Welcome to The Workhouse

 

The Workhouse, Dunstable
© Teresa Newham

I recently spent a morning at The Workhouse in Dunstable, where I had a few linocuts hanging in their Print! exhibition.  Participating artists are encouraged to take a turn in helping out at the gallery, and I had great fun refreshing and rearranging the shelves.

a variety of work on display
© Teresa Newham

It was a good opportunity to take a closer look at the art on display, and there was plenty: in addition to the various types of printmaking there were paintings, textiles, glass and jewellery, as well as ceramics, sculpture and bookbinding. 

two of my linocuts on the wall L&R
© Teresa Newham

All the pieces are carefully displayed to their advantage, and a creative use of space ensures that every corner is filled. It's a great place for browsing art, cards and gifts, and for buying everything from a pretty face mask to a large sculpture - both of which went to new homes while I was there . . .

using all available space
© Teresa Newham

The next exhibition - Landscapes & Layers - has now opened and runs until Saturday 10th July.  I'm delighted that one of my watercolours - Bog Cotton - is featured on the poster, and I'm looking forward to another morning in the gallery on Friday 9th!

the poster for the next exhibition

Sunny and bright

Parish Church of  S Peter & S Paul, Kimpton
© Teresa Newham

The first full weekend in May means two things:  the Spring Bank Holiday, and the Kimpton Festival.   I had entered some works into the art exhibition in the parish church, which was looking at  its finest in the record-breaking warm weather.

Art and flowers
© Teresa Newham

Inside, the church was wonderfully cool, with beautiful flower arrangements amongst the exhibits, which filled every available space, including boards perched on some of the pews.  Some visitors were  wandering around admiring the art, others were sitting and listening to the choir.

glass, and more glass
© Teresa Newham

As well as paintings and photos, there was a whole side room devoted to glass and textiles, with ceramics and wooden items displayed separately in front of the stained glass windows.  Every inch of the church had been pressed into use.  My own pieces were easy to spot alongside the stewards' table.

every space was used for exhibits!
© Teresa Newham

Once we'd had a good look round, we ventured up the bell tower, where local bell-ringers were on hand to share their expertise.  While my husband tried his hand at ringing church bells for the first time, I was able to look down on the scene below.  As usual, it was a superb exhibition.

birds' eye view from the bell tower
© Teresa Newham

We walked around the village, admiring the knits which adorned every suitable object, and a wonderful display of paper flowers in a front garden on the High Street.  We had tea and cake in the Dacre Rooms and ice cream while we watched the falconry displayat the recreation ground.  It was a glorious afternoon!

knits and paper flowers around the village
© Teresa Newham

One year on . . .

 Two of my bird monoprints displayed alongside printmaking by Susan Edwards,
acrylics by Clive Patterson, glass by Opal Seabrook, ceramics by Elspeth Keith.
© Teresa Newham

It's been a year since my first visit to Gallery32, the artists' co-operative situated above the Fleetville Vintage Emporium opposite the Rats Castle Pub in Hatfield Road, St Albans.   Last Saturday I went there for my regular shift at the gallery, and took some pieces along which I'm looking forward to seeing hung.

cards and smaller items by various artists
at the entrance to the Gallery
© Teresa Newham

A lot has changed in a year - there are glass cabinets containing jewellery and other small items at the entrance, and a wide variety of greetings cards in the rack - plenty to tempt the casual visitor as well as the more committed customer!

browser items by yours truly and Hillary Taylor, oils and monoprints by Debbie Knight
© Teresa Newham

There is even more art hung on the staircase now, and a few pictures are currently displayed on gridwall just inside the door of Debbie's studio, which itself gives people the opportunity to see an artist making something - even when she's not there, there is usually a work in progress to take a look at.

artwork by Debbie Knight and Susan Edwards,
ceramics by Elspeth Keith, glass by Opal Seabrook
© Teresa Newham

Alongside paintings, drawings and prints there are glass pieces and ceramics - truly something for everyone.  And if you enjoy looking through vintage items there are many, many stalls in the Emporium itself.  So if you're thinking of coming to take a look, I'd allow a little time . . . .

colourful stalls in the Fleetville Vintage Emporium
© Teresa Newham

First time in Fleetville

the gallery entrance inside the Fleetville Vintage Emporium
© Teresa Newham

Last week I made my first visit to Gallery 32, a new art collective which has been set up in the roofspace of the Fleetville Vintage Emporium by resident local artist Debbie Knight.  I'm one of the artists within the collective, and I was keen to see what was going on!

