Salisbury Cathedral: Threads Through Creation

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Threads Through Creation. Photographer: Ash Mills

Creating the world in eight million stitches… On Tuesday 17 August Threads Through Creation, a magnificent embroidery display created by textile artist Jacqui Parkinson will go on show at Salisbury Cathedral. Twelve enormous panels, some 8ft by 11ft, will be displayed in the medieval interior until 26 September.  

The exhibition took Jacqui Parkinson three years to prepare – a vibrant combination of eight million stitches and layers of silk, using quilting, applique, and specially dyed fabric to tell stories from the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.  

Jacqui’s magnificent re-creation of the Creation story features all the familiar figures and animals from the serpent in the garden of Eden, to Adam and Eve, who were asked to leave the garden because they ate the forbidden apple. Each work is accompanied by a reading from the relevant excerpt of the bible, accessible by QR code. A visual and poetic feast that is not to be missed. 

Threads Through Creation comes free with Cathedral entrance, which can be booked by individuals online – or if you are coming with a group contact either [email protected]  or phone 01722 512156. 

Supporting the exhibition are a special Children’s Trail and family weaving workshops in the Cloisters. The workshops can be tailored to suit all ages, and children can choose which design they want to make from a range including flowers, turtles and butterflies. Workshop tables cost £6 with space for six (must include one adult) and the sessions run hourly from 10am-2pm (finishing at 3pm) on Wednesday 18 August and Wednesday 25 August. 

Threads Through Creation. Photographer: Ash Mills

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Interview with local artist Catherine Cook

Liz Nicholls

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“From an early age growing up on the family farm, inspiration was never far away, whether it be our rescue dog asleep in the chair, my dad’s herd of Charolais cattle, to the farm buildings around me, I would be sketching.”

Catherine Cook’s desire to draw and create has taken her down several paths since she studied decorative crafts at art college and university, but drawing has always been her starting point whichever medium she is aiming for – glass, digital graphic or paint.

Having gained her degree she worked for a number of years in an auctioneers office but says “the yearning to create was always there” and so she returned to the pursuit of developing her glass artwork.

With the arrival of her two boys, family life took over and creativity was on hold briefly until the creation of a family birthday gift involving a collection of watercolour dog portraits took Catherine back to her paints and pencils and she has been drawing pet portraits continually ever since, working in watercolour, oil paint and pen and ink.

“When I paint a pet portrait for a client, I feel there is a great responsibility to capture the special character, which is achieved through seeing those fine details accurately,” Catherine explained.

“The power of a portrait and the emotional response from clients, when presented with the final artwork can be very moving and rewarding.”

“The process of drawing and observing your subject is a discipline which makes you stop and really look; this is an aspect I especially enjoy. You can become completely absorbed in the process of drawing, it is therapeutic, it is a form of escaping all other busy thoughts. During lockdown weeks, anytime I could find to draw was valued.

”Living in the Hampshire countryside she never tires of watching the seasons change and enjoys having an “endless list of plants, wildlife and breeds of animals to draw”. And her work can be enjoyed through everyday objects such as greeting cards, tea towels and coasters.

Catherine added: “I love constantly seeing new ideas around me on every country walk and during these lockdown months, there have been many!

“I take photos when out and about and use the images to build compositions. Capturing those magical countryside moments of a Robin chirping on a branch or a squirrel busy in the garden, greatly inspires my artwork style.”

While in-person events have not been possible – and much missed – you can discover Catherine’s work at thecatherinegallery.co.uk and shop on Etsy.com

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Presence, Cornerstone

Karen Neville

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Kate Aries

Four emerging Oxford based artists are showcasing their work in an exhibition at Didcot’s Cornerstone.

Presence is a group exhibition featuring the work of Kate Aries, Manon Franklin-Fraiture, James Lester and Jack Whitney.
Combining drawing, textile, illustration and digital artworks, the artists have created new works that question what is means to exist in the contemporary world, physically, sexually, virtually and digitally.

Visitors will be able to engage with works perceptually and/or physically, encouraging them to also contemplate these questions.
Kate Aries explores perception and illusion through experimentation with the camera, using different techniques to obscure and restrict her body. Kate’s practice focuses not only on embodied experience, but also the manipulated and processed image in our changing society.

