Carshalton Artists Open Studios 2023

 

Carshalton Artists is a large network of 80+ local artists and businesses. They aim to celebrate and help local creatives by giving them the opportunity to network with other creatives and businesses and a platform to exhibit their work. This includes the annual Carshalton Artists Open Studios (CAOS) event in June and July.

 

Honeywood Museum hosts Carshalton Artists Open Studios 24 / 25 June and 1 / 2 July 2023 as a heritage location and as a ‘marketplace’ for twelve artists selling their work in the beautiful garden. You’ll find a particular focus on craft and photography with contemporary photographic work displayed inside the house. 

 

In this blog, we talk to Carshalton Artists Co-founder Helena Vaughan about what you'll find at the Honeywood Museum stop on the CAOS Trail and what's new for 2023.

 

Tell us about CAOS 2023 and what is new?

Firstly, I can't believe this will be our 7th CAOS! I think when we started, we hoped it would work and be something we could do again so I guess this proves that people want us to keep doing it!

 

Again this year we have more new artists which is always amazing. We love finding new creative talent here! We also have many familiar faces of artists that have become regulars on the trail. There seems to be several artists branching out and trying new things, myself included. Perhaps it's a result of going through Covid and now seeing some of that new inspiration coming to life? Whatever it is, I'm really looking forward to seeing what's on display.

 

Great news is that the piggies are back! CAOS19 saw some fantastic pigs on the trail but this year the artists have really raised the bar! We have over 30 piggies to meet and they're truly inspiring. Sutton Writers have collaborated with us again to write pieces inspired by the pigs.

 

To help visitors navigating the trail this year, we have our much loved maps that can be collected from Honeywood Museum before and during CAOS. In addition, this year we also have Google maps accessed via our website. We're always trying to find ways to improve the visitor experience so we hope this will help.

 

 

Honeywood Museum is one of the stops on the CAOS trail. What should we look forward to at this year’s event at Honeywood?

This year we have 12 artists at Honeywood and we've got 2 focuses for the work. Visitors can see photographic work by Julian Heath, Carole Baker, Ted Eggs and newcomer to the trail, Peter Ball, displayed in the house. Then in the garden we have the 'marketplace' where the focus will be more on stalls of artwork by Julia Atkinson, Anne Cady, Janet Muggeridge and Zoe Scammell alongside crafts ranging from Marie Shirazian's vibrant patterned products and wood turning by Tony James and Andy Copps, to the oh so quirky characters by Julie Blaney. Kevin Ireland will also be exhibiting his large scale abstract paintings in the from room of the house. So, with all of that and 7 pigs, hopefully there's a bit of something for everyone who visits Honeywood (otherwise know as location 6 on the trail).

 

 

What is special about the Honeywood Museum stop on the trail?

The CAOS trail wouldn't be the same without Honeywood. The museum has been on our maps since the start in 2017 and always provides so much in one locations, artwork, heritage, views and cake! As an organiser, it's great to include Honeywood as it can deliver something different to anywhere else on the trail. Whilst CAOS is primarily about artists opening their studios to the public, it's also about celebrating what Carshalton has to offer and Honeywood is at the heart of that.

 

Full information about CAOS23, the artists, the locations, the pigs and more can be found on the website www.carshaltonartists.com