Leigh Art Trail 2017

Fishermen’s Chapel was one of the venues for the Leigh Art Trail this year.

The artists featured on the Fishermen’s Chapel Community Art Wall:

Trevor Morgan is an amateur photographer, who has lived in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex for over 50 years, and has always had an interest in photography dating back to the Box Brownie and the Kodak Instamatic.

Inspiration for his pictures comes from many sources, but primarily nature. Trevor also takes inspiration from the texture and form within landscapes and seascapes.

He uses a Canon E0S 600D DSLR with 18-135mm, 50-250mm and 100mm macro lenses. View more at morganpics.blogspot.com

James Jaggard is a painter who was born in Colchester and grew up in Leigh-on-Sea. He takes inspiration from landscapes and latterly cityscapes, adding texture to his oil paintings using found objects; flotsam and jetsam. View all his paintings at jagpaints.blogspot.com or follow him on Twitter @jagpaints

Simon Brandon lives in Leigh and takes photos for a living. Sometimes he finds time to take photos for other reasons, too. See his work at www.sibrandon.co.uk

Niamh Smith – A new young artist, just 17 years old, specialising in free hand mandala art on print based materials and found objects, particularly driftwood from our local Estuary beaches. Niamh’s artwork provides her with a sense of peace and calm that she hopes through sharing her art, will allow her to spread that peace and calm to others. www.mandalarama.com @niamh.smith8

Sally-Anne Ashley‘s work is an intuitive response to her inner landscape; including personal thoughts and feelings in relationships through to her love of nature, figures, symbols and often made-up creatures feature. These ideas are explored in a variety of mediums, mostly paints and textiles. Layer upon layer of paint is applied to suggest transient moments and emphasise the impermanence of everything we know. Everything changes from one moment to the next – parts are covered and overlayed but not forgotten – it’s from these layers that stories are made. Instagram: @sallyanneashley


Sally Anne-Ashley wall


Manadala prints by Manadalarama / Niamh Smith


‘Drifting’ – beach driftwood mandala art by Mandalarama / Niamh Smith


A picture of just some of the artists on the Community Art Wall for Leigh Art Trail

See additional photos here


Event info:

We’ll be open from 10 until 4pm from 10-17 June, providing refreshments every day, (except Sunday, 11 June, when another event takes place in our Community Room). We have art on display in our downstairs Community Room, why not come in and relax as you make your way around the Art Trail?

The full programme for the Art Trail is here, but please note that the Chapel events are as listed below, not as per the programme!

Special events:

Saturday 10 June: There will be an open day to kick off the art trail on Sat, 10th June – a chance to come and view our new Community Art Wall, and also to talk to some of the people who currently use the Chapel space. There will also be poetry from Billericay comic poet Simon Blackman who has just written his debut collection of ‘greatest hits’, available to purchase and get signed on the day. Artist Sally-Anne Ashley will also be on hand in the morning to talk about her art and the journey it took her on.

Sunday 11 June, 7.30pm: Service with our Gospel Choir. Doors open from 7.

Tuesday 13 June, 6-8.30pm There will be a late night viewing, with refreshments from pop up cafe Beep Beep Pop.
7-9pm. Gospel Choir rehearsing at the Chapel, along with Cockleshell Chorus. Come and join our rehearsal!

Wednesday 14 June: From 10am ’til 12pm, there will be a special family coffee morning with an Under 5’s messy play. All materials provided, just bring painting clothes! The space will then continue to be open for viewings that day as usual but from 12-4pm, following the messy play.

The Daisy Bowlers at Hadleigh Temple

The Daisy Bowlers are performed at the Salvation Army Hadleigh Temple on 20 May, along with Young Musicians of the Salvation Army. £1000 was raised for the Fishermen’s Chapel fund. Huge thanks to everyone who came, and the Salvation Army Hadleigh Temple.

Hadleigh Temple is at 146 London Road, SS7 2PF.

Art at the Chapel

We have some new paintings and photographs in the walls in our newly-decorated downstairs room, and plan to have new art on display every few months. Come and take a look sometime! Thanks to Jo for organising this.

The current artists are…

Si Brandon

Si Brandon lives in Leigh and takes photos for a living. Sometimes he finds time to take photos for other reasons, too. See his work at www.sibrandon.co.uk

Title of photo 1: Bell Wharf, January 30th 2014
Title of photo 2: Cobra Mist ICBM Detection Radar, Orford Ness

James Jaggard

James Jaggard, is a painter who was born in Colchester and grew up in Leigh-on-Sea. He takes inspiration from landscapes and latterly cityscapes, adding texture to his oil paintings using found objects; flotsam and jetsam. View all his paintings at jagpaints.blogspot.com or follow him on Twitter @jagpaints

Prices range from £25 to £60

Trevor Morgan

Trevor Morgan is an amateur photographer, who has lived in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex for over 50 years, and has always had an interest in photography dating back to the Box Brownie and the Kodak Instamatic.

