Colchester Collection

ARTIST STATEMENT

This show is a representation of my personal interest in my home town, specifically old buildings and what I call ‘redundant scenes’, parts of the town that have either been demolished or are scheduled for demolition or ‘regeneration’. 

These drawings were produced by sketching from life and photographs taken by me. Some of The pictures were made by combining multiple photographs to create a ‘fish  eye’ panoramic effect, as I wanted to represent the building or scene as totally as I could.

All Drawings were produced first in pencil and then in Indian ink with a crow quill dip pen and nib. It has been a good opportunity to develop my comfort and skill at using ink over the last 2 years and to break from my cartooning (though one does feature in this show, an update of William Hogarth’s ‘Beer Street’).

The work on display is a mix of originals and prints and limited edition Giclee prints are available for all the work on display. I will accept orders for fine art prints and they range from A4 - £15, A3 - £30 & A2 £45. The prints on display are previews of my most recent drawing and are also for sale @ £5 each.

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did drawing them and to see more of my work visit www.snublic.com and to contact me look for me at the café or email snublic@hotmail.com 

Backstreets £980

Ancient Barracks £620

Walton Pier £630

East Mill £310

Old Odeon £310 

Scenes of Redundant of Colchester £980

Weed Straat £400

Redundant of Colchester Cont. £900

Underwood £250

C.D McAllister                                                1 /2 /13 - 1 /3 /13

Eileen Handmade Glass Jewellery @ Level Best Art Cafe

We are displaying the work of Eileen Jarman in our glass display cabinets.

She is a local artist who produces her own Jewellery and we are pleased to showcase a selection of her work for the foreseeable future in our cafe. 

Her work includes;

1) Pink Dicroic glass necklace on silver chain £26 

2) Red Heart glass necklace on silver chain £26

3) Black dicroic glass necklace on silver chain £26

4) Double pink heart earrings £26

5) Crystal blue & Blue stone earrings £6 

6) Mixy orange glass necklace on silver chain £26

7) Pink stripy glass necklace on silver chain £26

8) Silver heart on silver chain £28

9) Red heart necklace £18

10) Pandora style bracelet £16 

11) Pandora style bracelet £16

12)Pandora style bracelet £16

13) Blue stamballa - fresh water peals amethyst £24 

14) White stamballa - fresh water pearls Haematite £24 

15) Red crystal earrings £6 

16) Gold stone and amber 

17) Grey - white -pearl earrings £6 

   

Age UK Colchester needs your help!

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THIS!!!!!!!!! - affects us all 

(And if you don't think so, remember, you will be old one day!)

“Can you help us?

We are launching a public appeal to people and organisations in the Borough of Colchester for help. We have been providing services for older people in the Borough for over forty years and sadly find ourselves in a position where we have been drawing heavily on our reserves to provide these because of increasing competition for funding.

Staff and volunteers at the George Street headquarters in Colchester provide older people with services they could not obtain easily elsewhere. Clients of the Advice Service are advised on benefits and allowances and assisted to apply for them if applicable. Home visits are available. Since 2003 clients have been helped to claim over £10 million pounds in benefits, money which of course flows into the local economy benefiting small businesses such as personal care and domestic agencies, taxi companies, suppliers of disability equipment among others. Volunteer advocates assist individuals who often have no family available with complex problems. In addition to the Advice and Information services, there are the social clubs and activities, day care facilities, consumer advice sessions, computer classes and a free legal advice surgery. 

Age UK Colchester is an independent charity responsible for finding its own funding. We are now at the edge of our own fiscal cliff! We will be unable to operate as at present beyond 31 March 2013 unless new funding and donations are received. Older people within the Borough face losing our special services and staff face losing their jobs. It is hoped that the community will respond to keep these vital services alive.

Offers of support, donations and suggestions will be gratefully received by our Chief Officer, Age UK Colchester, Globe House, 6 George Street, Colchester (01206 368420).”

We would like to see more of you on Monday's so we have decided to offer a cake and a drink for £1.50. Look forward to seeing you then. If you can't make it then, explain yourself to Iron Man.   

(Iron Man drawing by Ryan Balkwill from Artco).

‘Spring’ window boxes.

The Story

We have decided to revamp our window display boxes this year. We are growing spring bulbs in them to reference the dormant animals and plants sleeping during this time of year and to have something to look forward to.

Jane had the idea of making bulb parcels from hessian and felt filled with compost and Muscari and Tete a tete bulbs, which can be displayed outside on our café windows. They will compliment the garden baskets that were being made in December. They have been over wintering in Jane’s garden taking advantage of the mild winter.

Process

First we cut the hessian fabric into a 16” squares, then we cut a 7” diameter circle in felt for each and put them in a bowl. Gavin then helped put the bulbs in the bottom and then we put soil on top to 5cm depth. We cut a 25” length of string and used it to weave in and out of the hessian bag we had produced to close it up like a money bag. Lastly we dunked the bag with its contents into a jug of water which soaked into the fabric and soil. With each one done we put it to one side to drain and started another. We have so far made 7 and are supporting them in wire springs, covered in raffia.

We hope they will grow and be a very impressive sight by spring.
Watch this space for future developments.

Colin, Gavin and Jane – Artco’s first project of January 2013   

Jane Armstrong 2013

Artist Statement

My paintings are inspired by my love of colour and plant formation. Bringing these bold, bright and striking paintings into the home really makes a statement.

Jane Armstrong.

Cockerel (papier Mache) £35

Charlotte £150

 Emily £25 

Annie £85

Florence £45 

Fiona £95

Franchesco £150

Isobel £180

Lisa £40

Marilyn £150

Madeleine £25

Milly £25

Miranda £40

Olive £25

PATRICIA £95

SHIRLEY £180

SOPHIE £70

SUMMER £150

 Cat (Papier Mache) £15 

Susie £25

Jane Armstrong's show lasts from Jan 6th - Feb 1st and we are open 9.00 - 4.00 Monday - Friday.

Bidding closed for Level Best Christmas Auction

It was nice to see the our gallery walls steadily emptying, as work was collected post-bidding after the Auction closed on 18th December 2012.

In all ten pictures have received bids and we have collected over £70 already, with a further £36 to come. 

A BIG thank you is in order to all those who took part, both trainees who created the work and customers who bid on it. 

This is our last post of 2012 so we wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and we will be back in 2013!