Joanna Briar - Biography
I am a printmaker working principally with wood and lino inspired by the beautiful countryside surrounding my home in Glastonbury. I create small editions of my prints on Somerset paper or linen. My designs have been made into greetings cards and tea towels which are sold in local galleries and gift shops.
In 2021, I had two major exhibitions, “A Sense of Place” at Somerset Rural Life Museum and “The Shape of Trees” at ACE Arts in Somerton - both featuring printmaking, ink drawings and paper sculptures.
A SAW micro-commission in 2022 was a starting point for a community postcard project with artist Jill Davies. Free workshops exploring the link between landscape and well-being were offered in Glastonbury, Bridgwater and Minehead. This culminated in the #MySpaceMySanctuary exhibitions at Ace Arts in Somerton and Studio 10, East Quay, Watchet.
In May 2023, further collaborative work with Jill Davies was exhibited at Bridgwater Arts Centre.
I am a member of Somerset Art Works. I have completed several commissions including twelve linocut illustrations and a front cover design for “The Wind in the Willows” CD written and recorded by folk duo GreenMatthews.
Events and exhibitions
2024
“Landscape (Re) View II” at Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton - 20 Somerset artists offering glimpses into their working methods and processes, exploring reconnecting with, caring for and living with the Somerset landscape, including collaborations, experimentation, and performance (17 September to 2 October)
“Landscape (Re) View I” at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton - artists across Somerset responding to the climate crisis, changes to our rural landscape, and responses to nature and local environments (2 July - 29 October)
“Mini Print Exhibition” at Albatross Print Studio, East Quay, Watchet (25 May - 2 June)
“Found and Ground 2” - group exhibition which invites us to reflect on our relationship with the natural environment - The Outpatients Gallery, Yeovil District Hospital (April -September)
“Birds and Botanicals“ - linocut printmaking workshop at Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury (27 April)
“Found and Ground” - group exhibition of paintings, printmaking, textiles, ceramics, photography and installation which invite us to reflect on our relationship with the natural environment - The Musgrove Gallery, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton (Jan - April)
2023
“Linocut Printmaking Workshop” - adult workshop at Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury - Saturday 11th November
“ACE Arts Open 2023” - Ace Arts, Somerton (14 October - 11 November)
“Relief Printmaking Workshop” - Museum of Somerset, Taunton - Saturday 10th June
“Connect: Create: Collaborate” - with Jill Davies at Bridgwater Arts Centre (2 - 26 May)
“Darkness to Hope” - open exhibition at Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Street (27 February - 30 March)
2022
“Linocut Printmaking for Christmas” - adult workshop at Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury - Saturday 19th November
“Sanctuary” - SAW showcase exhibition at Ilminster Arts Centre (1-26 October)
“My Space, My Sanctuary” - with Jill Davies - SAW Festival 2022 at ACE Arts, Somerton (24 September - 8 October) and at Studio 10, East Quay, Watchet (15-22 October) - micro-commission funding from SAW for delivering 3 printmaking workshops at Somerset libraries during the Festival (Glastonbury, Bridgwater and Minehead)
“All Rise” - charity fundraiser for ACE Arts, Somerton (13-17 September)
“Sanctuary” - SAW showcase exhibition at Bath Royal United Hospital - “With me on my travels” (11 Aug- 30 0ctober)
“Print a Festival Poster” - summer workshop at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury (10 and 19 August)
SAW Family Workshops - Halcon (28 July) and Lyngford Park (2 August) in Taunton - using stencils to make a leafy postcard
“Evolver Prize 2022 Exhibition” - Ace Arts, Somerton - “View from the Orchard” (2-30 July)
“The New Normal” - Bridgwater Arts Centre (30 May - 1 July) - twelve exchange postcards with Jill Davies
“ACE Arts Open” - Ace Arts, Somerton - “Resting by the river’s edge” (21 May - 25 June)
“Pop-up Workshop” - Albatross Print Studio, East Quay, Watchet - making landscape-inspired postcards for the #MySpaceMySanctuary project using recycled Tetra pak cartons (26 April)
“Family Friendly Printmaking Workshop” - Museum of Somerset, Taunton - exploring abstract shapes and printmaking using recycled Tetrapak cartons (27 February)
2021
“The Wind in the Willows” - GreenMatthews commission – CD cover and linocut illustrations for libretto
“Spirit of the Levels” – Art for Life at Musgrove Park Hospital - invited artists celebrating the Somerset Levels (May-July)
“In Pursuit of Spring” - SAW/Black Swan Arts, Frome – 50 works by Somerset artists responding to Edward Thomas’ journey by bicycle in 1913 from London to the Somerset coast (April–June)
