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  • Writer's pictureAndrew Starr

The Hotwalls Studio Tour


This page is hosted by Portsmouth's European Cities Twinning Association, whose chair is also Vice Chair of Shaping Portsmouth's Portsmouth Ambassadors.

An easy to share link for this blogpost is tinyurl.com/caenhotwalls

If you were ever stuck for a gift for that person who is so difficult to buy for, here is the place to find them something unique...

Since their opening in 2016, the artist's studios at the Hotwalls have gone on from strength to strength.

There is now a wide range and variety of local artists who work from these studios under the city's ancient ramparts. Where canons designed to destroy any incoming ships from possible invading forces were once stationed, now we have creation and some very unique products to be found.

Taking a few of the city of Portsmouth's Ambassadors around these very studios on their Hotwalls Creative Market open day of Sunday, May 19th, 2019 we learned a lot about many of the artists we visited.

There are open studios every third Sunday of the month. This event happens in May and weather permitting in December for a Christmas themed version.

We began our tour at the end of the studios nearest the Rings of Friendship and the Square Tower. This is actually the last studio numerically and is home to James Mouland's Ebru workshop.

James explained the Turkish art form known as Ebru to the visitors and helped two of them create their very own piece of Ebru design.

He was working on wooden models and demonstrated adding the design to a wooden butterfly. A very interesting little studio with some wonderfully unique works of art available... Very worth a visit. Visit his website here.

Next door to James' Ebru Studio is the Vanderhume Workshop and Studio with Alex Hume at its helm. Alex specialises in woven textiles.

During our visit there was a weaving workshop taking place. Visit her website here.

Along the walls towards the next studio brings us to Alex Hagen whose work in textiles is a real wonder. Such wonderful naturally sourced colours including indigo.

Alex's studio 'ReFold' has the dual purpose of creating handmade textiles for everyday use whilst promoting an awareness of environmental sustainability.

"I dye organic fabrics with indigo and other natural dyes and create pattern using resist techniques such as shibori (stitch resist) and katazome (paste resist). The patterned cloth is then sewn into simple bags, wrapping cloths (furoshiki) and some wearable textiles."

Next along was the artist studio for Sadie Tierney complete with fluffy white doggie...

Sadie's studio has something for every pocket from postcards of prints to large oil paintings.

Next along we visited 'The Makers Table' - a collaboration between three contemporary artist-makers: Emma Plato, Sarah Radford and Ruth Lacey.

Here they offer workshops for small groups and individuals - further details can be found on their website.

While we were there, a workshop on making art by sculpting out of linoleum tiles was taking place...

Looking for something very Portsmouth? The next studio has recently reopened with Fours and Eights.

A design and print collective by Hellomarie and Luckydarren - Visit their new website here.

Once more along the Hotwalls brings us to the 'Company of Makers' founded by Steve and Rachel.

"We design and make products inspired by the British military's influence on pop culture - Think of Sergeant Peppers or the MOD's and the RAF roundel, then you'll be in the right ball park. From trench coats to duffle coats, khaki to navy blue, sailor collars to camouflage fabric. Military chic is everywhere, as influential as ever and as cool as ever. The purpose behind all this creativity is to help fund making workshops for ex-Service personnel and their families who are struggling with life on civvy street."

For a change of direction we went right along to the other side of the Hotwalls Studios this time beginning at Number 1. Where we met Carrie Swinburne one of the artists based in Studio 1.

Carrie runs Fine Monkey Arts and is a collage and mixed media artist.

There are also other artists working from this studio, so there is usually someone in situ whenever you should be passing during the day.

In Studio 2 is Lizzie Cornelius whose particular style is very much present in her studio. She runs icanseethesea and her body of work comes mainly from commissions. Lizzie was not present on the day we visited, but her studio was open.

Studio 3 has some different creations taking place from wonderfully unique and inventive lampshades by Emma Nicol Illustration who creates embroidery, homeware and accessories inspired by your favourite people and places...

An example of which is currently being worn by Lauren in this photo.

Sadly, some of the Studios were not open on this day, there was an exhibition of arts and crafts taking place in the Round Tower. It was a bit too dark in there for any successful photographs.

Our final Studio visit was with Kim Burton a textile artist, illustrator and teacher. Who runs Stitchbook Studio.

"Stitchbooking fuses elements of scrapbooking and textile arts to create beautiful handmade fabric memory books and projects. It is based on the use of photo transfer paper which lets anyone transfer photographs to fabric easily with high quality results – letting you sew them into many interesting projects."

The Studios are generally open during the usual daytime hours, the availability of artists is according to their own work schedules. There is usually someone in a studio working whenever you should pass by.

Don't forget the wonderful café called 'The Canteen' which offers superb views of the Solent and even boasts a seafront terrasse on the side of the Hotwalls. The magnificent views afforded by a stroll along the top of the Hotwalls is something we are all familiar with in Portsmouth to some extent, but next time you are there, why not pop in and see who's around among all the local artistic folk that abound just under where you are walking!


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