Monthly Edit - April

This month, Chibesa, our excellent Work Experience student has photographed and written the words for our Monthly Edit. Let’s find out her take on the items I have chosen for you this month.

April this year is presenting to you a seasonal collection of unique items that are bound to add something unique to your decor for this fast approaching Easter. As it has been for most monthly edits now, this display has been put together by our lovely Emma. So why don’t you pop-in, have a chat, look around and then try to resist buying anything from such a wide variety of items. You’re bound to find something for anyone and everyone, whether it’s for you, your children, parents or why not a neighbour?

The Full Edit

Let’s start straight down the middle with the thing that stands out the most. This Jute Bag by Jo’s Crafts and Bags. It’s simplicity makes it wearable with anything (and it makes for a nice decoration too). Doesn’t this make you want to go on a nice picnic? Or this could be great for an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids!

Hare Hanger by Fiona Gypsy Bunting, £12

Above we have this original, very meaningful, Tree of Life Hare by Fiona Gypsy Bunting. Everyone needs something like this in their home! Whether it’s to uplift you and to remind yourself of all the beautiful things in life or whether you’re trying to embrace a fresh start on a new chapter of your life. The Tree of Life incorporated into the hare represents only positive things so it can only do good to have this around.

Tree of Life Necklace (Hallmarked Silver) by Kate Singleton £45

Tying into the image before is this Tree of Life necklace by Kate Singleton made extra special using Russian Amazonite to represent the leaves that bring the necklace to life.

Floral Swallow Necklace by Beams and Bobbins, £9

Bunny Mug by Drawn with a Pencil, £7.45

This very detailed rabbit mug by ‘Drawn With A Pencil’ represents this colourful season where all the beautiful tulips and peonies bloom. However, I wouldn’t advise letting your rabbit near flowers, especially not tulips unless you don’t mind having your garden devoured.

Bunny Pencil Case, Jo’s Crafts and Bags, £5

A cute pencil case by Jo’s Crafts and Bags, great for school or even just some of your essentials to carry around with you on a wonderful day of Spring.

White Mug with Platinum Crosses, Peter Swailes, £15

You can’t go wrong with this Peter Swailes mug. Why you might wonder, well because it can fit into any occassion for anyone. It can be used for its intended purpose or you can get creative with it and use it as a flower pot for example. This will surely add some edge to your home!

Aries Zodiac Banner (SOLD, other signs available), Petit BooChe, £12

Congrats, you’ve almost made it to the end. Well, hang in there because you’re not going to want to miss this! Up next is this Zodiac Banner by Petit BooChe. This simple hand-stitched design would be a great gift for any star sign. It’s simple and gets the point across.

Bee Plaque, Sombrero Printmaking, £12

Last but not least is Sombrero Printmaking’s Bee plaque. Celebrate the return of the busy little bees with this handmade piece hanging in your hive.

As always with our items in the Gallery Shop, most of these are one off’s or totally unique. Drop us a line if anything takes your fancy here.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be closed for Easter from 19th -23rd April, inclusive.

April Newsletter

Hello April! Hello New Website!

We begin British Summertime by being able to tell you about our fantastic, new look website! You'll still be able to find out all the information you need and want but we have some new features that will help you to keep up to date with what we're doing, who we're seeing, what we're selling and, more importantly,  how you can be a part of all that. Have a look by clicking here...

We have begun the planning process for our creative short courses for next year. We will be running Silversmithing, Ceramics, Video Editing, Visual Effects, Studio Photography, Photoshop, Printmaking and Clothing Making & Design. Click here to find out more.

Whatever your event West Studios offers a contemporary and relaxed environment for any occasion. Throughout our meeting rooms you have access to free Wi-Fi, projectors and an interactive screen. Ideal for any event, all three of our spaces can be booked out and provide a natural flow from one room to another. Click here to view.

Did you know that S40 Local magazine (and sister publication, S41 Local) are published here at West Studios? S40 is celebrating 10 years since it began this month! Simon Patteson, editor of S41 Local interviewed Paul Chapman to find out how he did it and what the future holds. Find the interview here.
Fantastic illustration by Hannah Bluish.

More news from our Tenants; Jonathon of Petit BooChe will be at 'The Family Showcase' event with his beautiful, handmade felt toys and nursery decor. It is being held at The Roundhouse in Derby on 14th April. There will be up to 100 stallholders both indoors and outdoors, selling a variety of unique products for all the family. Pop down and have a look! More information here.

The Almost Complete History of the Theatre
'Celebration'.

