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For the past year, Helen Caless and Julie Smith have been creating art inspired by the Vale & Downland Museum in Wantage. The public will now have the chance to see the extraordinary work produced by their artistic residency in a three week exhibition running at the museum from September 14^th until October 2^nd.

Julie Smith, a fine art lecturer and visual artist, has been creating exquisite silverpoint drawings and collecting objects on walks, all beginning from the museum. She has also been drawing and mapping Wantage by its hedges. Helen Caless, a professional textile artist and co-director of the Bullpen Arts Centre in Stanford in the Vale, has been casting small textile objects in metal and collecting fragments from the mould-making processes used. The artists have also collaborated to produce sculptures in response to the museum’s own collection.

Helen explains, “After running some family-friendly art workshops at the Museum, the idea of volunteering to be an artist-in-residence was appealing. I enjoy discovering new things every time I visit the museum. I love the way a museum’s collection can transport you, in your imagination, through time – triggering all sorts of associations. My artwork makes reference to the significance of objects, collections, treasures, textiles, toys and storytelling. The chance to collaborate with Julie has meant that some of the pieces in the exhibition are the result of joint ideas and processes. As artists working in the digital age, we have found it inspiring and refreshing to be handling items from the past and using them to inspire our own drawing, sculpture and textiles.”

Apart from exhibiting their own work in the Upper Gallery and Dr VF Squires Room, the artists will be installing objects into the museum cabinets in the main galleries. Objects will include a cast iron bobbin with wool, an intricately embroidered tablecloth and a plaster doorknob. Julie adds,” We have looked at the role of the museum as a place for interpreting the cultural heritage of the Vale of White Horse. Our aim is to address how we look at things, and the role of ‘touch’, plans, discoveries, books and text in museums.”

There will be a chance to chat with the artists and find out more about their work when they will be in the Museum on Wednesday 21^st September from 11am - 1pm for a 'Meet the Artists' session.

Monday to Saturday(closed Sunday and Bank Holidays) 10am to 4pm