An exhibition of contemporary lace.
‘Elemental’ is the Westhope Group’s latest of many varied exhibitions. Members’ work is grounded in centuries-old techniques, but challenges the traditional view of lacemaking. Using traditional lacemaking techniques, group members produce contemporary textile art that may not always be immediately recognised as lace.
Founded in 1989, members of the Westhope Group come from all over the UK. Although their backgrounds in lace are varied, they have a common interest in maintaining strong lace traditions, pushing the boundaries of lace techniques and sharing experience with students, lacemakers and all who have an enthusiasm for textiles.
The theme, ‘Elemental’, looks at nature at its most basic level. Whether looking at the ancient elements of earth, water, fire and air, or considering modern chemical elements, these are the building blocks of our world. The theme has proved to be a rich source of inspiration for this talented group who have interpreted the theme in many different ways. The result is a beautifully conceived exhibition, all worked in the medium of lace.
See group members demonstrating on 30th March, 3rd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th April.
More details about the Westhope Group and its members can be found on their website or their Instagram page.
This exhibition will take place in the Atrium of the Education Centre. Free entry.
This exhibition will now finish on May 12th (was 28th April)
Royal Copenhagen Porcelain was established in Copenhagen in 1775 by the Danish monarchy and is still in production today. The porcelain is known worldwide for its high standards of craftsmanship, immaculate design and being made and painted entirely by hand.
The company makes a wide variety of items such as tableware, figurines, animals, birds, fish, vases, dishes and plates. This exhibition will show a varied sample of animals and birds dating from 1890’s – 1990’s.
Royal Copenhagen’s first ever pattern in 1775 was the Blue Fluted Plain, a blue and white floral design. In the 19th century, Blue Fluted Plain was so highly coveted, the pattern could be found on everything from teapots to chamber pots.
Since 1775, every piece of porcelain that has left Royal Copenhagen carries its factory marks; the three waves, the royal crown and the painter’s mark. These are symbols of authenticity, the royal connection and the mark of hand-craftsmanship.
The figurines from Royal Copenhagen have long been out of production and the only ones still being produced are the annual figurine series. Nature in Art has three pieces of Royal Copenhagen porcelain in its permanent collection, all of which will be on display alongside key works from two local private collections.
The exhibition will celebrate the huge variety and detail of around 50 decorative items, ranging from an early and rare marmot created in the c.1890’s to a Lady Amherst pheasant, one of the most colourful figurines made by one of the few female modellers, Andrea Nielsen. The selection will include miniatures to compliment larger items, with some animals and birds being life size. This will be a rare and exciting opportunity to see so many Royal Copenhagen items together at once.
Entry into this exhibition is included in the admission price to the museum.
A fascinating series of relief editioned original prints, primarily created using wood, lino and stencils, by renowned print maker Julia Manning RE, SWLA. Bringing to life what she calls the ‘incredible – implausible sometimes! – life of Eels.’
Guided by international eel expert, Andy Don, and focusing on areas of Somerset, Manning has learnt about these fascinating creatures and the challenges that they face. Though the medium of print, she has visualised an incredible visual story of eel migration and metamorphis.
The European eel is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and appears on their ‘Red List’ of threatened species. Since 1970, the numbers of juvenile eels entering European rivers has declined by more than 95%. These Anguillid eels have been around for about 80 million years.
These eels stay in England’s fresh waters for many years, up to 25, before feeling the pull of the sea and heading out on their final migration. These upstream migrations are often less than straightforward because of man-made obstructions such as weirs that are used to regulate and control river flows. Special ‘eel passes’ have been designed and can be installed to overcome these obstacles. Other pressures have been man’s greed by illegal exploitation (smuggling millions of glass eels to Asia), climate change (the shifting of the currents on which the Leptocephali (eel larva) drift and rely) and invasive parasites introduced from abroad.
The story of the Somerset eels seems to resonate across all species. Our local wildlife is truly showing its connection to the global world.
See more on Julia’s website or Instagram Page.
Entry to this exhibition is included in the admission price to the museum. Julia will be giving a talk in conjunction with the exhibition on Tuesday 23rd April. Find out more here.
Course Suitability: Beginners- Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description
Card printing is the perfect introduction to relief printmaking. Using scissors and craft knives, participants will have the opportunity to develop a number of different prints quickly and inexpensively. This method of printmaking allows for a playful approach and can be used in collaboration with other printmaking processes. This 2 day workshop is designed to introduce Relief printmaking to the beginner using inexpensive materials whilst allowing those who are familiar with the process to refresh their knowledge and further explore this versatile way of working. Working with simple materials, participants will be afforded the opportunity to explore and experiment without inhibition. The Course will consist of demonstrations, group work and one to one tuition. At the completion of the course participants will be able to use the methods that they have learnt, at home or in their own studio. Participants are invited to bring any sketchbooks or source material of their own, however this is not a requirement.
Materials List
The tutor will provide the required materials for course participants. The cost per person will be £10.00 (cash) which will be paid to Nik by the participants on the day of the course.
