The Sketchbook Circle


Curated by Cally Trench (2007-9)

Cally Trench's homepage

The Sketchbook Circle (2007-2009) involved fifteen artists: Polly Binns, Tineke Bruijnzeels, Susan Burton, Alex Dewart, Linda Francis, Alan Franklin, Lynne Grace, Lis Mann, Beverley Matchette-Downes, Caroline Meynell, Helen Price, Cally Trench, Nick Trench, Imogen Welch, and Anne Woodham.

 Photograph in shared sketchbook by Linda Francis

Linda Francis, Photograph in shared sketchbook

Every artist shared a sketchbook with one, two or three of the other participating artists, in such a way that every sketchbook contained work made by two artists. The work could be drawing, painting, photography, collage, something 3-dimensional, or anything else that the artists chose to make.

It was up to the two artists sharing a book to decide how they wanted to use it: they might pass it backwards and forwards after every page, or make a series of works before handing the sketchbook over, or to collaborate on each page. The project, which was organised by Cally Trench, started in 2005 and finished in summer 2007, allowing the artists to have a slow, artistic conversation with their partners.

The sketchbooks were exhibited, along with other recent work by each artist, in the Bracknell Gallery at South Hill Park Arts Centre in Bracknell from Saturday 28th July to Sunday 2nd September 2007.

Polly Binns shared sketchbooks with Alan Franklin and Caroline Meynell.

Tineke Bruijnzeels shared sketchbooks with Caroline Meynell and Anne Woodham.

Susan Burton shared sketchbooks with Beverley Matchette-Downes and Lynne Grace.

Alex Dewart shared sketchbooks with Anne Woodham, Helen Price Cally Trench.

Linda Francis shared sketchbooks with Cally Trench , Alan Franklin and Imogen Welch.

Alan Franklin shared sketchbooks with Polly Binns and Linda Francis.

Lynne Grace shared sketchbooks with Susan Burton and Lis Mann.

Lis Mann shared sketchbooks with Lynne Grace and Cally Trench.

Beverley Matchette-Downes shared sketchbooks with Helen Price and Susan Burton.

Caroline Meynell shared sketchbooks with Polly Binns, Anne Woodham and Tineke Bruijnzeels.

Helen Price shared sketchbooks with Alex Dewart and Beverley Matchette-Downes.

Cally Trench shared sketchbooks with Lis Mann, Linda Francis, Alex Dewart and Nick Trench.

Nick Trench shared a sketchbook with Cally Trench.

Imogen Welch shared a sketchbook with Linda Francis.

Anne Woodham shared sketchbooks with Caroline Meynell, Alex Dewart and Tineke Bruijnzeels.

Still from Come As You Were ... by Lis Mann

Lis Mann, Still photograph from Come As You Were ...
Video by Lis Mann (with filming and editing by
Malcolm Banthorpe in collaboration with Lis Mann)

Cally Trench's homepage