Visit to Philomena Harmsworth’s exhibition, 3 Neon Visitors
as part of Artwave 2026
Thursday 10th September 2026
6.00 – 7.30 pm
Venue 81, Paddock Art Studios
Paddock Lane
Lewes BN7 1TW
Visit to Philomena Harmsworth’s exhibition, 3 Neon Visitors as part of Artwave 2026
Thursday 10th September 2026
6.00 – 7.30 pm
Venue 81, Paddock Art Studios
Paddock Lane
Lewes BN7 1TW
This month we are heading to Lewes for a special Blue Monkey event halfway through Philomena’s takeover of Paddock Art Studios, with her 3 different exhibitions: Three sisters – two seers and a daughter. We will be arriving for the start of Silvia - she is Ashdown Forest.
Silvia - the sound of water tinkling, heather in her hair, and chandelier cobwebs lit by the sky.
Wearing jackets of moss, the colours of emerald and coal dust. Lumbering limbs cradle her, hypnotised with weight. In a verdant haze - a glittering cloud.
Expect the unexpected with a theatrical exhibition, including video and poetry.
Philomena is an artist based in Uckfield whose practice spans painting, performance, short films, collage and sculpture as a narrative of space. You can see more of her work @philomenharmsorthartist
For those travelling to Lewes we plan to meet at Lewes station at 5.30 pm outside by the flower shop and walk to the venue, catching the 5.05 pm train from Eastbourne arriving at Lewes Station at 5.25 pm (4.29 pm from St Leonard’s Warrior Square, 4.36 pm from Bexhill) or various train/bus options
Cost: Free to members and £5 on the night for visitors
The exhibitions will be open as part of Artwave 2026 with 3 different events.
Bridie Open Saturday & Sunday 5th & 6th September 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Silvia Open Saturday & Sunday 12th & 13th September 110.00 am – 5.00 pm
Mirage Open Saturday & Sunday 19th & 20th September 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm
If you are planning on attending one of our events and have any access needs, please let us know in advance.
Blue Monkey Network is run by artists for artists, in partnership with Towner Eastbourne, and is entirely funded by membership subscriptions and donations. Many thanks to all our supporters.
COMING UP
Rescheduled Events:
Masterclass on Instagram for artists
TBC: 2 workshop dates in October
Ditzy Media,
Ste 4, 49 Gildredge Rd,
Eastbourne BN21 4RY
Following the two postponements of our previously planned workshop and the waiting list that we have, we now plan to run 2 Instagram Workshop sessions in October. People who have previously booked this event, as well as those on the waiting list, will be contacted about the new October dates offered.
A masterclass on Instagram for artists will be run by Mina O’Brien from Ditzy Media.
The workshop will include using Instagram, creating reels, and how to use Canva to support this.
Instagram has changed a bit since we offered these workshops previously, so these sessions will cover more ground. They will be run in Eastbourne, near the station and will be subsidised by BMN. There will be a fee of £20 per person for members (£45 for non-members), payable in advance to secure your space.
Radiating Connections: An Evening with Emily McLennan
Wednesday 14th October 2026
6.00 – 8.00 pm
Towner Eastbourne
Emily McLennan is a visual artist based in Stirlingshire whose practice is rooted in ecological observation and connection to place. A former BMN member, Emily returns to share a journey, one that has taken her from a woodland residency in Scotland to studios and landscapes across England.
In this relaxed evening, Emily will present her Arts Council England-funded R&D project Radiating Connections, exploring how ideas of custodianship, natural materials and community connection can travel across regions and take root in new places.
Rescheduled Event:
Visit to Cement studios and workshops in Newhaven
Saturday 7th November 2026
11.00 – 13.00 pm
This visit to Cement in Newhaven, cancelled due to hot weather, has now been rescheduled to November.
Cement is a new creative space based in Newhaven, East Sussex, offering dynamic art education taught in working artists’ studios for people at all stages of their creative journey. Cement provides a platform for both beginners and established artists to develop their practice through workshop courses, open access and mentoring led by experienced practitioners and educators.
Founders Alison Hand and Julian Wild, established artists and educators with over 30 years' art tutoring experience between them, will give us a tour of the studios and workshops and will talk about how they work with artists, as well as touching on their own practice and artistic career paths.
Travel arrangements to the venue will be in the newsletter nearer the time