A Very Specific Call for Artists

 

The Modbo, an award winning art gallery in downtown Colorado Springs, proudly announces a regional call for artists.  In honor of the National Lambretta Jamboree 2013, to be held at The Modbo in July, the Modbo seeks entries for scooter-themed art, to be displayed for the month of July.  Sorry, no sculpture will be considered unless it may be hung from a wall.  All pieces must be framed and ready to hang, with two points of attachment (i.e., screw eyes or d-rings) on the back of each piece.  Pieces chosen will be subject to The Modbo’s normal commission schedule, information upon request.  Entry fee is $10 per piece submitted for jurying, non-refundable.  Pieces must be dropped off on June 29th between the hours of noon and three.  Pick-up for unaccepted pieces will be on June 30th, between the hours of noon and two.  For more information and any other questions, please contact the Modbo at themodbo at gmail.com, with the word “scooter” in the subject line.

 

Introducing The ModboCo, a new school of art at Ivywild!

The Modbo, an award-winning art gallery in downtown Colorado Springs, announces its newest venture: The ModboCo, a school for the arts located at the Ivywild School, 1604 S. Cascade Ave. in Colorado Springs. Classes will begin in August, and more information is available by contacting Lauren Andrus at 719.633.4240, http://www.themodbo.com, or at modboco@gmail.com.

The ModboCo serves to bring integrity, joy, and purpose to those who seek to learn about art. An expansion of The Modbo’s popular art classes, the ModboCo will offer classes for adults, children, youth-at-risk, home-schooled students, and more! Occasional weekend workshops on subjects ranging from film to encaustic to community-minded arts projects also will be offered. Students can count on teachers with a wide variety of experience and knowledge, who create their own work with integrity, and seek to share their methods with others. As learners of all ages and skill levels, students can depend on a focused, but fun, process, leading to real-world skills and abilities in the subject of their choice.

The Modbo was founded in 2009, with the mission of bringing joy to those who collaborate in the arts. For the past four years, owners Brett and Lauren Andrus have done just that– providing monthly art openings, art classes, musical concerts of all genres, performances of all kinds, and poetry readings. A second gallery, S.P.Q.R., was added in 2010, expanding the offerings to an eager public. Both galleries have won a myriad of Best Of the Springs awards from both The Gazette and The Independent for Best Galleries, Best Place to Buy Art, Best Place to See Emerging Artists, and more.

The classes in particular have been very popular. Taught by Savannah College of Art and Design graduate Brett Andrus on a variety of subjects from drawing to oil painting, classes have exceeded capacity in many instances. ModboCo at Ivywild will accommodate a larger number of students and a variety of teachers; ModboCo also will collaborate with many other individuals and organizations in the Ivywild complex, such as Millibo Art Theatre. The original Modbo and S.P.Q.R. galleries will continue offering high-quality exhibits and performances.

The ModboCo is a non-profit operating under the fiscal sponsorship of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation.

You need art, art needs you.

Sincerely,

Brett and Lauren Andrus

P.S. On a more personal note, Brett and Lauren would like to sincerely thank all of you for your support and patronage over the years.  Your participation makes all the difference!  Thank you, thank you!

May Arts Alley Openings: Lorelei Beckstrom and Clive Nyles at The Modbo and S.P.Q.R.!

The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. happily present their May First Friday openings– “Fluff” by Lorelei Beckstrom in S.P.Q.R. and new works by Clive Nyles in The Modbo.  Friday, May 3rd, from 5:30 until midnight.  Live music by The Bottesini Project at 9:30 pm. This show will run until Friday, May 31st.  More information at themodbo@gmail.com or www.themodbo.com. 17B and 17C E. Bijou Street, Colorado Springs, CO.

