Wishes for Waygood

Send a Wish to Waygood by the 18 March.

http://wishesforwaygood.tumblr.com/about

• Waygood Gallery & Studios supports grass roots artists
• Shows an international exhibition programme
• Provides opportunities for artists
• Connects with the community
• Works with universities & schools
• Without Waygood there will be no LifeClass

Spring Life Drawing at Waygood

It is nearly spring, at least the bulbs have started to appear on our allotment.
And with spring will come some more life drawing.

You may have heard in the news that the Arts Council and City Council have withdrawn funding from Waygood, which means that although I will be moving into the new studios on High Bridge there will not be a space in which life drawing can take place, as it was to have been run in the education space provided by Waygood. But it also means that we will all be in the current studios in Byker for a few more months than we originally thought. Hopefully by April it will be warm enough to resume drawing.

The studio artists have set up a website Wishes for Waygood (http://wishesforwaygood.tumblr.com) to gather support for Waygood and for what it represents to us, to local artists and to the wider arts community, not only in the North East but internationally, and to express disappointment at the decisions taken by both ACE and NCC in regards to the new building. It would be great if you could go and have a look at the comments and add your own.

I have been a studio holder and actively involved in the project for the past ten years. For me Waygood has always represented grass roots artists, offering not only studio spaces (the first studios in Newcastle to have heating) and  a challenging exhibition programme but inspiring an active and inclusive community around the studios, working with and visited by artists and curators from around the world, working with the local community, with the universities and local schools, providing work opportunities, work experience, work placements, working hard to provide for Newcastle and the North East the kind of facilities that have been lacking for so many years. Several arts organisations have had their beginnings at Waygood to take their place in the diverse community of arts that has made the North East so exciting today and we should value them all equally for what they have to offer, and the loss of any one of them will be felt by all.

On Saturday 13th March there is a Studios Spring Clean Sale, at the studios in Byker, from 2-5pm, to which everyone is welcome.  There will be all sorts of bargains and perhaps even some art..

I will update the blog and send out an email as soon as the first life class is possible.

Winter Life Drawing

Well December is upon us and it seems most of the regulars to the life class are about to be sucked up into the social whirl of Christmas shopping, eating, relatives and office parties, and unable to come and draw.
It is too cold now for a nude class in my studio and until Waygood relocates to their new building in the city centre we will have to make do with a clothed model.
I am going to ask anyone interested in attending a class to email me either the week before or a list of dates so that I know if there are enough people interested to make the class viable.
There is loads of stuff to see in Newcastle over the coming week. On Thursday 3 December there is the opening of Triparks at ACA’s city centre
venue, ACAdovetail
There are two new exhibitions, by artists Barry Hirst and Matthew Houlding opening at the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery on Friday 4th December at 6.00pm.
There are some beautiful paintings by Kit Kingsbury in a show called Urbanscapes, at Northern Stage until January a collaboration between Northern Stage and Waygood Gallery.
And if you are in the mood for a dance there is a fundraiser disco for Newcastle University MFA Show, December 5th at the Black Swan. Get your advance tickets from the University Fine Art office or from the Newcastle Arts Centre craft shop.

November Life Drawing

Artist’s life drawing classes

Waygood Studios, Byker

Diary November 2009

Saturdays life drawing class is from 1-4 pm.

Thursday figure drawing classes, which are a two hour pose, run from 6-8pm.

All classes cost £5 and are held at Waygood Gallery & Studios, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne. All the models are now clothed (although Chris reckons it isn’t too cold yet and will be in the buff for his class on the 21st)
Susie (above) wasn’t as cold as she looks…

Both drawing classes are for artists at all levels of practise, including students, to come along and draw in a friendly and relaxed environment. You may use any art materials you wish.

Thursday 4th

6-8pm

model – Callum

Saturday 7th

1-4pm

model – Clara

Thursday 12th

No Class

Saturday 14th

1-4pm

No Class

Thursday 19th

no class

Saturday 21st

1-4pm

model – Chris

Thursday 26th

No class this week

Saturday 28th

No class this week

Winter blues & Pink Gin..