Inspiration for his pictures comes from many sources, but primarily nature. Trevor also takes inspiration from the texture and form within landscapes and seascapes.

He uses a Canon E0S 600D DSLR with 18-135mm, 50-250mm and 100mm macro lenses. View more at morganpics.blogspot.com

Prices range from £20 to £30

More pictures below.

Read more

Electric Tea Set

The ‘Electric Tea Set’ returned to the Fishermen’s Chapel on Saturday 15th April.

Now in its fourth year, the ‘Electric Tea Set’ is an annual event celebrating local electronic musicians and spoken word artists. Created by DJ/musician Curly Dan Newman (Middle Age Spread DJ/Ship Full of Bombs internet radio) the event showcases artists such as Bingo Cherry, Alien, Furrows & Adrian Lane and poets Cherry Scott, Rachel Dalton, Claire Burgoyne, Laura Mills, James Wilshere, Sadie Davidson & Jo & Ray from Sundown Arts. The fine acoustics of the Chapel compliment the ambient and wonky machine music and eclectic poetry, with colourful projections and imagery. Teas, coffees and cakes were available, all proceeds going to the upkeep of the beautiful chapel. This was a free event, suitable for all ages.

Thanks to Electric Tea Set for the photos.

Comic Relief Craft Morning

Come and join the Craft Club Yarnbombers for a craft morning to raise money for Comic Relief on Sat 25th March. The craft morning will be from 10-12 at the Chapel, and we will have crafts to try out, cakes to eat, tea to be drank and Mollie Makes magazines to be read if you just want to chill. It’s a free event, but donations for Comic Relief welcome.

The Craft Club regularly hold events at the Chapel (picture below) – find out more about them by following on Twitter or Facebook.

Pancake Promises album launch

An afternoon of music and relaxation on 2 April in the lovely downstairs room at The Fishermen’s Chapel. Free entry, families welcome – well, actively encouraged – bring the kids along! There will be live music, DJs, and pancakes! Featuring the following:

Live – Pancake Promises and the tumbledryer babies
DJs – Daryl Easlea and Emma Reed
Beep Beep Pop pop up cafe

1.30pm doors, free entry. Come down, drink some tea/coffee in lovely surroundings with lovely people, with a variety of lovely pancakes!

Pancake Promises is a man in his early 30s from Westcliff on Sea. Having spent the past decade creating music under the pseudonyms Little Penguin and Rainbow Valley. Having tried but failed to crack the music biz, he has now decided to turn his hand to writing jingles for adverts. However, its quite a crowded market, so, armed with his trusty Microsoft Gs Wavetable Midi Synth sounds, he has crafted jingles for products that have not yet been advertised. Today is the launch of his debut album “Advert Songs”, released 3rd April on CD and pay what you want download via www.wrieuw.com Live he presents these jingles, complete with animations, dance moves and pancakes (by way of apology)

Read the full description of the event here, on Facebook.

Musical Stories live

Musical Stories, Songs, and Time to Play the Instruments.
10.30-12, Thursday 16 February 2017, £10 per child for families with children aged 2-5 years.
To book contact Katharine – 07941 374587, katharine [at] kplife.co.uk

Christmas at the Chapel

snowflake-lantern-on-wooden-floor-with-yellow-candle-light-706

Some dates for your diary in the run up to Christmas:

Lantern Making

Come and join us on Saturday 10 December to make a lantern before the carol singing on Strand Wharf. We’ll be open from 4pm and all materials are provided. Suggested donation: £1 per lantern. Our downstairs cafe will be open serving hot chocolate and treats which you can enjoy at the Chapel or take along to the carols. There’s a Lantern-making poster you can print off to tell other people about this event here.

Midwinter Carol Service

We’re looking forward to being joined by the Famous Potatoes and guests once again for our Midwinter Carols on 18 December. Note the earlier time than usual – 3pm. And do join us for refreshments downstairs afterwards. You can download a printable poster here.

Christmas with the Daisy Bowlers and friends

23rd December, 2pm until 4, with the Daisy Bowlers. This is a ticketed event – tickets (£10) can be bought beforehand From Heather, 07879 232231. Do buy a ticket ahead of time as they may not be available on the door. There will be refreshments provided by Jo of Beep Beep Pop. All the ticket money is going to the family of Conall Riley. Conall is eight years old. He has Ewing’s Sarcoma; a rare and aggressive form of bone and tissue cancer.

Christmas Day Service

25 December, 11am at the Chapel.

Coffee morning with Christian Aid

On Wednesday 30 November we have a special guest at the Chapel coffee morning. Marija Vranešević is a Christian Aid partner who works with refugees in Serbia, and we are very much looking forward to meeting her. As per usual on Wednesdays we will be open from 10 until 12, and coffee and cakes are available on a donation basis.

Printable PDF version of poster

coffee-morning-poster