Previous events

The most recent events are shown first.

• 24 July: Wysing films and discussion
• 23 July: Cambourne Arts Open Evening
• 10 July: Wysing illustrated talks

24 July 2008

With other visitors, I spent a long and very enjoyable evening in the company of most of the artists at the Wysing Arts Centre, who were showing and discussing their films. As I would expect from experienced artists, the films varied in texture, feel and emotional content, but they were all intense.

Sarah Evans showed Northern Lights, an animation of flower-like structures (or even aerials) that grew and transmitted signals, to a dance-like response from air-borne structures resembling insects, a growing and dying sun and a cloud of rain. We watched this on a monitor that sat beside the two-metre wall on which the animation had been drawn, and which still showed traces of the drawn work. Discussion included issues of whether the work was better experienced with or without the music, and what it might be like with sound effects.

Katherine Hymers showed a work projected on two screens at either end of the room, so we had to twist around in our seats to see the entire action. This was deliberate and effective. The work invited the viewers to construct their own narratives, which we did. Discussion included whether the female character should have been wearing the hat seen briefly at long intervals. I thought the hat was a master-stroke for various reasons, and another occurred to me on the way home: the hat showed the character cared about sheltering from the cold wet weather, and this added an extra layer to the depth of the work.

Other artists showed their films, but the most notable for me was by Helen Judge. When her disc was first put in the machine, a gremlin stopped it from being loaded. Later in the evening, the hardware worked and we watched the film, but the content (I won't give it away) misled us into suspecting the gremlins were back. I've always found Helen's work, in other media, stimulating and highly amusing. This work has depth and darkness within the humour. I reckon she's grown as an artist, while retaining her rib-tickling abilities, at least for me.

23 July 2008

On Wednesday 23 July, at the Hub, Cambourne Arts held a "get-together", or "Open Evening" - we were never quite sure what to call it. Heck, we weren't even sure anyone would come. But they did. We invited people to bring samples of their work, and they did. We used about 20 tables: all the tables for the main hall, and we had to borrow a few from the meeting room.

Big thanks to South Cambridgeshire District Council for funding the event, and Morrison's for providing the nibbles. Many thanks to everyone who came, especially to those who brought work and those who helped to pack away in a rush at the end.

How many people came? We're not sure. I counted 30 at one point, but people came and went. Around 60, I reckon.

The quantity and quality of the work on show was impressive. Cambourne has a great deal of talent.

Stallholders included:

• Maureen Hudson: pincraft and sewing
• Lisa Stephenson: stone carvings
• Mike Stephenson: photographs (website www.captureamoment.co.uk)
• Alan Gibson: photographs, paintings and "things"
• Jules Hannaford: stained glass windows
• Emma Tasker, Pat Callaghan and Kathryn Velat: quilts
• Nicole Baker-Chambers: patchwork and quilts
• Trudi Spatz: her published memoir and painted plates
• Margot Eagle: library literature
• Joan Duncan: watercolours
• Katherine Carlsson: paintings
• Shirley Page: rag rug making
• Germaine Ferrão-Lenn: cardmaking, scrapbooks and gift-making.

Many people exchanged contact details with stallholders, with a view to setting up groups. It looks as if watercolourists will soon have their own meetings.

Emma Tasker is looking to form a group of quilters. Contact her on "Emsdesigns at aol dot com" (make the usual substitutions).

In a brief open session, a number of people said they would like to have classes, with a teacher, for painting or drawing. This was reflected in the "contact" forms^* we invited people to complete: more people circled drawing than anything else, followed closely by painting.

The items circled, with most popular first, were: drawing, painting, singing, concerts, photography, reading, acting, dancing, embroidery, music, quilting, sculpting, sewing, architecture, writing, drama, video.

In addition, some people added other interests, and three of these might be grouped as "textile arts".

This makes us wonder whether our next event could include a performance from singers and musicians. What do people think of that?

The event demonstrated that Cambourne contains lots of artistic talent, and even that there are some small communities of artists in Cambourne. I enjoyed chatting to the artists, and to the people who didn't bring work.

Thanks again to SCDC, Morrison's, everyone who helped, and everyone who came.

If you have any comments on the event, or have ideas for future events, please contact us.

^*There's an online version of the contact form, if you'd like us to keep you updated on future events.

10 July 2008

Gosh, the Wysing Arts Centre has changed since I was last there. The rambling leaky barn at the front has gone, and a smart complex of wood and glass has grown.

This evening's session was billed as "What is a community and how difficult is it to build one? Cambourne residents discuss their community, literally, under construction." It didn't turn out to be exactly like that.

Instead, we were treated to a pair of illustrated talks, introduced by Donna Lynas, Wysing's director.

1. Kirsten Lavers is the Neighbourhood Artist at Arbury Park (Cambridge), which is soon to be renamed Orchard Park. She talked us through various projects she has worked on, and she's adamant that she isn't a "community" artist - some communities can be positively damaging. However, she is clearly very interested in neighbourhood interactions. You can see more of this at willowwalker.org, coleridgerime.info, taxigallery.org.uk and sameanddifferent.net.
2. Olga Jürgenson gave an entertaining talk on her progress from Russia, where she was born in a secret town, before moving to Leningrad and then Peterborough, because it sounded like St Petersberg. With the encouragement of the Russian Secret Service, she moved to the UK to explore the life and work of migrant workers, and worked undercover at some of the unpleasant menial jobs that Eastern Europeans do over here. She assured us that some of her story was true. You can see more of her work at Saatchi online, or read an essay about her.

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