Beermat Characters
While beer has undoubtedly inspired many things, the ideas it generates may not always be so great when sobriety and the cold light of day kicks in.
![Beermats Characters](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/BeermatsCharacters.jpg)
However, a new show from Inkygoodness showcases the more constructive and beautiful boozy by-products.
![Aaron Miller](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/AaronMiller.jpg)
The Beermat Characters show, which opens in London later this month, was born from a night in a Belgian pub where creative types started idly doodling on beermats.
![Bart Aalbers](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/BartAalbers.jpg)
The logos formed faces, the spaces were filled in, and the seeds were sown to take the humble coasters and give them a whole new life.
![El Tobe](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/ElTobe1.jpg)
Lisa Hassell, Inkygoodness founder and creative director, explains, ‘The idea that something as simple as a beermat could be transformed into a character with just a few strokes of a pen was a lightbulb moment’.
‘After our Character Totem show back in 2011, we were hooked on the idea of getting a bunch of artists together to customise a physical object, and the appeal of beermats was their accessibility – it meant that as a creative project, we could open it up to artists worldwide to get involved – for the price of a stamp’.
![K Baczynski.](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/KBaczynski.jpg)
Hassell then set about organising a competition, where participants sent in their beermat creations to be displayed online. From these, 50 were chosen to be featured in the show. A further 30 pieces from invited artists will also be on display.
![Mayumi Haryoto](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/MayumiHaryoto.jpg)
Among the artists showing their beery creations are Hattie Stewart, David Shillinglaw, Kristyna Baczynski, Michael Slack, Nate Bear, Osian Efnisien and Sneaky Raccoon.
![Motel Seven](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/MotelSeven.jpg)
Hassell says, ‘The results have been far beyond what we could have hoped for, the talent, skill and sheer imagination that has gone into the producing the artwork is incredible’.
![Rinske Zijsling](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/RinskeZijsling1.jpg)
Beermat Characters runs from 29 April – 4 May alongside Ammo Magazine’s exhibtion The Poop Deck at the Coningsby Gallery, 30 Tottenham Street, London W1T. The show is sponsored by Sailor Jerry rum. For more information visit Inkygoodness.com
![Sneaky Raccoon](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/standfirst-designweek-production/uploads/2013/04/SneakyRaccoonweb.jpg)
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