 

Lorelei Beckstrom hails originally from Minnesota.  After studying painting, sculpture, and graphic design for seven years, Beckstrom relocated to the mountains of Colorado in 1994, thus fulfilling a childhood dream to move to the west.  Beckstrom has shown prolifically in Colorado, where she co-owned the award-winning Rubbish Gallery, and her work resides in collections in the United States, Mexico, and England.  She is represented by The Modbo in Colorado Springs, where she is a member of the Modbo Collective.  She also shows at the Carla Wright Gallery in Denver.  Her most recent work can be viewed atwww.loreleibeckstrom.com

 

Beckstrom’s most recent body of work, “Fluff,” started as a series of small paintings of stuffed animals in 2012– some of them loved by others, and some of them her dearest childhood friends. Says Beckstrom, “Our toys shared a secret world with us, and I realize now that I was attracted to the innocence and quiet magic of this relationship.”  It developed a step further when Beckstrom had the idea to place her stuffed models into stories that we all share– exploring ideas such as Icarus’s ability to dream and remain dedicated at all costs, and the hope and disappointment that Sisyphus must have felt in his daily battle with a boulder.

As a narrative figurative painter,  Beckstrom soon found that she missed painting the human form, and it then occurred to her that she could combine the two. She began a series of photo shoots of friends in animal masks and found that the creepy cuteness and the concept of anonymity appealed to her. “I have so much more I want to do with this idea and plan to continue this body of work well into the coming year.  I imagine that my idea of what these paintings are about will differ from yours. I love leaving the door open just enough for us to peek in. I want to inspire curiosity in both myself and my viewers. I want us to wonder,” says Beckstrom.

 

Clive Nyles attended the Savannah College of Art and Design.  Although originally from England, Nyles remained in Georgia after his time at S.C.A.D.  This is Nyles’ second show at The Modbo.  He draws from such influences as Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell.  Nyles’ recent compositions utilize chiaroscuro value patterns along with geometric patterning to create subject emerging from light or subject being engulfed by darkness.  Additionally, some works play with the idea of onomatopoeia as a visual representation, relying on patterning, texture, and mark-making.

 

April’s Arts Alley Openings! THIS FRIDAY! Dunn, Viger, Bennett, and Bartlett!

The Modbo and S.P.Q.R., the Arts Alley District, are delighted to present a new arts opening on Friday, March 1st from 5:30 until midnight. The Modbo will host Shannon Dunn and Monique Viger, while S.P.Q.R. will present the work of Cole Bennett and Logan Bartlett. There will be a plethora of live music at the opening reception– beginning at 8 pm, you’ll be treated to the sounds of Chela Lujan, Desirae Garcia, and Briffaut. Don’t miss this explosion of arts and music– it’s the perfect way to bring March in like a lion!

On Display In The Modbo:

A Chicago native, Shannon Dunn attended Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois where she studied Art and Education. Shannon’s painting style is inspired by her background in printmaking and her love for stylized, simplified drawings. She paints in oils, ink, acrylic, and resin. Shannon’s work is largely focused on the human figure. Her concepts draw inspiration from the natural world, her observations of social behavior and her spiritual beliefs. Her work has been shown in various solo and group exhibitions at galleries, restaurants and coffee shops throughout the Pikes Peak Region, and she is an original member of The Modbo Collective. She currently resides in Colorado Springs, CO with her husband and young children.
Says Dunn, “In the light and shadow series, I experiment with how lighting conditions distort and abstract
objects. I also investigate how negative and positive space can represent shape, pattern and textiles. Most of the paintings are silhouettes of human figures set over abstract color fields. Sometimes what I don’t show is just as important, if not more important than what I do show. For example, a thin, curved line implying a shoulder in shadow can be much more dramatic than a rendering of the whole arm. The human figure is one of the most challenging and fascinating subjects for me as an artist. Ultimately, this series aims to explore the human form’s design and beauty while representing how the natural laws of this world affect its appearance.”

Monique Viger had always wanted to paint, but ended up putting that wish on the back burner for many years. Instead, she focused her time and energy building a career as a hairstylist and raising her two children on her own after a divorce early in their childhood. After her kids were grown she realized that the time had come to focus on her own dreams. A few years ago she happened upon The Modbo Gallery one evening, and as she watched Brett Andrus paint she remembered that painting was, in fact, one of her long lost dreams and so began taking classes. She has been studying under him ever since. She has enjoyed the learning process and is excited to see where it goes and thinks that if she continues to push herself through the process, more and more of the pieces will come together, both in her art and self.