The Pomegranate Youth Theatre and Gekkota Arts help to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Pomegranate Theatre, which also happens to be Shakespere's birthday!
Using characterisation, improvisation, devising, voice and storytelling techniques, our young actors have created new scripts for this unique showcase.l
Tuesday 23rd April
7.30pm.
Tickets £12.

Competition Time! Tenants S41 Local and Helen Rowan Photography are running a competition for you to win a Bluebells mini-shoot with Helen! 

Time to get creative ... well if you're under 10 that is!

Be sure to enter the competition as featured in the April edition of S40 & S41 Local to win a fantastic Bluebell Photoshoot with Helen Rowan Photography

Check out the video below for details and be sure to get your entries in by Friday 26 April.

Happy snapping.

Here is a link to the video for more information.

The search is on for the Young Artist of the Year 2019. Click the link below if you know any talented young artists who would welcome the chance to have their work exhibited as part of our Arts Festival being held at West Studios.

For more information, click here.

March Newsletter

Image from Migrant Journey, Border Control

Hello March!

We’ve got a quick round up of the going’s on at West Studios. As always we‘re really busy - today, we have Ian Judson from Killamarsh Arts & Minds setting up his imminent exhibition. I am absolutely blown away by the volume of work and how emotive the pictures and sculptures are. I cannot wait for this exhibition to open as I think it will speak to a lot of people. We have an interview on our website with Ian - click here to read it.

Migrant Journey, Border Control runs from 8th March until 29th March.

The Recital Room in College has had a refurb!

We are letting people know that they are able to hire it out for events, performances, film showings and dance shows. What else can you bring to our venue?

To book a viewing and get a quote, please contact either Joby or Annie on (01246)500799 or email us on hello@weststudios.co.uk. Alternatively, we have our Contact Page here.

Our Recital Room is ready for your event.

2 week, Photography Short Course, £60

Creative Courses

Get those creative juices flowing with our Studio Photography Course. This two week short course starts on Monday 18th March and continues on the following Monday. In it, you can gain a greater understanding of your camera or learn right from scratch. Your tutor will take you through topics such as shutter speed and white balance. The workshop will also go through aperture, ISO Exposure and Studio lighting.

All you will need is a notebook and a USB stick to save your photos on. All other equipment can be provided but you’re more than welcome to bring your own camera. This course costs just £60.

For more information and to book a place on this, please email hello@weststudios.co.uk

New Stockists Coming Soon!

We have some beautiful new items in our Gallery Shop and we also have some on their way!

Cognissart are already selling here. Alison Wake brings us scenes that we all know and adore, from around the Peak District - but she embroiders them - what a talent!

Keep an eye out on our Instagram and Facebook pages for announcements of new stockists.

Youth Theatre

Gekkota Arts/Pomegranate Youth Theatre have had a successful performance of their play, ‘Salt’ by Dawn King at the beginning of this month. They will also be performing it at the Crucible Studio Theatre on Wednesday 27th March at 7pm. Why not buy a ticket?

If you have any questions about events, room hire, short courses, items in our Gallery Shop, our tenants and their work, please just drop us a line here and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Wishing you all the best! See you soon!

Monthly Edit - March

Lets get straight to it… IT IS MOTHER’S DAY ON 31st MARCH! Consider this your fair warning!

I have selected some more unusual gift ideas for you to celebrate your lovely Mum.. partner, sister, grandma… this month. Let’s have a look…

The Full Edit

The theme is ‘Spring-time Colour’. I’ll take you through the items from left to right.

Handmade art doll, by Dolls with Attitude, £38

Here we have, Rita. She is beautifully stitched by Jane of Dolls with Attitude. Being an art doll, she isn’t for young children as she is jointed with small buttons. Don’t you just love her hair?

Next to her, there is a bright and beautiful ‘Flutterby’ by Emma Louise Made These. Made from fabric origami on an embroidery hoop, these will bring colour to your home through out the year.

‘Flutterby’ by Emma Louise Made These, £20.

Also seen: Laser Cut Coaster by Bec Ashford, £4.99

Bec Ashford’s work is evocative of the henna designs that she creates on her clients. The swirling patterns and motifs are both intriguing and soothing.

Laser cut coasters and keyrings in a variety of styles by Bec Ashford, from £4.99

‘Spring’ Cushion by Rollerdog, currently reduced to £13.

Rollerdog designs fantastic fabric to create these fantastic faux-suede cushions. Soft, squidgy and incredibly tactile, this is actually the last cushion we have in this design! Hurry! Come and get it! (Did I mention it is also reduced?!)

