APPLICATIONS Now being accepted:

January / February

 "Winter Warmer”

Let’s fill the gallery with lovely warm cosy work. Also this show covers Valentine’s so if your work suits do apply.

Apply via email  ASAP

March / April

“Sheep Dog Trials” The gallery’s bi-annual fun show.  Prizes for best of breed. We’re looking for all things sheep and dog. Textile artists have been known to knit bones so this is one for all. Email me for more details

May/June Fantastic Felt

June/July Sculpture Show

August/September Open show  based on Road Map

October/ November: Memories are made of this

Featured Craft Artists (Ground floor)

If this slot interests you, do apply. It’s a months exhibition

February – Peter Layton  (Glass) From London Glassblowers

March –TBA

April – Andrew Wood (TBC)

Featured Painter (Exhibition Floor)

As above. Applications now being considered

February

March TBC

April

May

June  Ysobel Banfield

Linda & Beasty Boy

News

What a year!

2008 has passed and traditionally this time of year will find many of us thinking back over last year and wondering what this one will bring. The gallery, like others, has taken quite a financial knock and I’m not sure I like this idea that the financial crisis could last for another two years. I know many artists have struggled to make stand fees and others who have taken on employed work to keep going. BUT WE’RE STILL HERE.

The gallery has seen quite a change over the last few months in what customers are spending. What is strange is that for the last few weeks running up to Christmas, we have taken virtually the same money within pounds, as last year! However, some of that has been customers “spoiling” themselves rather than buying gifts for others! Let’s hope they carry on.

In the last newsletter I mentioned one visitor over the years was a homing pigeon. Well we also had a bat recently, not the leather ones made by Karen Trower but a real flying one. Not sure quite where it came from but it enjoyed the exhibition floor flew down the stairs and out of the door. Not exactly bats in the belfry but bats in the studios! Sorry bad pun!

Featured Craft. This has worked well so I’ll be looking for new artists for 2009. December we welcomed back Heather Power who enjoyed a successful exhibition here last year. Heather is a printmaker who has developed her work onto glass.

Featured Painters. Karren Urben from Brighton was our first featured painter who was then featured in the Portsmouth News under the title of “Celebration at Village Gallery”. Karren has also put work into our Christmas exhibition with titles such as Glitter Knickers. (see images below)

BENSON: now a year old He would take up too much of this newsletter with his antics so he is going to take a back seat for a while, not literally knowing him.  He is still seen resting those huge front paws on the desk here like a mini person adoring anyone who will give him a pat! (see below)

Ebay: We have started adding some of our books to EBay so if you see anything you are interested let me know and I will let you have a discount off the starting bid. More books being added in January.

2009: One or two ideas have already been proposed for 2009. Traditionally we will be having a “dog” show as it will be two years from the last one.

January/February, Winter Warmer. A few days left to apply

February/March Sheep Dog Trials, ok I’m running out of silly titles!

New into the gallery

Joining our regular artists are:

TEXTILES: Liz Lippiat from Studio 7, Cirencester, with her beautiful velvet work and Vicky Baker with her exquisitely made handbags

Margo Selby is back with some new lines, aprons and tea/coffee covers which are already selling.

Ceramics: Karen Thompson, who has just graduated, has sent some very different illustrated mugs and trinket boxes, just right for the home this year.

Virginia Dowe’s ceramic dogs have set up home just before Christmas and I can now mention that a few days before Christmas we had a delivery from a company called Creature Comforts. So these lovely dogs and cats we have here have now got some gorgeous beds to sit on.

Richard Godfrey, with his amazingly colourful ceramic work has proved popular with our customers.

JEWELLERY: We welcome back Anne Massey from Brighton.

NEW STOCK

For those who are into textiles we are now stocking various threads and some beads from a local artist, Karen Veck of Simply Sequins.

Workshops

We are planning the following workshops in the new year. Full details later but if any interest you do get in touch. Or if you run workshops and would like to run one from the gallery do let me know.

Andrew Wood: Sculpture from Life, Life drawing, Relief sculpture

Ewa Kunizac: Dry Felting and possibly felt jewellery - MAY

Lucy Parker: Life drawing and Portrait work

Pricilla Jones: Vintage bags, Boxed Canvas textile work

Sharon Hurst: Fantasy water colour, beaded jewellery, painting silk

Sharon Kearley: felt, papier mache

Sonia Passingham: Mixed Media

Groups

If you organise, or are involved in a group that needs a venue for meeting, the gallery can now be rented out. Terms, variable.

BOOKS publications by Taschen, Phaidon, Thames and Hudson, Search Press, Collins, AC Black, TeNeus and more

Magazines in stock: Selvedge, Embroidery, Stitch, Craft & Design, Crafts, Ceramic Review, Art World, Modern Painters, The Art Book

Staff: Linda Kirkbride , Andy Humphries , Mike Wallis

OPENING TIMES

MON, 11-4.30, TUES, WED, FRI, SAT 10 – 4.30  THURSDAY closed

Linda-kirkbride@tiscali.co.uk please do not use my supanet address as it was very unreliable and is now redundant.

Karen Urben, and Linda, Featured in September

Linda, Mike and Deborah Richards at the Christmas party

Charlotte Smith, Hannah Mudd and Georgina Overton, winners of the Lions children’s Green exhibition in the gallery