Medway Open Studios 2022
It’s back!
What a lovely sunny start to Medway Open Studios 2022 that runs from Saturday 2nd July to Sunday 10th July. A fantastic opportunity to explore the creativity that the Medway holds, whether in a gallery, studio, or behind the door of someones home.
As in previous years my offer Medway Open Studios this time round is different. I decided to kick start a project that I had ruminating in my mind for a number of years now…..to capture a moment in time in where I lived. This developed into inviting my neighbours to have their portraits taken outside of their home and sharing a short story of their time in the house, and the community.
I was pleased that many (21 in total) homes came forward and wanted to be involved, highlighting the creative and community spirit that ‘Bishops Square’ is made up of, all 120 houses of them. The area has always been supportive and welcoming and especially so during the lockdowns of 2020-21, much like others in the country we were checking in on one another.
The 12 portraits for the duration of Medway Open Studios are hung in the front windows homes, and by scanning a QR code you can link to their stories on my website. I was a pleasure to take the portraits and get to know my neighbours more as fellow ‘Square Dwellers’.
I was outside my home Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd to have a socially distanced chat with visitors and here are just some wonderful comments from them:
‘What a great idea’
‘We should do something like this in our neighbourhood’
‘What a great community arty initiative’
‘Such a lovely idea – there is something about living in a square. We just walked round our old home territory and saw all the portraits- and their stories are brilliant.‘
It has also been great to introduce Medway Open Studios to new visitors, lovely to know that they have seen the marketing across Medway.
Feel free to contact me to share your views on my project.
Thank you to everyone who scanned the QR code and had a socially distanced hello this weekend. Enjoy the final week of this great event on until Sunday 10th July.
Nikki x
nikki price photography 