Tag Archives: artists

Exploring one of Nottinghamshire’s hidden gems

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LIVING LANDSCAPE © The HopBarn

Back in August, Angie Atmadjaja was one of the first guests live in the studio for more than a year and a half when she joined June to share the story of one of the county’s hidden treasures.

Just a few miles up the A612 from Newark, The HopBarn is rapidly becoming known as a centre for contemporary culture in rural Nottinghamshire, a place where visitors can discover arts, music and nature through its events.

High on the agenda for that chat was Living Landscape, a trail created by artists and makers through The Hopbarn’s wildlife-rich land…

And two of the creatives whose work it features will be on Girls Around Town next weekend to share their own stories.

First up and on the phone to the studio at just after 10.20am is Susan Isaac, a Cardiff-born painter and sculptor now based here in Nottinghamshire whose contribution to the trail is a living sculpture entitled Green Fuse.

Then shortly after 11.10am it’s the turn of woodworker Steve Hunt, in the studio to describe how he adapts Scandinavian designs to develop finished items with well-proportioned, elegant shapes that are both practical and sculptural.

Both Susan and Steve will be telling listeners how and why they became involved in Living Landscape, the inspiration behind their own contributions and the reactions from some of the visitors over the past two months.

Make sure you’re tuned to 107.8FM or listening online, on the free Radio Newark apps or on Alexa between 10am and 12 noon next Sunday to hear what they have to say…

And, if you haven’t already done so, to find out how you can visit The HopBarn to see and enjoy not only their work but that of the nine other creatives taking part in this trail uniting nature and art.

Time to get crafty – with cake!

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If you’re a regular listener to Girls Around Town, you’ll know that cakes feature on the show fairly frequently – and this week is no exception!

But when former co-presenter Tina Bettison joins June on air again on Sunday, they’ll be talking about much more than just baking cakes…

Because Tina will be inviting everyone to get crafty and make a special one to share on social media to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Open Studio Notts…

Whether you want to draw or paint, sculpt or sew, write a poem or sing and dance – or bake, of course! – anything goes. All you need to do is photograph or video your creation and post it on social media using the hashtag #osnottscake.

There are four different categories

  • Practising artists (for whom art or craft is their main income source)
  • Adults over 18 (not making an income from art or craft)
  • Young people (over 12)
  • Children (under 12)

Entries open on Monday 19 April and you have until Monday 14 June to get yours online – just include your name and category on the post and you could be in with a chance of winning a prize in the Crafty Birthday Cake Competition!

Tina will have more details when she’s on the phone from just after 11.10am this weekend and she’ll also be sharing the latest information about how artists across the county will be showcasing their work during May and June both virtually and, if the gradual easing of restrictions permits, by opening their doors to welcome visitors into their studios.

Make sure you’re tuned in to 107.8FM or listening online to find out more…

And in the meantime, get your thinking caps on so you’re ready to join the party and get crafty with cake!

Bringing artists into view

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Their studios may be closed to the public right now but artists across Nottinghamshire will still be welcoming ‘visitors’ throughout May and June, thanks to a special initiative designed to bring Open Studios 2020 to the county ‘virtually’.

“Of course it is no longer possible to run Open Studios in its usual format this year,” said Michael Trueman, co-ordinator of the initiative. “However, the creative community is the best at keeping morale high when times are rough, not only for the wider public but for ourselves too.

“Hence we have decided to use the online and digital opportunities available to continue to fulfil our mission of ‘bringing artists into view’.”

OS Notts will be sharing virtual studio tours and videos of artists’ work in progress on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and on a dedicated YouTube channel. There will also be opportunities to meet participating artists on social media and a new Meet the Artist section on the OS website.

Linked photographic exhibitions showing artists and makers at work that would normally be held in libraries across the county courtesy of  Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries will also take place online.

Links to the exhibition, which launches on Friday 24 April, will be posted on social media and on the OS website. For the third year running, the photographs have been taken by Neil Pledger and curated by Lucianna Gallucci.

And don’t forget to keep an eye on the Girls Around Town social media feeds for regular updates about this year’s Open Studios…

Photographs by Neil Pledger