Open studios: 250 artists in Stroud

Last night I was fortunate to be invited to both the preview of Artspace (see next blog item coming soon) and the Open Studios festival opening at the Subscription Rooms in Stroud - Stroud really is incredible and lives up to this quote:

“Stroud is turning itself into the artistic equivalent of bookish Hay-on-Wye”
Daily Telegraph

Photos: Subscription Rooms preview above, festival signs going up in town and below two of my favorites in the taster exhibition there: Grizelda Holderness and John Heseltine - but loads more I could have included.

More than 80 Stroud artists are now poised to welcome visitors to their studios in venues from garden sheds to Cotswold cottages. The annual Site 07 visual art festival, involving 250 local, national and international artists, runs from today until June 30. At the heart of the festival is the Open Studios weekends, which take place on June 9-10 and 16-17.

“Stroud has always been an artists' place and is very bohemian.”
Local resident Jilly Cooper

I would urge people to get around as many of the studios as you can - it really is very special - click on the link above for more info or pick up a brochure in the town.