February 2019 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Creative Coffee Mornings...……...1 Featured Artist………………..2 & 3 Events Overview..……………...4 - 6 New Members………………………7 Members News & Opportunities…………………8 - 12 Arts Administrator: Sarah-Jane Lincoln Tel: 0780 8813492 [email protected]Secretary: Vicky Allum [email protected]Address: Drawn to the Valley The Tamar Valley Centre, Cemetery Rd, Drakewalls, Gunnislake PL18 9FE MISSION STATEMENT Drawn to the Valley provides a great network for artists, a way of keeping in touch and exhibiting work inspired by their passion for the beautiful Tamar Valley area and beyond. OUR VISION Drawn to the Valley group is an artist led initiative, membership is open to professional artists and craftspeople living and/or working in the Tamar Valley area. Drawn to the Valley was formed by the artists themselves over a decade ago, mainly as a support network, but also in order to promote the Tamar Valley area, bringing the area of natural beauty to life through art. We encourage content for the newsletter, do email us your news. Please share your news and latest work on our social media pages: facebook.com/Drawn-to-the-Valley Twitter - Drawn 2Valley #drawntothevalley Get Creative Over a Coffee We are offering a new free, opportunity for our members to meet and connect with other DttV members. Several of our artists are opening their homes and studios for a coffee morning/social. This could be an opportunity to bring a piece of work for help/critique from fellow members or a chance to share an arty issue to discuss or inform or it could be a mini-workshop. Each member host will set the agenda for their session. Tessa Jane launched the idea on 30th January with a warm welcome, coffee, chit chat and a little messy play. The event was well attended and Tessa says of the day “Lovely to share such enthusiasm, interest and creativity with a great gang of DTTV members. We really enjoyed getting ideas going for the Spring Exhibition, exploring ways to respond to the brief. Members also had the chance to ask questions and get updates on the year ahead. We've got ideas a plenty, shared thoughts and most of all enjoyed meeting others face to face and talking. Building a community which is what we all want from being part of this group. How about a day trip out, organising a coach trip and visiting an exhibition? We want more workshops was the cry and can we do more of this please? So a full day is earmarked and we did a little social media revision too. Thanks for making it such fun and yes we had our cake and ate it with relish.” The other creative coffee mornings that have been planned so far are detailed on page five. If you would like to host a session please email [email protected] with a date and any theme and/or activity details. Newsletter Drawn to the Valley
Get Creative Over a Coffee We are offering a new free, opportunity for our members to meet and connect with other DttV members. Several of our artists are opening their homes and studios for a coffee morning/social. This could be an opportunity to bring a piece of work for help/critique from fellow members or a chance to share an arty issue to discuss or inform or it could be a mini-workshop. Each member host will set the agenda for their session. Tessa Jane launched the idea on 30th January with a warm welcome, coffee, chit chat and a little messy play. The event was well attended and Tessa says of the day “Lovely to share such enthusiasm, interest and creativity with a great gang of DTTV members. We really enjoyed getting ideas going for the Spring Exhibition, exploring ways to respond to the brief. Members also had the chance to ask questions and get updates on the year ahead. We've got ideas a plenty, shared thoughts and most of all enjoyed meeting others face to face and talking. Building a community which is what we all want from being part of this group. How about a day trip out, organising a coach trip and visiting an exhibition? We want more workshops was the cry and can we do more of this please? So a full day is earmarked and we did a little social media revision too. Thanks for making it such fun and yes we had our cake and ate it with relish.” The other creative coffee mornings that have been planned so far are detailed on page five. If you would like to host a session please email [email protected] with a date and any theme and/or activity details.
Watching the grey pink smoke lifting from the blazing flares, I became very aware of the fluorescent yellow gilet labelled ‘Pages of the Sea’ I was wearing. On November 11th 2018, I was one of the invited artists asked to draw in the sand, a portrait of Kenneth W. Grigson 1895 -1918 on the East Looe Beach in the presence of hundreds of onlookers. That stands out as a unique experience and a considerable use of my artistic skills whilst working with others, albeit of a very transient nature.