Monique has recently become fascinated with the play of light in nature, and this is evident in her newest body of work.. She loves to run through the mountains of Colorado and has always been taken by the surroundings and by the way the light shines through it. In this body of work she has focused in on the study of light found in the details of landscape. Monique has shown at the Blue Star, Wooglins Deli, Locals Barbershop, Eden Salon and Barbershop and was part of the War Show, which was shown at The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. Galleries and then again at Rodney Wood’s space in Trinidad, Colorado.

On Display at S.P.Q.R.:

Cole Bennett is a Colorado Springs Native who is invested in the burgeoning arts community. Having returned to the Springs three years ago, he has had multiple collaborative and group shows with musicians and local artists. He is a member at the BAC in Manitou, the Bridge Gallery, and takes classes at The Modbo. Cole is a member of the King’s of Space music and art collective, dedicated to expanding the integrity of art and music and fostering connections between creative communities along the Front Range. He teaches art at West Middle School in Old Colorado City.

Says Bennett, “I am interested in art that invites the viewer to participate and rewards curiosity. I don’t ever want my audience to feel like they have bumped up against a wall, and the artwork no longer allows them to explore. With this show, my themes are simple and whimsical. I have a perpetual delight with the iconic purity of monsters and social archetypes. Their universality fosters cultural dialogue. I felt it would be delightful and slightly jarring to treat them delicately, in contexts that might otherwise be associated with serenity, by referencing traditional Japanese Woodcut. Making my own paper and assembling each sheet in three large panels is another layer of this reference. My hope is that the viewer will find the textures of the paper, the detail in the renderings, and the thematic content of the illustrations to be engaging enough to have an expansive relationship with the piece, while perhaps finding some delight in their playfulness. People familiar with the area and our arts community will also find another level of meaning in some iconic aspects of these pieces.”

Logan Bartlett, a Colorado Springs native, has had a lifelong love of art. He was inspired at a young age to begin drawing after seeing comic strips such as Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson) and Peanuts (Charles Schulz). Cartooning remained his passion throughout his childhood as he created countless comic strips and cartoon characters. After graduating from Manitou Springs High School, Logan began to branch out into using new media and subject matters, choosing to put the cartooning on hold in order to build technique and skill. It wasn’t long until he fell in love with using watercolor, ink, and pen. As time has progressed, he has continued to expand and evolve his style, slowly mixing a more realistic style with his distinct cartoon style. Logan strives for his paintings to evoke some type of emotion from the viewer, considering every piece that does so a success. He never ceases to learn something new from each piece of work, and continues to look forward to what techniques he will explore in the future.

For this show Logan has chosen to work with a variety of media, so as to display his enjoyment of all types of paint, inks, and pens, along with showing a wide range of styles and techniques from realistic to psychedelic. Logan has branched out from painting classic portraits with dark and muted colors to a more loose and organic feel. He has chosen to focus on the flow of colors and lines to give pieces a deep, rich look. A series of his more recent watercolors (primarily featuring monsters) are all unplanned until the color has been laid out on clayboard. The free-flowing pieces are filled with small, intricate details to gain the interest of the viewer and to bring the pieces together. Each piece is an intricate endeavor that Logan uses to further develop his technique and advance himself as an aspiring artist.

The Modbo’s First Opening of 2013!

 

Please join us for The Modbo and S.P.Q.R.’s first art opening of 2013 on February 1st.  The Modbo will host “Zugraphos” by Erin Jones, a promising young artist who has just returned from an art studies program abroad in Italy and Greece.  S.P.Q.R. will feature alumni of the many art classes which have been taught at The Modbo by Brett Andrus over the past four years.  Please join us from 5:30 pm until midnight on Friday, February 1st.  The show will run through Friday, February 22nd.  The Modbo can be reached at themodbo@gmail.com or 633-4240.

***

Erin Jones, 22, is a Colorado Springs native.  She graduated from Palmer High School, having taken Advanced Placement and IB Classes in art.  Her first and most prominent art pursuit began with FutureSelf in 2003.  She studied countless art media under dozens of local artists as a student while also moving forward in the program as volunteer, artist assistant, event coordinator and teacher, until the program’s end in 2011.  Erin worked extensively with local artist and mentor Spica Stolfus and the Black Kiowa Gallery from 2006 to present. There, she executed dozens of art projects, shows, and installations throughout the community.  From 2007-2008, Erin worked at the Smokebrush Foundation of the Arts as a gallery assistant and an assistant curator.  In 2008, she was accepted into the highly esteemed annual juried art exhibition “Wunderkind” at the Business of Art Center.  This exhibit spotlights 12 of the top high-school art students in the Pikes Peak region.  Erin fell in love with oil paint in 2010 while studying under Brett Andrus at The Modbo/ SPQR galleries. Heavy participation in the Arts Alley District with Brett and Lauren Andrus has provided Erin with ample amounts of gallery exposure and recognition throughout the community.

