The West Sussex Gazette announces:
The annual exhibition of arts and crafts will be at St Nicholas Church, in Bramber, from Saturday, August 23, to Monday, August 25. Opening times are 10:00am to 5:00pm daily. Ceramics, jewellery, paintings, prints and wood-turned objects will be included in the displays, and refreshments will be available.
A three day course at Woods Mill taught by Jill Coombs. Suitable for beginners and the more advanced. Some drawing experience is necessary. Initial drawing and observation exercise, followed by analysis, measuring and colour studies. Detailed study of plants, drawing and painting, plus colour mixing. Individual tuition with demonstrations. October 17th, 18th and 19th, 10:00am–4:00pm. Course information sheet here.
Jill Coombs b. Horsham, England 1935. Jill studied illustration and ceramics at art college and worked as an industrial designer before having children. She became a botanical artist 30 years ago after studying with Mary Grierson, artist in residence at Kew. She has worked as a freelance illustrator for Kew publications on the flora of Iraq, Qatar and Egypt. She also illustrated Beth Chatto’s Plant Portraits and the Collins Gem Herbs for Cooking and Health. Jill’s work is in private collections in the USA, Australia, Japan and the UK and represented in the Shirley Sherwood Collection, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Lindley Library, the Chelsea Physic Garden and the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Four of her paintings hang in the blue drawing room at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Jill holds three Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medals. [The Highgrove Florilegium]
Although this course isn’t happening until October, there are only five places left. So you may be wise to book sooner rather than later.
The website now has a page devoted to the work of local artists. See the ‘Local Artists‘ item in the ‘About Our Village’ menu in the left sidebar.
A two-day course at Woods Mill taught by Janine Creaye for those who want to learn the basic techniques of woodcarving whilst creating an achievable small relief design. This course will cover the best tools to use, tool sharpening, and wood staining. A short time will be spent on the reserve looking for natural inspiration. Sussex Wildlife Trust commissioned four carvings from Janine in 2011 and they can be seen at Woods Mill, in situ, or here. Sundays 13th & 20th July, 10:00am-4:00pm, £110 for both days. Course information sheet [PDF] and booking (only two places left).
[A rumour that the 2015 competition is to be titled ‘Simply the Worst’ could not be confirmed at publication time. You may want to refrain from deleting anything from your digital camera until we hear.]
A illustrated lecture on early English pottery to the Steyning Decorative and Fine Arts Society by Jane Gardiner, lecturer at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Southerbys Institute. Monday 2nd June at the Steyning Centre, from 10:30am to midday, with coffee served at 10:00am. Visitors pay £5.
Chris Gildersleeve and Jen Green are showing their art in Ditchling as part of the Brighton Open Houses scheme over the Bank Holiday on 26th May, from 11:00am to 5:00pm, at Kennel Cottage, 88 East End Lane, Ditchling BN6 8UR. Chris is showing fired sculpture of human figures, natural forms and Buddhist themes, and Jen is showing landscapes in watercolour, prints, woodcarvings, mosaic mirrors and cards.
[Corrected.]
Steyning Grammar will be celebrating 400 years of existence at the end of May with a variety of events including:
Further details about these and other events can be found here.
Steyning Downland Scheme have a handy two page PDF calendar of their events.
Click on the map to download it.