This August Bank Holiday, step into the captivating world of Binnel Studios, an artistic retreat located in deepest St Lawrence, as it celebrates its tenth year.
It’s a rarity to find a place pulsating with such ‘understated elegance’, but this well-loved sanctuary – now firmly anchored in the local creative landscape – oozes ‘effortless cool’.
An exclusive annual showcase
Once again there will be a chance for members of the public to see the annual Summer exhibition, the only time each year when the seven resident artists showcase their latest endeavours to the public.
The Summer Exhibition is a great opportunity to see new work by the resident artists; Molly Attrill, Matthew Chambers, Jane Cox, Sue Paraskeva, Sadie Tierney, Amanda Wheeler and Celia Wilkinson.
This event is a precious gem, offering a behind-the-scenes look into the vibrant and progressive world of these imaginative creatives, many of whom are internationally revered.
Molly Attrill
Molly Attrill has been a potter for over 30 years. Inspired by Bernard Leach she initially trained as a repetition thrower with his son, Michael, in North Devon before gaining a place at the prestigious Farnham Art College. She then worked in potteries in France and Canada.
In 1982 Molly established her own pottery at Mersey Farm, Newchurch (now the Garlic Farm). In 2014 she moved to Binnel Studios.
Molly works in stoneware as well as maiolica (tin glazed earthenware). A feature of her work is her distinctive figurative decoration using brushwork, wax resist and scraffito.
Matthew Chambers
Award-winning ceramic sculptor Matthew Chambers began his ceramics career in 1993 as an apprentice potter, which eventually led to an education finishing at the Royal College of Art in London in 2004.
Matt has been working on the Isle of Wight ever since then and has had his work represented by galleries in the UK, as well as internationally in Paris and New York.
Matthew’s works have been purchased for several museum collections including The V&A London, National Museums Scotland, and The Sevres National Ceramics Museum in Paris.
He has also worked with Spanish fashion House, Loewe, who house a permanent display of his ceramics in their Rome boutique.
Jane Cox
Award winning artist Jane Cox is exhibiting a range of new sculptural tableware inspired by Constructivism.
Recently a collector bought a whole range of this very special work and it has been much admired in exhibitions in Oxford and London where Jane has exhibited this year.
Jane specialises in earthenware combining slip decoration and sgraffitto with translucent glazes in three main colours: “Aquitaine” a rich vibrant turquoise, “Loire” a deep green, and “Carcassonne” a resplendent blue purple.
This year Jane has exhibited at the ‘Oxford Studio Ceramics’ Fair and more recently ‘Celebrating Ceramics’ at Waterperry, Oxford.
She says,
“If we think of precedents like William Morris at Kelmscott and the Red House, the designs were created in his garden, as close to the source as possible.
“Working at Binnel, surrounded by green leaves, summer blossom and the sea, I couldn’t be closer to my inspiration. It’s always the dream I had.”
Jane is a Fellow and former Council member of the Craft Potters Association (CPA) and Past Master of The Art Workers Guild (AWG).
From 2019 to 2021 Jane Chaired the Outreach Committee of The Art Workers Guild coordinating teams running projects across various institutions such as the V&A, Courtauld Institute, Watts Gallery and Imperial College and contributed to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Craft (APPG) set up by the Heritage Craft Association.
From 2021 onwards Jane helped set up, organise and run the successful annual ‘London Craft Week’ event “The Art of Making” at the Guild, involving Demonstrations, Exhibitions, Talks and architecture tours of the Art Workers Guild’s stunning building.
Sue Paraskeva
Sue Paraskeva is known for her multidisciplinary conceptual practice, which includes stand-alone pieces, installations, film, and tableware. Her work is characterised by traditional techniques, such as creating thrown forms on the wheel and using real flame kilns.
In 2021, Sue built her first wood-fired kiln at Binnel Studios, where she fires her hand-thrown porcelain and stoneware. The kiln uses waste wood, which Sue stokes for 14 hours until when it reaches temperatures of 1280°C, creating unique ash and flame effects on the unglazed exterior of her pieces.
The hand-thrown porcelain and stoneware, with their fine forms, are left unglazed on the exterior, allowing the flame and ash effects to interact directly with the surface. This process, done in a reduction atmosphere, not only enhances the visual appeal, but also adds a tactile dimension to her work. The scale and nature of the kiln mean it will be fired just a few times a year, making each batch of work uniquely special.