In an attempt to broaden her horizons in art and travel, Erin applied last year to the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts and was accepted alongside 26 participants worldwide to undergo an intensive abroad study in Italy and Greece for the fall of 2012. The first month in Italy was dedicated to the study of master painters, sculptors and architects of the Italian Renaissance. She witnessed hundreds of masterworks in Rome, Venice, Florence, Siena, Lucca, and Pisa, while also attending classes at Villa Rospigliosi, her main housing in the small Tuscan town of Pistoia.  Her focus shifted dramatically when the course moved to Athens, Greece, and then more permanently to the Kykladic island of Paros, Greece. Here, she was able to take advantage of the school’s facilities, nestled in the Parian village of Paroikia.  Hours upon hours were spent in the classroom, her studio, and also outdoors in the beautiful wilderness and waters of the island. This settling gave her the ability to apply her inspiration from Italy and move forward with technical skill in drawing, figure studies, oil painting and printmaking, as well as a new historical exploration of the astounding artistic accomplishments of Ancient Greek civilization.  Erin’s transformation is evident even beyond the curriculum shown. The Aegean Center’s thriving environment allowed Erin to seek a new richness and the act of artmaking and life as a whole. She has gained many powerful new relationships/ mentorships and is thrilled to continue exploring her days actively and curiously.

The Modbo/ SPQR Galleries will be showcasing Erin’s abroad studies on February 1st, 2013. Entitled “Zugraphos” for the Greek word for painter (literally, “transcriber of life”), the show will include a collection of prints, drawings, and paintings created in Greece, along with a series started upon her return to Colorado Springs in December. Her new work applies her new-found oil painting techniques to her original love of portraiture. All portraits painted have a common theme of projection, where specific images are projected on each of the subject’s faces/ bodies. All artwork sold will contribute to Erin’s return to the Aegean Center for the Spring Semester in Paros, Greece.

***

Since 2009, artist and Modbo co-owner Brett Andrus has been teaching a variety of art classes to adult students at The Modbo.  These classes cover topics such as oil painting, drawing, mixed media, art history, and theory.  Taught in a casual and friendly environment, the classes strive to find the potential in each student, cultivating a love of the process and a willingness to work hard and accept new challenges, regardless of the students’ level or prior knowledge.  This second-ever Modbo Classes Alumni show will feature work by Christian Medovich, Dave Tweedy, Susan Fletcher, Korri Oxford, Miguel Espinosa, Monique Viger, Cole Bennett, Jean Cuchiaro, and others.

We Like Them Apples Just Fine

The Modbo is open by appointment (email us at themodbo at gmail.com) or on Friday nights from 5:30 until 9 or 10.  This week, we will also be open Thursday evening at 5 pm and on Saturday from noon to 7 pm.

 

Thanks!

Small Works Opens This Friday!

 

The Modbo cheerfully presents its Fifth Annual Small Works Show!  This amazing show features work by right around 100 community artists in both The Modbo and S.P.Q.R., hung floor to ceiling in a spectacular display of hundreds of pieces.  (To be more exact, we have close to 400 pieces this year! Wow!!)

A perfect show for holiday shopping, Small Works is a cash-and-carry event.  See a piece, buy a piece, take a piece with you!  All pieces are under 24″ in every dimension.

Shop local! Support local artists and local galleries!  Knock out presents for nearly everyone on your list!  Except maybe the dog.  Not much art for the dog, to be truthful.

The opening reception is from 5:30 until midnight on Friday, December 7th.  The show runs through Friday, January 4th.  Don’t miss it!

It’s Small Works Time– a call for artists!

The Modbo is delighted to announce a Call for Artists for its wildly popular Fifth Annual Small Works Show.