In contrast, another work I achieved of a very different nature was the commission of a nine foot granite celtic cross for the millennium celebrations at Newquay, Cornwall. Again, a natural material, granite, it will stand proud on the headland for years, perhaps centuries to come. My enjoyment and understanding of art were developed in my youth. Thanks to family friends, teachers and active encouragement from parents, I won drawing and painting prizes at the National Eisteddfod and a foreign holiday prize won in a painting competition via the Eagle Comic.
Needless to say Art College Exeter was the next destination, from which developed a number of distinct aspects of my career; continued studying, teaching and administration and my own practice.
ASK THE ARTIST
What is the best work related thing you have done recently?
'The Mind Map' constructed recently to organise myself, again.
What irritates you?
My dear close friend Arthur - arthritis. Above: Self Portrait
Below right: Moorland Study, mixed media
Continued study was at a variety of locations, i.e. Manchester, London, Nova Scotia and Falmouth, with various qualifications and finally, a Masters Degree in the History of Modern Art and Design. However as close friends will tell you, my endless curiosity and research continues.
Teaching and administration was in a variety of sectors from primary to further and higher education including H.M.Prisons, always enjoying the joy and bewilderment as the secrets of using the elements of mood, form, content and process unlocked for each individual. As a result I have worked and studied alongside some outstanding individuals and practitioners. Four in particular come to mind; John Uzzel Edwards I met while still at Grammar School. He was already the ‘struggling artist’ but quite prepared to have a mutt trail him as we explored the industrial landscape with our noses deep in our sketchbooks and our fingers heavily stained by ink from our pens. Exeter College of Art was a visiting place for Peter Lanyon, mischievous, sparkling of eye and unorthodox of view point, a delight to cross ideas with. Michael Kidner, the ‘Systems’ artist and anthropologist was in a similar vein if not a little more intellectual, challenging and disruptive.
Above: Tree Study, mixed media drawing
Right: Moorland Study, painting
What motivates and inspires you?
The light and warmth that hopefully comes
with each dawn.
What’s your favourite book?
‘Peanuts', an insight into living.
Who would you most like to meet?
Seth, the Canadian Cartoonist who works in the style classic cartoonists of the New Yorker
Who do you most admire?
Apart from those mentioned in the main text, Charles Schulz - ref. Peanuts
Ian Simpson I met through my involvement with the National Society of Education in Art and Design. I served on the London and Executive Committees. He was at that time Principal of St. Martins School of Art. An outstanding author and collaborator eventually he was to become one of the founders of that most democratic of learning establishments, the Open College of the Arts. Daily I think of his enthusiasm, joy and universal love of art and design, education for all, and his sheer humanity.
As you can guess my practice has waxed and waned throughout my working life, however it grew mostly after the late eighties, so that I was able to develop my work largely drawing and painting and exhibit widely. Which brings me to my favourite places. The link is light, colour and the moment when your head fills with the visual equivalent of the musical surge you have whilst attending a concert of a Bruckner symphony. The first location is a small room off the main Clore Gallery at Tate Britain, where one can stand and watch the dancing pattern of changing light, shapes and forms as the leaves and tendrils dance in the breeze, knowing that behind you are outstanding examples of what can be produced by man. The second is again about light and the thought processes that went to engage it in that particular manner. You take your place in the main body of the Church of Santa Maria, Trastevere, Rome and wait and wait for that moment in the morning when the sun light creeps across the 12c/13c. facade mosaics and the light and the tessera explode and reveal the images, amazing.
I am constantly exploring, looking, feeling, thinking. The world is full of wonderous things and I look to share some of that with people who view my work.
“I am constantly exploring, looking, feeling, thinking.
The world is full of wonderous things and I look to share some of that with people who view
my work.”
