Black Swan Arts Exhibition Archives 2020
Small & Affordable, fundraising exhibition
December 2020 – January 2021
Extended deadline – 30 November (midnight)
To ensure that we have the resources to continue supporting the arts in Somerset, as we have for the past 30 years, we are asking our loyal and talented artists and friends to donate artwork to our fundraising show ‘Small & Affordable’.
We welcome work from any medium, 2D or 3D. Pieces should be no larger than 30 x 30 x 30 cm and have a recommended selling price of £300 or less. The work is intended to be affordable in recognition of the fact that many of us are struggling financially.
Please consider donating some artwork to this important cause. Without your help, Black Swan Arts may not survive.
Black Swan Arts Young Open 2020
Long Gallery and Round Tower Gallery
Available as a virtual tour
The Young Open is our annual competition for creatives between the ages of 8 and 19. We’re always impressed with the variety and vibrancy of work submitted. It is one of our best-attended exhibitions of the year.
Black Swan Arts is proud to collaborate with local education providers. We welcome group submissions from schools and colleges and entries from individuals.
Fifty Bees 4, Lydia Needle
8 February – 14 March
Preview: 7 February, 6-8pm
Artist’s talk ‘The Pollinators and Pollyfillers’: Saturday 14 March, 1.30 – 3pm
In a new show at Black Swan Arts in Frome, Somerset artist Lydia Needle has sculpted fifty British bees in wool and stitch, and fifty other artists have created responses to each bee.
In the fourth incarnation of her project ‘Fifty Bees: The Interconnectedness of all Things’, Lydia Needle has created fifty life-size bees to represent fifty of the 275 bee species in the UK. The project was devised to showcase the plight of the British bee. So far she has created 200 sculptures, but she is aiming to complete 275 – one for each of Britain’s bees.
Philip Needham
24 February – 9 March
Contemporary mixed media artwork by Philip Needham.
Philip studied physics at the University of Cardiff in Wales. After graduation he continued a research and doctoral program.
‘Lets Be Frank’, by Frank Goffey
29 January – 8 February
Late night opening: Saturday 1 February, 6-8pm
Frank is a pen and ink illustrator. Amongst the themes he explores are; social commentary, bullying and climate issues with a healthy dose of comedy and surrealism.
χάος (Chaos) – Barry Cooper
3 January – 1 February
Preview: Friday 10 January, 6-8pm
Q&A and solo violin performance: Saturday 11 January, 2-4pm
Eugene Ysäye his 6 violin virtuoso sonatas form the inspiration and basis of χάος (Chaos) by Barry Cooper. The violin pieces were written in the early 20 century for 6 virtuoso violin players. Barry Cooper has transformed each movement into a visual interpretation on large canvases. The result is a varied but very distinct new abstract body of work with sometimes figurative echoes.
Barry will paint and perform a live large painting continuing on the interpretation of Ysaye his violin sonatas during this exhibition.