The first day of the Ellesmere Sculpture Symposium encounted the expected dramas as artists arived from around the world.

Ellesmere Sculpture Initiative Chairman Alan Bradbury took time out to show me the exhibition site and I asked him how it felt now that it was actually happening....

Three sculptors were on site when I arrived selecting their stones. Tom Gilhespy and Trevor Clarke from the UK and Luis Afonso from Portugal had a choice of selected stones. I heard there was some local discussion about who had one particular stone - but Trevor got it and I thought Tom was very pleased with what he found later.

Luis had a thoughtful approach. They all had been given a tour around the Castlefield site where the sculpture cluster will be placed. He wanted to make something tall - like a column that would be seen on the hill from the road.

There was some discussion about whether the truck would be strong enough to move the stones. Luis was doubtful but it did......

Tom Gilhespy

Trevor Clarke

And eventually they got their chosen stones to their work stations....

Shrewsbury Open Studios happened last weekend if you missed it - I nearly did but found an hour or two to visit three. Another weekend would have helped me as I missed lots I wanted to see which I needed a car. Here are some pics of the ones I had time to walk to.

First I visited Pam Newall's studio

Then it was around to Carola Fielden's garage studio.

The last studio I could manage was Neil Mapes

Sorry I could't make more. Anybody who did post your comments please.

VAN Trustee Martin Smith is going to visit Theo Jansen in Holland while he tests his new commission for Shift Time. If you want to find out more about this visit Martin's Blog www.marttn.wordpress.com

He will be doing a live blog of the day starting 6am Tuesday 23rd June which you can view here.

BVA held their 9th Open Studio event in Oswestry June Sat 6th & Sun 7th and Sat 13th & Sun 14th 2009. Here are some pictures - post links if there are other pictures out there.

Wednesday 10th July saw the Marches Independent Photography Group’s exhibition opening at Secret Hills. There were some good photographers on show. The black and white prints coped best on the orange walls. There was no lighting for the work making the prints hard to see. There was a good feeling in the building though – late night opening at the library making for a good community feel.

Belle View Arts Festival began on Friday 12th July with a joyous community art display that covered the English Bridge exhibition areas floor to ceiling. The diverse mix of work was a celebration of creativity and the Victorian style of hanging makes the vast selection of work hang peaceably together.