Events 2019
Tamar Valley Spring Exhibition Tamar Valley Centre, Drakewalls, Near Gunnislake PL18 9FE Theme: ‘Journeys of the River’ - encouraging smaller works Set up: Thursday 28th and Friday 29th March Exhibition: Saturday 30th March to Sunday 7th April, 10.00am to 4.00pm (to 2.00pm Sunday 7th April)
Summer Exhibition Butchers Hall, Tavistock PL19 0AL Wednesday 31st July to Sunday 4th August Private View: Tuesday 30th July
Open Studios 2019 Saturday 24th August to Sunday 1st September
Artist Working Days
All members are welcome to take part in our working days. Come along, meet fellow artists, draw, paint, take
photographs and enjoy the surroundings.
Pentillie Castle & Estate St. Mellion, Saltash PL12 6QD
Pentillie is in the centre of a 2,000 acre estate set on the Cornish bank of the
River Tamar.
Artist Working Days: Tuesday 21st May & Wednesday 24th July
The Garden House Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton, Devon PL20 7LQ
Ten acres of inspiring ever-changing gardens.
Artist Working Days: Tuesday 16th April, Wednesday 12th June, Thursday 8th August & Tuesday 8th October
Kelly House Kelly, Lifton PL16 0HH Country house situated on the Devon Cornwall border.
Artist Working Day: Tuesday 10th September
Cotehele Saltash, St Dominick PL12 6TA
A medieval house with Tudor additions. It is a rambling granite and slate-stone manor house on the banks of the River Tamar that has been little changed over five centuries
Artist Working Days: Friday 15th March, Thursday 4th July & Tuesday 22nd October
Buckland Abbey Yelverton PL20 6EY
A 700-year-old house set amidst a beautiful estate and gardens. The Kitchen
Garden and Cider House Garden are a riot of colour all year round and the
Elizabethan Garden offers stunning views of the Abbey.
Artist Working Days: Monday 18th February & Wednesday 29th May
For both Cotehele and Buckland Abbey entry is free for National Trust members and non-members are asked to make a group donation. Parking is free at both locations. Lin Deacon will meet members at the entrance at 10.30am.
My coffee morning is about the London Exhibition, what it was like, was it worth it and the possibility of doing it again. Hanging work... cluttered hang everything versus spacious and minimal.
Neil Mawdsley - Thursday 14th March, 10.30am 4 Buckingham Place, Higher St Budeaux, Plymouth PL5 2EN [email protected]
A few ideas from Neil, please email him to show your preference: Messing about table tennis for some in the studio. A therapeutic knockabout with tea or coffee too. Its a
none competitive activity. I have a full size table tennis table we play on for enjoyment. The space around it is a little limited but good enough for a bit of fun to knock a table tennis ball back and forth over the net.
Bring a painting with a question mark on it so that others can help or baffle even more
After much discussion our Committee have made the decision to change the venue of the Summer Exhibition to the newly restored Butchers Hall. The Butchers Hall has a street level entrance, just off the Tavistock Panier Market. We hope this will encourage footfall to the exhibition as there are no stairs or lifts to tackle. This will also make set up and take down much easier as the exhibition boards will not have to be carried up and down the stairs - a task that was always difficult to recruit help with. Dates currently remain as planned (see page 4) but we will notify members in good time if these do change.
Journeys of the River - Spring Exhibition
This years Spring Exhibition entry form has just gone out to members. If you have not received it please check your junk or spam email file or email [email protected] so it can be sent again. The exhibition will be held at the Tamar Valley Centre with hand in of work on 28 March.
The theme, which is open to broad interpretation is "Journeys of the River" and applies to all hung work. There are a few innovations to the usual format including a new section "Off the Peg". For this we are looking for unframed, unmounted work on 15cm square supports. The actual work can be any size, shape or format as long as it is within the 15 x 15 cm space. These will be hung on strings down the pillars in the TVC and are to have a maximum price of £50. Pleas clearly label the back of the work with your name, the tile of the work and the price, as we are not going to print labels for these. A maximum of five will be accepted.
Works to be hung, three per artist, with a guarantee to hang two.
