thegallery@theendofthelane: August 2012

Welcome!

Thursday 30 August 2012

What's going on?

Had a meeting last night to discuss the next two exhibitions. Of course the first one is the official opening. We're planning on doing teas (and of course, scrummy home made cakes) as a fund raiser while the exhibition is open on Saturday and Sunday 15th and 16th September 2.30-5.30pm. Posters are being designed as we type and should be out next week.

Secret Postcard Art is a very exciting project. We plan on having at least 50 original art postcards for sale at £5 each, to include a ticket to the party on 6th October, at which you are entitled to a free drink and nibbles! What more can I say...? The copy has all been approved by the charity so postcards are in the process of being printed (thanks Cotswold Marketing Co in Cam for all your help!) We hope to start circulating the postcards by the end of next week so if you'd like to contribute a very small but worthwhile piece of art, or would like to purchase one, please contact me as soon as possible as cards will be limited....

Special thanks to Claire for all her brain waves and hard work yesterday!

Thursday 9 August 2012

Ine Christensen

Simon Richards

Lindsay Hollom

Dani Jones

Triptych: the dark side of the moon Catherine Jones

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Ideas for exhibitions in 2013

We are already taking bookings for 2013. Ideas for exhibitions include an exhibition of children's art, curating a show of "rubbish"- things people would normally throw away but have intrinsic beauty, making the space into a caravan and other tableau and so on....

If you have an idea for an exhibition then please get in contact- this space is for all of us to express ourselves creatively, and to share with others, so I would love to hear from you!

curating exhibition

getting creative....

Some of the "natural" forms on the sculpture trail.

We did it!

The Gallery at the end of the Lane actually opened its doors for the first time this afternoon. Despite the constant rain, the gallery felt light and airy, and the exhibits made reference to the natural world around us, even using many found objects.

Simon created a natural object sculpture trail, following the Cotswold Way- more on this in a separate posting.

A group of us spent a couple of days making art, putting the world to rights and generally chilling out followed by finalising our mini exhibition, which was a try out for the official opening in September.

It was amazing how, once we started curating (that's deciding what to exhibit, how and where to you and me!) the space became so welcoming, enclosing and safe as a place of artistic refuge.

We believe that everyone who visits will love this little gallery and take it to their hearts. The changing exhibitions will provide beauty, challenge, fun and above all art to all people, not just those who can afford to travel to big cities and extravagant venues. It will provide a welcoming environment for those that wish to exhibit in such a space. We are currently taking bookings for 2013 so if you are interested, then please contact me to discuss.

A massive thanks to Josie, Ine, Simon, Dani, Lindsay and Pam and thanks Tricia and everyone's families and friends for supporting us over the last few days and an especially big thank you to Paul, without whom this wouldn't have happened as I might have been the ideas person but I needed someone with the practical skills to make it happen in reality!

Looking for a gallery with a difference?

If you're an artist, and looking for somewhere to exhibit, why not contact us? We are looking for up and coming artists who need a lucky break! It's good on your CV, it's lots of fun, and you get to eat cake! Not bad...... The horsebox is ideal for story telling, an installation, as well as more conventional art forms and we're happy to help you put shelves up if you wish (as long as you put the gallery back to it's original afterwards..)

We look forward to hearing from you soon, or welcoming you to one of this year's exhibitions.

Alison Kirby: About Making Paths

About Making Paths

This residency will look at the people's ways: the paths in the wood. I foresee that this will include an investigation into old records and maps, land use records, parish records. I want to know some history, but also to identify, if I can, individuals crossing the land and using paths to get to work, for church, for family, to play or to court. I want to know how the paths are referred to, if at all. I want to explore classifications, notice anything that differs from today, that jars. How far back I go is a tantalising question: even geological time is relevant, as the shapes of the land and the nature of its earths, stones and rock provide resources- building stone, roof stone, limestone - and dictate the shape, stability and course of paths to them. People carve the paths that the land form allows.

I want to look at the way people make 'ways', and what the routes and paths in the wood mean now, and have meant. Where did they come from? do they link? How did those we have today survive? What called them into being, kept them alive, relevant, useful or necessary? Did they have names? Reputations? Myths and stories about them? Once I have a feel for this, I will respond.

I anticipate making maps, potentially making small installations and drawing individuals. My theoretical paradigm is phenomenological, my active research based in grounded theory made by collecting data using a form of cultural anthropology.

Will I make way-stations, memorialise individuals or specific track histories? Will I make a new use for the network of paths? Will I add a new pursuit or hobby to the walking-for-pastime that may be all the motivation there is to use the paths nowadays? Collect this, build that, provide postboxes and stamps?

Old paths come from old ways of using the land, old rights and accustomed use. Those that have made it onto official records and maps as bridle ways and footpaths have (usually) survived over considerable periods of time. They will have served a number of purposes at any one time, and over time different usages will have come into being. Or have not, and foot traffic will have ceased.

Can paths die?

Linda Davies- artist in Residence

Residency at The Gallery at the End of the Lane, Dursley. 13 July – 19 July 2015

‘Shelter’

Linda Davies, who is completing an MA in Fine Art at present, writes about her residency:

This title has been inspired by the horsebox itself. Fragile and slowly decaying, it does nonetheless provide some shelter from the elements for the creativity that goes on inside it.

I would like to use the horsebox to respond to the idea of shelter, and what it can mean to people in the wider context. I intend to make a cast of the horsebox, and turn it upside down to suggest the shape of a boat. I will make this from simple materials, newspaper and wallpaper paste. The cast will be very fragile, and may in fact disintegrate as it is being made, depending on the weather. This fragility and uncertainty will be part of the response to the idea of shelter.

Event

A picnic will take place on 19th July at lunchtime. Please bring some food and drink if you want to attend!

thegallery@theendofthelane