From early March through to September, the Forge Gallery situated in the picturesque village of  Walberton near Chichester are running a diverse and eclectic range of one day artist courses.

The mediums and subjects range from making ceramic slab pots, playing guitar, weaving, lino printing and drawing,  to stained glass making etc.

Each workshop covers a full day and lunch is included in the cost, which ranges in price from £32 to £70. All the courses look very exciting and each class is run by an established artist in the field including Jessica Jordan, Tom Carter, Dudley Sawer, Hilary Charlesworth and Amanda Newell.

Check the website for details: Forge Gallery Artist Courses.

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Why not test your knowledge with their World Book Night quiz for your chance to win some of the 25 World Book Night titles?

World Book Night givers are welcome to go along and give out their books at the library too. This is exactly what Katy from Chichester Copywriter will be doing if she has any copies of The Book Thief left after giving them out at Chichester landmarks. See World Book Night Comes to Chichester for more information.

There will also be light refreshment available on the evening. Please contact Chichester Library on: 01243 777351 for further details.

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The Private View is scheduled for Friday 11th May, 6pm – 9pm in and the Degree Show will be open Saturday 12th May until Sunday 20th May, 11am – 7pm on weekdays, 11am – 6pm at weekends.

There will also be a Degree Show shop open for the duration of the exhibition selling a variety of artworks, postcards etc, created by the students.

More details and directions: Fine Art Degree Show

University of Chichester Fine Art Department Facebook Page

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As part of the 3rd issue they’ve teamed up with Ammo to run an illustration feature showcasing maps by artists and designers in London (although you’re also welcome to take part if you can get to London for the day). Out of the artists who take part 5 or 6 will get double page spreads in the magazine. The quality of the print and design is ultra high and the mags already been getting some pretty amazing reviews. You can find more info about the event via the link below.

Ammo Mag and Boat Mag Competition

More info about Boat:
www.boat-mag.com/
www.boat-studio.com/

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Adult Events:

An Evening With Thriller Writer Emlyn Rees, Wednesday 27th June 7.30pm.

Sunday Times Best-selling thriller writer Emlyn Rees, author of the popular book Hunted, will be speaking at Chichester Library about his writing.

Emlyn Rees published his first thriller aged 25, his second a year later, and then co-wrote seven comedies with Josie Lloyd, including the Number One Sunday Times bestseller Come Together. They have been published in 23 different languages.  He is a self-confessed film and thriller addict. He now divides his time between restoring a wreck in Mallorca and Brighton beach, where he lives with Josie and their three children.

Tickets £3 available from Chichester Library (01243 777351 or Chichester.library@westsussex.gov.uk) and the Festivities Box Office.

An Evening with Peter Lovesey – Thursday 28^th June 7.30pm.

Best-selling local crime author Peter Lovesey will be speaking at Chichester Library about his writing

Peter Lovesey is the author of many crime titles, including: his Victorian Crime novels featuring Sergeant Cribb, a series set in Chichester featuring Detective Hen Mallin and his popular crime series with Detective Peter Diamond – who features in his two newest books Stagestruck and Cop to Corpse.

Tickets £3 available from Chichester Library (01243 777351 or Chichester.library@westsussex.gov.uk) and the Festivities Box Office.

‘The Secrets of Crime Writing’ Panel – Monday 2^nd July 7.30pm

Four popular crime authors will discuss crime writing, their own experiences of being a crime writer and reveal some of the secrets of the trade.

Rebecca Tope – Author of three popular murder mystery series also “ghost writer” of the novels based on the ITV series Rosemary and Thyme.

Priscilla Masters – Author of two popular murder mystery series featuring detective Joanna Piercy and another series featuring Martha Gunn the Shrewsbury coroner.

Cassandra Clark – Author of the Abbess of Meaux Medieval Mystery series, which introduces you to the world of Hildegard of Meaux – sleuth, spy, Cistercian nun and future abbess.

Amy Myers – Author of several popular crime series featuring Auguste Didier master chef and detective Jack Colby car detective. Classic Calls the Shots is the most recent in the Jack Colby Series.

Tickets £3 available from Chichester Library (01243 777351 or Chichester.library@westsussex.gov.uk) and the Festivities Box Office.

Crime with Wine: An Evening with Sophie Hannah – Thursday 5^th July 7.30pm.

Come along to Chichester Library and enjoy a glass of wine while listening to internationally best-selling crime/thriller author of Little Face and A Room Swept White.

Sophie will be talking about her most recent book Lasting Damage, writing crime thrillers and writing in general.

Tickets £3 and include a glass of wine, available from Chichester Library (01243 777351 or Chichester.library@westsussex.gov.uk) and the Festivities Box Office.

