Arts trail back for 18th year

THE Henley Arts Trail returns for the 18th year over the bank holiday weekend, from Saturday, April 29 to Monday, May 1.

Since it began in 2006, the event has gone from strength to strength and now takes place at 33 venues, showcasing the work of more than 100 artists.

Jewellery designer Wendy Penrose, whose garden studio in Shiplake Cross is venue No 19, is taking over the chairmanship of the committee.

“I felt it was time to give back,” she says. “It’s great to be able to use my skills and experience to help ensure the continued success of this wonderful event.

“I see it as a crucial way to help support creative people to start and develop selling their work as well as an opportunity for established artists to showcase their skill and hopefully inspire other people. Going forward, I would like to do more to encourage younger artists to take part.”

More than 10,000 people are expected to visit the venues in Henley and the surrounding area, which can be easily found by following the little pink “Henley Arts Trail” signs. The venues and their art are as follows:

1 Henley Art and Crafts Guild, the Old Fire Station Gallery, Henley. More than 100 pieces including paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, glass, photography and jewellery.

2 Greys Court. A selection of work created by artists from all the venues.

3 Springwater Artists, Blounts Court Road, Peppard Common. Painting, mixed media, ceramics and mosaics including works by Jess Sarson, Lynda Hopkins, Rosemary Girdler, Sue Brain and Robert Brain.

4 Hollow Art, Woodlands Road, Sonning Common. Pen and ink images, painted furniture, jewellery and woodturning, including works by Robin Reynolds, Susan Mildenhall and Justyn Fowler.

5 Debbie Page Ceramics, Wood Lane, Kidmore End. A glimpse into a working pottery studio.

6 Bishopsland Educational Trust, Dunsden. Silversmithing and jewellery with Claire Murdoch.

7 The Maker Space, Nuffield. Textiles, silversmithing, painting, glass and ceramics by artists Michael J Amphlett, Simon Clements, Christine Green, Becky Patton, Karen Spencer, Amy Surman, Kay Surman and Andrea Wicks.

8 Assendon Glass, Lower Assendon. Cast and blown glass made by Anne Arlidge.

9 Art at Pheasants, Mill End, Hambleden. Painting, paper-cutting, photography, printing, ceramics, sculpture, textiles, cards and collage. Local artists Dick Budden, Richard Cresswell, Judith Fletcher, Allan Henderson, Sharon Hewitt, Peter Jones, Jenny Law, Martin Lorenz, Kasha Lunt, Charlotte Martin, Karin Ort, Alison Pink, Roz Read, Cate Stuart and Jayne Ward.

10 Kirsten Jones and Friends, Jacobini Wine Gallery, Hart Street, Henley. Paintings, prints, desirable objects, ceramics and gifts plus lovely lunches.

11 Anchor Arts, the Anchor, Friday Street, Henley. Acrylic and oil paints, cards and children’s books by Caron Light and Annie Monk.

12 Hypergallery, Market Place, Henley. Silkscreen and digital printing in the arena of limited edition album cover art prints. Including works by Steven Lei, Scarlet Page and David Studwell.

13 Ravenscroft Crafters, Ravenscroft Road, Henley. Needle felted wool sculptures and pictures by Jane Butler and Linda Cookson.

14 The Eyot Centre, Wargrave Road, Henley. Textiles, painting, bookbinding, stained glass, jewellery, clocks and printmaking with artists Elizabeth Baldin, Clare Buchta, Bronwen Coussens, Caroline Crawford, Andrew Field, Kate Findlay, Janina Maher, Janet Richardson and clockmaker Darren Simmons.

15 Artistry Gallery and Framing, Reading Road, Henley. Paintings, ceramics and jewellery by artists including Sarah Pye and Caroline Gatfield.

16 Jo Harris Studio, Newtown Gardens, Henley. Original drawings, collage works and prints by Jo, director and tutor at the Henley School of Art.

17 Antony Duckett and Friends, YMCA, Lawson Road, Henley. Architectural models, stirling silver jewellery and paintings in a variety of mediums including cartoons by David Palmer-Stevens, iPad art by Antony Duckett and prints and ceramics by Cath Baldwin.

