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Lesley McShea
Historically, Stoke Newington has been home to a wealth of creative types ranging from writers to artists to musicians and it is a tradition that contributes to the bohemian air that lingers despite the gentrification of the area. So, it seemed appropriate to see what artistic activities local residents can participate in. Here’s just a couple to whet your artistic appetite.
The most obvious stop was Gutteridges Yard. This small alley, by the popular Fox Reformed, houses a series of artists’ studios run on a not-for-profit basis, and is home to a concentration of potential artistic pursuits. Lesley McShea has held adult pottery classes in her studio in Gutteridges Yard for nearly ten years, in addition to taking commissions for items. It is open to all ages and abilities, and on the evening I attended people ranged from those with nine years’ experience to absolute beginners (myself included). Lesley runs a relaxed and informal class allowing each student to work at his or her own pace and choose what they would like to make. Limiting class sizes to 6-7 allows her to ensure that she can give sufficient instruction – or advice to the more experienced – whilst also allowing them the space to create! Pottery is a great pursuit for the inexperienced, as you can start to make an item straight away – regardless of talent, thankfully – and she encourages customisation of standard items. The pots then need to be fired before glazing and so several sessions are needed before you can return home with the finished article – a proud moment, I was assured by the regular class members.
Lesley has worked in adult education for many years and teaches at the Workers Education Centre in Camden as well as being a long-standing member of Hidden Art, the Potters Guild and London Potters. Funding for adult education arts courses is being cut year on year and so her studio presents a great opportunity to try out a new hobby.
Moulding clay while listening to Classic FM is an extremely therapeutic way to while away an evening, and I thoroughly recommend giving it a whirl. I’ll be booking a class so I can go back and glaze my creations!
Classes cost £15 per session – payable in blocks of four – and should be booked in advance. Finished items are paid for by dry weight. Lesley McShea, Church Street Workshops, Gutteridges Yard, 172 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16, 020 7241 3676
www.lesleymcshea.com
www.myspace.com/lesleypunkpotter
Rainbow Glass Studios
Richard has been running Rainbow Glass Studios for many years, and in addition to commissioned work holds a series of adult classes. Workshops for beginners are held on Saturdays from 10am – 4.30pm and cost £125 per day inclusive of materials. Again, class sizes are relatively small – maximum of eight – to ensure that sufficient tuition can be offered to all participants and the introductory sessions include design, glass cutting, leading and soldering. For those interested in continuing beyond the introductory sessions, classes are held on Tuesday evenings - £90 for a block of six – from 6pm – 8.30pm
Advance booking is necessary as the classes are popular and gift vouchers can secure workshop spaces as presents. For more information contact Richard on richatd@rainbowglassstudios.co.uk or visit www.rainbowglassstudios.co.uk
Campbell Works
For those interested in slightly less participatory art, Campbell Works is an ongoing project run by artists Neil Taylor and Harriet Murray. Embracing a collaborative approach to artistic practice, Campbell Works acts as a meeting point for ideas and aims to explore contextual relationships between art, spaces and people through an ongoing programme of installations, exhibitions, commissions, talks and screenings. Campbell Works also initiates and develops education projects through its Caws of Art programme.
For further information contact
Campbell Works, 27 Belfast Road, London, N16 6UN
www.campbellworks.org |