Intake is at The Modbo, 17C East Bijou, from 10 am until 3 pm on Saturday, December 1st.

All works must be under 24 inches in every dimension, including the frame. There will be a $3 hanging fee per each piece that is accepted (after a light jurying process). All pieces must be wired and ready to hang (two screw eyes or two D-rings).

The show will open on Friday, December 7th in both The Modbo and its adjoining gallery, S.P.Q.R.

Questions? Email themodbo@gmail.com or leave a message at 633-4240.

New Classes Start in A Week!

The Modbo is delighted to announce its newest round of art classes.  Are you ready to try your hand at something new or expand upon your artistic experience?  These fun classes draw a great mix of students and take place in the coolest, most eclectic possible art studio environment, downtown in the Alley Arts District.  Don’t miss your chance to get a space in these very popular classes!  ***Classes are now 2 hours long– a great value!*** Space is very limited, so please reserve your space by emailing themodbo@gmail.com as soon as possible.  You can also leave a message at 633-4240.

On Monday nights, beginning November 19th, The Modbo will offer an Intermediate Oil Painting Class.  This class is the next step in your oil painting exploration.  It’s meant to further your skills as a painter, honing the craft, building a body of work, and having fun all the while.  The class will run for ten sessions, and each class goes from 5:15 pm to 7:15 pm.  $145 with a $10 model fee.  The Intro to Oil class is a recommended prerequisite; email themodbo@gmail.com for guidance.

Also on Monday nights, beginning November 19th, The Modbo will offer an Intro to Drawing class.  Have you ever said that you can’t draw? Then this is the class for you.  Dip your toes back into the waters of art-making with this springboard class.  We believe that everyone can draw, it’s just a matter of learning how.  Keep it simple, have some fun, and be amazed by your own progress.  This class is ten sessions long and goes from 7:30 pm until 9:30 pm.  $140 with a $10 model fee.  No experience required!

On Tuesday nights, beginning November 20th, The Modbo will offer an Introduction to Oil Painting class.  Have you ever wanted to paint? Did you paint when you were younger and wish you’d never stopped?  Intro to Oil is designed for the beginner, a fun class designed to produce results.  This class is ten sessions long and goes from 5:15 pm until 7:15 pm.  $140 with a $10 model fee.  No experience required!

On Tuesday nights, beginning November 20th, The Modbo will offer an Art Theory class.  Why do you make art the way you do? Do you find yourself stuck in a rut, making the same art over and over again? This class is designed by Brett Andrus to address those very issues, through a discussion-based examination of everything from color theory, to composition, to creativity and the development of one’s artistic style.  This class is ten sessions long and goes from 7:30 pm until 9:30 pm.  $140 with a $10 model fee.  Some experience recommended; email themodbo@gmail.com for guidance.

About the teacher:

Brett Andrus is a Savannah College of Art and Design graduate and a co-owner of The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. Having shown along both the Front Range and the East Coast, he is now an active member of The Modbo Collective. Andrus curates both The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. as well as several satellite restaurants and bars in the Colorado Springs area.  He has been teaching drawing and painting classes out of The Modbo for over three years.  Last year, Andrus won silver for Best Artist in both the Gazette and Indy’s Best Of contests.

November’s Arts Alley Openings: Catherine Porter-Brown and Jeff Brown, Betty Ross and Holly Conlon

 

The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. proudly present November’s first Friday art openings, Friday, November 2nd, 2012, from 5:30 pm until midnight.  In The Modbo, you’ll find works by Catherine Porter-Brown and Jeff Brown, while S.P.Q.R. will house works by Betty Ross and Holly Conlon.  The show runs through Friday, November 30th.  The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. are located at 17b and 17c East Bijou Street, 80903, and may be reached at themodbo@gmail.com or 633-4240.

