Wednesday 11 March 2020

Willow Gallery Coming Events

Dear Blogger

Message from Willow Gallery, Oswestry

WILLOW GALLERY Oswestry

Newsletter
March 2020












Watercolour by LOU STAFFORD
Please see Willow Gallery website for any subsequent cancellations/re-scheduling


 LIVE MUSIC WITH ALAW
Friday 27 March

MORE...
JIM'S BIRTHDAY EXHIBITION 
MORE...
Artist Jim Heath on the roof of the gallery with his WWI fighter aircraft
14 March-2 May
PAINTING WITH WORDS EXHIBITION
Featuring
RECLAIMED WORDS, work by Maggie Furmanek, Judith Harrison, Sara Piper Heap and Bob Knowles
>From antiquity painters have been inspired by subjects and scenes from literature - whether classical myths, stories from the Bible, tales of adventure and heroic feats, or phrases encountered in novels, plays or poems. Taking Shakespeare alone, his plays have been used by many artists as source material for their paintings. The road runs both ways, of course, with some writers turning to paintings for their inspiration! 
JUDITH HARRISON
Antony & Cleopatra
Mixed media
SARA PIPER HEAP
Home is wherever I'm with you
Metalwork
Also featuring THE PICTUREMAKERS  / Y LLUNWYR
A group exhibition on the theme of CHANGING LANDSCAPES
LINDSAY DAVIES
Cycle Track
Acrylic

 Rhayader towards Elan Valley

MOIRA VINCENTELLI
Syrian refugees on the beach at Aberystwyth
Ink & collage
MEMORIAL EXHIBITION
We are also proud to display an exhibition of  works from the artistic estate of Pauline Jordan who passed away in November 2019. Her paintings, she said, were created from her own memories as well as from music, literature and the natural world - and her work shows shows that she must have led a very interesting creative life.
 
Following years of pencil, then watercolour and later pastel studies, Pauline had converted to acrylic paints in later years, loving their versatility, layering transparent colours for depth of tone, adding glazes, textiles, paper and other materials to create a rich array of textures. She acquired a wealth of knowledge and, as many of her fellow artists will testify, was always happy to share her findings.

Some of Pauline's works (including RIGHT Blue Planet) are already sold, and more are available: please ask at the desk if you would like to see the rest of the collection.
FORESTALL TREEFALL
Art & Storytelling
The forest environment has been a firm favourite for writers and storytellers through the ages, and we are proud to host textile artist/storyteller Jan Wallis's intriguing new exhibition. Jan will be using artworks from her exhibition as props and costumes for a special performance on Saturday 25 April at 3pm (free; no booking necessary).
CHIRK ARTIST MARKS BIRTHDAY WITH SPECIAL EXHIBITION
9 March-4 April
The 70th birthday of local artist-cum-wood sculptor Jim Heath is being celebrated with a special exhibition at the Willow Gallery

Jim's had a varied working life, from fashion retail and film set builder to cleaning windows in Germany. Joining the Royal Marines, he became an intelligence officer and travelled extensively. But art was always the key in his life, and over five decades his sketchbook remained his constant companion. He also took up wood carving, and eventually realised his lifelong ambition to go to art school. He attained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art at the North Wales School of Art in 2005.

Jim paints in an evocative, distinctive manner over a variety of subjects - landscapes, coastal scenes, buildings, animals, people. He enjoys sketching live music performances at the Willow, and has recorded many of the bands who have played here. Jim also creates wood sculptures, varying enormously in style and size and beautifully complimenting their surroundings as seen RIGHT. Jim's bird sculptors - large seabirds to tiny bee eaters - are full of rustic character and always popular at the gallery.

The exhibition gathers together a wide range of Jim's work, offering a window into the heart, humour and interconnectedness of his life and art.
Two of the places, in many locations around the world, that Jim has called home

Jim has been commissioned to create a wealth of local public art, and is happy to undertake private commissions, both large and small, including restoration, reproduction, furniture and sign work. He can be contacted via his website.
Detail from Jim's Cambrian Railways mural in Oswestry
We wish Jim many happy returns
together with all good wishes to him and partner Jenny
LIVE MUSIC AT THE WILLOW
Please pay at time of booking: Call 01691 657575 or book online.

