To celebrate the centenary of the Royal British Legion we have LEST, an exhibition in The Milking Parlour Gallery, kicking off with a BIG BAND NIGHT on the 25th September.

The exhibition, in association with The Stalbridge History and Archive Societies, will show the local area around the period when the Royal British Legion was formed.

The British Legion was formed on 15th May 1921, bringing together four national organisations of ex-Servicemen that had established themselves after the First World War.

The first ever Poppy Appeal was also held that year. The poppies sold out almost immediately and raised over £106,000; a considerable amount at the time. This money was used to help WW1 veterans with employment and housing.

As a result of the war, Britain’s economy plummeted and in 1921 there were two million people unemployed.

Over six million men had served in the war. Of those who came back, 1.75 million had suffered some kind of disability and half of these were permanently disabled.

Then there were those, depending on those, who had gone to war – the wives and children, widows, and orphans, as well as the parents, who had lost sons in the war, on whom they were often financially dependent.

The Royal British Legion was established to care for those who had suffered as a result of service during the First World War and they have been helping the Armed Forces community and their families ever since.

This exhibition and Big Band Evening is an opportunity for the community to celebrate the existence of the RBL in our town; and to look back and remember, learn about and understand the time in which it was formed.

www.britishlegion.org.uk

Deanne Tremlett

“…..these paintings, the bewitching, sublime and complex responses they evoke. Like a satisfying debate, they start by tempting and luring me in with paint and light, consolidate by playing out the theatrical psychological drama, and then finish with the need to return the gaze. Visceral, physical and perfectly disturbing.'”

Cliff Free

Deanne  will be working in the gallery space throughout the exhibition and you are welcome to come and observe,  get involved or paint alongside her. For more information on this, or to book yourself in for a slot,  email the artist.

coping. In association with the Dorset History Centre, Guggleton Farm Arts ran a four week journaling project; looking forward to the easing of restrictions as they come; backward to the personal journey we have each made in the last year; and to take a beat to take stock of all we are feeling right now, in the same four weeks…..

Alongside the exhibition of these journals is a selection of work from artists who have all previously exhibited with Guggleton focussing on pieces produced by them during lockdown.

coping. will take a look into the minds of these makers, during a time when we all could do with focussing upon self and wellbeing…and allow us to ‘check in with our chums’.

The exhibition will run from the 23rd of July up until the 21st of August, in the Milking Parlour, Tues-Sat, 11-3.

It is interesting to consider that it was not until the 1970s, an era of expanding social awareness, that the historian, Richard Collier, made an effort to compile letters written way after the fact about the human cost and suffering endured in the UK during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918.
Many people will tell you that we live in very different times to then, with the mushrooming of social media providing a voice for anyone living through the COVID pandemic. Stories and tragedies can be found anywhere you care to look. Are they, though, enough of a representation of the social and emotional change many have experienced? Are they, or can they ever be, an intimate enough snapshot of living through an unprecedented moment in human history? How can we, as individuals, preserve for the future the knowledge we have gained about ourselves, our society and our dreams. Can we adequately expect top line figures to preserve for history the experience of losing a loved one without the chance to say goodbye?
How simple could it be for us now, in these tantalising last months before a return to ‘normality’, to set down our own individual thoughts, experiences, observations, hopes, wishes, dreams, revelations and inevitable hardships and heartaches?
How quickly, once something close to normality does return, will we forget how we watched nature flourish, how much a short walk everyday helped us notice the seasons more, how to knit one; pearl one, how simple things brought so much pleasure, how much we missed the in-laws and quite how irritating daytime television is? How soon will we again be dissing our keyworkers?

Jack is Back!

For just this week we are delighted to, albeit briefly, be able to showcase the work of recent Arts University Bournemouth Illustration BA graduate, and local, Jack Parsons.

It is a consequence of recent lockdowns that many art school and creative graduating students have had less opportunities to exhibit their final pieces and have them seen by anyone, let alone friends and family.

It is great then that we managed to shoehorn him a week into our schedule to hang, photograph and ‘be’ with his work. Why not pop in and view his comic book heroes in all their gory glory… Jack is on show until Saturday, and then on Monday and Tuesday, from 11-3…..and available to chat or chill with each afternoon….

MATTHEW HAYWARD –

DAYS OF HOPE

This solo show, curated by Deanne Tremlett in the Milking Parlour Gallery, is a collection of the artist’s recent paintings that reflect hope in its broadest sense. Some celebrate great acts of faith, whilst others a need to believe in a brighter future.

