Great Yarmouth Library Community Garden

It was good to bump into Mark Leech resting on a bench in the Great Yarmouth Library Community Garden this morning and to have a chance to look through his latest sketchbook that he happened to have with him. 

Mark helps out as a volunteer in the Growing Together Community Garden where an amazing crop of vegetables has already been harvested this year – onions, garlic, herbs, mange tout, radishes, courgettes, French beans, broad beans, lettuces!   There are fruit trees in the garden and lavender, attracting butterflies and bees.  Caroline Fernandez is keen to welcome new -volunteers who would like to help in the garden and share in the harvest on Tuesday mornings, 10.00-12.00 hrs.  She can be contacted on 01493 855441 or 07825281846 or by email at caroline.fernandez@norfolk.gov.uk.  

Workshops to be held in the garden over the summer include fish painting, children’s summer gardening workshops, bite sized bats, bugs and birds workshops with Norfolk Wildlife Trust, autumn wildlife and gardening workshops, herbal first aid and sustainable gardening workshops.  Contact Caroline for more details or keep an eye out for posters in the library.

As well as a keen gardener, Mark is very productive artist.  He attends the Priory Gallery workshops run by the National Gallery and the Priory Art Group.  He also participated in the Transitions project: to see the work he contributed to this project, click here.

Great Yarmouth Museums Summer Events

MEDIEVAL MONDAYS at the Tolhouse Museum, 25th July – 29th August, 11.00-16.00 hrs.

Fun days for the family through the summr season at the Tolhouse Museum, including meeting the gaoler and hearing from a 12th century prisoner of the cells with grm and grisly tales of the plaque.  Creative activities as well.

TUDOR TALES on Thursdays at the Elizabethan House Museum, 28th July – 1st September, 12.00-1600 hrs.

Learn about and try the costumes at the Elizabethan House Museum; learn to write with quill pens and also abut some of the grizzlier aspects of life in Tudor times.

All events at the Tolhouse and Elizabethan House Museums are included in admission ticket price: adults £3.70, concession £3.10, young person (4-16)  £2, children under 4 free.

Summer Holiday Events at the Time and Tide Museum

Cartoon Workshops, every Monday from 25th July – 29th August, 12.00-16.00 hrs. Learn skills of the cartoonist, suitable for all ages.

Science at the Seaside, Monday 8th August, 12.00-16.00 hrs. Great interactive fun in association with ‘Inspire’: experiments and demonstrations that will engage and amaze children of all ages.

Hello Campers! Saturday 20th August, 11.00-16.o0 hrs. Discover how holiday makers of the past had fun on a budget.  Enjoy a day of activities, performance, talks, and good old-fashioned seaside fun.    Meet the swing-dancing group and see them performing at the museum, doing demonstrations and workshops.

All events at the Time and Tide Museum are included in admission ticket price: adults £4.80, concession £4.10, adult in a family group £4,  young person (4-16)  £3.50, children under 4 free.

For more information go to www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk and www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

, Thursdays

Art exhibition and workshops

An exhibition of artworks by Elizabeth Kozmian and friends at Wickampton Farm Barn, Low Road, Wickhampton, Norfolk.  Open Fridays and Sundays, August to mid-September, 11.00 am to 7.00 pm.  

Also workshops and events:

Old Traditions in East Anglia on Saturday 30th July and repeated on Sunday 28th August, both at 3pm.   “George Ewart Evans, Writers and Places” video which Elisabeth edited for BBC with this amazing local historian, about working horses and a short film looking at traditional ploughing techniques using Suffolk Punches made by Mathew Robinson for the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts as part of a rural cultures project. Free admission, kind donations welcome for Sea Conservation.

American Indians Day.  Saturday, 20th August 10.30am to 2.30pm. We will be looking at some of the stories and myths, and sharing our own views on their way of life. There will be a period of reflection to the sound of a drum beat, and then we will work making collage with painting. If you have some Native American objects/images please bring them to add to visual stimulation. Please bring vegetarian lunch to share. Day led by Lesley Rastall and Elisabeth Kozmian. For FAMILIES, and adults welcome too, no experience necessary. Fee £ 5 includes art materials, group of 3 people £12

Mask Painting and Collage. Saturday, 10th September 10.30am to 3pm. Workshop with Elisabeth Kozmian, inspired by New Zealand Maori traditions and stories about lost lands! For FAMILIES,and adults welcome too. Fee £5, group of 3 people £12; please bring packed lunches.

 Wickampton Farm Barn, Low Road, Wickhampton, Norfolk.  Tel: 01493 700008, email:  tree_402@fsmail.net

Conversations from the Edge

Interviews with 25 Great Yarmouth Artists

Conversations from the Edge is a research project undertaken by the sculptor Bridget Heriz which was supported by SeaChange Arts and funded through the Working Neighbourhood Fund.  Transcripts from conversations with 25 artists from Great Yarmouth have been posted to the Transitions site linked to EastCoastNet, and can be accessed by clicking on the name of the artist in the list below. 

