ART, DESIGN + FILM STUDIO

CURRENTLY STEWING…

THE NEVER ENDING CANVAS

A COMMUNITY PROJECT FOR GENERATIONS OF ARTISTS

TO CONTRIBUTE TO ONE SINGLE CANVAS

THAT HAS NO END

NIL WASTE

INFINITE INTUITION

FOR THOSE THAT LOSE THEIR FOCUS…

NEVER STOP STIRRING

Inspired by the most intensely flavoursome soup known as a PERPETUAL STEW. With origins in medieval times, it has recently had a resurgence in a restaurant in Bangkok which has been stewing constantly since 1975.

It has never been off the heat. They have never stopped stirring, with generations of contributing flavour becoming more and more interesting and in depth every day.

How does this work?

Based in Stroud, Gloucestershire, we have designed a never-ending canvas using machinery recycled from mills and factories. We roll out and stretch the canvas by hand onto a table for artists to do their artisting on, either collaboratively or on their own until they feel like they’re done.

Because repetition is frankly boring.

 

Once a section is complete, it gets wound upwards to be air dried. Once dry, we will cut the fabric as we see fit to:

  • Exhibit and sell the completed works in art galleries, auctions and online platforms.

  • Create ground breaking art installations and sculpture.

  • Make one of a kind wearable art.

  • Re-upholster furniture.

The opportunities here are endless and we are committed to producing absolutely nil fabric waste. Once the roll runs out, we sew on the next roll and carry on.

A percentage of all profits will be given to a charity supporting mental health through creating art, as well as being put back into the stew so we can promote the talent and connect with fellow artists around the world.

And this is a particularly important ingredient:

We will be meticulously

documenting everything.

Rigged around the machinery will be a bespoke camera setup to capture at least three angles at all times. We will be producing non stop content, archiving our footage and creating a documentary style film as we go. This is how we get noticed. 

Who stirs the stew?

Hi! My name is Georgia and I am the very easily distracted brains behind Perpetual Stew.

I grew up in my Nana’s Weavers cottage in Stroud, Gloucestershire, a place of textile heritage. Before the Industrial Revolution, spinners and weavers would work in the cottages, supplied with wool or yarn by the clothier to whom the woven cloth would be returned for dyeing and finishing.

I am a self-confessed struggling creative human who has been very fortunate in life to break into the film business as a freelance Production Designer and Art Director in my mid 30’s through sheer determination and feeling like I really had nothing to lose. 

When it comes to my own art practice away from the day job, I struggle. I know that I’m not alone when I say that creative humans can often find it hard to focus on a definitive style or medium unless we have a specific reason. It can be overwhelming to feel limited by a single piece of paper or a square boxed in canvas that just feels very final.

When I have a brief, a collaborator, a deadline, A Reason - I am at my absolute best. Ironically, this project is precisely about not having a deadline, it’s very much about not having an end at all. I don’t like to make things easy for myself.

But most of all, this project is A Reason. For all of us to come together, be it an established artist or an enthusiast willing to get out of their comfort zone for a good cause.

Call it ADHD, call it simply a creative mind. Let’s make use of it.

Who are the artists?

What practices are we looking for?

We wish to work with every kind of artist, big or small, new or established, confident or shy. What’s special about this project is that you may well be contributing to a piece of the same art as a world renowned artist. Who knows? Perhaps they’re the artist before you. (We know).

It is particularly important to us to work with local students and community groups of all ages. Workshops, courses, educational talks and live grassroots music events will take place alongside the day to day art making.

We will stock as many art materials as we can and it is our wish for these to be from a natural source and made locally where possible. To begin with, we will be looking to work with the following art practices, though we are absolutely open to your suggestions or requests and very much expect this to evolve over time;

  • FREESTYLE PAINTING & DRAWING

  • BLOCK CARVING & PRINTING

  • TYPOGRAPHY

  • SCREEN PRINTING

  • EMBROIDERY

What are our core values?

  • Environmental Impact

    We will only use eco-friendly fabrics, paints and dyes, ensuring all art created has a use and a home. Absolutely nil waste.

  • Boosting The Economy

    By inspiring and giving a voice to people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in art forms and enable them to make money from their craft.

  • Education Within The Arts

    Those all important school years mean a lot to us and we are committed to provide training, workshops and classes to local schools and universities.

  • Community Involvement

    We start local. And ensure that communities close to us are heard and that the space becomes an all important part of the community for all ages and backgrounds.

  • Film + Photography Based Marketing

    We wish to be forward thinking in how we publish peoples work, archiving everything and looking to create films, documentaries and books along the way.

  • Cultural Diversity

    This is essential to ensure the art we are producing is representative of all cultures. It is one art piece created by endless cultural backgrounds and this is what we are most proud of.

  • International Involvement

    We believe in local communities and celebrating where we are from, but we also believe that we need to take this as far as we possibly can and create a community that takes us to unexpected places.

  • Celebrating Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions

    How many creative people do you know that suffer on a daily basis? Undiagnosed or not, we see you and support you. This project was inspired by your greatness.

NEWS

We have secured a space!

Based in central Stroud, Gloucestershire. If you are looking for an art studio space, we would love to share it with you. Please email perpetualstew@gmail.com.

Now we begin to take our research to the next level. It really is a blank canvas and we are incredibly excited to get things cooking.

Perpetual Stewdio

It is going to take us a bit of time to get set up, so in the meantime if you are looking for any bespoke prop, installation and construction makes that require a Production Designer and/or Art Director, we have a lot space to create in.

Please email Georgia at perpetualstewdio@gmail.com.

See Georgia’s freelance website here: www.georgiawestwood.com

We are looking for partners!

We are in the process of applying for funding, and are looking for partners and investors who want to stir the stew with us. We are interested in speaking to:

  • Established artists who could provide a vital platform.

  • Art and antique collectors of industrial machinery.

  • Investors who have extensive experience in running art galleries and auctions.

  • Producer Directors, editors and animators.

  • Traders of environmentally friendly fabrics, paints and pigments.

  • Furniture makers and upholsterers.

How else can you be involved?

We are currently fundraising to get this stew stewing.

If you have any questions or would like to be involved in some way we would love to hear from you.

Please do get in touch by sending us an email and follow along our journey below via:

EMAIL: perpetualstewdio@gmail.com

INSTAGRAM: @perpetualstewdio

SUBSTACK: @perpetualstewperpetualstew

Artists

We are also currently conducting market research to ensure we create the perfect canvas that works for all whilst being as environmentally friendly as possible. It would mean the world to us if you could fill out the questionnaire below: