Artwork created by local community groups features in our new exhibition Soil Culture : Casting Seeds.

Artists from all across the South West : Tony Johns, Jenny Mellings, Nicky Thompson, Peter Ward and Emma Saffy Wilson led workshops both at the gallery and externally through the outreach programme.

They worked with local families, schools and community groups including hard to reach groups. The artworks created by the community are featured along with examples of the artist’s work who led their activity. 

One of the local groups is Mind East Devon, who are based at the Haven in Honiton. The group worked with artist Jenny Mellings at their monthly Art & Mind session at THG. Jenny commented :

“I worked with two different groups trying out some earth pigments such as finely ground red sandstone from Sidmouth. The participants from Art & Mind drew each other’s silhouettes with the earth pigments.”

Seeing their artwork in the exhibition for the first time, a participant from Art & Mind said,

“We were really impressed by how our artwork looked up in the gallery. The workshop was fantastic, we were intrigued by how you can get pigments from rock dust and produce artwork from it”

Other local groups are featured including: Honiton Community College, Invigorwrite, Mill Water School, the Cranbrook community and St Martin’s Primary School, Cranbrook. The exhibition runs until 21 May and admission is free.

Art & Mind : 2.30-4.30pm / last Tuesday of the month at THG. For more information, contact Christine Barkla, Mind: christine.barkla@mindex.org.uk,  tel: 01404 42343