18 Artists at Shiplake, Church Lane, Shiplake. Paintings, sculpture, ceramics and jewellery by artists including Sue Carter, Julia Coombes, Sarah Cox, Susan Horler, Maria Meerstadt, Helen Ormerod and Susan Reeves.

19 Wendy Penrose Jewellery and Friends, Orchard Close, Shiplake Cross. Jewellery by Wendy, sculpture by Alison Bell and Fiona Hunter and glass by Elizabeth Welch.

20 Shiplake Arts and Crafts, Memorial Avenue, Shiplake Cross. Paintings, sculpture, textiles, jewellery and glass by artists including Keith Appleby, Sue Evans, Sheila Ferris, Barbara Goodbun, Sarah Harris, John Nicholls, Nina O’Connell, Christine Priestley, Wendy Reed, Sally Taylor, Niamh Tobin, Karen Tomalin, Marion Vaughan and Meryl Weir.

21 Charvil Village Hall Artists, The Hawthorns, Charvil. Paintings, glass, ceramics, jewellery and more by artists such as Sarah Abell, Andie Ayoubi, Deborah Black, Jill Chadwick, Roseanna Chetwood, Sarah Clark, GrantForsyth, Marian Hyland, Holly Inglis, Dana Kidson, Calina Lefter, Jayne Leighton Herd, Maria Lusardi, Wendy Mercer, Janet Roberts, Monique Sharp and Jacqueline Thorne.

22 Heather McAteer, Strathmore Drive, Charvil. Heather’s landscape drawings and paintings.

23 Esté MacLeod, Beggars Hill Road, Charvil. Original paintings, prints and textile products.

24 The Big Plant Nursery, Wargrave Road, Twyford. Sculpture and paintings to enhance any garden by artists including Jorge Bernal, Tierney Bishop, Jane Brind, Cathy Green, Paul Harvey, Beatrice Hoffman, Victoria Hunt, Peter Murphy, Sarah Pye and Sion.

25 Shelagh Casebourne Open Studio, Victoria Road, Wargrave. Paintings and prints and the chance to see a working studio.

26 The Garden Gallery at 13 New Road, Twyford. Handmade jewellery, fused glass art, sketches and mixed media and oil paintings by artists such as Sue Bridge, Marianne McCaughey, Glass by Tina and Derek Witchell.

27 The Fern Gallery, Ruscombe Lane, Ruscombe. Jenny Buratta paints in acrylics and will also be exhibiting burlesque costumes. Steve Batty works in acrylic, collage and pastels, while Daniel Brierley creates garden sculptures by metal inert gas welding, using recycled metal.

28 Wisteria, Ruscombe Lane, Ruscombe. Printmaking and illustration in Sally Castle’s studio plus guest artists Angela Lenman and Shirley Smith.

29 The Orchard Artists, Orchard Estate, Twyford. Landscape painting, silver jewellery, prints, cards and more by artists including Rebecca Howard, Lucy Keeble and Imogen Waller.

30 The Most Beautiful House in the World Plus One, Lansdowne Terrace, Twyford. Paintings, prints and sculpture by painter Robert Baldwin and painter, sculptor, author, film-maker and musician Richard Conway-Jones.

31 Whistley Arts, Lodge Road, Whistley Green. Paintings, printmaking and sculpture by artists Jonathan de Mounteney (figurative paintings and sculpture), Liz Chaderton (expressive watercolours), Christina Taylor Smith (contemporary mixed media relief prints) and Dick Budden (contemporary sculpture).

32 The Coach House at Yeldall Manor, Bear Lane, Hare Hatch. Ceramics, woodcraft, textiles and mixed media. Featuring woodcraft maker Steve Hedger, painter Sarah Lorrimer-Riley, painter Claire Howlett and ceramicist Vallari M Harshwal.

33 West Forest Potters, Milley Road, Waltham St Lawrence. A guild of professional and amateur potters and ceramic artists producing a wide variety of functional, sculptural and figurative ceramics by Penny Ascough, Carolyn Blackwell, Tim Kennedy and Suri Poulos.

For more information and to download a trail map of participating venues, email henleyartstrail@gmail.com or visit www.henleyartstrail.com