Get involved with creating artworks

College Lake Artists are exhibiting at the nature reserve near Tring from 10am-4pm Thursday September 8 through to Sunday September 11 to coincide with Herts Open Studios.

And as well as displaying work from a diverse mix of artists and makers, at this year’s event they will be running free participatory demonstrations on the Saturday and Sunday (September 10 and 11).

In addition, there will be an auction at the end of the exhibition, giving visitors an opportunity to own a unique piece of work by one of the artists and makers.

The participatory demonstrations on the Saturday will begin at 10am with Jenny Hoole who will demonstrate ‘pattern on glass’, embellishing clear glass to add colour in a design. Hands on visitors can contribute by painting, drawing and colouring with glass and paint.

At noon Cathy Timbrell will show the stages involved in using wet inlaying enamelling on silver to produce pieces of jewellery with vibrant colours which shimmer.

Louisa Stobbs will bring the days demonstrations to an end at 2pm focusing on her love of colour, light and texture in photography.

She will take visitors out into the reserve to ‘capture the moment’ and create a beautiful image.

On the Sunday the day will open at 10am with Niki Bell showing the process behind producing a reduction lino print as well as giving participants a chance to make a one colour lino stamp using the surrounding animals and flora of College Lake as inspiration.

At noon Linda Cavill will work with visitors to create a single piece of combined work using acrylics.

And at 2pm Shirley Jones will work with visitors to build a design from fabric and stitch.

The participatory demonstrations are all informal, intended to be lots of fun and there is no booking necessary.

Each exhibitor will be donating an original piece of work to be auctioned. The auction will operate with bids being placed in the bidding book during the exhibition. At the end of the event, the highest bidder for each item will be contacted and invited to take the piece home.

Ten per cent of the proceeds will be donated to College Lake Nature Reserve.