Rugby Artists and Makers Network Rugby Artists & Makers (RA&M) began in 2018 with the aim of promoting all our local creative people. It started with a website and an Instagram account. In late 2019 it worked with Macready Theatre and Rugby Art Gallery and Museum (RAGM) to launch the idea of a creative network. In March 2021 RA&M received this idea and an active Rugby Artists & Makers Network has developed. Through the work of it’s local artists and makers, this Network aims to promote art and making, support each other, publicise and create opportunities. Over much of the last two years the network has necessarily been online. It has nonetheless attracted over 150 members and been able to run two successful group exhibitions at RAGM (2021 and 2022), a pop up shop in Rugby Central with networking for our artists (Dec 2021/Jan 2022), and also help run the WOS22 show at RAGM. Two members bought The Alex in Feb 2022, and this is now the home for monthly face to face meetings for the Network, as well as events/activities featuring RA&M network members under the banner 'Art at the Alex'. The largest of our local events in 2022 saw 14 RA&M members demonstrate and sell work at this Rugby town centre venue over eight days during Warwickshire Open Studios. Further afield eight members organised a group marquee at Art in the Park (Leamington) in August. Since September, RA&M network members have shown, sold and demonstrated at a further 28 Art at the Alex events. This network is already looking forward to further expanding activity during 2023, including an even larger Warwickshire Open Studios during 2023. Our emphasis is on active membership and local activity. There is a good representation by individual members in the 2022 Rugby Open (including two prize winners) and at many other Rugby and District events. This, our third exhibition, showcases work and activity of over 40 members of the Network. If you are a local artist or maker and would like to belong to an active network of creative practitioners please get in contact. We would be glad to hear from you: [email protected] See what local artists and makers are doing: @rugbyartistsandmakers www.instagram.com/rugbyartistsandmakers/ Find out more: www.rugbyartistsandmakers.com

The Artists Amanda Edney Angela Dewes Anita Davies Aphrodite Kotis Carol Wheeler Chris Pegler Clare Pentlow Darren Awang Dee Luntley Ditherella's Workshop Emma Town Evelyn Baxter Evelynn Wenman Gemma Whitford Glynis Hayward-Bradley Hannah Kempe Heather Mitchell IJE Jane Archer Jennie Fifield Jennie Fletcher Jessica Hartshorn Jo Thomas John Thompson Kevin Buckley KJ Matthews Laurence G. Tilley Matt Pooley Meg Cattlin Jones Melissa Keskinkilinc Nicky Luntley Nina French Rebecca Caulton Richard A Horsman Roger Griffiths Sarais Crawshaw Shiro Steve Davies Sue Byrne/Judy Haslam-Jones Susan Haynes Tamsen Flack Urszula Szulakowska Vikki Skinner

Amanda Edney (BEAUTIFULcloth SAORI Studio) Into the Light ‘Into the Light’ was handwoven on a SAORI floor loom. The warp is black cotton and the weft a mix of cotton, wool and other fibres. £125.00

Angela Dewes ( Barn, Spunyarn and Farm) Colours of Jaipur My inspiration for this piece was some hand-dyed silk thread I bought from a haberdashery in Jaipur. The thread was very vibrant. Perfect for the Exhibition! I handwove the piece, wanting it to drape and be evocative of the colours of Jaipur. I used cotton for the warp and the silk as weft. Completing the fabric I washed it and that is where the fun began. The colours ran disaster! But not so-once the excess was out I was left with beautiful greens and pinks still evocative of the pink buildings in Jaipur. Hence the piece is called “Colours of Jaipur” £40.00

Anita Davies (raw_elements_uk) EXPANDING HORIZONS (mind map series) EXPANDING HORIZONS Most recent addition to Mind Map series. A small concertina book exploring the Winter landscape and our relationship with nature and our own well being. Acrylic ink and press print texture with collage. £75.00

Aphrodite Kotis (#aphrodite_kotis_art) Reading between the lines I am constantly inspired to paint images of my old life in Crete, Greece - the light, the colour and the life. This painting captures for me, the image of my cousin Giannis engrossed in his newspaper in the background while his daughters, wife and others are madly chattering away around him. The cafenions in Crete are great places to meet and catch up with friends and something I miss from my life there. They’re vibrant, loud, colourful, usually full of chatter, music and laughter. Giannis had requested to be left alone; had switched off from the mayhem that surrounded him and was oblivious to all. I started my painting with a blue base and worked solely with black and white. Acrylic on canvas NFS

Carol Wheeler (carolwheeler_mixedmedia_uk) Embracing Autumn Autumn is a lovely time of year. For a long time, I resisted the ending of summer days but now I love the trees, the leaves, the grasses, the seed heads, the berries of Autumn. This painting is made mainly with compressed charcoal and water-soluble pencil, which I love, and came about after walks in the countryside. I work intuitively, and I like my paintings to have a little mystery, a little ambiguity; this one is less abstract than most, but I was pleased with the outcome nevertheless. I love colour, but I also love monochrome! £100.00

