Avebury Manor Walled Garden, grand opening on Sunday 2 October

The restoration of the Victorian walled garden at Avebury Manor has been taking place since March with National Trust volunteers; the transformation has been filmed by the BBC who will produce a series due to be shown on TV before Christmas.
Volunteers have worked hard to restore the garden to it's former glory, which will be open for all to see on Sunday 2 October at 12 noon when everyone is invited to a BBQ. Parts of the house have also been restored.
On the hottest recorded 29 September, here are some photos taken of the garden and some very hot volunteers.

 Marigolds in the foreground and the fabulous new greenhouse in the background.

 This is a partially dug and weeded bed which contained a surprising amount of weeds.

 The newly laid lawn had to be watered well today to help it establish.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-avebury/w-visit-avebury_filming-at-avebury-manor.htm

Ken White's Open Studio Photos

 Ken and Tim discuss paintings shown below, or the one in production maybe?

 Paintings on the right hand side of the studio..

 And on the left hand side.

Ken and Tim looking at something.
Anyone who has visited Ken's studio knows how fascinating a place it is. It was great that he allowed visitors to view it on the weekends of Open Studios.
www.kenwhitemurals.co.uk

The Platform photos kindly provided by Benoit

 Firstly, here is the painting Benoit produced over the 2 weekends of Open Studios at the Platform. It's 'Pause-Cafe'; I copied it from his blog:myfrencheasel.blogspot.com

 Here is Carmen with her mixed media paintings, collages and mixed media art quilts. www.carmenbnorris.com

This is Media 7s display. Media 7 are a group of like minded artists including creative design, paintings, mixed media art and creative design.

Carole's work with the picture displayed in the brochure just visible. www.carolehumphreys.com

Gavin's work on the stage.
www.gavin-salisbury.com

Here is Benoit's display.
www.benoitphilippe.com
www.twitter.com/myfrencheasel

And here is the magnificent building, with cottages of the Railway Village dwarfed by the former Railway Museum now housing Swindon Music Service and currently undergoing another phase of refurbishment on the first floor.
www.swindonmusicservice.org

Maggie Harris's Open Studios Photos

Maggie has kindly emailed a couple of photos of her studio and said she enjoyed her experience and would like to take part in 2012 Swindon Open Studios!!
The big question she asks though is how to engage with more of the local population, ie. how to get more people visiting who we don't know who have come because they looked at the brochure and said 'That looks good'.
Any ideas?

To see Maggie's blog:www.stitchingwithschnauzerandsiamese.blogspot.com

Tim Carroll's Open Studios Photos

Here are some photos of Tim's work displayed around the house:

 In the kitchen, birds in a tree and a head with red spots. And a box with 2 heads in ready for posting.

 Some of the landscapes and the three heads painting.

 The bookshelf, innovation and enterprise picture and the dancers.

 In the studio with a new painting emerging.

 On the stairs, boats and intertwining figures are hard to photograph successfully.

 Tim's website:www.timcarroll.co.uk

Please send any photos you may have of Open Studios for inclusion in the blog
I should have added, please send any comments you may have had.  Rachel Coyle's jewellery in the library generated a fab response on this blog:http://urbanfashiontwat.blogspot.com/2011/09/xoxo To find the write up, you will need to Google 'urbanfashiontwat'

Ray Ward's Pop up Museum - it's the Final Day Tomorrow

For the last 7 days, Ray has had an intruigingly different exhibition each day.
Yesterday he showed a video taken at the Richard Jefferies Museum featuring an interview conducted with Jean Saunders about Richard Jefferies.
I took photos of his posters:

And the jackdaws on the chimney pots from the video.
Ray's 8th pop up gallery will be showing tomorrow with Ray in attendance. It will be well worth a look.
www.wiltshirepopup.blogspot.com is the blog Ray has created to accompany his pop up gallery. You can watch the video there.

