Somerset Art Works Blog Posts - Somerset Art Works

Priorswood Pollinators, Christopher Jelley

Welcome to the Official Blog from Somerset Art Works

Read the latest from our bloggers!

If you have any artistic adventures planned, forthcoming collaborations or exhibitions that you think would make a great feature and be of interest to our followers, send information to [email protected]

Latest SAW Blog posts…

Somerset Art Works Artist Residency with Artist Sally Light

28 March 2024

As part of our wellbeing programme Quiet Places for Unquiet Minds, we appointed textile artist Sally Light to work with the Mind in Somerset – Minehead Art Group.

Somerset Reacquainted ‘(Re)View’

22 February 2024

The Next Phase for Somerset Reacquainted: Care and Repair for Artists Emerging from the pandemic, many of us jumped back into the rush and hustle of life wide open.

Circular Cultures | Romania

5 February 2024

In April 2023 SAW Creative Director, Carol Carey, went on a research trip to Cluj, Romania with a view to explore the endangered crafts in the area.

A sustainably curious practice

6 December 2023

Alongside our roles, many of us at Somerset Art Works are also artists and creative practitioners.

A Different Take

28 October 2023

In my last SAW Blog, I wanted to review this year’s Open Studios, especially as I have worked on the event for seven years now and this will also be my last one.

FLOW

13 September 2023

FLOW: Wild Pigment Workshop with artist Sara Dudman and geologist Mathilde Braddock FLOW is a group exhibition of 5 artists responding to the flow of the water from Glastonbury to the sea, across the Somerset Levels.

Summer Sunshiney Sessions

24 August 2023

This summer Somerset Art Works has been popping up in parks, fields and green spaces alongside the

Impressions of a County of Culture

13 July 2023

My name is Dominika, I am from Slovakia and in 2019, I decided to move to the UK to undertake my degree in Modern Languages - French and German at the University of Exeter.

A tour of Somerset Open Studios ’23

23 June 2023

In one of my last Blog posts for SAW, I preview this year’s Open Studios event and some of the things to expect! Autumn 2023 sees the long-awaited return of Somerset Open Studios with many Somerset artists opening their studio doors in the first full Open Studios event since 2018.

A Feast of Art – Online Art Group

14 May 2023

For this month’s SAW Blog post, I take a look at Somerset Art Works’ Online Art Group.

Climate Crises >> Art Action

20 April 2023

“A movement starts to succeed only when it starts to bleed into the art and culture of today” - Areeba Hamid, Co-Executive Director of Greenpeace On Thursday 2nd March 2022, Carol (Creative Director) and Hannah (Communications, Environmental and Digital Development) caught the train to London to attend Climate Crises >> Art Action.

Turning a Corner

11 February 2023

For my first SAW Blog of 2023, I take a walk in the woods near home and share thoughts about the changes to this year’s Open Studios event.

Somerset Art Weeks 2022- Sonnets, Stoplines and Sanctuary

16 December 2022

For my last SAW Blog of 2022, I’ve decided to take a look back at this year’s Art Weeks and some of the things I was able to enjoy and experience.

Time Travelling Through Oceans and Running Through Conduits

7 November 2022

A guest SAW blog post from Anna Chrystal Stephens – Somerset Art Works Lead Artist for the Water Histories project, Culturally Chard.

Collective Effort

19 September 2022

At this time of national reflection and at the launch of Somerset Art Weeks 2022, the September Blog post catches up with several SAW Members who are looking forward to taking part in Art Weeks this year.

Harvesting Ideas

30 July 2022

For August’s SAW Blog post, we look at some of the venues taking part in this year’s Somerset Art Weeks event and how artists are responding to the theme, SANCTUARY.

Plans in Motion

29 July 2022

The Summer SAW Blog post meets with SAW Team Member Hannah Earl and looks at the role of digital platforms, film and the importance for artists to professionally photograph and present their work as we look towards a new Art Weeks event this autumn.

My Space, My Sanctuary

27 May 2022

May's SAW Blog Post is by guest artists Jill Davies and Joanna Briar and looks at their collaborative project A desire to enable others to experience the joy of the outdoors, creative activity and connecting with others, inspired Somerset artists Joanna Briar and Jill Davies to embark on their project My Space, My Sanctuary.

Culturally Chard and Chard Banners

29 March 2022

The Spring SAW Blog post visits the Chard Banners project and hears from lead artist Jenny Mellings about her experience with the project, and the work being carried out with Chard organisations as part of Culturally Chard.

