Crafts not just for Christmas Exhibition

I'm thrilled at the catalogue for the forthcoming crafts exhibition at Worcester City Art Gallery!

You may remember from an earlier post the gallery commissioned me to design & make a piece of jewellery to reflect the theme of the exhibition....a very sad looking cat & dog!

This brooch has been photographed and used for the invite & catalogue plus the actual piece is going to be the prize in a raffle. Entry into the exhibition & gallery is free.

It's lovely to see an image of my work used to promote what should be a fab exhibition. Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to attend the opening this Friday as I'll be down in Suffolk but I'll be rushing down to the gallery on Foregate Street in Worcester next week to see the display.

www.worcestercitymuseums.org.uk

Innov8 show in full swing at Number 8

These are just a few pictures from Number 8 today....

The show is on tomorrow too from 10am - 6pm. This selling exhibition really is a great opportunity to view some of the best craftsmanship in Worcestershire.

Batik work by Maire Therese King

Porcelain by Bridget Drakeford

Wooden bowls by Ray Key

Lampshade detail by Sarah Walker

Willow work by Jenny Pearce

Fused Glass by Lorna Prudden

My stand!

Detail of verdigris panel

Also all geared up for a busy weekend at The Fold hopefully...

We have lots of nibbles & some warming winter cheer for you!

Hope to see you there either Saturday or Sunday????

South Hill Park this weekend

I'll be off to Bracknell tomorrow to show

at South Hill Park once again.

It's a lovely show with very high quality work & always something different every year.

Sat 14th 11am - 6pm

Sun 15th 10am - 5pm

Tickets £4

More details can be found on the website:

www.southhillpark.org.uk

The Gallery Upstairs exhibition

Hello

Sorry not been around for couple of days due to horrible cold cough throat thing! Back now....

Popped to the private view in Henley in Arden on Sunday - phew! How busy??? I didn't stay very long as I was worried I would have a coughing fit but all the work looked fab! People were queueing up to make purchases & I did spy a couple of red dots on my work so a good sign....

The exhibition opens tomorrow 10th November & runs until the 28th November.

http://www.thegalleryupstairstorquil.co.uk/

Frans Wesselman a fellow WGDC member is also exhibition his glass & etchings

Some of Jayne Lucas's work who I stock at the studio too.

Hookshouse pictures...

Just a few pictures of the Hookshouse exhibition I took during set up on Thursday afternoon....

Mine & Penny's display...busy as usual!!

Some of Chris's fab tall striped pots..

More of Chris's work

Lovely basket work by Norah Kennedy. I've reserved one of the angels already!!

Hookshouse Pottery : Exhibitions

I'm just finishing off sorting out the work I'm going to take to display at Hookshouse Pottery tomorrow. I have shown at this great little venue on several occasions over the post few years & it is lovely to have been asked to take part once again. I won't be there myself has Chris White looks after the work throughout the show.

Hookshouse Pottery : Exhibitions:

Next Exhibition – ‘Hand and Eye’ - October 2009

Autumn has come round again, and we have another fine collection of work for you to enjoy. Our new exhibitors include Pamela Griffiths, with paintings of Languedoc, Pembrokeshire and the Stroud valleys, and Ian Shearman with his wonderful seascapes. Jane Smith’s sensitive creations from wood and bark are new to us too.

Old favourites Sharon McSwiney and Penny Williams will be bringing us more of their imaginative and smile-inducing metal jewellery, clocks and hangings, and the ever popular baskets of Norah Kennedy will be on show again. Wendy Batt returns with more of her prints, much enjoyed on her first visit last spring, and Terry Devereux is back after a long break with some superb studies of Venice. We also have more of Anne Rogers’ felt, simply the best there is around!

The following is a full list of exhibitors:

Wendy Batt – prints
Terry Devereux – paintings
Pamela Griffiths – paintings
Norah Kennedy – baskets
Sharon McSwiney & Penny Williams – metalwork
Anne Rogers – felt
Ian Shearman – paintings
Jane Smith –wood and bark
Christopher White – stoneware pots

Forthcoming Events in October

Time is whizzing by & we are almost in October....I have a number of events coming up which I will of course keep you posted about. Here's a brief listing.....

• Worcestershire Guild of Designer Craftsmen are showing in the Craftcases at No8 in Pershore.A selection of work from some of the members will be on display & for sale, including some of my jewellery. This is from 9th October until 18th November.



• Three Little Pigs also in Pershore is going to be showing some of my metalwork panels & pictures plus a selection of garden sticks & greetings cards throughout October.



• An exhibition at Hookshouse Pottery is planned for 23rd October to 1st November where I shall be showing a range of work alongside Penny Williams & other makers including Christoper White who hosts the event at his studio near Tetbury.



• Several WGDC members are taking part in 'Showing off' in Ludlow 24th & 25th October together with members of the Shropshire Guild.

More details of these events will be posted nearer the time to each one....this is just to give you some ideas!

