About the 2009 Hackwood Art Festival

The Concept

Amanda Aldous came up with the idea of the Hackwood Art Festival as an exciting way of combining her passion for contemporary art with finding a use for the then unused 18th Century barns at Hackwood Farm. "I wanted people in this area to engage with contemporary art in a new and accessible environment outside 'the white box'".

Previous Festivals

The last Hackwood Art Festival took place in 2007 and was arguably the best so far. The work of over 80 artists was represented and the range and breadth of the exhibits was truly outstanding. The Preview night sponsored by Lane Fox was a wonderful occasion, the evening was balmy, and with over 600 works of art on show, the barns and gardens were breathtaking.

A huge number of guests who attended the preview came back over the weekend to have a further look at the vast arrange of art on display, watch the demonstrations, take part in one of the many workshops or just soak up the unique atmosphere of the place. The grounds of Hackwood Farm were once again transformed into a bustling mecca busy with people enjoying the visual arts.

Amongst the highlights was the Printmaking Room, with the assistance of members of the Royal Society of Etchers, a stunning Rochat etching press was hired on which Melvyn Petersen RE demonstrated dry-point etching and Peter Ford RE was also present making hand-made paper, this room had children and adults alike enthralled.

Portraiture also played a large part in the 2007 Festival, with some outstanding portraits in different media including the works of June Mendoza RP, Toby Wiggins RP and Merrie Curtiss-Fuller.

With over 3,000 attendees over the weekend, it was a memorable event like its predecessors in 2005 and 2006.