Sue latest installation is ‘Two Thousand’, a hanging installation consisting of 2,000 pierced and hand-rolled porcelain discs in The Chapel at Mountbatten’s Hospice in Newport. In this stunning piece, each disc serves as a memorial, referencing the average annual death rates on the Isle of Wight.
Sue holds a BA(Hons) in 3D Design and Ceramics from Middlesex University, London. Her notable exhibitions include shows at Make Hauser and Wirth in New York, Saatchi Gallery in London, and Turner Contemporary in Margate. She has worked with prestigious clients like Calvin Klein Collection and Tom Kerridge, and continues to produce functional tableware alongside her artistic installations.
Her work combines artistry and functionality, offering beautifully crafted pieces for daily use.
Sadie Tierney
Sadie Tierney studied Fine Art at the Royal College of Art, and Newcastle University. Working in a tradition of an English landscape painter and printmakers, her work explores objects and places where form is linked to emotion and metaphor. Her expressive images have a contemporary edge. They start with sketches and drawings made en plein air and are marked by energetic use of colour and line.
Recent solo exhibitions include Rabley Gallery and Eton College, and in November she will show new work at Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, London. Earlier this year she completed a commission for Cunard, destined for the newest addition to the fleet, Queen Anne.
Other public and museum collections include: Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York; The National Museum in Gdańsk; The Imperial Health Trust, London; The Royal West of England Academy (Bristol); Pallant House; Otter Collection, University of Chichester; Portsmouth Museum; Swindon Museum and Art Gallery; Clifford Chance Collection; Eton College Collection; Royal College of Art and The Royal Navy.
She is looking forward to opening her Binnel studio for the August Bank holiday weekend, where visitors can view paintings in progress and original hand made prints.
Amanda Wheeler
Amanda has enjoyed another fruitful year in her creative endeavors. She has attracted growing interest from international clients and has seen her work featured in notable gallery exhibitions.
Amanda says,
“I’m still trying to juggle – I’ll always be craving headspace to allow the creative magic to drip through.
“When it does though it’s absolutely the best thing, and that feeling of creating something unique translated well onto canvas is extremely rewarding.”
The diverse landscapes of the Isle of Wight serve as an endless source of inspiration for Amanda. The Island’s natural beauty, from its rugged coastlines to its serene countryside, provides a wealth of material for her art.
This environment not only fuels her creativity, but also plays a crucial role in shaping her artistic identity. Amanda’s work captures the essence of her surroundings, allowing her to share the rich, diverse beauty of the island with a wider audience.
Her art reflects a deep connection to the place she calls home, bringing a piece of the Isle of Wight to viewers everywhere.
Celia Wilkinson
Isle of Wight Landscape painter, Celia Wilkinson, primarily works with Acrylic on canvas. She graduated from her BA Hons at St Martins College of Art in 1989.
Celia comes from a long line of artists in her family. Her unique style incorporates the design influence from her father and painterly influence from her mother, amongst others.Her paintings are semi-abstract, vibrant, energetic, and colourful, and although they depict the landscape, they are very much about her representing a visual diary and life events.
Some of her most recent paintings are a response to climate change. Sometimes brooding, sometimes optimistic, they always reflect her mood.
This year, as well as exhibiting regularly with galleries and art fairs on the mainland, Celia’s paintings have been discovered by the world of TV drama. Her paintings are being used on the sets of ‘You’ a Netflix series and ‘Fear’ a Wild Mercury production starring Martin Compston. Both series are currently being filmed and will be released early next year.
A mélange of styles and mediums
Reflective of the diverse talent housed within its walls, Binnel Studios promises an exhibition bursting with a broad array of styles and mediums.
Whether you’re a fan of traditional techniques or modern twists, there’s bound to be something that speaks to your artistic preferences. So, get ready to embark on a unique sensory journey this August, where every corner holds a new discovery.
Where and when
The Summer Exhibition takes place on Saturday 24th, Sunday 25th and Monday 26th August 2024 – open daily between 11am – 4pm.
If you are unfamiliar with St Lawrence, from Ventnor continue on the A3055 past Ventnor Botanic Garden until you reach Old Park Road (on your left) and then follow the signs for Binnel Studios.
Entry is free, but don’t forget to visit the cash-point first, because you might just fall in love with what you see. Credit/debit cards can also be used.
See the Binnel Studios Website for more information.
Our thanks to Binnel Studios for sponsoring this event feature. They and other businesses taking paid promotion enables you to continue reading OnTheWight for free
