Tower and Town, July 2022 (view the full edition)A Visitor's ExperienceThe best way to understand the thrills of Marlborough Open Studios is through the eyes of a visitor - here's what one visitor from 2021 described to us.
Looking through the brochure in June a smorgasbord of talent lay before us, and after much discussion we agreed the artists we most wanted to see and planned our route across the Wessex countryside.
With rumbling tummies we headed north towards Marlborough and after a bite to eat at The Food Gallery (gorgeous lunch!) we strolled down the High Street to find The Wagon Yard artist collective. Tucked away in a courtyard at the end of the town this gem of a studio was home to several MOS artists.
On our journey home we reflected on our day, agreeing it had opened up a whole new world of understanding. We could not quite believe how much was on offer and the very high quality of what we saw. Plus we had explored parts of the local countryside we had never been to before. We shall make this an annual event, and of course we now know where to go for unique Christmas presents." |
"On a beautiful sunny July weekend last year we set off for an artistic adventure - a leisurely tour of some Marlborough Open Studios, meeting the artists, admiring their work and having a spot of lunch along the way. And what a delight it was.
Starting in Devizes we headed off to All Cannings, a typical chocolate box village and found the studio of Paul Oakley in a 'retired' cricket pavilion on the edge of the village. Paul's landscapes and still life oil paintings were so impressive, and it was wonderful to speak to him about his artistic process as we looked at some pieces in progress. We were inspired to join one of his oil painting courses later in the year, although we haven't painted since school!
Next we worked our way through the Downs spotting the crisp outline of a white horse at Alton Barnes before we arrived in Pewsey at the home and studio of Mini de Kersaint. Her charming studio was alive with visitors deciding which piece they loved most, and many walking away with prints of the most popular pieces. Her work in mixed media manages to capture the essence of the Pewsey Vale, so joyful that we too joined the ranks of leaving with a cherished print for our wall at home.
Upstairs we browsed the wonders of intricately decorated ceramic lights by Jane Renwick, uplifting artworks by Kate Wade, funky splash plates and raku vessels by Jacqui Melhuish and stylish bowls and stoneware by Mary Thorne. Downstairs we could see all the 'workings' of a ceramicist's workshop, and understood better the incredible skill (and jeopardy!) that goes into creating these pieces.
With some birthday gifts purchased it was back in the car and on our way back to Devizes, but not without a final studio visit to Alison Bowyer, and her daughter Bronte Adam just outside Marlborough. Their garden, studio and home was filled with amazing glass sculptures crafted by Alison using fused glass and wire. From tiny blue 'tits on sticks' to wall mounted salmon and a stunning showpiece of a 3D peacock, it was all enthralling. But the highlight was seeing inside the studio at the bottom of the garden where Alison works, with the full rainbow spectrum of 'frit' she uses to replicate nature and make the pieces come alive. Inside the house we saw works by Bronte, who is a printmaker. As a nature enthusiast her work uses a limited and vibrant colour palette with a variety of subjects. Each one is so perfectly depicted we were in awe of the skill it takes to craft each image, particularly when she explained her painstaking process.