Just a reminder to everyone that we will, of course, be at the forthcoming Knitting and Stitching shows at Ally Pally, Dublin and Harrogate, so if there's anything specific that you'd like us to bring, just give us a call in the shop a few days before and we can put it aside for you at the show.
Incidentally, have you ever wondered what the gallery looks like when we are preparing for the Knitting and Stitching Shows. Well, even if you haven't I'm going to show you.
Mmm, not quite looking at it's best. Unlike Viv, who always looks lovely, even when she's got her "where the-****-do-I-start" face on.
Kevin wasn't looking his best either as he's just getting over a bit of a cold serious case of man flu, so I've just included his elbow.
He's very busy though, I'd hate you to think he was slacking even though he is very poorly.
Anyway, rest assurred that all of the AVG crew are frantically getting ready for the first round of the Knitting and Stitching Shows, at Alexandra Palace from Thurs 10th - Sun 13th October
After that, at the end of the month, it's off to Dublin for K&S at RDS Dublin from Thurs 31st Oct to Sun 3rd November
And finally, at the end of November it's off to Yorkshire for K&S at Harrogate from Thurs 21st to Sun 24th November.
If you've been to the Knitting and Stitching Shows in either Dublin or Harrogate in the past few years you will probably already have come across the Artists in Action feature. And for those who haven't, here's an explanation of what it's about.
Artists in Action
First introduced to
the Knitting & Stitching Show at the NEC in 2008, the Artists in Action
Studio has become a regular feature of the Dublin
and Harrogate shows. The concept is to show practicing artists at
work, as though in their own studio, so visitors can catch a glimpse of the
artists’ journey from initial idea through to resolved body of work.
Each artist will have
their own area within The Studio – three in Dublin and six in Harrogate – with white wall space to display ‘work in progress’ as
well as finished pieces. They may be in
residence for the duration of the show, or they may use a space for just one or
two days, but the timetable will reflect an exciting range of creative disciplines
such as fabric painting, dyeing, printing, papermaking, fabric construction,
mixed-media and stitch.
The artists - some of
whom you will know as established tutors or exhibiting artists, some as
new-comers to the show - will be examining options, exploring ideas and working
through processes. Inspiration could
come from previously worked themes, from their own sketchbooks and source
material, or even from other artists in the Studio and the materials
provided. Programme
in several visits to the Artists in Action
Studio during your day and you will be able to observe the developments, as well as learning about methods, materials and
techniques. By displaying their
personal working methods the artists hope to encourage a better understanding
of the artistic flow, including those inevitable (but vitally important)
rejected ideas, as the creative journey follows its twists and turns.
Artists involved in
Dublin include:
Caroline Schofield
Jacki Sleator
Eithne Carey
Maeve Coulter
Students from the
National College of Art & Design
Artists involved in
Harrogate include:
Kim Major-George
Jonathan Korejko
Pauline Verrinder
Amanda Hislop
Alice Fox
Lynda Monk
Jo Lovelock
Hilary Beattie
So, hope to see lots of you at the Shows - but if you can't get there and are local to the Studio, do call in to see the current exhibition of largely botanical work by SHULI HAN running until Sat 26th October.
Shuli Han, from Shanghai, China has been living in Knebworth for about six years. She is a member of the Herts Visual Forum and trained in China as an architect, but her first love3 has always been painting. She will be in residence in the Gallery on Saturday 12th October.
