The Aardvark Blog

Last weekend of Shropshire Hills Art Week, Food Fair, New Books
13/06/2015

This weekend marks the end of the Shropshire Hills Art Week 2015 and what a success it has been. Increased visitors, more sales for artists and a string of very appreciative comments. Congratulations to Shannon and Andrew for putting the show together. What a great asset they are to the local art scene, not just for their work on SHAW, but also for their monthly gallery 'The Leg of Mutton' in Kington. If you've not made it to the gallery, it takes place in two rooms of their house which were originally a well-known butcher's shop ( hence the name).

The next flexing of the Leg will showcase work by Ciara Lewis, who is coming to Aardvark in September as part of H.Art. Also a feature of this year's H.Art show will be Jane Wells whose work we all love. Jane has been working on some sketches of Aarvarks for us, which will be due for public unveiling next month.

Much work behind the scenes has been going on for next month's 'Mortimer Country Food Fair'. The theme this year is 'Slow Living on the Marches', something towards which I aspire, without ever really getting there. I have my fingers crossed for tomorrow's Shropshire Challenge, bike riding in driving rain is never much fun. Both Paul and Catherine ( or blessed memory), will be taking part, so if you find yourself out on the route wave if you see any riders pass by - it might be them.

I am still wading through the huge number of books we have purchased recently, and those that I have sorted through are selling well. We had a particularly generous group of Folio Society volumes come in - including many recent titles  and a complete set of the Trollope - so if you are a Folio groupie you know where to head. I am always amazed how many Folios we sell during the year, and I know that although now there is a great pile, it will have worked down to a mole hill by the end of the summer. Also finding more railway books including Bradshaws, numerous Ian Allan and OPC titles. These are going onto the website gradually.

Finally last night we were at the Hereford College of Art for the leaving party of Richard Heatley the Principal of the College, and the start of the 2015 HCA Summer Leaving Show. Richard has been a really fantastic head for HCA, and will be a tough act to follow. Definitely a positive force in the city and county, and we have been proud to be associated with the college through the provision of one of the college's annual prizes. This year the Aardvark prize winner also won the student of the year award, and is none other than Brampton Bryan's own Kate Morgan Clare. Since we have no input into who is given our prize, it was the most extraordinary coincidence. Many congratulations to Kate and all those leaving the college this year.