James Lester
Jack Whitney
Manon Franklin-Fraiture

Manon Franklin-Fraiture’s quirky illustrations incorporate conversations and questions she overhears and brings them to life, shining a light on how human existence can be in our modern life.
James Lester is a portraiture artist whose work contemplates the shaping of humanity within a modern context. Throughout the duration of the exhibition James will be creating large-scale charcoal murals of an array of celebrity figures, offering visitors the chance to watch the artist in action.

Jack Whitney’s practice challenges normative notions of gender, sexuality and politics, for this exhibition Jack has used embroidery as a way of drawing humorous yet thought provoking images.

Exhibition

Presence runs from today, 6th, until 18th August and is free to attend.

Visit the Cornerstone site for more information about this or any of the other productions on.

Click here

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Whiteknights Studio Trail

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Join the studio trail around Whiteknights and uncover some treasures

Thirty-eight artists, designers and makers in the Whiteknights area of Reading will once again open their doors for the Whiteknights Studio Trail.

Artists will invite people to come, view and buy their work, enjoy a pleasant stroll around the area and have cake and tea at various venues.

The trail which takes in 21 venues on Saturday, 15th and Sunday, 16th June, will also showcase Reading’s creative community by including events, activities and demonstrations. Visitors can see and buy artworks ranging from fine art paintings, ceramics and printmaking to jewellery, furniture and photography.

Join the walk around the area and wander into artists’ homes and studios. Discover the wealth of creativity in the area, such as the piece pictured from Carole Stephens, as well as buy artwork at affordable prices. You can browse and chat with the artist about their work while stopping for lunch and refreshments on the way.

This year the Whiteknights Studio Trail is trialling a new enterprise, Whiteknights Studio Trail Introduces encouraging young artists between the ages of 16 and 21 to develop their creativity – three have been chosen including Bulmershe School student Charlie who uses ink and acrylic for her self portraits.

Among other artists exhibiting their work are those working in mixed media, ceramics, photography, quilting, sculpture, glass and jewellery workers. Twelve of the venues will also feature demonstrations of tools and techniques used by the artists to make their work.

The studio trail is about more than just art with open houses and open gardens to be enjoyed too.

 For more details about the artists and their work and to see the map of venues involved, visit Studio Trail

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Artists open studios

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Art lovers in Surrey are in for a real treat over the next few days when 297 artists open their studios as part of the largest Surrey Artists’ Open Studios to date.

Running until 16th June, it’s a chance to meet and talk to artists in their place of work, view demonstrations, buy artwork and get involved in creative workshops.

SAOS co-ordinator Caitlin Heffernan said it offers a unique opportunity to meet artists and makers in Surrey, “Many are offering the public the chance to get hands on and discover their own creativity through the many workshops and taster sessions.

“Whatever your interest, painting, printmaking, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry or sculpture, SAOS is a brilliant opportunity to discover the county through the vast network of creative people who live and work here.”

One of those exhibiting is Liphook artist Orlanda Broom who takes her inspiration from nature to create landscapes which represent fantastical and re-imagined places.

After graduating with an MA Fine Art, Barcelona in 1997, Orlanda has been exhibiting and selling her work for the past 15 years and having moved out of London to the Hampshire countryside she has been further inspired.

A recent piece took inspiration from somewhere very different – a 4x4m work for the Four Seasons in New York makes reference to the city and Orlanda decided to use water, reflections and bridge-like shapes to mirror the island of Manhattan. Entitled Manna Hata it is now a favourite selfie spot!

Working on such a large scale, Orlanda’s work benefits from the big open space she works in with a wealth of natural light which helps with the composition of her landscapes which are very full and alive with colour and must be seen in full to be completely appreciated.

Her work will be exhibited at her studio at The Workshop in Iron Hill, Hollycombe, Liphook, on 7th, 8th and 9th June from 11am-5pm and on 6th from 6pm-8.30pm.

For more information about Orlanda’s work visit her website and for more on the open studios event at venues across the county, visit Surrey Open Studios

Orlanda

“I take inspiration from nature. I love botanical art and if I can, I go to botanical gardens to take photos and sketch. I’ve been lucky to have travelled a bit to places like Belize and Tobago, so I have strong memories of those trips and lots of photos.”

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