*****

Catherine Porter-Brown has been commissioned by corporations, municipal governments, schools and universities, and scores of private individuals to paint portraits.  Her artwork is in collections in Colorado, California, and many Eastern states, especially in the New England area.  Ms. Porter Brown’s past and present representation is: Portraits, Incorporated in New York City, The Van Straten Gallery (formerly the Sandy Carson Gallery), Denver, CO, Rich Design, Colorado Springs, CO, Bryan and Scott Gallery, Colorado Springs, CO and The Dragonfly Gallery, Oak Bluffs, MA.  In 1970, Catherine received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Art from The College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY.  Catherine is profiled in the 17th Edition of Who’s Who of American Women.  Working extensively in the media of oil and pastel, Porter -Brown has exhibited her non-commissioned, very personal, “magic realism” throughout Colorado, New England and the East Coast. Her work is featured in the Fine Art Center’s permanent collection.

Says Catherine Porter-Brown, “For the past 10 years or so, the source of inspiration for most of my paintings has been my dream work and spiritual work with a focus primarily on the human figure and its relationship to its internal and external environments. The work in this show includes some of those figurative pieces. The inspiration for the more recent work here came from more mundane subjects; simple things I pulled out of my cupboard or picked up while walks on the Colorado prairie or while hiking in the backcountry hills of New Mexico.  It has been great fun to explore and play with the small miracles and quiet magic that can inhabit the color, shape and form of common everyday objects.”

Jeff Brown has been the Artist-in-Residence at The Fountain Valley School since 2009.  He received his MFA from the University of Guanajuata in Mexico, and his Master of Art Education at the Hartford Art School in Connecticut.  He has also served on the advisory board and as the Chair of the Outdoor Sculpture Committee for the Pioneers Museum.  Brown was an artist representative for the Art Commission of the Pikes Peak Region, as well as a member of the board of trustees at the Fine Arts Center.  He has shown extensively in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Denver, California, and Taos.

Says Brown, “Discarded bits of cultural ephemera, lost artifacts, corroded materials and time-worn weathered surfaces and patinas, evident of nature’s ravaging effects– these are the particulary romantic and exotic sources that inspire my work.  Many of pieces are nostalgic and reminiscent of once-significant objects, often from my own childhood; a Cracker Jack toy “surprise,” a discarded lead soldier or a fragment of foreign paper currency.  The aesthetic criteria for a found object’s inclusion in my assemblage or collage is its venerable sense of time, wear and use with a a feeling of origins from another time or far-away place.  I’m after a sense of familiarity mixed with a feeling of rebirth and even a reaction of challenge or mystery with that which we would otherwise feel comfortable… that, and a purely aesthetic combination of materials, objects, and original artwork.”

Betty Ross has been painting and costuming for Theatreworks since arriving in Colorado Springs in 1974. She has worked in watermedia, collage, on paper and canvas and she has exhibited regionally (several times at the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center) and in Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. and Chicago. Her most recent exhibits were in 2010 at COPPeR, paintings based on travels in Greece and England. and four abstract paintings included in the Ugly/Beautiful show at the Pike’s Peak Community College Downtown Studio this spring. She will costume The Wild Duck for Theatreworks in April of next year.

Betty’s current show, “Travel and Paint” was prompted by travels in England and Sweden in January and May of this year.  Says Ross, “On site I sketched and photographed, later using the information to develop larger images on canvas in the studio.  They retained more specificity than usual for me.  In the case of the Swedish paintings I was also influenced by the dark detective novels of Henning Mankell, as well as by Sweden’s novelty as a country both European and looking eastward to Poland and Russia and beyond. In many cases these are backyards, quaint or spooky, elegant or exposed, as in the Baltic Sea painting. Mood is achieved through color, construction, planning and accident.”

Holly Conlon lives and works in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  She received her B.A. in English from the University of North Texas.  She has shown extensively in Colorado Springs, including shows at The Modbo, The Bridge Gallery, Smokebrush, Nocturnal Mockery, and The Rubbish Gallery.  She has also shown in Taos, New Mexico.

Regarding her new show, Little Mysteries, Conlon says, “The work for the show is a continuation of my previous work in the sense that it is about nature and ‘magic.’ By magic, I mean the beautiful numinosity and mystery that are available to us. The work for this show has helped me to clarify my vision by allowing me small glimpses into this mystery. The format of the shadow box lends itself perfectly to the work. I like the idea of small work because it mimics the experience of seeing, however briefly, through a window into the unknown, the magical, the numinous, or whatever name you may call it. I am inspired by experiences from my Catholic faith, as well as, by nature, and artifacts from Stone Age Great Britain.”