Dandelion Exhibition.... it's on!

Dandelion and Bay

I had this idea that I would love to put on an exhibition to celebrate the beautiful Dandelion.  After a few emails and meeting a lot of lovely new people, I have found a spot at Brackenhall Countryside Centre.  I'm very excited about this!  After meeting with Julia at the centre and setting dates, I put out a request on a couple of artist what's app groups I'm in and within 24 hours had about 18 replies.  Add this to the ones I already had, I now have 24 artists (and counting) interested in this.  Hopefully they will all stay interested and be involved!  

I have also had interest from another two venues, and so stay tuned.  Next Summer could be a dandelion fuelled fest.  

This is the brief:

I am asking artists to respond to the Dandelion.  They are food to the bees, the butterflies, the insects and to us.  They have healing properties that have been used for centuries.  Dandelions are the first flower we can identify when very young, along with buttercups and daisies, of course.  There are around 250 different species of dandelions.  This is a recently learnt fact (BSBI book of British and Irish Dandelions) and one I am still amazed about. 

Dandelion's flowers open in the morning with the sun, and close in the evening. It is one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring and one of the last go dormant in winter.  It prefers cooler weather so will not flower so much during the summer.  Dandelions are vital to the bees as they provide nectar early and late in the season.

Reminding everyone that the plants we step over without looking, is really, really important.

Dates:

Hanging the exhibition 24^th March 2027.  I will worry about where to drop work nearer the time.

Opening Easter Saturday 27^th March.  This is apparently the busiest day in the year for Brackenhall Countryside Centre!

Closing 25^th April 2027.  Taking work down 26^th.

I will be running a drop-in workshop on Sunday 3^rd April and am suggesting we have a little reception around 3.30-4pm on that day. It’s not a massive walk from Saltaire actually, albeit uphill!

It is only open at the weekends, but as there has been so much interest, I’m thinking we can tour this baby.  Any of you who can help with venues?

I am suggesting that the size limit is 50cmx 50cm.  It’s not a massive space.

I originally said only 2d but now I’m thinking that small 3d would be fine!  There are shelves.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have been very interested in this and I hope they will be involved.