The Needhams Open Art Competition 2009 Judges are all practicing Artists:
Kaine has been with Ovenden Contemporary since the very early days. His complex, multi-layered, stencilled work was shortlisted for the Liberte D'Expression Urban Art Competition in 2006, sponsored by Barclays Bank, in which all finalists were exhibited at Candid Arts in Islington and at Barclays HQ at Canary Wharf. Kaine featured at Needhams early on his career as part of the 'New Cambridgeshire Artists' exhibition in 2006. His first major solo exhibition, 'The Kulczak Fusion' at Three Cups Gallery in Ely in summer 2007, was very well received.
Craig has been curating our exhibition programme since 2006 and is responsible for many well-received shows such as 'Altered Images' at Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston and 'The Landscape Metaphor' at Three Cups Gallery, Ely. An artist in his own right, Craig's work has been shown at several well-regarded venues, including 'A Series Of Lines', his exhibition with Esther Appleyard at Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum, during 2008. His film, 'Within The Weave', was shortlisted for the 'Streaming Festival 2008', the international festival for audio visual art.
John trained at Goldsmiths in the fifties and sixties and has since enjoyed a long and illustrious career both as a painter and a published poet. His visual art, often based on Caribbean folklore, is passionate, vivid and challenging. John has been an external purchaser for the Arts Council National Collection and is a Trustee for the Hourglass Educational Arts Development Services, an organisation that he co-founded. He has adjudicated for many competitions for organisations such as John Moores University, British Council and Whitechapel Art Gallery.