Gloucester Arts and Crafts Group Newsletter January 2014
Dear members,
Happy new year to you all.
Welcome to the latest online Newsletter. It doesn’t seem possible that we are already in January, although judging by the weather it seems more like Autumn. I hope that you haven’t been affected by the floods or this miserable weather. I suppose we have colder weather coming next if America is anything to go by. Anyway, it’s time to look forward to more joyous times- Summer School 2014. I am including some interesting places to visit in Gloucestershire, they sound great and are well worth a visit. If you know of other places to visit that will interest the members please contact me ( email address can be found under Contact). There are also some websites of interest - if you have any more please let me know.
Gill Webb
PS. As soon as I can work out how to upload photos I will endeavour to make the Newsletter more colourful.
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The AGM will be held on Saturday, 15 March at Hartpury Village Hall. Please note that this is a new venue and our guest speaker will be Jackie Garner
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Jackie Garner, British Wildlife Artist I'm a keen birder so many of my most recent works are paintings of British birds - however recently I've been embracing the animal-, reptile- and insect- side of wildlife art. Wildlife artist, Jackie Garner"…I've been painting wildlife and the natural world for over 30 years. I originally trained at Medway College of Design, before becoming the part-time education officer at Gloucestershire's Nature in Art. That role allowed me to indulge my love of wildlife art, and I was inspired - and taught - by some of the great British wildlife artists - Robert Gillmor, Peter Partington, Bruce Pearson, Greg Poole... Before I knew it my metamorphosis from a "naturalist interested in art" to an "artist interested in nature" was complete. My wildlife paintings mostly concentrate on British animals and birds. I work from life whenever possible, usually sketching in pencil and watercolour and working up sketches in acrylics. I'm fascinated by wildlife camouflage and the repeating patterns in nature. My paintings of nature and wildlife have been shown on BBC television and are held in collections as far afield as the Falkland Islands, Trinidad, Australia and South Africa. I was elected to fellowship of the RSA in 2006. A four-week trip in 2005 to paint the wild life of the Falkland Islands provided plenty of inspiration beyond my usual British wildlife art, and led to my reputation for paintings of penguins. Since 2008 I've been concentrating on illustrations for a book on the wildlife art of ancient Egypt, which included an amazing six-week field trip investigating the art techniques and materials used inside the tombs and temples. In 2009 I established a new studio near Stroud, enabling me to take on more illustration work and expand my range of wild life art original paintings, prints, cards and puzzles. 2013: I've focused less on birds and more on the animal-, insect- and reptile- side of wildlife art, as I authored and illustrated a new wildlife art book. |
One Day Workshop
This will take place on Saturday, 5 April at Hartpury Village Hall - please note the change of venue. Details of all courses will be made public soon.
Summer School 2014 –Mon 21st -Fri 25th July
We are busily planning the 2014 Summer school as I write. To make it as successful as ever, please tell your family and friends about it and direct them to our website: www.spanglefish.com/gloucesterartsandcrafts
HOT OFF THE PRESS: I can reveal the courses for this Summer School 2014
5 DAY COURSES 2014
Art Courses
Acrylics
Adventures in Acrylics
Brilliant Batik
Discovering Watercolour – the Basics and Beyond
Drawing: Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced
Oil Painting – a Trouble Free Approach
Pastels
Portraiture
Silk Painting
Watercolour Painting
Craft Courses
Country Chair Making
Creative Textiles
Letter Cutting in Stone
Mosaic
2 and 3 DAY COURSES
21-22 July
Fused Glass
Silver Clay Jewellery
Decoupage
Beadwork
Figurative Sculpture
Garden Crafts for beginners
23-24 July
Pointillism
24-25 July
Fashion Jewellery
Garden Troughs
23-25 July
Botanical Art
Glass for Your Garden
25 July
Encaustic Art
24-25 July
Fashion Jewellery
Garden Troughs
21- 23 July
Decoupage
Garden Crafts for Beginners
I can reveal the new courses for this year’s Summer School
There are some familiar courses and quite a few new ones to take your fancy.
