Monday 30 July 2018

NEW STOCK IN THE UNIT!

Have topped up my unit at The Customs House with more goodies!

Piled in loads of fantastic retro football programmes, records, fridge magnets, annuals, books and tonnes more.



So if you love your football, check out my Retro Football table and find loads of cool programmes from the 60s to the 90s, books, cards, magnets and framed pictures of my team collages.




An
d peruse the rest of the unit to find all sorts of amazing vintage stuff, including ceramics, records, books, artworks, comics, maps, cards and too many to mention!







So if you find yourself down Dorset way, come along to West Bay and check out The Customs House, which is right next to the beach and harbour.

HURRY UP!!!

Saturday 28 July 2018

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY!

Well folks, it's looking like I won't be able to attend the BRIDPORT VINTAGE MARKET tomorrow ...

With 96% chance of rain in the morning, and 50mph winds, it would be rather silly to risk my precious stock being ruined and then blown around various parts of Dorset, even if I did have a gazebo!!



Which is incredibly frustrating, as not only is this market a corker, but I've been clocking up some serious miles recently in the ArtPixMobile finding and sourcing some brilliant new stock.

Onwards and upwards!!

I'll now be at the wonderful WIMBORNE MARKET next Saturday.
Keep in touch here for sneak previews of some of the goodies I'll be bringing along.

Thursday 26 July 2018

MINISTRY – BRISTOL – BRIDPORT

My ears are still ringing after an immense MINISTRY gig in Bristol last night!!!!

Was so good to see them again, singer Uncle Al Jourgensen conducting the mayhem, with their astonishing sound and a set that had just the right amount of new songs and oldies.

The classics like N.W.O.Just One Fix and Thieves are songs seared into my DNA, and with their new material just as good, keeps them as a devastating live band.


Al Jourgensen in mid-mayhem mode!



Now joined by other bandmates.


And by the Anti-Fascist/Trump Chicken, obviously. No gig is complete without one.





Also had a wander around Bristol beforehand, and got a really good vibe from the place.

Had never been before. 
And after swiftly avoiding the scarily corporate shopping malls, found some really interesting bits.
Loved mooching around the St Nicholas Market, where there were record shops galore and gig posters stuck all over the place, love it!
And the to-die-for vintage shop Rag & Bones, what amazing stuff they have in there!
Spent ages looking at everything and buying some wonderful individual plastic letters to spell out 'Matt ArtPix Vintage & Retro'!

The harbour and quay sides are worth a look as well. Even though the plague of modern flats has invaded most of it, you can still get a sense of the history of the place. Especially with the glorious Brunel ship, SS Britain nearby.

I now really want to go back and take photos of all the interesting buildings everywhere. One particular favourite was the insane Art Nouveau building built by Edward Everard. And the heartbreaking, but also uplifting, St Peter's Church that was devastated by bombing in 1940, still standing proudly in the middle of the city.


The unbelievable Edward Everard Printing Works, built around 1900.


I loved this mixture of buildings, an old church spire, with 60s block covered in street art. A great example of why I want to go back to Bristol!




My next event now is this Sunday, at the BRIDPORT VINTAGE MARKET, situated in the St Michael's Trading Estate in the brilliant town of Bridport in Dorset.
But hang on a minute, can you believe it, rain is forecast, so I'll have to keep you posted on what the score is with this one!!!!!



Tuesday 24 July 2018

MINISTRY

The combined forces of Matt ArtPix and Arcane Publishing are tomorrow having a staff outing to Bristol to see the one of my all-time favourite bands ... MINISTRY!!!!!




The US Industrial legends are now doing the UK leg of a lengthy tour, and I can't wait to see them again.
It will be extra special, as I've only ever seen them play in London, and have never been to Bristol before. So a new city and a new venue to explore as well!

Where on earth do I start with Ministry, what a band and what a sound!!!!
I first became aware of them in late 1989/early 1990, and couldn't wait to see them when they first came to the UK in December 1992, and played at Brixton Academy. An amazing night!!!

