Half Moon Putney appoints first visual Resident Artist

Stella Tooth resident artist Half Moon Putney.

The venue – synonymous with ‘local band’ The Rolling Stones - has invited London visual artist Stella Tooth to step into the residency footsteps of Elvis Costello and Steve Marriott of the Small Faces to capture, initially in a series of drawings, the energy and drama of its regular musicians’ gigs.

Works that capture bands' creative energy and enliven the venue's walls

The Half Moon Putney’s Phil Aitkinson said: “The Half Moon is delighted to bring together the worlds of music and art as part of its New Moon initiative to return its roots as a cutting-edge music venue.  Our Artist in residence will capture the creative energy of some of our best-loved bands and her works will enliven the walls of the venue.”

Artist residencies allow individuals to explore their practice within another community.   Tooth, a trained portrait artist fascinated by performers, will be capturing in drawings and oil paintings Half Moon regulars and new talent.

With a lifetime’s passion for reportage, springing from her previous career a journalist and senior news PR for BBC and Sky News, she will tell the stories of the venue’s musicians, exploring themes of separation and connection and seeking to blur the boundaries between illustration and fine art.    

Part of the revival of the Half Moon

Tooth said: “As Artist in Residence I am proud to be part of the revival of the Half Moon whose gigs have long been part of my life.  With its tradition of high-profile music residencies, I find myself in very good company.”

The artwork will be on sale to bands, fans and art lovers.

Tooth trained as a portrait artist at The Heatherley School of Fine Art in Lots Road, Chelsea and is a founding member of the Lots Road Group of portrait artists whose latest exhibition, The Art of Reading, will be on tour during 2017. Winner of the Judges' Prize at Egypt's first biennale, exhibitor at the Milan Expo, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and National Open Art exhibitions, she is a drawing tutor at V&A, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain and the Courtauld for sketchout.net

Stella Tooth at Half Moon Putney with her portrait of Police Dog Hogan's Eddie Bishop.