Ministry of Arts Podcast

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Louise Fletcher (@LouiseFletcher_Art)

Louise Fletcher is a UK-based artist whose atmospheric, semi-abstract paintings are inspired by the wild landscapes of North Yorkshire, where she lives and works. Her practice explores the relationship between place, memory and emotion, using expressive colour, texture and intuitive mark-making to create landscapes that feel both familiar and imagined. More recently, Louise has been embracing change and experimentation in her work, moving towards increasingly intuitive and abstract approaches while allowing new ideas to emerge without forcing a particular outcome. This openness to creative discovery is central to her philosophy as an artist.

Louise is also widely known as the co-host, with fellow artist Alice Sheridan, of Art Juice, a popular podcast exploring the realities of creative life, from making and selling art to confidence, inspiration and the challenges of sustaining an artistic practice. After six years and hundreds of episodes, the podcast concluded in 2025, leaving a lasting resource for artists and art lovers.

For more information on the work of Louise Fletcher go to
https://www.louisefletcherart.com/

To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts

For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk
Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com
Social Media: @ministryofartsorg
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Ryan Stanier, founder of Fair Play Art Fair (@FairPlayArtFair)

Ryan Stanier, founder of The Other Art Fair (2011), is about to launch a brand new art fair during Frieze week.

Fair Play Art Fair brings around 70 independent artists to One Marylebone for four days this October. Meet the artists, see their work up close and, if something grabs your attention, buy it directly from the person who made it. Every artist exhibiting at Fair Play has been chosen by an independent Selection Committee for the quality of their work, not their ability to pay for exhibition space.

This opens the fair to artists beyond the usual commercial routes, providing a broader yet still curated view of art being made today. A sense of play runs through the whole fair, with live performance, music, artist-led events, food, drink and late-night programming drawing you through One Marylebone and into the evening.

Expect live performance, music, artist-led events and unexpected interventions throughout the building, with selected nights carrying on late. Full programme coming soon.

Fair Play is a new, curated, artist-first fair, designed to connect outstanding independent artists with engaged collectors and a new generation of art buyers. Join us at One Marylebone from 15-18 October. The general sale Advance price is £24.

For more information on the work of Pure Evil go to
https://fairplayartfair.com/

To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts

For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk
Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com
Social Media: @ministryofartsorg
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this REWIND episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Peter Morris @petermorrisarchitects
@kcawlondon

Peter Morris is primarily an architect, who has been running his own practice for over a decade. But his other creative work – as an artist, illustrator, model-maker and designer of products and interiors – has always sat alongside his architectural work, and he loves to bring the colour, quirkiness and joy of his artworks to his buildings wherever possible.

The sculpture joining KCAW ART TRAIL this summer is a Wendy House version of a house that Peter is about to start building for his family, in North London, called The Cloud House – and the story of how this lifelong dream came into being has deep roots in the K&C borough.

Commenting on the theme of this year’s Kensington + Chelsea Art Week, Peter said: “Kensington & Chelsea changed me, and this artwork reflects and celebrates that change.”

For more information on the Kensington Chelsea Art Week & Trail go to
https://www.kcaw.co.uk

To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts

For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk
Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com
Social Media: @ministryofartsorg
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to GG The Illustrator (@ggtheillustrator)

GG the Illustrator is a London-based artist whose work celebrates the architecture, people and communities of council estates across the capital. Working across acrylic, watercolour and digital illustration, she creates detailed, colourful images that document everyday life in neighbourhoods often overlooked by the traditional art world. Her ongoing mission to paint every council estate in London reflects her passion for preserving the memories, character and identity of working-class communities, particularly as estates face regeneration, demolition and displacement.

Through her art, GG challenges perceptions of council housing and gives importance to places and stories that are frequently ignored, creating a lasting record of London’s changing social landscape.

For more information on The Art Car Boot Fair, go to: @art_car_boot_fair

To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts

For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk
Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com
Social Media: @ministryofartsorg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Gary Mansfield speaks to Alison Lapper MBE (@alison_lapper_mbe)

Born with no arms and shortened legs, Alison Lapper spent most of her childhood trying to piece together her own identity. Her extraordinary background and passion for creativity has given us one of the county’s most inspirational artists.
Alison’s reputation was bolstered when Marc Quinn created his modern day ‘Venus de Milo’ for Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth, a white marble sculpture of the 8 months pregnant Alison titled, ‘Alison Lapper Pregnant’. That sculpture also went on to be shown at the Venice Biennale with an inflatable version used for the opening of the 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony. Alison was awarded an MBE in 2003 and later, an honorary doctorate from the University of Brighton.

Since this episode Ali and I have been firm friends, working together a few times and both being trustees for @the drugof.art, a charity to encourage young people to be creativeto support their mental health.

For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www. ministryofarts.org Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.