Posts Tagged Cotswolds
As I Walked Out…
Posted by Culture Vulture in Events on May 25th, 2010
‘As I Walked Out’ is an eight week journey with four donkeys, chickens, carts, children, young people and nationally commissioned artists and writers travelling on foot across the six districts of Gloucestershire.
Along the way there will be six public weekend events, one in each district. At each site there will be art workshops, guided walks, donkey grooming, and opportunities to camp.
We’d love you to join us for one or more of these activities or go the whole hog and volunteer to walk a leg of the journey with us.
Weekend Dates:
Stroud
Westley Farm, Chalford GL6 8HP. 26th – 27th June 2010
Cotswolds
Cotswold Forest School, Spine Road East, Cotswold Water Park. 3rd – 4th July 2010
Cheltenham
Cheltenham Race Course GL50 4SH. 17th – 18th July 2010
(Priority Booking for disabled young people and their families)
Tewkesbury
Nature in Art, Twigworth GL2 9PA. 23rd – 24th July 2010
Gloucester
Over Farm, Gloucester GL2 8DB. 30th – 31st July 2010
Forest of Dean
Millers Farm, Blakeney GL15 4AP. 14th – 15th August 2010
‘As I Walked Out’ is part of Gloucestershire’s cultural Olympiad programme of events, sponsored by Gloucestershire County and District Councils. For more details see www.asiwalkedout.com.
Portraits in the Cotswolds
Posted by Culture Vulture in Art, Events on May 20th, 2010
3 day painting workshop with Mike Skidmore in Fairford, Gloucestershire – Portraits in oils using glaze and impasto techniques.
New to portraits or simply wanting to explore fresh techniques, this three day, step by step workshop is right for you. Conducted in a positive, fun and non-judgemental way, you will gain confidence and be enthused by what you can achieve with a little help and encouragement.
Day 1: Discuss your work and ambitions followed by a demonstration showing preparation, drawing techniques and fixing. You will then prepare your canvas and produce a drawing ready for the next stage in the process.
Day 2: Slide show, talk and discussion on portrait techniques followed by a demonstration showing glazing methods. You will then work on your own painting to produce a tonal picture, using glazes, in readiness for colour.
Day 3: Interactive session to explore painting styles followed by a demonstration showing colour mixing and impasto techniques. You will then complete your portrait!
Worskhops are running on May 26th – 28th, June 23rd – 25th and July 28th – 30th.
For more information contact Cathy Shaw on: 01367 252 206 or email: cathy@mike-skidmore.com.
A Cotswold Scene
Posted by Culture Vulture in Art, Crafts on April 27th, 2010
Photograph the Cotswolds – Your chance to see your work exhibited at O3 gallery, Oxford Castle and win some great prizes.
This month sees the launch of a exciting new photography competition celebrating the beauty of the Cotswolds and giving you the chance to have your image showcased in a six week high profile exhibition at O3 gallery, Oxford Castle.
The competition is the idea of local landscape photographer Sarah Howard, supported by the Cotswolds Conservation Board and Blueprint Imaging of Witney. Sarah has lived in the Cotswolds for much of her life and has a particular affinity with the region. She is especially keen to promote its photographic potential; “Photography has seen a surge in popularity recently and with spring now here there’s no better time to get out there with your camera, make use of its wonderful creative potential, and engage with our lovely surroundings”.
Officially designated as the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the country, the Cotswolds is known for being one of the most quintessentially English and unspoiled regions of the UK. With its gentle hillsides, river valleys and delightful honey coloured villages there is plenty to offer the photographer.
The overall winner will take away a 2 night stay (including dinner on one evening) at the historical White Hart Royal Hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh, plus a one day one to one photography workshop in the Cotswolds with Sarah. There are plenty of other fantastic prizes to be won too, including a fabulous Ricoh R10 camera for the overall youth winner, a half day Photoshop tuition with digital imaging expert Claire Reika Wright, a Manfrotto 190 XDB tripod and Lowepro mini trekker, courtesy of Morris Photographic plus a one years subscription to Outdoor Photography magazine and over £300 worth of Image Seen gift vouchers. There will also be an opportunity to win a commission for local Cotswolds publication The Four Shires in 2011.
The competition is open until 15th October & entries will be judged at the end of October.
Full details can be found at www.imageseen.co.uk/cotswolds-photography-competition
Cities at the Red Rag Gallery
Posted by Culture Vulture in Art on April 12th, 2010
The splendour, personality and romance of cities is the exciting subject of the forthcoming spring exhibition at the Red Rag Gallery in Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire from 25th April – 9th May 2010.
