Whiteknights Studio Trail at The MERL

This year is the 24th year of the Whiteknights Trail. The work of around 40 artists will be displayed across many venues around the Whiteknights campus area. The MERL is delighted to be hosting two artists this year: Mark Ripley and Emily Gillmor.

Visitors are invited to stroll around, enjoy the art, and see the artists’ work and processes, as well as enjoy some tea and cake in the MERL café and visit the museum too.

Mark Ripley

With a degree in furniture design, Mark has run his own workshops since the 1980’s. His work is inspired by English vernacular furniture covering a wide range of domestic furniture, installations and pieces for public spaces. Mark is now focussing on chair making and smaller commissions from his Hampshire studio.   

The natural sustainability of temperate hardwoods is a factor close to the heart of making. Mark’s work is designed and made to last two or three times the lifetime of the trees from which it is made. It is also a carbon sink, storing carbon which is an additional environmental factor.             

Instagram markripleyfurniture

Emily Gillmor

Emily Gillmor takes inspiration from her immediate surroundings, producing confident line drawings. She translates these into gorgeous, vibrant screen prints, retaining the strong line of Emily Gillmor takes inspiration from her immediate surroundings, producing confident line drawings. She translates these into gorgeous, vibrant screen prints, retaining the strong line of her drawings.

Emily grew up in Reading and then studied Drawing, Painting and Printmaking at Edinburgh College of Art. She lived in Scotland and Moscow before returning to live in Reading. Emily currently works at Reading University running the Print Room in the Art department.

Instagram is emilygillmor

Image credit: Emily Gillmor