A St Ives collective for women artists is staging a show of their work to celebrate the group’s 13th anniversary. 

Taking Space will be staging the display in The Crypt, beneath the Mariners’ Church in Norway square from Saturday to Friday, October 13 between 11am and 4.30pm. 

Each of the eight members will bring some large work for the long wall to be hung as a mixed composition for the group’s 100th exhibition, paying a lot of attention to how the colours and shapes flow. 

Then each will also have a space of their own to use as they think best and emphasise individuality.  

This means that the on-going argument in the group between those who like each to have their own space and those that prefer to see work mixed into one whole is satisfied by combining  both approaches. 

Mary Fletcher, who founded Taking Space and has seen so many members benefit from the comradeship in the group, said: “Hanging the show is a lot of hard work and can be a tense time as artists seek to see their creativity given a good presentation.  

“We allow each artist to select their own work and we help each other as much as possible’. 

Kerry Grant, Clare Hughes, Tracy Flett, Sharon Reeves, Patricia Wilson Smith, Kate Cameron and Caroline Marwood are the other artists. 

Many of them are inspired by their surroundings. Between them they cover various media and styles and there will be cards and unframed pictures as well as the pictures on the walls. 

Members are on a rota to look after the show and make sales and they are happy to talk with visitors. There is also a book of information and opportunity for visitors to comment in writing. 

Some of the artists will present sketch books which give an insight into their ways of working. 

Members often bring recent work to share and enjoy at their meetings.