So in my last post I mentioned finding myself at a farm…. here’s what happened next….

I ended ip redesigning the website [very s-l-o-w-l-y] and here is what I wrote on the first page….

“At Guggleton we are about creativity and development. We aim to provide a welcoming environment for the creation of the new. In whatever form that might take for the individual. We support established artists by providing them with a space to experiment, new artists with the network, structure and exposure to develop and raw artists with the opportunity to grow.

Exhibitions at the Guggleton vary from season to season with one core theme, growth. We are, after all, occupying a farmyard.

Now in a period of regrowth ourselves we will, over the next few months, be developing our facilities in line with what we feel is needed to provide this ongoing resource. 

With the appearance of galleries such as Hauser and Wirth and Messum’s in the area, and new projects underway in Sherborne, we really feel that we have an opportunity to provide a more accessible alternative to these facilities, growing another audience already identified by others, piggy-backing on cultural tourism and demolishing the ‘threshold’ issues of many Fine Art institutions by remaining true to our community.

We are now in need of vital funds to upgrade facilities in order to host more exhibitions, events and workshops and to create more studios and spaces for artists, makers and practitioners to work out of.

We hope that your support will allow us to stage and host events that will let us include far more people in our endeavours, whilst in themselves raising funds for the ongoing development of the farmyard and program. 

We will be:

– Upgrading our lighting and hanging spaces in the galleries, especially environmentally. 

– Developing our yard to be fit for the purpose of staging outside events such as concerts, performances and cinema. 

– Providing 6-8 more low rent studio spaces for artists and makers. 

– Making our bathroom facilities much nicer….. 

– Creating a cafe/coffee house – as we hope to be able to offer refreshments on a more permanent basis rather than in just a pop up fashion as we currently do.

Over the next few months we will continue to support artists by helping them to develop their practices; alongside a comprehensive offer of workshops and talks in the following: 

Stone carving, drawing, oil painting, ceramics, printmaking, leather craft, watercolour painting, equine and animal painting and sculpture, Japanese flower painting, life drawing, upholstery and up cycling. 

We firmly believe that creativity has much to offer the individual on every level whether it be participating in workshops, developing an arts practice of one’s own, visiting exhibitions and talks or simply socialising in a creative environment. To this end we will be developing an all inclusive membership system – which can be entered by cash or time barter to ensure all aspects of the community are served. 

We will be developing our GUGGLEHEADS program aimed at getting more young people and children involved in aspects of creativity they may not be have the facilities or time to encounter at school.

As we believe that a creative outlet is a great resource for ongoing mental healthiness we also aim to increase our GUGGLEHEALTH offer with courses in Meditation, NLP, Reiki and life coaching. We firmly believe that the capability to create is part of every human nature. The health benefits of creative pursuits are inarguable, sometimes though a person’s enjoyment of their creativity can be compromised physically, mentally or philosophically.

With that in mind, at the Guggleton we like to surround ourselves with people who can help creativity flourish; whether that be advancing your painting skills, freeing your hand, loosening your brush work or advancing your life skill, freeing your mind and loosening your back…  

We aim to offer support over every aspect of a persons’ creative outpourings and at the same time stay both accessible and relevant to as many people as possible.

If our approach to life in any way coincides with your own then there are many ways that you can become involved at the yard. Please visit our Support uspage to learn more.”

Gubbins huh?

www.guggletonfarmarts.com