We are thrilled to welcome two new artists to Oxheys Mill Studios – Preston-based artists Evelyn Rose and Simon Plum each came to submit work for the open exhibition, were intrigued by what we were doing and fell in love with the space. It did not take long before first Evelyn and then Simon asked to come and have a look around.
Evelyn said “it was love at first sight” when she first came to Oxheys – in fact she stayed all afternoon and helped with the hand-ins she was so taken with it. She came back again to help the following day, bringing all sorts of items for us. It was a similar story with Simon, who came back later on the hand-in day with some lamps for us and then again with another artist who wanted to submit work. Evelyn also provided her gazebo for the Open Exhibition Preview evening and various other items to brighten the place up a bit.
First to come back and have a look around, Evelyn immediately ‘bagged’ a space on the first floor consisting of a small enclosed room and open area near the top of the conveyor and opposite Lisa’s studio, as she felt this would provide an ideal space in which to work and for quiet study. Simon then chose another first floor space, alongside Lisa, which he also plans to keep as an open studio to maximise the space and light. There is just one space left upstairs now and quite a few artists have shown interest in it.
Both Evelyn and Simon have now met our landlord and have started moving in and creating their respective studios. Last we saw Evelyn, she was elbow deep in polyfilla and white paint getting her space ready.
The dynamic has already changed and whilst there is still much work to do, with five pairs of hands instead of three, it will no doubt become easier and less time consuming. We have only really scratched the surface of this project but watch this space.