Newsletter Creating art, Improving lives

Summer 2019 - Newsletter 24Helping People with Learning Disabilities Thrive

Upcoming eventsChesterton Festival Saturday 22 June, 1pm to 5pm

Come along and find us at Chesterton Festival with our beach-themed stall, raffle and face painting. All proceeds from the day will be supporting us to ‘reach the beach!’

Walk for Rowan Walk for Rowan is back for 2019! On the 26, 27 and 28 June our student artists will be taking part in their own fundraiser. This is to raise money for a trip to Southwold on Wednesday 10th July to celebrate our 35th anniversary. Where: Midsummer Common. When: 10.30am to 12pm each day. You are welcome to come along and cheer us on! Support us by sponsoring our students via our localgiving.org/rowan

Charity Art Exhibition 2020 in motion! After the success of our charity art exhibition this year we are bringing it back for 2020. Canvases will again be on sale for everyone to get involved, whether you are a professional or amateur artist! Get in touch on hetti@rowanhumberstone.co.uk or call 01223 566 027 to get first news on when canvases will be available. And then get painting, drawing, collaging… or whatever you want to do with the canvas!

www.rowanhumberstone.co.ukCreating a rt, Improving lives Registered Charity No. 1099555 Registered Company No. 04448427

Happy Birthday, Rowan!This year we celebrate our 35th anniversary with a host of special events throughout the summer.

When we first started in 1984 – as the Rowan Foundation – we represented a change, a change to bring people with learning disabilities out of institutions and into the community. In 1993 we were able to secure our first home at our current premises, Humberstone Road, which in 2003 became a part of our established charity name, Rowan Humberstone. In 2016 our refurbishment transformed the inside of the building, to make it more practical for our needs as well as being more accessible to our students.

For everyone change can be an obstacle. For our student artists it can often be seen as something unwelcome, something unfamiliar and unknown. At Rowan we are constantly having to make changes and keep evolving, to embrace the new and to keep moving forward. In turn our changes help support our student artists, from larger life changes, transitional periods to the simple day-to-day tasks.

Tracie’s storyTracie has been coming to Rowan for 15 years and has not only gone through changes herself but has also seen many changes at Rowan.

“The building has changed the most. There is now more space for us all. We also have more activities to do. When I first started, we did not have as much choice as we do now. The most exciting change for me has been adding music and drama, which I love.” Why do you love drama, Tracie? “Because it is a life-changing experience. I get to meet new friends and express my feelings”. Rowan is a place of work for Tracie, creating artwork in wood that Rowan can sell, getting involved in commissions, as well as creating gifts for her family and friends. However, Rowan is also a place of friendship, time to be with friends and have fun!

“If it was not for Rowan I would be at home doing not a lot.”As we look towards the next 35 years, we focus on providing a safe, creative and welcoming environment where we use the arts as a tool to bring people together, break down issues of social exclusion and improve health and wellbeing.

Rowan RangersAn adventurous team from Rowan started Forest School at Cowhollow Forest last summer. And it was such a success that the project has continued this year at Woven Woods – come rain or shine! The purpose of Forest School is to connect with nature in a unique way and to give everyone the opportunity to experience the outdoors.

Forest School is an opportunity to try something new and includes campfire cooking, shelter building, sculpting from natural materials, knot tying and much more. One recent activity was at Easter when the team acted out a folk story of the origins of the Easter hare, before making and decorating Easter baskets, toasting hot cross buns and using natural dyes to colour the eggs.

Russell Cuthbert, leader of Forest School and wood tutor said: “One of the best benefits of Forest School is that it gives student artists a direct experience, a chance to interact with nature creatively, and it inspires people.”

Student artist Julia is always looking forward to the next Forest School experience and this has been seen week-on-week through her artwork. From drawing what she has been doing to what she would like to do (including cooking hotdogs on the campfire!)

Tracy – our fantastic fundraiser!Tracy Hutchinson raised an incredible £2,400 for Rowan at this year’s London Marathon.

“I chose Rowan because they are a local charity,” said Tracy, “and I could see that the funds would go directly into the work they do. The run itself was amazing – the first half was great and there was an amazing carnival atmosphere with people partying on the pavements”.

“The second half was harder, and I really appreciated seeing my family and friends along the route. When I crossed the finish line, I was so pleased, but a little bit broken, all I wanted was a cuppa, a sit down and to see my family.”

“The support I have received from the organisation since I contacted them has been wonderful and I feel like part of the Rowan family. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all again, apart from the 26.2 miles bit anyway!”

Well done, Tracy, on such an accomplishment and thank you for all of your hard work for Rowan.

Are you looking for a new challenge and a charity to support? If you are considering skydiving, completing a marathon or holding a bake sale at work then at Rowan we have the team to support you. Get in touch with us on 01223 566 027 or email hetti@rowanhumberstone.co.uk. We would love to hear from you!

