August Craft Month- Open Studio and more..

August Craft month has well and truly started and it seems like a good time to get caught up. My contribution this year is taking part in two group exhibitions, an artist talk and an open studio at the end of the month.

It’s been a strange old year as for most of it I’ve had a bit of creative exhaustion after pushing hard with work through the pandemic. Although I’ve still been making, painting and creating it’s been a bit of a struggle but now I’m feeling I’m getting back into the flow of things properly.

As part of this I’m having an open studio on Saturday the 27th of August, 12pm- 6pm at 69 Craigdarragh Road, Helens Bay, County Down, Northern Ireland . My studio is at my aunt and uncles house there and the studio is located at the old garages down the right hand side of the house. I’ll be showing jewellery, original paintings, silversmithing objects and my illustration work in prints and cards and be happy to talk about what I do and how I do it.

Last Thursday night Craft NI’s Craft Showcase exhibition opened, with guest curator Daniella Wells in attendance. I was delighted to have a set of pieces – Sprung Vessel and Spoon selected for inclusion and even more pleased to come away with a prize for Highly Commended work. Especially pleasing given the quality of maker I was showing beside. It’s an excellent show and I’d recommend a visit, there os also the chance to see Northern Ireland’s selected Craft Heroes as well with works by Michael McCrory, Seliena Coyle, Jack Doherty, Cara Murphy and Alison Lowry in the gallery.

Finally for now I also have a series of Hinterlands structures in Adornment at R-Space Gallery in Lisburn with the ACJSNI collective. It’s a jewellery based show investigating our connection and relationship with linen through material language, historic investigation and process. Nine makers from different backgrounds are showing with a really strong, broad range of work. Contact the gallery for further details as there are artists talks, and a workshop available.

I’ll be updating my online stores in the coming weeks and I’ll keep you up to date with further irregular news letters. Thanks for reading , Stu.