Beadwork is back this year with expert tuition from Jenny Hodgett. Jenny has years of experience of creating wonderful beadwork designs. You will have the chance to make very wearable pieces, which will be much admired.
Pointillism was demonstrated by Dee as artist in residence last year. A clever method of using dots to create astounding paintings. Guided by Dee you too can create your own artwork.
Decoupage is new this year. This is the method of using paper images to revamp items of furniture, trays, tissue box holders, scanned photos of loved ones to stick onto a box – called a memory box, in fact any object can be decoupaged. Sharon Marshall and Gill Webb have decoupaged a lot of items and will be running this course.
An exciting technique with endless possibilities.
Encaustic art is making an appearance.. This is a fascinating and very satisfying course where pictures are made using an iron and encaustic wax. Sounds unusual but the effects are amazing and it is easy to pick up. My dining room table is covered in wax blocks, travel irons and a stylus. I became hooked on this a few months ago and haven’t looked back. Here are two examples of this type of this intricate artwork.
Garden troughs is back for its second year. I did this last year, and can speak from experience that making the troughs under Laura MacConnachie’s expert tuition was very satisfying - and they still look good in my garden, along with the bird box.
Fashion Jewellery
This 2 day course will provide you with the basic skills to make some beautiful glass bead fashion jewellery. During the class you will have the opportunity to design and create various items of jewellery, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other accessories besides. Working with a large selection of glass beads, wire, leather, silver-plated findings and wonderful coloured aluminium wire, you will learn skills from threading, cutting and crimping to twirling and expert finishing techniques.
Silver Clay Jewellery is an exciting new venture where you will be able to make original bespoke items of your own design. Here is a beautiful example of a pendant made out of silver clay.
Creative Textiles
Angela Bentley is running the Creative Textile course using the theme ‘Woodland’. This will provide you with inspiration to explore both machine and hand stitching techniques. This course is suitable for both beginners and those with more experience. Students will need to provide their own sewing machines with a free machine or darning foot as well as a selection of machine and hand stitching threads in their chosen colour scheme.
More courses soon to be revealed…
Places to visit in and around Gloucestershire 2014
Wild Bird Feed at WWT Slimbridge
Saturday 2 November - Friday 28 February
Don't miss this fantastic winter spectacle. From the comfort of the heated observatory hear the warden’s commentary as he feeds the thousands of wintering wild birds and hundreds of Bewick’s swans that have flown all the way from arctic Russia to Slimbridge.
For further information
Wild Bird Feed at WWT Slimbridge
Where :WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Slimbridge, GL2 7BT
Date : Saturday 2 November - Friday 28 February 2014
Time : Daily at 4pm
Tickets/Admission : Included with normal admission
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Stick Man Trail at Westonbirt Arboretum
Sunday 1 December - Friday 31 January 2014
Discover the best bits about sticks at Westonbirt Arboretum this winter!
Based on Julia Donaldson's book, 'Stick Man'. Pick up a trail from the Great Oak Hall. It's a great activity for children to enjoy this Christmas.
The Trail will be closed on 25 December and 1 January.
For further information
Where :The National Aboretum, Westonbirt, Nr. Tetbury, Glos. GL8 8QS
Date : Sunday 1 December - Friday 31 January 2014
Time : 10am - 4pm
Tickets/Admission : No booking required, just pick up a trail sheet from the Great Oak Hall
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Snowdrops at Painswick Rococo Gardens: Spectacular annual display of naturalised snowdrops.
The Rococo Garden has one of the largest naturalistic plantings of snowdrops in the country and is in many ways the spiritual home of Galanthus Atkinsii. Although many believe the Romans introduced snowdrops they are more likely to have been brought to England in the early 16th Century. Galanthus nivalis is native to a large tract of mainland Europe from the Pyrenees in the west, through France and Germany to Poland in the north, Italy, Northern Greece and European Turkey.
Most of the other species Galanthus come from the eastern Mediterranean, though several are found in South Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Galanthus fosteri comes from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Israel.
