Open Studios Weekend 2019

If you’ve ever wondered – what does an artists’ studio look like? What do artists do all day?- then Open Studios Weekend is for you.

Join us for a joyful summer celebration of the high quality art, craft and design production going on here in West Hampstead.
For more than forty years, Kingsgate Workshops has been supporting an exciting bubbling pot of creativity, providing much needed longevity and security for artists so they can get on with making and developing their work.
Every Summer, we invite the public in to celebrate and get to know our creative community.

Activities:

View the making spaces of our artists, designers and makers:
The spaces are gleefully haphazard and idiosyncratic; full to the brim with the works of the artists and makers, and much else besides. The objects that inspire and support their practice surround them, each maker in their own habitat, cocooned in their own ways of thinking and seeing the world.

Buy art, design and craft pieces that are personal and unique:
You can buy ceramics, paintings, jewellery, homewares, fashion, and much more, directly from the people who make it. This helps to support our makers and artists, helping us keep the community going.

Try out creative processes, techniques and skills:
You can also explore the processes and techniques used in our studios at our taster workshop sessions. These beginner-friendly workshops led by skilled artists and makers are offered at a discounted price. It’s a good opportunity to try out the classes run here at Kingsgate and see if you might enjoy taking on a new hobby!


Opening Party
Our summer Opening Party will take advantage of our beautiful sunny Yard. Join us for drinks before browsing the studios inside. All are welcome to come and celebrate with us!


Curator's Tour
Friday 21st June, 7pm
Meet at the Project Space
Artists working in paint, print, sculpture, installation and video have studios at Kingsgate Workshops alongside an increasingly broad range of craft makers. In this tour, led by director and renowned curator Dan Howard-Birt, we’ll focus on Kingsgate Workshops’ artists. We’ll meet a hand-picked selection of them in their studios to find out what drives them, how they make their artworks and why a studio is a special place for experimentation. We’ll also see work-in-progress and have an opportunity to glimpse behind-the-scenes at the complex processes that make each artists’ work unique.
£15
Book through the website

The Shop
Our curated Shop space in the Project Space will show off a few of the pieces you definitely shouldn't miss. Jewellery, homewares, fashion, and stationery will sit alongside affordable sculptures and wall art. Many of these pieces are exclusively available for sale at Open Studios Weekend, and can't be found anywhere else.

Taster Workshops:

Printmaking Demonstration with Theresa Pateman
Friday 21st June 6.30-8.30pm
Drop-in.
Theresa is a member of the Printmakers Council and the Southbank Printmakers. In this rolling demonstration, she will show off some of the printing techniques possible in her specially appointed studio space.
FREE

Embroidery & Temari Balls with Alex Anne Goodwin & Kuniko Maeda
Sunday 23rd June, 2pm-4pm
Alex will lead the first half of this workshops, where participants will learn some stitches and embroider on the fabric. Then after a short break with refreshments. Kuniko will lead the second half, where [we will use your embroidered pieces to construct a temari ball, a traditional Japanese technique.
£20
Book through the website

Throwing Ceramics with Freya Bramble Carter
Saturday 22nd June, 2pm-4pm
Join Freya for a demonstration and a chance to try some throwing and handbuilding techniques, hands on.
Suitable for over 16s.
£20
Book through the website