12 June – 10 July 2021, Tues-Sat, 11-3

In Conversation with….

On Friday 2 July at 6pm Matthew will be in conversation with Andrew Stooke, at a reception to showcase the exhibit. This is a ticketed event, please visit: www.ctzn.tk/MatthewHayward

www.haywardart.co.uk

We are open as VENUE 71 for the next fortnight! 10-4pm from tomorrow until the 6th of June.

In the Milking Parlour Gallery you will find painting, sculpture and print works from Sasha Constable, Carolyn Finch Corlett, Deanne Tremlett and Frankie Toomey.

This has been described as a stunning show ‘Well worth the visit’..In the Art Barn we have a varied selection of works from our Guggleton Painters, who meet four times a week in the Barn to improve their skills with the help of our painting tutor, Carolyn.

All works are for sale in this vibrant show and there is plenty to tempt a discerning eye….In the As The Crow Flies shop we have a an exciting range of crafts and art sourced from makers working or living within a 20 mile radius of our farm yard….

The photography of Luke England, prints by Barbara Wagner, woodturning from Jake Channon, woodwork from Ian Thompson and Mark Codling, glassware from Gringlass, Emma Mawger’s Dorset Uglies, Lynn Cull’s silver work and stunning embroidery from Hatti Love Design….wonderful gifts with a great provenance!

Our up-cycled, rescued and generally just purloined, bric a brac store, The Byre Brocante, is brimful of interesting nicknacks, collectibles and absurdities and well worth a quick browse while you are on site….

PLUS you can take a look at our latest plans for the development of our facilities to provide a separate ceramics classroom, covered sculpture yard and print studio…..

There will be impromptu performances from our Musical Director, Siska Redman, everyday at 1pm, demonstrations of Flower Arranging, by Kate Robinson, on Tuesdays, Printing by Barbara Wagner on Bank Holiday Monday and drop in life drawing sessions with Deanne Tremlett on Thursdays….

…..and there is a Tea Shed where we will be serving cake!

On both Thursday evenings during the fortnight we will, between 6 and 9pm, be running our regular Open Mic and Pizza Night, with Bakerman Dan on the sourdough and Nick Coleman on the sounds, BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL, it is BYO drinks, pizzas are £10 each and a donation from your table towards our running costs is greatly appreciated…..

YaY! 2020?

– alongside local, lockdown art

Now in its 17th year, Isabel de Pelet’s Young Artist of the Year 2020 exhibition has finally been able to open; a mixed media show, comprising of painting, sculpture photography and printing and showcasing young local talent.

This year judged by sculptor, Sasha Constable and painter, Matthew Hayward, both previous exhibitors in the Miking Parlour. Prizes up for grabs include a solo show, cash and materials.

Alongside the exhibit we are also delighted to be able to introduce some even younger artists, who have submitted their lockdown artworks for framing and exhibiting.  

If you’d like to be considered for Yay! 21, which will happen at the end of the year, then details of how to enter can be found here. 

ALTERED STATES 6 Nov-21 Dec, 28-30 Dec and 2-4 Jan 11-3pm

Much of the work in this exhibition has been created in response to the Coronovirus pandemic and its social and physical implications; it has altered states. 

19 artists from the Wessex Contemporary arts group have submitted work for this exhibition, which was selected and curated by Deanne Tremlett.

The exhibit is open daily from 11-3 and artists from the group will be available during these times to walk and talk you through the work.

For more information on the group, its members and ethos you can visit WESCA’s website HERE.

the uncomfortable beauty of terrible things

this show brings togeth­er three prize win­ners from guggleton’s sum­mer open 2019, ​‘go fig­ure’, sue bak­er ken­ton, sasha con­sta­ble and matthew hayward.

the three artists were selected by the judges, wendy elia, david cobley and Anthony connolly, after a long day of deliberation on the assembled works of the 24 finalists.

during the go figure exhibit curator, deanne tremlett, brought together the finalists, over two days, for discussion and cream tea.

these discussions resulted in the theme for this show. little knowing how sadly portentuos they were the participants explored, amongst other topics, artists’ use of the seductive formal qualities of art to better engage the audience when communicating difficult subjects, finding beauty in even the most dreadful things.

much of the work in the show has been produced during the recent national lockdown, whilst also developing themes already observable in the artists’ work.

the exhibit opened with a socially distanced, facilitated ‘in conversation with’ event, hosted by andrew stooke and available to view here.