West End Gallery

Craft Workshops continue....

2012-02-26T14:50:00.000-08:00

Details of Felting Workshops can be found on the West End Gallery website and Blog.

Ring or email to book a place.

Millie (age 11) the youngest participant, with just

a little help from her Gran, made this stunning bag.

NEW SCULPTURE AT WEST END GALLERY

2012-02-22T04:53:00.000-08:00

Celtic By Jack Newport

Iron, glass and stone,

Jack is a Fine Art Painter and Sculptor. He has been a technician in Fine Art departments, for both Leicester and Loughborough Polytechnics and has worked as a commercial sculptor at B.S.C. He is also experienced in bronze casting and his style ranges from classic to contemporary.

Neptune's Horses by Jennie McCall

2012-02-21T16:01:00.002-08:00

ARTIST: Walter Crane

Inspiration for Neptune's horses.

Neptune's Horses

Small sculptures made from a mix of stone ware and porcelain

with oxides and hi-fire glazes. They are frost proof. £65.00

Watercolour Master Class with Peter Welton

2012-02-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

Take a look at the watercolour workshop which took

place in the gallery space on February 10th 2012.

Peter share his expertise

Practising with colour and lots of water.

The paintings take shape.

TO BOOK FOR THE NEXT WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOP
WITH PETER WELTON, ON SATURDAY, 31st, MARCH
RING 0116 222 7886

Hand printed, handcrafted bears designed and handmade by Emily Hunt

2012-02-21T07:39:00.001-08:00

After graduating with a B.A. in Decorative Arts from Nottingham Trent, Emily became a Textile designer in 2008 in Nottingham, where she still works. We are delighted to have a selection of her hand crafted bears.

Each bear comes with his own name label and individual draw string bag.

The printed fabrics for each of the bears are inspired by Emily's own botanical drawings. These beautiful prints are screen printed onto hand dyed linens. The construction of each bear takes time as they are individually hand crafted and as each bear is lovingly constructed, they begin to develop a certain personality of their own, and certainly great charm.

Bears on sale in the gallery for £45.00.

Carols in the gallery

2012-01-23T09:35:00.000-08:00

Leicester Amateur Operatic Society ( LAOS)

used the gallery space for their evening of Christmas carols.

A little taste of past workshops.

2012-01-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

Porcelain Christmas decorations.

Jennie McCall demonstrates the techniques needed.

Delecate, shapes ready for firing in Jennie's kiln.

Felt hats

Amy (our print expert) tries one of Alison's felted hats for size!

Still a bit soggy but rather stylish!

A light lunch is provided for some workshops

Felting, Ceramics and Watercolour workshops are being held at the gallery, so check out the Spring Workshops on the Blog for booking details.

2012-01-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

Jenny Sala

Jenny’s pots are created with passion. Each one is coiled, carved and refined. The forms are organic and tactile. The curved tops produce shadows that reflect mood and atmosphere and the surface patterns and textures represent the formation of sand, stones, shells rocks or changing skies.

Jenny's Ceramic pots- Available at West End Gallery

Spring Courses at West End Gallery

2012-01-06T06:32:00.000-08:00

Phil Jordan Contemporary designer and Silversmith

2011-11-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to have Phil Jorden's hand-crafted Silverware

represented in the gallery.

Alison Linnell Feltings

2011-10-28T08:30:00.000-07:00

Alison's individually designed Feltings, some of which are represented in the gallery, are made from Merino, Blue faced Leicester and Black Welsh and Icelandic wools. The resulting items and artefacts, are beautiful, soft but incredibly tough.
Dating back thousands of year, this is the most ancient fabric craft.
www.feltings.co.uk

Felt Workshop - vessels

2011-10-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Lunch break

The vessels take shape

Book Now: Christmas Ceramic Workshop with Jennie McCall

2011-10-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

Christmas Ceramic Workshop With Jennie McCall at

West End Gallery

Saturday 3rd of December

Session 1. 10.30 -12.30 OR Session 2. 1.30-3.30

£35pp

Venue

The West End Gallery

107 High Cross Street

Leicester

LE1 4PH

Using high quality Porcelain clay, make a stunning hanging decoration. Learn how to Impress, mold and manipulate clay. Make a single hanging with individual pieces or a collection of tree decorations

Suits all levels of experience.
Please bring- apron, rolling pin (individual cookie-cutters, beads and lace,if desired*)
*NOT ESSENTIAL AS A GOOD SELECTION IS PROVIDED

Materials and Light refreshment provided

BOOKINGS
West End Gallery
tel: 0116 2227 886
Email: Customerservice@westend-gallery.co.uk

Work is fired at Jennie's studio and will be ready to collect in 10 days.You can collect work from the gallery or it can be mailed directly at a small cost of £2.00 p&p

About the Artist: Jennie McCall

2011-10-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

Jennie McCall

www.jenniemccall.com

History & Background

Born 1957

Jennie grew up in the beautiful Scottish Borders where the local industry was textiles. Many of Jennie’s artistic influences came from all aspects of this industry and from the rich source of folklore and local traditions.

Jennie moved to Leeds where she gained a BA Hons in Graphic design at Leeds Polytechnic. She was awarded the Royal Society of Arts, winner Design Award in illustration and subsequently the Royal Society of Arts, Jacobs Memorial Award.

After graduating Jennie moved to London where she worked in Graphic Design before returning to Scotland for a few years and became involved in the local art community.

Jennie now lives in Loughborough and has successfully combined family life with further academic learning and artistic progression.

She presently works and teaches from her garden studio, focussing on the practice of ceramics .

Jennie has work in private collections and exhibits throughout the UK.

Jennie Mccall

Inspiration and Influences

From childhood I have taken inspiration from nature, tradition and fairy tale . I treasured the few school trips made to the Edinburgh museum of Scotland where I soaked up the vast display of visual delights from the beautiful to the grotesque.

Growing up I read and re-read the beautiful, dark fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. I was mesmerised by the evocative illustrations by Czech artist Jiri Trnka who would influence the development of my illustrating style and practice for many years.

Throughout my artistic development I have continued to research the deeper meaning of fairy tales, myth and legend. I explore these rich concepts and present my ideas through the medium of ceramics and wire.

Mostly my work is figurative, being a carrier of personality and emotion through which each tells his or her own story. Other pieces include large garden platters and installations created uniquely for inspiration and meditation in peaceful surroundings.

My materials are stoneware and porcelain clays enhanced by oxides and hi- firing glazes. Most of my sculpture is displayed best outdoors in natural surroundings where light and weather, leaf and moss settle comfortably on and within the work itself.

WAR HORSE

Based on tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the round table, this piece has been hand-built in stoneware clay and reduction fired. It is completely frost-proof

War Horse is for sale at West End Gallery.

‘Fruit Pots’- Available at West End Gallery

Jennie’s playful collection of pots are inspired by fruits such as apples, melons and pears. Firstly, Jennie makes plaster moulds from a variety of fruits. Pots are created using press moulding techniques and subtle hand crafting making each one unique. The pots are made from the highest quality Southern Ice porcelain and hi-firing glazes. All pots are dishwasher and food safe.

Enjoying the felting bag process

2011-10-27T04:03:00.000-07:00

Our First Workshop

2011-10-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

In our first workshop, Alison Linnell showed a small group of people how to make a felt bag.

Welcome to our Gallery

2011-10-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

Our newly refurbished gallery space features the work many local Leicestershire artists.

We look forward to seeing you soon!