“A Sense of Place” – solo exhibition at SRLM in Glastonbury (19 May - 4 July) and printmaking workshops:
An Introduction to Linocut – adult course at SRLM (May and October)
Family Friendly Workshops – drop in printmaking sessions at SRLM (June and July)
“Somerset Reacquainted 2” – collaborative book project at ACE Arts in Somerton (June/July)
“The Shape of Trees” - Somerset Art Works Open Studios at ACE Arts, Somerton (September/October)
“Gifted” – Christmas Artisan Market at ACE Arts, Somerton (November/December)
2020
Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival (February)
“About Trees” - Heritage Courtyard Studio and Gallery, Wells - an exhibition of West Country artists (March-July)
“Somerset Reacquainted” – Somerset Art Works – a collaboration with 63 artists exploring isolation during the global pandemic culminating in an exhibition at Somerset Rural Life Museum (September-November)
“Riddle 57” – collaborative animation project for Double Elephant Print Workshop and Exeter Cathedral
“Art is too important not to share” – commissioned lino cut for ACE Arts, Somerton with funding from Arts Council England (June/July)
Somerset Art Works Open Studios with Angela Morley at Pilton Cider (September/October)
2019
“Behind the Scenes at Crispin Hall” - Somerset Art Works Festival – Crispin Hall, Street (September/October)
2018
Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival (February)
“Fifty Bees 2” at Richard Jefferies Museum, Swindon with Lydia Needle and other invited artists
“Somer Inspirations” at Wells and Mendip Museum (July/August)
Guest artist at One Craft Gallery in Shepton Mallet (August to October)
2017
Somerset Art Works Festival with Michael Brobson and Caroline Walsh-Waring at The George in Croscombe (September/October)
2016
“Metafour” at Clevedon Pier - Somerset Fringe Festival
“1000 Postcards” at Black Swan Arts, Frome
“Secret Swans Art Trail” at Black Swan Arts, Frome
2015
“Time and Place” - SAW Members Show at Royal United Hospital, Bath
“Metafour” at Somerset Hall, Portishead - Somerset Fringe Festival
Solo exhibition at Seavington Store and Café
Solo exhibition at Ninesprings Health Centre, Yeovil
2014
Somerset Art Works Open Studios with Angela Naunton-Davies in Lopen
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#MySpaceMySanctuary
Exploring the link between outside spaces and well-being through creative activity
Connect:Create:Collaborate
Tuesday 2 May - Tuesday 23rd May 2023
Bridgwater Arts Centre, 11-13 Castle Street, TA6 3DD
Drawing, printmaking, mixed media and textiles exploring connections between nature, well-being and the local landscape.
Our Sanctuary Space at East Quay
After Somerset Art Works Festival 2022 at ACE Arts in Somerton, we took the #MySpaceMySanctuary project to East Quay in Watchet to allow more visitors to experience being immersed in over 400 postcards made by members of our community. Thank you to everyone who contributed or visited us! Watch this space for future developments to the project!
A Common Thread
An exchange project with artist Jill Davies
Using postal exchanges of work, we have begun a visual dialogue which began in October 2021. At a time when creativity was challenged due to personal and global events, this playful approach has been both therapeutic and inspiring. We agreed to work on a 15cm square format using mixed media. Responses are worked on top of the original received and photographed at each stage. Emotional and creative responses to this process have been recorded and have become integral to the exchange. It has also prompted development of separate bodies of personal work.
The common threads which have emerged are about the challenge of working creatively in isolation and our experiences of loss, as well as the role our rural environments have played in supporting wellbeing.
#MySpaceMySanctuary
We have recently received a small bursary from Somerset Art Works and have exciting plans to exhibit together whilst delivering public engagement activities to involve our local and wider communities. The first phase of the project has now been launched on Instagram with an open call to get outside and make a postcard based on your connection to your local landscape.
Pop-up Workshop
On Tuesday 26th April, we held our first free pop-up workshop at Albatross Print Studio at the East Quay development in Watchet. Visitors were invited to make a landscape-inspired postcard using recycled Tetra pak cartons and water-based inks to be included in our exhibition for Somerset Art Works Festival 2022. It was a fantastic creative-day with great community engagement. If you would like to find out about future events and workshops, please join our mailing list by clicking on the link below.
Contact Me
For more information, please email me or contact me via social media.
Email me at joannabriar@gmail.com
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