Do You Want To Learn Something New?

We all have times of restlessness and wanting ‘more’ out of life, don’t we… We could have the answer to your yearning… LEARNING! Yes, West Studios together with Chesterfield College are offering short, creative courses again and would love for you to enrol. We have Ceramics, Silversmithing, Photography and Photoshop. We’re also gauging interest for a print-making course…

Here are brief introductions to each of the courses with prices and dates.

Ceramics - Monday Evenings - £175

Start Date: Monday 5th November 2018

A 6-week course, suitable for beginners and improvers covering a broad range of pottery techniques and processes. You will get individual support to develop your technical and creative skills in both hand built and wheel thrown forms. During this course you’ll study in our well-equipped studio and create work using potter’s wheels, have access to a glazing and kiln room, and a Raku kiln which will enable you to practice this unique firing technique. Our experienced tutors will provide individual support to help you develop and refine your hand-built and wheel-thrown creations.

Silversmithing - Tuesday Mornings or Thursday Evenings - £150

Start Dates: Tuesday 6th November or Thursday 8th November 2018

This 6 week course is suitable for all abilities as one-to-one guidance will be provided throughout. We have some of the best facilities in the area; you’ll learn in our specialist workshops, covering units such as Silversmithing materials, jewellery techniques and Silversmithing processes. This course is available on Tuesday Mornings (9am - 12pm) and Thursday evenings (6pm - 9pm).

Also, dates in January:

Tues AM start 8th January 2019 for 6 weeks

Thur PM start 10th January 2019 for 6 weeks (put them on your Christmas list - ‘hint hint’!)

Dates in February:

Tues AM start 26th February 2019 for 7 weeks. £175.

Thurs PM start 28th February 2019 for 7 weeks. £175.

Photography (Products/Still Life) - Monday Evenings - £60

Start Date: Monday 26th November 2018

This short, two-week course offers tuition on product and still-life photography. With an introduction to photography plus shutter speed, white balance, aperture, ISO exposure and studio lighting, this course is suitable for both complete novices and those wishing to improve their skills.

Photography (Beginner/Intermediate) - Monday Evening - £150

Start Date: Monday 21st January 2019 (one week break during half term, 18th February)

Throughout this 6-session course, tutors will pass on their knowledge, help you improve your skills and provide you with the tips, tricks and advice you’ll need to become a better photographer. Ideal for beginners and those with existing photography skills. Basic materials and access to cameras will be provided.

Photoshop - Monday Evenings - £150

Start Date: Monday 21st January 2019 (one week break during half term, 18th February)

This 6 week course will introduce you to the image manipulation software. For complete novices or those wishing to build on their skills.

Print Courses - November, either Monday or Thursday - TBC

We are running courses in Print Making from November! The exact dates are to be confirmed but we’d love to have people register their interest.

Dry Point Etching - 5 weeks course £150
Screen Printing on Fabric - 5 weeks course £150
Screen Printing Short Course - 2 weeks £90

So there you go!

Our ‘What’s On’ guide on the website will be updated shortly with all of the courses going further into 2019.

In the meantime, to book your place on one of our creative short courses, or to register your interest in the print-making course, please call us on 01246 500 799 or email hello@weststudios.co.uk. We’d love to see you there!

Decades Apart Exhibition

Ahead of the forthcoming exhibition, we had a little chat with Antonia Stanford about the inter-generational showing of ’Decades Apart’ beginning on Monday 8th October.

Kite Surfers, Hoek van Holland by Kate Caine

What is your background/the background of your group?

Every one exhibiting is one of three generations of the extended Stanford family. Some are professional artists, one with an Art degree and one working professionally with wood. Paper, pencils and paint, and cameras have always been part of family holidays. This is the group’s first collective exhibition.

What is the name of the exhibition?

Decades Apart.

What materials have you used to create the work in the exhibition?

Antonia Stanford’s quilts are hand dyed and machine and hand quilted.

Emily Collis works in mixed media including textile, stitch and wire.

Kate Caine works in pastels.

Alistair Collis works in wood.

Chris Caine, Michael and Jessica Stanford are photographers.

The third generation has worked in pen, pencil and paper.

Cubed 3 by Emily Collis

What is the theme for the exhibition/What have you taken inspiration from to create this exhibition?

Antonia Stanford takes inspiration from her garden especially her apple trees.

Emily Collis has always loved the colours and textures found in nature and the formality of arranging objects in grids.  She has combined photography with textiles, layered with stitch, print, wire and objects from nature.

Kate Caine works from life and is interested in what moves in and out of frame, altering as the light and tides change.

Alistair Collis has worked with wood for over 25 years. Using pieces, which would otherwise be discarded, he has created a series of quirky, unique buildings.

Chris Caine is displaying a selection of images chosen for their clear form, precise detail and interesting light.

Michael Stanford has walked in many places and always takes his camera with him. These photographs are all taken in Derbyshire .

Jessica Stanford lives and works in Nepal. She takes the opportunity to travel extensively in the region. In one work she captures the excitement of trekking in the High Himalayas, in the next The  Colours of Cambodia.

What made you chose West Studios when deciding where you should exhibit your work?

Antonia has been part of a group exhibition held there by the Embroiderers’ Guild so already know that we like the nice spaces to display work in, plus the fact that it is local was a bonus.

Peacock Butterfly on Echinacea by Chris Caine

I, for one, am very interested to see how each member of this extended family defines their own artistic identity yet comes together as an artistic whole. Let’s see!

‘Decades Apart’ is showing from Monday 6th October until 24th October 2018.

Hello from our new Coordinator

Hi, my name is Mel Maloney, I am standing in for Hannah Bowdler while she is on Maternity Leave. Being a former tenant of the studios, (artist behind Chesterfield’s ‘Growth’ sculpture and the ‘Spirit of Saltergate’ project) I am so excited to be back here... working amongst lovely people again and getting the opportunity to help with the development and growth of the studios!

Good luck Hannah - it can’t be much longer now!? ;-)

Shop Revamp

We have had a tidy and a move around of our displays to create a more natural flow and better show off all of the wonderful products we have! Come and check it out… including our very cool shelves to display our refreshments - thanks Craig Titley ;-)

The Big Hello!

Every year at Chesterfield College, students are invited to ‘The Big Hello’ to signal the start of the new academic year.

There is a buzz that you can hear, and literally feel, as soon as you turn the corner into The Big Hello. It is an excited and happy noise that vibrates through the Heart Space and into the surrounding corridors. Meeting old friends and making new ones; staff, invited visitors and students mingle around the stalls.

Information, Students Union, volunteering organisations, gift bags, freebies, food, music, clothes and pop-up shops all coming together to give students at Chesterfield College the support and opportunities they need to forge forward with success into their new courses.

Students spill out into the court yard where there is also the fun stuff that makes Chesterfield College a place to make memories, not just an institution where you gain your qualifications. There is a photographer to take your photo with your friends, an inflatable obstacle course and bungee run (much harder than it looks!), glitter make up artists, Peak FM providing the soundtrack, mocktail making, clothing stalls from independent, local businesses. And the food, my goodness! The food! Delicious.

We hope all of the students attending The Big Hello have had a great time and have gained loads of useful information to set themselves up for this 2018/19 academic year. Good Luck with all your studies, and we, at West Studios, hope you have fun too!