This November, studios all over Ouseburn opened their doors to the public as part of Ouseburn Open Studios. They showcased a variety of original work from over 200 artists and design makers. Thirty-Six Lime Street exhibited the works of Bethan Maddocks and street writer Luke Winter, alongside other creative artists.
Bethan Maddocks uses paper cuttings to generate art. Upon entering her studio, I was welcomed with a carved 1650’s map of Newcastle. The Medieval map reads “The Newcastle Witch Trials”. It featured etchings of women hanged for being a witch. It struck me how she seamlessly linked the violent hangings to the town and bridges altogether in one board, revealing how the trials are entrenched into the history of Newcastle. Maddocks’ efforts pay off by bringing a two-dimensional story to life with the reflection of the studio’s light bulbs. Maddocks truly encapsulates the importance of revisiting history by embedding underlying issues in her art. ‘The Book of Shadows’ brings light into a better future, where we can learn from the mistakes of the past.
Luke Winter writes short stories for the visitors with his typewriter spontaneously. He offers something different to mainstream literature by talking to the visitors for a while, before writing a story for them. This unique approach provides a new insight into stories that are often unheard by society. Yet, at the same time, Winter highlights commonalities with people with his public open conversations.
Amie Reid and Amber Zamani-Esskeli shows that art can be accessible to everyone. Reid, with her badgemaking workshop allows everyone to converse with each other. Zamani-Esskeli’s macramé decorations and hand embroidered cards are aesthetically pleasing with her meticulous attention to detail for each product.
Thirty-Six Lime Street did a praiseworthy job for bringing outstanding pieces from varying disciplines. It reminds us that art can be expressed in different ways by anyone.