Artists
Open Studios in West Berkshire and North Hampshire
by Amanda Bates
The
Open Studios in West Berkshire and North Hampshire has run annually
in May since 1988. Though its primary purpose is to provide a
platform for the public to meet artists in their own work spaces, and
perhaps buy some of the artists' work, OS WBNH
extends beyond that with several “outreach” activities,
including a schools education program and free public workshops, not
to mention the various exhibitions held throughout the year.
It
takes a lot of work to make this all happen, and it's all done by
volunteers.
I
spoke to the chair of the committee, John Brazendale. This is John's
first year as chair , but he's been involved with the scheme for many
years. John himself is a ceramicist, a graduate of St Martin's
College, London, and a former teacher.
I
joined the scheme last year, not long after its founder Pat Eastop
died. I never met her. Knowing that she was key to understanding OS
WBNH, I asked John about Pat, who was also a school teacher.
I
knew Pat for over 40 years. I joined her committee soon after I
retired and we worked together, developing the scheme. She worked
24/7 on Open Studios, it was 'her baby', she knew every artist and
she wanted to help each and every one of them to produce their best
work and give them the opportunity to show it.
But
it didn't end there...
What
strikes me more and more this year is the range of activities we
offer the community. This is a major part of [Pat's] legacy, which we
intend to continue. Over the past year I've researched how other
schemes work. I don't know of any other that offers what OS WBNH
does.
One
of the factors that sets WB&NHOS apart is its reputation for
quality. This starts with the artists, who have all been accredited
by the committee. I asked, “How do the committee make those
difficult selection decisions?”
The
OS WBNH Accreditation Process is a long process which most schemes
don't use. Pat felt very strongly that the standards of OS must be
maintained.
The
artist submits three pieces of work, wich are displayed at New
Greenham Arts.
Five
or six committee members who have gone through the Art School system
scrutinise the art works and the supporting documentation. They use
the criteria agreed by the committee and work independently in their
decisions before casting their votes. Borderline candidates will be
discussed in detail.
19
new artists were accredited last year. One artist was asked to
reapply for 2017. When this happens, I offer a meeting with the
artist to explain our decision.
People
have said to me, how can they do that? It's so subjective!
I'm
afraid they don't understand how we judge the quality of art works.
They're probably not aware of the criteria we use to make decisions.
Everyone can say 'I like that'. What everybody can't do is decide if
it's a good piece of art work, whether they like it or not.
It's
easy to allow every artist into a scheme, far less work, far less
effort.
This
is where some people get confused, 'I like it' doesn't mean it's good
art.
There
are a lot of very talented artists involved in the scheme. It is a
vibrant, sociable and diverse organisation that enthuses and inspires
its members, helping them produce art to the best of their abilities,
art that is worth seeing and owning. It's no wonder that OS WBNH is
held in high regard.
What's
on in West Berkshire and North Hampshire
Open
Studios 2016 runs 30 April to 22 May.
The
2016 Web site and directory will be published on 2 April 2016. The
directory can be downloaded from the Web site or picked up in hard
copy from libraries and other public places in the West Berkshire and
North Hampshire area.
The
key event is INSIGHT, the central showcase exhibition at New
Greenham Arts, where you can see work by every participating artist.
The show is usually eclectic but well presented in the dedicated
gallery space. INSIGHT attracts over 1100 visitors each year.
There
will also be several Satellite Exhibitions around the area.
Venues include the Watermill Theatre, Arlington Arts, Newbury Library
and Open Hand Open Space in Reading. Exhibitions may be solo or group
shows, including work done by local schools as well as Open Studio
artists. New this year is the North Hampshire Artists exhibition at
Sherfield Park near Basingstoke.
(Organised
by Anne Jones and by independent groups of Open Studios artists)
West
Berkshire Museum in Newbury will once again be hosting the Cover 2
Cover exhibition, now in its fourth year. This will be the
culmination of several months' work using themed sketchbooks,
exchanged between artists, and the results are usually astounding as
the artists push their imagination and abilities to keep up with the
challenge.
(Organised
by Isabel Carmona)
Free
Open Studio Workshops will be held across the area during May
and June. They are fully subscribed every year. Details are announced
with the publication of the directory on 2 April.
(Organised
by Jane Vaidya)
Additional links:
North Hampshire
Artists: https://nhantsart.wordpress.com/
Amanda Bates:
http://amandabatesart.co.uk/
John Brazendale:
http://www.thecloudstudio.org/
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