'MY SUSSEX' exhibitors announced:

The Sussex Photography Project are delighted to be showcasing the photography of Andrew Newson, Simon Courcha, Wendy Pye, James Galpin & Lucy Philips at the first ever 'My Sussex' Photographic Competition & Exhibition to be held at Café Baskerville in Crowborough from 18 September - 02 October 2010.

Along with our exhibitors, we will also be showing work from our competition winners and commended entrants.

Pop in for coffee or lunch and view some great local photography.

'My Sussex' Photography Competition and Exhibition

A reminder that you still have time to get your entry in for the 'My Sussex' photography competition.

The Competition:
There is a £300 compact camera up for grabs amongst other prizes.

The exhibition is run by The Sussex Photography Project and is sponsored by Redbox Cameras.
The exhibition is part of The Crowborough Arts Festival.

For your chance to win great prizes including a high-end digital compact camera worth £300, just submit one photo taken in Sussex that is special to you.

1st, 2nd & 3rd places will receive prizes and their images on display at the exhibition. Up to a further 12 commended images will also be on display.

Just email your photo along with some text about why it’s special to you (no more than 70 words). Please include your full name, telephone number, email address and where the photo was taken. The email address to send to: mysussex@gmail.com
Deadline for entries: 02 Sept 2010

•The competition is free to enter and is open to amateur and professional photographers.
•Please just enter 1 photograph per person.

Full details on how to enter and terms & conditions can be found at the Sussex Photography Project website:
www.sussexphotographyproject.co.uk/my-sussex.html
www.sussexphotographyproject.co.uk/my-sussex-photography-...
If you can’t send your entry by email or you have any other questions, please telephone Andy on 01892 662191.

The exhibition venue is:
Café Baskerville, 6 The Broadway, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 1DF
Date: Saturday 18 September - Saturday 02 October 2010

Community Art Competitions - Have you entered yet?

The Community Art Competitions organised as part of the Festival are still open! So all budding artists, young and not-so-young, why not get out those paints and have a go?

There are three categories for the younger artist: Pre-School/Reception and Yrs 1 & 2/Yrs 3 - 6. We want paintings or drawings from you showing a character or something exciting that happens in your "Favourite Book". There will be prizes and certificates for the best artists and these will be presented by local children's author and illustrator, Jane Hissey.

There are also three categories for the other artists: Yrs 7 - 11/Yrs 12 & 13/Adult. From these artists we are asking for work in any 2-D medium including photography and the theme is "Sussex in Summer" - most appropriate at the moment. Work up to A1 in size, mounted or unmounted, is acceptable but not framed, please. Again, there will be prizes and a presentation at the Festival Launch Night on Friday evening, 17th September.

All artists are asked to put their names, categories and full contact details on the back of their work and hand it in to the Festival Stall at the Farmers' Market on Saturday on 28th August.

The best work will be displayed at the Library in Pine Grove for the whole of the Festival. So - all you budding Picassos and Constables - start painting and be part of the first-ever Arts Festival in Crowborough.

Open Studios and Galleries - Derek Wiles and Stella Wiles

Derek Wiles - Derek is a member of Tunbridge Wells Art Society and of Crowborough Art Society and exhibits regularly with both clubs as well as on his own account. His current exhibition is at 61 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells from Saturday 24th July to Monday 2nd August - opne daily 10 am - 5.30 pm. He is exhibiting along with artists Barbara Fuller and Don Fuller and showing conventional and abstract paintings - including landscapes and flowers - in watercolour, pastel and other media.

Stella Wiles is a member of a weaving guild and will be sharing an Open Studio with Derek to show some of her loom-woven work.

Find them in their Garden Studio at "High Heathers", Beacon Gardens, Crowborough, TN6 1BG. Open 18th, 19th, 24th, 25th and 26th September form 10 am - 5.30 pm.

Both artists may be contacted at delandstelart@btinternet.com

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - Raphael Che

Raphael "Ralph" J. Che - Ralph is a Cameroonian fine artist and film maker. He started drawing at an early age and progressed to painting. In 2001 he represented the University of Buea at the Cameroon National Festival of Arts and Culture and here won the Gold Medal in painting in 2008.

The self-taught artist is a surrealist who's style remains classical and his paintings communicate his recreation of day-to-day life on the canvas. "I take it as an opportunity to learn about a person and to tell a story - on their essence, where they have been, the image they project. I set out to create a record of someone's whole being, not just their physical likeness, through a beautiful and well-composed work of art".

Ralph moved to the UK in 2009 where he completed the Spring Term Painting Course at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London. He has also exhibited in Australia, the USA, Nigeria and the UK.