St Margaret's Road Open Studios this weekend

There are two studios open on St. Margaret's Road.
Jane at number 45, is sharing her house with Tara renowned for her landscapes and chickens, and Lucy who has many talents.
www.janemilner-barry.co.uk
 www.taraparkerwoolwayartist.co.uk
www.facebook.com/lulubpaper
This is a venue well worth visiting.
 Jane says:
'My utility room transformed into a gallery, and my studio transformed into a  . . . proper studio!'

 The utility room

 And the proper studio

At number 52, St Margaret's Road, Tim was busy applying glazes to pottery heads this evening. He will be ready to welcome visitors for part of tomorrow,  and all of Sunday. We have our grandson's naming ceremony between 1.35-4.30pm tomorrow, but will stay open for longer to accommodate anyone who wants to chat to Tim. The studio will be open from 11-6pm
To have a preview:www.timcarroll.co.uk

 Tim in his studio this evening.

Brother Jem at the benefit gig in the Beehive last night wearing a monocle.

Swindon Open Studios in Wroughton, venues 4, 5 and 6

This weekend do try and go to Wroughton to see Chris and Bea at Wroughton library between 10am-1pm.
Mollie Gratland and Melinda Smith will be in Melinda's studio in the back garden of 22, Devizes Road. They both had last year off from Open Studios and are back by popular demand.
Prospect Hospice's day patients have an exhibition of their work, Susie Carr has kindly sent me a few photos of their exhibition:

www.prospect-hospice.net

The Second Open Studios weekend is almost upon us, don't miss out, come along.

Benoit Philippe has sent images and a message on behalf of the Platform participants.

'Last week-end and the next, 15 artists are showing their work at The Platform, as part of the Swindon Open Studios. 

Come and see them.

17 and 18 September 2011

The Platform (Ex railway museum),
Faringdon Road,
SN1 5ED Swindon'

 Here is Carmen with her work.

 This is Carole Humphries' work

 Gavin Salisbury's work

 Media 7s work

 Benoit's work and his invitation below:

And here is the outside of the Platform on Faringdon Road.

Fred Blunt's exhibition at the Arts Centre

Fred will not be around this weekend, so is taking his exhibition down today, last chance to see the exhibits has now gone, please contact Fred if you would like to buy some of his work for your children, grandchildren, or yourself.
Fred has taken a set of photos of the exhibition as well, the link to his blog is:
http://fredblunt.blogspot.com/2011/09/exhibition.html

 Framed originals and prints on foam board shown from an angle because the stairs are in the way, maybe that would have been a good vantage point...

 The man on the right is wearing a Tshirt which says 'More to love'

 I think this gives a good idea of the work on display although it's a bit hazy because I think it was such a sunny day when I took the photograph.

 This is the 'Tumbling Dog' which I bought for Alex's first birthday. Dog was his first word.
To buy any of these items, do email/ring Fred.

Studio:   01793 574497 / Mobile:  07929 382837

Email:    fred@blunt-illustration.co.uk

Web:     www.blunt-illustration.co.uk

              www.flickr.com

Gordon's Wonderful Signage outside the Studios

Fab eh?
Try and get along to see Toni and Gordon Dickinson's studios, they are venue 27 at 87, Pavenhill, Purton, SN5 4DA
www.pavenhillsculptures.com

Open Studios Launch at Artsite 9.9.11

A brilliant time was had by all at the launch event last night.
Thank you to all those who came and made it such a special event.
Now the first day of Open Studios is under way, I can't wait for some visitors to arrive.
Here are some photos taken last night:

The exhibition of member's work will be open 11am til 5pm until the 24th of September.
Vicky Silver has also put some super photographs on Facebook.
Here are some photos Maggie Harris has emailed:

Maggie is at Venue 23 she lives at 3, Nolan Close, St Andrews Ridge, SN25 4GP
www.stitchingwithschnauzerandsiamese.blogspot.com