Prints are NOT themed this time. Neither are small 3D works such as ceramics, glass and jewellery. The TVC are very keen to have these displayed, so a special call to all our members who produce this sort of work. There is also the opportunity to leave any unsold cards in the TVC after the exhibition. These will be offered for sale to visitors in the TVC shop.
There is space for artists to run demonstrations during the exhibition. These will be advertised in advance as "events" by the TVC.
Please remember that these small exhibitions require a lot of help from members, in publicising them, at set up, stewarding and take down. Please do offer some help if you possibly can.
We are hoping also that artists will bring along a painted stone (with the DttV website address on the back). These will not be for sale but will be put along the path into the TVC for visitors to take away and put somewhere else.
Speaker Evening & Open Forum
On Wednesday 13 March there will be a talk on framing by Gary from the Arts Centre at Kelly Bray. This will be at 6.30pm in the Tamar Valley Centre and will be followed by an Open Forum, a chance for you to give us your thoughts about DttV, and what you would like to see us doing in the future. We will send out a short survey to all members prior to the evening, and replies to this will guide our thoughts, but the idea is for this to be a "Blue Sky" event where everyone can give us ideas. We can't promise to pursue them all, but would like to hear them all! Hope to see you there.
Journeys of the river artwork from, left Teresa Wicksteed, centre Lyn Edwards, top right James Dearlove & bottom right Simon Young
New Members
Welcome to our new members who have joined so far this year; Talisien Frampton (photography), Clare Rogers (printmaking, handmade books & drawing), Olivia Kazlauskaite (mixed media), Imogen Choroszewska (jewellery
& silversmith), Barbara de Mora (painting), Stuart Parker (painting, pen & life drawing), Emma West (ceramics) and Louise Doughty (painting).
If you know of any artists who you think would like to join please ask them to email [email protected] for more information on membership.
Top: ‘A glimpse of me - self portrait’ monoprint by Clare Rogers
Below left: ‘Pedi, Symi’ pen & watercolour wash by Stuart Parker
Below right: ‘Tranquility’ acrylic & pen by Olivia Kazlauskaite
We would like to introduce you to Cornish Galleries, a new fully curated online service for the promotion, sale and rental of original contemporary Cornish art. We are currently reaching out to artists living or working in Cornwall with a preview of our forthcoming platform and an invitation to register ahead of our spring launch. Registration is free and we provide a fully managed service for artists, as well as many other benefits: • Fully curated platform - all art is reviewed before it appears online • Sell and rent original art directly to customers throughout the UK • No obligation or exclusivity – artists are free to market their work elsewhere • Lower commission rates than traditional galleries and other online services Please visit us at www.cornishgalleries.com for a preview and more information on what’s coming soon. If you have any questions or would like to have a chat please do not hesitate to contact me – [email protected]
Plymouth Art Trail Meeting
Our Plymouth Area Reps, Sylvia Hofflund and Gay Kent are having the first PAT meeting of the year at 7pm on Monday February 25th. As usual the meeting will be at Gay's house - 7 Compton Park Road, Mannamead, Plymouth, PL3 5BU telephone 01752 666670 or mobile 0789 1541755.
Gay & Sylvia hope as many artists as possible will be able to come along and please spread the word around to any artists you know who might be interested in coming.
As part of the Heritage Lottery funded Guildhall Gateway Centre project, Tavistock Heritage Trust and Tavistock Town Council are delighted to present an Open Art Exhibition this Spring, with categories for both adults and young people (18 and under).
Your artwork will need to reflect Tavistock’s status as a World Heritage Site Gateway. The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site is a striking subject that you can draw upon. You might want to explore the metals that were mined, the machinery used, or the geographical reach of the mining technology. West Devon and Cornwall also offer a rich and varied landscape which we encourage you to explore.
We are happy to accept works already made but also able to consider works that might be made for the exhibition. Please share with any artists you know as we’d like to get submissions from as many artists as possible! The exhibition is funded so it is free to enter. We will not actively sell works but are happy to have a price list and direct interested visitors to artists for private sale of works.