Charcrit Boonsom, photographer

Janice Burgoyne, sculptor, workshops

Julia Cake, sculptor, workshops

Margaret Carver, RSM, SWA, landscape painter and Chair of Great Yarmouth and District Society of Artists

Bill Casey, photographer and member of Great Yarmouth and District Photographic Society

Ernie and Karen Childs, Great Yarmouth Potteries, workshops

Katarzyna Coleman, painter, printmaker, workshops

John Dashwood, painter, muralist and poet

Jankie Drummond, textile artist, community arts and carnival, workshops

Lorraine Finch,  paper and photographic conservator, workshops

Kevin Griffiths, painter

Jane Hall, painter

Matthew Harrison, film-maker, community arts

Derek Jackson, photographer

John Kiki, painter

Julian Macey, RMS, painter, President of Great Yarmouth and District Society of Artists

Jason Parr, sculptor and poet, community arts

Emrys Parry, painter

Emily Payne, film-maker

Manuel Seixas, photographer, community arts

Bruer Tidman, painter

Jonathan Tooke, poet, writer and artist

Ian Walker, marine painter and Chair of Great Yarmouth Guild of Artists and Craftsmen

Nick Ward, RE, printmaker

Free Fun Day

Calligraphy, circle dance, draughts, story telling, arts and crafts, dominoes, cycling, bowls, speedstacking and lots more.  Free activities and light buffet lunch.  The Mayor will judge the Silliest Pet photo competition, to enter bring a silly picture by 11.45 a.m.!   Just come along to the Priory Centre, Priory Plain, NR30 1NW on the 28th March, 10.00-14.00 hrs, or for more details contact Joleen or Kate on 01493 743000.

Art Classes

Great Yarmouth Potteries are delivering the following courses between 21st March – 15th April 2011:

Most courses are for a 2 hr. session a week for four weeks.  Places are limited, so please pre-book by email or telephone 01493 850585.

Great Yarmouth Potteries also offer tuition on the potter’s wheel, as individual lessons, group bookings or for birthday parties. £9.50 per person.

Great Yarmouth Potteries, 18-19 Trinity Place, NR30 3HA.  For more information about the potteries, the museum, education and the art of Ernie Childs, click here

National Gallery Workshops at the Priory

Exciting news from Great Yarmouth Community Trust – The National Gallery are once again offering 4 workshops to people who live in the Borough. (March 16, 17, 23, & 24 plus a trip to The Gallery itself on May 17th). All levels are invited. The subject is “Still Life”. To apply you must be over 50 and unemployed and/or have a long term health condition.

Application forms from The Priory reception, Priory Plain or call 01493 743000 for a form to be sent. Or email kate-platt@gyctrust.co.uk.

Closing date for applications is March 4th. There are only 12 places so names will be drawn from a hat.”

Circle Dance Workshop for Children

Half-term activity at Bracecamp Hall, Ormesby St. Margaret.  Wednesday 23rd February, 10.15 – 11.45 am.  £2 adult, £1 child. 

The workshop is led by a qualified and experienced teacher.  The dances come from many different countries including South America, Africa, Greece, Hungary, Romania and the UK.  If there is sufficient interest more workshops may follow.  Each child must be accompanied by a responsible adult over 18. Please ring 01493 748830 for further details or to book.

At Wickhampton Farm Barn near Reedham

“THROUGH THE MAGIC OAK DOORWAY”

An exhibition celebrating the enjoyment of Nature here and in other parts of the World. Contemporary artists from New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Norfolk .

A day out with a difference. Wickhampton Farm Barn invites you to take a step into a more relaxed and rural world, and appreciate with us some of the amazing enchantments of Nature. Our private Gallery in a converted barn offers you stress-free, rural hospitality. Browse a large variety of exhibits, both handmade and computer images, cards and crafts.

Stay for as long or short a time as you wish- Refreshments are available, for which a small donation towards sea conservation would be most welcome.

You can also go for a ramble in the surrounding countryside, or visit the nearby church to see the historic wall paintings – and come back for another cuppa!

  Drawing by Elizabeth Kozmian – Ledward

If you wish to view this ever changing exhibition – OR – come for a workshop,  please call Elisabeth and Peter on 01493 700008 or email mailto://tree_402@fsmail.net.

Five Ways to Wellbeing

An exciting new programme of workshops and activities aimed at improving mental wellbeing  is being run through a partnership between Great Yarmouth & Waveney Mind, Seachange Arts and Community Wellbeing Company.

The workshops will introduce the Five Ways to Wellbeing concept, which outlines five simple actions that when practiced regularly can improve our mental wellbeing. These can be simple things such as being active, learning something new or doing something nice for a friend. Participants will also be given a Five Ways to Wellbeing diary to help them chart their own progress throughout the project.

Included in the programme is a series of Five Ways to Wellbeing Heritage Walks where participants will have the opportunity to create an arts project based on observations and what interested them on the walk. This might include film making, photography, music, dance, theatre or creative writing with participants being encouraged to showcase their work.

‘The Five Ways to Wellbeing programme is open to everyone’ explained Corrina Giles of Seachange Arts ‘It’s a great way to meet people; it encourages you to try something new and we hope people can see the benefits and progress they are making as a result of the Five Ways to Wellbeing activities.’

The project participants are also encouraged to volunteer in their communities, with the opportunity to volunteer at Great Yarmouth’s Mardi Gras which will take place on Tuesday 8th March. See earlier blog for more details about the Mardi Gras event.

To volunteer at Mardi Gras or to take part in the Five Ways to Wellbeing programme or for further information, please contact Corrina by email mailto://corrinaatseachangearts@googlemail.com or call 01493 846550

Information provided by SeaChange Arts.  For further information visit www.seachangearts.org.uk