Well the autumn in the North East is turning to winter and this Thursdays life drawing class was chilly, with some people not even taking their coats and hats off when drawing, so I think that all our sessions from now on will be clothed unless we get a miraculously warm winter or exceptionally tough model.. I have heard rumours from the Met of another Indian Summer.

There is loads happening over the next week or so in Newcastle, with a preview at the Laing Art Gallery on Friday where you can have a pink gin and Parma ham and tomato bread..

The Wunderbar Festival runs from the 6th-15th November. 100 ping pong balls… 90 haircuts… 80 artists… 50 events… 10 days… 1 lizard…1000000s of shooting stars.
The festival launches at Gallery North followed by a secret party…

And of course it is Halloween.

This week in Newcastle

Callum returned to model last Thursday for a quiet but for me very productive two hour class. The Gateshead art fair had its opening the same evening and I think people were drawn to a night out looking rather than making art, or drawing the figure. The next drawing class is on Saturday.

This Thursday call into Northern Stage to see Dee Shaw’s exhibition Recollections, part of Waygood Art Boutique programme. The preview is 6-8pm.

Also this week in Newcastle there is an opening at Vane Gallery on Wednesday, Louder Than Words, Barbara Walker, also 6-8pm and Culture Lab, of Newcastle University, is putting on an outdoor screening of Local Hero at Dove Marine Laboratory in Cullercoats 7pm… if it’s not raining…

On Thursday 8th Haz is modelling, 6-8pm, and on Saturday 10th Clara is back to model for the first time in over a year. And if you do come along make sure you have a look at a new show in the Hanging wall, which is not open to the general public, by studio artist Jonathan Carr.

Thursday life drawing at Waygood

The Thursday drawing class is starting back up tonight, 6-8. Thursdays is a set pose for two hours (with a break) and the chance to spend time on a single drawing or painting . The pose will be repeated at intervals through the year. If Thursdays become more popular, and there has been increased interest from artists in and around Newcastle and from students preparing portfolios, I will try to extend the class to three hours. This weeks model is Laura.

Tony modelled last Saturday

This Saturday Haz will be modelling as Debbie is away at the Venice Biennale. The class will be starting half an hour later at 1.30 and run to 4.30. But if you get here early I’ll make you a cuppa..

If you are around Newcastle this week there is a Culture Lab opening on Friday at Newcastle University and  a new show has opened at Waygood Boutique at Northern Stage.
For the latest preview or exhibition have a look at LocatorArt.org

Helen Baker @ Waygood Boutique

If you are in Newcastle tonight between 7 and 9 pop into Northern Stage to see Helen Bakers new works on paper, and get a free drink. The show is part of Waygood Art Boutique which is showing various Waygood studio artists selected by Northern Stage. The show runs until Saturday 19th.
We have a new model this Saturday as Chris is off around the Scottish waters on Shemaron.

Autumn Life Drawing Classes

Life class is now running again for as long as we can into the winter. Debbie and Chris will continue to be our regular models. I will be restarting the mid-week class soon, but it will now be on a Wednesday.
Keep an eye on the diary to see who is the model each week.

Those who are regulars at the life class will know Decia Morris. This week she has a show at Art at No1, Back Front Street, Tynemouth. It is worth visiting to see how she works with colour and various media. And all the work is for sale. The gallery is part of a converted garage that is now going to become a design studio. It is situated in the alley behind the Co-op on Front Street (and the alley really is called Back Front Street!)

Life Drawing at the Laing

For those of you looking for a life drawing class with a difference this summer there is a class running at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne, as part of  Notes on a Return, a series of events and exhibitions running over the summer.
The class is on Monday 17 August 12.30 – 1.30pm. To book a place or for more information call Sophia Hao on (0191) 232 7734 or email sophia.hao@twmuseums.org.uk

At Waygood Studios (Shields Road, Byker) on the 8th August 1pm there is the Saturday Soup which this month is roast tomato and Beetroot. Everyone welcome. Sometimes there is even a pudding…