Unpicked Meadow Public Art Project

Stockbridge Meadows Nature Reserve, Melbourn

The Story so far…

You may have noticed some exciting new additions to Riverside Park, Stockbridge Meadows Nature Reserve. Artist Jo Chapman was chosen at a public Artist Selection Evening back in March and since then has started on a year long public art project for the nature reserve.

So far the May bank holiday weekend saw the launch of the project with visitors creating wooden plaques, painting or writing haiku poems. These plaques were joined by ones created by Orchard Manor and Melbourn Primary School and have been mounted to form a welcome wall for anyone entering the Meadows to see.

Over the summer the ARTIVAN was launched, a project space to meet, make and exhibit work. Jo took a two berth stripped out caravan and Melbourn Village College students redesigned the inside and outside. Workshops took place over the summer with guest artists including Liz McGowan who created a giant lizard out of wood found in the Meadows.

Renga Poetry

Another strand running through the project is renga poetry, a form of Japanese poetry with a series of short verses linked into one long seasonal poem. Renga is a social form of poetry writing, led and hosted by a poet, anyone can come and join a renga party to write poetry. Local poet Clare Crossman has been leading the project. She has woven together individual haiku created in May for the spring renga, hosted a summer renga party in the Meadows and will be hosting Autumn and Winter renga parties. Bring a picnic and join us for the whole day (booking is advisable) or drop in if you are passing to get a taster. All are welcome, suitable for age 9 upwards. Paper, pencils, drinks and an explanation of how to write Renga will be provided. Autumn Renga Party – Sunday 17 Oct 2010, 10am-4.00pm Winter Renga Party – Sunday 23 Jan 2011, 10am-4.00pm Contact Kirstin for more details or see http://melbourn.org. uk/publicart Calling All Musicians!

We hope to bring as many musical people from the local community together as possible for a few evening sessions in October. A new music project will be taking place to create and record a sound installation for the November fire party. Musicians and Singers at any level are invited to take part. Please contact Kirstin if you are interested or want to find out more.

Creating Art

Take Part in Creating Art for Melbourn with the Stockbridge Tapestry. Imagine a tapestry created by Melbourn residents stretching around the Meadow. Jo Chapman is inviting you to create a section for the Stockbridge Tapestry, a communal artwork that will wrap around the Meadows and provide a seedbed for the final artwork inspired by the Meadows and the natural world. • What inspires you in nature? • Why is nature important to our lives? • How can we look more closely? • How do we make connections?

Launched at the afternoon workshops over the summer, we would like as many people as possible to write, stitch or draw and contribute a section to the Stockbridge Tapestry.

Your section for the tapestry can be made at home or you can come along to one of our events. It does not have to be a ‘tapestry’ this is just a word used to describe a way of linking images together and a long horizontal banner type artwork. If you would like to make it at home then here are some guidelines. • You can either use your own piece of fabric or collect a piece from Melbourn Village College or the Parish Council

Office. • The section should be no larger than 30cm in height and can be any length. It should be 2 dimensional. It can be on any type of fabric and made in any style you like

• You can make use of stitching, fabric paints or pens, collage, natural materials – anything that suits you. • The section that you make will be part of the whole artwork and will be joined together with the others, so it needs to be reasonably robust and permanent. • The imagery or any words you use is up to you but we would like it reflect an aspect of the natural world of

Melbourn, you may want to make a visit to the Meadows for some inspiration, it may be about the seasons or plants or animals in your garden. Completed sections can be dropped into Melbourn Village College or the Parish Council Office. The deadline for dropping pieces off is Friday 14th January 2011.

Forthcoming Events

The ARTIVAN will be in the Meadows at the following events. Feel free to drop in for a cup of tea to find out more about the project or to take part. Workshops are suitable for all ages and everyone is welcome. Saturday 18th September, 1.30pm – 4.30pm Tapestry Making Join Jo to make a section for the Stockbridge Tapestry Sunday 17th October Tapestry Making and Autumn Renga Party Poet Clare Crossman will be leading the renga party for ages 9 + and Tapestry Making will be taking place for all ages. Sunday 21st November, 7pm – 8.30pm Fire Party Join us for a bonfire, music, a cup of soup and a few surprises! Sunday 23rd January 2011, 10am-4.00pm Winter Renga Party Poet Clare Crossman will be leading the renga party for ages 9 +

For more details please visit: http://melbourn.org.uk/publicart

For more information, to find out more about the music project or to book a place on the renga parties contact Kirstin Bicknell, Arts Development Manager, phone 07770 643165, email Kirstin@start-arts.org.uk

Arts Development

If you are part of a group interested in working with an artist, hosting an arts event or if you run an arts related group and need some support then contact your local Arts Development Manager, Kirstin Bicknell. She can support with everything from marketing and fundraising advice to contracting an artist.

Kirstin is part of the stART partnership between village colleges and South Cambridgeshire District Council. StART run a number of district wide initiatives including an equipment bank and mobile cinema for community groups to hire. See their website www.start-arts.org.uk for more information or contact Kirstin, phone 07770 643165, email Kirstin@startarts.org.uk

The Academy – Beauty and the Beast

This summer the Academy returned to Melbourn with a fun week of musical theatre workshops on the theme of Beauty and the Beast in July. Twenty two young people age 8–15 years took part and produced a fantastic final sharing!

Autumn Art Exhibition

Foxton Village Hall

Friday 19th November – Sunday, 21st November 2010

Held since 2003 at Foxton’s attractive and modern village hall, the Annual Autumn Art Exhibition aims to display and sell quality works of art from local artists.

The exhibition team led by Foxton’s School Head, Jenny Jones, present a modern stylish event with exhibits from talented established and establishing artists. All proceeds support the local school in exciting ways including visual and performing arts.

Exhibits are displayed in a variety of medias including ceramics, wood and textiles as well as oils, pastels, watercolour, ink and photography. Exhibiting artists include Jane Hollidge, a local artist whose delicate ceramic work and evocative landscapes are popular and Paul Edwards, whose silkscreen prints attracted many with their motion and colour.

This year presents a large variety of works on display with something to suit most tastes and pockets. The Friends of Foxton School welcome all new visitors along with the new artists.

Foxton Autumn Art Exhibition Fri 19th Preview evening. Free entry. 7.30 - 9.30 Sat 20th 10.30 -4pm £1.50 entry (children free) Sun 21st 11-4pm £1.50 entry (children free) www.foxtonart.org

Keep up-to-date with the Parish Council & Safer Melbourn Read the Melbourn Magazine online or have your say on Speakers’ Corner Find out what’s going on with the Melbourn Library - Health & Education Riverside Park & Riverside Art If you’re looking for information on Local History - Shops & Services Clubs & Societies - Leisure Activities Melbourn Churches - they’re all available Be informed and browse!

Melbourn Village website includes: Parish Council – Safer Melbourn – Village Plan – History – Library – Healthcare – Education – Shops & Services – Riverside Park – Riverside Art – Problem Solving Group – Gallery – All Saints’ Church – URC – St Georges’ Allotments – River Mel Restoration – Whats-on – Bowls Club – Bridge Club

‘Speaker’s Corner’ aims to provide Melbourn residents the opportunity to express their views on issues affecting them and those around them. Whether relating to the council, policing issues, or the local environment, feel free to make your point. www.melbourn.org.uk/speakers-corner/

Cut out along the dotted line and place in your (door) window. Supplied by Trading Standards, this sticker can be used to warn traders you don’t buy at the door

Not sure?

Don’t open the door

See page 23 for more information on Trading Standards