Black Swan Arts Exhibition Archives 2019
Black Swan Guild ‘Small & Mighty’
30 November – 24 December
Preview: Friday 29 November, 6-8pm
The members of our very own Black Swan Guild host their Christmas exhibition.
Corinna Sargood ‘Pictures & Dioramas’
23 November – 21 December
Preview: Friday 22 November, 6-8pm
Artist’s talk & live demonstrations: Wednesday 4 December, 6–8pm
Children’s day & live demonstrations: Saturday 7 December, 2–4pm
Diorama workshop (age 18+): Sunday 15 December, 11am-4pm, £45 – booking via eventbrite essential
An extraordinary collection of multilayered, painted wood dioramas, dense and brilliant embroideries, prints and artist’s books. Corinna’s work explores her life in Mexico, Peru, and the dark world of fairy tale. This show is a rare insight into some of the personal and never before publicly displayed work of this exceptional talent. We are honoured that she is sharing this private magical world with us.
Black Swan Arts Open 2019
18 October – 16 November
Prizegiving: Thursday 17 October 2019, 6-7pm
Artists Preview: Thursday 17 October 2019, 7.30-9pm
Closing Party: Saturday 16 November 2019, 3.30-6pm
The prestigious Black Swan Arts Open is an annual competition which welcomes entries of original works from established practitioners and emerging artists of all professions and disciplines. Work can be submitted in any medium and in almost any size – from painting, drawing and printmaking to photography, sculpture and ceramics.
This year’s judging panel includes; Robert Devereux (former chair of Frieze), Katharine Fry (winner of the Black Swan Arts First Prize 2017), Luke Jerram (artist), Elly Hawley (Director of Hauser & Wirth Somerset) and Sandra Porter RWA (artist).
Wiltshire Print Creatives, Strictly Printing
9 – 23 November
Late opening: Saturday 22 November, 6-8pm
Meet the Artist: Saturday 9 November, 11am-2pm
Artist talk: Saturday 9 November, 2pm
- abstract
- figurative
- traditional etching
- linocut
- digital
Old Bakery Artists
26 October – 3 November
We welcome the Old Bakery Artists to the Round Tower Gallery once again.
Find out more about the Old Bakery Artists from their website.
Art through my minds eye
14-19 October
Preview: 14 October, 6-8pm
Featuring the work of Gary Punt.
Born 1944 in Essex. Gary started his interest in painting and drawing from a young age. He painted seriously from the age of fifteen and studied at Southend Art & Craft College. His work continued for some five decades until his death in 2014 through illness.
Gary and his family spent a lot of time in Somerset over the years on holiday and his love of the region is transpired in his scenes of Cheddar Gorge-Weston Super mare and Wells.
Fire and Thread
9-12 October
Featuring artists Jack Beaumont and Meriel Lee in a joint textile and jewellery show.
Fiona Hingston, Somerset Art Works (SAW)
7 September – 5 October
Preview: Friday 6 September, 6-8pm
Meet the artist: Thursday 26 September, 11am-3pm
The exhibition explores the beauty of Britain’s vanishing wildflowers. It takes place as part of Somerset Art Weeks 2019.
Fiona Hingston’s new body of work, ‘The English Woman’s Flora’, includes more than 200 wildflowers made from masking tape and graphite. It is based on popular pocketbook ‘The Observer’s Book of Wild Flowers‘ (W.J. Stokoe, 1957). The work is part celebration and part lament for what is and increasingly is not to be found on the land she calls home.
Black Swan Guild Second Exhibition
7 September – 6 October
Preview: 6 September, 6-8pm
An exhibition by the Black Swan Guild (with special guests) exploring themes surrounding the body, body adornment, decoration and marking.
LISTEN, a summer season of sound
20 July – 1 September
Preview: Friday 19 July, 6-8pm
An exciting programme of sound art events taking place over the summer in the Long Gallery, Round Tower Gallery and Black Swan Café. Curated by Helen Ottaway and Mel Day.
Immerse yourself in a library of sound art and related films in the Round Tower Gallery listening hub. Respond to the things you have heard within and beyond Black Swan Arts through our Call and Response Wall. You can hear about deep listening and experience the vibrations of a gong massage and you can take part in talks and workshops. Frome FM will be broadcasting from LISTEN too. There will be chances to relax in the Round Tower hub and courtyard to chilled out DJ sessions.
Casting the World: The Story of JW Singer & Sons
4 – 14 July
Weekday workshops for school groups
Weekend workshops for the public, free to attend, booking required
Come and try your hand at being a casting apprentice at this family-friendly workshop. The Long Gallery at Black Swan Arts will be transformed into a casting studio, bringing history alive and offering the opportunity to learn the basics of the casting techniques used to such great effect at the J.W. Singer & Sons foundry in Frome more than 100 years ago. Note – no hot metal involved!
1 hour weekend sessions are available for the public and weekday sessions are available for school groups.
Title: Frome & District Embroiderers
Date: 2 – 14 July
Stitching Time is an exhibition by the Frome and District Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild, aiming to build awareness of stitch and textile art.