An Evening with S J Watson and Cath Staincliffe – Wednesday 11^th July  7.30pm.

Join best-selling Crime and Thriller writers S J Watson and Cath Staincliffe, for an evening of lively discussion at Chichester Library, with local author and Crime Writer Simon Brett leading the event and acting as interviewer.

S J Watson is the author of the critically acclaimed thriller Before I go to Sleep, which has been an international best-seller, won the Crime Writer’s Association Award for Best Debut Novel and the Galaxy National Book award for Crime Thriller of the year.

Cath Staincliffe is a scriptwriter and creator of the popular TV series Blue Murder, and has penned many popular crime novels, including The Kindest Thing and Witness. Her newest publication Dead to Me is a prequel to the popular TV series Scott & Bailey.

Tickets £3 available from Chichester Library (01243 777351 or Chichester.library@westsussex.gov.uk) and the Festivities Box Office.

Children’s Events – Open to the public:

Talk by children’s author Gwyneth Rees – Saturday 30^th June 2.30pm

Come and meet the fantastic Gwyneth Rees, author of Fairy Dust, Mermaid Magic, Twinkling Tutus and more. Hear Gwyneth talk about how she became a writer, the inspiration behind her books and also her new book The Butterfly Tiara. This event is a must for all fairy, mermaid and princess fans. Don’t miss it! Suitable for children aged 7+

Talk by local children’s picture book author and illustrator Layn Marlow – Saturday 7^th July 10am

Local picture book author Layn Marlow will be reading stories followed by a craft activity. Layn began her career working in libraries. She lived in Belgium for several years but it was on her return to the UK that she enrolled as a mature student at Southampton University and received a first class degree in illustration. Suitable for children under 6.

Talk by Teen author Vanessa Curtis – Saturday 7^th July PM Time 2.30pm

Get ready to be spooked by author Vanessa Curtis and her new book, The Haunting of Tabitha Grey. Learn about her inspiration to write a ghost story and learn how to write one yourself! Suitable for children aged 11+

Talk by children’s author Kate O’Hearn - Friday 13^th July 4.00pm

Raised in New York City, Kate O’Hearn would envision herself soaring among the city on the back of a wild dragon. Years later, her dreams spilled over into the books she loves to write. Suitable for children aged 8 – 13.

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David Loffman teaches English and creative writing at a Tertiary College in South West London and has been running poetry and creative writing workshops to a variety of groups for more than ten years.

The poetry workshop will focus on haiku, a Japanese poetic form made popular in the seventeenth century by Matsuo Basho. Japanese haiku are short seventeen syllable poems consisting of two contrasting ideas. They focus on details of everyday life and invite the reader to explore the connection between these ideas.

Traditionally, haiku are poems inspired by nature. However, haiku can often resonate beyond simple observations of nature. Basho was inspired to write by withdrawing from the literary and sophisticated society of Edo – present day Tokyo – and immersing himself in the natural world around him.

In the workshop, you’ll spend time considering your surroundings – observing and making notes on what you experience and feel about the setting. Then you’ll establish some simple guidelines concerning the form and structure of haiku poetry before drawing together what you’ve observed through haiku.

Here are some examples of haiku:

Haiku

a bee
staggers out
of the peony

Basho

Monday morning

traffic jam

slow steady rain

© Paul Mena

all night her call

through the bluebell woods -

Nightingale

© David Loffman

The poetry workshop will run from 14.00-16.00 on 25^th August, 2012 at Bosham House, Main Road, Bosham, Nr Chichester, PO18 8PJ. It costs £8 for members of The Hamblin Trust and £10 for non-members.

Does this sound like your kind of thing? Please give The Hamblin Trust a call on 01243 572109 to put your name down.

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World Book Night is a celebration of reading and books which sees tens of thousands of people gift books within their communities to spread the joy and love of reading on each year on 23rd April. The idea is to connect readers with one another, encourage those who don’t read to read and those who usually stick to the same genre to try something new. This year, World Book Night will not only be celebrated in the UK but also Ireland, Germany and USA.

When you apply to be a World Book Night Giver you are asked to provide the organisers with two choices of books you would like to give and a reason why you should be selected. Katy’s second choice was another of her favourite books The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Laura Cartledge, Feature writer and columnist for etc Magazine and the Observer series, will be giving away copies of The Time Traveler’s Wife for World Book Night at the Picturedrome in Bognor Regis on 23^rd April. Laura hopes to gift copies to people who would usually choose to watch a film rather than read a book while attracting some attention for the small cinema and its plight for survival.

The Book Thief, however, was Katy’s first choice and she was lucky to be selected to share it with others. The Book Thief takes place in Nazi Germany in 1939, where the country is holding its breath and Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street because her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. It’s a small story, about: a girl, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter and quite a lot of thievery.

