Margaret Sharrow's Lampeter Lantern Festival photos

All photos copyright Margaret Sharrow, 2010

A child's Christmas in Wales took the form of a lantern festival, to celebrate Lampeter's status as a Transition Town. The children had made lanterns representing windmills, water wheels, the sun, the earth, a giant sunflower, etc. It was part of Lampeter's Christmas festival on 10 December 2010, with many businesses opening late offering mince pies, and one of the banks even serving up drams of whiskey (standing room only there!)

No snow then but it's looking mighty festive now, with six inches falling overnight / this morning. Valiant hand loading of deliveries to one of the supermarkets, a wifi-enabled cafe bravely open...

Best holiday wishes to all my blog readers, and thank you for looking at my pages so often this past year. I hope to bring you loads more news and reviews in the new year (and hopefully before then, too!) So wishing you all joyful experiences this holiday season... merry Christmas, Nadolig llawen, joyeux Noel, feliz Navidad, and best wishes too in Danish, Korean, Russian, Chinese, Faroese, Dutch, German, Italian, Armenian, Swedish, Hebrew and all the other languages you speak...

Please vote for me to become the official blogger / artist for an expedition to the North Pole!

Margaret Sharrow explores contemporary art, 3 November

Lampeter artist Margaret Sharrow continues her popular series of illustrated talks with 'Exploring Contemporary Art' on Wednesday 3 November at 1:00 - 2:00 pm at the Lampeter Women's Workshop.

Following the success of her 'Looking at Art' talk in September, Margaret has agreed to return for another session.

'The last talk was a very quick tour of European art from 1300 to the early 1960's, looking at themes such as the drive towards perspective, the subtraction of various rules and expectations from painting, and the emergence of new forms including conceptual art and installation,' says Sharrow.

'"Exploring Contemporary Art" will pick up where I left off, and deal with a few of the main trends in contemporary art,’ she continues. ‘It's also a chance for me to share my enthusiasm for some of the artists and exhibitions I've enjoyed in the last couple of years, including a selection of work from 2010 degree shows.’

The talk will be followed by an informal discussion, and Margaret will also show some of her current work in progress.

The Lampeter Women's Workshop runs on Wednesdays during school term time at St James Hall, Cwmann, on the Carmarthen road. All women aged 16 and up are welcome. The day begins at 10:30 am with a gentle exercise class, group discussion and lunch at 12 noon, with a different activity each week beginning at 1:00 pm. The X40 bus stops at the hall on request. Cost of £2.50 includes lunch. For more information, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/lampeter/pages/womens_workshop.shtml.

The previous talk 'Looking at Art', 29 September

7 October 2010

Margaret Sharrow's talk, 'Looking at art' - or how did we get to contemporary art?

Baffled, amused, or enraged by what's in galleries today? On Wednesday 29 September artist Margaret Sharrow will be giving an illustrated talk and discussion called 'Looking at art' - a friendly way into enjoying contemporary art. The event will take place at the Lampeter Women's Workshop, 10-3 pm, St James' Hall, Cwmann, on the Carmarthen road just outside Lampeter. All women aged 16 and over warmly welcome. £2.50 includes shared lunch, and the talk and discussion begin after lunch.

'It's a chance to explore some of the trends in art that have led to exciting contemporary work such as installations, performance art, and what's on at degree shows around the country,' says Sharrow. 'What are artists trying to say, and why are comment cards at the Tate full of statements like, "I could do better!"? Sometimes there's a gap between artists and the public. I'd like to try and bridge it, and to share some of the art that I find exciting.' And for men who'd like to attend? 'I'm sure I'll be giving the talk again, and others like it, at mixed-gender venues in the near future!'

Contact Margaret for booking future talks

More on the Lampeter Women's Workshop

Posted 23 September 2010

The next talk, 'Exploring Contemporary Art', 3 November

EMERGENCY WORDS: Margaret Sharrow performs at Lampeter, Manchester, Liverpool Biennial

Image: Life ring, Pembrokeshire. Copyright Margaret Sharrow, 2010.

What words would you want to save you in an emergency? That's the question Lampeter artist Margaret Sharrow will be asking members of the public in her new performance piece, 'EMERGENCY WORDS'.

The event will premiere in Lampeter at the Poets and Peasants Society, Thursday 9 September at 8:30 pm in the Castle Green, Bryn Road.

Sharrow will offer audience members cards on which to write their chosen life-saving words. The cards will then be attached to a life ring, kindly on loan from the Aberaeron Harbourmaster's office. Later in the evening Sharrow will read aloud the collection of words.

'It's a chance for people to reflect on what gives them comfort or redemption, and on what constitutes an emergency,' says Sharrow. 'And also, what might be important or sustaining for other people. By having only a small card to express themselves, people will become part of a kind of live Twitter event - except all contributions will be anonymous.'

Sharrow, a graduate of Aberystwyth University's School of Art and winner of a Geoffrey Crawshay Memorial Travel Scholarship for travel to Greenland in 2008, has previously performed at Lampeter's Poets and Peasants group. In June she performed 'Shrouded Artist', following on from her mixed media exhibition 'Shrouded Forms' at Lampeter's Town Hall Café-Deli in April this year.

