Art all Open Studios << for From unusual ceramics and unique handmade jewellery, to awe inspiring sculpture and paintings, this year’s West Berkshire and North Hampshire Open Studios, from the 3rd to 26th May, promises to be the biggest and best yet Open Studios West Berkshire and North Hampshire was set up by Pat Eastop MBE in 1987 as a way of celebrating the diversity of visual arts within the local community. This is the 26th year she (and her team) have organised the event and there are over 100 artists ready to show their wares. They are all represented in the flagship exhibition INSIGHT 2014, taking place from the 3rd to 26th May in the renowned gallery at New Greenham Arts on the outskirts of Newbury. Visitors to this historic venue, formerly an American airbase during the Cold War, will be able to see a wide range of art forms including sculpture, photography, textiles, ceramics, glass, jewellery, painting, digital imagery and, new this year, edible art. The exhibition has been put together by curators Paul Kessling and John Brazendale, assisted by Martin Eastabrook. Invigilators will be on hand to answer questions and to help you if you would like to acquire a work of art. 8 | R&A RG4 All the works at INSIGHT are for sale, as they are in the studios, where you might like to acquire a work of art knowing its iconography. It is a good idea to begin your art trail from the INSIGHT exhibition. Take the Directory with you, make a note of the work that catches your eye and go straight over to the studio. There are also some amazing satellite exhibitions to visit this year. In the Mezzanine Gallery at Newbury College an art group has put together a unique handover art project. Here, multi-media pieces have evolved through a journey, as the work has been passed between and worked on by each of the six artists. At the Corn Exchange in Newbury there is an interesting exhibition called Traces. Some artists have been thinking directly about the building and others have examined the wider environment. Over at Arlington Arts there is a sketchbook exhibition which has been ongoing since September last year, with visits to sketch at the Ashmolean Museum and the Roche Court Sculpture Park among other special places. For this exhibition, Open Studios has ventured into the realm of an art prize. Go to the website at covertocover-sketches.blogspot.co.uk for more information. V Opposite the main gallery is the Tandoori restaurant with a solo exhibition, ‘Romantic Italy’ by Royal Academy exhibitor Christopher Hall. Also on site is Studio 8, with resident artists on hand to discuss ideas, processes and completed work. Follow the trail May 2014 >> Open Studios Ann Hoddinott Arlington Arts Benchmark Chris Healy Hannah Griffin Helen Mortimer Julie Smith Louise Walker Arran Miles Gill Banks New Greenham Arts V Open Studios << )LYHWR¿QG +DQQDK*UL̇Q, Whitchurch Hannah has lived in the Newbury area most of her life so her work has been heavily influenced by the glorious countryside and wildlife on her doorstep. She particularly loves birds of prey, hares and game birds. She works with a range of media including charcoal, oil pastels, watercolour and colour pencils. Nick Schlee Paul Kessling Sue Crook, Headley Over at Headley’s Community Shop you can find a number of local artists including Sue Crook. Sue works with paper as a textile. While experimenting with this new medium, she continues to dye, collage and stitch. As well as paper, she works in natural fibres, cotton, linen and silk. Nick Schlee, Reading Nick’s studio is in Upper Basildon and inside you’ll discover paintings he creates from colour sketches done on the spot. Nick recently exhibited at the National Trust’s Basildon Park and at Gallery 8 in London. Sue!Crook ! ! !!! !! 10 | R&A RG4 Susan Kirkman May 2014 >> Open Studios Louise Walker, South Hill Park Arts Centre One of the UK’s finest emerging contemporary silversmith jewellers, Louise has won awards for her brilliant designs. She executes beautiful collections with highly skilled craftsmanship. Minimal and pure, she doesn’t just produce jewellery, she also makes products for the home too. Paul Harvey 3DXO.HVVOLQJ, Modern Artists Gallery, Whitchurch-on-Thames Paul Kessling will be at this gallery throughout the Open Studios event, alongside other artists including Sue Bartlett, Dave Morris, Mark Hall, Stuart Buchanan, Kate Kessling, Alice Cescatti, Sadle Brockband, Kathryn Thomas and Frank To. All the artists will have new collections of paintings on show. )LQGRXWPRUH Valentina Tikhonova To discover which artists you would like to visit you can go online to www.open-studios.org.uk to download this year’s directory. Also online you can find out about hands-on workshops to get involved in, the schools and colleges involved and other local arts events happening. TWO GREAT SPECIALS FOR MAY & JUNE !!! LUNCH – 25% DISCOUNT FOR SENIORS (over 65s) for FOOD & WINE Wednesday to Saturday DINNER – 10% OFF ALL FOOD PLUS A COMPLIMENTARY GLASS OF WINE PER PERSON Wednesdays and Thursdays We offer a large selection of tasty, wholesome dishes in our 2 course £15.95 pp lunch menu and have delicious a la carte dinner choices (also available at lunchtime) including classic house specialities such as Double Entrecote of Prime British Beef for 2 persons carved at the table and Giant Wild Tiger Prawns grilled with garlic & herb butter Woody Nook’s own premium, award-winning wines from Margaret River, Western Australia are available online, by ‘phone or in the restaurant with single bottle and 2, 3, 6 or 12 pack selections to suit your budget. For more menu and wine details, visit our website www.woodynookatwoodcote.co.uk Tel: 01491 680775 Reservations advisable www.roundandabout.co.uk Goring Road, Woodcote, Oxon RG8 0SD Email: info@woodynookatwoodcote.co.uk RG4 R&A | 11