Artists invite visitors behind the scenes

Somerset Open Studios
16 September- 1 October

Artists across the county will be opening their doors to show visitors behind the scenes during Somerset Open Studios. For two weeks, visitors have the opportunity to meet artists and see how they work.

Almost 300 artists will be chatting to visitors and showcasing painting, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, prints, glass and a whole range of art and craft. 

Somerset Open Studios is a county-wide event with a regional focus, celebrating the distinctiveness of each area of Somerset.

In South Somerset, Julia Manning creates woodcuts inspired by the natural world. She works from her studio with a huge printing press where she makes prints of seascapes, landscapes and animals.

Her subjects include moths in her garden, views of the Somerset shoreline and scenes from her travels.

During Julia’s “Decline of Eels” project, she explored the coast from Minehead to Weston-super-Mare in the company of experts in marine biology, geology and botany. Eel expert Andy Don visited her studio by chance and shared his knowledge about the decline of eels, particularly in Somerset.

Julia said:

“I wanted to make people from Somerset and further afield aware of what we could be losing, by impediments to eel migration, such as weirs and other man-made structures, also the mortality caused by being drawn into lethal intakes such as pumping stations, hydropower plants and nuclear power stations.

“Other pressures have been man’s greed by illegal exploitation, climate change and invasive parasites introduced from abroad. I could not believe that this dramatic saga is unfolding annually on my coastal doorstep. The story of our Somerset eels seems to resonate across all species. I felt compelled to capture some of these themes in my relief editioned prints.”

During Somerset Open Studios, Julia will be showing her work at her studio in Keinton Mandeville with ceramicist Paul Stubbs who will be encouraging visitors to have a go at pottery.

Jan Ollis. Photo: Jim Wileman

Jan Ollis has created a new studio at her home in Mendip. During the pandemic, Jan had a busy family life with different pressures and needed to find something creative that she could pick up and put down as needed. She discovered that embroidery was the perfect creative outlet. She began using colourful threads to embroider words that summed up how she felt. Words are embroidered onto fabric and framed; she even tried embroidering a toilet roll, inspired by the panic buying during lockdown.

Next, Jan began hand embroidering second hand dresses. Still working with words, she creates statements such as “it’s never too late”. Her work brings an added element to the dress, while still having respect for the original designer.

Jan will be at her studio in Upper Coxley near Wells during Somerset Open Studios.

In Taunton Deane, Magnus Hammick and Fiona Yates will be in residence at CLOSE Studio. Their exhibition ‘First Light’ will include a series of large abstracted photographs by Magnus Hammick showing an oak tree captured on his daily walk in the early hours of the morning. Recent graduate Fiona Yates is exploring her interest digital art.

‘First Light’ is at Close Ltd in Hatch Beauchamp during Somerset Open Studios.

On Exmoor, Painter, illustrator and printmaker Jim Starr creates large-scale bird paintings on canvas and original limited edition hand pulled screen prints. He will be showing his work with Judith Westcott in Simonsbath. 

In Sedgemoor, Nick Fraser makes sculptures from scrap, salvaged and recycled metal. He uses laser cutting and welding, and brings an element of play to his work.

Nick said:

“We live in a throw away world and that’s where I come in, those old tools, car parts, bits of old bicycle that most people take to the tip I repurpose and breathe new life into by creating sculptures of every shape and size. A lot of my materials come from people who have lost loved ones and have found themselves in the situation where they must clear out a workshop, garage or shed. The idea of taking those things that were important to that person and throwing them away is an uncomfortable one, so they bring them to me and I create something from them that makes them loved again as something totally different.”

Nick will be showing his work at his studio, ‘A Load of Old Scrap’ in Woolavington.

Somerset Art Weeks Guides are available at cultural and information centres across the county. Details of the event are on the Somerset Art Works website with full venue and event details, an event calendar as well as a digital flipbook of the Open Studios Guide. The Art Weeks App allows visitors to access information on the move as well as providing a more accessible resource. SAW actively encourages visitors to travel by foot, bike, car share or use public transport.