Nurture in Nature

28 February 2022

The February SAW blog post looks at the plans for this autumn’s Art Weeks Festival- Sanctuary- and explains more about the history of the event, how it will run this year- and how artists can get involved.

Slow Time- Reversing the Process

18 January 2022

The first Blog post for 2022 reviews the new Slow Time exhibition from Somerset Solargraphic Society at Black Swan Arts in Frome.

Sustainable Open Studios

17 December 2021

How might Art Weeks be delivered in the future? What changes can we make- should we all make- to ensure it thrives in the face of continuing challenges? The last two Art Weeks events, both Open Studios, have been delivered with a digital focus.

Thread Bearing Witness

16 December 2021

Exposure and representation are such powerful tools within the creative community - we have the ability to give people a voice and a platform to tell stories and narratives that are somehow both so different to our own, but also weave so closely into the fabric of our daily lives.

Open Studios 2021 Pt II- Open Again

14 September 2021

Place, Process and Practice: Last month, I started to take a look at what’s coming up in this autumn’s Open Studios event, and how the event will run.

Open Studios 2021

6 August 2021

The August Somerset Art Works Blog post takes a look at what’s coming up in this autumn’s Open Studios event, and how the event will run.

Priorswood Pollinators

26 July 2021

For one of my summer 2021 blog posts, it seems like an appropriate time to take a look at the Priorswood Pollinators Project at Lyngford Park in North Taunton.

Pressing Matters

16 July 2021

As Open Studios plans for this autumn gather pace, and artists make preparations to share their latest work and open their spaces to the public, I took time to speak with Gillian Taylor.

Access for All?

10 May 2021

The Somerset Art Works team and board members recently attended an online session led by Michèle Taylor, which challenged existing ways of looking at accessibility and asked what we can all do to remove barriers to access for events and activities.

In Pursuit of Spring

10 April 2021

Fifty works by SAW Members feature in a new exhibition at Black Swan Arts in Frome, celebrating the book of the same name by Edward Thomas.

New Territories

27 March 2021

As plans accelerate for this year’s Open Studios event, we catch up with the work of the Area Reps to find out how they help other artists and support members to connect and share, as well as gain an insight into their own work.

Being Resourceful

7 February 2021

February’s Blog post delves into SAW’s activity around it’s evolving artist development programme and how this enables members to access appropriate opportunities and support at a challenging time.

Research- Panic- Make!

12 January 2021

The first Blog post of 2021 takes a look at the recent Window Wanderland- Nocturnal Nightlights project in East and North Taunton and finds out more from lead artist Andrea Oke.

Uncharted waters, Hopeful horizons

3 December 2020

Open Studios 2020 was a different event for all participants this year, with a digital format and artists revising the studio visit experience for audiences.

Art for All, Art to Excite

5 October 2020

We're delighted to welcome guest blogger Jenna Myles from Somerset Cool for this month's blog, with her own Open Studios highlights! Since moving to Somerset, September and the first trickle of days in October have always been exciting ones! You could say I’m a massive Somerset Art Weeks fan.

Digital Futures- Part II

15 September 2020

Earlier this year, Somerset Art Works took the decision to run the biennial Open Studios event as a digital-only event this autumn, with the event re-running in autumn 2021.

Digital Futures- Part 1

13 August 2020

Earlier this year, Somerset Art Works took the decision to run the biennial Open Studios as a digital-only event this autumn, with the event re-running in autumn 2021.

Quiet Places for Unquiet Minds- Working in Isolation

18 June 2020

We recently caught up with artist printmaker Simon Ripley about the latest installment of Quiet Places for Unquiet Minds.

Digital Dialogues

16 June 2020

For this month’s Blog post, it seems timely to dip into Somerset Art Works’ digital strategy, what it means for SAW’s work and the impact this has on artists in the current climate.

Sharing and Support

6 April 2020

It’s a damp, late afternoon in February and, as many people are starting to head home from work, Somerset Art Work members are making their way to SAW’s office in Langport to attend a workshop with SAW’s Programme Associate Zoe Li.

Early Steps- Finding the way

17 February 2020

As Davina Jelley hands over the SAW blogger baton, it seemed a good place to start my blog residency by planning a walk in the heart of Exmoor with Davina and Chris Jelley and their dog Fable.

creative itch!

17 January 2020

My first post of 2020 and my last.

