People love to write poetry about Westonbirt. The editor of the Westonbirt Magazine regularly receives many poems inspired by the beauty of the arboretum and people’s experiences amongst the trees.

Haiku poetry competition

To celebrate autumn, when Japanese maples become the stars of the show, Westonbirt Arboretum are asking you to create your own haiku-style poems inspired by the arboretum in autumn. The best will feature on our autumn trail where your creativity could be enjoyed by 100,000 visitors!

Haiku is a short form of Japanese poetry that is intimately linked with nature, feelings and experiences – perfect for Westonbirt. In English, haiku are typically three lines long, with five syllables in the first and last lines and seven in the middle line. The challenge is to paint a mental image in the reader’s mind in a concise way. Here’s an example:

In the wide, tall glade
Turning orange and red, leaves
Green behind for fall.

By Elizabeth T’Sas

Local poet and performer and supporter of Westonbirt Arboretum, Rosie Bailey, will judge the competition and will be looking for entries that capture both the essence of a Westonbirt autumn experience and the traditions of this ancient poetry form.

You can bend the number of syllables a little, but entries should capture the essence of a Westonbirt autumn experience and the traditions of this ancient form of poetry.

Send in your poem by adding it to the Poetry Corner forum or by mail to:  Editor, Haiku Competition, Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury, GL8 8QS. The deadline for entries is Friday 24th June 2011.

Visit Taurus Crafts in Lydney from 21^st May to 26^th June to see A Walk in the Woods – an exhibition of Sarah King’s Forest of Dean scenes painted in oil on canvas.

http://www.tauruscrafts.co.uk/

Ange Mullen-Bryan

Ange’s paintings are inspired by the lakes and forests of a vast Swedish landscape and a very particular and beautiful Nordic light; they also have something of desolation and loneliness in the remote and barren spaces they reflect. As if the artist were looking for her way, these are paintings that plot points on a journey, be it a physical or emotional one, or perhaps something of both. As if looking for a map to navigate her way through this landscape, a land that becomes something closer to a scene from ancient myth or folklore, where the imagination runs away and the uncanny resides. Where the real and imagined co-exist and are often difficult to determine.

 Graduating from Winchester school of Art in 2000, after studying art foundation at Stroud College, Ange has exhibited in both solo and group shows, in a number of galleries, including: Kendrick Street Gallery, Stroud; Tobacco Factory, Bristol; Grant Bradley, Bristol, Innocent Fine Art Bristol, Nature in Art, Gloucester; and Stroud House Gallery, Stroud. Born in Stroud in 1978, and based in Gloucestershire, Ange has a year round open studio at the Painswick Centre, Painswick, near  Stroud. She was shortlisted for the prestigious John Moores Painting Prize in 2008.

This exhibition is the first ever collective showing by the Gloucestershire-based Parkbench Artists: Noela Bewry, Terry Cripps, Marianne Hellwig John, Penny Prince, Sue Rae, and Maggie Shaw.

These talented abstract artists have exhibited locally, nationally and internationally, and the Museum in the Park is delighted to be hosting their first UK group show in its purpose-built art gallery. Its also the first ever abstract art exhibition to be held at this venue.

The Parkbench group was founded by artist Terry Cripps as a web based marketing operation to sell prints of work from the artists’ back catalogue. The website was launched in 2005 and offers hand finished prints direct from the artist. The aim is to promote those involved and deliver the maximum financial reward back to the artists, as well as delivering high quality hand-finished artists’ prints direct to private and public clients.

Colourful, uplifting, moving, invigorating …. this exhibition is worth making a special visit to see. Influences range from the wild northern landscapes of Scandinavia, to the rhythms of contemporary jazz, human gestures and interactions, and the local Gloucestershire landscape. Experience the paintings and meet the artists, who are stewarding the gallery.

Group and school visits welcome

Exhibition admission free
Open Tuesday – Friday 10am to 4pm
Open Saturday & Sunday 11am – 4pm
Closed on Mondays. Exhibition open until 31st October 2010.

www.museuminthepark.org.uk

www.PrintsatParkbench.co.uk

The exhibition will show over 75 works from 48 artists – a who’s who of contemporary British sculpture – from the “New Bronze Age” sculptors of the 1950s to current household names like Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley.

