Hello Friends of Knot Works,
We would like to start this newsletter by saying thank you! We have made big steps to grow our organisation over the last few months and it would not have been possible without your support. Every workshop, exhibition, event attended, every supportive comment on social media, is welcomed and appreciated.
We have just celebrated our 1st birthday and couldn’t be happier with how far we have come. Keep an eye out for an exclusive invitation to our birthday tea party to say thank you for your support!
We feel like we have made some good friends already and we are only just at the beginning.
Knot Works Presents II
From March, we hosted our second exhibition. Featuring over thirty drawings created by artists and designers living in the UK and internationally, the exhibition showcased a range of approaches to drawing, including note making, sketches, preparatory drawings and experimental works.
Full details and photographs of the works can be found on our website here.
Pottery Workshop: Mug Making Our spring pottery masterclass, taught by Jean Crosbie, focused on hand building mugs using the slab technique. Slabs of clay are rolled to an even thickness and then formed around a cylindrical mould. A base piece and handle are then added. The process of using a mould provides a base for either a simple, precise, form, or a starting point for something odd and unusual. Every time we host a class we are overjoyed by the creativity and variation of all the pieces made. Mugs are staples in our kitchens and making one the perfect size and shape for your own hands, and for your chosen beverage, is blissful. To book your place on our next pottery masterclass here.
64 London Road
We have talked for many years about having a dedicated space for workshops, exhibitions and studios. Working from Ed’s studio the last year has been wonderful for many reasons; being amongst his works in progress, the smell of oil paint, the quadruple aspect windows. However, his paintings are getting infinitely bigger, and we have longed for somewhere with more space.
Our long-term plan for KW is to host workshops and exhibitions within a larger premises that also provides studio spaces for artists. While this may be a long-term plan, when the opportunity to lease an empty shop on Southborough high street arose, we felt it was a great opportunity to take a step closer to our goal.
64 London Road is now our home and will host a programme of events throughout the year including pottery classes and studio sessions, life drawing, print making, sewing, photography and exhibitions.
The space has been a betting shop and more recently a barber shop. From the moment we got the keys we spent eight weeks stripping tiles, removing stud walls, plastering and painting many coats of white paint. We had help from some wonderful trades people and have recycled many of the materials we removed. The decorative pallet timber wall cladding is now a raised bed at the allotment!
We have felt a real connection to the community since having a ‘shop front’. Conversations with passers-by, a window we can display workshop makes and works in progress. We are not a ‘shop’, but with so many high street shops sitting empty, maybe a community focused offering is an option for these spaces. People do not come to buy things, but instead to learn, meet people and have a shared experience.
We are so excited for all the plans we have over the next few months, and we welcome you with open arms.
See our upcoming events here. And see below for a sneak peek of the full programme that will be released in the coming months.
Thank you again, and we look forward seeing you soon
Holly, Ed & Sam
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