Chris Pegler (peglerpurl) Colour and black and white Here is a colourful narrow band woven from yarns which I hand-dyed specifically for this exhibition. The central woven 'ribbon' of yellow, blue and red are here bordered by a 'dithered' grey/white yarn which has no obvious colour content, but is nonetheless derived from colours. A knitted white panel was painted (using black dyes) with the words 'blood red, moody blue and gold yellow' (reference to the visible colours used here). When unravelled to create the warp, these words disappear, but are nonetheless encoded in both warp and weft. NFS

Clare Pentlow Kaleidoscope A love of colour and geometric patterns are brought together in this layered hand cut paper art work. The Kaleidoscope a simple child’s toy bringing joy in its ever changing colours and shapes. Clare hopes to bring this simple joy through into the paper cut shown with the play of light and shadow in the layers and folds of the piece. A window into another world. £90.00

Darren Awang (Destruction Arts) Rugby First This colourful watercolour piece was commissioned by Rugby First. The brief was to capture the fabulous work of the Rugby First team who keep our town centre safe and clean. A special consideration was to incorporate the town’s sustainability strategy with an emphasis on recycling, avoiding plastic use and littering. The centrepiece is Base station 2 (aka the old public toilets opposite The Squirrel pub to you and me!). The image can be found on recycled plastic tote bags available in the gallery shop. There’s a huge image on the shop window of the old Thorntons shop in Rugby Central. £500 framed

Dee Luntley Chilli linocut Linocut of chilli plant which ripened on our window ledge at Christmas. The late ripening was due to late planting after our house move in early summer. Nearly threw the plant away, but granted it a reprieve on the kitchen window ledge where it repaid us with a crop of bright chillis....these things take time. £55 Framed. Unframed £25

Ditherella's Workshop Argent and Sable The Argent and Sable is a British day-flying moth, with silver-white (argent) wings with black (sable) markings. It seemed to lend itself to making in silver. It beats against a silver-framed and glass-beaded window which explodes into colour. NFS

Emma Town (EmmaTownFineArt) Purple Aura Whilst painting this beautiful fox, I intuitively needed to explore colour within the work too. The composition was designed in order for me to play with the negative spaces that the shape of the fox created. I wanted to emphasise these with bolder colours than used previously. The dark, cold days have driven me to bring colour into my life where I can! The fox also has a dominant purple hue within her, mainly around her heart area depicting her colour aura. These energy fields exude certain colours, they are thought to offer a glimpse into emotional and spiritual states. £200 Framed

Evelyn Baxter (EvieBGlass) Tequila Sunrise Rose Bowl A fused glass bowl showing Tequila Sunrise Roses. This was made by cutting the flower shapes from clear glass, refining them using a grinder and then covering the shapes with glass powder in various colours, taking care to blend and shade the colours in order to create depth and tone. This provides a challenge as the glass powders change and darken on firing. Next the piece was fired in a kiln to approximately 800 degrees. Once cooled, it was fired again on a ceramic mould to create the bowl shape.

Evelynn Wenman (@evelynn_rocks) I was not put on this earth to serve you Silk-screen monochrome print investigating the imagery of angels in a socialcontemporary context £50 Framed , Unframed £30

Gemma Whitford (gemscreativeplace) Seed pods Dip pen drawing of some dried seed pods and flowers. Indian ink and water on watercolour paper. I recently heard the term ‘wintering’ and I think it perfectly reflects this time of year. It’s about listening to nature pulling us to slow. When I draw, I slow down and reflect. £50 framed

Glynis Hayward-Bradley Poppy Splash Poppy Splash. Watercolour on watercolour paper. £75 framed

Hannah Kempe Blew through to you Wind forms around my mouth. A voice, the man, a frog within. The lady flies above the wind. A fire burns my heart alight, the blue of night leads to sight. This forms part of a 3 piece series, exploring symmetry within automatic expression. Loosely played off the idea of night visions. Open to interpretation of symbols and the imagery created. I have used predominately acrylic paint on board. £60 for each A4 £250 for big piece

Heather Mitchell (Bitz'N'Bobz Brush strokes) Top Cat Drawing using Faber Castell Polychromo's, Caran D'Ache luminance, Caran D'ache Museum Aquarelle, Pablo's and acrylic paint pens on Duralar Drafting film. Photo reference adapted from Pixabay. £140 Framed

