Free Concert - Coronation Park July 27th

Come and see the fabulous, inspirational Barb Jungr, the mighty Head of Snakes, the awesome Gareth Fuller and the very excited Corby Community Choir who will be performing in Coronation Park on Saturday!

Stephenson Way Art Group Panels

It is always wonderful to be able to include members of Stevie Way Art Group in Back To Books projects, it is such a welcoming, well run group of active, engaging people. The group meets on Mondays between 11.30 and 1.30 at Stephenson Way Community Centre, Corby. 

The group is organised, on a voluntary basis, by the very wonderful Arts Facilitator Ann Leonard and supported by the equally wonderful Susan Shier. 

Ann has been a key participant in many Back To Books projects, including Invisible Threads, New Vistas Wider Horizons and On the Right Track. 

In her capacity as Office Manager at AES Europe, Ann enabled us to protect the saplings planted in the Jubilee Wood at the Old water Tower in Brigstock in 2012 by providing (along with her colleagues) the stakes and mesh.

During the legendary Stevie Way Art Group Christmas Party participants were all keen to help with the Brampton Valley Way Mosaic Way Markers so on June 10th 2013 artist Carole Miles hired a room in the Community Centre and invited the group to drop in and begin work on two new panels.

We had a spacious, room to work in, regular top-ups of tea and coffee and a marvellous buffet lunch provided by the group.

Three generations

Our youngest participant was very keen to explore all the colours in the tile box!

The conversation is always lively and the laughter abundant, there were some new visitors as well as regulars and everyone was made to feel right at home.

The image that was the inspiration for this panel can be seen here

and the image for this panel can be seen below

After an intensive day of mosaic making both panels are well under way and we would like to thank all who took part for making it such an enjoyable experience. 

The full Flickr Set from the day can be viewed here

Brixworth Country Park Mosaic Day

On the May Bank Holiday Monday artist Carole Miles took several panels to Brixworth Country Park for a free, open mosaic making day which was open to all ages and abilities. The room was spacious and airy with a great view of the park and the lake.

Rangers Chris Howe, Dan Hurst and the team did a fantastic job of promoting this day, what's more it was beautiful weather, perfect for a day in the park, which ensured that Carole had a steady stream of participants throughout the day.

We were working on a panel called Spring / Summer featuring two spring lambs captured in a photograph by Kate Dyer in a field near Maidwell during last years walks and a photograph of Suki Carder photographing a field of acid yellow oilseed rape from a different walk. The original photos can be found here and here

We had local visitors who use the park regularly

and fabulous visitors from further afield

family groups

and individuals

Lucy Anderson continuing to work on Field and Fence Panel

It was wonderful to share the stories from our the participants, one man had been taking part in a Triathlon the day before and came with his tiny daughters, there was a huge family group who's ages spanned from 8 months to eighty who'd travelled from the north for their annual meet-up with friends from Towcester. It was a great opportunity for all generations to sit together, enjoy the company whilst adding tiles to the growing mosiac. Many thanks to all who came and took part. A big thank you too for all those who sorted through the mixed box of tiles whilst waiting for a free space on the panel.

Complete set of photos from the day can be found here

We Were Nominated!

Maureen Walvin and Carole Miles were proud to attend the Northamptonshire Community Foundation Annual Awards which took place at The Royal Theatre in Northampton. Back To Books was nominated for an "outstanding contribution to the community" in the Sports, Culture and Heritage. The project nominated was New Vistas, Wider Horizons which took place at the Cube last October. We didn't win but we feel like winners having been placed in the same company as so many inspirational organisations and community projects. It was a wonderful evening and many thanks to the amazing team at Northamptonshire Community Foundation who continue to make wonderful things possible within the community!

Drawing from the Cube by Dale Page

A Few Cushions More!

Here are more cushions from Cushion the Landscape and a huge thank you to Sarah Stringer who has been busy sewing the artwork into cushions!

 

 View from the Roof Garden by Ros Stoddart

 Patterns in the Paving by Kate Dyer

Clock and Spire by Lorraine Dziarkowska

Carole has been experimenting with Sumblimation prints on fabric and took one of Willy Gilder's drawings of young people in the Library and gave it a touch of colour.

She also decided to try out the process with some of her own Big Draw sketches

and some of the other gorgeous drawings made by participants.

Corby Bus

Buildings in Willow Place.