Thursday 4 June 2009

CHELTENHAM ART FESTIVAL & OPEN STUDIO

All over the country, all through the year, artists open their studios and homes to the public for Open Studio events.

Saturday 6th June, Hampen Factory Arts Centre opens it's doors as part of the Cheltenham Art Festival & Open Studio.

After hours of cleaning, painting, sign and label making, publicity creating, and hanging the work, we are ready! And still friends! Preparing for an exhibition certainly makes creating the work for it feel easy...my arms never ache like this after editioning!

Let me give you a tantalizing preview of Five at the Factory, an exhibition of five artists

Lesley Maddox McNulty's ceramic sculpture welcomes visitors at the studio door and although the studio now looks like a chic gallery space the press will be in operation all week as there will be artists at work.

Carolyn Foulkes set up Hampen Factory 4 years ago to host printmaking and painting courses. Carolyn uses the studio to make her own mixed media collagraphs and etchings.

I look to Carolyn's advice when it comes to using colour and we are looking forward to a week of experimenting with colour and collagraphs while we are stewarding the exhibition.

Caroline Mc Catty has made a series of sewn narrative pieces for the show, yes, this frog is all fabric and thread. I am sorry the photograph does not do it justice because of the glass reflection...all the more reason to take a trip out to Cheltenham to see it!

I am showing new collagraphs and etchings which have not appeared in galleries yet. These collagraphs are Great Tits that come to the many feeding stations dotted around the studio.

Hampen is in the middle of the Cotswold country side and at this time of year surrounded by baby birds. Hopefully we will see the Woodpecker that visits regularly.

Sharon McSwiney's metal hangings shimmer around the studio, they picked up the light and make the exhibition rich and textural.
I am so lucky to have such a talented group of friends and that we have been able to put this show together without a cross word or artistic tantrum. I am sure I have been bossy, but everyone seems to still be talking to me.
Well, lets hope we have a few visitors after all this effort, but what ever happens, so far the experience of it all has been worth it and we are all really pleased with the way it looks.
FIVE AT THE FACTORY an exhibition of 5 artists. 6th-14th June

3 comments:

jo horswill said...

Good luck with your exhibition Sue. The work is absolutely fantastic! I too am a member of a 5 artist art group, who recently exhibited...we are still all friends :)
Very happy I found your blog. Your work is sensational.

Sharon McSwiney said...

It's been great fun working with you Sue - I'm so pleased with the way the exhibition has come together. Let's hope we get lots of visitors!

LAC EMP 2020 said...

Sue,

The exhibition looks wonderful. I can't wait to see it all in the flesh next week. Hope you all have a really successful event with lots of visitors.