WELL DONE 2ND YEARS!

Scarves in store now £25 each pop in to have a look during the Easter break...

BA HONS YEAR 1 WEBFOLIOS...

London http://bit.ly/ApGfU8
Paris http://bit.ly/zg3WKs
Milan http://bit.ly/xVzC5X
New York http://bit.ly/xE0kDN

EXPLORING SPODE AT THE MINORIES

Peter Jones is one of a number of artists taking part in a project celebrating the history and culture of the British ceramic industry, focusing particularly on the former Spode factory site in Stoke-on-Trent. His exhibition at The Minories displays his initial reactions to the now derelict site, and considers the workmen that were once the driving force behind the successful production of ceramics within the factory.
Exploring Spode, The Minories Art Gallery, Colchester on until 24th Feb

CULPABLE EARTH AT FIRSTSITE

firstsite presents Culpable Earth, the first major solo exhibition by British artist Steven Claydon in a UK public gallery. Culpable Earth includes newly commissioned sculpture, video, painting and print, developed by the artist and shown for the first time in this exhibition.
Fisrtsite Colchester 4th Feb - 7th May

QUEEN ELIZABETH BY CECIL BEATON

Featuring portraits of Queen Elizabeth II by royal photographer Cecil Beaton, this exhibition celebrates Her Majesty in her roles as princess, monarch and mother and coincides with the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. The V&A from Feb 8th - April 22nd.

YAYOI KUSAMA AT THE TATE MODERN

The nine decades of Yayoi Kusama's life have taken her from rural Japan to the New York art scene to contemporary Tokyo, in a career in which she has continuously innovated and re-invented her style. Well-known for her repeating dot patterns, her art encompasses an astonishing variety of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, film, performance and immersive installation.
This is a varied, spectacular exhibition of a truly unique artist. There has never been an exhibition of this size of her work in the UK and this is an unmissable opportunity for both Kusama fans and those new to her work.
Tate Modern 9th Feb - 5th June

DAVID HOCKNEY - MUST SEE

The Royal Academy of Arts presents the first major exhibition of new landscape works by David Hockney RA. Featuring vivid paintings inspired by the East Yorkshire landscape, these large-scale works have been created especially for the galleries at the Royal Academy of Arts. Visit here for more info

SOCIAL FABRIC, RIVINGTON PLACE LONDON

From the Bayeux tapestry’s insights into the Norman Conquest to Tracey Emin’s appliquéd memoirs, textiles often belie their soft appearance to explore some pretty hefty subjects.
A new exhibition opening in January, Social Fabric, will present a series of textile works and paintings that explore labour, capital, international trade and radical politics.
For more info click here

PRINTMAKING BLOG

http://printcolchester.blogspot.com/

VINTAGE EXTRAVAGANZA

The University of Essex Student's Union, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, £1 entry
Over 20 of the best vintage fashion sellers from all over the UK will be winging their way to Colchester THIS THURSDAY, 13th of October, for a vintage fashion fest.
Clothes for men and women, vintage accessories, jewellery, up-cycled / reworked vintage pieces and not forgetting beautiful cupcakes and a bloody lovely cup of tea.

NATURE AND ANIMALS: THE GALLERY COLCHESTER

EXHIBITION RUNS FROM THE 15TH OCTOBER - SATURDAY 12 NOVEMBER
Featuring artists Lisa Gorrod, Lee Thomas, Sara E Napoletani, The Essex Print Club, Steve Panton and Nem Sarton (Main Room). Also featuring ‘The Aviary’ at The Gallery
A MERZ OF BIRDS An Installation by Chris Andrews (Inner Room)Collections and assemblies featuring the Bird Box, Cockateel Cabinet, Chicken Coop and Ghost Birds, Psychological collages of birdlike obsessions. (www.gallerydesign.co.uk)

CLARE WOODS AT THE HEPWORTH WAKEFIELD GALLERY

This new exhibition by Clare Woods will explore her interest in the power and history of rock formations in the British landscape, and its various manifestations in the works of artists such as Hepworth, Moore, Sutherland, Piper and Nash. Her large-scale paintings (approximately 10 metres in length) use layers of enamel paint on aluminium. The paintings are often visually ambiguous and claustrophobic in their detail, combining abstraction and controlled figuration, held together by webs of paint and luscious reflective surfaces.
Exhibition runs from 22nd October - 29th January at the Hepworth Wakefield Gallery (www.hepworthwakefield.org)

