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

Fun in the sun . . .

Harpenden Arts Club tent at Art on the Common 2018
pen sketch © Teresa Newham

It was quite a weekend!  At 8 am on Saturday morning around fifty artists arrived at Harpenden Common with gazebos, tables, banners, flags - and their artworks to display.  An hour or so later, most of us were set up and enjoying a chat or a coffee before the event officially opened at ten.

Saturday morning before the crowds arrive
© Teresa Newham

My co-exhibitors this year were artist Hillary Taylor and jewellery maker Susheel Rao.  We had drawings and prints, watercolours and linocuts, bracelets, pendants and earrings to browse or buy, and the chance for passing children to have a go at one of Hillary's colouring books - one of several opportunities for the public to join in the fun this year.

our set up
© Teresa Newham

By noon the sun had come out and everyone flocked to our side of the green to watch the Harpenden Carnival procession with its Wild West theme which was led by  a colourful display of Native Indian headdresses and totems.  The Mayor drove by in an old car, local dance schools strutted their stuff, and various Brownies and Cubs paraded. I particularly liked the plastic cacti and the random shed on wheels.

colour at the Carnival
© Teresa Newham

By the following morning we were dab hands at getting Hillary's gazebo up and down again - you forget during the year but it comes flooding back - and we had our display sussed, so there was time to wander round taking more photos of the various arts and crafts on offer.  Some folk had elaborate set-ups, others were selling from the backs of their cars.  I went over for a closer look at Tendayi Tandi from Zimbabwe, who was giving a demo of stone carving.

day two ~ demos and displays
© Teresa Newham

By late afternoon the shadows were lengthening and we were tired out from being in the fresh air for two days, chatting to our many visitors across the weekend!  Despite the full on interaction I'd found time to make a couple of sketches - we were opposite the Harpenden Arts Club tent which provided an excellent subject - and to hand out loads of flyers for my next event - the Cultivate Arts Festival, which is coming up on 21st - 24th June.  It's all happening  . . .

late Sunday afternoon sunshine
© Teresa Newham

Huge thanks to David Whitbread and the team from Harpenden Photographic Society, who organised the whole event, and to our many visitors whose purchases contributed to raise money for Cancer Research UK (15% of all sales).

visitors, including the obligatory dog
© 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

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