IJE I AM NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK 1 Mixed media painting on canvas (oil paint, yarn, re-used swarf and glass) in wood frame; w 156 x h 126 cm. A series about fear, how it can hold us, mould us and also galvanise us. It is about living life and embracing change, movement, brightness; that we can survive and thrive when we open ourselves to our fears Here is the last line of the poem that accompanies this series: I Am Not Afraid Of The Dark / Infinite possibilities emerge as startling realisations of future opportunities whose radiance shines bright with the light of living £4,500 (fine art prints onto Aluminium are available in various sizes - see artist)

Jane Archer Cappuccino This watercolour painting of a Café Au Lait dahlia is one of a series based on greatly enlarged, cropped views of popular flowers. Focusing on part of a single bloom allows us to explore not only the structure of the dahlia, but the wide range of colours that go largely unnoticed. The play of light across the petals reveals hidden, sometimes surprising hues, and the use of watercolour adds a lightness reminiscent of frothed milk, hence the title. Frothy coffee! Original £750 Framed, Limited Edition signed prints £290

Jennie Fifield Dusk through leaves This painting is inspired by a walk through local woods, with views through the trees to the countryside beyond. It was late in the day and the sun was setting, bathing everything in a magical light. There were so many beautiful colours! They seemed to dance and bounce off of each other. These intense colours paint my joyful experience. Painting size; 24.5 x 35.5 cm £79.00

Jennie Fletcher Playing With Fire My paintings are mostly concerned with the elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Red rarely appears in my work and as it is not a colour I feel confident using, I wanted to explore its possibilities. I always begin with laying down many layers of paint, which are then scraped back revealing some of the underlying colours. This process is repeated several times, allowing the composition to develop freely until a tangible idea emerges. More attention will then be focused on the form and content of the piece, with added finer details helping to consolidate the narrative. £285 unframed

Jessica Hartshorn (Jessi Illustrates) Love is in the air ‘Love is in the air’ was inspired by a beautiful rainbow I saw in the distance on a drive last year. The colours were the most vibrant and crisp that I had ever seen, and I imagined what it would be like to see a sky full of hot air balloons gently floating through it. The artwork was created using acrylic paint in layers and detail was then added to embellish the texture of the work £225.00

Jo Thomas (BlackCatSilver) Winter Winter – Black & White Dendritic Agate, a stone known for encouraging self expression and rebuilding our connection to nature, the perfect stone for a new year and new beginnings. The fern like inclusions provide the ideal impression of a winter scene. Set in Sterling Silver with a decorative backplate to enhance the setting. Earring finish off this jewellery set. The settings are handcrafted in Sterling Silver using traditional silversmithing techniques, the piece bears my registered sponsors mark. Necklace priced at £60 , Earrings £35

John Thompson Street find I have recently noticed crushed decayed drinks cans so I have started to collect them so I can photograph them. You can't replicate this kind of decay so for me they are all unique pieces of natural art. £85 framed

Kevin Buckley (CrescentWoodcraft) Moon Jar 1 This decorative piece has been turned from Ash, a native hardwood. It has a hollow construction and one could be forgiven into wondering whether it’s stone or wood. The approximate dimensions are 210mm high by 200mm diameter. This is my interpretation of Korean moon jars that were ceramic, milky glazed pots often used for ritual, votive purposes. They were originally made during the Joseon Dynasty (1392- 1910). NFS

KJ Matthews Farm in the Mist Farm in the Mist - dawn in the Warwickshire countryside. My morning view, where mist rises as the sun warms up the wet fields, giving layers of hedgerows, fields, trees, farms, and hills. A five-layer reduction linocut, also known as suicide linocut, as each layer is cut from the same piece of lino reducing it to the final layer. The maximum number of prints is limited to the number of first layers printed as you can’t print more once the second layer has started to be cut. £80 framed

Laurence G. Tilley May Queen Model: Georgia Galpin. Hair & Makeup: Dovilė Bikelytė-Beišienė. Flowers: Sue Ainley. £400.00

Matt Pooley ( Thedoodlematt ) Vintage hover car I had a dream, a dream where there was a vintage hover car in the making, but they stopped the project. I wanted to have fun with the design and make it feel wacky whilst keeping the classic look. £200.00

Meg Cattlin Jones (MCJ ARTIST) Loss and Relief. This is a very personal and emotional painting reflecting on my experience since leaving university. I put my life on hold to care for my terminally ill Nan and I am proud of myself for this. After her passing, I felt an overwhelming amount of despair and loss but also, a sense of relief as she was no longer suffering and I no longer needed to worry for her. This painting expresses the complex combination of loss and relief. £125

Melissa Keskinkilinc Fractured Petals Fused Glass Bowl This piece is part of my Kintsugi collection. It is a Japanese method for repairing broken ceramics with a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. The philosophy behind the technique is to recognise the history of the object and to visibly incorporate the repair into the new piece instead of disguising it. The process usually results in something more beautiful than the original. This bowl was created with pieces that have broken over the years i’ve worked with glass. It uses shards of glass that depict hand painted flowers using enamels, layered with powdered glass, frit and confetti glass. These pieces are layered onto a iridescent orange base, creating a new piece of glassware from broken artwork. £89.00