Artist’s Profile:
Nik Pollard’s paintings and drawings are generated from sustained, direct observation and are often resolved in the field. Drawing from all the senses, he investigates the rhythms and characteristics of a location and its ecology, resulting in a sense of time and place. Working with a range of mediums, he focuses on the essential aspects of what it is that has drawn him to the subject. When working in the studio he often turns to printmaking in order to pursue an idea further, substituting the thrill of the first-hand direct response with the magic of printmaking and the exploration of materials and processes that cannot easily be replicated outdoors. Nik has been involved and has helped develop a number of Art/ Conservation projects, he sees art education as a perfect opportunity to help people re-engage with nature and believes that art has a role in promoting conservation stories. https://www.nikpollard.co.uk/
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £110
Non-members of Nature in Art: £138
If you would like to book a place on this course, please click here.
FULLY BOOKED
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners- Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
In this needle felting class you will learn how to needle felt a beautiful and fun Indian runner duck that’s about 8 inches tall. A variety of colour wool will be included so you can choose which one to make. All materials will be provided, but if you have done needle felting and you have your own favourite felting needles, mats, scissors or other tools, please bring them along. You will be learning techniques taught by an experienced award winning artist Agnese Davies (A.D.Woolcraft). We hope you will enjoy spending a day with other likeminded people creating a beautiful Runner duck out of wool.
Materials List
The tutor will provide the required materials for the course at a cost of £10 (cash) per person to be paid to Agnese on the day of the course. If you have done needle felting before and have your own favourite felting needles, mats, scissors etc, you are welcome to bring them along. Otherwise everything will be provided.
Artists Profile
Agnese is a needle felting artist, passionate about the preservation of the Natural world and animals. Her sculptures are delicate and are hand made with care and great attention to detail and personality. Agnese uses natural and carefully selected materials such as pure British wool, steel wire for the armature, glass for the eyes, horsehair for whiskers and clay or wax for the nose and claws. Sculpting with wool takes many hours, days even, as it involves preparing the wire armature, studying the chosen creature and shaping the wool with a fine needle into the correct proportions. Instagram: a.d.woolcraft
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Unfortunately this course has now been cancelled.
Course Description: Beginners- Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
In this course we will be drawing on the iPad a repeating pattern of seashells in isolated layers for transferring to seperate colour silkscreens. (p.s. we will not be doing the actual physical silkscreen). You will end with a piece of illustration to apply to any patterned product in different colour styles.
Using photographic references or real shells we will start with either a real pencil or a digital sketch of your silkscreen design exploring composition, colour transparency and tonal valules.
Ian will guide you through various ways of editing your ideas using the tools in Procreate, an industry and consumer favourite app for approximately £10 from the Apple app store (iPad 3 and upwards).
Materials List:
Please bring: iPad version 3 or above with Procreate installed. Apple Pencil stylus optional but highly recommended for the course. If you decide to purchase the Apple Pencil, check which version (V1 or V2) is compatible with your iPad. Your Apple ID, your charging cable and plug.
Artists Profile
Ian has been using digital painting techniques with his traditional media skills in illustration and fine art over the last 20 years, mostly depicting animal art with a passion for marine-life painting. He has been creating large oil paintings for hotels, palaces and government buildings often using the digital composition tools as part of the process. As an illustrator Ian uses the iPad to create complete digital images for print and screen. Here on this day course Ian will share his methods and tips he’s discovered in his professional career.
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
To book a place on this course, please click here.
Julia has a love of estuaries and salt marshes, particularly those not far from her Somerset studio. Working with Andy Don, an international eel expert, she has discovered the incredible – implausible sometimes! – life of eels, which has resulted in a whole new series of adventures and artwork. This project became the catalyst for her to learn about and enjoy our fabulous coastline in general, and the important role we all have in managing our rivers, coastline and seas, especially in the light of her new-found understanding of eels, a critically endangered animal. Come and hear about the dramatic life of eels and the challenges they face, how Julia felt compelled to capture some of these themes in her relief editioned prints and how our wildlife is truly showing its connection to the global world. Julia will also briefly talk about her latest series of prints focussing on the Shad, a critically endangered fish. (The image below shows the Shad at Upper Load Weir near Tewkesbury.)
Starts 7pm, followed by a finger food buffet and the talk. Finishes around 9:15pm.
£12 per person.
Book a ticket HERE.
FULLY BOOKED
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Improvers
Maximum Capacity: 10
Course Description:
Painting can be very therapeutic, but the enjoyment can quickly disappear if you find yourself frustrated with what you produce. This course is about reintroducing you to the fun of painting, loosening your painting style and teaching you how to take the pressure off the end result. It will teach you how to be inspired to create relaxing abstract paintings but also how to feel relaxed when creating them. Through guided exercises you will learn different painting techniques, as well as practical tips to free up your painting style. We will explore different materials, surfaces and subjects, painting to music and other ways to help you unwind and take pleasure in painting. There will be laughing as well as moments of calm and reflecting. A fun filled day learning something new and giving you the chance to relax. Suitable for all abilities, even those who have not picked up a paintbrush before.