He has his own personal label - ABO-YE-FI (The Black Hand) and he does great portraits to order! He is looking forward to the Crowborough Arts Festival with much excitement. "The organisers have been working really hard and I believe it will be a great success."

Ralph will be exhibiting some of his work alongside Michael Horner and Catherine Woodman at the Community Church, Beacon Road, Crowborough on 18th, 19th, 24th, 25th and 26th September between 11 am - 6 pm. Call in for a warm welcome.

Ralph's website is http://www.aboyefi-fineart.co.uk/

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - Hazel Dorehill

Hazel Dorehill - Hazel is a watercolour artist living in Crowborough. She says "My love for painting grew from a hobby taken up following retirement. I find it very relaxing and winning two awards from different art societies has given me the incentive to carry on. I particularly enjoy watercolour as a medium and this has resulted in my exhibition paintings which illustrate a variety of subjects including landscape and still life".
Find Hazel at "Timberside", 8 Pinewood Chase, Crowborough, TN6 1TY on 25th - 26th September. She will be open from 11 am - 4 pm both days. You can contact Hazel at hazelmaureen@timbersideplus.com

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - Pippa Long

Pippa Long - Pippa is a local artist working in watercolour, pencil and pen and ink. She took a foundation course in Art and Design at Brighton Polytechnic before working for 15 years as a Graphic Designer. Now, a mum of three, she is building a portfolio and concentrating on her paintings and drawings. Her work is realistic and features flora and fauna. She welcomes commissions of pets, homes, etc.

Pippa is exhibiting with Holly, one of her three daughters, who is showing her handmade beaded jewellery and cards.

Pippa and Holly will welcome you to 4 Verralls Cottages, Pilmer Road, Crowborough TN6 2UF on 25th - 26th September from 11 am - 4 pm.

Pippa may be contacted at pippalong@hotmail.com or on 01892-668469.

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - Mary Bradley

Mary Bradley - Mary is a popular local artist who exhibits regularly in the area. She says "I moved to Crowborough from Cambridgeshire in 1996 and worked in Tunbridge Wells until retirement in 2002. I joined the Tunbridge Wells Art Society in the summer of that year and, later, the Crowborough Arts Society. I exhibit regularly with both clubs and also at the Pantiles Open Air Exhibition each year. I have now added Lingfield and Alfriston to my regular shows. Twelve of my paintings were purchased by the Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne in 2007.

For the last two years I have organised a running exhibition for local artists in Crowborough Hospital to raise money for the League of Friends. So far 92 paintings have been sold and a total of £1,280 raised for the hospital.

I enjoy painting local scenes but also love flowers, wildlife, boats and portraits. I am looking forward to opening my Garage Gallery for both Festival weekends."

Mary's Gallery will be open from 11 am - 4 pm on 18th/19th and 25th/26th September at 3 Swift Close, Crowborough, TN6 1UN.

You can contact Mary on alandmbradley@fsmail.net or on 01892-653556

Community Art Competitions Extended!

The Community Art Competitions planned to involve more Crowborough people - young and not so young - in the Festival are still open! So - all you leisure painters and young Picassos - start painting now!
There are three categories for children - Pre-school/Reception and Yrs 1 &2/Yrs 3 - 6. The theme is "My Favourite Book" and we want paintings or drawings maximum size A3 showing perhaps one of the characters or a bit of the story. There are prizes and certificates for the best entries and these will be presented by the children's author and illustrator, Jane Hissey, who is famous for her "Old Bear" stories.
There are also three categories for Secondary School and Adults - Yrs 7-11/Yrs 12 & 13/Adult. Your theme is "Sussex in Summer" - which couldn't be more appropriate at the moment! Give us work in any media including photography to a maximum size of A1. Prizes for the best entries will be presented at the Festival Launch Night on Friday 17th September.
If you want to enter, write your name, category and contact details on the back of your picture and hand it in to the Arts Festival Stall at the Farmers' Market on Saturday 28th August.

Open Gardens - Fund Raising Event

Something for all garden lovers! On Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th July, thirteen varied and beautiful gardens in Tubwell Lane and Clackhams Lane, Jarvis Brook, Crowborough will be opened to the public as part of a fund-raising effort for the Festival. Supported by Millbrook Garden Company, visitors are invited to park at the Garden Centre in Tubwell Lane from where they may purchase their map of the easy route round all the gardens and receive a voucher for a FREE cup of tea or coffee at the GreenCafe. All this for only £5 per adult with children entering free of charge! There will also be a treasure hunt for the children and a prize donated by Millbrook Garden Company. Recent rain will have refreshed everything and you have a horticultural treat in store. Don't miss it!