The deadline for artwork submissions is 10th May and the exhibition will take place 26th to 29th June. For an application form go to the website https://www.heritageintavistock.org/artexhibition
TRINITY UNITED REFORMED CHURCH Torr Lane, Hartley, Plymouth
THIRTIETH
ART EXHIBITION 2019 This is an opportunity for all local artists to display and sell their work
The hall has access for wheelchairs and excellent lighting
Bring your paintings with a completed entry form on Monday 18th February 10.00am - 5.30pm or Tuesday 19th February 10.00am - 1.00pm
(if these times are inconvenient, please phone Jill or Bernie on the numbers below)
The Exhibition will be open to the public Thursday 21st & Friday 22nd February, 10.00am to 5.30pm
Saturday 23rd February, 10.00am to 3.00pm
Entrance 50p per person, refreshments available each day Collection of unsold pictures and money raised
Saturday 23rd February 4.30pm - 5.30pm
For further information contact: Jill (01752) 249337 or Bernie (01752) 297482
or during the above opening times phone the church hall on (01752) 771226
KINGDON HOUSE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION - TAVISTOCK CREATIVE STUDIO SPACE AVAILABLE
(NOT SUITABLE FOR LARGE SCALE PROJECTS)
FLEXIBLE MONTHLY CONTRACTS
RENT £80/100 PER MONTH PLUS £20 PER MONTH FOR UTITLITIES
Contact Karen Woodward for more information on 01822 615259 [email protected]
Icon Blessing
Cheryll Kinsley Potter has recently attended the
blessing and dedication ceremony for her Icon of Mary
Magdalene in the chapel at Magdalene College,
Cambridge. It was gifted to the college by Dr Rowan
Williams in this his final year as Master of Magdalene.
It will reside in the chapel in perpetuity and can be
visited by members of the general public every day.
Cheryll explains “I was invited to dine with the Master
as his guest at the high table in the great hall. We
talked of possible workshops in college for students to
learn about the techniques of iconography. So I am
hoping this will come to fruition this year”.
‘Mary Magdalene’ egg tempera and gold leaf on gessoed lime wood in place at the Magdalene College Chapel, Cambridge
Two Days of Fusing Fabric Manipulations with Margaret Beal
Margaret Beal author and textile artist. This master class on 1st & 2nd June, is full of ideas for using the fine tipped soldering iron on synthetic fabrics. Techniques covered will include cutwork, appliqué, patterning with metal templates, layering, strips, stripes, patchwork, mark-making and fabric manipulations. Some of the methods are easier than others and depending on the types of fabrics used there will be a certain amount of trial and error involved.
Day 1 Techniques covered will include patterning with metal templates, layering, appliqué, strips, stripes, patchwork and mark-making. Day 2 We shall be experimenting with a variety of fabrics, distorting surfaces and manipulating simple shapes to form three-dimensional surfaces. There will be a certain amount of trial and error involved as some of the techniques you will find easier than others. Cost £150
Call for Donations Member Judy Harrington is also a student at Plymouth College of Art studying Painting, Drawing and Printmaking. She is currently raising money towards her Final Degree Show this summer, and hopes that some of the artists of Drawn to the Valley might be generous enough to give a piece of their work that might form a raffle prize. Judy says, “We are planning to exhibit all art work donated for two weeks in one of the gallery spaces in college from 25th Feb 2019, and will hold a Private View with raffle draw probably on Thurs 7th March (to be confirmed).”
If you are able to help Judy with a donation please contact her on [email protected]
Artmill Gallery
presents
Richard Sunderland
Private View Friday 8th February
5.30pm-7pm at the Theatre Royal
Exhibition will run until 30th March
Meet The Artist
Richard will be giving a talk about his work on the gallery
floor at the Theatre Wednesday 6th March
5.30pm - 6.30pm, everyone is welcome
A 10% of all sales will be donated to The Stroke Association
Art Tutor Wanted
Petrockstowe Art Group is seeking an experienced
tutor to take its weekly class in the village hall.
There are currently around 20 members of mixed
ability, who enjoy working in a variety of different
