Summer Newsletter: Workshops/connection/exhibition

Jul 15, 2025 8:29 am

Dear ,

Hope your summer is fun with lots time spent on our wonderful coastline. I've been dipping most days...isn't the water just devine, we so lucky aren't we!

So how is your summer? Would be lovely to hear from you.

I had the unique opportunity to take an electric boat trip on the canal at Shoreham Port as part of the sustainability week at the port this month, it was fascinating to learn about the port in more detail from the harbour master himself!

Last exhibition

Thank you for your on going support through continuing to read my newsletter. And a special shout out to those that were able to come to my open studio print launch/exhibition. It was wonderful to see you and share my new work with you. It was a fun evening with lively conversation, laughter, music, drinks & cheese. And great to see lots of you for longer conversations over the weekend. The new screen prints went down really well with 12 of the 24 sold.

For those that couldn't make it along here are a few photos of the sculptural work I made for the exhibition. It is made entirely out of rope I found washed up on the shore at Southwick beach untangled painted and viking braided. Below is a link to my website to view the Vegvisir prints. You can learn more about their origins of them here too. Each print is unique so its worth taking a look.

View prints in the series!

Workshops

So I have been writing proposals for all sorts of opportunities this summer so far, which includes two workshop events. I've just heard that I have been accepted to run both. These workshops are how to make cyanotype prints, showing the process from beginning to end & a range of techniques to try for different effects.

1. Free workshop for youngsters (with guardian)....

The first workshop is a half a day event open to families at Colonnade House gallery in Worthing which is part of a program of events funded by Sussex Bay (see below for more about the organisation) called . The workshop explores our relationship with the sea. The date is 30th July. This is a free event paid for by Sussex Bay! Follow the link below:

More info & book your free workshop

There are other types of workshops available with other artists on other dates with Colonnade House here from 29th July - 9th August. Also free!

We See, The Sea

2. Day workshop for any age...

The other is a day workshop at Phoenix Art Space happening on the 7th November. The day will show the process of making a cyanotype print from beginning to end, with a number of techniques to try along the way. Making beautiful cyanotype images to take away with you all included in the low price of £75. It's a bargain! All equipment provided.

The information about the workshops & eventbrite booking page can be found via this button:

Click Here!

One to one & small groups workshop

Exclusive special offer to you ....I am also offering one to one & small group lessons from my studio. So if you would like the idea of learning the cyanotype process & making your own prints to take home or would like to gift a friend do get in touch at ninagarstang@hotmail.co.uk to discuss a bespoke option right for you. Prices start from £50 upwards depending the amount of people & time required.

Sussex Bay

Sussex Bay is a movement focused on restoring and enhancing the marine and coastal environment along the 100-mile Sussex coastline, from Selsey to Camber Sands. It brings together a wide range of organizations, groups, and individuals to collaborate on projects that aim to create a healthy blue ecosystem, protect coasts, clean waters, store carbon, support biodiversity, and benefit people and the coastal economy. They have just celebrated their first anniversary and in that time they have raised an impressive 1.2 million pounds and extended their collaborative reach to realise their aims to protection and restoration of costal waters and community.

My involvement is in the Sussex Bay Creatives group in which I am lending my creativity in the form of a think tank for the organisation as well as in practical application through workshop and exhibition that is running through late summer & onwards. More on this as it unfolds.

Find out about Sussex Bay:

Click Here!

Applications

I have yet to hear (24th July) if I've received funding from the arts council for research & development time to be able to realise some ambitious sculptural public art ideas I have. Keep your fingers crossed for me. In the meantime I've enrolled on a public art mentoring course & I'm applying for opportunities with organisations such as Tidal Arts to make sculptural public art exploring our relationship with the sea.

Next exhibition

I am excited to have been invited to exhibit in:

The Stolen Orange 14/11-14/12 2025

A group show based on Brian Patten’s poem of the same name.

“The Stolen Orange explores the human heart, head and hand and distils an insistence on joy achievable through the quietest of actions”.

More details to come from this show conceived by the fellow Brightonian artist Sarah Shaw and her partner Hal Maughan. Mr Patten himself will be making a reading at the show.