From Saturday (May 13) the whole of Woodstock will be turned into one huge art gallery as 25 local businesses share their windows with 19 local artists in an Oxfordshire Artweeks first.
The town’s businesses have banded together to support the newly formed Artists of Woodstock to offer up their window spaces everywhere in the historic town centre from clothes shops to estate agent windows.
And it’s own Woodstock Art Walk has been compiled with its own map to help guide Oxfordshire Artweeks visitors and art lovers around the town, without missing anything!
Some of the the artists have even created bespoke art for the windows. For example, Mary Blackshaw has been inspired to create storytelling art inspired by fairytales (see main pic), by creating her display in the Woodstock Bookshop.
Other artists have been thinking about how to match their work to the windows. Mike Firth will be displaying a painting of his wife and daughter, wearing faux fur coats purchased from No5 Park Street in their windows.
Jane Greer – in addition to her own open studio on Union Street – is displaying her work in the window of Alfonso Gelataria.
Julie Wigg, owner of contemporary art gallery Darl-e and the Bear is including Rod Craig, Sarah Moncrieff, Artists in Woodstock founder Caroline Parkes and MM Plumm in a curated exhibition there during Oxfordshire Artweeks.
Caroline Parkes, artist and founder of the Artists in Woodstock group, whose work can be seen in Darle and the Bear and Gleide’s Home Decor explains: “I never dreamed that we’d have 19 artists in 25 windows putting Woodstock on the art map!”
Artists taking part include Caroline Parkes, Louisa Foster, Sarah Moncrieff, Mike Firth, Rod Craig, Jon Earney, Jean-Pierre De Rosnay, Eleanor Matthews, Jennifer Taylor, Jane Topliss, Morgan Jackson (MM Plumm), John Somerscales, Jane Hance Smith, Gleide Reid, Rosalind Butt, Caroline Gibson, Jane Greer and Mary Blackshaw.
The Woodstock Art Walk starts at St Mary Magdalene Church, and finishes at renowned gallery, Darl-e and the Bear. A Launch event will be held on Saturday, 13th May 13 at St Mary Magdalene Church at Midday and at Darl-e and the Bear 2-4pm.
Artists in Woodstock runs the Woodstock Art Walk during Oxfordshire Artweeks from May 13 to 21.
