Carshalton Artists Open Streets 2021

'Great fun!! Such a lovely community event- brilliant way to meet more local people - chat about art, craft, music, dance! Love all the furry friends and the exhibition at the Honeywood well worth a visit' FACEBOOK REVIEW.

For CAOS 2021 (Carshalton Artists Open STREETS) Carshalton Artists teamed up with Sutton Council’s Cultural Services, SamiArt and Sutton Writers to deliver an exciting ‘Open Streets’ visual arts event across Carshalton, as a celebration of the arts post-lockdown from the 17th June to the 25th July. Highlights included:

17th June to 25th June. Free art exhibition and Art Fair with live demos by professional artists and art to purchase.
Art displayed in parks and roads including a YARN BOMB and 60 laminated pieces of art and literature.
Live drawing events including Dance and Draws live drawing event at Cryer Arts in Carshalton.
Art in shops - led by Calladoodles, Carshalton and Ellwyns Carshalton

Honeywood Exhibition

'I visited Honeywood on the first weekend with both my children and my husband and we had a fabulous hang out, chatting to artists and trying out two different forms of printing. XXXX (age 2) had visited the crotchet animals before we did courtesy of a visit with her childminder where they bumped in to the artist one weekday morning and had a guided tour! How awesomely cool is that? She loved sharing her favourites, running to them to tell us about them. Both our children are proud of the monoprinting they created and it's on display at home….I have come away so inspired. Every artist I spoke to asked if I was an artist. I found my response gradually changing from 'no I'm a musician, but I have to lead art at school, to, 'well, I'm loving exploring and learning and enjoying having a go'. What amazed me was that every single artist was more than happy to tell me how they create their art, it wasn't a secret, they wanted to share their knowledge and love and encouraged me to have a go. So much creativity in one place. Who knew?! Clearly Helena and Neal had an idea and now there must be many people feeling like me: keen to have a go, signing up to a workshop, enjoying the talent, and feeling part of the Carshalton Artists community. Who could ask for more?' (Facebook review)

This exciting open-air event saw 64 pieces of art and literature displayed on the streets, parks and shop windows across Carshalton and an immersive, community led, Yarn Bomb. The centrepiece was the historically significant heritage building, Honeywood Museum. Here, there was a hugely significant exhibition of current local artists work and two community engagement art fair weekends with live demonstrations, artwork on sale and a showcase of the work of local groups that have supported the community through lockdown.

Neal Vaughan, of Carshalton Artists, set up the event; ‘it's been a tough year for everyone, so let's brighten up our daily walks with a visual festival of the arts, open to all, to showcase all those creative projects you and I have been doing during lockdown.'

There was further calls for the community to get involved by displaying their own work in their windows and many took this opportunity to get involved.

Other events during the six weeks included Dancer Mel Simpson, joined by cellist Elizabeth Andrews and singer songwriter Miss Chloe Ray to present an enchanting improvised happening, where they collaborated for the first time, in real time. Part live music and dance performance, part serenely moving life sculpture, there was over 30 artists standing and seated to focus on drawing the dancer, the cellist, the singer or all three over the course of this transfixing 2 x one hour happenings. And finally...there was a rare opportunity to join a life drawing session with a Rhino in Sutton Ecology Centre! run by Jackie Smith and in aid of raising awareness of the plight of the Rhino.

Yarn Bomb

We invited YOU to get involved in SamiArt & the Finga Ninjas Yarn Bomb for CAOS - Carshalton Artists Open Streets by creating ONE of the following items and delivering it to Honeywood Museum by 14th July 2021 at the latest. The Finga Ninja team included your contribution in the playfully creative display surrounding Carshalton Ponds. The display remained in situ until the CAOS Exhibition at Honeywood Museum ended on 25th July 2021.

This one comment made it all worthwhile (and reduced us all to tears):

'I have terminal cancer, I haven’t had the strength to leave my home for over a year but when I heard about the yarnbomb from a friend who showed me the photos, I just had to make the effort to see it for myself. Thank you for the joy you are bringing, this has made my day!” - 23 June 2021

How you got involved:

Items were delivered to Honeywood Museum, Honeywood Walk, Carshalton, SM5 3NX by 14th July 2021
These were added to the Yarn Bomb with gratitude, TLC, and will be re-used in further community - or should that be commu-knitty - yarn bombs coordinated by SamiArt in the local area.
You maybe created something bigger like your own bunting, a mandala, a dream catcher, or a furry animal friend. You might have displayed these in your own windows on your street alongside the Open Windows signage that you downloaded on the Open Windows page on this site to participate in the CAOS and you tagged us when you shared your photos on social media #CAOSart21
ONE LAST REQUEST was asked 'Please create with a LIKE-HEARTED & PLAYFULLY CREATIVE approach to your makes - enjoy the flow of love that comes with creation, tune into that happy heart space and KNOW that your work brings SMILES to people of ALL ages and helps lift COMMUNITY spirit, one little creative knit at a time. If it helps you to feel the vibes in anyway, why not tune into SamiArt’s motto that she’s used for every single project she’s run since she started working with the Arts in 2008, it works for her: #LoveLifeLifeLovesYou'