Nicky Luntley (@nickylart) 2023 Faces #3 I'm challenging myself throughout 2023 to paint faces. I always avoid them as I find them very hard. So here is no. 3 face of 2023. Painted with watercolour initially, as my go to medium, then mixed media added on top. I will continue this challenge throughout the year if you'd like to follow along you can find me on social media @nickylart £75.00

Nina French (@nina.french.art) Across Golden Hills Watercolour Painting. When I was growing up I was lucky enough to live very close to the Berkshire downs. I love the big open views there and the movement of the wildflowers and grasses in the rolling landscape. My painting “Across Golden Fields” is inspired by and is a loose interpretation of that landscape. £130.00

Rebecca Caulton Golden Light ‘Golden Light’ In Acrylics 40.6 x 50.8cm. I am largely inspired by both water and colour. Sunsets are moments to me which should always be cherished when seen and this particular painting was inspired by one I saw spending the past Christmas in the Canary Islands with my family. £165.00

Richard A Horsman (@RichardAHorsman - www.richardahorsman.com) Audrey Hepburn Code. My own computer code, twenty years in the making, guides swift, invisible, electronic hands. It makes decisions - tens of thousands of them every creative second. Some of its choices are random, whilst others are bound by my rules to produce bold strokes or subtle marks which I then choose to embrace and include, or reject and move on. Teamwork; working together we (re)produced Audrey, or at least this part of her. £45.00

Roger Griffiths The Lizard, Cornwall This is a composite view from the cliffs near the Lizard Point, the most southern place in England mainland, towards the lighthouse. It was autumn, windy and wet! Nasturtiums were still in flower in the hedge banks and it was a wild day. £325.00

Sarais Crawshaw (saraisbron) Seven for a Secret My Papercut "Seven for a Secret" illustrates the last line in the traditional rhyme about Magpies - "One for Sorrow". I pictured the birds grouped on a twiggy branch, which was pierced using a sharp scalpel. Most of the papercut is simply black and white, but the main bird I pictured with some of the feathers coloured - though predatory birds, magpies have great beauty. Seeing a large group of them together is rare but exciting - perhaps the secret is the gold ring!

Shiro Family It’s the magic of nature that just watching behaviour that is normal and necessary to the animal can give the viewer such pleasure. Stoneware ceramics, underglaze and oxides. £275.00

Steve Davies (stevedavies1st) Bent Flower 3: Pink Chrysanthemum A linocut print using 4 separate blocks, printed in blue, red, pink and yellow. This is one of a series of tortured flowers. We cut off plants’ sex organs, put them in a jar and watch them writhe around until they finally collapse. A drama unfolding in full colour. £75 (framed) £50 (unframed)

Sue Byrne/Judy Haslam-Jones Across the Lake This work is a collaboration between Sue Byrne, a weaver, and Judy Hallam-Jones, a ceramicist. Sue weaves her pieces on a Japanese Saori loom then passes them to Judy for her to use the textile as inspiration for her porcelain decorations. £95.00

Susan Haynes Melting Icelandic Glacier This textile “painting” was made using the ancient and natural technique of felt making. Dyed merino tops wool fibres were first carefully arranged then needle felted into place. Finally a wetting out and hand rolling process produced the permanently consolidated felt you see here. I chose to work in this way because I felt that the material qualities of wool fibres would lend themselves particularly effectively to the subject matter. Wool is always soft and soothing to handle and is surely the most satisfying, versatile and rewarding of the natural media. NFS

Tamsen Flack (CeramicsnSilks) On the Spectrum I wanted the work to include both black and white and colour and both my disciplines of ceramics and silk-painting, so I decided on a ceramic wall hanging with silk inserts, the whole to be sewn together, including the white porcelain ceramic pieces, with black thread. The silk is painted with wet on wet and wet on dry technique with the “full spectrum” of colours. Since this work is still unfinished at the time of writing my fingers and toes are crossed. If the item on display is not as described the finger crossing was in vain! £300.00

Urszula Szulakowska Early Spring Morning: River Ice Melt Oil on canvas. The region of Polesie in Eastern Poland/ Belarus in the 1930s. Inspired by archival black and white photographs

Vikki Skinner (Just_Like_Ivy) Blood Flower From my early 40’s I started experiencing heavy periods; I put it down to my body changing and becoming middle aged. I thought it was just one of those things I had to live with. ‘Adenomyosis is a condition that causes the lining of the womb to bury into the muscular wall of the womb. The only way to fully stop Adenomyosis is with a hysterectomy.’ NHS Inform. Blood Flower explores living with the condition for over six years. I have crocheted using economy and repurposed yarn to represent the cheap sanitary pads I used and the environmental solution I finally found. £750.00