What is a collective noun for artists?*

If you are a regular reader of the Art Van Go newsletters, you'll be aware that there was a "Gathering" in the gallery for the past couple of days.  No, it's not a secret rendezvous of an obscure cult, or a religious meeting - it's what Kevin decided to call a group of artists, all working away in the Studio, demonstrating their techniques and chatting to visitors. 

Although the Studio has an artist "In Residence" from time to time,  this is the first time that there has been a entire palette of them.  

Gina Ferrari

Lynda Monk

Sharon Osbourne (and Viv, obviously)

Sharon doesn't have a website, and I intended to show some photos of her work, but because of  the studio lighting  my appalling photographic abilities, I'm afraid they were worse than useless - sorry Sharon.

Pauline Verrinder

Clare Bullock

who doesn't have a website either, but is wearing one of her outrageous felted bags and here's a close up of one of her felt pieces

It was a really great event, with lots of positive comments from all of the visitors, and the artists themselves all enjoyed it, so I'm sure it won't be long before there's something similar arranged.  If you weren't lucky enough to get along this time, I recommend you try to come along to any future events.

Incidentally, usually on a Friday, a few of us, including Gina, meet up to drink coffee, chat and knit, so this week as Gina was otherwise engaged, we turned up to heckle her instead, and to wish her 'good luck' for the competition she entered today.

Textile art is only one of her many talents - have a read of her blog here  for her other massive achievement today.  

Congratulations Gina, and more importantly, when do we get to taste it?

*  ANSWER: Some collective nouns that have been used for artists are a family of artists, a colony of artists, an enclave of artists, or a collective of artists.

New Workshop Programme

We've had umpteen calls asking for the new workshop programme, and apologies for keeping you waiting, but here it is!   Bookings are now being taken and some will, of course, fill up quickly, so book early to avoid disappointment.

   Click here to see the Programme.

  

Everyone at art van go is poised, pens at the ready, to take your bookings, so give them a call.

Actually, not quite everyone.  Viv and Kevin are off on their way to Wales for the Quiltfest at Llangollen.  

They will be at the show on Sunday, for Traders Day.  

Click here to get all the details about Quiltfest.

And if Wales is a step too far for you, how about Textile in Focus next week?  It's a brilliant show and art van go will be there for the whole three days to supply your every textile arty needs. 

For more information about Textiles in Focus - Click Here

Bobby very kindly agreed to take some photos of the work produced by her students yesterday and email them to me so you can see how their designs have progressed.  Continuing from the still life drawings they did on the first day, using print blocks, and introducing colour -

Really good to see the designs develop!
If you want to have a look at the Workshop Programme, the link is HERE

I called into AVG yesterday on my way past after hours.  I mean, I rang the doorbell, I didn't break in or anything!  Not only were Viv and Kevin still there, but Bobby Britnell was there after the first day of her late Summer School.  I took a sneaky photo of the work so far ...

The students did some drawings from a still life, and then added tone and pattern.

They are going to select a small area to make print blocks which will then be printed onto paper, and later fabric before finally being hand stitched.

I also had a look at the current exhibition in the gallery 'Making Stories' which is on now until 20th October.

It includes work from three artists, 

Sue Pegg who combines layered surfaces of handmade paper, wax and plaster with ephemeral themes worked in muted colours with words and stitch.

www.suepegg.com

Hilary Murfin who constructs papier mache vessels, 

(they might not look like vessels, but that's just my photos, I'm afraid!)

and

Aran Illingworth who makes almost three-dimensional textile appliqued canvases, which focus on the the predicament of women's poverty.

www.aran-i.com

There are still one or two places left on Marian Murphy's workshop this coming Saturday 22nd, making a small stitched album on the theme of "Seashore" - it will make a lovely personal reference source for future projects.

New Workshop Programme

In case you didn't already know, the new Summer/Autumn Workshop programme is out, and AVG staff are currently poised to take your bookings.  Well, actually, not at this very moment, as it's Sunday afternoon, and even Art Van Go staff are allowed a couple of hours off on a Sunday.

