SHEDS you like

It was last Sunday that I visited SHEDS in Hemyock, but with what has been one of the most prolific art weeks ever, you'll have to bare with me as I try to retrospectively type and upload all the photos of the venues I've been to see during the week since then. I think at the moment the total of venues visited is running at 26 of a possible 108!

Anyway, this venue, 'SHEDS' at number 102 in the guide and is probably going to be up there in one of my favourite venues overall, but definitely scores the most points for being the most fun SAW venue I've been to (ironic, as technically this venue is actually in Devon, but just on the edge, so its ok -but more interestingly because BHamm!, who put the show together often make work in response the Somerset/Devon border as well).

Sure, there aren't any Concorde planes or views looking out onto Wells Cathedral here (like at two of the other venues, no. 1 and no. 60 if you're interested-equally fab but in a different way), but there doesn't need to be because, you've got, er... sheds! Not convincing you? Well, I've always been a believer that the most everyday and mundane things make the best art and this was no exception. You've got 18 artists made up of painters, installation, photography, mixed-media, sculpture, pottery, site-specific (need I go on) all exhibiting together under the theme of sheds with really creative sheds that they've built which in some cases either house the work and/or become the work entirely. The field its situated in at Simonsburrow house is like an eccentric shanty town of artists, each with their own very unique interpretation of a shed which makes it a venue full of surprises and things to explore. I've tried to resist putting too many photos on here to show you and hope that you go and check out the exhibition for yourselves because there's a fair bit more than what I've shown here.

Good fun, just be sure to take your wellies if its raining.

Me outside Liz Gregory's shed

"My shed is a homage to the one you can see across the field. It is made from the monumnet fence that we decorated in 2008. I want to paint the inside in a similar way with colours adn images inspired from all the things that are found in sheds. Please come and paint a stripe in the shed. I've been painting from two old farm sheds over the last year. Inside these sheds I've found objects: abandoned, forgotten, dusty and rusty, and these objects have become the basis for my prints."-Liz Gregory"Please Shed before entering"Tim Martin's Sheds
"The shed theme for me has manifested itself in several ways from a series of landscape paintings made in a shed last year to 'Shed Gateway' and 'Heartseaese', two works made from stakes designed to change colour when viewed from different sides."-Tim Martin Gordon Field's 'Shed of Curiosities' is awesome!
"The 'Shed of Curiosities ' is a purpose built shed which after the 'Sheds' project will then become my Zen thinking-shed. Now it is full of work and is a smaller version of a previous art weeks installation. The 'Shed of Curiosities'. The black exterior is inspired by the fisherman's sheds of the South East coast and my newly converted studio."-Gordon Field

Gordon Field's 'Shed of Curiosities' (detail)-

Of course there would be tools, its all about the tools!

Tim Martin's shed for a single tool, but what tool I wonder....

Its Liz Father's piece, 'The lambing shed'

"Farming is an important part of the Blackdowns way of life. through imaginative play we are able to develop an insight into the work and routines of the farming year." -Liz Fathers
Cousin-it takes a ride on Andrew Bell's mechanised shed (it was exhausting!!)
"Oyster fisherman in Arachon, France clean off their brushes on the side of their sheds after painting their boats. The resulting effect is unintentionally artistic. My shed is inspired by those I saw in Arcachon. I am intrigued by mechanisms that operate by unusual forms of power, particularly if they are a bit like the creations of Rowland Emett. Such a mechanism opens the door of my shed, if you pedal hard enough." -Andrew Bell
(and if you're like me and wondered who Rowland Emett is then click on this link and all will become clear: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Roland_Emett)
I was also thinking of Heath Robinson as being similar too.

For more details about visiting SHEDS please look in the SAW catalogue under venue 102 or click on the link below:

http://www.somersetartworks.org.uk/venues/bhaam