The largest celebration of local arts and crafting takes place in venues and studios right across the island this weekend.

The Isle of Man Art Festival takes place between Saturday, May 4, and Monday, May 6, and will feature displays of the work and skills of more than 60 of the island’s painters, sculptors, illustrators, crafters, modellers and carvers, on show at 19 different venues situated all around the Isle of Man.

Organised by the members of the island’s Creative Network group, the festival is now a firmly all-island event.

The major centre for this year’s festival will be at the Laxey Glen Pavilion, where 10 of the island’s best-known artists will be available to meet and to chat to whilst they work and also displaying examples of their work, which will be available to buy.

These include the noted wildlife artist Dr Jeremy Paul, Helen Hughes, Alice Quayle, Susanne Ekdahl, Ellie Baker and Laura Espinosa, who creates large colourful murals under the name Momma Moon’s Marvellous Murals.

Wood carver Gavin Carter will also be in the gardens of the glen, where he will be hosting a community art project, allowing both children and adults the chance to carve out a design on an eight-foot tree trunk, which will be left on display.

There are also a large number of works on display at the Hodgson Loom gallery, housed at the Laxey Woollen Mills, including slate and metal sculptor Neil Milsom, Erica Kermode and illustrator and gallery curator Julia Ashby Smyth, and also a mother and daughter combined display at Mother T’s.

There are some new exhibition venues for this year, with one offering a unique inspiration for some of the artists who will be on display there throughout the festival.

The disused, historic Old Police Station at Castletown will be home to three artists, including embroiderer Maureen Kennaugh, one of the main organisers.

The ownership of the historic, Baillie Scott-designed building is currently in the middle of being transferred and the organisers leapt at the chance to temporarily release it from its current state of limbo.

’We’re lucky to be able to use the Old Police Station, as it is currently in the process of being handed over from the Department of Home Affairs to Manx National Heritage,’ said Maureen.

’I’ll be one of three artists in the police station, where I will be stitching onto on to one of those white "scene of crime" overalls, making a piece of police-themed textile work.

’Eve Adams, the artist who created the Bally Cashtal Beg trail around the town, will be turning part of the building into a magical fairy grotto, and Karolina Powlowska is taking over one of the old cells and painting something amazing.’

Maureen is looking forward the chance to sit down a create her embroidered pieces of artwork, once the festival begins.

’All the organisation going into this festival does get in the way of being creative!’ she joked.

’I’m currently trying to finish a piece I am working on, but we are so busy putting the final touches to the venues, making sure people know where they are going and getting ready, that we have no time to work on our own artwork.’

Also in the south will be the Grenaby Studios and the Engine House, which are new partners for the festival.

Also, in the north, Michael Starkey will be painting in the Old Ramsey Courthouse building, where he will be joined by Frances Boyd, Cherie Collier, Katharine Cain and Rebecca Odessa.

Other northern venues include the Glen Mooar retreat, near Tholt-y-Will and Ballajora.

One open studio event opens slightly earlier, with Kate Jerry and Colette Gambell opening their Aossi studio at the Pinewood Studios, Bishopscourt.

They will be holding a special ’Art Fest in the Yard’ open evening tomorrow night (Friday), from 6.30pm, which will include a range of artworks, along with a tasting session from a microbrewery, wood-fired pizza and music.

The House of Mannanan, and the harbour-side Pilates studio in Peel will display a wide range of work, and there will also be a maritime exhibition at the Peel Centenary Centre.

’We have a lot of big venues now as opposed to individual artists studios, as many of the artists themselves said that they prefer to go to a large area and display their work, or create in front of people,’ said Maureen.

’So now we have 19 venues, all of them free to enter, which are spread about the island. It is best to grab a guide book, which are also free to pick up, and plan your route around.

’The venues themselves are varied, and the artists, and the work they produce, are also so varied, it will be a wonderful weekend to see what the island and its creatives has to offer.’

A full line up of venues and artists is available to view online at creativenetwork.im

The festival has been supported by the Isle of Man Arts Council, and was officially launched by the former president of Tynwald, Claire Christian, at an event held at the Laxey Glen Pavilion last week.

by Mike Wade

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