Crucible is a joint venture between Gallery Pangolin and Gloucester Cathedral. Most of the works were made in Gloucestershire, by the talented craftsmen working at Pangolin Editions foundry in the Stroud valleys, or by artists from Gloucester Cathedral.

The Very Reverend Nicholas Bury, Dean of Gloucester Cathedral says: “The Cathedral is a great work of art in itself, where masons and sculptors have worked for centuries. It makes a truly wonderful setting in which to see the great works of contemporary artists. We are thrilled to be working with Pangolin and to be welcoming local and international audiences to contemporary sculpture in this inspiring space.”

As the Dean of Gloucester Cathedral prepares to retire, this world-class exhibition is a fitting tribute to his commitment to the arts in Gloucestershire.

The exhibition will take place throughout the building and grounds, including the crypt and cloisters. Crucible runs until 30th October 2010 & entry to the exhibition is free of charge - www.crucible2010.co.uk

Some of the events will be free to enter at any time; others will be by ticket only. The suggested starting point for your Discover Creative Campden Weekend is the exhibition of works by members in the Upper Town Hall. Here you will get a glimpse of the creativity which exists in Chipping Campden. But this is just a taster; to really appreciate both the weekend and the creativity visit the open studios and other events and to be announced in a creative trail around Chipping Campden. On Saturday you can enjoy teas, coffees and light lunches, together with some crafts in action by Chipping Campden’s Country Markets, in the Lower Town Hall.

Events include Abstract Art is Rubbish, Creative Cows, Chocolate Workshop, Made in Campden, Throw Your Own Pot, Painting in Action, and many more.

The silent auction will run for the duration of the exhibition, which will be showing for the last time at the Parabola Arts Centre, Cheltenham, during this year’s music festival.

Opportunities to view the work before bidding will be on Parabola performance days (30 minutes before and after each concert starts and ends). Private views can be arranged on concert days, if you are unable to attend during these times and have a serious intent in one or more of the instruments.

Bidding forms will be available at the Parabola Arts Centre or online. For further information and regular, highest-bidder updates, go to: cheltenhamfestivals.com/paintedquartets .

As a way of launching the Festival the village streets will be closed for a parade of extraordinary creations designed to excite our imagination, and the event starting at 12pm will be compeered by well known actor Keith Allen. The models will be twirling to music by local composer Jacqueline Kroft, and the creations judged by celebrities in the world of art and fashion Dan Chadwick and Selina Blow.

The winning entries will be displayed in shop windows in Painswick throughout the month of August. During August there will be exhibitions and open studios throughout Painswick.

What on earth is wearable art you may ask? It is the interpretation of one of the 3 chosen themes to create an extravagant, imaginative, bizarre, and maybe humorous but yet wearable creation with a real show stopping quality.

The themes for this year are:-

LAMB TO LOOM

QUEEN OF THE COTSWOLDS

POWER DRESSING (to reflect sustainable energy)

There will be categories for Primary schools, Secondary schools, College/Fashion/art students, Individual artists & Veterans.

There will be some very generous prizes to entice participants in the various categories, including work placements for art/fashion students, designer fabric, and some sizeable cash prizes, to name only a few.                

Entry free if registered before June 1st; £10 between June 1st & July 2nd (entries close July 2nd).

For more details on participating, contact libbygraesser@clara.co.uk

Our personal favourite is the Wellness Skull by Atelier Van Lieshout. The human skull - a universal symbol for knowledge & wisdom – is transformed into a centre for indulgence & relaxation, housing a sauna, bath & shower, delivering a dramatic haze of steam from the eye sockets on the outside.

The exhibition runs until 1st August 2010 www.sudeleycastle.co.uk

River Severn ‘Art Walk’ - guided, creative walks with Walking the Land – Friday 11th June & Saturday 19th June.

As you photograph and sketch, our Walking the Land artists will offer creative guidance about subject choice, technique and process.