Four Eyebrow-raisingly Good Reasons to Visit Us This Art Weeks

Somerset Art Weeks 2015 has begun and if you were wondering where might be a good place to start then look no further than Venue 1, The Old Brick Workshop in Wellington. Yes, I am exhibiting as part of a group show here, but if the allure of seeing my work alone isn’t enough (and why not?!) then there are plenty more ‘eyebrow-raisingly’ good reasons to make some time in your Art Weeks schedule and visit us...

 

1) A Brand New Brilliant Venue in Wellington, Somerset Set in a former Brick Works on the Poole Industrial Estate; I can confidently say we are as proud of the building as we are the exhibition within it. Under the enterprising vision of local business woman, Alison Cosserat the building has undergone a radical transformation, largely of which (and with many thanks) at the hands of local builder turned artist, James Marsden along with tireless hours spent by Alison herself, exhibiting artists and enthusiastic volunteers in the form of family and friends. The building now boasts nine sizeable studio spaces divided between the upstairs and downstairs areas, a community area/gallery space and purpose built exhibition space downstairs. Every gloss painted door, chiselled-paint removed brick, concrete floor and plaster boarded ceiling, spotlight and wall tells a story. We’d love you to come in for a nosey!

 

2) Loads of Art! This first exhibition features well over a hundred works by fourteen artists* including painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, film and installation. In addition to our professionally curated gallery space there is also art work to be discovered in our corridors, upstairs and downstairs and in our community room gallery.  

*James Marsden, Anna Newland Hooper, Diana Pilcher, Debbi Sutton, Alex Conetta, Nicky Withers, Jane Mowat, Teresa Wilson, Ashley Thomas, Jane Kelly, Natalie Parsley, Alex Bangay and Judith Crosher 

 

3) We have Cinema Chairs in our film room! 

 

4) We also have a very fine looking propeller!

Duchamp's remark to Brancusi visiting the Paris Aviation Show, 1919; "Painting is over and done with. Who could do anything better than this propeller? Look, could you do that?"

Visit us and decide for yourselves?!

Venue 1: The Old Brick Workshop, Wellington is open now, everyday 11-6 until Sunday October 18th

http://somersetartworks.org.uk/venues/the-old-brick-workshop/

http://www.theoldbrickworkshop.com/

Something(s) Wicked This Way Comes!

That's right! When I'm not visiting, writing about or talking about art I do try squeeze some time to indulge in the process of making my own! On that note there are a few news related items this week as projects and art happenings that have been brewing away begin to bare fruition...

1#

'Yellow Hammer' (pictured above) accepted into Ilminster Art Open at The Meeting House. Mono print/ink on paper. First drawing of a few new 'tool' related pieces of which retrospectively I feel is now the least successful in how it was drawn/placed compositionally but has lead to other work(s) ideas that I am more pleased with. This piece, originally intended [and is] as part of the art zine project (mentioned below) and works better within its printed, page context  as I've added details/text/format to make it more of a parody of a bird spotting guide book, rather than being quite the 'one-liner' it appears as here. However, elements of how this was printed/painted have since been used in other work (watch this space) so it marks an important, albeit slightly tentative beginning to new work that has followed.

2# 

swarm (n)– a temporary collection of bees, containing at least one queen that split apart from the mother colony to establish a new one; a natural method of propagation for honey bee colonies.

Through a competitive, megalomaniac driven act of plagiarism, 'Swarm' visual art zine was born. Shameless; a hybrid off-shoot of its 'sister' zine 'Hive'! Maybe I got greedy, maybe too ambitious, but being part of 'Hive' had feverishly inspired me that what the art world was missing was, well more art! The aim to make my own zine with friends whom I'd met/known over the years who could 'Swarm' together and celebrate each others work!

'Swarm' is basically a smaller more compact version of 'Hive', hosting a printed platform from which a select group of contributing creatives produce work to a set theme which is then produced into zines distributed to each of the participating artists. There is no profit, they aren't for sale but exist as a exclusive slice of owning and participating in something that is quite intimately special. To those involved its purpose to provide a fun outlet to both make work, share it and discover new artists!

The button badges are ready, the covers have been made and the work has slowly been flying in for the publication of this project toward the end of September! More news here when its out!

3#

*

 Speaking of which, the 'Hive' 2# will arrive on September 23rd, once more featuring the artistic workings of Nina Gronw-Lewis, Jon England, Anna Newland-Hooper, Malcolm Plastow, Frank Edmonds, Eileen Rosamond, Megan Calver,  Kevin Hawker, Stuart Rosamond*, Tim Martin, Ruby Petts, me (Natalie Parsley) and joined by a new contributor Rico Ajao!

MORE DETAILS ON 'HIVE' 1#:
http://spannerintheworkz.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/here-are-my-bees.html
*Image by Stuart Rosamond from 'Hive' 1



4#

Spent a significant proportion of yesterday looking, chiselling and hammering away at this section of brick wall at Somerset's most exciting, upcoming NEW exhibition space in the former Virador Waste Management Offices in Wellington. Looking further back into the buildings' history in the 19th Century when it was home to Poole Brickworks it has since been dubbed the Old Brick Workshop (and, my there are a LOT of bricks!). The building boasts nine self contained studios and communal space (currently occupied by local artists). OBW will host activities and workshops and is soon to have its own exhibition space opening in time for the public during Somerset Art Weeks 2015 on the 3rd of October! 

As if that wasn't exciting enough, I am  deliriously delighted that myself and a dozen other artists will be amongst the first to exhibit in this new venue during Art Weeks. Featuring amongst others, Alex Conetta, James Marsden, Anna Newland Hooper, Diana Pilcher, Debbi Sutton, Jane Mowat, Teresa Wilson, Ashley Thomas, Jane Kelly and Judith Crosher.

More details as and when it happens, you'll hear it here first!

We are Venue 1, The Old Brick Workshop

The Old Brick Workshop
 Higher Poole
Wellington
Somerset
TA21 9HW

In the mean time, pick up a preview of our venue in the Somerset Art Weeks catalogue for 2015 or visit link below:

http://somersetartworks.org.uk/venues/the-old-brick-workshop/

Look out for the propeller!