Digswell Arts

Working for Artists in Hertfordshire for over 60 years

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What does it mean to build a creative community beyond social media? In our latest article, Digswell Arts Fellow Nade Simmons shares how Patreon has become a home for her creative practice — a space where she can share works in progress, sketchbooks, workshops, experiments and the thinking behind her finished work. Nade also reflects on building trust through consistency, creating content that people genuinely value and developing a more sustainable connection with those who follow her artistic journey. Read “Patreon: Building a Home for Your Creative Practice” on the Digswell Arts website. You can also connect with Nade and support her work on Patreon: patreon.com/cw/WhatNadeMade

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Art Anniversaries: Rembrandt and the drama of light Born on 15 July 1606, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn remains one of the most powerful storytellers in Western art. A painter, draughtsman and printmaker, Rembrandt used light not simply to describe a scene, but to reveal emotion, character and atmosphere. His portraits and self-portraits still feel strikingly immediate — not idealised, but human, vulnerable and alive. For artists today, Rembrandt is a reminder that technique is never just technique. Light, shadow, mark-making and composition can all become ways of asking deeper questions about presence, age, identity and feeling. What can a face reveal when we stop trying to perfect it?

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We’re delighted to share that Digswell Alumni Connie Flynn will be exhibiting TEXT & TEXTILE! at Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, from 15 July to 13 September 2026. Inspired by familiar phrases we use every day, Connie’s exhibition explores the surprising links between language, textile history and the heritage of textile mills. Using repurposed domestic cloth, traditional white cotton garments, hand stitching and letterpress, Connie brings together words, materials and memory in a thoughtful body of work rooted in time, place and making. Text & Textile! – Connie Flynn 15 July – 13 September 2026 Farfield Mill, Garsdale Road, Sedbergh, Cumbria, LA10 5LW Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10.30am – 4pm

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🌿 Wysing Open 2026 Looking for an inspiring day out? Join Wysing Arts Centre for Wysing Open on Saturday 11 July, a celebration of artists, ideas and creative practice. Explore open studios, enjoy live performances, join site tours, and discover STUDIO HOTLINE, a one-day exhibition showcasing work by Wysing studio artists. The day also features workshops, artist talks and new work from international residency artists and the Creative Youth Council. 🗓 Saturday 11 July 2026 🕛 12–5pm 📍 Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridgeshire 🎟 Free entry (booking recommended) 🔗 Find out more and book your free ticket https://wysing.art/event/wysing-open-2026/

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Join a supportive community of artists at The Forge in Hertfordshire, with dedicated studio space and opportunities to connect, exhibit and develop your practice. We welcome applications from artists working across painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, printmaking and mixed media. Apply now via the link in our bio.

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Meet the Artist: Elena Turner ✨ Elena Turner’s work explores the tension between outward appearances and inner experience. In a world shaped by images of perfection, Elena uses art to question unrealistic expectations, self-worth and the contrast between how we appear and how we feel. Her work combines controlled, graphic imagery with loose, expressive marks, creating a visual dialogue between perfection and rebellion. Meet Elena and see her work in person at Digswell Arts Trust Open Studios this weekend. 📍 The Forge, Hertford Road, Digswell, Welwyn, AL6 0BU 📅 Saturday 20 June, 11am–6pm 📅 Sunday 21 June, 11am–4pm 🎟️ Free entry Step inside the studios, discover work in progress and finished pieces, and meet the artists behind the work.

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Meet the Artist: Katy Cook ✨ Katy Cook’s practice begins with drawing and expands into collage, mono-print and three-dimensional forms. Her work is shaped by gathering, researching and assembling — using nature, texture and found objects as starting points. Drawing often becomes a way to collect an experience, recall a visual memory, or translate an idea into something tactile and material. You can meet Katy and see more of her work during Digswell Arts Trust Open Studios Weekend at The Forge. 📍 The Forge, Hertford Road, Digswell, Welwyn, AL6 0BU 📅 Saturday 20 June, 11am–6pm 📅 Sunday 21 June, 11am–4pm 🎟️ Free entry Come along, step inside the studios, and meet the artists behind the work.

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Meet the Artist: Rosie Rigg ✨ Rosie Rigg is an artist and printmaker whose creative practice is rooted in observation, experimentation and a lifelong involvement in Art & Design education. As a print member at The Forge, Rosie continues to develop her inquisitive approach to printmaking. Her work often begins with observational drawings made on site, later adapted through imagination and process. She works with collagraph printing, using cardboard plates and mixed materials to create texture, mark-making, colour and depth. You can meet Rosie and see more of her work during Digswell Arts Trust Open Studios Weekend at The Forge. 📍 The Forge, Hertford Road, Digswell, Welwyn, AL6 0BU 📅 Saturday 20 June, 11am–6pm 📅 Sunday 21 June, 11am–4pm 🎟️ Free entry Come along, step inside the studios, and meet the artists behind the work.

