THE CREATIVE PATHWAYS BURSARY 2014

In the Spring SAW called for interested artists to apply for the Creative Pathways Bursary, the year's theme being The Levels and Moors. This month I can now let you know that the four venues and the four selected artists have been finalised. There were some very talented and interesting proposals presented and my being on the interview panel for selecting who would exhibit at Number Seven highlighted the difficult decision that each venue faced. SAW's Zoe Li is once again coordinating the bursary and we would like to thank all those that applied and attended the interviews - interviewers and interviewees! 

The artists and venues are as follows:

BLACK SWAN ARTS FROME: Joy Merron

THORNREED STUDIOS LOWER GODNEY: Andrea Oke

FOR EVERY CLOUD LANGPORT: Liz Fathers

NUMBER SEVEN DULVERTON: Lucy Pendrick

The artists selected naturally all have varied back grounds, some have just completed their degrees others have no formal art training, however all are just setting out, early on their new chosen career path as an artist. Between them we can look forward to an array of work featuring sculpture and light installations by Joy Merron, animation from Andrea Oke, prints and paintings by Liz Fathers and felt work from Lucy Pendrick.  A specific Creative Pathways blog is currently under construction entitled THE LEVELS & MOORS and during the countdown to the exhibitions in September you will be able to catch up with the individual artists as they record and share their progress with you.  

Being the owner of Number Seven I will obviously have a closer insight  into Lucy Pendrick's bursary journey and am thoroughly looking forward to also being her mentor. Lucy makes the most detailed miniature displays from felt and carefully selected foraged finds. Exmoor and it's wildlife will of course be the major inspiration for the work she intends to produce for the exhibition in Dulverton; the town is also home to the Exmoor National Park's head office. After meeting with her last week she is keen to get out walking, exploring the area in more detail, driving out from her home in Norton Fitzwarren to discover the wooded combes and open moorland, no doubt collecting twigs, feathers and heather that will find their way into her finished sculptures. 

The sponsors of this year's bursary are of course the participating venues, the Friends of SAW and the Exmoor branch of NADFAS - The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies who were keen to support an artist in West Somerset, hence Number Seven's involvement. 

The Creative Pathways scheme produced a thrilling and interactive body of work during the Abundance programme last year and I am positive that once more we are to be treated to some exciting and juxtaposed work from this year's selected emerging artists.