Its been a busy few weeks of discussions and preparations for the forthcoming Open exhibition by Lancashire Artists Network, which we are proudly hosting for the second year. Opening on August 22nd with a Private View from 6-8pm, this years’ exhibition is promising to be even bigger and better than the last, from which we sold a record number of works on the opening night.
20:20 Print Exchange – catch it whilst it lasts!
Don’t miss this opportunity to see and buy any of the 115 original prints on show in this unique new exhibition coming up at Oxheys, opening Wednesday 3rd July 6-8pm.
All prints in the exhibition are will be available to buy for just £10 each, making this a perfect chance to buy original work and, unlike most exhibitions, each print sold can be taken away immediately so when they are gone they are gone! All money raised will be used to support Oxheys Mill Studios and Artlab contemporary print studios, helping local artists to continue working and exhibiting their work in Preston. Please help show your support, come along and bring your friends.
The exhibition continues until August 17th open 11-4 Fridays & Saturdays, whilst prints last – don’t leave it too late.
Continue reading “20:20 Print Exchange – catch it whilst it lasts!”
‘Beyond Appearances’ drawing exhibition
“Good drawing always goes beyond appearances.” Philip Rawson
‘Beyond Appearances’ brings together a variety of artists ranging from the North West, Edinburgh and London, who put great significance on drawing within their practice. Drawing is used by artists to observe, explore, record and respond to the world around them. It helps to create and define an individual visual vocabulary. For many artists drawing is the purest form of expression.
Conversations – and some
Conversations, the recent residency by UCLan MA Fine Art Students, saw a steady number of visitors through our doors, which for the first time were open every day of its duration. Many of those who visited had never been to Oxheys before, some not even knowing we existed, so opening up a brand new audience for us which is always exciting. Continue reading “Conversations – and some”
Conversations: off to a good start
Conversations is a working residency by Jane Bennett, Steph Fletcher, Rob Smith, Nuala Riding, Natalie Morgan and Evelyn Rose, a group of emerging artists who are in the completion stage of their Fine Art: Site and Archive MA at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. The works on show are exploring the ephemeral nature of time, place and memory using a varying range of media.
The projects are being developed over the two weeks of the residency, being hosted by resident artist Evelyn Rose in the Project Space which will be open Mon-Sat 11am-4pm from May 6th to 18th. Coffee, cake and conversation are available throughout the opening times.
The working residency has already got off to a positive start, with a steady stream of visitors taking the opportunity to drop in and participate. providing some invaluable comments and involvement along with samples for the crazy quilt. An appreciative thank you to Tom and Christopher for generating and leading the group discussion relating Block Quilting to the Mondrian division of space and colour. Natalie and Evelyn have started the ball rolling.
Natalie has presented a wall of photographic images that identify her interaction with a specific derelict place over time. A contemporary twist in the romantic ruin tradition, this work finds optimistic beauty in the neglected site.
Evelyn is exploring the connection between objects and memory. This project is textile based as previously hoarded garments are donated and incorporated into a unique contemporary quilt. Visitors are encouraged to develop their own crazy patch (really crazy as it requires no thread).
The private view will be on Thursday 16th 6-8pm which offers another opportunity to hear the Swinging Never-Beans playing live whilst seeing how far the projects have developed during the residency. Light refreshments available.
Conversations – Fine Art: Site & Archive residency
Presented by six artists on the UCLan MA Fine Art: Site & Archive course
Open Six days a week for two weeks
Mon-Sat 11am-4pm from May 6th-May 18th 2013
Private View with the Swinging Never-Beans jazz combo:
Thursday 16th May 6-8pm
A unique opportunity to explore the evolution of six very different MA projects on show at Oxheys. Artists will be on site throughout the opening period. Light refreshments will be available.
New exhibitions currently being planned
Several exciting new events and exhibitions are being planned for 2013, for which dates and details are currently being finalised and will be announced soon. Please watch this space.
Winter exhibition collections
There are still a number of artworks awaiting collection from the Winter exhibition which closed on January 26th. Any artists who still have not collected their work from this exhibition, please arrange to do so as quickly as possible if you have not already made alternative arrangements with us.
As the project space is currently closed, until the next exhibition ‘Vistas’ opens on 14th March, you will need to arrange a time that is mutually convenient when a resident artist is around in the studios.
Thank you for your co-operation. We look forward to welcoming you back to Oxheys again soon.
Dark during February
We decided to ‘go dark’ again for February this year, after the Winter exhibition came down, so the gallery/project space is closed until mid March when the next exhibition opens. Planning, organising, and installing exhibitions is time consuming and as this is done on a voluntary basis, going dark for a few weeks provides a well-earned break for those who do the organising, allowing time to catch up and spend time in our own studios.
It also provides an opportunity to do some essential maintenance work on the building, fill in a few more draughts, get another radiator fitted in the project space (yes, we have two now!) and hopefully, finish decorating the meeting room.
We are also planning to have a hanging system fitted in part of the project space, thanks to the generosity of everyone who bought raffle tickets at the last few private view events. This should make it a lot easier and quicker to install exhibitions but also should look a lot nicer. We hope to have this done soon – watch this space!
The next exhibition opens on 14th March – details will be sent out soon.
Special raffle prize for Winter exhibition
We were thrilled when renowned international artist Lubaina Himid MBE very generously donated one of her paintings as a raffle prize for our Winter exhibition. Professor of Contemporary Art at UCLan, fifty of her paintings featured in the Moments That Matter exhibition at the Harris Museum and on banners in various shopfronts in Preston city centre as part of the NW2012 Cultural Olympiad celebrations during last year.
She has been an ambassador of Oxheys since the start, attending all our events and we are very grateful for her support. Lubaina also curated the Time, Place and Negotiated Space exhibition for International Womens Day 2012 and also collaborated with artist Susan Walsh in the Satellite Navigation exhibition last year.
The raffle was held during the private view of the Winter exhibition on 13th December 2012. All the money raised from the sales of tickets will be used to invest in a hanging system for the project space which will improve facilities for future exhibitions.
The winner of the painting was local artist James Diable. James was thrilled to have won but very nearly didn’t as he had dashed out to find a cash machine in order to buy the tickets, getting back only minutes before the draw was made.
Thanks to everyone who bought tickets – we appreciate your support.