The Essex Summer of Art

It’s official – we are now in Summer. Yesterday the Essex Summer of Art launched their season of events. This year there are 38 art trails across the county for you to explore, featuring painting, printmaking, sculpture, glass, photography and more. There is so much on offer and all for free so I really recommend visiting as many as you can.

Here at Slamseys we were extra excited because the launch party was happening in our very own Barley Barn on the farm.  I’ve spent the last couple of weeks installing giant insects made from reclaimed metal by local artist Graham Thrussell. We’ve placed his fantastic art onto tractor tyres, pallet plinths and tree trunks and I have to say that it looks absolutely brilliant!

Graham Thrussell at Slamseys Art Month

In the main barn we have an exhibition called AFTERLIFE, the headline artist is Gillian Allard from Suffolk, with her intriguing photographs of animals once they have passed away. She has a brilliant use of light throughout the series and gives each creature a dignity in death. For the launch yesterday we were treated to a video installation detailing a fox decomposing over a three week period – it wasn’t for the squeamish, but was a fantastic display of nature at work.

‘AFTERLIFE’ Gillian Allard at Slamseys Art

After a slight hiccup with our taxidermy exhibits, I am really grateful to the John Ray Gallery at our local Braintree District Museum, for loaning us some fabulous taxidermy specimens as well as a deer and fox skull replica. Dunmow based artist Edward Norman (whose mammoth canvas is on permanent display in the barn) also came up trumps with several small cabinets of curiosity on very short notice, which make an excellent addition to our display.

The exhibition and sculpture trail as part of the Slamseys Art Month are open Thursdays-Saturdays 10:00-16:00 until the 27 June. We also have a special event on Sunday for the national Open Farm events – more to follow on that one.

If you like the unusual, the intriguing and the wonderful, then please come and say hi and make your way along our art trail.

For more information about the Essex Summer of Art, have a look at  VisitEssex.

Hope to see you at Slamseys soon!

Mother’s Day Treats

Next weekend is one of the most important weekends for many of our friends here at Slamseys – it’s Mother’s Day!  Here’s my top five treats to enjoy together.

 

Garnetts Farmer’s Market, Barnston

Get an early start and head off to Great Garnetts monthly Farmer’s Market at Barnston.  You can pick up a lovely joint of meat for lunch on Sunday as well as homemade breads, preserves, sweet treats and more.  There’s always a lot to see and the markets are always popular.

 

Chocolate Truffle Workshop at Slamseys Art, Great Notley

Next up, it’s time to get chocolatey! I love it when Hilary from Choctails comes to Slamseys – the smell of melting chocolate fills the whole of the barn – and I always manage to sneak away a few squares of chocolates to indulge in.  This is the perfect workshop for you and your mum to enjoy together, as you taste, temper, roll, dip and decorate chocolate truffles – but make sure you book your places online as this workshop is normally a sell out.

 

Buy a Bouquet, Springfield Florist, Chelmsford

In the afternoon head over to Springfield Florist and choose one of their beautiful bouquets or design your own from their wide range of flowers.

 

Enjoy a country walk

Make sure you grab a lie in on Sunday morning before taking a leisurely walk around the countryside.  There are lots of brilliant public footpaths, cycle trails and bridleways around us – my favourite is the John Ray Walk.

 

Homemade Sunday Lunch

Finally it’s time for the most important meal of the week – the Sunday Roast!  The key to a great roast is good quality, locally grown and reared products.  Grab some seasonal vegetables like leeks, artichokes and swede, maybe do something special with the roast potatoes, like add a clove of garlic or a sprig of rosemary.  And while it’s all cooking away, sit back and enjoy a glass of English sparkling wine with a good glug of Slamseys Raspberry Gin.

 

The perfect weekend!