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Meet the Artist: Sue Jarman ✨ Sue Jarman is an artist, image maker and printmaker whose practice moves between drawing and printmaking. Her work often begins with observation — slowing down, noticing people and places, and capturing moments that suggest a story or atmosphere. Sue describes part of her process as “visual eavesdropping”, gathering fragments of conversation, movement and place before developing them further through printmaking. You can meet Sue and see more of her work during Digswell Arts Trust Open Studios Weekend at The Forge. 📍 The Forge, Hertford Road, Digswell, Welwyn, AL6 0BU 📅 Saturday 20 June, 11am–6pm 📅 Sunday 21 June, 11am–4pm 🎟️ Free entry Come along, step inside the studios, and meet the artists behind the work.

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🖨️ Imprint Art Fair – International Artist Open Call Applications are now open for the Imprint Art Fair Open Call, taking place this autumn at RHS Lawrence Hall, London (29 Oct – 1 Nov). Formerly known as Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, Imprint brings together galleries, publishers, and artists working in print and editions — placing print at the centre of contemporary art. Selected artists will be part of a curated presentation within the fair. 📌 Open to artists working in print and editions 🌍 International submissions welcome ⏳ Deadline: 9 July 🔗 Find out more https://imprintartfair.com/open-call-navigation

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🎨 Open Studios — 20 & 21 June Join us for a weekend of art at Digswell Arts Open Studios. Explore working studios, meet the artists, and discover a wide range of practices — from painting and printmaking to sculpture and mixed media. ✨ Free entry 📍 All welcome 🔗 Find out more https://digswellarts.org/step-inside-the-studios-digswell-arts-trust-open-studios-weekend/

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Digswell Arts Fellow Katy Cook is exhibiting this weekend at Kimpton Art Show 2026 🎨 Taking place at St. Peter & St. Paul’s Church, the show brings together a wide range of artists in a beautiful village setting across the Bank Holiday weekend. 📍 Kimpton, Hertfordshire 🗓 Friday 1st – Monday 4th May Opening night: Friday, 6–9pm A great chance to see Katy’s work alongside other artists and support a long-running community event. More info: www.kimptonartshow.co.uk

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✂️ Rediscovering Collage with Katy Cook Collage workshops led by Digswell Fellow Katy Cook offer a chance to slow down, disconnect from the digital world, and reconnect with making. Often overlooked since school days, collage becomes something entirely different here — a playful yet thoughtful process of working with colour, shape, and materials. As Katy shares: “It’s a wonderful way to be present and play… calming, but with energising results.” Each participant leaves with something personal, vibrant, and unique. 🎨 Register your interest for future workshops → www.katycookart.com 🔗 Read more via the link in bio

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🌟 Save the Date — 20–21 June Digswell Arts Open Studios is coming up this June. Spend the weekend exploring artists’ studios, discovering new work, and meeting the makers behind it. From painting and printmaking to sculpture and mixed media, Open Studios offers a chance to experience art where it happens. Whether you’ve visited before or are planning your first trip, we’d love to welcome you. 📍 More details to follow

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🎨 A Creative Dialogue with Red Gables We’re pleased to share an insight into Katy’s 2026 residency project, developed in collaboration with Red Gables. This evolving body of work explores connection, creativity, and exchange — bringing together artists and participants in a shared process shaped by dialogue and lived experience. Through workshops, making, and conversation, the project reflects on how art can create meaningful spaces for engagement and expression. Read more about the project → https://digswellarts.org/a-creative-dialogue-with-red-gables-katys-2026-residency-project/

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🎨 Join Us for Open Studios — 20–21 June Save the date for Digswell Arts Open Studios — a chance to step inside our studios, meet the artists, and experience work in progress across a wide range of practices. Explore painting, printmaking, sculpture and more, all within our creative community. Whether you’re curious about how work is made or simply want to discover something new, everyone is welcome. 📍 More details coming soon

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Our Featured Artist of the Month is Nade Simmons. In this interview, Nade shares insights into her creative process, current work, and experience as part of the Digswell Arts community. Read more: https://digswellarts.org/featured-artist-of-the-month-nade-simmons/