Meet the Makers Saturday, 28 July, 11am-2pm
An opportunity to talk to local craft-makers (all members of the Shropshire Guild of Contemporary Crafts), watch them at work and ask questions. Amongst the makers, handloom weaver Sue Christian will be explaining the intricacies of her work as you watch her demonstrating the increasingly rare skill of weaving textiles by hand. Visitors can also enjoy a batik demonstration by textile artist Jenny O'Leary - and you can create your own masterpiece at Jenny's batik workshop in October (see below). | | WORKSHOPS & COURSES (18+)
A range of classes in arts, crafts and textiles gives you the opportunity to unlock your creative side. Sessions take place at the Willow Gallery's Dunbabin Room - and all our tutors, artists themselves, are experienced in teaching, helpful and supportive. Some courses are suitable for beginners, others for those with more expertise. Class sizes are kept small to allow plenty of individual attention.
For lunch, bring a packed lunch or buy excellent panini, quiches and salads (and in the colder months homemade soup!) from on-site Willow Eatery.
Book online, by 'phone (01691 657575) or in person. For Lifelong Learning, book through Aberystwyth University (01970 621580 : learning@aber.ac.uk). Some courses are very popular, and early booking is advised. Please also see Terms & Conditions below, and check our website for full details, including any materials you may need to bring. | | Animal Watercolour Painting with Lesley Palmer
Use watercolour to capture your favourite wildlife animal or create a portrait of a cherished pet. Dates: Tuesdays 11, 18, 25 Sept, 2 Oct
Time: 10am-1pm Cost: £85 | | | Mixed-Media Textiles with Suzette Smart
Create mixed-media textile pieces for collage or to decorate a calico book, then embellish with different hand stitches. Date: Sat 15 Sept
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £45 | | | Weather in the Landscape with David Bannister
Whether a bright summer day or brooding storm clouds, use colour, texture and expressive mark-making to create weather in your landscape. Date: Sat 22 Sept
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £45 | | | Chinese Brush Painting with Leo Donaghy
On rice paper and parchment, explore the composition, style and character of the most renowned artists of the Song Dynasty. Dates: Wednesdays 26 Sept, 3, 10, 17 Oct
Time: 10am-1.30pm Cost: £85 | | | Oil Painting with Leo Donaghy
Transform sketch book ideas and photographs, scaling them up and translating colour into a successful oil painting. Dates: Thursdays 27 Sept, 4, 11, 18 Oct
Time: 10am-1.30pm Cost: £85 | | | Mountains & Moorland: Feltmaking with Susan Mulcock
With a focus on mountains and moorland, experiment with various fibres and inlays to create a scene in felt. Date: Sat 29 Sept
Time: 10am-4.30pm Cost: £45 | | | Modelling a Portrait Head in Clay with Heather Burnley
Model a life-size head from life, using an armature and taking essential measurements to get a good likeness of the sitter. Dates: Sundays 30 Sept, 7 & 14 Oct
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £110 | | | | Linocut Printmaking with Ian Phillips We welcome back Ian, one of Wales' foremost linocut artists. Compose your image and explore a variety of linocut techniques to striking effect. Date: Sat 6 Oct
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £55 | | | | Sketching a Portrait with David Bannister
Having difficulty drawing faces? Learn how to compose and use simple drawing tools to get a good likeness of your subject. Date: Sat 13 Oct
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £45 | | | Natural History Illustration: Book Creation with Tereska Shepherd [Lifelong Learning]
Develop the skills to create your own Natural History Illustration book. Dates: Mondays 22 Oct, 25 Feb, 11 March, 1 April, 13 May, 3 June (Aberystwyth), 17 June (Aberystwyth) & 15 July
Time: 10.30am-4pm Cost: £220 | | | Batik Bags with Jenny O'Leary
On a cotton bag, explore the ancient Indonesian technique of batik, layering dyes and hot wax to create original designs. Date: Sat 27 Oct
