Stanley Jones and The Curwen Studio

On 9th October Stanley Jones, a Woodford resident, joined us to sign copies of his new book "Stanley Jones and the Curwen Studio". Stanley is one of the pioneers of artist printmaker practice and has worked collaboratively with many well known artists in the development of works of art at the Curwen Studio.

 

Stanley helped set up the Curwen Studio and created an environment in which artists had the freedom to work in printmaking. At the same time he took up a post at the Slade School to lecture in lithography. This enabled him to work with artists, students and to produce his own work.

 

In the two hours he was at the shop we were joined by around twenty customers who were delighted to chat with Stanley about his book. The first photo shows, from left to right, Stanley's wife Jenny, Stanley himself, Howard Anderson, Rhonda Anderson and Robert and Dorothy Harvey. Howard helped Stanley in the scanning of images for his book and Robert and Dorothy were delighted to drop in to meet Stanley while they were visiting from Perth in Western Australia. The second image shows Alison Lawrence and Amy Grant who work at The Village Bookshop, with Jenny and Stanley Jones.

 

Alison asked Stanley how he had found the process of writing the book. He said that, being an artist, he had found it quite difficult to confine himself to the writing of a script. He also said he was fortunate to have an excellent editor Susan James, who guided and advised on how the book should evolve. It had taken roughly two years from idea to production and he is enormously pleased with the final book, in particular the quality of the colours in the various works of art that illustrate the book.

 

 

Spookytacular Evening

On 7th October about 32 customers joined us for a Spookytacular evening to hear readings from three authors who write supernatural fiction for teenagers:

Tamsyn Murray, who is local to Woodford - Author of My So-Called Afterlife and My So-Called Haunting

Rook Hastings - Author of Nearly Departed and Immortal Remains

Michelle Harrison - Award winning author of Thirteen Treasures and Thirteen Curses

The audience thoroughly enjoyed the readings and asked lots of questions about how the authors think up their plots and their characters. Afterwards several adults, as well as children, said they were inspired to make up their own stories and try some creative writing. The authors are pictured with some of the audience after the event. The authors are (back row left to right) Michelle, Tamsyn and Rook, with (front row left to right) audience members Joe Preston, Franki Battams, Kitty Atkins, Rosie Eagland and Keziah Jones.

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