Kenilworth Festival Gala Day

I spent a disappointing day at the Kenilworth Festival Gala Day on Sunday. We borrowed a gazebo and several tables for the day but the wind made it difficult to keep the gazebo up and caused me to abandon my usual practice of displaying my glass on stands. A good sized event held in Abbey Fields by the local Lions Club, including field events in arenas and multiple stages. With the sun being out and free live music the crowds came out in droves. However they were mostly families and although they looked and admired I sold very few items but I believe I made one or two contacts who may approach me later.

From a stall holders perspective this was not a well organised event. Although there was an area for craft stalls they were placed haphazardly. You had to guess where the row was going based on the heaps of goods or half erected stands. The majority of stalls at the event were charity based with about 16 – 18 in the craft section and a few of these might have been better at a car boot sale. I shall not be attending this event in future years. Hilary Poole

North Worcestershire Open Exhibition

On Wednesday evening several SAF members went along to the private view of the North Worcester Open Exhibition held at Artrix, Bromsgrove. There was an eclectic mix of works including pieces from members Maureen Toomey, Lisa Marie Thompson, Jackie Mackay and Paula Hamilton. At the Artrix there is not a gallery as such but the work is displayed on white walls and along the corridors. The venue can be booked and provides a good footfall since the site is also used for live performance shows as well as a cinema. New member Rita Fletcher has her own exhibition there in September.

Primitive Matters

The event was well attended and the work which received the 'best in show' award was Primitive Matters by Karen Mclean. An interesting piece and part of a body of work regarding living standards in the Caribbean and the resourcefulness of the people living in shacks or primitive huts. I am still using the nutmegs I bought a couple of years ago from one of those huts - I remember them being much brighter in colour and being a shorty I'm glad they weren't on stilts. The exhibition is on until Sunday 13th June so pop along. Jackie Mackay

Enamelling Day at Rachel's Workshop

Last Friday I attended Rachel's Gogerly's very interesting and enjoyable enamelling day at Winyates Craft Centre. Myself and four other folk - all of different skills and experience (mine being none) were introduced to the background, process and techniques of enamelling onto Silver. We had a go at grinding the material and applying and firing the enamel onto prepared silver pieces and we all produced two finished items by the end of the day!

The setting in an old courtyard was very pleasant and we all spilled out onto the grass for our lunch and some chat. Rachel was great - providing all the necessary equipment and materials, and it was great to be in her workshop seeing where she makes her wonderful pieces and she was generous in providing plentiful breaks with a supply of hot drinks and biscuits and cakes, which gave opportunities to hear from Rachel and the other folk attending about work they have done or are intending to do and see examples. There is also scope to work on individual projects for those already familiar. A great day which I would recommend for jewellery makers and interested parties alike, wishing to discover a new skill or have a day learning something new and seeing how someone such as Rachel, who has achieved so much, goes about her work. Julie Robertson

Pooles Plight

I just know you have been waiting to find out if I made my deadlines before Easter. Did I manage to get pieces to the exhibition at Showborough as well as ready for Preston Bagot before going on holiday. Well I am sure you will be glad to know that I did, although the pressure was relieved somewhat by our holiday being cancelled.

However I was just calming down a bit when I got a request to provide items for an exhibition in the NHS trust hospitals starting the same week as Preston Bagot. To make sure I had enough to choose from I had to race over and retrieve some pieces from The Red House Glass Cone where I had had some pieces displayed for 12 months. What a relief when everything was safely delivered. Now I have just got to decide what I have to sell at the Kenilworth Festival on 16th May. Oh dear I think I need to make some more glass. Hilary Poole

Spring Exhibition at Preston Bagot

On Friday night SAF held the Private view of their Spring Exhibition at Preston Bagot. There was a good turn out and the weather could not have been better. Helen Carslake of the Art Barn at the Old Rectory hung the exhibition and supplied plenty of good food and drink which was eagerly consumed by the gathered throng. However it was noted that when I left at the end of the evening some folks were sauntering back from the Crabmill pub having had a liquid top-up.

The selected works showed the diversity of the group and a wide range of skills and the pieces all sat together well as a complete exhibition. The Barn is open for viewing until Sunday 25th April, 10am-6pm daily. Jackie Mackay

Usha at the Midland Potters Exhibition

Exhibit from Usha Khosla - Landscape Pot

This exhibition at The Gallery of Bevere, Worcester, celebrates thirty years of the Midland Potters Association. On show are the amazingly diverse forms made by twenty selected members and alumni of the association. The exhibits are a celebration of exciting forming techniques and surface decoration using the ceramic medium. The pieces range from purely sculptural to functional ceramics. Considering that there is such diverse work, the whole exhibition works very well together and it is a pleasure to walk around.

Exhibit from Mark Smith - Pebble Boat on Wheels

When you have enjoyed the looking at the works you can go upstairs for some coffee, cakes or light lunches. Even the cafe has pottery and paintings on display all around the rooms. The exhibition continues until 25th April 2010. Usha Khosla

Hilary's Smashing Time in the Garden

Had a bit of a disaster last weekend. I went in the studio and found that the Green Man hanging sculpture (shown above) had fallen from its temporary hanging space and more than 50% of it was in pieces on the table. It is made from Stella bottles and I only had two in my bottle box – I needed three to make a new cap for the top as well as lots more bits for the bottom. Fortunately when I went inside some one had just emptied another one. However It takes at least two kiln firings to make the cap and there was no space in the kiln because I was doing things for the Preston Bagot exhibition. I was running out of time. The sculpture and the Preston Bagot photos have to be delivered this weekend. Will I complete them in time? Watch this space - updates after Easter. Hilary Poole