Click HERE for the workshop programe

The first workshop is this coming Wednesday and Thursday, 4th and 5th of September, and there are still some spaces available!  Make the most of this opportunity - Lynda's classes are always very popular and this one sounds very exciting - using thermofax screens, masks and stencils with various mediums to create a small book.  Having enjoyed previous classes with Lynda Monk, (and loving little books) I would definitely be booking this workshop myself, but I have tickets for the Paralympics on Wednesday.

If you like to see some examples of Lynda's work, check out her blog here and, if you haven't used thermofax screens before, they are a really easy way to try screen printing, and Lynda brings a huge selection for students to use.

Highly recommended!

Handmade Books and more ....

I popped into AVG yesterday to collect some supplies for a workshop, and saw the current exhibition

HANDMADE BOOKS

Sat 14th April - Sat 12th March

A collection of contemporary

and innovative handmade books

made by artists working with

colour & texture, paper and fabric

in surface embellishment

Coincides with the workshop

'Quirky Book Structures'

with Jen Henley on 3rd & 17th May

Also on display in the gallery is the work of textile artist Amanda Hislop.  Amanda combines drawn and painted marks with thread, paper and fabric to produce wonderful textured landscapes in subtle colours.

Just by chance, at the time I was visiting, Viv was chatting to a very talented lady called Lexi, who apart from other things, paints stones.  Now, I know what you're thinking, but they're NOT shiny poster-painted ladybirds, so you can stop that face!  They were really beautiful works of art, in various pebble-type sizes, painted in soft colours with lettering, and maps and hearts - miniature stone charms.  There will be some of her work for sale in the gallery, and hopefully a workshop in the next programme.  

And, if all that wasn't enough to make you want to hot foot it to Art Van Go, it's worth it just to see Viv's dinky little feet in these cute shoes.  

Makes a change from Kev in mis-matched Crocs.

Happy Birthday to Viv!!

Actually, a belated Happy Birthday - it was Viv's birthday yesterday, but I was too busy drinking champagne and tea, and eating cake to worry about blogging!  I arrived just in time to see the results of what had obviously been a wonderful two day workshop run by Frances Pickering, entitled A Few of My Favourite Things - there were some really beautiful books and it seemed as if everyone had been really productive.  Sorry there's no photos, I didn't have my camera with me.

However, I did have my camera last week, when I took part in a two day workshop with Lynda Monk called Scrim, Screens and Scrappy Bits.  We all had a brilliant time, printing through thermofax screens on scrim and Lutrador and pelmet vilene, bonding various layers together and even managing to fit in a bit of stitch, before painting the resulting gorgeously textured surfaces.  As you can see, everyone was far too busy to turn to turn and pose for photos

Here are some of Lynda's fabulous examples and inspiration ..

We did have to stop work briefly during the afternoon of the second day - to listen to Viv who was being interviewed on Three Counties radio, together with one of the artists currently exhibiting in the gallery as 

17@art van go

The interviewer asked a little about the exhibition and the gallery, but seemed more interested in asking what was the definition of 'art'.  Probably worthy of more discussion than a five minute interview would allow, but Viv did her best, and sounded like a radio professional.  

In fact, as Kevin pointed out more than once -  "Viv has the perfect face for radio!"

And finally, talking of perfect faces, Pam only agree to pose with one of Lynda's display pieces, on the proviso that I didn't put it on the blog, and if I did, I couldn't show her face.  But this is such a lovely smiley face, I couldn't just chop it off.  Anyway, she's my friend, and she knows I can't be trusted!

Lynda Monk will be back at Art Van Go as an "Artist in Residence" on Tuesday 8th May and Thursday 21st June between 1030 and 3pm, where you can come along and watch her working and pick up some tips.  There is no charge for these sessions, and booking is not necessary.

I'm hoping to have finished some of my pieces in time to take them along, just to prove to Lynda that I DO occasionally finish something.