'EMERGENCY WORDS' will travel to Manchester's greenroom, 54-56 Whitworth Street West, on Friday 1 October from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, as part of an 'Emergency' themed weekend of performance art co-produced with the arts organisation hÅb. In November Sharrow plans to perform the piece at the Liverpool Biennial. Times and venues will be confirmed on her website, margaretsharrow.blogspot.com.

Shrouded car (bird) on BBC Mid Wales

Lampeter artist turns car into sculpture

Margaret Sharrow won an University of Wales Geoffrey Crawshay Memorial Travel Scholarship in 2008 Lampeter artist Margaret Sharrow has given up her car for art's sake. She has turned her vehicle into a sculpture to be exhibited at Lampeter Town Hall. 'Shrouded car (bird)' is being featured at a special exhibition at the venue on Saturday 10 April from 1100 GMT and 1500 GMT It complements Margaret's exhibition 'Shrouded Forms', which also runs at the Town Hall Café-Deli until 30 April 2010.  I'll be taking 'Shrouded car (bird)' on tour - look out for me photographing it at locations around Wales  Margaret Sharrow Margaret Sharrow said: "I began studying alternative ways of making photographs at Aberystwyth University, with my tutor Dr Christopher Webster. "He really opened my mind to completely different ways of taking and making images, and provided a very supportive environment for experimentation." Travel While still an undergraduate, Margaret showed work at the School of Art's 'Imaging the Bible' exhibition in 2008. Margaret intends to take the exhibition on tour Since graduating in 2009 she has also had a solo show at the Erwood Station Gallery, contributed to Michael Landy's 'Art Bin', and plans to continue expanding her artistic career. "I'm entering work from the Shrouded Forms series in shows in Wales and London and I'm also planning a large collaborative project involving travel," she added. Margaret was the winner of a £2,000 University of Wales Geoffrey Crawshay Memorial Travel Scholarship in 2008, which allowed her to travel to Greenland. She said: "l still have more work planned following on from that trip and I'll be taking 'Shrouded car (bird) on tour - look out for me photographing it at locations around Wales." http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/midwales/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8609000/8609184.stm

'Shrouded forms' until April 30 in Lampeter's Town Hall Cafe

Artist in residence. Photo copyright Margaret Sharrow, 2010

Many thanks to everyone who called by during my gala event last weekend. I had a great time standing by my piece 'Shrouded car (bird)', sharing delicious deli canapes and talking with everyone. I had my photo taken, an offer to buy me sunscreen (fellow North Americans can't help worrying about potential health risks, and it was The Most Beautiful Day In Wales, Ever), loads of good wishes, cake and a drink bought for me at the end of the day by one of my top patrons, and even an invitation to a Buddhist wedding! A small boy squinted quizzically at the piece, and when I explained it to him ('Imagine the car is asleep, or dreaming, or dead, under its blanket. What would it want to wake up as? A bird!') he was slightly convinced. He was even more convinced by a spicy red pepper stuffed with cream cheese (face lit up, strolled away happy). 

I remain in residence, as it were, frequently lurking in the cafe with my work, until 30 April. But do let me know if you are coming especially to see me, as I'm not there all the time...

sharrow.art@hotmail.co.uk

Shrouded Forms: current work by Margaret Sharrow at Town Hall Café Deli, April 1-30

'Shrouded iron (face)', Margaret Sharrow, mixed media, 2010. Image copyright Margaret Sharrow 2010

'Shrouded Forms', a photographic/mixed media exhibition of current work by artist Margaret Sharrow, will open Thursday 1 April at the Town Hall Café Deli, Lampeter, Wales and runs throughout the month of April. 

The exhibition will be celebrate by a gala event on Saturday 10 April, 11 am - 3 pm, when there will be a special showing of 'Shrouded car (bird)' in the archway between the cafe and Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre, in addition to the exhibition inside the café. 

The exhibition is open Monday to Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm. 

Margaret Sharrow is a graduate of Aberystwyth University's School of Art and has exhibited at St Dogmaels Gallery, @ the Gallery in Rhayader, Erwood Station Craft Centre and Gallery and other venues in Wales. Her work uses alternative photographic processes and mixed media in an attempt to express the ineffable. 

Town Hall Café Deli is located on Lampeter's High Street near the main bus stops, just off the A485 between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth. (See map)

For more information contact sharrow.art@hotmail.co.uk 

Further images to follow on this site after 10 April... or sooner, perhaps. 

Feel free to copy, print, distribute or post the promotional postcard / mini poster!

Margaret Sharrow exhibiting April 2010 at Town Hall Cafe, Lampeter, Wales

Catch the sun at the upbeat venue of Lampeter's Town Hall Cafe. Photo copyright Margaret Sharrow, 2010

There's a chance to see Margaret Sharrow's current work, featuring new departures in alternative photographic processes and mixed media. This solo show will be on display at the Town Hall Cafe in Lampeter, Wales throughout the month of April. 

Come and see the work, have a fresh ground coffee or sandwich, enjoy the sun streaming through the huge south-facing windows, or wait eagerly for the specials to go up on the board (from 12 noon).

The exhibition is open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, and Saturday 9am to 5pm, throughout April 2010. 

Map to exhibition