Taster Days for 'Keepsakes' Project

 We have held two taster workshops exploring ideas and sharing memories here at Victoria Park and hope you’ll join us in August for three more.

The map we’ll be making, ‘Keepsakes’ will be 1.5 metres square and will contain special boxes with an image and written record of our memories.

These boxes will link to a photograph using threads to show how we are each woven into the history of Bridgwater.

Come and enjoy exploring the layered textures and simple effects created using brightly coloured tissue paper.

Our map will be displayed here during Somerset Art weeks and then at Bridgwater Library during August.

During our taster workshops we found out things we had in common and various items people brought in were passed round;

 We had an old Forster jar from the jam making factory that had been dug up in someone’s garden.

A ship in a bottle made by the Italian POW’s who worked on a poultry farm at Bawdrip.

 A bronze and silver bracelet kept in a special drawer at home.

We also experimented with different effects using tissue paper and began decorating our boxes and had our photographs taken.

While we worked we also chatted and helped remind each other of things we'd forgotten about.

 The smell of strawberry jam along Jammy Lane

The Friday Friendly’s, started in 1945 celebrated its 65^th year with a written booklet sold to raise money for Help the Heroes as initially most of the members were ex-servicemen.

Memories of the early Carnivals when they used to journey up North Street

North Street shops, you could buy everything there in the 40’s; Catliff’s the chemist, Dodden’s the butchers, bakers, PO paper and sweet shop.

Memories of the last art workshop here!

Playing as a child when visiting grandparents who were landlords of the River Parrett pub.

How rural Chilton was before the NDR was built.

Sophy Layzell Lead Artist