Their extraordinary sound is a complicated mixture of Industrial and Metal, with immense layers of clever sampling and electronics that has a groove and danceability.

Singer/founder and now chief protagonist Al Jourgensen, really is one-of-a-kind.
Fiercely intelligent and independent, well-read and politically conscious, he is a whirlwind of talent and opinions! As with so many 'Alternative' musicians people are either too scared of them or just too afraid to wander off the path of the mainstream, to hear what they are saying. He's too good to not listen to.

I'm sure a lot of people have a gig they just wish they'd been at.
Mine is a Ministry gig. 
Well, a whole tour really, from what is still my absolute favourite live recording – In Case You Didn't Feel Like Turning Up
Originally a video and CD of their 89-90 tour of America, it captures a totally chaotic gig, when they used to have a fence across the stage, and fans would run riot. With the two drummers, Bill Rieflin and Martin Atkins and Jourgensen's partner-in-crime Paul Barker, that's the gig at the top of my wish list! 
It makes me laugh, and have a pang of regret, every time I watch it!








Do please check them out if you've never heard of them ... And watch that video!!!! 





Sunday 22 July 2018

WEBSITE REDESIGN!

I've finally started the lengthy process of completely changing my website!!!

It was originally created using Flash, which as I'm sure you all know, is now permanently confined to the Dark Ages. 
Basically, no-one could see it anymore!!

It now has a very modern and clean look, with galleries that will actually work. 
It will have pages dedicated to showcasing all my designs, vintage items I'm selling at fairs, plus much, much more!



The Home page acts as a preview to all the sections, highlighting everything the site has to offer.

A few of the pages are already finished, but it'll take a while to complete everything, especially loading up all my stuff. 
Then I'll probably tweak the design a bit more as well.

I'll keep you posted on my progress, but if anyone fancies having a sneaky look at my shiny new site, as it stands at the moment, have a go HERE


By the way, the domain name will revert back to the good-old mattartpix.com when all is finished!

Wednesday 18 July 2018

WIMBORNE MARKET

Just confirming I'll be at this brilliant market on Saturday 21st July!

It'll be the first time I've traded there, so I'm looking forward to being at a new venue.
The market is a great place to pick up interesting vintage items, and also on the site is a general market and antiques centre. What more could you want?!

So on Saturday, if you happen to find yourself in the lovely Dorset town of Wimborne, which isn't that far from Poole and Bournemouth, get down there and say hello!!!

Kick-off is an early 7-30am, so set your alarm clocks!!




Tuesday 17 July 2018

BABY-FACED ASSASSIN

At the hundreds of fairs and markets I go to I kept seeing old dolls.
Most look spectacularly scary, especially the Victorian ones, so I thought it would be perfect for a collage.

At the recent Giant Shepton Flea Market I had a lucky find on a stall near me. A whole box of replica Victorian doll's heads!
They actually came from a well-known doll restorer, Lilian Middleton, who runs the Doll's Hospital.
Made as replacement heads for damaged originals, they are unintentionally creepy, especially as they are perfect, with unblemished skin. Ideal for one of my vintage based artworks!

Here is the head as it is ...




And used in an artwork I knocked up today ...




Expect to see this little gem appear in many other guises. I've already done two more artworks with it today!!

Monday 16 July 2018

KERPOW!

Alongside all the fairs and markets I'm doing, don't forget I still have my busy unit down at The Customs House in West Bay, Dorset!

This Grade II listed building is right on the seafront, and near the harbour in this gorgeous seaside town.

And just one of the hundreds of brilliant vintage gems you can find in my unit there is this fantastic Batman annual ...





Printed in 1966, it tied-in with the iconic and crazy American TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, which ran for 120 insane episodes from January 1966 to March 1968.

So if you're a massive fan of the show, or just a super-heroes fan in general, this is a must!

Get down there now!