Crafts not just for Christmas

I've just completed a commission for Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum. This November & December they are holding a crafts exhibition at the gallery. I was approached to design a piece to illustrate the theme with a play on the words 'pets not just for Christmas', making my cat & dog look rather sad....it's amazing what a difference the head angle, eyes & mouth can make! I hope I have answered the brief!?

The piece was saw pierced from copper & brass & soldered together - the whiskers were a little tricky! I then oxidised the piece & textured the little dog to make him look even more scruffy.

h.Art starts this week!

This week we'll be putting up our exhibition at the Fold cafe 'Autumn Leaves' as part of the h.Art event this year. There will be jewellery, metalwork, glass, wood, textiles & batik work on display all with an Autumnal theme be it with colours or leafy images.

Also on Saturday I'll be showing at the Hereford Craft Market in High Town 9am - 5pm. The studio is still open as mum is there!

We are opening for the full h.Art dates:

Saturday 12th until Sunday 20th September

11am - 5pm

Our exhibition is likely to continue in the cafe into October so if you can't make it over the next few days there will still be an opportunity to view the work - as long as it hasn't all sold that is!!

If you haven't got your h.Art guide yet contact www.h-art.org.uk

There is also a local h.Art trail which has been put together by several of the artists in this area. Click on the links to view:
local%20art%20trail%20for%20h.Art%20East%20Herefordshire%202%202009%20A4.doc

Map%20for%20local%20art%20trail%202009%20on%20A4.doc

Leaf progress...

Some more sneaky previews of the pieces I've made for the Autumn Leaves exhibition. Noticed this morning that the huge beech tree at the top of the garden has started dropping a few orange leaves - No way!! Tooooo early... not ready for autumn yet!

Five at the Factory exhibition

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at Hampen Factory with Sue Brown & Carolyn Foulkes arranging the exhibition 'Five at the Factory' which is part of the

Cheltenham Art Festival & Open Studios www.cheltenhamopenstudios.org.uk

6th - 14th June 2009

Hampen is in an idyllic setting with birds & wildlife in abundance around the buildings www.hampenfactory.co.uk

It is amazing how well our work compliments each other. My verdigris panels highlight the greens in Carolyn's bird picture. Caroline's fantastic embroidered creations with leaf & spiral motifs emphasise detailing in my red & gold panels.

I really love Sue Brown's work (several pieces adorn my walls at home!), the new great tits are fab - might have fallen for those!

Lesley Maddox McNulty's head sculptures look stunning - the textures & colours really work well.

It's well worth a visit to the exhibition which is open everyday during the event

Tomorrow we are having a late evening until 8pm where all the artists will be present to discuss their work - come & join us for a glass of wine & watch the birdies!!

2009 EVENTS

The following is a list of the shows I have booked so far for this year. As usual I'll post more information on the individual event nearer to the date. If you'd like any details on a particular show please email me for details: info@sharonmcswiney.co.uk

2009
APRIL

• Sat 25th & Sun 26th Art Market Worcester High Street
• Sun 26th Farmers Market at The Fold (studio open 10am - 2pm)

MAY

• Thurs 7th - Sun 10th RHS Spring Gardening Show, Malvern

JUNE

• Sat 6th - Sun 14th Five at the Factory, Cheltenham Artists Open Houses, Hampen Studio
• Sat 20th - Sun 21st Midsummer show, Landmark Arts, Teddington
• Sun 21st June Leigh Open Gardens
• Fri 26th - Sun 28th Art Market Upton Jazz Festival

JULY

• Fri 10th Art Market Ledbury Poetry Festival

AUGUST

• Sat 8th & Sun 9th Create, Walford Mill, Dorset

SEPTEMBER

• Sat 12th - Sun 20th h-Art Autumn Leaves exhibition at The Fold (studio open)
• Sat 12th Art Market Hereford
• Sat 26th & Sun 27th Malvern Autumn Show

OCTOBER

• Sat 24th - Sun 1st Nov Hookshouse Autumn exhibition
• Sat 24th & Sun 25th Showing Off, Ludlow

NOVEMBER

• Sat 15th & Sun 16th Craft Fair, South Hill Park, Bracknell (TBC)
• Fri 20th & Sat 21st WGDC Winter Show, No 8, Pershore
• Sat 28th & Sun 29th Craft Fair, Blackthrope Barns, Rougham, Suffolk

DECEMBER

• Sat 12th Art Market, Hereford

Private View Kings School

Popped along to King's School last night to see Hazel Green's photography exhibition www.tunnelhill.co.uk

alongside both my jewellery/metalwork & Sue Brown's printwork

Forthcoming exhibition 'Surroundings'

I'm taking part in an exhibition at Kings School in Worcester early next month. I shall be showing alongside Hazel Green's photographs and friend Sue Brown's prints.

In conjunction with the exhibition I'm running a workshop on Sunday 8th with some of the pupils hopefully giving them an intoroduction to jewellery making.

Exhibition at Warwickshire Museum