Reflections on Harvest- Somerset Rural Life Museum Craft Supper

26 November 2019

At Harvest festival, I was invited by Somerset Art Works to an evening of feasting held at the historic Tithe barn at the Somerset Rural Life Museum.

SAW Festival 2019: Out on the Road Again!

10 October 2019

The silver anniversary has come to an end, such a vibrant, inspiring two weeks for the artists involved and the visitors following the yellow trail of creative promise across the county.

Ben Rivers develops a film and performance entitled ‘After Us A Sunless Paradise’

3 September 2019

In 2011 the Guardian printed: “the work of Ben Rivers, who was born and raised in Somerset, has garnered increasing recognition in the past years.

B-Wing – Contemporary Art Installations in Shepton Mallet Prison

22 August 2019

Latest blog post by Fiona Campbell, SAW's East Mendip Area Rep, talking about her journey of putting B-Wing project at Shepton Mallet Prison with Co-curator Luminara Star.

Ask Somerset’s Plants: A journey of answering questions

6 August 2019

Artist Fiona MacDonald (Feral Practice) and Marcus Coates have been commissioned by Somerset Art Works to create a new work for the Art Weeks Festival this year.

Simon Olding meets Emilie Taylor

6 August 2019

Professor Simon Olding, Director, Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts met Emilie Taylor who is commissioned by SAW to produce new work at Somerset Rural Life Museum for Somerset Art Weeks Festival this year.

CRAFT Festival 2019

17 June 2019

Our blogger Davina Jelley reported on our presence at Bovey Tracey Craft Festival (7-9 June) that brought together six Somerset makers: Liz Clay, Rebecca Bruton, Lucy Large, Ria Burns, Jessica Palmer and Jan Ollis.

Behind the Scenes – The Making of Suki Chan’s New Work ‘Memory’

6 June 2019

Last week, London-based artist Suki Chan spent 5 days conducting interviews and filming for her new work Memory, which will be shown during Somerset Art Weeks Festival (21 September - 6 October).

Silver

27 May 2019

It’s 6pm, the exhibition is hung, the wine is ready, and a table buckles under the weight of the finest hors d'oeuvres.

Quiet Places for Unquiet Minds

27 March 2019

Throughout the spring of 2019, the Minehead Mind Art Group have welcomed artist Megan Players to their regular Wednesday morning art session.

MUSE SEMINAR: Reflections

13 March 2019

On the 6th March, Somerset Art Works and the South West Heritage Trust hosted a seminar aimed at providing inspiration and advice for artists looking to develop projects with local museums.

FOCUS: Paul Newman

29 January 2019

January to date has been a month for walking and every enlightened creative knows full well how this gentle act of embracing nature can boost the endorphins, provide quiet time to process the everyday white noise and allow space for new ideas to surreptitiously take form.

Echo Maker

Cranes and Communities Animation and Landscape project
Devised by artist and animator Sean Harris in collaboration with Somerset Art Works.

Water - Meadow - Wood

Somerset Art Works (SAW) will deliver a three year artist residency programme following the themes of Water – Meadow – Wood for the V3 PROJECT – InVolve, Visit, Volunteer, a three year project aiming to provide greater engagement with people and new opportunities to interpret the natural, cultural and historical heritage of Yeovil Country Park.

Gather-ing

The large tithe barn within The Priory complex, a rare and unique group of medieval domestic and agricultural buildings, is the focus of this contemporary craft project.

Creative Pathways 2016

Adam Grose, Elizabeth Caires & Dale Perrett, Sarah Hitchens and Veronia Gayle have been selected to receive SAW's Creative Pathways Bursary in 2016 to create new body of work and to showcase them at the temporary workspaces during Somerset Open Studios event.

Momentum Open Call 2015

For Somerset Art Weeks 2015, artist Rebecca Moss, Alice Maddicott and Simon Lee Dicker were selected to create site-specific work in any media, taking a different approach to the theme of ‘Momentum’, setting the work within different environments and communities of Somerset.

Creative Pathways 2014: Levels and Moor

Andrea Oak, Lucy Pendrick, Joy Merron and Mayumi Kaneko were selected to receive SAW's Creative Pathways Bursary in 2014. They created new work in response to the theme of ‘The Levels and Moors’ and showcased during Somerset Open Studios Event.

Abundance Garden Trail

A curatorial programme for Somerset Art Weeks Festival 2013 (21st September to 6th October), featuring exhibitions, new commissions and events. It aims to connect the wider public with the creativity between the cultivation of gardens and art making in Somerset.