Right: Tracy visiting the student artists after completing the marathon.

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Julia’s drawing of the Rowan Rangers!

Shelter building

Hotdog time!

Keeping dry with the Rowan Rangers

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Rowan has studios for you to hire! Are you looking for a friendly community space to run a workshop or hold a meeting? Do you struggle to find affordable studio space? At Rowan we have spaces to hire for all your needs! From our studio spaces to our meeting room and gallery, with tea and coffee facilities available, we can cater for your every need.

“Being able to hire a studio at Rowan has made a real difference to my creative process. As an artist, the flexibility to hire a studio space during the hours that are more suitable to me, enables me to really focus and start producing a new body of work.”

Visual artists Luciana Rosado said: “The studio spaces are spacious, have all the necessary facilities and are full of natural light. I am also inspired by the lovely creative environment all around me.”

To find out more about hiring a room at Rowan visit our website or phone 01223 566 027 or email hetti@rowanhumberstone.co.uk

Recent Rowan commissionsHand-made trophies for the NatWest SE100 Index Awards in central London to make a special occasion even more spectacular!

Take a visit to Coton Country Reserve and see our recently installed bench with a view.

This owl was designed and created by student artist Daniel along with our wood tutors. It will soon be flying to its new home at The Grove Primary School.

Next time you are at Cambridge Junction make sure you find our Rowan theatre seats. Using recycled materials our textile tutor Hilary worked collaboratively with student artist Elizabeth to create this funky new cover.

Student artists going professional! In February 2019 we held our own fundraising art exhibition ‘Cambridge Seen’. This was an opportunity for local professional and amateur artists to get involved and support Rowan as well as our own artists. We had canvases created in all of our studios from textiles, felting, ceramic tiles to paint and drawing. Student artist Alex, who has been at Rowan since September 2017, focused on the Mathematical Bridge in Cambridge for his canvas.

“I turned up at the exhibition and could not believe my artwork had sold! I was absolutely speechless. I also designed the poster for the drama performance ‘We Still Standing” in April.

Alex, who has been involved in print and drama at Rowan, added: “Rowan is a great place to come. I enjoy being with my friends, laughing and chatting, 24/7.”

Our charity exhibition was a huge success, raising more than £5,000, with 170 canvasses on sale and some 150 artists taking part. So, it will come as no surprise that we will be returning in 2020 for our second art exhibition. If you are interested in taking part, please get in touch on hetti@rowanhumberstone.co.uk.

Contact us!40 Humberstone Road, Cambridge, CB4 1JG. 01223 566027

info@rowanhumberstone.co.ukwww.rowanhumberstone.co.uk

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If you would like to receive information about Rowan by email including future newsletters and monthly e-updates then please contact us on hetti@rowanhumberstone.co.uk

Design and Print by Burwell Print Centre

Could you help Rowan?If you have some spare time, then Rowan could be the perfect place for you! We are looking for volunteers to help in community fundraising events, studio creative support and one-to-one support for our student artists.

To find out more call us on 01223 566 027 or email info@rowanhumberstone.co.uk

City honour for RowanWe are excited to announce that Rowan has been named as a Cambridge Mayor Charity Fund for 2019-2020 along with King Hedges Family Project. The Mayor, Gerri Bird, recently visited Rowan to meet our student artists and experience a day in our life.

“I have chosen Rowan as one of my charities as I believe this is a truly worthwhile organisation. Rowan’s work with people with both learning disabilities and physical disabilities is outstanding! When I visited, I was struck by how good the artwork and woodwork was. I congratulate all of those who maintain the charity both being employed or volunteers. A huge well done!”

We are looking forward to the year ahead and all that it brings!

www.rowanhumberstone.co.ukCreating a rt, Improving lives Registered Charity No. 1099555 Registered Company No. 04448427

FREE taster sessions available for potential studentsContact us today on 01223 566027 to find out more. From woodwork, ceramics, textiles, print, mixed media to the performing arts, Rowan is the perfect place to meet new people and enjoy being creative. Why do our student artists come to Rowan? Here are a few reasons: “Rowan allows me to continue with my artwork as it has the best facilities for me.” “Rowan is my choice, I get to come and do what I enjoy doing.”

Alison Ayres from the Fitzwilliam Museum visiting our ceramics studios – read more on our blog via the website!

Studio news in photos

Drama performance of ‘We Still Standing’ with Acting Now

Group panto trip to Cambridge Arts Theatre

Student artists busy fundraising with Bags 2 Charity to ‘reach the beach!’ – find out how we got on via the website.

Student artists working in collaboration with Eastern Bloco Arts Artists to create beautiful artwork that was on display at Strawberry Fair.

Student artist Paul out and about at the Botanic Gardens

Mayors’Cambridge

Charity Fund