Saturday 14 July 2018

GIANT SHEPTON FLEA MARKET

I'll be at this splendid market near Shepton Mallet at the crack of dawn tomorrow!!
Kick off is at 9-30am, but it pays to arrive super-early as there is so much to see!

Including my stall!!!!
And here are a few bits that you'll see on there ...


An elegant 1930s wooden revolving bookcase, an absolutely gorgeous piece.
It can hold 30 of these classic Agatha Christie books, a perfect accompaniment!




An FA Cup money box!!
It looks great as a piece of footballing memorabilia, and is also handy for your loose change!!



A lovely Susie Cooper jam pot, which has her Dresden Spray design and dates to 1935. Check out the sleek and modernist shape of the lid! I've also added a free spoon, which is actually late Victorian.




The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour album from 1967. It has a gatefold sleeve and includes the original 24-page booklet.





A 1920s wooden cut-out of the famous cartoon character Bonzo the Dog. He was absolutely huge in the 20s and appeared on everything from comics to animated films. Here he is trying to charm a rather angry looking cat!




Something a bit different here. A promotional shop display poster and banner for the Simple Minds live video Verona from 1990. 
They were originally displayed in the window of the Our Price Records shop in Notting Hill Gate, London.



This is a close-up of Shepton Mallet train station from a framed 1934 Great Western Railway map of Somerset. It shows all the counties' stations, most of which probably don't exist anymore, so a great piece of railway history.

So if you fancy any of these, get yourself down to the Royal Bath & West Showground in Shepton Mallet tomorrow!!

Friday 13 July 2018

1960s ANGLEPOISE LAMP

Gotta groovy 60s anglepoise lamp to show you!!



In a fantastic orange colour, this classic design was one of the best inventions of the 20th Century, and would look superb on any computer desk or table.




It has an unusual square base which you don't normally see, and is weighted to hold the weight of the lamp.



It even has an energy bulb!


And like any anglepoise it can be twisted to any position you want.



This is just one of loads of amazing vintage items that I'll have for sale on my stall at this Sunday's GIANT SHEPTON FLEA MARKET at the Royal Bath & West Showground in Shepton Mallet!

See you there!

Thursday 12 July 2018

BACK TO REALITY ...

After a manic time supporting England this week, I'm now back up and running and getting out there doing markets!

So keep these dates open:

July 15th: GIANT SHEPTON FLEA MARKET at the Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

July 21st: WIMBORNE MARKET at the Riverside Park in Wimborne, Dorset.

July 29th: BRIDPORT VINTAGE MARKET at the St Michael's Trading Estate, Bridport, Dorset.


The Wimborne Market is a new venture for me, its a brilliant place, as there is a car boot section, a proper old-school market and an antique centre all on the same site.
I'll be in the car boot bit, which actually has top quality antique stalls, so I figured this is a great place to trade from.

I've been hunting down new stock all over Dorset and Somerset recently, so I can't wait to get back out there!

Here is one tiny example, a great stash of my favourite vintage magazine PICTURE POST!


See you at one of these great markets!!!

Sunday 8 July 2018

DARE WE BELIEVE??!!

This is already the best thing that's happened to England since 1990, but there's no harm in starting to dream. Is there?!




Wednesday 4 July 2018

COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, it did actually happen, you didn't dream it, England DID win a penalty shoot-out!!!!!!

Unbelievable scenes everywhere around the country, especially at ArtPix Towers, when I ran into the street shouting COME ON ENGLAND (sorry neighbours)!!!!

Now for Saturday, restock the beer supplies and crisps, and we'll be ready ...




Monday 2 July 2018

CHESIL COVE

We are still having crazy weather, with day after day of sizzling sunshine! 

So who needs to go on holiday, when down here in Dorset I've got this 5 minutes from ArtPix Towers?!


Not that long ago the Isle of Portland was getting its first snow in years, but now its basking in endless sun.
And just look at the sea down at my local beach in Chesil Cove, I've never seen it so clear!!!