Gather with local creatives in a relaxed setting. Share artwork / WIP projects, or come along to connect with others and offer feedback.
Wednesday 15 July, 6.30pm-8.30pm, hosted by Dorset-based artist, Carrie Mason
July host, Carrie Mason, lives on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. Her multi-disciplinary practice - which includes drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and performance - explores the challenges we face living in an age of digital distraction, and the demands on our time and attention.
"I am interested in how we experience time and ideas around mindfulness and being present. We now experience so much virtually, and our lives are mediated through screens. As a result, I feel that it is important for me to have a physical connection with the materials that I use, and for my work to generate moments of quiet that enable the audience to experience a sense of time, and a sense of place."
Carrie's current exhibition at Bridport Museum, Short Ends, is a response to the Sanctuary Rope & Net Collection researched during her residency at Bridport Museum in 2025. This residency forms part of her Time & Twine project, during which she is exploring rope as a three-dimensional line with the aim of “taking drawing off the page” and learning basketry techniques to make sculptures.
Join us for this small group session, sharing your own work, or simply discovering the work of others. Feel empowered with supportive and constructive feedback. Artists of all ages and stages welcome.
About Carrie Mason
Following a 20-year career in local government, Carrie Mason returned to education and studied Fine Art at the Arts University Bournemouth, graduating at MA level in 2017. Carrie is a member of the Drawing Research Group (Arts University Bournemouth) and Dorset Visual Arts (Salon Collective).
A bursary from DVA and b-side Festival in 2018 led to Carrie expanding her practice to include live action drawing, with Marking Time being performed daily for 9 days at the 2018 Festival. This led to being commissioned in 2019 to perform Silentia at the BEAF Festival and Pledge at two venues at the Dorset Moon Festival. Carrie was invited to perform Silentia at Field of Action, a Draw to Perform event and exhibition in London in 2022.
Residencies include Draw to Perform in Brighton (2018), the Prison Residencies (2021) and self directed residencies at Brisons Veor, Cornwall and Durlston Country Park, Dorset (2022).
In 2023 she was commissioned to make a sculpture for the b-side Festival and received a Turning Point bursary from aSpace arts which resulted in her first installation The Cure for Everything is Saltwater, Tears Sweat or the Sea being exhibited with supporting work in the group exhibition Present Tense at Gods House Tower, Southampton in February 2024.
She has also exhibited widely in group exhibitions including Black Swan Arts, Somerset, SW Printmaking Open, Devon; and Print International, Wrexham.
Exhibition open 2nd May - 16th July
Image credits:
1 - Carrie Mason, "Body of Water" (2024)
2 - Carrie Mason, "The Siren of Ropes & Dreams" (2023) Photo credit: Pete Millson
3 - Carrie Mason, "Salt On My Skin" (2022)
4 - Carrie Masom, "Time Well Spent" (2015)
5 - OSC Crit Night at TOSH
6 - Access BEAF Crit, artwork by Nicholas Teo
7 and 8 - OSC Crit Night at TOSH, artwork by Alba Risco
OSC: 'Show & Tell' Crit Nights
Are you keen to share your artwork - finished pieces or works-in-progress - with other creatives for useful, contstructive feedback?
Join us at TOSH on for our bi-monthly 'Show & Tell' Crit Nights, formed as part of our new artist development programme, Open School Creative (OSC).
Share your creative work, ideas, or concepts in one of our four informal sharing slots (5 mins sharing in whatever form suits you), or simply come along to discover new work and offer your thoughts in a safe, supportive space - alongside those from our rotating artist specialists.
What to share?
You might share a current project, or a past one that you'd like to learn from. You might tell us about your creative journey so far, looking for advice on what to do next. You could show your artwork, songs, songwriting, creative writing, a social media campaign idea, graphic design, interior design, illustration, storyboards, film, photography, fine art, portfolio, website design, social media, your branding and logos, your creative business idea, event / workshop ideas, ceramics, choreography, performance, craft, millinery, jewellery, costume, product design, animation, a commission in progress, creative research work... and more!
What ticket type do I need?
Choose a 'Share Work' ticket if you'd like to have some space to share with us, or an 'Audience' ticket if you'd rather just see what it's all about and offer some thoughts if you'd like to. Our Donation tickets support us to keep providing creative opportunities to the community, and our Community tickets support you when you need it most. We want our sessions to be accessible for all. If you would like a free Community ticket for this event, please drop us an email to contact@toshspace.co.uk for the ticket code.
About OSC
Open School Creative is a collaboration between BEAF Arts Co and TOSH (The Old School House) to support our community of artists and their artistic development at all stages of their career. OSC events and workshops are for artists interested in collaboration, skills development, community and networking.
Getting to us at TOSH
If you are coming by foot or by bus, take the M2 bus and get off near Boscanova if coming from Southbourne, or the stop after Aldi if coming from Poole and Bournemouth. If you are coming by car we would recommend parking in the sovereign centre car park.
Pokesdown for Boscombe train station is a 15-20 minute walk to TOSH, along Christchurch Road.
TOSH has accessible toilets and kitchen facilities. If you have any access needs you would like to let us know about, please feel free to email us: contact@toshspace.co.uk
