Art on the move

Above: Art Van Go

ART Van Go – isn’t that just a wonderful name? And this van has gone. For 18 years or more the art van has travelled the length and breadth of the country retailing its art supplies and materials, clocking up on average 75,000 miles a year and yet I’ve only just discovered it.

Art Van Go is the brainchild of Viv Arthur and is still primarily run by Viv and her partner, Kevin Mead. The original idea of supplying specialist and unusual art materials to the masses by selective routes and invitation has proven so popular that the van is barely ever at home, which also means Viv or Kevin aren’t either. The van visits by prior arrangement art groups and art societies as well as summer schools and other art related events.

Ten years later, the success of the art van enabled the couple to open their shop/gallery/workshop studio, and it is as simple and yet as complex as that.

Situated in Knebworth, the Art Van Go Studio carries the same products as the van and more and having the shop front allows clients to linger longer and browse easier.

Mixed mediums
Viv was a textile designer and many of the products are geared towards textile artists with items suitable for fine artists, embroiderers, calligraphers, patchworkers and textile artists. But, if you don’t get to see the van and can’t make it to Knebworth don’t worry, Art Van Go also operate a mail order service and the catalogue is available in hard copy or downloadable from their website. Haven’t they just thought of everything? Well actually no, you can’t order online yet but I expect that will be available in the not too distant future.

Back at the studio, regular workshops are held, daily or at least a few days of the week. They run a programme of workshops to cater for a wide variety of interests including watercolours, mosaic, pastels, screenprinting, drawing, bookbinding and textile construction. Some of these are taken by Viv while the others are tutored by local artists and visiting artists from all over the country. Some of the workshops are one day, others two or more days.

College work
There is an ever changing exhibition programme and work on display at the gallery, which can include Viv’s textiles, Kevin’s photography as well as other textiles, glass, ceramics and paintings including oils, watercolours, acrylics and other mediums. Some exhibitions are by individual artists while others are from collective groups including colleges. Some of the exhibiting artists also take a workshop or two.

In March, six Master of Arts graduates from the University of Hertfordshire displayed a selection of their current work in the gallery, while in June students from the North Herts College will be showing a collection of their ceramics. This will be followed by HapticArt, a group formed by students from East Berkshire College.

It seems to me that Art Van Go has pretty much got their act sewn up and what they don’t know about art supplies, workshops and staging exhibitions probably isn’t worth knowing.

Find out more

Ceramics by Students of North Herts College working with Digswell Arts Trust is being held May 31 to June 14

Art Van Go
The Studios, 1 Stevenage Road, Knebworth
01438 814946
Email: art@artvango.co.uk
www.artvango.co.uk