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £45 | | | Ceramic Birds with Sara Wood
Model your own personalised pair of ceramic birds, their wings textured with vintage materials. After glazing and firing, they are mounted on individual oak stands. Date: Sat 10 Nov
Time: 10am-12.30pm Cost: £45 | | | | Pottery Workshop with Georgina Wright Details to follow shortly. Date: Sun 11 Nov
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £ to be advised | | | Mixed-Media Heirloom Banners with Jenny O'Leary and Suzette Smart
Use batik, fabric collage and free machine embroidery to create an heirloom banner, incorporating texts, photographs and vintage fabrics. Dates: Sat 17 Nov & Sun 18 Nov
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £120 | | | Expressive Portraits with David Bannister
Give your portraits life and character using expressive mark-making, colour and lively line. Give caricatures a go too! Date: Sat 24 Nov
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £50 | | | Mixed-Media Painting: Collage to Distraction with Peter Monaghan
Look at ways of creating less traditional representative forms through collage. Date: Sun 25 Nov
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £50 | | | Embroidered Box with Suzette Smart
Create a colourful box with free machine embroidery and fabric collage; embellish further with creative hand stitching. Date: Sat 8 Dec
Time: 10am-4pm Cost: £50 | | | Cliffs & Coasts: Feltmaking with Susan Mulcock
With a focus on coastal landscape, experiment with various fibres and inlays, creating the basis of a scene in felt. Date: Sat 15 Dec
Time: 10am-4.30pm Cost: £45 | | | David Bannister
Heather Burnley
Leo Donaghy
Peter Monaghan
Susan Mulcock
Jenny O'Leary
Lesley Palmer
Ian Phillips
Tereska Shepherd
Suzette Smart
Sara Wood
Georgina Wright | David divides his talent between landscapes, portraiture and abstract painting, and has a varied portfolio of drawings. He also practises and teaches Tai Chi.
Sculptor Heather specialises in portraiture. Her works include a waymarker depicting Owain Glyndŵr and a commission of Cardinal Newman. She is also a puppet-maker.
Leo mixes traditional paint with other media, all aspects of the natural world inspiring his art. He encourages his students to experiment with different techniques and be adventurous.
With a background in technical illustration, Peter is inspired by vernacular architecture of the Celtic Fringes, and enjoys collaging everyday objects into his paintings.
Susan uses wool as paint to make stunning felted landscape pictures. She takes her inspiration from local landscapes: woodlands, waterfalls, moors and mountains.
Textile artist Jenny's specialisms are batik, machine embroidery, felting and appliqué - all with a modern twist. She creates wall art, cushions, bags, scarves and jewellery.
Lesley studied art and biology, and taught for many years in primary school. She is a lifelong animal lover: horses and wildlife particularly inspire her work.
Ian has been working with lino for over 20 years, catching the subtleties of weather and the natural drama of landscape. He has exhibited widely across the country and overseas.
Botanical and natural history painter Tereska's work is inspired by the beauty of nature and her deep-rooted commitment to environmental and conservation issues.
Suzanne presents flora and fauna in a way you've never seen before, combining fabric collage with intricate machine embroidery, producing vibrant and sumptuous effects.
Well-known for her dainty, one-of-a-kind birds in natural materials, Sara also offers personalised workshops in your own home for friends and family.
Highly-accomplished and with a wealth of experience and knowledge, Georgina creates a range of pots, both handbuilt and wheel-thrown, for functional as well as decorative purposes. | | | Payment is required in advance, at the time of booking. Places on courses cannot be reserved without pre-payment.
A two-week cancellation policy applies to all courses. If you have to withdraw due to exceptional circumstances, you will be fully refunded; otherwise we regret that refunds cannot be offered less than two weeks prior to the date of your course.
