work on show at the Manor

Two talented villagers from Affpuddle are exhibiting their work as part of Purbeck Arts Weeks, from May 27 to June 11. Glass artist Karen Hally and mixed media artist Helen Frost will show their work from 10am to 4pm each day at Affpuddle Manor, DT2 7HH (on the B3390).

Karen was born in New Zealand and travelled to the UK in her early 20s. She moved from London to Dorset in 2009.

Karen has a varied portfolio of glass art, generally centred around the technique of fusing layers of glass together in a kiln which reaches temperatures of over 800 degrees.

Karen’s inspiration comes from her love of vibrant colours and geometric design, the latter coming from her passion for the Art Deco era.

Her studio has been converted from three disused stables, with views of the surrounding countryside which provides for an amazing creative space to work from. Incorporated into this space is a gallery displaying her work. Helen moved to Affpuddle after 30 years in Chichester.

She said: “My work is inspired by our beaches, where I pick litter and collect ‘treasure’. I take a camera to record my finds, finding absorption in the hunt.

“But this is just the start – work is produced in response to the items that I find on my walks around the shore. I am drawn to the texture, marks, colour and form of the junked and the jettisoned. A long-lost spoon, a boat engine fuel filter, a piece of ship’s metal –these are my pieces of treasure. I spend many hours hunting the shores and have developed an eye for spotting things that don’t belong there. I am fascinated with the process by which a pristine, man-made item enters the sea and is returned to the land at some point, brought by tide and wind.

“On its return it has become unique – altered, distressed, made more beautiful and rendered useless!”

Bands lined up for another reunion

The series of reunion gigs for bands and musicians from the 60s, 70s and 80s from Weymouth’s music scene have raised tens of thousands of pounds for local charities and good causes.

And there’s another event coming up on Saturday, May 13, once again at the Centenary Club in Jubilee Sidings,

Weymouth.

Bands so far on the bill are Crystal Ship featuring Alexis, 11th Hour and Monkey Jump.

Tickets are £10 and are on sale from the club on 01305 839310 so hurry and get yours as they go very fast indeed. Doors open on the night from 7pm.

World music duo’s Passage to Dorset

Acclaimed world musicians Amadou Diagne and Cory Seznec head to Dorset later this month on an album tour.

Senegalese Amadou and French-American Cory will perform tracks from their new album Touki –Right of Passage at two special concerts organised by Artsreach, the county’s touring arts charity. Expect a multiinstrumental tour-de-force, with powerful beats, driving grooves, and silky voices that leap from East to West Africa and across to America.

West African multiinstrumentalist and composer Amadou Diagne has musical roots tracing back through a long line of Griot musicians. A member of L’Orchestra National du Senegal, Amadou regularly performs as a percussionist in concerts, cultural events and on television for the top West African stars. Since moving to England, Amadou has forged his own musical identity and released acclaimed solo albums featuring the kora, guitar and percussion, which have received air play on BBC Radio 3 and across the world. Cory Seznec discovered fingerstyle guitar and clawhammer banjo whilst growing up in the US. Now based in Paris, numerous travels and encounters in countries including Ethiopia and Kenya have helped shape his playing.

After 10 years on the road with renowned roots act Groanbox, his style is now more syncopated, polyrhythmic, and crosspollinated. Influenced by blues and ragtime, Cory draws heavily upon American traditions, combined with African fingerstyle techniques. When Amadou and Cory had a chance encounter in a bar in Bath in 2007, they knew one day they would record together.

Thirteen years later, after many “touki” (journeys), they embarked on a new musical adventure and, following rehearsals in Paris and a recording session at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Somerset, their debut album Touki - Right of Passage was created. Drawing heavily on the traditional music and rhythms of West Africa, the kora dances playfully around banjo and the guitar. The calabash and other percussion add powerful, driving beats, overlaid with entrancing, silky vocals. The influences are many, rather than remaining in any one tradition. The touki brought them together, the touki took them apart. Now the voyagers are reunited with the richness of their various experiences. Who knows what’s in store? n Artsreach are pleased to present Amadou and Cory, playing live with their trio in Blandford Parish Church (01258 480698) on Friday May 19, and Chetnole Village Hall (07966 177789) on Saturday, May 20. Full details and tickets can be found by visiting artreach.co.uk

Culture vultures now have the chance to book tickets for this year’s packed Beaminster Festival, which offers a multitude of music and some great events, kicking off with live theatre on June 11. This year the al fresco theatre (June 11, at the Beaminster Manor), features the talented Three Inch Fools who will present a fast paced, musically driven and hilarious performance of As You Like It. This is always a lovely occasion –bring picnics from 1.30pm.

On Saturday, June 17 from 10am-4pm at Beaminster Public Hall there’s an exhibition of skills, hobbies, interests and collections of local people called There is a Talent in the Town which will discover what latent talent many of us have within. There will also be refreshments and amateur music making.

Exeter Cathedral Choir will sing Choral Evensong on June 19 at 6.30pm, followed by a short recital, which is free, but tickets must be booked. The main events run from June 25 to July 2, all in St Mary’s Church, with precoffee concerts (local schools) at 10.45am, which are free.

The coffee concerts themselves are at 11.30am and literary events at 2.30pm, which all cost £12 and evening concerts at 7.30pm, costing £19 and £22.

There is an amazing choice of top quality