This month and next, artists in and around Wantage are preparing for Oxfordshire Artweeks later this spring. Artweeks – the UK’s oldest and biggest open studios and pop-up exhibition event - always seems to be the event that signals the arrival of summer sunshine, and as the festival begins colour suddenly runs riot across the county, so we were keen to find out what we’ve got to look forward to locally.
Patsy Jones and Jill Smith (Artweeks listings 488-489)
Vibrant landscapes in paint and print – mostly traditional - exploring pattern and colour in the countryside.
Vale and Downland Museum, Church Street, Wantage OX12 8BL
9.30am-3.45pm 7-25 May (closed Suns and Bank holidays)
Bahar Murphy (Artweeks listing 490)
Paintings that celebrate the beauty and strength that emerges when diverse cultural symbols intertwine in an charming town centre studio.
82 Spring Cottage, Grove Street, Wantage OX12 7BH
11am-6pm; 18-26 May
Seeun Kim (Artweeks listing 491)
South Korean metal craftswoman and jeweller, visual artist, and educator: delicate metalworks balancing tradition and the modern.
24 Mill Street, Wantage OX12 9AQ
10am-5pm; 18 20-25 27 May
John Gunter (Artweeks listing 492)
Painting and mixed media pieces, often inspired by the sea, as John makes art affordable for the enjoyment of everyone.
4 Segsbury Road, Wantage OX12 9XR
11am-5pm; 18-26 May
a+b furniture (Artweeks listing 493)
Contemporary design meets traditional craft in beautiful handmade furniture and homeware. Pop in to browse or discuss a commission.
Unit 7 WandG Estate, East Challow OX12 9TF
11am-4pm; 18 22-25 27 May
Tania Watson (Artweeks listing 494)
Colourful watercolour and drawn images capturing school and family life.
Church Croft, Orchard Gardens, West Challow OX12 9TN
11am-6pm; 18-24 May
Sheila Hore (Artweeks listing 487)
A range of artwork in watercolour (with pencil and gouache), and ceramics in a working garden studio.
Broad Meadows, Ashfields Lane, East Hanney OX12 0HN
11am-5pm; 18-27 May
Towards Faringdon
The Garden Studio (Artweeks listing 495)
Four artists working in ceramics, mixed media, textiles and wood – including ceramics to make you smile and stunning painterly collage art with a delicate wow factor.
53 High Street, Stanford in the Vale SN7 8NQ
12pm-6pm, 18-27 May
Nigel Edwards (Artweeks venue 501)
Unique ceramic bodies of work and glazes from local artist in studio.
The Spinney, 2 Bakers Square, The Green, Fernham SN7 7NT
11am-5pm, 18-19 25-26 May
Sharon Rich (Artweeks venue 502)
Unique hand-carved stone sculpture and stained glass inspired by nature, myth and magic.
Henleaze Farm Bungalow (B4508 next to Farmer Gow’s), Fernham SN7 7PR
Fri-Sun 11am-6pm; Mon-Thu 2pm-5pm, 18-27 May
Pat Elmore (Artweeks venue 503)
Sculpture garden and gallery with over 100 sculptures.
Nutford Lodge (next to King and Queen pub), Longcot SN7 7TW
11am-7pm, 18-27 May
Faringdon Artists (Artweeks venue 496)
Painting, printmaking, mixed media and other creative works by talented local artists in historic Faringdon Old Town Hall, Market Place, Faringdon SN7 7HL
11am-5pm, 18-19 24-27 May
Faringdon taster exhibition (Artweeks venue 497)
Art by exhibitors opening their studios in the surrounding villages in a stunning and surprising historic building in the heart of town.
Great British Revivals, 1 Bromsgrove, Faringdon SN7 7JF
10.30am-4pm, 11-27 May
Great Coxwell Artists (Artweeks venue 500)
Ceramics, stone, painting, drawing, printing, glass, collage, jewellery, quilts, digital art, wire and wood. Refreshments all day.
Holloway House, Great Coxwell SN7 7LZ
11am-5.30pm, 18-19 25-27 May
Lechlade Art Society at Buscot Park (Artweeks venue 498)
Glass, Painting, Printmaking
Ten experienced artists showing and demonstrating their art in the iconic surroundings of
Buscot Park, Buscot Park Road, Faringdon SN7 8BU
2pm-6pm, 4-12 May
National Trust Heritage (Artweeks venue 499)
and Rural Skills Centre
A range of craftspeople will be exhibiting at the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre, showcasing traditional methods. Bellow, digital art, jewellery and paintings too.
The Timber Store, NT Heritage and Rural Skills Centre, Coleshill SN6 7PT
10am-4pm, 23-27 May
Towards Didcot
Eden Faye at the Cornerstone Arts Centre (Artweeks listing 459)
An intuitive, messy and colourful exploration of neurodivergence in paint and mixed media.
25 Station Road, Didcot OX11 7NE
10am-5pm; 4-25 May (closed Sundays and Bank holidays)
Wendy and Gio Botto (Artweeks listings 460and461)
Paintings including semi-fauve/post-impressionist style acrylic landscapes, plus mixed media life drawing and oil paintings depicting boxers, construction sites and churches in varying non-abstract styles. Expect lots of colour!
134 Brasenose Road, Didcot OX11 7BS
11am-6pm; 18-20 25-27 May
Anna De La Mare (Artweeks listing 453)
A wide variety of paintings, portraits, animals and pet portraits, landscapes, mostly representational. Acrylics, oils, gouache resist. Also open.
59 Bridus Mead, Blewbury OX11 9PJ
11am-6pm; 4-6 May and 25-27 May
Five artists at Blewbury Clubhouse (Artweeks listings 454-458)
Vibrant and intuitive paintings inspired by wild and ancient places; atmospheric still life with dappled light and reflections and quirky watercolours of floral abundance, and abstracted works; crockery hand-thrown with love, textile and embroidery art inspired by the beauty of the natural world.
The Clubhouse, Boham's Road, Blewbury OX11 9HF
10am-3pm/ Sat, Suns and Bank holidays 10am-5pm; 18-27 May
