2018 Cover to Cover

From November 2017 to May 2018, twenty four Open Studios artists of various disciplines from West Berkshire and North Hampshire are working in their sketchbooks. This year we are not exchanging them, each artist is following and developing their theme privately.

The overarching themes were proposed as starting points by our host, the West Berkshire Museum:

Collecting and Value, Photographs (and drawings), Maps, Pattern and Detail, Purpose, Messages, Feathers and Fur and Cabinets of Curiosity.

Cabinet of Curiosities at West Berkshire Museum

Newbury Map by Katherine Kingdon

Messages exploration by Angela Hugget Willis

Each artist was given a sketchbook book to work on by pasting, cutting, painting, drawing, in short, transforming it and exploring the given theme as they saw fit.  The artists were free to develop their themes in any direction they wished according to their understanding and practice and interacting with members of their group.  Group sizes varied and each group of artists will provide a small surprising output to give back to the museum on their chosen theme.

Artists taking part are: Wendy Lloyd, Ben Norman, Vivian Pare, Charles Burns, Isabel Carmona, Pam Hardman, Katherine Kingdon, Kirstie Dedman, Lenny Cornforth, Yvonne de Savigny, Christine King, Mary Eighteen, Diana Barraclough, Valentina Tikhonova, Hilary Arnold-Baker, Arty Pumpkin, Angela Hugget Willis, Jane Baikie, Julia Kellaway, Lone Hudson, Sarah Scott, Lorna Goldsmith, Joan Millard and Rosemary Derwent.

Messages by Angela Hugget Willis

During May 2018 you can come and see the result of this innovative collaborative project, and browse calmly through all the participating sketchbooks on display. Enjoy the richness of exploration and inspiration created by the artists.