Watts Gallery – Artists' Village is an art gallery in the village of Compton, near Guildford in Surrey. It is dedicated to the work of the Victorian-era painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts. As with many galleries, they have come up with innovative ways to keep an audience connected during the lockdown. Don't miss their Friday talks, free drawing classes on a Thursday and their Art for All project, although there is much going on as you can see below.
Curatorial Picture talks
Our weekly Picture Talks are now digital! Every Friday, the Curatorial Team share their insights into a selection of highlights from across the Watts Gallery collections. Visit https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/whats-on/watts-home-our-collection/or the Watts Gallery- Artists' Village Youtube channel [https://www.youtube.com/user/WattsGallery] to see our upcoming and previous talks.
Watts at home – Digital Programme
Wherever you are, you can now explore Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village online. Based in Guildford, the art gallery and charity is dedicated to sharing the history and legacy of its founders – Victorian artists, G F and Mary Watts. It’s new digital programme, Watts at home, allows you to discover their historical collection and inspiring learning and contemporary art activities from afar. Start your digital journey today and enjoy fascinating virtual tours of their exhibitions and collections, art tutorials suitable for all ages, weekly prompts and wellness activities, and much more.
Watts at home – Collections online
Join the team at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village as they share personal highlights from across their collections in this free audio tour on the app Smartify. Exploring the art, lives and ideas of Victorian artists G F and Mary Watts, you can now gain an insight into this artistic couple from the comfort of your own home. The tour not only delves into the striking paintings and sculptures on display at Watts Gallery, but also the unique Surrey landmarks that can be found around the Artists’ Village, including the Grade I listed Watts Chapel. Smartify is free to download from both Google Play and the App Store. Find out more https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/whats-on/watts-home-our-collection/
Curatorial Picture talks
Our weekly Picture Talks are now digital! Every Friday, the Curatorial Team share their insights into a selection of highlights from across the Watts Gallery collections.
Visit https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/whats-on/watts-home-our-collection/or the Watts Gallery- Artists' Village Youtube channel [https://www.youtube.com/user/WattsGallery] to see our upcoming and previous talks.
Unto This Last: Two Hundred Years of John Ruskin online
Enjoy an audio and video tour of Unto This Last: Two Hundred Years of John Ruskin, the latest exhibition at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, on the app Smartify. A complex and often contradictory figure, John Ruskin stands as one of the most influential thinkers of the nineteenth century. A pioneering art critic and an accomplished draftsman, he believed that art had the power to transform society and that nature inspired the most meaningful art. Two centuries after his birth, this digital exhibition tour examines Ruskin's legacy as a social reformer, ecological thinker, and educator. Smartify is free to download from both Google Play and the App Store. Find out more https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/whats-on/unto-last-digital-content/
Make Space
Get creative with all the family with the Watts at home digital Make Space! Every week discover simple art tutorials specially designed by Watts’s Make Space artists. Guided by video tutorials and free printable activity sheets, experiment with different techniques and explore the wonderful creations that can be made from limited resources. Each Friday, the online Make Space also shares a Watts Tots activity perfect for under 5s.
Watts Academy Drawing Club
Thursdays, 23 & 30 July, and 6 & 13 August
13-17 year olds; there's still time to sign up to take part in the Watts Academy Drawing Club. Sign upjoin artist Charlie Betts for four freesessions that will support you to explore and experiment with drawing from home, through fun and playful activities inspired by our collection and exhibitions.
Each session will take a different part of the Watts Gallery – Artists' Village collection and exhibitions as a starting point to play with colour, line and texture.
A new video will be released each week, with materials lists, references and images available in advance.
Sign up at: https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/whats-on/drawingclub/ Art for All Seasons
Inspired by the charity’s founders – the great Victorian artist George Frederic Watts OM RA (1817-1904) and his wife, the artist and designer Mary Watts (1849 -1938) – who believed that access to art could improve people’s lives, the Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village Art for All Community learning programme delivers artist-led workshops to socially excluded and vulnerable groups, enabling the development of new and transferable skills in order to build self-confidence and contribute to rehabilitation.
The Art for All Community learning programme is ordinarily celebrated with an annual exhibition, through which participants are able to sell their work. This year the celebration moves online. Come see a showcase of artwork created by Art for All Community participants over the past year, with an opportunity to hear from some of the artists who have taken part. Through artist-led workshops, Watts Gallery Trust creates access to the transformative powers of art for diverse groups, including women prisoners, young offenders, young people with a learning disability and families living in challenging circumstances.
We are also pleased to announce the launch of The Limner Collection, a brand new range of products featuring designs by Art for All Community artists that will be available to buy through the Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village online shop. Taking its name from Limnerslease, the artists’ house,all profits raised through the sale of Limner Collection pieces will go back to the participating artists and will help towards the on-going costs of delivering the Art for All Community learning programme.
Find out more at: https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/learn/community-engagement-outreach/
Wellness at Watts
Watts Gallery – Artists' Village have launched a Wellness at Watts programme, which takes inspiration from G F and Mary Watts and the calm they found in the Surrey Hills. Discover your favourite new film, book or album with weekly recommendations from Watts staff and volunteers, take some time to reflect in nature with prompts for daily walks, find new ways to keep moving, and much more.
Find out more https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/whats-on/wellness-watts/
Watts Gallery - Artists' Village
Down Lane, Compton, Surrey, GU3 1DQ