Phoenix Ng – Studio 1

Our new Studio One resident artist is Phoenix Ng, a figurative artist from Hong Kong, now based in Portsmouth. Her art combines the exploration of identity, love and belonging from her lived experience as a young immigrant. She is interested in telling stories, memories and experiences highlighting women’s voices, inspired by both real world events and folklore. She works from life and self-directed photographs, primarily using acrylic, oil pastel and graphite.
On being selected for the Studio One opportunity Phoenix says, “It has been the most amazing time settling into Studio One at Art Space as I slowly transform the space into my own. I cannot be more grateful to have this beautiful space for the next two months and I am beyond excited to start working on new projects here.”

Olana Light – Studio 7

Olana recently took over the whole of Studio 7, giving her a dedicated space to develop her practice on a larger scale. Over the past few weeks she has been busy transforming the studio – painting the walls and floor, building new shelving, and creating an environment that truly supports the way she works.
Having a large studio has made a huge difference. Space has always been one of the biggest challenges in Olana’s practice, particularly when creating large sculptural and installation works. Now, for the first time, she has the room to experiment, play, and develop ambitious projects without the limitations she previously faced.
During Open Studios, visitors will have the opportunity to see a sneak preview of a new work in progress from Between Land and Tide, her latest project supported by Arts Council England through a National Lottery Project Grant. The project explores connections between the sea, the body, and Portsmouth’s coastal environment through large-scale sculpture, installation and performance.

Kye Wilson – Studio 19

Kye Wilson is an award-winning visual artist working with moving image to create video art and installations that incorporate multidisciplinary, site-specific, and live artwork. Embedded in his practice is the fusion of live and mediated experiences that explore the human condition and the liminal space between the real and the virtual.
His work has been performed, exhibited, and screened nationally and internationally, including at APT Gallery, London; Portsmouth Historic Dockyard; Winchester Cathedral; and Circulo de Belles Artes, Museum of Fine Arts, Madrid. Awards include Best Video Artwork at MADATAC, Madrid; Best Film at the Undercover Surrealism exhibition at Hayward Gallery, London; and a jury decoration at the Festival of Video Art “KinoLevchyk”, Ukraine.
Kye’s recent work is inspired by Slow Cinema, transforming research into long, contemplative takes that completely immerse viewers in the embodiment of people and places.
He has recently been awarded an Immersive Arts Explore grant to develop Eternal Seasons – a contemplative VR experience that collapses the four seasons into a single, impossible space, inviting embodied reflection on our relationship with the natural world at a time of climate crisis.

Lorraine Molins – Studio 20

Lorraine has made the huge step from Studio 19 to next door in John Green’s old studio.
She says – “Please make a point and come and see me in Studio 20, a beautiful large space and simply the best studio I have been in!  Having been in smaller studios in Art Space, I have luckily recently moved into this wonderful large space, which allows me to house all my work, (having moved it all from storage) and work on several large works at the same time. I did a lot of work to it, re-painting walls & the floor, with help from Clive and Mike who built storage and re-did the main wall so I’m able to view the paintings from a distance. 
It is a joy to be in and for me to see work that was done many years ago that is so connected to recent work. The inspiration to work on large connecting canvases stretching around the room inspired by Monet’s Water Lilies in the Orangerie in Paris is my next project.”

Sophie Bowen – Studio 26

Sophie is a textile artist originally from Somerset, recently moved to Portsmouth after several years spent in Bristol. She works with drawing, natural dyes and hand embroidery, exploring stitch as a way of carrying line through movement, repetition and touch. Influenced by observing seasonality, its irregularities and transitions, her work unfolds gradually through process-led making, paying attention to subtle shifts in spacing, tension and direction as rhythm and form emerge through slow accumulation and care.
Sophie recently joined Art Space Portsmouth and is now working from Studio 26 alongside textile artist Amanda Berridge. The studio is giving her space to further explore natural dyeing, stitching and experimental material processes, and she’s excited to become part of Portsmouth’s creative community.
For Open Studios, she’ll be sharing recent artworks, sketchbooks, naturally dyed materials and stitch experiments to offer an insight into my making process.

Alice Hume – Studio 29

Alice is a Textile Artist and Weaver based in Portsmouth with 12 years of experience including training from weaving schools in Britain, Japan, and Sweden. My community-focused practice emphasises collaboration, heritage, and nature through handcrafted techniques. Working mainly on a 56-year-old manual loom, she creates each piece by hand, using plant fibres and vintage yarns. Her weaving integrates embroidery, decorative knots, and spinning techniques. Inspired by the urgency of climate change, Alice aims to foster environmental awareness while preserving traditional crafts and cultural heritage.
Photo Credit: Karl Bailey

Jeannie Driver – Studio 12

Drawing Presence: Traces of Presence Live durational drawing and participatory workshops

Jeannie says – “I’m taking part in the Art Space Portsmouth Open Studios event a little differently this year.
This Open Studios event is an opportunity for me to test and develop new ideas within my practice. Through live durational drawing and participatory workshops, I will be exploring breath, movement, repetition, time and collective mark-making.
Throughout the event, I will be creating a drawing that unfolds in real time within the studio. Visitors will be invited to leave their own traces through body and breath, contributing to an evolving work that records connection and shared experience. Together, these traces will form a collective record of the day.
Experimental workshops, invite participants to explore simple drawing processes that connect the body, breath and line. Through shared making, conversation and reflection, the workshops become part of an evolving investigation into presence, connection and drawing.”

Booking: Sign up in advance by email jeannie@jeanniedriver.com or at the entrance on the day. First come basis.
Download the event handout below.

Jon Adams – Studio 21

Jon Adams will be showing his Biro based ‘original’ drawings for the first time in his studio over the open weekend. His Biro drawing started with ‘Covid Corvids’ in 2020, their roots being the UCL Trellis Project ‘Flow Unlocked’ on show in USA (www.ucl.ac.uk/culture-online/trellis-2020-21/flow-unlocked) In 2026 these have morphed into ‘Biro beasts’. Essentially, Jon starts with a scribble then using his innate AuDHD ‘pattern finding‘ ability turns them into often unique creatures.
Jon continues to research, illustrate, run his ‘Kocreate Kollective‘ group for ND creatives and advises on ‘Inclusion’ as part of  Portsmouths City of Culture 2029 bid”

Kate Street – Studio 28

This is the last Open Studios that Kate will be with us as she leaves her Art Space studio in July.
She says “Over seven years, it’s remarkable how much can accumulate in a studio, especially when “stuff” is central to your work: objects, memories, emotional residue, and stuff. Open Studios always offered a reason to edit, reset, and present the work clearly so visitors could navigate the chaos. This year the clear-out has been deeper, as I’ve moved back to a home studio.
Do come along to see the uber tidy studio. ‘Stuff’ that isn’t work has been relocated and I’ve even repainted the floor with the last of the original paint. I’ll be showing a survey of work made during my time there, alongside a small studio sale.”