Where: Painswick Rococo Garden, Painswick, Glos. GL6 6TH
Date : From 10 January 2014
Time : Open 7 days a week from 11.00 - 17.00
Tickets/Admission : Adult £6.50, children (5-16) £3, over 60's £5.50, family £17
Contact phone : 01452 813204
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Woodchester Mansion Ghost Hunt, Gloucestershire – Saturday 22nd February 2014
Location: Woodchester Park, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire GL10 3TS
Date: Saturday 22nd February 2014
Time: 8:30pm - 3:30am
Half Term Activities at gloucester Cathedral
18/19/20 February 2014 10:30 to 15:30
Explore your cathedral with Moses the Mason
For only £1 purchase A Children’s Guide to Gloucester Cathedral and discover the secrets of this ancient building.
Follow up craft activities FREE including: Build a Norman arch, make a stained glass window and much more!
10:30am-3:30pm
Matisse: Drawing with Scissors
Stroud
The French painter, sculptor and designer, Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. His vibrant works are celebrated for their extraordinary richness and luminosity of colour. This exhibition features 35 lithographic prints of his famous paper cut-outs, produced in the last four years of his life, when the artist was confined to his bed. It includes many of his iconic images, such as ‘The Snail’ and the ‘Blue Nudes’. The lithographic reproductions in this exhibition are taken from a special double issue of Verve, a review of art and literature, published by Tériade, a major publisher of fine art books in 1958. The exhibition is accompanied by an education pack for KS3 and KS2. A Hayward Touring Exhibition from Southbank Centre, London www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Dates: 11 January 2014 to 09 February 2014
Venue: The Museum in the Park - Stratford Park Stroud GL5 4AF
Times: See Museum opening times
Prices: Admission free, donations welcome
Contact: Abigail Large on 01453 763394 or email museum@stroud.gov.uk
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What's On at the Everyman Studio Theatre
January 2014
Monday 13 January: Jazz in the Studio Theatre Scott Hamilton with the Dave Newton Trio
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £13
Saturday 18 January: An Evening of New WritingA brand new collaboration between the Everyman Theatre and London’s Landor Theatre. Writers from each theatre will have developed a series of short plays, which will be professionally presented script-in-hand in Cheltenham on Saturday 18 January and at the Landor on Sunday 19 January.
Time: 7.45pm
Tickets: £6
Friday 24 January: Mill on the Floss - A Development George Eliot’s tragic and romantic story of morality versus desire is brought to life in a short, workshop-style performance. Composer Thomas Sutcliffe explores Eliot’s work through a fusion of Musical Theatre and Folk traditions.
In this rehearsed reading experience the early stages of development for this brave and exciting new Musical. There will be an audience Q&A following the production.
Time: 7.45pm
Tickets: £6, concessions £4.50
Wednesday 29 January - Saturday 1 February: Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey
Presented by Box Tale Soup
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Through a remarkably faithful, award winning adaptation of this classic work, Box Tale Soup will transport you into a world of beautiful paper puppets and gothic romance.
With just two performers, seven puppets and a vintage trunk, this unique version of Northanger Abbey ignites the imagination and brings out every last drop of Austen’s wit,
playfulness and humour
Time: 7.45pm Tickets: £10.50, concessions £9 Contact phone : Box office: 01242 572573
Sing Saturdays at Gloucester Cathedral Saturday 25 January and Saturday 21 June 2014 Sing-a-long with Gloucester Choral Society at the Cathedral, with works by Elgar and Beethoven on the bill for Sing Saturdays, and under 25s enjoying free entry.
Gloucester Choral Society is hosting its popular Sing Saturdays at the Cathedral. Gloucester Choral Society is giving budding singers the chance to give their vocal chords a workout, when it continues its new season of Sing Saturdays on Saturday 25 January and Saturday 21 June 2014.
Taking place in The Chapter House of Gloucester Cathedral, Sing Saturdays are friendly, informal sessions led by the venue’s director of music, Adrian Partington – and open to members of the public. Each session has a musical theme, with ‘The Kingdom’ by Edward Elgar featuring on Saturday 25 January 2014 and Beethoven’s ‘Mass in C’ on Saturday 21 June 2014.
