Recent Projects
Below are links to previous funded projects we have developed or collaborated on:
- Venus Revisited
- International Women's Day 2024
- Pottery Pals
- Unlocked Experiences
- A Sense of Self in 7 Objects
- Work from Home
Venus Revisited
Venus Revisited is a project for women over 50 and is about exploring their sense of self and body image. Many women over 50 experience a great deal of physical and other change as a result of the menopause. In response to this, and based on her own experience, Kath McDonald developed Venus Revisited. Using clay as a medium the project invites participants to explore their changing sense of self and body image, through the menopause and beyond. An opportunity to celebrate your older self as you age.
We are grateful to LDCVS for funding the pilot phase of the project which ran as a series of workshops and two exhibitons of participants' through Spring and Sommer this year.
It is hoped that with further funding it may be possible to run the project again.
If you are interested in participating in Venus Revisited in the future, please leave your name and email address here, and I will contact you if places become available again.
Venus Revisited in the Lancaster Guardian online
Lancaster women’s experience of the menopause
inspires new exhibition
Women’s experiences of the menopause and ageing are reflected in an exhibition running in Morecambe and Lancaster this July.
By Louise Bryning Contributor - Published 6th Jul 2023, 11:52
Venus Revisited is the result of 16 local women attending a short course where they talked about their menopause experiences and explored their self and body image in clay.
The course was led by artist and ceramicist, Kath McDonald from King Street Arts in Lancaster, who first had the idea of using clay to explore and celebrate ageing some years ago. She uses ancient hand-building techniques to create objects which are re-imagined memories of the past and also runs workshops where she encourages people to explore their own creative potential and aspects of identity.
"After 50, women can start to feel invisible,” said Kath. “There are so many changes that come along with the menopause and clay is a good way to explore these and celebrate some of the aspects of ageing too.”
When she turned 50 herself, Kath began to make figures in clay to show her own ageing and realised this could be a good way for other women to do the same. The pilot project, which has resulted in the exhibition, was funded by Lancaster District Community & Voluntary Solutions.
The unique collection of terracotta sculptures produced by the women are displayed alongside other objects which symbolise their approach to themselves as they age.
Venus Revisited is currently running at Morecambe Library until July 8 and will also be on display in the main gallery at The Storey in Lancaster from July 11-13 (9am-6pm). Entry is free.
Anyone interested in participating in the project in the future should contact Kath at info@kingstreetstudios.art
The Venus Revisited is a project on body and self-image for women who are going through the menopause (at whatever age, including early menopause), or have done so in the past. It focuses on exploring changing self and body image, mainly in clay, with a related drawing element.
The project has run with two small groups; in Lancaster and in Morecambe and both groups are coming together to exhibit works they have made during the project in two exhibitions. The ceramic work and drawings from the 17 local project participants will be exhibited in Lancaster at The Storey, and at King Street Arts gallery: 31st July - 3rd August, then in Morecambe at the Library: 6-31st August. Come and see this eloquent and expressive body of work which addresses 17 people's responses to their own changes as they move through the menopause and beyond it.
Following a very successful pilot last year, this year it has been funded by Arts Council, England and the Eric Wright Charitable Trust, and supported via the NHS local Integrated Care Communities.
If you are interested in this project in the future, please do get in touch to register your interest.