Made in Margate's Open Studio Event at the Viking Gallery

Work by Wendy Le Ber

Felt work by Janet Webzell

Made in Margate are organizing an Open Studio Event as part of Thanet Open Studios this year.
We are holding the event in the Viking Gallery, Cliftonville Ave, Margate.

Work by Tracy Davidson

We have 25 artists taking part and our opening is on Saturday 13th August 6-8pm. The exhibition is open Sat/Sun 13th and 14th August and Thurs 18th / Sunday 21st 12-6pm.

Jewellery by Deni Case

The Thanet Open Studios has a guide available from outlets on it's facebook page here.

Studios and homes are open in Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Margate and Westgate.

Photography by Mel Chennell

Painting by Lesley Gray

We have artists showing felt pictures and clothes, printmakers, portrait artists, mixed media pictures, painting, jewellery, glass sculptures and ceramics, photography,  automata and light scucptures.

Painting by Julie Caves

Portrait by Tristan Kennedy

So an amazing diversity of artists from Thanet, with art for sale and a chance to meet the artists on Saturday 13th 6-8pm.

Photography by Triston Wallace

Come along and enjoy the art and refreshments on offer.

Work by Leilah Leask

Glass sculptures by Ian Barrowcliffe

Working with the Theme of Circles.

Inspired by the current exhibition Seeing Round Corners at Turner Contemporary , I have been exploring circles in my work. I have also been working in Blank Canvas with circles and ephemeral works like bubbles.

It is interesting to see how universal an image, form and symbol the circle is.

Bouy on the harbour in Margate.

The eclipse of the sun.

Symbolic forms.

Most of my circles have been drawings and paintings of full moons, or planets. I am drawn to the moon and its symbolism and power.

At Blank Canvas we've been using liquids to make bubbles, ink, paint and glitter and blowing mounds of bubbles, watching them move, pop and dissolve. Making prints from the bubbles and photographing them.

I like the way that the structure of the bubbles starts to look like wire sculptures and the reflections can look like crystals suspended on a framework.

Visit to the Seekers Trust

It was good to have some time at the Seekers Trust in Addington recently. The little flats are set in gardens with a wood next door to explore and a large pond. The seekers website here.

I have been going for some years for solitary retreats and creative stays and appreciate the healing chapels and Angelic connections.

Ruth and I went this time, armed with loads of water soluble media and my cameras. I enjoyed drawing with the water soluble crayons, pens, and coloured Inktense crayons.

As well as the woods and rose garden I drew the cherry tree outside our flat and used the spiritual connections and library to draw alchemical notes and Buddhas.

We also went to Aylesford Priory, and I was drawn to all the ancient trees around the site including a huge plane tree and fir at the back of the Priory. Their old barn, now a cafe and shop, was being re thatched, interesting to watch the craftsmen at work.

We came away with some pottery from the Aylesford Pottery founded by David Leach in the 1950's

Twinkle Troughton, The Frogs Who Desired a King

Hankvert and Found in Margate's Old Town, opened last year to critical acclaim as a seafood cafe, showing art work upstairs and also in a tiny exhibition space in their basement. They regularly  show interesting contemporary art from local artists.
Their new show is by Twinkle Thoughton called "The Frogs Who Desired a King"  on till July 10th.

Twinkle's work is inspired by the Aesop's fable, The frogs who desired a king, and are painted with oils and acrylics on paper. Her website here  and blog about the Margate scene here

These paintings also make reference to war torn landscapes including Syria. The frogs are painted in rich colours that stand out against the landscapes with gnarled trees scratched with the technique called  Sgraffito.

I liked the contrasts in the pictures, the loose brushwork, detailed frogs and textured trees and also the reference to folk tales and symbolic themes, which give more depth and resonance to the work.

10% of the sales will go to the charity Hand in Hand for Syria and there will be a fundraising dinner there on June 30th.