Arts

Arts&Crafts

AFONWEN CRAFTS

12th & 13th January, Spinning with Jenni

Frost Learn the basics under Jenni’s guidance, using wool from her own fl ock of sheep to make beautiful scarves, shawls and more.

19th & 20th January, local artist Tracey

Davies Tracey paints from photographs – places of interest, pet portraits, buildings and more.

21st & 22nd January, Stitch

Art by Danielle Mcintyre A self-taught free-motion and embroidery artist inspired by city and landscapes, Danielle adds her own twist with bold lines and colours.

25th January, Handmade Gifts

by Hannah Hannah etches on glass, slate and wood, and creates bauble art, featuring characters from Star Wars, Harry Potter and more.

28th & 29th January, local artist Gill

Benjamin Gill is a very popular artist and takes on many commissions.

3rd February, Weaving with Trevor Blackburn

Trevor uses various yarns including wool and alpaca to create wonderful woven items.

4th & 5th February - Marie at

Earth Deva Quirky gift items, Egyptian-themed jewellery and one-of-a-kind artwork.

ree is the magic number

Three talented sisters from Shrewsbury are hoping their unique style of collaborative art will lead to success setting up their own full-time business

Left to right, Rebekah, Rachel and Sarah through their website at artbythree.co.uk or on Etsy at etsy.com/uk/shop/artbythree

Going global

Sisters Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel White moved to Shropshire from south-west London 18 months ago, and share a house in Shrewsbury. The triplets discovered their artistic talent at primary school, and were encouraged by their grandfather, Alan White, a commercial artist. By the age of 14, they had discovered they could more than triple their success by working together and utilising their individual artistic strengths on a shared piece of work. They describe it as “symbiotic collaboration”. Their distinctive artwork sells well in America and as far afield as Australia. Since moving to Shropshire, they have been working with Marches Growth Hub Shropshire, a specialist business support programme, to identify new outlets. “At the moment we all work four days a week as healthcare booking agents, but we would love to make our art a full-time business,” said Rebekah. They are looking for investors and considering crowdfunding to aid expansion. “One goal would be for a large store to use our images on products such as

“As triplets we fi nd cushions, or we’d love to set we’re generally all on the same wavelength, up our own gallery and shop selling our artwork. We’re just looking for an opportunity and that comes out that will work for us all,” said when we are working Rachel. together and can draw on our particular strengths” Can your organisation help? Contact the trio via their website above, or by email at artbythree@hotmail.com

9th & 10th February, Silver Eco Jewellery with Sandra

Roberts Silver remnants go to make Sandra’s unique pieces.

15th February, Crafty Sisters

The ladies will be adding to their eye-catching jewellery collection, using resin and other materials.

18th & 19th February, local artist Thelma

Evans One of our longstanding artists, Thelma paints delicate fl orals.

25th & 26th February, Jackie at

Jewels Jackie makes jewellery and o ers a repair service.

afonwen.co.uk

Art by Three

Sarah explained that they produce a draft sketch and then each sister works on separate parts of a canvas, passing the work from one to the other.

“We all have an individual style, and then a collaborative style that works for the three of us together. As triplets we find we’re generally all on the same wavelength and that comes out when we are working together and can draw on our individual strengths,” she said.

Their subjects range from wildlife and pets to landscapes, still life and portraits, and they work in all mediums including oils, acrylics, pencil and pastels. Digital artwork particularly suits their collaborative style.

They set up their Art By Three business in 2016 and soon attracted interest via commissions and sales. They also featured on the Sky Arts channel as entrants in the Landscape Artist of the Year competition. Now most of their sales take the form of printed products, including greeting cards, pencil cases, purses, clothing, cushions and stationery,

Jayne Huskisson

Jayne is a textile artist living on the Isle of Anglesey. Much of her work captures the surrounding landscape with a contemporary twist. Jayne is fascinated by Anglesey’s sea

Head in the clouds

Stephen Hopper is an enthusiastic hill-walker with a love of aviation, who has now found new inspiration for his art in the mountains of North Wales

Stephen in his studio

Stephen Hopper graduated from Liverpool School of Art with a first class degree. He’s had a successful career as an art director working in three of the top ten UK advertising agencies, and two Cheshire agencies. He began painting in 2012, his early work reflecting his military experience. An exhibiting member of the Guild of Aviation Artists, he won the Best WW1 Painting award in the Guild’s 2021 exhibition.

He now lives near Snowdonia. A commissioned officer and instructor in the Air Cadets, he was Commanding Officer of Newtown Squadron, standing down in 2019 to concentrate on his art.

