We have been very busy at Oxheys over the past few weeks – although closed to the public, we have still been there working hard, trying to finish off some of the jobs that still needed doing. It’s tough when we can see all of things that we’d like to do in the mill but trying to fit the time in around jobs and our work as artists is sometimes difficult.
Our priority was to finish off the projects space/gallery with another coat of paint on the walls and also to repaint the floor. Whilst we did do it when we first moved in, it was done quickly and after six months it was clear it needed doing again. So off we went to buy more paint, polyfiller and other materials, with a few weeks to get the job done.
Lauretta, our newest artist when we started, got her initiation by painting the walls in the stairwell down to the basement. This area hadn’t been done previously due to lack of time but now there was the chance to do it properly and smarten it up. She has done a cracking job which has made a real difference. Julie, Hannah and Denise all helped paint all of the project space walls with another couple of coats of a better quality paint this time, so hopefully it will last a bit longer. Evelyn, who was recovering from surgery, cleaned the leather sofas and kept us plied with brews and buns and lifted our spirits and persuaded a friend to paint the upstairs bathroom and fix the plasterboard wall on the ground floor. Norma who only joined part way through these renovations was thrown in a the deep end as well and helped Simon to repaint the entire project space floor – that was a huge task and they have both done a sterling job, it just looks so much better.
So, we are just about ready to start the installation for the International Women’s Day exhibition – it will be great to see the project space filled with art again after being bare for so many weeks.