Licensed bar
For pre-concert supper, contact willoweatery@gmail.com
ALAW
'Melody' in the Welsh language
Friday 27 March
Welsh folk band led by Mabon's Jamie Smith (accordion), with Wilson-Dickson (fiddle) and Dylan Fowler (guitar). This inspiring trio - all singers of great expression - brings a wealth of experience to a shared passion - the traditional music of Wales. To hear a sample, click here.
Starts: 8pm
Tickets: £14 (children £8)
Tom McConville
Saturday 18 April

>From Newcastle upon Tyne, award-winning fiddle player and vocalist Tom captures many varied musical influences - the traditional sounds of Newcastle, Scotland, Ireland and USA fused with classical, jazz, bluegrass and folk.
Starts: 8pm
Tickets: £10 (children £5)
If you have any access requirements (wheelchair space / aisle seat / seat at the front &c), please let us know when booking 
CRAFT FAIRS 2020

Crafters, if you are interested in applying for 2020, the dates are:
Saturday 2 May
Saturday 11 July
Saturday 17 October

Saturday 28 November

Please email us for an application pack

WORKSHOPS & COURSES
See our website for full details. Book onlineby 'phone (01691 657575) or in person. Pre-payment is required to confirm a place. Classes previously listed and not appearing below are now full.
Trees - An Exploration through Batik
with Jenny O'Leary

Sat 14 & Sun 15 March   10am-4pm
£95 for 2 days

Use hot wax and work on different surfaces with inks, bleach and dyes to create your own piece of batik inspired by trees. 
Drawing Portraits
with David Bannister

Sat 28 & Sun 29 March
10am-4pm   £75
for 2 days

An introduction to basic techniques in drawing with line and tone to achieve likeness and expressive portraits.
Chinese Brush Painting: Parrots & Peonies
with Leo Donaghy

Wed 8 April   10am-4pm
£60
 (includes materials)

Looking at the magnificent peony and the colourful parrot and focusing on two-colour brush techniques.
Glass Fusing - Curved Panel
with Jill Bagnall

Sat 11 April   10.30am-3pm
£75
 (includes materials/use of equipment/firings)

Create your own free-standing glass curve, gorgeous in front of a window or as a candle or lamp shield. No previous experience necessary.
Woodland Weekend
with Susan Mulcock

Sat 18 & Sun 19 April 10am-4pm
£95 
for 2 days (including materials)

Experiment with various fibers and inlays to create your own atmospheric felted woodland scene. 
Portraits in Acrylics
with David Bannister

Sat 25 & Sun 26 April
10am-4pm   £75
for 2 days

Everyone from beginners to more advanced artists are welcome. You will receive plenty of guidance and friendly feedback.
Gardens in Batik
with Jenny O'Leary

Sat 9 May   10am-4pm   £45
Work on paper and white cotton fabric to make a batik picture with the theme of gardens and allotments as inspiration.
Felted Landscapes - Reflections
with Susan Mulcock

Sat 16 May   10am-4pm   £50
Mix fibres of different colours and types to work on reflections in the landscape. 
Beginners' Punch Needling
with Christy Davies

Sat 23 May   1-3pm
£30
(includes all materials)

Another craft to try, creating a piece of punch needle artwork on a pre-stretched specialised canvas using a variety of shades of high-quality yarn - and get some beautiful results. 
Lutradur Tea Light Holder
with Sylvia Stead

Sat 30 May   10am-4pm   £60
Create a tea light holder in a colour of your choice. Learn how to distress and colour the Lutradur and embellish with embroidery and beading. All materials supplied but bring your own sewing mit.
Ceramic Birds/Hedgehogs
with Sara Wood

Sat 6 June   10.30am-1pm 
 £50 (including materials/firing)
Sculpt a pair of birds/hedgehogs - or one of each - using the traditional technique of pinch pottery, one of the oldest methods of giving shape to clay.
Parrots & Exotic Fruiting Trees
with Leo Donaghy