Katy wants to gift copies to people who haven’t read The Book Thief, and more specifically she would like to attract the interest of local people who have not read Markus Zusak before or do not usually read historical fiction.

On Monday 23^rd April from 15.00 Katy will be giving out her books at the following Chichester landmarks:

• Chichester Assembly Rooms 15.00-16.00*
• Chichester Market Cross 16.00-17.00*
• Chichester Cathedral 17.00-18.00 (weather permitting)*

This will give those who receive books the opportunity to start reading their new book on World Book Night! Please come along on the day to the locations stated above and spread the word among your friends!

Please not that these are approximate timings and locations. Katy will always be at one of the locations mentioned above between 15.00 and 18.00 on 23^rd April or until she runs out of books. To find out whether Katy is still out and about handing out books you can always give her a call on 07986 802194. 

Read the full article here.

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Martin Paterson
‘Colours in Garden and Landscape’
6th – 18th March, 2012
Oil paintings inspired by the Scottish coastline and the artist’s own woodland garden.
 
 
 
 

Doris Malcolmson & William Pullen
6th – 18th March, 2012
Small watercolours and oils by Doris with egg temperas and larger watercolours by William. Although a generation apart, Doris and William were neighbours in Rake, West Sussex for many years and have been friends as practising professional artists for much longer. They feel their work complements each others, especially in the quiet space of the Wilson Studio.

John Harmer and Thom Lewis
6th – 18th March, 2012

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Come along to Chichester Library and listen to highly-rated Brighton poet Alan Morrison giving the first public reading to launch his latest acclaimed collection, Captive Dragons/The Shadow Thorns. Live musical interludes and open mic poetry will combine to provide an exciting blend of creative writing and music!

Sussex writer Alan Morrison will be confronting inner demons and dragons of the mind when he headlines at Chichester Library for A Celebration of Poetry, which incorporates the March session of Open Mic Poetry (usually held monthly at New Park Centre, Chichester). Alan will be launching his new collection of poems dealing with themes of mental illness and the unexpected insights that disturbance can bring.

Awarded an NHS Trust Arts sponsorship at Mill View psychiatric hospital in Hove, Alan worked closely with patients in workshops exploring their creative impulses, leading to a life-affirming publication of their work, edited by Alan entitled, The Hats We Wear.

Alan’s experiences at the hospital stimulated him into writing his own book of new poetry, Captive Dragons/The Shadow Thorns. As respected critic Andy Croft says, “Exploring the world of mental health he ends up writing about the mental health of our world, and the real dragons of our time – bankers, speculators, politicians – who lay waste to everything they touch.”

Alan’s book, has received a rapturous critical reception. “Quite simply a masterpiece,” says Steve Spence of Stride, while Frances Thompson of The Journal asserted, “Morrison may well be one of the great poets.” Chichester audiences will get the chance to judge for themselves when Alan gives the first public reading of his new book at Chichester Library on Thursday, March 29^th at 7.30pm.

Event organiser Barry Smith comments, “We’re delighted to be able to feature Alan’s compelling but accessible poetry. It’s a real coup for the library and Open Mic Poetry to be staging such an important book launch – Alan’s work normally premieres in London. In fact, his last book was recorded for audio release by notable actor Michael Jayston.”

In the second half of the evening, local poets get the chance to share the limelight with Alan Morrison when they can read their own work to a sympathetic audience. Barry says, “Our last open mic in the library was a fantastic success with a packed audience equally enjoying both guest published writers and local poets. People now come regularly to our events from as far afield as Winchester, Petersfield and Brighton. The quality of poetry is very impressive, with wide-ranging subjects and diverse styles.” Potential readers and those who just enjoy listening to poetry are equally welcome at the event, which will also feature live music. The ticket price includes a complimentary glass of wine in the interval.

A Celebration of Poetry/Open Mic Poetry, Chichester Library, Tower Street, 7.30 pm, Thursday 29^th March. Tickets (to include a complimentary glass of wine) cost £4 and are available from the library, Call the library on: 01243 777351 for further details or to book tickets.

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Each egg is roughly 76 centimetres high. All the eggs have been hidden across London.  Easter egg hunt participants only have the forty days and nights of Lent to find them all. Using either an iPhone or Android phone, egg hunters can receive clues through Facebook or Twitter to help them find the Fabergé Easter eggs and win prizes when they find them. One of the top prizes is a £100,000 Fabergé egg.

At the end of the 40 days, the decorated Fabergé Easter eggs will be sold at auction, with 170 of them sold online for those that can’t make it to the auction house. The money raised from the auction will be split equally between the Action For Children charity and the Elephant Family charity.

The Big Egg Hunt by Fabergé starts at 10am on the 21st February 2012.

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