‘Through magical doors’ Exhibition in Oxford
3-5 and 10-11 May, 11am-6pm
Welcome to a world of imagination with endless possibilities, where you journey to a land of magical creatures, swirls of colours and texture.
We are a group of three artists exhibiting together: jeweller Chloe Romanos, painter Karina Tarin (richly coloured oil paintings of goddesses, myth, magic and wildlife, influenced by storytelling, myth, opulence, nature and Renaissance art) and ceramist Lucy Ballard ( wheel thrown functional stoneware, decorated with colourful oxides using free handed brushstrokes, everyone is different ).
Heritage Crafts Exhibition, in Coleshill
14-18 May, 11am-5pm
As part of Oxfordshire Artweeks a selection of craftspeople will be exhibiting within the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre at Coleshill, showcasing a range of traditional crafts with a modern twist, from bellows to basketry, jewellery, clay sculptures and more. There will be a chance to meet and discuss with individual makers, as well as purchase unusual and beautiful handcrafted items.
GOLDSMITH JEWELLERY ARTIST CHLOE ROMANOS
Chloe is a French jewellery designer and maker. She hand-crafts all her creations from her home studio in Stanford in the Vale.
She works with precious materials, sterling silver, gold and gemstones, using traditional silversmithing techniques. Her work focuses on crafting unique statement jewellery and it is part of her inspiration process that most of her creations are one of a kind. They are like little messages or poems to wear or to offer to someone.
Her designs are influenced by her interest in archaeological treasures (in particular their textured and weathered look), her fascination for wings and feathers, as well as inspiring places she has travelled to and poems she has read. She also created a special Collection dedicated to Coleshill:
‘Coleshill’ Collection
A Jewellery Collection based on the memory of a grand house and its secrets.
FORAGED FIBRE, BASKETRY & TEXTILES ARTIST HELEN PAKEMAN
Helen’s practice is multi-disciplinary. She experiments with a wide variety of materials and media, through two and three dimensions. Through textiles and basketry, with a special interest in foraged fibres, her work sits at the intersection between fine art and craft.
She makes in order to understand the world and her place within it. Deep concerns about the environment and the fragility of our ecosystems drive her practice. Ideas of ‘abundance’ and ‘absence’, and the disparity between what we unknowingly had, and what has now been lost. Her aim is to communicate her own sense of growing dismay and perhaps help to provoke action as a result.
FIRESIDE BELLOWS MAKER ANNE MILLS
Anne hand crafts bellows to create unique, attractive, practical fireside accessories. This heritage craft is also a rare form of woodworking and leatherwork. Her creations are sought as fine additions to a fireplace, wood burner or personal décor.
Inspired to make something practical while warmly appealing, Anne looks specifically for interesting grain patterns, knots or unusual characteristics in woods for each bellows to make an individual statement. Soft leathers are chosen to complement the beautiful English hardwoods.
Using traditional methods and tools, Anne spends dedicated time on each bellows – no production line found here! The bronzed nozzle, designed by her and manufactured in her own village, adds a more contemporary stylish touch. Each matching tack is carefully tapped in before reaching the last satisfying task of polishing with her own blend of wax and oil to bring the wood to life.
Finally, huge ongoing inspiration comes from the responses when people see, stroke the smooth polished wood and pick up Anne’s distinctive bellows.
CLAY SCUPLTURE & LEATHERWORK ARTIST SALLY BARNES
Sally spent more than 35 years as a Master Saddler and Harness maker, latterly specialising in making leather luggage and other smaller artefacts.
After retiring, Sally has used sculpture and design to explore the possibilities of leather, in all its many forms and finishes, to enhance sculpture and art. This is the start of a journey from traditional leather use to the experimental and, more recently, creating clay sculptures.
Cloelea Jewellery 