The biennial 10 Parishes Festival of visual and performing arts returns this autumn in and around Wiveliscombe.
This year’s theme is Tree of Life. Artists have the option whether to include it in their work for the nine-day exhibition period.
The Festival spans two weekends from 6th-14th September and includes artists’ open studios, performances, talks, workshops and the Wiveliscombe Street Market and Carnival procession on Sunday 14th.
The artists’ studios are scattered around the villages in this part of Somerset. Jane Mowat returns to the Festival at Little Hurstone, Waterrow with carving, printmaking and jewellery. Jane’s subjects are nature, and our relationship to it. Figures observe, contemplate or travel through the environment of trees, mountains and animals.
Further east at Fitzhead, Katherine Jackson values observational painting as an intimate means of giving attention to her surroundings and hopes to produce images which recreate the quite absorption she experiences while making.
In neighbouring Halse, Ian Iles and Caroline McMillan Davey will exhibit at the popular New Inn, combining to explore landscape through both oil painting and photography. This novel venue is a café at the back of the pub in the former skittle alley and has been a welcome initiative over recent years. Nearby at Binfield House, Caroline will also show her varied and respected works which are normally sold through galleries in the west country and London.
Milverton has a wide range of venues including Beth and Dyana French with sculpture, functional pottery and expressive art, Sally Lancaster (photography and acupuncture), Penny Price (jewellery) and Judy and Chris Willoughby at the Old School in Sand Street. Judy will show paintings from landscape, imagination and life experience. Black and white photographs documenting life and crafts on the Somerset Levels reflect the work of Chris Willoughby (1947-2000). The work of Kenneth and Marian Lauder will feature watercolours, oils, pastels and print.
Wiveliscombe Community Centre once again hosts four artists throughout the nine days. Victoria Ward’s exquisite watercolours include illustrated maps along with Chinese brush paintings – these painted with Indian ink (and a bit of watercolour) using Chinese brushes, flowing lines and lots of space. The little symbol in the corner is Victoria’s ‘signature stamp’ it says: ‘Victoria’, in Chinese characters.
Doulla Aebli is inspired by a love of animals and makes ceramic sculptures of British wildlife. This year Doulla will be showing a selection of critically endangered animals from around the world.
Chris Howe works mainly in watercolours and uses a limited palette to produce paintings which appear fresh and vibrant. His main inspiration comes from the countryside around his home on Exmoor.
John Abraham paints mainly in acrylics, creating impressionistic seascapes and landscapes that are often West Country inspired.
Look out for a number of other venues around Wiveliscombe featuring Jan Boddington (Wiveliscombe Town Hall), Jos Harral and Alexandra Lavizzari (at the Bear Inn), Paul Williams (Croford) Colette Fowler-Mason (Ford), Kate Benson (Ford), Stephen Martin (Northgate) and Jo Dove with Maddie Rock in Silver Street. Two other fascinating venues are Secret Island Artisan Shop in North Street and a student art exhibition at Kingsmead School. School of Stitch is running morning workshops with Catherine Hounsell in Silver Street.
A new artist taking part this year is Rachel Byles who was brought up on a dairy farm on the fringes of Exmoor and has lived in Devon and now West Somerset since she was an infant.
A life-long familiarity with the farmed landscape of the Westcountry gives an abundance of inspiration, particularly through the autumn and winter months when she’s always excited to see what the cast of a low sun reveals. Rachel has been reviving her practice in recent years after a long fallow period and works in a range of media. She will exhibit at Hele Farmhouse Brompton Ralph throughout the Festival period except Weds 10th.
Rachel has recently had work selected for a range of open exhibitions including this year’s Society of Graphic Fine Art’s Annual exhibition in London. Last autumn she was included in the 2024 South West Academy Annual open exhibition held at Kennaway House in Sidmouth and was delighted to have had a work chosen as the winner of the inaugural Modern Art Distillery prize.
Specific events include;
The Festival is launched on Friday 5th September with a feast by Wonky Horn at Westcott Farm, Brompton Ralph at 7pm.
A choice of performances and talks take place throughout the nine days of the Festival, some of which include;
Contrasts: September soirée at St Andrew’s Church, Wiveliscombe. Jazz piano, followed by John Baxter’s dazzling repertoire of classical and contemporary music on organ. Saturday September 6th at 7pm.
Telegraph columnist, restaurant critic and local resident William Sitwell takes the audience on a witty journey as he recounts the story of 20th century eccentric, literary siblings Edith, Oswell and Sacheverell Sitwell. Monday 8th, St Andrew’s Church, Wiveliscombe. 6pm
Myc Rigglesford, internationally known science & environmental journalist, discusses an 800 year-old law about Exmoor that is still relevant today. Join him for some radical thinking, Exmoor history, comedy, smallholding skills and fun sedition on Thursday 11th, St Andrew’s Church at 7.30pm.
Kingsmead School Year 10 and 11 students perform at St Andrew’s Church on Friday 12th at 1.30pm.
Brompton Ralph Church hosts ILLUMINATIONS, an experience of music, poetry and art on the theme of light. Saturday 13th at 3pm.
Late Summer & the Earth Element is an acupuncture workshop with Sally Lancaster on Saturday 13th, 10am-1pm in Milverton.
Mezzo soprano Lily Mo Browne with accompanist Jo Ramadan on piano perform at Wellhayes Vineyard. Saturday 13th at 7.30pm.
John Hartoch presents The Story and the Song – a grasshopper’s journey through time and life. Victoria Rooms, Milverton, Sunday 14th at 7.30pm.
Baroque super-group Red Priest perform ‘Baroque Extravaganza’ at St Andrew’s Church, Wiveliscombe on Saturday 20th at 7.30pm
The 10 Parishes Festival runs from Saturday 6th until Sunday 14th September. For a full list of participants, venues and events see www.10parishesfestival.org.uk or consult the Festival brochure which can be found at many outlets across the county.
