ARTS

Goin’ out west

Although many of the city’s usual arts trail venues are unable to open safely in line with social distancing, it’s not stopping our local creatives from sharing beautiful works

Loathe to deprive its artists or community of its annual pleasures, West Bristol Arts Trail – usually host to 50 venues brimming with beautiful visuals – is, for the first time, hosting a virtual trail in addition to 18 physical venues (subject to change) where safety measures can be observed.

Instead of the usual map-brochure containing the full details on where to find fine locally produced pieces to feast your eyes on, there will be various documents to download from the website. Facebook will be employed (check the trail’s website for the link) as a platform for artists and makers to showcase their work and communicate with those who are interested in viewing and purchasing it.

Founded in 2008, in response to popular local demand, West Bristol Arts Trail has taken place annually in mid-October ever since, with around 120 local artists, designers and makers usually exhibiting their art in homes, studios and community spaces around Clifton, Cliftonwood, Redland and Hotwells. This month, on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October, 11am – 5pm, artists and makers will post photos of their work on the group page alongside details of how to purchase. Artists exhibiting virtually include Bristol illustrator Shelli Graham who uses watercolours and coloured pencils on her greeting cards and gifts. Anyone interested in buying can comment on a post – which may direct customers to artists’ online shops if they have them – and the artist will then arrange payment and delivery.

See wonderful works such as this by Lloyd Lewis, one artist exhibiting on the physical trail

Check out pieces such as this fruity number by Nancy Chambers and, below, gifts by Shelli Graham

Other artists lined up for 2020 include former world kickboxing champion Lloyd Lewis who is exhibiting work physically at Engineers House on The Promenade, Clifton Down. Lloyd became a secondary school science teacher after his big sporting wins and then, after undergoing three spinal surgeries, decided to combine his passions and become a martial arts school owner and an artist. Since then he has been exhibited in the Royal West of England Academy and appeared on Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year. Exhibiting via open house is abstract landscape artist (oil on canvas) Kate Edmunds, who’ll be offering work through an art trail auction, with a view to making it more affordable in uncertain times. Meanwhile popular Bristol creative Jenny Urquhart will be showing her works at 12 Howard Road and the pieces of landscape watercolourist Chris Dye will also have a physical presence.

The 24 artists offering physical exhibitions are listed on the trail website. For any enquiries relating to the physical trail please contact Douglas Henderson on westbristolarts@yahoo.co.uk, and for those relating to the virtual trail contact Eva Pollard via evaglassdesign@yahoo.co.uk or Dona Bradley via artist@dona-bdrawings.co.uk. ■

• westbristolarts.com

Storm on Mt Blanc by Andrew Jones