top of the stairs 1: art on the staircase
© Teresa Newham

Just climbing the staircase is a treat, as every inch of space has been utilised for contemporary art.  From the landing, the visitor gets a tantalising glimpse of even more:

top of the stairs 2: peeking into the gallery
© Teresa Newham

Once inside, there is a wonderful range of pieces large and small: canvases, framed items, glass and ceramics - something to entrance every art lover and suit the pocket of those who come to buy.

smaller works on the gallery shelves
© Teresa Newham

The gallery is a welcoming space with a distinct 'studio feel': there are canvases stacked against the walls at floor level, the odd browser, and vintage boxes used to display greetings cards. I found my two pieces on a cleverly-positioned gridwall which provides even more hanging space:

my work (alongside others) with the studio in the background
© Teresa Newham

Art lovers are welcome to take a look in Debbie's studio if one the artists is there - she had been working on this large canvas when I did my shift, and each of us will be taking the opportunity to make our own art when we are covering for her:

visitors are welcome to the studio if somebody's there!
© Teresa Newham

Of course, I couldn't resist taking a look round the emporium itself.  All sorts of different items are displayed, from books to clothes to furniture and ornaments:

the ground floor 1: some stalls in the Fleetville Vintage Emporium
© Teresa Newham

This stallholder had laid out their display to resemble a living room; there was a new delight round every corner.  So I'm sure I'll be coming away with something every time I do a stint at the gallery!

the ground floor 2: my favourite vintage stall
© Teresa Newham

Artists showing work at the Gallery32 collective currently include: Sandy Andrews, Sandra Berti, Jannah Britt-Green, Anne Hignell, Elspeth Keith, Debbie Knight, Judith Moule, Teresa Newham, Clive Patterson, Opal Seabrook, Graham Saunders, Morag Saunders, Linda Smith.  If you are a participating artist and would like your name displayed here, please let me know.  The Fleetville Vintage Emporium is open daily from 10am - 5.30 pm (Sundays and Bank Holidays 5pm) behind the site of the former Emporium premises at 221 Hatfield Road, St Albans AL1 4TB. 

view from the cash desk . . . .

the Alban Street Festival, seen from the cash desk at our pop-up Open Studios
© Teresa Newham

To everyone's relief the sun came out for the Alban Street Festival last Sunday.  Along with a dozen or so other artists from St Albans and Harpenden, I was in a marquee outside Waterstones - a pop-up Open Studios to encourage folk along to the main event in September - and great fun it was, too!

the HVA marquee, with some of Sandy Andrews' oil paintings
© Teresa Newham

Some of us had set up our work on a gridwall along the front of the marquee -  I managed to cram nearly a dozen paintings and prints into my space, including some old favourites I haven't shown for a while.

part of my display in the marquee
© Teresa Newham

It wasn't just about watercolours and oils though - as visitors made their way round the gridwall they found stalls showing examples of illustration, textiles, jewellery and glass.

artists' stalls inside the marquee
© Teresa Newham

Opal Seabrook of Starburst Glass was working on stained glass throughout the day, while Hillary Taylor was weaving paper for one of her mixed media pieces.  There was also silk painting, and I managed to produce a sketch or two during my stint at the cash desk!

Opal demonstrating stained glass
© Teresa Newham

The Festival itself was an eclectic mix of music (there were two sound stages), some amazingly varied street food, children's activities and much more, all flagged up by the cheerfully painted signs which proliferated the length of St Peter's Street.

signs advertising the various events
© Teresa Newham

Venturing out with my camera, I was nearly mown down by Garden City Samba - that's twice in the space of eight days - my own fault for getting in their way!

Garden City Samba . . . again!
© Teresa Newham

The performance highlight for me - and for many I suspect - was this amazing wheel made from recycled materials, which was moved to music up and down the roadway.

performance wheel made of recycled materials
© Teresa Newham

Fighting my way through the crowds back to our tent - the streets were packed by now - I found our interactive area in full swing, with children making and decorating cut-outs for the I Love St Albans collage.

HVA artists helping children make street art
© Teresa Newham

We had many, many visitors to our marquee during the course of the day and it was lovely to chat with them about Open Studios and art generally.  Well worth doing!

manning the cash desk - with my cards behind me!
© Teresa Newham