I paid my first visit to Art Van Go this week. I have seen Viv and Kev many a time when at shows, but I've never seen the Knebworth shop and gallery. It's great! If you love their stands at the shows, it's just like that, but with more goodies.
As there is an exhibition on at the moment by pupils of Janet Edmonds, called Taking Textiles Further, I popped over there in the week to have a look at what was there. And also to browse around the shop without being constantly elbowed out of the way by over-excited Show Shoppers.
I loved the work that was there. My particular favourites were pieces by Buffy Fieldhouse which used printing in line and pattern that was reminiscent of Viking Runes. I loved the way the pieces were assembled and that they were so visually striking with effective colour palettes.
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| Be What You Are IV Buffy Fieldhouse |
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| Be What You Are I - Buffy Fieldhouse |
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| Be What You Are I - Buffy Fieldhouse |
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| Be What You Are II - Buffy Fieldhouse |
Other members of the exhibition were Mary Gamester, who had sewn this beautiful handstitched picture. I loved the colours and design:
Marian Hall's piece Gridlock I was lovely, with little snippets of handstitching in a contrasting colour that really stood out against the dark background.
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| Marian Hall - Gridlock I (detail) |
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| Marian Hall - Gridlock I |
Marian Hall's work Gridlock II was also a beautfiul piece and in the contrasting panel, the gold thread outlines lifted the shapes and highlighted them (above left and detail right).
June Withers produced some fantastically bright work which I loved:
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| June Withers: Autumn Leaves (left), Summer Glory II (middle), Summer Glory I (right) |
There were other artists exhibiting but there's not room to put them all here - shame. It's worth a look (especially if combined with a shopping trip), and the exhibition is on until 30 November.
