We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Gary Mills back to the Somerset Art Works Online Art Group to take us through August and on into the autumn. Gary will be with us for three months, with six exciting new sessions all based around textile art. In August the sessions will also be part of the Somerset Art Works Spinning a Yarn project.
Connecting to our 2024 Somerset Art Weeks Festival theme – Landscape: Flux and Flow, Spinning a Yarn investigates Somerset’s relationship to wool. Wool is not only natural, renewable, biodegradable, and sustainable, but it is also an adaptable craft material. Exploring the heritage, skills and identity of the landscape helps us to not lose touch with just how connected we are to other lifeforms, and to consider how we nurture our future relationship with the countryside.
An exhibition, large scale installation and film, opens in September 2024 at the Somerset Rural Life Museum Glastonbury, with project partners South West Heritage Trust. A programme of events, workshops and talks will also take place and we invite you all to take part at home, with the opportunity to contribute your work to be part of the exhibition.
needlefeltwet felt
We’re so excited for Gary to bring some of the skills and knowledge from this project over into the Online Art Group – August sessions will include needlefelting and wet felting using British wool.
Through September and October we will continue to use our local environment of Somerset, in fauna, floral and landscape, for inspiration and image reference, using different textile approaches including: print and stencilling, applique and simple stitches to represent marks. But of course, as always, we will be breaking the rules by experimenting and playing with mixing media, with less traditional processes and materials.
Somerset Art Works – Online Art Group Running throughout the year, first and third Wednesdays 6.30 – 7.30pm on Facebook Live. Plus recordings to revisit at any time via the Facebook group page – take part at a time that suits you. For Somerset residents – free places available (donations welcome). New members welcome.
Sessions with artist Gary Mills: August: 07, 21 September: 04, 18 October: 2, 16
Contact Emily for more information and bookings admin@somersetartworks.org.uk
A Somerset Art Works Wellbeing Project 