Homestead affordable art exhibition opens at Art Market Cardiff

Homestead – a new exhibition featuring affordable artworks from 21 Cardiff-based printmakers has opened at Art Market Cardiff.

The show opened earlier this month, with over 200 people in attendance, celebrating all things printmaking – with visitors able to get involved in using a letterpress, screen printing and lino printing to create their own artworks.

The result led to a creative workshop alongside being a place to view and appreciate the work.

The Printhause

The current gallery exhibition features 21 Cardiff printmakers, who are all members of The Printhaus – the city’s only community-based screening workshop. Each artist is exhibiting one piece of printwork.

All prints are limited edition, using traditional printing methods including linocut, risograph and silk screen, with prices ranging from £30- £270.

The name of the show, Homestead, derives from the historic links The Printhaus has with the Laundry Quarter, Canton, before their move to Chapter Arts Centre, followed by the redevelopment of the area which in turn provided the opportunity for Art Market Cardiff to open.

With twenty-one printmakers all using different printing methods this exhibition has a wide genre of works on display.

Offering more abstract prints to realistic depictions of homelife – along with scenes of the Welsh capital and prints which incorporate word art – all pieces are linked together by the ideas of a Homestead.

Art Market Cardiff is based in the new Laundry Quarter development and opened its doors in November 2023.

Its main aim is to champion local, up-and-coming artists, as well as to show a wide range of art, at a more affordable price point.

Vibrant scene

Dafydd Roberts (Founder of Art Market Cardiff) said: “As an art gallery we want to remain easy going and accessible for all, from those who have a fond interest in art or to those who just want to have a browse.

“Being located a stone’s throw away from Cardiff’s iconic Chapter Art Centre and just around the corner from the cafes and shops in Pontcanna, Art Market Cardiff is in the perfect location if you are spending time viewing the local vibrant art scene or similarly if you would just like to pop in to browse prints, cards or shop for a new houseplant.

Dafydd continued: “Since opening Art Market Cardiff last November I’ve been very keen to collaborate with Printhaus for a special exhibition.

“Our joint venture ‘Homestead’ is a showing of original prints from 21 different local artists and I’ve been truly amazed by the variety of works produced.

“I’m proud to be able to work with an organisation who’s values are closely aligned to ours and to be able to celebrate and champion local talent in an environment which is easy going and where all are welcome, hopefully we can even show off printmaking to a whole new audience!

“Here at Art Market, we want to be seen as a place as  where you can informally view and buy quality art at an affordable price and ‘The Homestead’ show truly does represent this”.

Local independents

Jude Lau (Co-founder and director of The Printhaus) commented: “It feels right getting to work with Daf as another local independent, going back to our old haunt and with a new group of members.

“It’s really exciting – the way we work in the studio changed and these days we’re all a lot more organised, which has also meant we don’t get to cross paths as before.

“We catch glimpses of each others prints on the rack or catch each other in between booking slots, but this’ll be the first time we get to see each others work presented in a show.

“There’s a real mix between regular exhibitors and our more experienced members, as well as newbies who only joined the studio in the last couple months. For them this’ll be their first experience of making work for a show and even their first foray into making prints.

“This show is another benchmark for us, not exactly a new beginning, more of a just keep going and glad to be here.”

Homestead is running until the 4^th May at Art Market Cardiff – 58 Glynne Street, Canton, CF11 9NS.