All aboard (please) ...

We need help!

Draycott Festival of Arts and Gardens is now well established in the cultural and social calendar of the Erewash area, taking place annually over the Bank Holiday weekend at the beginning of May. We have a small team who helped during the 2012 festival but need more help!
Alysn who has coordinated the Festival since it’s inception, is unfortunately not available from 2013 and Stevie, who has been another mainstay of the festival organisation is also due to work commitments, unable to be available next year. The team from 2012 are on board and ready to go again but extra help would be appreciated.
All new helpers will be supported by Alysn and others who have helped in the past. Volunteers could be based anywhere, some tasks can also be completed mostly electronically others will involve being 'on site' for some time at least.
If you have any queries or want to ask for further details, please ask Alysn via startlearts@yahoo.co.uk or call The Beetroot Tree (01332 873929). The next planning meeting is to be held at The Beetroot Tree at 5.30pm Wednesday September 26th.

We have particular 'holes' in the organizing group at the moment for:

Fundraising: This enables us to have workshops and performers taking part in the festival which would not otherwise be possible. We have several sponsors who we regularly approach, but always can do with more.
This would be good experience for someone wanting to get involved in the world of funded events. Alysn will be able to guide you through the funds we are already aware of.

Publicity: Writing press releases and organizing the poster/flyer distribution (the design and print of this is sorted out), using any relevant social media and other methods to publicize the event.

Adverts: This year from local businesses had adverts in the programme and a few more would be valuable. This requires someone to approach and convince local businesses to advertise, then ensure the artworks and payments are sorted out.

Programme: We need someone competent on either 'Microsoft Publisher', 'InDesign' or similar to put together the trail programme which is given out at the festival.

Refreshments: A person who can run the refreshments at the church hall. This is a valuable addition to the festivals income. It involves doing a shop or two for the food (consisting of a simple array of cakes and drinks), being at the hall for some of the weekend and finding a couple of other volunteers to help over the festival weekend.

General helpers: To help with jobs such as putting the banner out, signs out for the weekend and back in, putting the 'goody bags' for venues and artists together and distributing them to the venues. People to sell programmes and make sure that the artists and venues are all okay over the weekend.

Help to find and fund performers and activities ...

Coordinate artists and venues ...

So contact ... startlearts@yahoo.co.uk or call The Beetroot Tree (01332 873929). 

The next planning meeting is to be held at The Beetroot Tree at 5.30pm Wednesday September 26th.

Thanks,

Alysn

It's getting closer ...

Still more artists to tell you about today, here are another group of wonderful artists and creatives who will be at the festival (6th and 7th May, 12 noon till 5pm):

Rachel Warren

Rachel simply enjoys the process of making things – working with traditional tools and materials.  She has always loved jewellery and now spends her time, out in her workshop, combining metals, glass and polymer clay into customised beads and bespoke jewellery.

She tends to work within a fairly limited colour palette – mostly in the cool part of the spectrum, blues, greens and purples, all of which perfectly complement her preferred metal, silver.

She is fascinated by folklore, myths and legends, talismans and amulets, and has an obsession with water, be it the powerful crashing waves and life of the ocean, or the silent stillness of frost and snow.

She will be demonstrating some of her techniques for you.

Wonderful beads from Rachel Warren, reminding me of beach finds ...

Mel Anderson

With information this time ...

Mel produces bright and vibrant, hand felted textile art work, homeware, jewellery and cards, 

using bold, iconic images, tactile fibres, natural and manmade. Incorporating vintage and dress jewellery, beaded embellishment and other interesting treasures. Commissions welcome. 

Bold felted designs from Mel Anderson

Christine Grey 

I am a Mother, a Partner and an Artist, living and working in Derbyshire. I enjoy exploring my creativity through different mediums. My creative output is usually matched by the appropriate medium at that time, whether this is a photograph, a mixed media painting, a mosaic or a textile piece depends on the what needs to be created.

Bright, bold colours and surfaces by Christine Grey

Jessica Noutch

Jessica says:

 I love trying to capture the movements and features of passers-by, celebrating their unique and sometimes surprising shapes.  I hope my drawings express the inherent value of each person who appears in them. The best ones are elegantly fluid but also gently humorous.

Jessica will be an 'itinerant artist' during the festival, recording the event with her  sketches which will be shown at The Beetroot Tree as an exhibition later.

Buskers by Jessica Noutch

Gail McGregor

Gail, an art therapist, presents 'Don't stand at my grave and weep' which is a series of works based around coming to terms with the death of her mother.

 She is showing an installation  which is based around the burial customs where a body is dressed in fancy, favorite or ceremonial clothes. Personal objects, such as a favorite pieces of jewelry or photograph, of the deceased may be included with the body.  

For Gail the process of collecting grave goods was cathartic, she will be with the work to discuss the culture of 'Grave Goods' and to talk if you have stories to share.  

Detail from 'Don't Stand at my Grave and Weep' by Gail McGregor

 More:

We also welcome back Kathy who sells her homegrown plants, Honeycombe will be present to talk to creatives who want to learn and network, and I will tell you more about our special Childrens activity and treasure trail very soon ...

Wetting your appetite for the 2012 Draycott Festival of Arts and Gardens

Things may have been quiet on the posting front, but under the surface we are paddling hard, almost ready to announce all of the arrangements for the Draycott Festival of Arts and Gardens.
We have been fortunate to receive funing from the Derbyshire Arts Festival fund, providing a stable base for us to plan activities for 2012 .
Put the 6th and 7th May between 12 noon and 5pm into your diary now. Whatever the weather, visit the village, follow a trail of houses, gardens, artists, performers and activities for children as well as adults.

Here are a few images from the feativals in 2010 and 2011 to get you into the mood: