Sunday 18 June 2017

GONE...!

9 days, 3 artist/makers, 2 cats and around 600 visitors and now Cheltenham Open Studios is finished until 2019.
COS 2017 was the best yet, the whole of the artistic community in Cheltenham flung open the doors of their studios to welcome the public in. Looking, talking and art was bought.
My lounge turned into a gallery space, one of my visitors (who stayed so long we gave them a cup of tea) said it was magical. But what was magical was the beautiful work of my friends. 
Caroline McCatty who makes painted automaton and Sharon McSwiney who is a metal work artist and jeweller have been my friends for years. They put up with me being bossy, but I have a week of fab lunches, catching up and living with their fabulous work.
I had new collagraphs to show together with the printed textiles I have been experimenting with.
Iris has been determined to steal the show and become part of our exhibition.
But not only could you have a good look around my house, there was the garden too. Festooned with the bunting that Caroline and I made for Art in Action last year and tidied to receive visitors. 
Head out to my shed and see where I work...
In fact I had several visitors who wanted to move in and a couple of people brought husbands back saying...like this one please!
I thought I would be spending the week drawing in my sketch books, 
but the steady stream of interested people stopped that and so did Frank.
Iris took up marketing the yard:ARTspace for me, thank you Iris.
And thank you team Commercial Street, Caroline, Sharon and 
the lovely Mr Brown who worked so hard on the garden and supported me through the dark days of planning the Open Studio. The sign refers to the new deck chair I bought in case visitors sat in it.
 
So Frank says good bye for another year. Thank you to everyone who ventured out in the heat, who admire our work and bought from us. See you in 2009 I hope.


2 comments:

Sharon McSwiney said...

Another fabulous event Sue - thank you for letting me be part of it again. Looking forward to 2019!! x

Catherine Chapple said...

Brilliant Sue! So glad you had a great exhibition! I am working with one of your students at Chedworth Roman Villa, the lovely, auburn haired Lucy. She has inspired me to try a ten week course with you in the winter. I so enjoyed the gum arabic transfer workshop I did earlier this year I'd love to have a go at Collagraph so might sign up when I know my work rota!