Wed 10 July   10am-4pm
£60
(includes materials)

Explore more varieties of parrots and the trees they inhabit, working in the style of ornithologist/artist John James Audubon in Chinese style. 
Beginners' Macramé
with Christy Davies

Sat 27 June   1-3pm
£30
(includes all materials)

An introduction to the knots and techniques that form the foundation of the increasingly popular craft of macramé - and leave with your own handmade plant holder.
Linocut
with Ian Phillips

Sat 4 & Sun 5 July   10am-4pm
£110
for 2 days (all materials provided)

Experiment with tools, techniques and designs to create your own linocut.
Glass Fusing - Table Centrepiece
with Jill Bagnall

Sat 18 July   10.30am-3pm
£75
 (includes materials/use of equipment/firings)

Create a table centrepiece, a square plate/dish in your own design, with a finished size of approx 25cm x 25cm. No experience necessary.
Ceramic Bunting
with Sara Wood

Sat 25 July   10.30am-1pm 
 £40 
(includes materials/firing)

Design, shape and cut your own ceramic tiles using a range of vintage materials to texture the clay before firing. Then assemble your bunting as you wish. Suitable for beginners to the more experienced. 
OTHER CLASSES
White Crane Tai Chi & Qi Gong
with Alan Jefferies

Starting Thurs 12 March
£7-8pm   £35 for 5 sessions

For complete beginners or more advanced students

For more information, contact Alan 07976 321345
whitecranetaichi.co.uk

Introduction to Yoga
with Emily Wilkinson

4 Tuesday sessions starting 31 March
7-8pm   
£32
for 4 sessions (includes handouts)


Over 4 weeks you will experience the foundations of yoga, including breath, postures and simple flow sequences. 
OTHER NEWS & EVENTS
MATCHSTICK MEN
Six signed, limited-edition prints of LS Lowry will go under the hammer at Trevanion & Dean Auction House in Whitchurch on 14 March, and a high level of interest is expected. The collection includes two drawings, highlighting Lowry's skill as a draughtsman as well as an increasingly understood and appreciated 20th-century English painter. 
ON SCREEN AT KINOKULTURE
Award-winning film-maker Phil Grabsky's In Search of Chopin and In Search of Haydn are superb accounts of these great composers. Also live from the Royal Opera House, Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio. Full details at  kinokulture.org.uk.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE HERMON
Tickets available for Scottish/English folk musician Ray Cooper; BBC Folk Award winners Edgelarks; and Baroque violinist Conor Gricmanis and his ensemble Noxwode. Also music workshops. For full details see hermonchapel.com
REPAIRED, NOT REPLACED
Bring an  item for repair by a local volunteer. And it's not just about fixing things, it's about reducing waste and encouraging a sustainable community. Great homemade cakes to have with your cuppa too. The café takes place each month, alternating between Oswestry and Llanfyllin. For next dates and further details, please click
here
Now in its 8th year
'Folkclassical'
Bringing together world-class
folk and classical artists


Tues 12 - Sun 17 May
Tickets now on sale at

whittingtonmusicfestival.org.uk
ABOUT US

Non-profit, community-minded creative environment offers
Approximately 6 exhibitions per year ? Artist residencies 
Workshops & courses ? Demonstrations
Craft shop ? Craft fairs 
Interest-free art loans
Live music ? Talks
Work experience
Venue hire
Eatery
CONTACT US
To contact the Willow Gallery:
Tel: 01691 657575
email: willowgalleryoswestry@gmail.com

Website: willowgalleryoswestry.org
Facebook: Willow
Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD
Add us to your address book
 
To contact the Willow Eatery:
Tel: 07773 720425
email
willoweatery@gmail.com
Website: willoweatery.co.uk
Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD
 
Gallery open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm
Eatery open: Tues-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm
Closed: Sundays/Bank Holidays

Editor: Hilary Moorcroft \ March 2020
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SARAH FOUNTAIN
Spring, Chirk
Print of monoprint using oils