We are delighted to invite you to our Art Salon Christmas Fair, showing you a range of presents, gifts and wares from artists, designer-makers and illustrators working in UNIT 13 and 1 Thrifts Walk.
UNIT 13 is an artist run warehouse studio in East Cambridge, home to 18 artists, designer-makers, illustrators and creative businesses. Thrifts Walk is home to 6 artists, a gallery and office. Both spaces help us make the arts accessible to the community. This year, Thrifts Walk’s artists have helped launch a new cross-arts initiative in London, place art installations at Cambridge Folk Festival, plus launch the Chesterton mural, work on TV and film sets all over the UK, take commissions, run classes for the community. UNIT 13 has seen its artists become shortlisted for national awards, publish books, give talks – as well as support community and emerging artists in the city with their vital work.
Families welcome, children can take part in a free art activity – festive spirit art prize draw! Open to all ages, create your own festive spirit art piece for the chance to win a festive prize.
So pop down to enjoy the work and pick up a pressie!
1 Thrifts Walk. Cambridge.
21st October -4th November 2016 (Family friendly Private View 5.30-8.30pm Fri Nov 21st).
An exhibition of work from the first stages of an ‘Artists Residency in Motherhood’, as mentored by British American artist Lenka Clayton. Filipska takes the experience of motherhood as a raw material, using as departure point her long standing interest in walking as artistic practice and fugal subjectivity and how this is altered by the presence of children. The show includes work documenting her daughters obsession with wrapping and enveloping found and foraged objects, the first part of a photographic project documenting daily walks, a video work reflecting the tedium and staccato rhythms of a walking pace set by children and a series of drawings referencing historical landscape painting.
This exhibition forms the first part of the Beating the Bounds project which will take place during the two year residency and further develop ideas of territory, boundaries, transience and motherhood. It’s also part of the BBC get Creative Family Arts Festival, happening throughout October – and Cambridge Art Salon’s We Are Family programme
Accompanying text, ‘Against the Odds: Creative Survival Throughout Parenthood’ by writer/curator Ruthie Collins will also be available at the exhibition, partnered with national campaign body Family Arts Campaign. Advice, personal experiences and strategies shared by parent artists have been turned into a poster style text, the first of a new ongoing series of #mamainart (MIA) pieces @ruthiecollins
Cambridge Family Arts Network is proud to present you the BBC Get Creative Family Arts Festival throughout October. Participating venues include Cambridge Junction, Cambridge Art Salon, Fitzwilliam Museum and Stir Cafe, plus many more. Check http://www.familyartsfestival.com/ for events near you.
Children and families, help us celebrate by colouring-in this pearl inspired illustration from Adrian Reynolds, illustrator of Harry and the Dinosaurs! Let your imagination go wild. Share with #camfamilyart on @CambArtSalon or email a photo of your colouring in (with your contact details) to info@cambridgeartsalon.org.uk, or hand in at selected events including Beating The Bounds at 1 Thrifts Walk October 21st – November 4th (check http://www.cambridgeartsalon.org.uk/we-are-family/ for a full list).
Prize draw will take place on October 31st for the chance to win free shows at Cambridge Junction, children’s books and other goodies.
The design was inspired by charity Care Network’s 30 year pearl anniversary, for whom Cambridge Art Salon is creating 30 Pearls of Wisdom, celebrating older people in our lives. #pearlsofwisdom
For charity Care Network’s 30 year anniversary, Cambridge Art Salon created a variety of ‘pearls of wisdom’, with elderly residents in and around Huntingdon, funded by the Charity Lifeline Community Benefit fund. Pearls of Wisdom is part of our We Are Family programme, which uses art to celebrate the voices and social history of older people in our lives.
Tree of Wisdom installation from Sarah Steenhorst
We were delighted to showcase a specially commissioned Tree of Wisdom installation from Sarah Steenhorst, to share some of these pearls, at Huntingdon Town Hall on October 12th, for Care Network Cambridgeshire’s AGM. Interactive art, ‘Oyster and Butterfly’ was also on show from Sa’adiah Khan.
‘Pearls’ on the tree were created by elderly residents at Glatton Hall Care Home, plus in their own homes in and around Huntingdon, including audio, from Olwen, plus textiles from Marilyn. Pearls celebrating older people in our lives were also made by children and families in Abbey, Cambridge, as part of our Eastside Creates programme at The Big Lunch.