Should the Willow Gallery need to cancel a workshop or course, you will be refunded in full. Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Gallery has no obligation to give a refund once the course has started. | | | | Until 8 September Shropshire has a proud heritage for its arts and crafts, and here the quality of 17 local craft-makers' work is exceptional and varied, including ceramics, glass, textiles, jewellery, metalwork and furniture to suit all tastes and budgets. Also, as a member of the 'Own Art' scheme, supported by Arts Council England, we are now able to offer interest-free loans (representative 0% APR) to make payments that bit easier. Please ask at the desk for details. | | | Recently purchased through 'Own Art', Gill Crozier's three-panel piece Sand Dunes at Hayle (acrylic on canvas). Gill's work is based mostly on walks in the hills and by the sea, and she is particularly drawn to the underlying structure of landscape and complex human interactions with it. She works mostly in mixed media, using acrylic paint and ink on top of various other materials. | | | | AUTUMN EXHIBITIONS
AUTUMN OPEN
15 Sept - 27 Oct
Featuring Outline Art Group, a great group of artists from the East Cheshire/Staffordshire borders
'WAR & PEACE'
15 Sept - 11 Nov
Part of Wilfred Owen Centenary Festival, a wide range of commemorative events and exhibitions across Shropshire | |  | | Oswestry-based David Bannister brings together art and politics, exhibiting at London's famous Troubadour Club. Mainly known for his expansive landscapes and dramatic abstract compositions, now in a new project, Facing It, David sets out to provoke the viewer to reflect on recent political and worldwide events, including the traumatic changes occurring in Britain following the vote to leave the European Union. | | Friday 21 Sept
FB Pocket Orchestra
Saturday 29 Sept
Lady Smock
Saturday 20 Oct
Remi Harris Project
Saturday 17 Nov
Phillip Henry | The best in blues, jazz and ragtime, presenting a contemporary slant on the popular acoustic music of the 1920/30s and earlier.
Tickets: £12 (children £6)
A collaborative work of music, poetry and narrative celebrating the life and work of Shropshire author Mary Webb.
Tickets: £8 (concessions £6)
Top guitarist Remi leads his trio in a repertoire that draws inspiration from gypsy swing, jazz, blues, electronic, folk, world and rock.
Tickets: £12 (children £6)
Guitarist and harmonica player Phillip mixes American and Indian traditions into the British folk hotpot.
Tickets: £14 (children £7) | | Book tickets in person, see our website or 'phone 01691 657575 (tickets cannot be reserved without pre-payment). Please let us know if you need a wheelchair space or have specific requirements. | | CHILDREN'S WORKSHOPS
After-school & holiday activities for children aged 6-13
Hands-on art/craft activities in a safe and friendly environment are a great way for kids to explore their creative talents. For more information, please contact Education Officer Jenny O'Leary at the Gallery. | | | | Folk fiddle, flute & mandolin with Diana Buckle | Recommencing in Sept
Contact: 07983 884411
fiddleandflute@gmail.com | | Yoga with Betty
Mixed ability | Recommencing in Sept
Friday, 10-11.30am
Contact: 01938 554894 | | Tai Chi with David Bannister
| Fridays, 14 Sept-19 Oct
1.30-3pm £45 for 6 sessions
Contact: 07541 535587 banni66@icloud.com | | | | |  | ABOVE: Lyn Evans ~ Shrewsbury Flower Show ~ Torn paper collage
Special events will be taking place across Shropshire for 100 days from 4 August to the 100th anniversary of Wilfred Owen's death on 4 November and Armistice Day on 11 November 2018 | | | ABOUT US The Willow Gallery is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company centrally-located in the market town of Oswestry on the Welsh-Shropshire Borders. A former car showroom, it is a bright, spacious gallery focussing on contemporary art with exhibitions throughout the years, a showcase for local as well as nationally-recognised artists and craft-makers, and a great platform for emerging artists to show their work.
Wheelchair- and child-friendly, the gallery also offers a dynamic programme of workshops and courses, as well as regular live music, craft fairs, artists' discussions and other events. Our on-site Eatery sells delicious homemade fayre. | | CONTACT US
To contact the Willow Gallery:
Tel: 01691 657575
email: willowgalleryoswestry@gmail.com
Website: www.willowgalleryoswestry.org
Facebook: Willow
Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD
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To contact the Willow Eatery:
Tel: 07773 720425
email: willoweatery@gmail.com
Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD
Gallery open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm
Eatery open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm
Closed Sundays/Bank Holidays | | | |
