Brian Eastoe with the Ox & Bucks Woodcarvers (who meet at Abingdon College) have an exhibiton today in the Roysse Room, as part of the Abingdon Arts Festival.
They are asking people to choose their favourite work with a poll.
The exhibition was meant to run for two days and so they apologise that there was a mix up yesterday.
I visited John Mason first to see their art exhibition, but having forgotten to bring a photo id had to be shown through to the O6 Gallery by a member of staff rather than a pupil. The exhibition had been taken down apart from one piece – an old cabinet recovered from a tip – seen here with a sun-projected O6 from the window.
The cabinet was well worth seeing …
It was full of things that would normally be thought of as the lowest of the low: Dyson fluff, tumble drier lint, Dyson powder, floor sweepings – all neatly displayed in thrown away jars and labelled as if they were really important exhibits at the Pitts Rivers in Oxford.
At Larkmead the staff member at the studio remembered my surname from our children. She asked after both of them by name – not bad given they are now 25 and 23.
The exhibition here was of mono-prints by a graduate from Brookes University who had worked with Year 10 – that is the 4th year in old currency.
Very good to see both schools taking part in the Abingdon Arts Festival.
Larkmead also had an Indian Cultural Arts day with workshops including Rangoli, Henna tattoo, tabla drumming, Bollywood dance, yoga & Indian cooking.
John Mason also had a Family Learning day with Visual art, animation, movie making, cooking, sport and a whole lot more.
Then again Larkmead had Candoco Dance hosted by a contemporary company who integrate disabled and able bodied dancers.
And on another occasion Larkmead hosted the Trestle Theatre Company doing a workshop and subsequent theatrical production using masks and characterisation.
One traditonal part of the Abingdon Arts Festival is the Abingdon Camera Club — Photographic Competition.
Winners in the adult section this year are
1. Tony Shields – Rain and Mist on Ho Long Bay
2. John Orme – Guarding the Nest
3. Marcus harrison – “Old Mongolian”
Nichola Blackwood, local MP, was there to present the prizes at Trinity Church half way through the Big Sing – both prizes for the adults and the junior section. This is Stan Majewski who got both first and second prize in the junior section.
Billy Davis got third place.
It is hoped that the pictures, and those that were highly recommended, will soon be on public display in the Abbey Shopping Centre. I shall keep you posted if I hear anything. But this has been difficult to arrange this year.
The Abingdon Arts Festival is already underway. Earlier at St Nics there was a Silent Comedy Classic: ‘I was born but’ – with live piano accompaniment.
I look forward to Saturday when an impromptu choir will rehearse for the BIG SING AND FLASH CHOIR.
Meet at Trinity Church, Conduit Road at 10am then after a rehearsal we will take it out to people of Abingdon. It could all last until about 5pm.