From News
ENAS Trip to Bristol
Our Hack / Maker Space is part of ENAS - the Essex Network of Artists’ Studios - a new supportive initiative for artists, for studios, for the public, and for Essex. The scheme is currently a two-year pilot programme funded by Essex County Council, firstsite and Arts Council England.
Everyone who becomes a member of our Hack / Maker Space is also a member of ENAS. It’s a fantastic scheme to help support how artists and studio spaces work and develop. A great way to do this is through shared learning and I’m excited to announce they have recently published their first research trip to Bristol on Thursday 21st August.
There is no better way to improve what you do than checking out how and what other people are doing. Now why is Bristol a great place to visit I hear you ask? Well it’s a thriving cultural city with it’s own pound, lots of graffiti by a certain someone, brilliant community projects such as the Cube, the Bristol Bike Project, and some very exciting galleries, art collectives and studio spaces.
Our members and the ENAS folk can sign up to hop onto a coach to visit Bristol and get a good look at Spike Island (pictured above): An international centre for the development of contemporary art and design. Home to a gallery, café and working space for artists, designers and creative businesses. And the Arnolfini gallery, one of Europe’s leading centres for the contemporary arts.
Plus further visits/ talks are being negotiated with Situations, WORKS/PROJECTS, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Antlers Gallery, Pervasive Media Studio and STATION.
I will be attending, and I hope you can join us. If you’re interested in becoming a Hack / Space member drop me an email to find out more. If you want to join one of the many other spaces in Essex get in touch with ENAS.
Please note, tickets are offered on a first come, first serve basis and will be available until Monday 28 July. Tickets are priced at the subsidised rate of £10 and are not refundable. Refreshments throughout the day are not included. Members will be contacted after 28 July to ascertain which pick-up/ set-down point they wish to select.
Please note: you must be an ENAS member to book a ticket for this opportunity.
One Shot - Sign Writing
Last night, graphic designer, artist, printer & sign writer Matt Keeling joined us to help create a new hand painted sign on the The Waiting Room Routemaster Bus. Everyone was invited and around twelve keen painters turned up to learn from an experienced painter and support improving our space.
The sign began by printing out the text, marking it with a little fabric cutter (I’ve forgotten the official name), dusting the small holes with chalk and then grabbing a brush to outline the design. Sounds simple, it’s not really. But it was a lot of fun. We weren’t able to finish the sign during the session but it was fantastic to get it started.
Missed out? Want to help finish our sign? Pop along tonight (Thursday 24th July) for Sign Painters the Movie from 7.30pm and for a chance to crack on with sign writing. Or join us at Maker Wednesday next week to continue with the work alongside our Letterpress Takeover on July 30th from 7.20pm. Please come along in your suitable painting clothes. We will provide everything else you need.
Thanks again to Matt for sharing is knowledge and our supportive workshop attenders.
Stitching St Botolph’s
Clare Sams launched her community project Stitching St Botolph’s. Local ladies and gents were invited to make fabric representations of the St Botolph’s quarter.
For the past few months, in collaboration with Stitch & Bitch and Voices of the Quarter, Clare invited the community to create textile versions of the St Botolph’s Quarter. We’ve had various stunning donations from kebab shops, churches, old shops, current shops and buildings from this part of town. Drop by to view the work in the space.
Pom Pom Headbands
We made pom pom headbands with local crafter Liz Cardy for our Stitch & Bitch themed Maker Wednesday.
The Priory Street Chain Letter
I started a very exciting project last night. As part of Voices of the Quarter we are sending a scroll of paper in the form of a chain letter down Priory Street to collect memories and stories of what it is like to live in that community.
We handed the scroll over to the first person in the chain last night, the lovely Lorna Wright. Lorna very kindly invited me in for tea and a look around her house. I couldn’t get over how BIG it was. It was like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia.
We cannot wait to see what stories she has to tell. If anyone would like to be the next person in the chain please let us know. You can email at [email protected], send a message on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/voicesofthequarter or simply leave a comment here.
Help us shout from the roof tops
The team at the Waiting Room has known for some time, if we are going to be a true success, we need to get much better at telling people about what we do. Read more
Vinyl Cut Pro
Local designer, vinyl cutter & t-shirt printer Paul Couling showcased the process of printing and cutting vinyl. Giving attenders to chance to have a go printing and applying their own designs at this week’s Maker Wednesday.
HackMakerSpace Showcase
We had an informal evening inviting locals in to view our developing Hack Maker Space workshop and artists studios.
Box Park with Broa
We had a superb team of volunteers to help glue, nail gun, sand, contour cut, and screw (not in that particular order) for our box building Maker Wednesday with fabricator Broa Sams. The boxes will be used for seating for various festivals and event held over the summer and storage for the Hack Maker Space.
Thanks to everyone who attended and got stuck in, plus big thanks to our host Broa for showing us the ropes.
Box Building with Broa
This week’s Maker Wednesday session with be hosted by Broa Sams, a local specialist fabricator on 4th June from 7.30pm.