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
Beermats Characters

However, a new show from Inkygoodness showcases the more constructive and beautiful boozy by-products.

Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller

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
Bart Aalbers

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
El Tobe

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.
K Baczynski.

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
Mayumi Haryoto

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
Motel Seven

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
Rinske Zijsling

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
Sneaky Raccoon
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