4 days ago5 min read

What's on and coming up...

Here's what's happening in our creative space, the Sail Loft, the NaviStitch shop, and on Manningtree High Street over the coming weeks...

Well firstly a Happy New Year!

🤩 We are hugely grateful to everyone that has supported us in 2024 - a big thank you to both customers and artists for sharing the journey with us. We hope you'll all be along for the voyage in 2025. Here's to those that we know, and those that we're yet to meet!

Housekeeping...

As you receive this, we'll be winging our way to warmer shores for a well-earned rest - the NaviStitch shop and Sail Loft Gallery are now closed until Wednesday 22nd January.

In other news, we've been looking at efficiency, and how best to serve you. We've loved being open all hours over Christmas but we also love having time to be able to work on commissions, source the best giftware, post out your online orders, meet with new artists, discover new outlets and we've spent this year assessing when you'd rather shop. So our new opening hours for 2025 are Wednesday-Saturday 10am-4pm. We really look forward to meeting you!

the Sail Loft...

Well what a Christmas we had in the Sail Loft Gallery! With around 40 different artists, we were delighted to host such an array of incredible Christmas fare! Thanks go to all of our superbly talented artists and makers, and also to YOU for visiting, for shopping, for supporting small businesses and buying locally this festive season. Did you know that, For every pound spent at a small or medium-sized business in the UK, around 63 pence stays in the local economy? That's how important it is that we all support each other. We're incredible grateful to be part of a fabulous community, with all of the shops and businesses in the smallest town in England supporting each other - here's to another fantastic year in Manningtree!

Next up...

We're excited for the first event of 2025 in our Sail Loft Gallery: our Pre-loved Art Sale. If you've got art that you no longer have love or space for, here's your opportunity to find a new owner to love it!

Either original art or numbered, limited edition prints - you can submit up to 5 pieces into our sale.

For buyers, what a great opportunity to find something rare, something unusual, or a total bargain?!

22nd January-15th February - find out all about it here

In the NaviStitch shop

Dick Martin was the lucky winner of the Swan Song painting, gifted by artist William Huntingdon and beautifully framed by our very own Nick Holyman Framing. Thanks to your generosity we have raised £722 for My Blue Pass. The raffle was run by Manningtree Rotary who will forward the funds.

And our Manningtree Christmas Card Competition, also raised £404 for the Rotary Club to distribute to local charities.

Thanks to all of you that bought tickets, voted and generally got involved! And thanks to the generous donors and artists.

News from Sam

I thought I'd add this section in as most of my news is about other artists' work and the NaviStitch shop - I'd like a little section to myself!

So, in exciting news, I'm launching a new Instagram account for my own work as an independent artist - I'd love it if you could give me a follow; I'll be posting lots of my own work - some nautical stitched art, but also my watercolour paintings, lino, textile, mixed media and digital art.

On that note, as you know, I also love working on commissions - here are three recent ones:

The first is a Norfolk Wherry on the Norfolk Broads. My coastal charts don't include details of the Norfolk broads but an OS map does the job perfectly;

The second design is a Boston Whaler and Cuttyhunk Island is off the Massachusetts Coast in the USA. The person that this was gifted to spent many childhood summers on Cuttyhunk Island and hopefully this will evoke some lovely memories;

And finally, the third design is a Salcombe Yawl - the hull colour and sail number are personal to the person that it is being gifted to. My customer who ordered the commission was delighted with it and even drove from Surrey to come and collect it. That's a very well thought out and considered gift.

If you're making memories and would like to celebrate them, or you know someone who's celebrating and would like to mark the occasion, think about commissioning a piece of nautical stitched art.

Take a look at how easy it is to order your own unique piece created from maritime charts, both new and old - many of them fairly local. Always ask if you're looking for somewhere special - I've a huge collection.

Now that we can also take orders for bespoke framing in-store, the whole thing's as easy

as 1-2-3!

Looking ahead...

When we return from our hols, we'll be opening up the application process for those of you who would like to exhibit work in our Spring Exhibition.

This year, the dates are 14th March to 12th April. Details of how to enter your work coming soon.

Add to your diary our preview evening on 14th March from 5pm-8pm when you'll get to meet some of the artists in the show.

If you're an artist or maker, we've now got our calendar open for 2025 bookings. Take a look at details of how to book

Think creatively too - our space is not just for individual exhibitions, consider collaborations - If you're a fledgling artist or maker and want to enter the world of exhibiting, let us know and we can help you with introductions, with display materials and with advice. We've got a whole host of events lined up with artists such as Ann Plummer, Peter McCarthy and Gina Sandford-Nash, as well as our Autumn Exhibition, our Affordable Art Fair and a Magical, Mystical Manningtree event. However, there are still lots of spaces for you to have your own exhibitions. Get in touch if you have any questions or want to come and take a look around.

And finally

Being closed for a while doesn't mean you can't have your fix of nautical stitched art - you'll find some of my nautical stitched work in both The Alma in Harwich, or in The Lord Nelson in Ipswich. My Etsy Shop is taking a break until our return on 17th January - you're welcome to purchase cards, gifts and unframed art online - all will be posted once we're back!