Next week sees the beginning of the Swindon Open Studios event and I'm trying to plan my route.
Every year this fantastic celebration of local art gets bigger and, I hardly dare say it, better. There are more than 60 artists taking part this year with studios open from Liden to Longcot and paintings popping up at the Core, the Richard Jefferies Museum and Swindon Central Library.
Mosaic artist Lynette Thomas (who is presently working on two commissioned pieces for Swindon Heritage and Swindon Suffragette) will be displaying her work at The Beehive, 55 Prospect Hill.
I'll be heading first for Olive House, home to the Willows Counselling Service, where Ruth Wintle, Marilyn Trew and Lisa Lane are exhibiting their work. For me this is an opportunity to combine art and heritage.
Olive House has a long and intriguing history, home to the Noad family for over 40 years where carpenter John Noad can be found at the time of the 1841 census with his wife Martha and their four children. Ten years on and the family had grown by a further five children, but by 1871 only three of the 11 Noad children remained at No. 11; Ellen 22, Richard 17, an apprentice carpenter, and youngest daughter Sarah, 15.
Every year this fantastic celebration of local art gets bigger and, I hardly dare say it, better. There are more than 60 artists taking part this year with studios open from Liden to Longcot and paintings popping up at the Core, the Richard Jefferies Museum and Swindon Central Library.
Mosaic artist Lynette Thomas (who is presently working on two commissioned pieces for Swindon Heritage and Swindon Suffragette) will be displaying her work at The Beehive, 55 Prospect Hill.
I'll be heading first for Olive House, home to the Willows Counselling Service, where Ruth Wintle, Marilyn Trew and Lisa Lane are exhibiting their work. For me this is an opportunity to combine art and heritage.
Olive House has a long and intriguing history, home to the Noad family for over 40 years where carpenter John Noad can be found at the time of the 1841 census with his wife Martha and their four children. Ten years on and the family had grown by a further five children, but by 1871 only three of the 11 Noad children remained at No. 11; Ellen 22, Richard 17, an apprentice carpenter, and youngest daughter Sarah, 15.
By 1901 the property was home to the Crook family, mineral water manufacturers and in 1920 Olive House was a Children's Home. The Mayor and Mayoress, Alderman and Mrs F.E. Allen made a 1940 Christmas Day visit to various homes and institutions across Swindon and district and distributed 165 threepenny pieces to children at Olive House and the Limes in Stratton.
The first Open Studios took place in 2003 and since 2008 local artists have welcomed visitors during the first two weekends in September.
So visit the Swindon Open Studios website and start planning your route too!
 |
| Uffington White Horse by Lynette Thomas |
 |
| 1905 Olive House published courtesy of Local Studies, Central Library |
Olive House, Christmas 1940
