
Thank gods for him that the quarter landed the way it did.
August 31st, 2004 at 11:27 am
Beautiful Painting… I might have to get a print…
and…
LAY OFF VIEIRA…!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 31st, 2004 at 1:42 pm
Awww, c’mon Stag…we should be allowed a jab now and then, right? I still have this annoying facial tic he gave me.
Wait…don’t tell me you’re getting PR kickbacks from Kuttner! ;^)
Vieira, whoah
Vieira, whaoh
He won’t leave Highbury
But the band goes to DB
Jokes, man, jokes.
August 31st, 2004 at 1:43 pm
I’m sure Ashburton Grove will be fine, perfectly competent and pleasant - isn’t it the architects who did the Sydney Olympics? - but I can’t help wishing they’d gone for something really stunning like, say, the Swiss firm who did Tate Modern and the new Basle stadium. I also can’t help wishing we’d signed a defender, but I guess it’s now too late to go on hoping?
August 31st, 2004 at 2:23 pm
I do enjoy how we broke into the Vieira song… and then switched it to the Cesc version…
All will be forgiven when he raises that CL trophy high aloft his head…
or when he crushes Drogba with a crunching tackle…
All in time… All will be forgiven…
he simply couldn’t leave the Arsenal… his friends where here… the memories…
a knock at Arsene’s door… with David Dein there having dinner… and he broke down and told them that he just couldn’t leave…
isn’t that enough for you guys?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 31st, 2004 at 2:48 pm
Gee…when you put it all sentimental like that…hey, my tic is cured!!!
All wind-ups are done with a wink, surely. If he does hold up that CL trophy, it will be the stuff of legend. Our Prodigal Captain returns to lead us to triumph! I’ll even call him “Paddy” again.
But for now, he’s got to be PV4. A Gunner with much business to finish. It’s somehow unfortunate that the instant he becomes fit he flies off to play for France, but seeing as how we’re a-okay without him at the moment, “Bon chance!”
That bit about Drogba was a nice touch, I must admit. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted The Arsenal to destroy a team more than the 2004 Blueskis. I need to hear Mourinho try and diminish us then.
August 31st, 2004 at 2:59 pm
The Tate Modern! Wow…that’s quite a building. It looks like a fortress. Apparently the firm also designed the red telephone box. Cool. Maybe they could design a defender.
September 1st, 2004 at 8:44 pm
Still, we did have the best defence last season and Wenger got a new goalie