‘I’ve not had this much fun since my wedding day!’ said Olwen, about enjoying her time at the AGM, where her song was performed as part of the installation.
Special thanks to Sam Norman, Blue Bus Tour, Georgina Cook, Sarah Steenhorst, Victor Ibanez for all their help making the pearls.
Families live in all different types of home – boats, caravans, houses. Create a picture of your home – or your imaginary home! What would your dream home look like? Imagine living on a boat, or in a caravan, yurt or bender (a home made out of canvas and tree branches) – what might your home look like?
Whether you live in a boat, house or caravan – or dream of it, draw it, create it, paint it! Add some imagination, go wild.
Parents can join in too! All pictures to be shared as part of The Alternatives, Jo Randall, at Cambridge Art Salon – 1 Thrifts Walk, Cambridge CB4 1NR.
Or post your pictures online with hashtag #thealternatives16
Resources:
http://worldriversday.com/resources/
http://www.familyarts.co.uk/
What was the inspiration behind the show?
I’ve been a renter in the Cambridge area for the last 12 years. I often get asked ‘have you ever thought of buying your own home?’. If only it were as simple as that! My last module at uni was on the subject of Zeitgeist (which translates to the essence of the times in which we live) and I decided to investigate the housing crisis in Cambridge as I felt it was personal to me and very much a hot topic at the moment.
How did you find your subjects?
My friends have always been very supportive so when looking for subjects, I used social media to ask if any of my friends, or friends of theirs, lived in anything other than a traditional house and if they would be prepared to talk with me, with a view to becoming case studies. I was also introduced to the Cams Boaters facebook group which is run by the inhabitants of the house boats on the Cam. I received a huge amount of interest and support to my request, which was fantastic.
What are your influences as a photographer?
Tom Hunter is a big influence for this project. His series ‘Travellers’ http://www.tomhunter.org/travellers/ documents the lives of the people he encountered whilst travelling in a converted bus from Europe to Portugal in the 1990’s. They’re shot in colour, on a large format camera, and have a really serene feel to them, capturing the humanity and the dignity of his friends. I’m aware that black and white can often be quite gritty and harsh, but I’ve tried to capture the same feeling of contentment and pride in my own images.
The whole show is shot in black and white – was there a rationale behind that?
I have only very recently discovered the beauty of traditional film. Shooting this series in black and white allowed me to further develop my darkroom printing skills. There’s something very tactile about creating your own photographs, from developing the film yourself through to making the prints in wet trays. For me, it completes the artistic process and really feels like they’re my personal creations. Each photograph you create is unique and many of the images in the exhibition were a culmination of many hours of experimentation to achieve my final results.
What have you learned or are hoping to share with the community through this show?
There is rarely a simple answer as to why we choose to live the way we do. There are many contributing factors such as location, finances, environmental impact and lifestyle, and it’s very easy to judge others without trying to understand their choices. The average income in Cambridge is in the region of £28k, with house prices currently at an average of £420k. Home ownerships is no longer an expectation or a right and we need to become more creative, to explore other avenues and find our own solutions to the current housing crisis outside of society’s norms.
A solo photography exhibition by Jo Randall in which she explores the alternatives to the housing crisis in Cambridge. This special show is also in association with World Rivers Day, on September 25th.
“Have you ever thought of buying your own home?”
If only it were that simple. When you examine the housing situation in Cambridge and look at the bare facts and figures, it soon becomes apparent that if you didn’t get on the housing ladder back in the 1990’s, it’s highly unlike that you’ll ever be able to afford to purchase a house in Cambridge.
So what are the alternatives? Where do you live if you want some sort of permanency but cannot or do not own a house?
A series of images of the alternatives – the people, the lives and the homes they have created within commuting distance of Cambridge, in anything but traditional bricks-and-mortar housing.
UNIT 13, Open Studios. This was a unique chance to see inside this Cambridge Art Salon supported artist run space based in Abbey, East Cambridge. Home to a range of makers, illustrators, painters, jewellers, creative businesses, ceramicists and installation artists, thanks to generous support from Cambridge City Council the space was established in 2014 by Cambridge Art Salon, to save their artist studios from closure. Unit 13 Studios are now a thriving artist-led Community run independently from Cambridge Arts Salon.
