Karen and David Drake - Caerbladon Founders
Karen and David Drake at the opening of Caerbladon’s new premises (c) Richard Harris
On St. David’s Day Friday 1 March, Caerbladon opened the doors of our new gallery/arts space at 24 High Street, Malmesbury. Over a hundred visitors came to the opening event, enjoying exhibitions of work by four North Wiltshire artists, and a guided tour of the arts studio, meeting rooms, and Caerbladon’s art supplies and stationery shop.
This is an exciting moment for Caerbladon. After two successful years operating from our gallery/shop on Market Cross we finally have the larger premises on the High Street we have been working towards, thanks to Warden and Freeman. As a community interest company, we have mounted exhibitions and events in several venues across town, along with running the annual Flying Monk Arts Trail, the Pride of Place Malmesbury festival and two partnership projects with WOMAD. As well as exhibiting and selling artwork and art supplies, we will be offering a wide range of creative workshops and courses, and establishing a young person’s art studio acting as a springboard for many exciting projects
For Malmesbury-based ceramicist Jennifer Richardson, it is her first gallery exhibition of her exquisite handcrafted tableware made with double fired and glazed Staffordshire Stoneware, and the distinctive ‘sgraffito’ platters which are intricately carved in patterns influenced by nature and travels. From her home studio in Yatton Keynell, Kathy Hutton creates colourful linocuts and screen prints inspired by plants and natural forms. Charlton-based artist Sandra Chin has produced a new series of abstract paintings reflecting walks exploring the River Thames from source to sea. Local painter Paul Lewis has on display still life works in acrylic and watercolour paintings of Malmesbury Abbey, Westonbirt and Castle Combe.
Our enhanced offer at 24 High Street is also about helping to enliven the town centre and bring new visitors to Malmesbury’s High Street. We have seen a growth in visitors from across the South West and beyond since we opened, including many international visitors, and they love the Malmesbury vibe. With the town expanding through new housing developments, and those in the surrounding villages, there’s a demand for arts and cultural activities and a more diverse offer in the High Street. The rise in independent businesses taking on empty properties in the High Street and transforming them into specialist shops and community enterprises we believe is the way forward for the town. We can’t simply rely on the heritage attractions and we need to create a vibrant, animated Town Centre offering something for everyone.