Cities reflect the variety and vibrancy of different cultures and the exhibition, Cities, includes the work of several contemporary British artists for whom the city fascinates and stimulates. The exhibition offers distinctive and diverse interpretations of the atmosphere and life of some of Europe’s major cities –including London, Paris, Florence, Rome and Venice. The everyday rhythms, 
energy, colour and movement of city life are explored in a variety of media against a backdrop of lively buildings and urban scenes in all the seasonal variation of atmosphere and light.
See www.redraggallery.co.uk for full details.
The Kingham Plough Goes Pink
Posted by Culture Vulture in Art, Events, Food on March 22nd, 2010
The excellent Kingham Plough (Culture Vulture’s favourite pub) will be celebrating all things pink on Thursday, May 6th.
The Plough’s upstairs dining room will be adorned with an exhibition of Jeremy Houghton oil or watercolour Flamingo paintings. Meanwhile one of the cleverest kitchens in the Cotswolds will be serving pink drinks and canapes. You are invited to view the exhibition from 6 – 8.30pm in the upstairs dining room.
To reserve a place, call 01608 658838 before Monday 26th April.
In The Margins in Chipping Campden
Posted by Culture Vulture in Events, Literature on March 19th, 2010
Chipping Campden Literature Festival 4th – 8th May 2010
Our first festival ‘In The Margins’ is a short celebration of the art of writing and joy of reading, exploring the theme of what it is to be on the edge of society.
By offering lively, entertaining, and informative events including interviews with Man Booker and Orange Prize listed authors, a big book group, a panel discussion, poetry readings, lectures and workshops in various venues within the town, we hope to achieve a sharing of ideas on the solitary pursuits of reading and writing.
Authors and events include William Boyd, Patrick Gale, Amanda Craig, Adam Foulds, Samantha Harvey, Michael Arditti, Lindsay Mackie and Sheila Hayman.
The historic Cotswold market town of Chipping Campden is said to have one of the most beautiful high streets in the country and is frequently described as the “jewel in the crown” of the Cotswolds.
More information on the literature festival can be found here.
Get outdoors this Spring
Posted by Culture Vulture in Crafts, Events on February 26th, 2010
GET OUTDOORS AND INVOLVED THIS SPRING
Spring events for everyone at Westonbirt – the National Arboretum
Westonbirt – the National Arboretum, which is managed by the Forestry Commission, has launched 2010 with a packed calendar of spring events.
New for visitors is the International Garden Photographer of the Year Exhibition. During April and May, an exclusive collection of photography from the trees category of this prestigious international award will be on display on the historic Downs area.
The Easter Challenge, Mothering Sunday ‘Family Trees’ and ‘Awakening Woods’ events will give families the chance to explore the outdoors, as Westonbirt’s flowers and trees awake from the winter.
Visitors will also get a rare and exciting opportunity on April 12-13 to discover the whole historic Westonbirt estate. Guided tours and access to the house, gardens and Arboretum are included in the normal admissions price across these two days.
There’s also guided wildflower walks, photography courses, wood sales and charity events. Throughout April and May, visitors on Wednesdays will receive 50 per cent discount on admissions.
Visit www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt for full details on Westonbirt Arboretum events listings.
Quenington Old Rectory – only every two years
Posted by Culture Vulture in Art, Events on May 11th, 2009
We’re already getting excited at the thought of June’s FRESH AIR 09 set in the riverside gardens of Quenington Old Rectory, near Cirencester. It’s a mash up of traditional posh Cotswolds house and outdoor sculptures by 90 artists. The event only happens every two years and is a brilliant excuse for a weekend in the Cotswolds. In spite of there now being a vast range of gardens and parks showing contemporary work, FRESH AIR OFFERS one of the broadest range of ideas in a smallish space. Work is for sale too – from £50 up to £12,000 with one or two more expensive pieces up to £35,000.
Just taking this year’s entry on materials alone there is cement, bronze, mosaic, glass, resin, steel, wood, mixed media installation, textiles, buon fresco, ironwork, ceramic, rubber, brick, lettering, water, perspex, willow, slate, astro turf, scrap metal and sound,.
FRESH AIR is very different from an urban gallery or public art. Visitors love the chance to wander free – physically, intellectually and visually. It’s a kind of freedom and some of the sculpture is breathtaking.