ART EXHIBITIONS IN SHEPWAY
Showing now: Georges House Gallery is delighted to announce the extension of Observance, an exhibition by Nicola Dove for an extra week. Observance is a series of long exposure photographic portraits of people from a wide spectrum of faiths in a meditative state of prayer. The work explores whether this internal, spiritual experience can be recorded and communicated to an audience via a photographic medium. The images are accompanied by a soundscape made from recordings of the sitters. www.strangecargo.org.uk

SATURDAY 6th & 20th 10am – 12noon: LOCAL ARTISTS’ ART & CRAFTS on sale at the Sandgate Farmers’ Market, Chichester Hall, Sandgate - Wayne Reeves with local prints, greetings cards and ready-made picture frames, Chris and Julie Bone with Chris's originals, prints, greetings cards and shopping bags by Julie with Chris's local images on them, Debbie Croft with hand made art greetings cards and Miranda Best’s bead jewellery. For more information, or to book a stall, email: mirandabest@talktalk.net.

REMINDER - Port Lympne Exhibition Opportunity
Artists have an opportunity to exhibit artwork at Port Lympne for their exhibition that will be taking place over the Easter Break. The deadline for submission is February 20th and Vic Reeves will be opening the exhibition. 30% of sales will be going to the Aspinall Foundation. Anyone interested in submitting work should contact Vic Sharrat by email at vic@vicsharrattwildlifeimages.com

ARTS ON PRESCRIPTION – SEMINAR SERIES 2010 Tuesday 9th February to 8th June, 1pm – 3pm at University Centre Folkestone

There is increasing interest in the idea that prescribing or referring people to creative activities may benefit their health and wellbeing. This series of events presents examples of such projects currently running across the country. The Sidney De Haan Centre is exploring the possibility of an ‘arts on prescription’ scheme in Folkestone and these events will help to develop proposals for such a project. For further details of the Centre’s work, please see: www.canterbury.ac.uk/centres/sidney-de-haan-research/index.asp

MASTERCLASSES BY AWARD WINNING ARTISTS

10-week evening master classes will start soon at The Print Room, Old High Street, Folkestone. The courses will be run by artists Charlotte Harris, winner of the National Portrait Gallery's BP Award and Charles Newington, creator of Folkestone's White Horse. The classes are:

An Introduction to Portraiture and Oil Painting: Charlotte Harris

Wednesday evenings starting 24th February for 10 weeks. Cost £150.

Watercolour/Mixed Media Course: Charles Newington

Thursday evenings starting 25th February for 10 weeks. Cost £150.

All abilities welcome. Booking is essential and places are very limited with an emphasis on individual tuition. If you would like to book or for more information contact Shane Record on 01303 240452 or email shane@shanerecord.com.



SHEPWAY ARTS NETWORK EVENING

There are a few spaces left for this first Shepway district networking evening on Tuesday 9th February, 6 – 8pm. Speakers will talk about the council’s new arts strategy, available funding streams, the performing arts, live literature, and local arts activities and initiatives. We will discuss whether similar future networking events are wanted, what Shepway artists – across all art forms – want, need or aspire to have. If you would like to come along, we would love to see you but registration is essential. Please email: arts@shepway.gov.uk.

NEW ARTISTS GROUP

I am hoping to form a small group of artists whose main creative focus is Kent, with a contemporary interpretation using a range of different media. This is with a view to organising a travelling exhibition to be shown at a series of towns in the county and possibly linked to the high speed rail destinations. The exhibition would commence at "Googies" art cafe in Folkestone in June. I am looking to make contact with people and organisations who might be interested in offering some support, bearing in mind that it would link in well with the tourist industry. The areas for consideration would be: artists who fit the criteria already mentioned; venues - not necessarily galleries but with easy access for the public; and publicity - maybe the Kent Tourist Board, radio and T.V. Anyone interested, please contact me, Liz Findlay, at elizabethfindlay@hotmail.com.



SILKSCREEN PRINTING WORKSOPS

Silkscreen printing workshops will be held on Thursday 18th February and Thursday 18th March, 10am – 4pm at Silkworm Studios, 55 – 57 Tontine Street, Folkestone. Learn the basic skills and techniques of silkscreen printing and then design and print your own set of postcards to take home. The course costs £65 including all materials. To book or for more details, please email - info@silkwormstudios.com.


MELDOWNS BRONZE CASTING COURSES

The next course begins on the 19th February. Create your own bronze (10 Fridays over 3 months). Following a last minute cancellation there’s a couple of places still available.

For bookings and more information, visit: www.meltdowns.co.uk

ANIMATE

Animate is a community arts company based in Canterbury that works across the whole of Kent. Animate specialises in providing bespoke arts workshops and projects for a range of clients and occasions, this may include anything from a street parade to a school workshop. Animate works with a wide range of artists including performers, visual artists, carnival specialists, textile artists and film and photography artists. Since autumn 2009 Animate has added two new members of staff to its team: Katy Hirst as the Youth Projects co-ordinator and Louise Hammond as the Schools Projects co-ordinator. We are currently looking for more people in the education and youth sector who would like to partner with Animate, so if this is you please get in touch with either katy@animatecommunityarts.com or louise@animatecommunityarts.com. For more information please visit our website: www.animatecommunityarts.com

BRIGHTON FESTIVAL FRINGE 1st MAY – 23rd MAY - CALL FOR ARTISTS

We are looking for works of all media which engage with light to exhibit in the beautiful setting of 13th century St Peter’s Church at Preston Park, Brighton. The final works selected will be diverse so interpretation of the theme is intentially very open. Applications are welcomed in painting, photography, sculpture, installation and new media. For more information contact Nathaniel Hepburn on 01892 839039 or email nhepburn@mascallsgallery.org.