PICTURES: Arts and crafts festival

Business has been brisk at Shoreham Methodist Church's Arts and Crafts Festival this year, with one of the larger paintings selling very quickly.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Aug 2017, 16:39 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 12:13 BST
The festival opening, from left, committeee member Cara Gillespie, Linda Rockall from Worthing Churches Homeless Projects, committeee member Oliver Gillespie, the Rev Gabriele Britton-Voss, committeee member Malcom Gillespie, committeee chairman Jackie Gillespie and secretary Margaret Bedwell. Picture: Liz Pearce LP170656The festival opening, from left, committeee member Cara Gillespie, Linda Rockall from Worthing Churches Homeless Projects, committeee member Oliver Gillespie, the Rev Gabriele Britton-Voss, committeee member Malcom Gillespie, committeee chairman Jackie Gillespie and secretary Margaret Bedwell. Picture: Liz Pearce LP170656
The festival opening, from left, committeee member Cara Gillespie, Linda Rockall from Worthing Churches Homeless Projects, committeee member Oliver Gillespie, the Rev Gabriele Britton-Voss, committeee member Malcom Gillespie, committeee chairman Jackie Gillespie and secretary Margaret Bedwell. Picture: Liz Pearce LP170656

The nine-day event is an annual highlight, with the festival now in its 48th year.

On display until Sunday are beautiful jewellery, greetings cards, wonderful needlework, original paintings, mosaics and decorative ironwork.

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Linda Rockall, Worthing Churches Homeless Projects’ chairman of trustees, opened the festival on Saturday and there was a dedication service at the Brunswick Road church on Sunday.

Deborah Fleming with her Red Poppies glass mosaic LP170657Deborah Fleming with her Red Poppies glass mosaic LP170657
Deborah Fleming with her Red Poppies glass mosaic LP170657

Profits will benefit local and national charities, including the homeless projects. The festival has been able to donate up to £1,000 to selected charities in previous years.

For Jackie Gillespie, chairman of the organising committee, the event is a family affair. She creates handmade cards and boxes, her husband Malcolm is showing his striking artwork and daughter-in-law Cara has a stall featuring jewellery, hand screenprinted bags, mugs and other accessories.

Photographer David Curtis’ only picture on display, Storm Wave – Brighon Seafront, was a photo on canvas that sold late on Sunday for £85.

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Jenny Sharpe has pet portraits, which are coloured pencil on board, her Sussex Scenes notelets and three-dimensional pebble pictures on display. Crafts include jewellery by Loraine Matten, hand-knitting designs by Valerie Owens from Valerian Designs, quilts and bags by Paula Davies, and mosaic and glass pieces by Deborah Fleming.

Photographer David Curtis with his photo on canvas, Storm Wave - Brighton Seafront LP170658Photographer David Curtis with his photo on canvas, Storm Wave - Brighton Seafront LP170658
Photographer David Curtis with his photo on canvas, Storm Wave - Brighton Seafront LP170658

Artistic blacksmith Nigel J. Beverton is one of the new exhibitors at the festival, with works including metal mistletoe, a spider and individual basket brackets.

There will be a free concert at 1pm on Saturday, with a retiring collection. The talented Lynda Lyne will perform classical and jazz music on piano, clarinet and recorder.

The exhibition will be open 10am to 1.30pm daily until Friday, then 10am to 5.30pm on Saturday, and 12pm to 4pm on Sunday. Admission is free and a catalogue is available at 20p. All payments are cash only.

Related topics:Arts