Open Studios at West Street Loft, Shoreham-by-Sea
If you’re looking for Christmas gift inspiration, come along to West Street Loft Studios in the heart of Shoreham-by-Sea. The artists and makers who work at the Loft will open their studio doors to the public from 10.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday 25th November, to coincide with the Artisans Market in East Street, and on Saturday 9th December, when the Farmers Market is in town.
Jo Delafons, Galleon. 45x55x10cm rusty nails, wire, scrim, seaweed and teabag
There’s lots to see at the studios, and everything is handmade and unique: colourful pottery; antique mirrors and upcycled furniture; beautiful silver homeware and jewellery; quirky sculptures made from reclaimed wire and nails; mosaics, paintings, drawings, prints and greetings cards. Visitors are welcome to chat to the artists and makers, watch them at work, browse, buy or simply soak up the creative atmosphere and start the festive season with complimentary mulled wine and mince pies.
Karin Hay White at work
The studios at West Street Loft have become an established part of Shoreham’s burgeoning art scene, and provide work space for a diverse collection of fine artists, craft makers and designers. Ceramicist Jane Abbot was an art teacher for many years and is now a tutor at West Dean College. All her ceramics – from flat wall pieces and sculptural forms to vessels and jewellery – are decorated in her own original graphic style. Glass artist Louise Durham uses reclaimed timber from beach groynes and vibrant stained glass to create original and striking sculptures that combine texture, colour and light. Pauline Hudson Ford is an art historian who specialises in hand-painted antique mirrors, mosaics and upcycled artefacts. Daniel Sayle is a creative graphic designer and printmaker, whose limited edition images are printed on beautiful Japanese paper. Stephanie Young, aka Saydesignuk, is also a graphic designer and has been helping businesses with branding and promotions since 2004.
Louise Durham, Love Life
Two silver experts currently work at the studios. Sarah Silve is a designer and maker of contemporary silversmithing and jewellery who complements her range of high-end silverware with silver-embellished homeware at affordable prices. Sarah offers silversmithing classes at GBMet and at her studio. Aron Salanson designs and makes jewellery, and specialises in bespoke silver rings.
Sarah Silve, cheese knives with sterling silver blades
There are five painters who create distinctively different work. Karin Hay White’s paintings are a sophisticated mixture of geometry and colour, inspired by modernist architecture and industrial design. Painter Geoff Lowe produces dynamic abstracts and is also a photographer. He worked for many years as a senior fine art and photography lecturer and has published a book about Lyddell Sawyer, one of the pioneering photographers of the 19th century. Jo Delafons produces a variety of mixed media fine art work. Best known for her delicate sculptures of rusty wire, nails and other reclaimed materials found on the banks of the River Adur, Jo also creates abstract paintings, collages, paper reliefs and ink & wash sketches of local scenes. Geoff Turner brings his experience of the world of advertising to his own art practice, making graphic images in paint and line drawings. Angela Edwards is a fine art painter who uses oil on canvas and charcoal on Fabriano paper to create her arresting images of busy crowds.
Geoff Turner, Returning to the Front
Studio artists from left to right: Jane Abbott, Sarah Silv, Louise Durham, with painting by Angela Edwards behind top left
West Street Loft, 20 West Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5WG
weststreetloft.co.uk
facebook.com/weststreetloftstudios
Instagram @weststreetloftstudios