We were very proud to host From Syria With Love in April, please would all who bought pieces at The Guildhall contact us (see who below) to arrange an appointment if you haven’t already visited.
Phone or text Victor on 07734435238 to arrange an appointment to collect.
Getting here. We are right next to the Kids Classics children’s clothes shop, on Chesterton High St. Note that the number 2 bus stops just round the corner, but there is no parking available on Thrifts Walk itself. Plenty on nearby streets though.
Thank you for your support.
*Stop Press
Extended Opening Hours For Final Week (check full programme for special events too)
Tuesday 5th 12 – 4pm
Wednesday 6th 12-4pm
Friday 8th 12-3pm
From 26th March to 8th April 2016 at 1 Thrifts Walk.
A story tale themed exhibition with a twist from Collaborating Cambridge artists, Abi Stevens, Jill Eastland, Alan Rogerson, Yasemin Gyford, Karen Stamper & Henry Shepherd for a fortnight this Easter holidays. Expect anything – from a Madhatters tea party for families, political art commenting on Cambridge’s housing crisis, ghost stories, poetry, the launch of SHINDIG’s interactive art shop – and more.
The exhibition has a range of art for sale from independent artists in the city, includes free events and workshops, many for children and families, some strictly for adults, all will be fun. Look out for the hashtag #WeAreFamily16 for family friendly events, as part of the Art Salon’s We Are Family project – www.cambridgeartsalon.org.uk/we-are-family/
Collaborating Cambridge is a broad group of Cambridge based artists. With the emphasis on collaborating, they produce work for group exhibitions and events.
‘This is an exciting time for us as we are transitioning into a charitable association which gives us more opportunity to help the people and community we love. I set up Collaborating Cambridge because there are so many good quality artists in Cambridge but not enough platforms for them – buying from an independent artist is one of the best ways to support your local art scene,’ says Faye Wright, founder of Collaborating Cambridge.
Faye herself can also be found at the likes of Stir Cafe, hosting family arts events.
It’s important for artists to have space to breathe, experiment and sell to sustain their practices and grow. So we are also launching feedback boxes at this show to help develop the project – inviting the public and other artists to pass on their thoughts.
Please come along and support Cambridge artists by enjoying this work and buying from them. Prints for £20 and under, as well as cards and original art will be for sale. There will also be the chance to donate directly to Collaborating Cambridge, with fundraising buckets throughout.
‘Not so private’ view / opening night (FREE all welcome, bring a bottle!) #WeAreFamily16
All welcome, kids and adults, come and join in and see the amazing outcomes of the artists’ interpretations of the ‘stortelling’ theme.
Saturday March 26th, 6 – 9pm
Alan’s adults comic workshop (FREE)
Monday March 28th, 1-3pm
Selected range from Alan’s Art Kiosk for sale.
Allographic poetry and storytelling (FREE)
Tuesday March 29th, 6-9pm
www.facebook.com/events/1002573416502568/
Poetry books will be on sale.
Mad Hatters Tea Party (FREE) #WeAreFamily16
Childrens arts and crafts party
Thursday 31st March 12 noon – 2pm
Prints, cards and original art will be on sale.
Cambridge Storytellers ‘Local legends and Fen Mysteries’ (FREE)
Friday 1st April, 6-8pm
www.facebook.com/events…/566856856805952
Prints by selected artists will be on sale from under £20
Furry Tales (FREE)
A family art & story workshop, getting ready for Strawberry Fair!
Saturday 2 April 12 noon – 4pm
Prints, art and cards will be on sale
Ghost Stories (ticketed – please contact SHINDIG for details)
Saturday 2nd April 6-9pm
Launch of interactive SHINDIG art shop
Kids collaging with Yasemin (FREE)
Sunday 3rd April 12 noon – 2pm
Prints, art and cards for sale
Soundscape stories (FREE)
Guided visualisation & meditation with singing bowls
Wednesday 6th April 7pm – 8pm
Prints, cards and original art for sale
Virginity Café
(A taboo breaking philosophy cafe involving virginity stories)
Friday 8th April,3-5pm
Prints, cards and original art for sale
Closing gathering (FREE All welcome, bring a bottle!)