Materials List
The tutor will provide the required materials for course participants. The cost per person will be £10 on the day of the course. Please wear old clothes / apron.
Artist Profile
Christina is an abstract artist based in Gloucester. Inspired by the natural world she works with inks and paints to create layers of translucent colours resulting in soothing and relaxing art.
Christina has had lots of experience in the arts and running workshops and at one stage was even the Education Officer here at Nature in Art.
She has exhibited work on the London underground, Saatchi Art and is represented by Wychwold Art Gallery. She had a pop up shop in John Lewis and produced artwork for Gloucestershire Hospital to improve their mental health in Crisis room. Her website: https://www.makerwhodoesntmake.com
Course Cost:
A £25 non-refundable deposit is required on booking. Full course price is:
Members of Nature in Art: £55
Non-members of Nature in Art: £69
An inspiring display of sculpture by Anita Mandl and photography by Steve Russell, in collaboration with Gallery Pangolin, Stroud.
Where would we be in a world without animals and birds? Their beauty astounds, their diversity is myriad. Both Anita Mandl and Steve Russell celebrate these
in their very different ways. The animal world Mandl carves and casts is tightly hewn in form bringing to life the essential character of her avian and mammalian subjects.
Russell explores wildlife large and small with the knowledge of their place into an ecological jigsaw puzzle of immense complexity.
Anita Mandl is already represented in the Nature in Art Collection, with this exhibition being a perfect opportunity to see a larger collection of her work. Nature in Art acquired ‘Prostrate Buffalo’ in 2005, a cast resin marble sculpture of a buffalo lying down. (below). Steve Russell also had a solo exhibition here in 2013.
There will be a preview evening for this exhibition on Thursday 9th May. Please click here to find out more.
Anita Mandl:
Born in Prague, Mandl (1926-2022) trained as a zoologist and studied sculpture at the Birmingham College of Art. She was a Member of the Royal West of England Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors. Her carvings, mostly in stone, are cast into editions in bronze and
silver. Her deep knowledge of animal anatomy and behaviour informed her sculptures which are skilfully pared down to convey the very nature of a species. Their economy of language, their smooth and lustrous surfaces, together express the essential characteristics of an animal.
Steve Russell:
Born in the UK, Russell (b. 1969) has shot photographs since he was a child, his passion for the camera eventually prompting his father into building him a darkroom. That proved an enlightened investment, ultimately helping Russell transform a schoolboy hobby into an award-winning career. Frequent journeys to East Africa over the last twelve years have provided Steve with huge inspiration and the opportunity to photograph an impressive variety of animals and bird species as well as staggering scenery, from the Rwenzori Mountains of Western Uganda to the Tanzanian coastline. https://www.steverussellstudios.com/
https://www.gallery-pangolin.com/
This course has unfortunately had to be cancelled due to illness.
Course Suitability: Absolute Beginners – Advanced
Maximum Capacity: 12
Course Description:
Beetles are one of the earth’s greatest evolutionary success stories. Of all insect species that walk our planet, beetles make up a whopping 40%. There are 350,000 different species described in science & some think that may be as many as 2.1 million. If all flora and fauna was stretched out in a long line, leaf-to-leaf, claw-to-claw, twig-to-twig, tentacle-to-tentacle, etc every 5th thing would be a beetle.
Beetles are predators, pollinators, prey and pest controllers. They are also big, beefy & beautiful. In fact they are crying out to be studied and painted. Come along to this unique watercolour workshop and find out how to use art to pay homage to these fabulous animals.
Materials List:
Please bring the following:
- Watercolours: Neutral Tint (W&N), Titanium White, Cobalt Violet Deep Hue (Sennelier), Helio Cerulean (Schmincke) , Indigo, Ultra Marine, Orange, Madder Lake (Schmincke), Brilliant Blue Violet (Sch) ,
- Pens: – UniPin Fine Line Waterproof and Fade Proof pen. Mitsubishi. 0.05. Black
- 0.3mm Propelling Precision Pentel Pencil (HB)
- Brushes: Rosemary No. 2 SER 301 Pointed Round, Rosemary 0 SER 307, W&N Sceptre Gold 000 101 Series (Sable/Synthetic range) , W&N Foundation brush No.5, Rosemary Micro detail 15/0.
- Masking Fluid (Pebeo Drawing Gum is good)
- MaskingTape
Artist’s Profile
Cath Hodsman AMRSB, is one of the U.K’s foremost entomological artists, illustrators and teachers. Based in the Cotswolds, she has exhibited; showcased her art; or taught at many relevant esteemed venues throughout her career, including the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, R.H.S Wisley and the Natural History Museum, London. Cath believes that the best way to celebrate the importance and relevance of insects in a happy, healthy ecology, is to capture their micro beauty and anatomical intricacy. She uses microscopes in her work in order to capture beauty that is invisible to us.