I am delighted to be working until September 2017 with The Nene Park Trust who were successful in a funding request to the Arts Council England (ACE) for an artist-in-residence post at Ferry Meadows Country Park on the outskirts of Peterborough. ACE distribute arts based National Lottery Funds which will go towards a diverse range of nature-based art activities including some with other artists based locally. I will be working on creatively capturing the beauty of the Park with installations, workshops and many other events until September 2017. I am so happy to working with the trust as it brings me back to my roots-nature, the environment and people, all together in one place enabling the creation of art that makes people smile…
My work during the year will be focused on Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer which will be portrayed in seasonal installations and paintings as well as other ad hoc workshops and events.
Persephone’ s bed will be placed for a day in Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer in the park dressed for each of the seasons and visitors to the park can come and lie in the bed alongside the goddess Persephone who is the Greek goddess ultimately responsible for the seasons. More can be found on my blog page including Persephone’s story and future dates. The Autumn bed saw 80 visitors lie in the bed and take photos of themselves whilst hearing the story and learning more about the season of Autumn.
A Walk through the Eyes of an Artist will also happen in each season and participants will be encouraged to explore how to expand their creativity in their daily lives as well as looking at each of the seasons with a different perspective. Everyone on the first walk was incredibly enthusiastic and motivated by the session and I am so looking forward to the next walk in the winter. Please book through Nene Park Trust. There is a £5 charge that covers tea and cake in the short creative session at the end.
Installations will occur throughout the year usually including visitors to the park or students from Nene Park Academy close by. The first installation was THE THREE KINGS which have proved popular with the students helping to create them and visitors to the park. There will also be a surprise installation commissioned by Father Christmas himself as well as THE NESTS and SOCK MANIA later in the year.
THE PARK BLANKET will be created from felting with my partner in gorgeousness Eve Marshall Artisan Felter and will include volunteers who can learn the skill of felting whilst creating something gorgeous to be exhibited later in the year. These workshops will be in January and February – further details to follow! Please add your name to my newsletter for advance details of the dates.
Various workshops will be held throughout the year including a painting workshop by myself-details to follow.
My own paintings will focus around the seasons with THE FIRES OF AUTUMN as the first of these and CHRISTMAS as the second. Within the residency period there is some self-development time to allow consideration of the subjects and style of the work created. I have already seen a new style developing even deeper intuitive work around the seasons, feeling the energies, colours and emotions of nature and time. This new work will be exhibited from the end of June in the Park and blogs will be written throughout the year to explain my inspiration and motivation for each piece of work.
I really hope that you will join me on a year of exploration of Art in the Park, learning and enjoying new experiences together.
All bookable events will need to be booked through Nene Park Trust on 01733 234443