20 YEARS OD DAZED AND CONFUSED AT SOMERSET HOUSE

Dazed & Confused has been a go-to reference for style and culture since its explosive launch in London in 1991 by Jefferson Hack and renowned photographer Rankin. Work featured includes ground-breaking photography by Rankin, Nick Knight, David Sims and Terry Richardson, specially commissioned projects by artists Jake & Dinos Chapman, Damien Hirst and Sam Taylor-Wood, cutting edge fashion pages by stylists Katie Grand, Katy England, Alister Mackie and Nicola Formichetti, and specially selected designs by fashion giants Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Gareth Pugh.

EXHIBITION OPENS 4TH NOVEMBER 2011 - 29TH JANUARY 2012 FREE ENTRY

THE PHOTOGRAPHS GALLERY AT THE V&A

On 24 October 2011, the V&A’s new Photographs Gallery will open to the public.
The Photographs Gallery will draw upon the V&A’s internationally renowned collection of photographs, and will chronicle the history of photography from 1839 up to the 1960s. In 1858, the V&A became the first museum to exhibit photographs, and the new Photographs Gallery is able to showcase some of the most technically brilliant and artistically accomplished photographs in its collection. Temporary displays, primarily showcasing contemporary photography, will be shown in the V&A’s existing photographs gallery.

GLAMOUR OF THE GODS: NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Glamour of the Gods is a celebration of Hollywood portraiture from the industry's 'Golden Age', the period 1920 to 1960. From Greta Garbo and Clark Gable to Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. Featuring over 70 photographs, most of which are exquisite vintage prints displayed for the first time, the exhibition is drawn from the extraordinary archive of the John Kobal Foundation and demonstrate photography's decisive role in creating and marketing the stars central to the Hollywood mystique.
On until October 23rd at the National Portrait Gallery (www.npg.org.uk)

LOST IN LACE

The Crafts Council and Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (BMAG) will work together to deliver a major contemporary craft exhibition in autumn 2011. This exhibition demonstrates why artists are getting into lace and explores the relationship between traditionalmaterial and space with a host of leading artisits creating amazing instillations. The exhibition called Lost in Lace will take place at the Gas Hall at BMAG from the 29 October 2011 to 19 February 2012. (www.bmag.org)

ANGIE LEWIN & ROB RYAN CAMBRIDGE CONTEMPORARY ART

Angie Lewin and Rob Ryan are teaming up to stage an exhibition at Cambridge Contemporary Art October 28th - November 20th, Cambridge Contemporary Art, 6 Trinity Street, Cambridge. Visit www.cambridgegallery.co.uk

DESIGNERS MARKET

2 years running, Stour Space Designers Market is a platform for creative independent makers / artists / enterprises to sell and promote their work.
On the last Saturday of every month Stour Space opens its doors for local produce, craft, design and creative entrepreneurship.
Visit www.stourspace for more info.

THE POWER OF MAKING

6 September 2011 – 2 January 2012 at the V&A. Power of Making celebrates the role of making in our lives by presenting an eclectic selection of over 100 exquisitely crafted objects. Curated by Daniel Charny, the exhibition is a cabinet of curiosities showing works by both amateurs and leading makers from around the world, presenting a range of skills with imaginative and spectacular results.

SLACK SPACE EVENTS

Slack Space Black History Month exhibition and events
From Wed 5th Oct – Sat 22nd Oct Slack Space is pleased to be working with the Colchester Black History Month (BHM) organising committee to present ‘One Drop’ a BHM exhibition exploring identity. From Wed 12th Oct – Sat 15th Oct this will be extended by the freestanding exhibition ‘Uganda or UK?’ This display of photographs and objects for hands-on interaction will appeal to parents and children, ages 6 to 14. A facilitator will be on-hand to provide guidance.

Supporting BHM events at Slack Space include:
Wed 5th Oct 7.30pm
One Drop launch party
Special preview event to launch the Slack Space BLACK HISTORY MONTH program. Invite only. colchesterslackers@googlemail.com