Dorset Art Weeks 2018 at the Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre

Paul Williams

Photography

DWT fans will be familiar with Paul's work photographing Lorton's barn owls and Brownsea's red squirrels. He runs photography workshops in Dorset, based on Brownsea Island.

Paul was born in the lake district which to this day continues to play a major part in his interest in both the British countryside and the wildlife that inhabits it. Paul's experiences as a career soldier and police officer left him with PTSD and an even greater appreciation of the benefits being outside in natural spaces can bring to both the psyche and our bodies.

Determined to make the most of a difficult situation Paul remains committed to making each day count by capturing the beauty of our natural world through his images. He very much welcomes this opportunity to show as many people as possible the rich biodiversity that Dorset offers both her residents and visitors.

Philip Anslow

Macrophotography

Philip has been taking macro images of Dorset for years and said he loed to watch the world around him. He said: "Macrophotography is like a meditation in the garden. You find a nice sunny spot, out of the wind, with foliage all around and you stand or sit still and wait. If your lucky, all the bugs you disturbed will resettle, and love, war, pollination and preening will carry on and you are there to capture it."

Julie Herring

Fine art

Julie Herring started studying art in her mid-twenties, originally in Natural History Illustration, then Fine Art painting and later achieving a Masters of Art in Museum Studies. After many years working with Public Art and in Gallery education, she has been a Freelance Artist/tutor for the last four years. Julie is now working directly with nature and loves being able to work outdoors to enjoy the natural environment and share this in her teaching.  

Kate Wyatt

Fine art

Kate grew up in Dorset and went to school in Somerset. She was probably one of the last of the very fortunate generation of children allowed to play outside exploring the countryside; the woods, streams, fields and coastline. This developed into a passion for drawing and in particular a love for British wildlife.    

She went to Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and later gained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art at art school in London.    

Over the past number of years she has become known as one of Britain's most popular wildlife artists with her work held in a number of private collections throughout the world.   

David Metcalff

Metalwork Sculpture

David is based in Dorset and has been a self-employed artist for a number of years: his work can be found in galleries nationwide. Although originally trained in ceramics, David has been inspired by his interest in garden design and wildlife to work with galvanised woven wire to produce animal and bird sculptures of varying sizes. These include owls mounted on blocks of wood, hares captured mid leap and wandering pheasants.

The sculptures are suitable for display in the garden all year round,where the silver-grey colour of the wire softens the lines of the finished pieces and is contrasted naturally by foliage.

Monica Freeman

Pottery

Monica said: "I learned to throw on a pottery wheel nine years ago with a well-known local potter in Upwey near Weymouth, then my hobby expanded two years ago after retirement.  Smooth white stoneware clay is my favourite medium as the fine consistency allows precision throwing on the wheel, and it is well suited to achieving fine detail and bright colours.  

"Look carefully for a little mouse hiding anywhere on dishes and mugs. I make and attach each one by hand. My first mouse pieces came about when I was commissioned to make some mugs with a mouse on them. I was soon asked for more and before too long customers asked me to put a mouse on other pieces. And so the Weymouse was born!"