Forgive my playing with words, it is fun and of course the SAW is the Somerset Art Weeks that concluded this weekend. Jun and I had fun, although her involvement was curtailed by her planned trip back to China for October, so some of the visits ended up solo.

I have been impressed by what I have seen, ranging from grotesque, dystopian exhibits at Rockaway Quarry to the the intricate, delicate filigree work of the enamelled jewellery that we saw in Piltown. Whatever we saw had beauty and it was enjoyable talking to artists, jewelers, potters and painters, composers and performers. For me personally my high point was a visit to the centuries old paper mill, St Cuthbert’s, near Wells. Limited number tours were available and were taken up on release, so I was particularly grateful to Cathy Frood for her telephone call inviting me to take up a short notice cancellation. Our young guide, Kate Taylor, took us all over and gave us time to talk with the workforce, who create high quality artists paper with love and dedication. What was rather pleasing, was that two of my fellow tourists were artists from Bristol and one used St Cuthbert’s papers for her screen-printing. It was satisfying seeing her pleasure in handling the paper and being shown how it was cut, the end user with the manufacturer, a rare sight. If the tours ever come up again, be you an artist, industrial archaeologist or interested local resident jump at the chance, you will not be disappointed.

Our Art Weeks tour started at Bruton Art Factory for Miso Soup with Japanese duo Dai Nichi, then Pylle, Piltown, Pilton, Wells, Rockaway at Temple Cloud, North Wootton, Watchet, Withypool and finally the Red Brick Building at Beckery, twixt Glastonbury and Street.

We were impressed by all we saw, delicate 3D art cutting into old paperbacks, books with miniature forests growing from their hollowed insides, Japanese pottery and English enamels, small paintings, large paintings, grotesque creations from cars, planes and scrap metal they were all marvellous and show what a great county we live in that has such talent.

Attached are some pictures taken on our travels:

 

The great thing is this happens every year and is free. Thank you SAW and all your talented artists and exhibiters.