Open Studios - Jenny Meyrick and Crowborough Creative Arts Group

Crowborough Creative Arts Group starts its third year on 1st October, meeting at the Main Hall, All Saints Church, Chapel Green on Fridays from 9.45 am until noon. The group was started by local ceramicist, Jenny Meyrick and her aim is to expand her members' art experience into areas they may have not tried before. So far, members have experimented with painting, collage, ceramic work, sculpture, textiles, stitchery, mosaics, wire and textile sculpture, wood-carving and felt work - and much more is on the horizon.

Jenny - HND Creative Visual Arts - works in mixed media including textiles and ceramics and her work, along with a wide selection from members of the CCAG, will be on display at 15 Springhead Way, Crowborough TN6 1LR during both Festival weekends 18th - 19th and 25th 26th September from 11 am - 4 pm. This Studio will offer visitors a feast of exciting and varied art and craft work in an outside workshop and in the garden. Anyone wanting any more information about the event or her group should contact Jenny at jendt@tiscali.co.uk

Music on a Summer Night

This fund-raising concert attracted an audience of almost one hundred people and everyone enjoyed a great evening listening to the glorious voices of Jacqueline Evill and Angela Vernon Bates accompanied on piano by Christopher Harris. It was an extremely successful event as a fund-raiser and thanks are given to the United Church for hosting the concert, the artists for giving their services fee of charge, the organisers and all their helpers, the generous donors of raffle prizes and, most of all, the audience who made the whole thing worthwhile. Hope to see you all again soon!

Photography exhibition secures headline sponsor!

We are really delighted to welcome Redbox Cameras of Tunbridge Wells as our headline sponsor of the 'My Sussex' photographic exhibition and competition.

Redbox will also be providing the 1st prize for the photographic competition, a very generous £300 high-end compact digital camera.

Competition details will be announced very very soon, so stay tuned for that.

'My Sussex' Photographic exhibition
Café Baskerville - Saturday 18 September - Saturday 02 October 2010
Part of the Crowborough Arts Festival.

Open Studios and Garage Galleries - "World In Need"

Here is the first of the Open Studios that will feature in the Festival.

"World In Need" is a local charity started in 1991 by Ron and Nan George, a Crowborough couple who, having worked overseas and seen for themselves the suffering and hardship resulting from ongoing conflicts throughout the world, decided to do something to help.

Mark Aldrich, Operations Manager, tells us about their current work with young artists in Afghanistan. "They attend the Child Care Centre in Kabul which is run by local volunteer, Jihanne Niazmand. In this place of safety and learning the children - aged between 6 and 14 - many of whom have lost family in the fighting, can experience the joy and therapeutic benefit of oil painting under the supervision of Ali Khan. Some children show remarkable talent and many of their paintings reflect scenes from their homelands."

Over half of the money raised from the sale of the paintings goes directly back to the Centre and is used as an investment in the children's lives. The programme has recently seen its first success with Hamida who has been offered a place on a teacher training course specialising in art at Kabul university. The same is true about the handwoven Persian rugs made by women widowed in the conflict. The overall aim of the programme - and the Charity - is to help people like these find a way to sustain themselves by their own efforts and regain belief in their abilities to survive and prosper.

"World In Need" will be opening its offices at Trinity Hall, Mill Crescent, Crowborough TN6 3BD (off Park Road/Croham Road) for an exhibition and sale of paintings, rugs and other craft items for the whole of the Festival week 18th - 26th September Mon - Fri 9 am - 5 pm: Saturdays 10 am - 3 pm: Sundays 11 am - 3 pm.
Examples of the work can be seen on their website http://www.worldinneed.co.uk/ and any enquires will be welcomed by Mark at info@worldinneed.co.uk

Festival at the Town Fair

Crowborough Town Fair
Goldsmiths Park, Saturday 17th July

Come along and meet us at the Crowborough Arts Festival stall at Goldsmiths on Saturday 17th July.

We will have information about all Festival events and tickets available for most of the shows and kids can join Cathy to make birds!

If anyone is coming to the Fair and who might be able to help on the stall during the afternoon , please get in touch with Ally Cook on 01892 662673

See you there

Open Studios and Garage Galleries

We have a host of exciting artists, professional and otherwise, planning to open their studios and home galleries to the public at various times over the Festival period. An amazing selection of work will include paintings over a wide range of subjects in oils, watercolour, pastel, charcoal and pencil - collage - lino prints - fused glass - jewellery - weaving and textiles - felted work - ceramics, mosaics and sculpture of all kinds - wood carving - furniture - and art and craft from overseas. Wow!

Find out later who these talented local artists are when they are introduced to you on this Blog.