Luton Hoo Walled Garden, 2012
The first half of 2013 will see me working at North Hertfordshire College, at the Centre for the Arts in Hitchin as Artist in Residence on the AA2A scheme. For this reason, I’m planning on events and exhibitions in the latter half of the year, to not find myself distracted with deadlines during my residency.
The first event I’m going to be appearing at will be Childwickbury Art Fair, taking place the 5th, 6th and 7th of July 2013. It’s their 10th anniversary this year, so be sure to pop along if you can. This year’s event promises to be bigger than ever, with plenty of delicious food, art, crafts and entertainment, staying open until 10pm on the Saturday night. More details will be posted as they become available.
2012 was a busy year in terms of events and art fairs. Please read on to find out where my pots and I appeared…
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The next event I will be taking part in is the annual Childwickbury Christmas Market in St Albans, Hertfordshire. I was invited to take part in this event last year and had a great time so am thrilled to be back again in 2012.
Childwickbury Christmas Market 2012
In October I was invited to have a stall at the Luton Hoo Walled Garden as part of their Pumpkin and Apple Gala. I find the Walled Garden to be a particularly inspiring place, as a lot of my work is influenced by plants and the English countryside, so was very excited to be part of this event.
My autumnal pottery stall at Luton Hoo Walled Garden
Digswell Arts Trust Open Studios 2012
In September I took part in Open Studios at Digswell Arts Trust. This annual, free event, was your chance to come and visit Digswell Fellows in their art studios at the historic Fairlands Valley Farmhouse.
In August, I was selected to exhibit at the Herts Visual Arts Exhibition and Art Sale. This took place over one weekend in Harpenden Public Halls, Hertfordshire, showcasing the work of artists from across the county.
During July, I was thrilled to be selected to take part in the annual Childwickbury Arts Fair 2012. This is a celebration of the arts held inside the beautiful private grounds of Childwickbury Estate, St Albans where you will find a vibrant mix of workshops, demonstrations and entertainment for all ages, a great day out for families.
I exhibited a number of my handmade lanterns as part of the Ayot St Lawrence Festival in June. This village is just a few miles from where I grew up, and has been called one of the most beautiful in Hertfordshire.
Vincent Van Gough is known to have enjoyed country walks through the village when his sister was teaching in nearby Welwyn. The playwright George Bernard Shaw also lived in the village for over forty years, so creativity obviously abounds in the area!
May saw me demonstrating the process for making one of my handmade stoneware lanterns at Living Crafts at Hatfield House.
Living Crafts, the largest show of its kind in Europe, attracts thousands of visitors each day and is an event not to be missed. The range of crafts is enormous with literally hundreds of designer-makers from across the British Isles.
At the start of 2012 in January, I was asked to take part in the Winter Exhibition at the New Maynard Gallery in Welwyn Garden City, along with two other Hertfordshire artists.
The work featured was inspired by naturally occurring patterns. Whether delicate leaf imprints, intricate poppy heads or disparate, sprawling barnacles, they feature as sources of inspiration I love to incorporate into my pottery. As clay comes directly from the ground, I feel it is fitting to celebrate the beauty in our English countryside by immortalising the most intricate and beautiful natural forms, to be forever held in fired earth.
The New Maynard Gallery - Winter Exhibition