Boots on the ground

Reconnected with his rural roots, he draws on his mountain leader training and passion for the outdoors in his landscape art. He cites JMW Turner, Samuel Palmer, John Singer Sergeant and John Piper among his influences, aiming to capture a “sense of place and time” in each of his paintings.

“Each foray into an ever-changing landscape is a keenly felt experience that I try to express,” he said. “The combination of light, temperature, wind, earth and rock has to be felt. If the viewer can sense this connection, then I will have succeeded.”

Stephen only took up portraiture in 2021 and is working on a series entitled ‘Poets, Saints and Rebels’, depicting a poet, saint and rebel from each country of Great Britain. On commissions, he added: “I avoid painting from photographs, preferring to meet the person and immerse myself in their life story.” His studio is always open to visit, and a warm Welsh welcome awaits. Contact him at stephenhopper.net or call 07802 77984.

birds; for her they are intrinsic to the character of the coast. With an evident love of colour, and using a vibrant palette encapsulated by a simplicity of line, Jayne paints on silk; her style is naïve yet shows a sophistication and assurance in design with careful execution.

Jayne has work held in private and public collections across the world. She is a member of the International Guild of Silk Painters and the Anglesey Arts Forum. Her work also includes limited and open-edition prints and homeware. For stockists please see angleseytextileart.co.uk Email: jayne@angleseytextileart.co.uk Instagram: @jaynehuskissonartist

Alison Hamlin Hughes

Alison is a photographer based near Northwich, with her own gallery and regular local exhibitions within Marbury Park. Her gallery The Marbury Lady is located at The Design Shed at Blakemere Village, where you will find an array of prints, canvases and acrylics, with atmospheric photos of Marbury Park and surrounds.

Alison’s camera of choice now is her trusty iPhone, making her gallery a little more unusual and well worth a visit. She has recently introduced a new range of travel photography wall art depicting iconic US locations. Her photographs are not just pictures to look at; many people say they can “feel” them, and could “walk straight into the image”. The gallery is open daily 10am-5pm.

themarburylady.co.uk

ART IN YOUR AREA

Art School, Grosvenor Museum, Chester. From 26th January.

Grosvenor Museum is launching a unique series, allowing you to create art in your museum! Join local artist and heritage worker India Hackett for an informal evening of creativity. Try your hand at illustrative art, inspired by our exhibition ‘On Another Level: Exploring the Unique Rows of Chester’. Over four sessions, experience the freedom of mark-making, create your own narratives through expressive painting, and most importantly, relax and try something new. 7.15-8.15pm. £5, booking essential.

events.westcheshiremuseums. co.uk/event/art-school

David Finney, online and at

selected fairs David was bought a set of acrylic paints at 15 and began to paint with a passion

that has become his life’s work. From selling bird studies, at 25 he turned professional, creating a career as a wildlife artist that has spanned several decades. He has designed cards and homeware, illustrated children’s books, and now adopts a freer, more abstract style that he refers to as more ‘splattery’. See davidfi nney.co.uk

Steve Farrer, ‘Ten Drawings’, Mostyn, Llandudno. Until 4th

February. For each work in this 10-fi lm series, 50 strips of fi lm were laid side by side to make a rectangle, and a geometric shape was drawn or sprayed onto each. The acetate strips were then linked, starting from the top left-hand corner, joining the bottom of the fi rst strip to the top of the next and so on, until the bottom right-hand corner was reached, to produce the fi lm. The soundtrack is created by the image carried over to the optical soundtrack area. Open Tues-Sat 10.30am-4pm. Free entry.

PHOTO COMPETITION

ank you so much for all the entries to our latest contest on the topic of ‘Seasonal Scenes’. Lots of you rose to the challenge once again, and we’ve printed several of our favourite shots here. ey certainly capture the beauty of winter in all its guises, from those precious rays of winter sun to the crispness of the rst frosts, and the snow that’s still on the ground as we go to press. But here at Shire we’re looking ahead and anticipating longer evenings and some warmth on the way soon – and with that in mind we’re setting our next theme as ‘Signs of Spring’. e instant you spot the rst snowdrops, new shoots, T-shirts or anything else that signals the changing weather, get out with your camera or smartphone! Email your entries to editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk – and good luck!

By Jill Parry

By Alison Slater By Julie She eld

By Jill Parry

By Jill Parry By Sam Hulse By Sam Hulse

By Sam Hulse

By Julie She eld

By Julie She eld By Judith Dickinson By Jill Parry