Friday 8th April,6-8pm
Prints, cards and original art for sale
We’re delighted to announce the first show in our new pop up art space, nestled in the heart of Chesterton. Thrifts Walk Studios, has five independent artists based there, who have worked with residents in the city to restore the disused space so that it is usable, into a pop up ‘art shop’ where the artists can meet their customers and the public direct, plus a gallery and a garden where artists can sell, exhibit and exchange ideas with other makers. The gallery exhibitions are, of course, open to the public, with work for sale.
Kith & Kin is a new exhibition from Cambridge portrait painter, Heloise Toop and will run from 11 to 25 March 2016.
You can visit the exhibition between 10am and 5pm on
Saturday 12th / Sunday 13th
Friday 18th/ Saturday 19th / Sunday 20th
Friday 25th (9am – 5pm, with a private view for families midday – 2pm) / Saturday 26th
Kith and Kin, explores the connections between the family we have and the family we choose. Throughout 2016, Cambridge Art Salon is loosely curating a programme of talks, exhibitions and research as part of We Are Family – a new project that explores the value of family and intergenerational arts in the community.
Heloise, who works primarily in oils, studied at The Heatherley School of Fine Art in Chelsea and has embraced portraiture as her ‘path to happiness’. Art critic, Clive Christy has described her paintings as ‘strong and yet very sensitive… she seems to capture a vulnerability and humanity in her works’. A review in Style Magazine wrote ‘Heloise’s mastery of the paint palette is breathtaking; from delicate eyelashes to wispy strands of hair, her depiction is stunningly realistic’.
In 2009, at just seventeen, Heloise had a painting selected to show at the Mall Galleries in London. She also exhibited, by invitation, at the 2013 ‘People’ exhibition at the Bankside Gallery. Five of her paintings were shown at the ‘Debut Contemporary Art’ Gallery in Notting Hill, London and she has exhibited and led a portrait painting workshop at Impington Village College’s Annual Art Exhibition.
More recently, Heloise was one of two artists live painting at New Artists Fair in London.
Her commissioned work includes a portrait of Dr Rebecca Lingwood, the first female director of Madingley Hall, Cambridge and Professor Michael Green, a fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and former Lucasian Professor of Mathematics.
Of her latest pieces Heloise says ‘As a portrait painter, I always strive to convey some kind of human emotion in my work. In my most recent paintings I have focused on the relationship between siblings, and the relationship between my friends and I. There are sets of portraits that interact with each other through eye contact and smirks. Each set tells a different story. Alongside this brand new work, I will also be exhibiting some large scale oil paintings featuring friends dressed as fairytale characters, and some honest portraits of those close to me. My Kith and Kin‘
The Abbey community will be celebrating the festive season with their very own Winter Lights Festival. The Christmas lights switch on is happening on Wednesday 16 December and will include a Lantern parade along Wadloes Road followed by a community meal by Food-cycle, an Art Fair, and community performances.
The Cambridge Art Salon is delighted to be able to support this community event with funds raised by the EastSide Creates programme.
Local artist Jill Fordham, who has a studio at Unit 13, has been running lantern workshops ahead of the festival and we hope everyone who has participated will come along with their creations and help light up Wadloes Road.
If you need some inspiration, here are photos from previous lantern workshops.
The light switch on is outside Barnwell Spar at 6pm Wednesday 16 December.
ABOUT JILL FORDHAM
Jill grew up in Cambridge and has explored many different areas of art and craft over the years. She attended art college as a mature student, where she learned her skills as a stained glass artist and for a short period, has worked in the stained glass studio of Susan Matthews, stained glass artist and curator of Ely Cathedral stained glass museum. Jill has been working in this medium now for 20 years, and has sold her work at various fairs and galleries in and around Cambridge. As well as undertaking private commissions both designing and restoring stained glass windows, mostly for private clients. Past commissions have included work for Ely Cathedral and Chilford Hall. For the past ten years Jill has taught stained glass courses for manor community college, Whitehouse arts, Rowan foundation, and for school groups, as well as teaching general art/craft to special needs groups, such as Castle school and the Alzheimers’ society.
You can see some of Jill’s beautiful glasswork on her website http://hurdy-gurdyglass.co.uk/
