Culture

Now- 26 February 2023

David Fletcher ‘Paintings’

A retrospective of the work of this highly revered and much loved artist will be at the House of Manannan until February, with the opportunity to see works in private and public ownership and some available to purchase. Free

House of Manannan, Peel

01624 648090

www.manxnationalheritage.im

Now-9 July 2023

Lost & Found Metal Detecting On Man

Metal detectorists have reported over 800 finds from the Island over the years. Some of these finds have hit the headlines This unique display Society will introduce you to some of these fascinating artefacts and the dedicated people who found them. Free

Manx Museum, Douglas

01624 648000

www.manxnationalheritage.im

Now-30 December

Come Up And See My Etchings

The launch of Charlotte Henry’s 2023 calendar, and an exhibition of the original calendar images, inspired by the stunning Manx countryside. The calendar will be on sale for £12 at Studio 42, the Manx Museums, local bookshop and Mostly Manx. Free

Studio 42, Port Erin

01624 836116

CharlotteJaneHenry

Now-28 Janurary 2023

Manx Invertebrates & Insectmania

The latest Hodgson Loom Gallery themed open exhibitions, this time of work featuring indigenous Manx insects, invertebrae, butterfly, arachnid, or creepy crawly, in any form, medium and size. In fact, this one even has a ‘miniatures’ section for work no larger than 15cm x 15cm. Free

Hodgon Loom Gallery, Glen Rd, Laxey

01624 861395

HodgsonLoomGallery

Now-2 October 2023

Museum 100

An exhibition celebrating the centenary of the Manx Museum, home to an extraordinary collection of artefacts and archives that help tell the story of the Isle of Man and its people. The exhibition will feature a kaleidoscope of treasures from our stored collections, many of which will be on public display for the first time. £Free (Book Tour online)

Manx Museum, Douglas www.manxnationalheritage.im

13 Janurary 2023

Dark Skies Nights With Buffet Dinner

The Isle of Man is proud to be one of the finest destinations in the British Isles to marvel at the stars. The Island’s low light pollution makes its skies some of the purest in the British Isles, allowing astronomers from amateur to expert to observe the planets and stars. £30

The Sound Cafe

01624 838123

www.manxnationalheritage.im

Now 20 June 2023

The Arts Society IOM Lecture Programme

The Arts Society IOM has an annual programme of lectures held on the second Tuesday of the month. Lectures are held live at Manx Museum in the Lecture Theatre starting 11.30am prompt - 12.30pm. £10

Manx Museum, 1 Kingswood Grove, Douglas

01624 881188

theartssociom www.theartssocietyiom.org

Now-30 November 2022 16 December

Enchanted Ellan

An exhibition of Manx Landscape paintings in oils from the Manx Artful Dodgers who sometimes like to pop up and ‘plein air’ sketch this beautiful island. Artists with work in Enchanted Ellan include Anna Clucas and Alexander Colby. Free

The Engine House, Castletown

01624 881188

EngineIOM www.eng.im

Lesh Shee As Graih

The annual event to support the homeless and those needing practical help with day-today living takes place as usual at St Ninian’s Church, with musicians and singers of all genres performing to help raise funds. The night will be filled with yuletide yodellings from the wonderful REVEILLETTES as well as Jeff Jepson, Truman Falls and special guests. Free

CARVING A REPUTATION:

LOCAL ARTIST Henry Wood

Here’s a bit of nominative determinism for you – the newest artist on the Island’s wood carving and sculpture scene is… Henry Wood.

Henry returned to the Island Dec 2021 after teaching full-time in London and South East. Juggling teaching with a growing number of commissions for his work was simply not possible so he came home.

“Although traditionally artists have to be physically ‘in the room’ to gain recognition,” Henry says, “that’s just not the case anymore. Social media in many ways has a bad reputation, but for those artists who are prepared to engage with it, it can be rewarding, both mentally – sometimes it is ‘all about the likes’ - and financially. I didn’t have to be in London to sell my work in the United States, Japan, Europe: I realised I could do that just as well from the Isle of Man.”

Fast forward 18 months he’s back at University College IOM, teaching two days per week in the Art department alongside some of the people who taught him on the Art Foundation course in 2007, and with a studio in Peel where he’s able to work on his own commissions, run workshops and host drawing evenings with plans to open the studio up as a creative ‘hot desking’ space.

Following his foundation course, Henry studied illustration at Kingston School of Art in London and then went travelling in Sweden and Australia. During those years he moved on from illustration to more 3D work with found objects (you may have seen some of these in a pop-up exhibition at the Sayle Gallery in Douglas in 2014). “Then I bought myself some chisels and gouges and decided to teach myself wood carving,” says Henry. Eight years later his skills, imagination and artistry are becoming recognised by interior designers, collectors and fans worldwide.

Henry likes to work with green wood sourced locally – conveniently (more nominative determinism) his brother Joe Wood is a tree surgeon – and he is currently working on a major three piece commission for Kit Kemp and the Firmdale Hotel Group in New York based on the lives of explorers. The first uses a piece of Norwegian Spruce he found on Kirk Michael beach as the base for a sculpture inspired by the story

“Although traditionally artists have to be physically ‘in the room’ to gain recognition, that’s just not the case anymore.”

of Tété-Michael Kpomassie, a man from Ghana (then Togo) whose story is told in the book ‘An African in Greenland’ by Michael the Giant. It’s a fascinating tale: Michael survives a snake bite with treatment from the Cobra Priestess after which his parents want him to join her ‘snake cult’ – in response Michael decides to escape on foot, and boat, to Greenland. His journey took 8 years – and Henry’s sculpture portrays Michael on board a giant whale, which will eventually be on display in the drawing room of the new Firmdale Hotel in Tribeca, New York.

The other two explorers are Germanborn Maria Sibylla Merian a 17th century naturalist and scientific illustrator and Edith Durham - a British artist, anthropologist and writer who is known for her exploration of Albania in the early 20th century, where she is recognised as ‘national hero’. How Henry chooses to portray the stories of these incredible women in wood is yet to be seen – but the hotel opens in mid-March 2023 so that’s quite a deadline! gigantic pangolin, mirrors and an incense holder. You can see all of these and more on Henry’s Instagram @henrynevillewood. And if you’d like to have a go at wood carving yourself, why not try one of Henry’s Spoon Carving workshops – there’s one on November 19th, but keep an eye on www. facebook.com/Molluskstudios for more. And that’s also the place for news about the Drawing Nights – just turn up with your own project and kit between 7 and 9pm on Wednesdays. Henry and illustrator Ali Hodgson, who works from the studio and is the chief organiser of these events, say you’ll be very welcome, whatever your skill level.

If you’d like to commission work from Henry then he’s open to any suggestions but you might want to be quick – he told me he’s thinking about going back to college to study furniture design. I, for one, can’t wait to see what his future holds.

Mollusk Studios is at 10 Douglas Street, Peel and Henry’s website is www.henrynevillewood. com. Or you can reach him via social media www.facebook.com/Molluskstudios or Instagram @henrynevillewood.