Volunteers needed – Dreamscape Cleaning at Nevill Hall

Sat 21st April 10am to 3pm

Have you ever looked up in Outpatients at Nevill Hall and wondered whether it was a star, or a planet? A moth or a bat? Do you fancy a closer look? Arts Alive Wales and GARTH are having a Spring Clean of the Dreamscape Banners hanging in Main Outpatients at Nevill Hall this Saturday 21st April 10am to 3pm. Come and lend a hand and see the banners up close.

The banners will be brought down from the ceiling and given a good tidy-up, before being re-hung.  Many children and adults from Abergavenny and the surrounding area contributed to the work which was completed in 2008.and we’d love to see some familiar faces again.  No need to book but please bring simple sewing/cleaning items (hand held vacuums would be a great help).

Contact Arts Alive Wales on info@artsalivewales.org.uk or 01873 811579 or ring Sarah Goodey 07976 375781 for details.

The studio is available to hire for £12.00 per hour and has access to a kitchen with tea/coffee making facilities, free Wi-Fi, toilets and parking for up to 8 cars.

We also have a wet room with a sink for messy art activities like painting and pottery.

Additionally we can arrange for an artist to host a creative workshop especially for your event.

For more information and to check availability please contact Rebecca Spooner, Arts Development Manager, by calling 01873 811579 or email info@artsalivewales.org.uk

There is a small budget available for materials, and we would welcome creative input and design ideas.

Please call Arts Alive on 01873 811579, or email info@artsalivewales.org.uk if you are interested in helping.

This spring, we have two sessions focussing on the uses of green wood in woodworking, along with traditional crafts and skills like basketweaving and firelighting.

On Saturday 28th April, we will be holding a free taster session in Green Woodworking and Basket Weaving, and on Saturday 12th May, our taster session will be in Green Woodworking and Stick and Bow Firelighting.

Sessions will be accompanied by friendly, expert tuition from the Monmouthshire based Wyldwood Willow, and will take place at the Talgarth Mill.

The sessions are suitable for ages 8+, and booking is essential.

To book, call Arts Alive on 01873 811579, or email info@artsalivewales.org.uk

Informative and sociable meetings for local artist and makers.

Join Arts Alive Wales for our bi-monthly networking meetings at our studio in Crickhowell. These supportive meetings enable local artists and students of all disciplines to come together in a relaxed setting, with plenty of tea and cake, to discuss their own creative practice, share experiences, news and opportunities.

Each meeting features one of our network artists who introduces their work to the group and a guest speaker to facilitate discussion about various aspects of professional development.

FREE to attend – but please let us know if you’re coming.

Refreshments provided.

Next Meeting:

Wednesday 18th July, 5-7pm

This month we’re welcoming Laura Thomas, an award winning textile artist and designer specialising in producing striking textile artworks for public spaces, corporate environments, exhibitions and private homes. http://laurathomas.co.uk/

Born in Pembrokeshire, Laura studied woven textiles in the University of Central England, The Royal College of Art, and then went on to become one of the founding Fellows of The Ann Sutton Foundation, a weave design research centre in Sussex. Since completing her Fellowship in 2003, Laura has worked from her studio in the centre of Cardiff, dividing her time between public art commissions, research and freelance design consultancy. Laura is also a part time BA Contemporary Textiles lecturer at the West Wales School of the Arts.

Laura is a member of the Makers Guild in Wales and will be discussing her involvement with ‘Flourish: Continuing professional development for craftspeople’ at Craft in the Bay Cardiff. www.makersguildinwales.org.uk/workshops

Wednesday 19th September, 5-7pm

Guest Speaker TBC

Arts Alive Wales’ Practitioner Network is supported by the Arts Council of Wales.

Tuesday 22nd May

7am from Crickhowell car park (behind the CRiC centre), picking up at 7:15am from Abergavenny Bus Station.

Dropping off and picking up outside the V&A, Cromwell Road, South Kensington.

5pm, return journey from London

£29 travel only.

Places are limited! Book early.

Summer Open Day: Craft Sale, Creative Workshops and Demonstrations.

Saturday 2nd June

10am – 3pm

Arts Alive Wales, Crickhowell

FREE to attend.

Featuring Pottery by Martin Craddock, Knitting by Melissa Warren, Felt Jewellery by Mandy Nash, Prints by Kay Leverton and much more…

35% of all craft sales on the day will support Arts Alive’s community programme.

Refreshments and Homemade Cakes

Parking is available in the grounds of Crickhowell Primary School.

The Crickhowell and Area Open Studios and Galleries Art Trail is in its 4^th year and will run over 4 days during the Jubilee bank holiday weekend. Over 40 venues are included in the Trail, exhibiting a rich and divers range of work from the area’s artists and makers. Not to be missed!

For more information about the Trail visit: http://www.crickhowellinfo.org.uk/

(photo: Melissa Warren)

Saturday 7th July

Open from 10am – 3pm

£6 for adults, £3 for children (under 16 years)

Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Refreshments and homemade cakes will be on sale during the day.

Register at Arts Alive Wales:

• Bring your own digital camera and memory card. Make sure both are cleared of any images before you start.
• You’ll be given a secret itinerary of 8 themes, designed to spark your creativity! The weirder the better.
• You can only take one photograph for each theme and in the order that the themes are listed.
• When you’re done, return to Arts Alive where your photos will be downloaded.
• All the images will be included in our online gallery. Our panel of judges will select a winner for each theme and an overall winning photographer will receive a special prize!

Judging panel:

Photographer, Toril Brancher

Photographer, Nathan Morgan

Director of Arts Alive Wales, Justine Wheatley

(photo credit: Nathan Morgan. Arts Alive dragon at the  Crickhowell Summer Fayre, 2011)

The Abergavenny Food Festival’s market hall decorations are always a huge hit. They are eagerly anticipated and give real pleasure to thousands of people – visitors and locals alike – for a whole year. Here’s your chance to get your creative work centre-stage at one of the UK’s top foodie events.

Arts Alive Wales is gearing up to produce the 2012 food-themed offering and volunteers are needed. If you like turning great ideas into a visual feast then you’ll definitely want to get involved with this exciting annual project. Theatre Designer, Bettina Reeves will soon reveal the inspiration for this year’s installation. So watch this space for more details!

Bettina and textile designer Susan McComb would love to have a lively and committed team to work with. They can offer the fun and satisfaction of creating large scale art for a public space, with good company – and excellent lunches too!

If you have textile/stitching/painting skills, can spare a few days and would like to take part, the Food Festival workshops will be held at the Arts Alive building in Crickhowell on the following dates:

Mon – Weds & Fri – Sat

20th August – 14th September

10am – 5pm

FREE. Please bring lunch to share.

(No workshop on Bank Holiday, Monday 27th August)

To express interest, and for more information, please contact Justine Wheatley or Rebecca Spooner at Arts Alive Wales: info@artsalivewales.org.uk – 01873 811579.

Introduction to Pottery with Martin Craddock

Concentrating on the making processes this practical 8 week course introduces the fundamental techniques used in hand-built ceramics. Martin Craddock, our trained potter and tutor will guide you through coiling, slabbing and press-moulded dish making.

Suitable for beginners as well as those with some experience.

Fridays 20th April – 8th June

2-5pm

£30 per session, £210 for 8 weeks, £165 for 6 weeks.

Includes all materials and firing

Book Now