Preview: November’s neighbourhood art trails

November – a chilly, dark, gloomy month in which the Christmas shopping anxieties start to bite a little harder? Well, maybe: but, if you’re a Bristol art lover, November is also a busy and a hugely enjoyable time, hosting as it does two of the city’s biggest and oldest neighbourhood art trails.

The North Bristol Art Trail (Nov 28-29, 10am-6pm: preview night Nov 27) features over 100 artists displaying and selling their work in 50 homes, schools, churches and other venues across St Andrews, Bishopston, Westbury Park, Redland and Montpelier. As ever, a packed programme of performance, live music and family activities complements all the art.

The trail is as popular with its artists as it is with Bristol’s art lovers and Sunday strollers. “I remember the first Trail that I did being amazing – such lovely feedback,” recalls printmaker and NBA regular Mary Collett. “The Trail has really given me a focus for each year’s work.”

The level of accomplishment is always high. “Many of our artists are recognised at local, regional and national levels for their art, craft or design work, while others work on international commissions,” explains artist and Trail member Sarah Thorp. “For some of these ambitious, full-time artists, the Trail offers a network of like-minded people and also keeps them in contact with the public. The skills of North Bristol artists are wide and varied – from curating exhibitions, publishing books and starting new arts projects in education, to community support and public works. The North Bristol Art Trail is a time for every member to connect with the local community and share the wonderful wealth of art in the area.”

This year, NBA artists have made great contributions back into the Bristol community. The new Southmead Hospital has not only bought a permanent collection of local art from NBA artists but hosts an ongoing foyer exhibition that changes throughout the year. Elsewhere Art on the Platform, at Temple Meads station, is another setting for work by several NBA members, while many of the group’s members were chosen to paint one of this year’s flock of Shaun the Sheeps around town.

Totterdown’s Front Room art trail (Nov 20-22), meanwhile, is Bristol’s oldest (founded 2001) and, still, its biggest. 180 artists and makers, some nationally known, exhibit in 60 venues, and organisers expect around 5,000 visitors over the weekend. There’s also plenty of live music, performances, walkabout storytelling and more. This year’s theme is ‘hats’, in memory of local character Paul ‘The Hat’ who died earlier this year. Expect plenty of headwear-themed art and activities – as well as the usual top-notch range of painting, ceramics jewellery, textiles, photography, film, performance art and sculpture.

The millinery magic will include hat-making workshops with Emily Draws, colourful hat bunting string across the streets and a community event in Totterdown Square to build an enormous ‘Quangle Wangle’ hat, based on the Edward Lear poem. You’ll also find a hat hunt among the artists’ houses and venues, and a hat parade down through the woods of Arnos Vale culminating in a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the wonderful setting of the Anglican Chapel in Arnos Vale Cemetery.

This year’s Front Room has also gone interactive, offering free taster classes in (deep breath) pottery, painting, messy adult art play, drawing, needle felting, belly dancing, silk painting and more. Artist and Front Room Chair Mandy Willis explains: “Van Gogh said, ‘If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.’ We want to offer everyone the opportunity to have a go, learn a new skill, and challenge their own creativity.”

North Bristol Art Trail Nov 28-29, 10am-6pm: preview night Nov 27 www.northbristolartists.org.uk

Front Room Nov 20-22 www.frontroom.org.uk