Members of the Rotary Club of Bath enjoyed an interactive visit to the incredible buildings housing Bath Artists’ Studios, just off the Upper Bristol Road.
The kind invitation to talk, tour and have a go ourselves at Art proved a highly enjoyable as well as fascinating visit. BAS, a charity, occupies currently a former malting house which later became, amongst others things, the home to the famous Charles Wares Morris Minor Centre. The characterful location provides studio space to some 60 professional artists from in and around Bath, including painters, photographers, sculptors, glass-workers, textile artists, metalworkers and potters. Without access to this space, many would have to move away from Bath, or give up their craft entirely.
Around 300 people a week visit the site for art classes, a rare resource for a city the size of Bath where there are now no formal ongoing curated art classes provided by professionals.
After an eye-opening talk from artist Rita Lazaro on the power of art and creativity to do good for individuals and the community, the Rotarians were given a tour of the facility, meeting several artists who kindly gave up time to talk about their work and what having access to the space means t other.
Then it was the Rotarians’ chance to get creative, painting calligraphy-style figures based on a (very patient) live model: a challenge for most of us who last picked up a paintbrush in school. The results were mixed – but enormous fun to have a go at.
You can find our more about BAS – and their efforts to find a new permanent home – here: https://www.bathartistsstudios.org