Last July Black Dog Arts did its first gardens project. The finale was a Gardens Art Trail where 2,000 visits were made by people of all ages to the six local gardens that took part.

This year six, stunning, new gardens are involved and another Gardens Art Trail will be open to the public on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th July 2010.

Over the next two months or so pairs of Black Dog Artists will be “in residence” in one or other of the six gardens.

They will produce original artworks inspired by “their” garden, and these will go on show as part of the Gardens Art Trail.

Also, new for this year, each of the gardens will have a different crafts focus as well.

To create original craftworks inspired by each of the gardens, Black Dog Arts is running a series of workshops.

The workshops kick off with a two-day workshop to stimulate works for the “print & paint” garden.

Passing on techniques picked up from her time at St Martins art school, as well as approaches she uses in her own work, artist Sarah Cannell will show workshop participants how to transfer photographic images of one of the gardens onto MDF and “embed” these images in acrylic paintings.

(Sarah’s own work can be seen at www.sarahcannell.co.uk)

The photos and all the materials will be supplied and participants will leave with up to four new “mixed media” paintings to show (or sell) in the Gardens Art Trail.

The workshop will take place on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th April at the Raveningham Centre and will cost £60 full price for the two days, all materials included, and £50 concessions. (Concessions apply to people over 50, students and people in receipt of benefits.)

This workshop will be followed by five one day workshops on making art books; dyeing silk using natural dyes; constructing sculptures of garden birds and beasts; making felt; and creating knitted wire jewellery!

If you are interested in doing any of the workshops, or would like to find out more about the gardens project, or Black Dog Arts, ring Jan on 01986 895227.