Plus, the ticket price includes refreshments, with under 25s enjoying free entry to both sessions. Organisers added that you do not have to audition or be able to sight-read music to join in. Just bring your enthusiasm and vocal chords ready for a warm up, and spend a Saturday singing your heart out. Event: Sing Saturdays Venue Gloucester Cathedral Dates: Saturday 25 January 2014; Saturday 21 June 2014 Times: From 9.30am Admission: Tickets cost £10, free of charge for under 25s
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The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition
Wednesday 15 January - Sunday 16 March 2014
Nature in Art at Wallsworth Hall near Gloucester, again hosts the world’s most prestigious wildlife photography competition from London’s Natural History Museum. 100 stunning images from 43,000 entries.
Wildlife Image: Copyright Jasper Doest (The Netherlands), Snow moment (monkey image).
Where :Nature in Art, Wallsworth Hall, Nr Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9PA
Date : Wednesday 15 January - Sunday 16 March 2014
Time : Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm
Tickets/Admission : Adults £5.25, Concessions (over 60 and under 16) £4.75, under 8's free
Contact phone : 01452 731422
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Roy Baker Memorial Lecture – 2014
On Tuesday 18 March, we present the next annual public lecture to be held at The Orchard Room, Highgrove House by kind permission of TRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The Prince of Wales is President of our Society.
This year’s lecture is based on the art of the silversmith and particularly the work of the Hart family from Chipping Campden, gold and silversmiths. The workshop is the last operating remnant of the Guild of Handicraft which C R Ashbee established in 1888. George Hart was a silversmith with the Guild when it moved to Chipping Campden in 1902. From 1908 he took on the running of the workshop, joined in 1927 by his older son George and in 1933 by his younger son Henry. This tradition is now carried on by his grandson David along with Derek Elliott, and George’s great-grandsons William and Julian Hart.
We will hear more on the background history, the design and making of private commissions and presentational ware and the Hart Silversmiths Trust, by David and Trish Hart. We hope to have some examples of their work on display! All will be illustrated with a power point display.
Tickets only available from: Gill Ashley, telephone 01666 840993.
The lecture starts at 2.15 pm and the cost is £28 each to include refreshments and cakes. All proceeds will go to The Prince’s Charitable Foundation.
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Stitched Landscapes
Quilted and embroidered pictures from the book Stitched Textile Landscapes by Gloucestershire artist Kathleen Matthews. Made using hard dyed fabrics, machine stitching and embroidery.
Tues-Sun 10am-5pm. Adults £5.25, Concessions (over 60s, under 16s) £4.75, under 8s free
Nature in Art, Wallsworth Hall, Main A38, Twigworth, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 9PA
Tuesday 28 Jan 2014 to Sunday 9 Feb 2014
Contact telephone: 01452 731422
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Churchdown Bookfair
Churchdown Bookfair, easy access off M5 at junction 11, follow signs to Churchdown, book fair signposted in village. Ample free parking on site, flat easy access. 25+ dealers every month from the Midlands, South West and Wales. 1000s of quality second hand, antiquarian books and ephemera every month, fantastic home made refreshments and cakes available all day. Now one of Gloucestershire’s longest running Independent Fairs.
Open 10.00am - 3.30pm. Admission 50p (Children under 16 free), trade free entry from 9.30am with card.
Churchdown Community Centre, Parton Road, Churchdown Gloucestershire GL3 2JH
Sunday 2 Feb 2014, Sun 2 Mar
Gloucester City Museum
Gloscol exhibition -
‘Mix and match’
18 January - 1 March 2014
city museum community gallery A creative “mix and match” of work from students across the creative academies at Gloucestershire College. Work included in this exhibition is from level 3 fashion, graphics, art and photography students along with work from level 5 design. A fantastic showcase of the work of the talented students as well as the diversity of the courses offered at Gloscol.
Master of Landscape
January - 1 March 2014 city museum touring gallery Gloucester City Museum & Art Gallery has one of the best collections of works by Richard Wilson in the Country. To celebrate the 300 years since his birth, these paintings will be shown together
for the first time in more than 30 years. Works by Gainsborough and Turner of Oxford will also be on show during this time.