The exhibition highlights different techniques and styles in traditional and experimental embroidery.
Stitched items and cards are available to buy.
Title: Sandra Porter, all things being equal
Date: 1 June – 30 June
Preview: Friday 31 May, 6-8pm
Q&A: Thursday 13 June, 6-7.30pm
Afternoon tea: Sunday 30 June, 2-4pm
‘All Things Being Equal’, features a series of small- and large-scale drawings, collages, prints and paintings which explore grids, stripes and recurrent schemes – images that are similar but not the same. Sandra’s work involves ‘ever evolving improvisations around the grid and the search for a synthesis between the horizontal and vertical together, with the all-important negotiation of monochrome, colour and definitive mark’.
Title: Exploration – Writhlington School & Mendip Studio School
Date: 24 – 28 June
Location: Round Tower Gallery
Preview: Wednesday 26 June 5-7pm, all welcome
A selection of art from GCSE and A-level students from Writhlington School and Mendip Studio School.
Title: IN-SPIRAL
Date: 17 – 23 June
Location: Round Tower Gallery
Preview: Tuesday 18 June 6.30-8pm, all welcome
An exiting exhibition featuring three generations of female artists from one family. They are mother, daughter and granddaughter. Their work is interconnected and sharing an inspiration of nature.
- Èva Kecseti handbags
- Hannah Manning photographs
- Gabriella Kecseti textile art
Title: Frome Creatives
Date: 30 May – 15 June
Location: Round Tower Gallery
Preview: Friday 31 May, 6-8pm – all welcome
An exhibition showcasing work from creative classes run by Frome Community Education. An opportunity to meet tutors and students and sign up to future classes.
Title: Black Swan Guild First Exhibition
Location: Round Tower Gallery
Date: 4 – 25 May
Preview: 3 May 6-8pm, all welcome
The Round Tower Gallery is to host an exhibition introducing the newly formed Black Swan Guild – featuring work from its acclaimed artists in the fields of painting, sculpture, jewellery, textiles, etching, ceramics, and printmaking. This will be the first of three exhibitions this year.
View exhibition page and explore the new Black Swan Guild website.
Title: Frome Art Society, Ruby Anniversary Exhibition
Date: 11 – 25 May
Preview: Friday 10 May, 6-8pm
Celebrating 40 years of Frome Art Society. The local group has grown in size and is well established in the local area. Frome Art Society meet regularly and hold talks and demos for their members and regularly exhibit as a group.
Title: Black Swan Arts Young Open
Date: 30 March – 27 April
Preview: Saturday 30 March, 12pm midday
Competition open for entries 13 December 2018 – 22 February 2019
Black Swan Arts Young Open competition is open to all young people aged between 8 and 19 years. We are proud to run this annual competition and to display an always vibrant, diverse and impressive range of artwork.
We accept entries both from individuals and school groups.
Title: Peter Hayes, Ceramics
Date: 16 February – 23 March
Preview: Friday 15 February, 6-8pm -all welcome
Artist’s talk: Wednesday 13 March, 7.30pm – free to attend, booking not required
Peter Hayes is an international artist working in ceramics, bronze and glass. He has been at the forefront of contemporary ceramics for decades. And has been an influence on many artists working in ceramics and other materials. He makes small to large scale garden sculpture.
Title: Making a mark, Frome College
Date: 9 – 23 February
Preview: Saturday 9 February, 12pm midday
‘Making a Mark’ is a Young Artists’ show displaying creations made by talented young artists at Frome College and featuring selected works created by Frome’s Middle Schools.
Creativity is at the core of Frome College and much value is attached to freedom of expression in the arts.
Title: ‘Freedom’ Artbox, Frome
Date: 25 February – 3 March
Screen printing workshops 3 March
A group exhibition, showcasing original artwork and limited edition prints from the Artbox Frome artists.
Artbox Frome is a charity working with adults with learning disabilities to create, exhibit and sell their artwork. By purchasing their work you acquire unique and affordable art, while providing a source of income for the artists, as well as partly funding our workshops, exhibitions and studio sessions.
Title: Eleanor Bartlett – Matter
Date: 5 January – 9 February
Preview: Friday 4 January, 6-8pm -all welcome
Artist Q&A: Friday 8 February, 6-8pm – rescheduled due to snow
Eleanor Barlett is coming to Black Swan Arts Long Gallery with a show called ‘Matter’.
Her work is created with unusual and challenging materials such as tar and metal paint.
Find out more about Eleanor Bartlett’s exhibition and Q&A session…
Title: The Sands of Time, Stina Falle
Date: 26 January – 2 February
Preview: Friday 25 January, 6-8pm
Imbolc event: Friday 1 Feb, from 6pm – open mic and optional food for purchase
Frome artist, Stina Falle is selling her creative estate – paintings, prints, drawings and other artefacts – to raise money for the charity Mind in Somerset
This sale will help to fund essential counselling services for young people at risk of suicide and self-harm. As a survivor herself she would also like this revelation of her life’s work to encourage others to share their stories and pictures with her while she is in residence.