Fabricate: a woven response to place

SNOW UPDATE:

We will be here with warm drinks (and the odd glass of wine) on Thursday 7 January at St George’s for Louise’s Private View of FABRICATE, to welcome any and all who manage to get here.

Weaver and designer-maker Louise Nason will be showing the results of her 8-month residency based at St George’s Arts in Surrey in her exhibition, ‘Fabricate, a woven response to place’. Louise, a graduate of UCA Farnham who has previously exhibited and worked on various commissions including one for John Makepeace, secured the residency with her proposal to set up a floor-based countermarch loom in the North Aisle of the redundant Tudor church which hosts the residency and work directly in response to the light and colours of the building. She has relished the opportunity to work site-specifically “I have been particularly struck by the massive tie beams within the original Tudor church. This has inspired me to think about incorporating structure into my piece of work. The aim was to create a contemporary piece of work that would hang within the space that inspired it.’ Alongside the fine cottons and silks she usually works with she has chosen to weave using linen, which gives a sense of strength and structure to the cloth. She has also been running a series of workshops sharing her skills and love of her craft with local people. St George’s Arts runs an annual artist / maker residency scheme and Louise is the third artist to be appointed. ‘We aim to give artists or craftspeople the freedom to work in a different way, responding to a beautiful place with a calm, contemplative atmosphere; with the hope that they will be able to develop new work and pass on some of their experience to others.’ (Jane Ponsford, visual arts organiser, St George’s Arts).

Call for 2010 residency

St George’s Arts is seeking applications for its 2010 artist / maker residency. For more details please visit the Residency page or email: st.georgesarts@btinternet.com for information and an application form. There is an award of £2,000 and a dedicated studio space for up to 6 months for the successful applicant.

 

Tree Dressing Competition

If your school or children’s community group would like to take part in our Tree Dressing Competition please phone us on: 01372 467720 or email on: st.georgesarts@btinternet.com and we will send you an application pack. Our theme this year is GIFT. We are asking for drawings on the theme of ‘gift’ to hang in one of our beautiful trees in the churchyard here at St George’s to be part of a decorative and seasonal tree dressing for December. The drawings will be laminated to protect them from the weather and can be collected from St George’s at the end of December. The drawings can be bright and colourful or black and white but do bear in mind that they will be hung up so need to be able to be seen from a distance. The school or group who in the opinion of the judges makes the best contribution will be offered the chance to take part in our art workshops either at St George’s or at your own school / group in 2010. Everyone who takes part will be invited to view the display in December.

Exhibitions closed until after Christmas

St George’s Arts is closed for art exhibitions and visual art events until after Christmas. From the end of October until the end of December Cards for Good Causes takes over the building. So do come and buy your Christmas cards and be sure that the money spent goes to charitable causes. Meanwhile there are still some ways to join in. Your school or community group may be taking part in our Tree Dressing, the theme this year is GIFT. Louise Nason is running the two final workshops of her residency, a one-day Natural Dye workshop for adults on Saturday 28 November based at the Toshiba Studio at the Riverhouse Barn in Walton (for more details please phone 01372 467720, booking essential) and a Christmassy children’s weaving workshop based at Thames Ditton Library on Tuesday 22 December between 10 am and 12 noon (FREE but again booking essential, please phone 07775 646 892).

Fantastic turnout for the Big Draw

Louise led all sorts of drawing activities at St George’s Arts on Saturday 10 October. We had a brilliant turnout. 78 people joined us in drawing what they saw through viewfinders, tubes, magnifying glasses or drawing from projected silhouettes or even drawing textures that they could feel. It was lovely to meet so many people and exciting to watch all the fantastic drawings growing before our eyes. Lots of people stayed for hours and tried out all the different materials and techniques. A great day that we enjoyed very much too.

Photos from the Big Draw.

The Big Draw

Heritage Weekend

St George’s is taking part in Heritage Weekend. For more information about this and other events taking place across the country please visit http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/. Louise Nason our artist in residence is unfortunately unable to be at the studio at St George’s over the weekend but can be visited during September and October during Monday open studios.

Louise’s workshops with local people have been well attended with much enthusiastic making. In September and October she will be taking her project to local schools, day centres and community groups and there are other opportunities to join in. Louise is inviting contributions to a collaborative weave and passing on her skills by teaching simple weaving techniques. Drop-in to see Louise’s progress add your contribution to the collaborative weaving on her regular  open studio Mondays and during her Work in Progress Exhibition in October. She will also be running a day of FREE drawing activities on 10 October with The BIG DRAW. Our theme this year is ‘From another point of view’ in which Louise will be leading drawing activities looking closely at the spaces around us.

Taking us into Autumn

Louise’s workshops have been well attended with much enthusiastic making. In September and October she will be taking her project to local schools, day centres and community groups and there are other opportunities to join in. Louise is inviting contributions to a collaborative weave and passing on her skills by teaching simple weaving techniques. Drop-in to see Louise’s progress or add your contribution to the collaborative weaving on her regular open studio Mondays and during her Work in Progress Exhibition in October. She will also be running a day of FREE drawing activities on 10 October with The BIG DRAW. Our theme this year is ‘A different point of view’ in which Louise will be leading drawing activities looking closely at the spaces around us.

There are still places on Louise’s one day Natural Dye workshop on 20 September. Date rearranged to Saturday 28 November.

NB: The workshop will be off site at the Toshiba Studio at Riverhouse in Walton. For more information or to book please phone on: 07775 646 892 or phone 01372 467720 or email us here on:  st.georgesarts@btinternet.com

Now Booking: workshops

We are taking bookings for workshops and activities with St George’s Arts during the summer and beyond. Visit the What’s On page for full details.

Hot off the press: The IDMC Gospel Choir lead by award winning director John Fisher will be presenting a workshop and free concert at St George’s on Saturday 3rd October to celebrate the TCCT’s 40th anniversary. For more details and how to book see What’s On.

Coming up are:

Textiles / Papermaking workshops for Children and Teens withLouise Nason and Jane Ponsford: 26 August, 10 – 12 noon: activities suitable for ages 7 and up. Children to be accompanied by an adult.  1 – 3 pm: ages 14 and up. Tel: 01372 467720 to book. FREE

Heritage Weekend: 12 & 13 September FREE

Natural Dye workshops with Louise Nason: 19, 20 September Saturday 28 November, one day workshops 10 – 3 pm, small charge for materials £10, break for lunch (not provided). Tel: 01372 467720 to book or for more details.

The Big Draw: 10 October:  Drawing activities for all ages, no need to book, all welcome. 10 – 12 noon and 1 – 3 pm  FREE

Participate in the project

If you would like to discuss booking a visit or free workshop for your group please phone Jane Ponsford the visual arts organiser on:01372 467720 or just visit the studio at St George’s on Mondays between 9.30 and 4.00. There are other ways to contribute too…

YARN WANTED

Louise is asking for donations of yarn for collaborative work and upcoming workshops. She is interested in all types of yarn, knitting wool, cotton, silks and recycleable materials such as ribbons, nets and string. Please drop the donations to her at St George’s on Mondays (9.30 – 4.00) or Saturdays (11 – 3.00).

Thank you