Claire Taylor-Jones
‘The River runs through’
8 March - 3 May 2014 city museum community gallery A collection of contemporary quilts and embroideries, reflecting the Artist’s fascination with the River Severn as it winds its way through Gloucestershire. The work ranges from abstract to figurative all reflecting Claire Taylor-Jones’ love of colour and texture expressed through the medium of hand stitching.
Tredworth Infant School -
‘Wonderful World’
10 May - 5 July 2014 city museum community gallery A truly inspiring and thought provoking exhibition exploring the diverse beauty of the world we live in today through the eyes of young children. The exhibition contains work in a range of media capturing the wonder of sights such as African sunsets to close up observational drawings of natural surroundings.
Richard III, Duke of Gloucester
19 March - 30 March 2014 city museum touring gallery Grab the opportunity to stand eye-to-eye with one of England’s most controversial Kings. The now world-famous reconstruction of Richard III’s head will be exhibited in Gloucester City Museum before being returned permanently to Leicester. Featuring objects and documents that shed light on Richard’s close personal relationship with Gloucester.
Art Club
5 February, 5 March, 2 April,
7 May, 4 June
city museum, 10am - 12pm This new club is for all you artists out there! Whether you are an accomplished artist or barely know one end of a paintbrush from another we welcome you to join us. Bring along your latest Artist creation and work on it surrounded by like minded people.
Sewing Circle
5 February, 5 March,
2 April, 7 May, 4 June
city museum, 2.30 - 4.30pm Whether your passion is for sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet or something else textile, bring
your latest project and have a coffee and chat while you create.
Craft workshops for adults
All day workshops
12 March: ‘Purple rain quilts’ city museum
3 June: ‘Freestyle hand embroidery’ folk museum
10am - 4pm
All-day workshops are £75 per person, which includes all materials, tuition, lunch, hot drinks and cake.
Half-day workshops
1 April: ‘Felt brooches’ folk museum
23 April: ‘Patchwork notebook covers’ city museum
14 May: ‘Fabric bowls’ folk museum
25 June: ‘Mini foundation pieced quilt’ city museum
10am - 12.30pm & 2pm - 4.30pm
£35 per person, includes all materials, tuition, hot drinks and biscuits.
Tickets available online at www.gloucester.gov.uk/museums or by
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Fairy and Wizard World
Saturday 3rd May
9:00am until 5:00pm
The next exciting series of events at Prinknash Bird & Deer Park!
Fairy & Wizard World will be returning again to the Bird Park on Saturday’s in May 2014. The staff work hard to create this event and there is lots of fun in store. Of course dressing up is all part of the fun to set the scene for the face painters who will work their magic!
The children will be able to create their own miniature fairy grotto’s in the activities tent, where the children make their own special make belief home for wizards and faries, which may include peacocks that they have seen, ducks or even goats! Children love to make things and parents enjoy getting involved and love not having to clean up! This will then be followed by lunch in the Gypsy Caravan, which is surrounded by rare Barnacle Geese and the delightful Seabrite bantams.
But if it's magic that your after you need look no further, where else can your children immerse themselves in wildlife and be able to get up close and personal to everything from a donkey to a swan. The Bird Park events offer such a great opportunity for children to experience birds and to learn how to be confident with wildlife and to be close to many varieties of bird. The aviculturalists fly the Kookaburras nearly every day for the public and are very happy to talk to the children about the birds.
The Reindeer are fed at 11.00am daily.
Future Dates
Saturday 10th May 2014, 9:00am until 5:00pm
Saturday 17th May 2014, 9:00am until 5:00pm
Saturday 24th May 2014, 9:00am until 5:00pm
Interesting websites to explore
http://www.artgallery.co.uk - the place to get inspiration from or buy direct from the artist’s studio.
www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings- a comprehensive website showing paintings from all over the country, traditional and modern. Well worth a long good look with a pot of tea. There are 212,183 paintings for you to search
www.artquest.org.uk
www.artweb.com
www.royalacademy.org.uk
www.craftsforum.co.uk
www.housetohome.co.uk/crafts
www.etsy.com/uk
www.cc-craft.co.uk
www.craftcentreleeds.co.uk
www.craftanddesign.net
www.bakerross.co.uk
www.artfund.org