‘Home Sweet Home’ Upcycled Plate by PIxie Drew, £10

Many of us feel like ‘Home’ is where Mum is, hey? This sweet plate has been ‘funkified’ (yes, that is a word!) by Pixie Drew for a modern slant on an age old motto. All of our Pixie Drew plates are hand written so all are totally unique - just like your Ma!

Loads of cards! Prices range from £2.50 - £3.00

Bestest Mum Ever Trophy, Death by Tea, £2.50, There’s No Place Like Home Print, Jemma Banks, £20 or £32 framed, Tea Solves Most Problems, Death by Tea, £2.50, You Deserve A Medal, Death by Tea, £2.50, You Are A Magical Creature, Duck & Peach, £3.00, There’s No Place Like Home, Duck & Peach, £3.00, Pug Love, The Illustrated Wisp, £2.75, Heart Bouquet, Tilly Fudge, £2.50

As always, most of these items are unique or one offs so if you would like to reserve anything from this edit, please just call us on (01246)500799 or email us on hello@weststudios.co.uk

Also, a shout out to my little helpers… Thank you, Ladybirds!

A Quick Chat with Ian Judson Ahead of his Exhibition, 'Migrant Journey, Border Control'.

Before each exhibition, I really like to meet with the artist to find out a bit about them, what inspires them and how their exhibition came about.

Ian Judson of Killamarsh Arts and Minds is a regular face at West Studios with his work within the community and bringing us items to sell in our Gallery Shop. It has been fascinating but also humbling to find out more about his incredible journey of self-discovery and struggles with his own mental health.

For more information on the exhibition, click here.

Hello Ian! Could you tell us the name of your exhibition?

Migrant Journey, Border Control.

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

Material used- Plywood sheeting, mount board sheets, oil pastels, permanent felt tips, highlighters, acrylic paints, chalk, photo copied photos from previous works for backgrounds, architect plans, copying machine for A1 black and white images. Sculptors- recycled materials e.g. cardboard, paper, plaster etc.

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

The theme for the exhibition is to look into the simplicity of the images to find your own thoughts and story; to feel the pain, the journey risking their lives, the unexpected, suffering, lost souls, lost identities to lose family and friends, desperation to find a new home and safety, hope at the border controls and, if accepted, into a new world and life… Is their real journey just about to start?

Being a lost soul and lost identity in my own way within mental illness for many years, wandering and out of sanity and mental health hospital wards. People looking like lost souls, lost identity not wanted by many. I became the same. These lost souls became the most special family I have ever had at the time. Some of us thankfully survived to find some of the wellbeing and recovery. My eyes were opened forever. I now look at life in such a different way hence the voluntary work I now do. The workshop community we now run is so many people’s sanctuary. 

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

I chose West Studios because in our community wellbeing and art therapy workshop, named Art and Minds, myself and dear friend Barry (a fellow artist with a history of acute depression) supported and helped to run a mental health recovery clinic with Chesterfield NHS Mental Health Occupation Therapists that was based at West Studios for six weeks last year.

When I first took ill having a breakdown 20 years ago, I started my own journey to recovery by being supported by the Hartington Mental Health Wing Art Occupational Therapist to attend the west block art college (now West Studios) on a mature student 2 year access course. Eventually, I did Fine Art Sculpture at Sheffield Hallam Uni. The tutors and staff were brilliant with such caring friendships and they still are. This became the first start of my recovery drive over the future years. To be back and support West Studios is an amazing privilege.

I realise now when developing my art and expressing myself through the teachings at West Studios, it has helped big time in saving my life. I owe Chesterfield Art College so much.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to tell us about?

Yes our community workshop in Killamarsh Art and Minds, has many ongoing projects to support others with mental health, social isolation and loneliness. Our new project, which we have already started, is to encourage our volunteers who enjoy artwork to have exhibitions and selling their works in the West Studio gallery. One volunteer has already started an art foundation course in the main art college.

We try to help build their self-esteem, motivation and confidence, to support them eventually having a possible career in art. We couldn’t do this without West Studios team. If we all work together, care, listen and understand, we all are on the right path. Thankyou.

An example of work from Ian’s imminent exhibition, ‘Migrant Journey, Border Control’.

If you would like to find out more about Ian’s work with Arts & Minds, S41Local magazine has a brilliant article. Find it here.

This exhibition will be on from 8th March until 29th March. We request that visitors call West Studios ahead of viewing to make sure you can have access to all the rooms that the work is displayed in. Our number is (01246)500799 and our email address is hello@weststudios.co.uk