Brushes withWildlilfe

The third Brushes with Wildlife Art Competition and Exhibition, organised by Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorers and Bollington Arts Centre, culminated on Friday with ‘An Evening with The RSPB’. A full audience at Bollington Arts Centre included competition prize winners, Wildlife Explorer members and their families. The evening highlighted winning entries in both artwork and creative writing and showcased some short films on the work of the RSPB. From a fantastic selection of art entries the Overall Winner was announced as Imogen Walsh with her picture ‘Keel-billed Toucan’. In the poetry and prose section Overall Winner Henry Brett read his poem 'Gecko'.

The Brushes with Wildlife Exhibition celebrates the diversity of British Wildlife and this year, in support of The RSPB's 'Save the Sumatran Rainforest ' campaign, also included a category devoted to Rainforest Wildlife.

The Brushes with Wildlife Exhibition 2009 continues at Bollington Arts Centre on Sundays from 2 - 4.pm until December 13^th.

For more information about Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorers or to request a programme for next year please contact Tina Hanak on 07870 804413 or by e-mail wex@macclesfieldrspb.org.uk.

Details of how to purchase Christmas cards, Greetings cards and 2010 Calendars, including some of the prize winners and produced to commemorate this event, are available on the website www.macclesfieldrspb.org.uk.


Picture Imogen Walsh's 'Keel-billed Toucan'.

Something for the weekend?

Blimey theres talk of snow tomorrow. Freezing yes, but it would also be wonderfully festive for the switching on of the lights in Macc town centre. The MG&CT are supporting 'St. Ann's Hospice Christmas Tree of Light' on Saturday afternoon and the "Princess Parade".They have invited children of all ages to dress-up as princesses or any other fancy dress and follow Cinderella's coach along Chestergate from Churchill way up to the Xmas Tree .Leaves outside the Cookshop around 3 pm or tag along- along the route. After you've admired the handsome Christmas Tree you could pop into the cafe in St Micheals Church for a cuppa and a peep at the handsome stained glass windows.The loop is so pleased to see a real attempt at festivities in the town this year.

The Longden Gallery have their special Christmas Opening this weekend; the perfect place to source really unusual and unique gifts for those whom an M & S voucher just won't do.(image Julie Allen courtesy Longden Gallery).Ditto the Cheshire Open Studios also this weekend, when a number of Cheshire artists are inviting you to meet them in their own studios and buy from them direct. Have a look at their website to find who is throwing open the studio door and see the previous post regarding Yvonne Philipps and cake.You could also immerse yourself in festivities at Capesthorne Hall and admire this handsome Jacobean house decorated for |Christmas, with crafts for sale and mulled wine and mince pies in the Butlers Pantry.

For those of us for whom Christmas seems a long way a way still, treat yourself and get along to the final day of the current show Life on Mars at Likailin Gallery in Prestbury (see picture).

There is another Creative Sparks writing workshop at Bollington Art Centre on Saturday. 'When you are gone who will say my name?' How do we name? How do others name us?Another writing workshop with Gail Ashton. Take a packed lunch and sharpen your writing skills
There's a folk evening at Clonter Opera:

A night of testosterone with Belshazzar's Feast, followed by The Demon Barbers and an Evening of Song at the Heritage Centre.
Sat 28 Nov Creative Sparks workshop. £5 Bollington Art Centre To enrol, ring Gail on 01625 877804

CHRISTMAS AT CAPESTHORNE WITH CRAFTS 01625 861221www.capesthorne.com

Sat 28 Nov Folk at Clonter £16 www.clonteropera.com

Until Sat 28 Nov Likailin Gallery, Prestbury www.likailin.com

Cheshire Open Studios www.artistsatwork.org.uk

Longden Gallery Christmas Open weekend www.longdengallery.co.uk

Invitations

Two invitations from creative loop readers. Thank you.

'Open Studio at my home this weekend 28th and 29th November from 11am - 4pm.

To the cake eaters, I am making some more homemade cake, not that I am using tactics to get you here!

You are all welcome to visit me and see my work, and there are some new pieces to view.
8, Mill Lane,

Capesthorne.

Nr. Macclesfield,

Cheshire

SK11 9LB

all the best and hope to see you,

Yvonne Philipps
www.yvonnephillips.co.uk

You may remember Shaggy's picture of the interior of Christ Church in the Winter loop:

'Carl the owner of Kush Bar & Velvet Lounge has re-opened the Bate Hall & I wish him every success, especially as he has a dozen or so of my framed photo's for sale adorning his walls, mostly local shots! I hope you will at least check them out if in town while sipping on your pint or coffee, and if you are tempted to buy? even better.'

Good news about the Bate Hall, we'll get down and have a look. Thanks Shaggy. You can also see some of his pictures and those of other local photographers at Macclesfield Flickr. See link
Bate Hall, Chestergate, Macclesfield

Its Tuesday so there will be Pizza and Piano at the Baths Hotel in Macc tonight and the Virgin Marys are playing at Ronnie's tomorrow night (Wed) .One of the Janes will definitely have detoxed enough to be there. If you prefer a bit of theatre, 'Happily Ever after' is the latest Fallibroome High School performance for children 5-95 years old.....

Holly has very kindly sent us a personal recommendation :

'I wanted to let you know about a gig on Thursday this week, Alexis Maclean is playing at the Boarhound. She has played at WindyStock and Mind Body and Boogie this year. We think she is brilliant - http://www.myspace.com/alexismcleanmusic. The guide is brilliant and I have now joined the Monday knitting group at Kusch and really enjoyed the Northern Soul night a Ronnie's recently.' That's fantastic Holly that you are getting stuck in.

If theres something you love happening out there, make sure we know about it.

Thanks Yvonne for the picture of Jo at Storm last Saturday night.

Wed 25 Nov Virgin Marys Ronnies Bar, Dukes Court, Mill St.
01625 665050 For more info and December gigs: www.ronniesbar.co.uk
Thurs 26 Nov Alexis Maclean, the Boarhound Pub, Macc
Wed 25- Sat 28 7.30pm Happily Ever After, Fallibroome high School, Priory Lane, Macc 01625 627 258

Big loop party

Ofcourse It would have been nice to post yesterday about the tremendous evening we had at Storm Brewery on Saturday night. Unfortunately both the Janes were feeling a little 'liverish' the day after the Big loop Party. Perhaps it was the rhubarb and ginger cordial, swigged in quantity or the many irresistable pints of Gale Force downed, we can't be sure...those Spearings pies slipped down a treat too.
Any way here are some pictures, thanks Vera.

Many thanks to VG net (web design) for sponsoring this exuberant evening, huge thanks to the astonishing Butterfly Jam and various spontaneous guests. Loved Colin's harmonica playing , Dan's acoustic set and the charismatic verbal charms of Jo Bell and her poems. Thanks also to Reggae Dave for spinning the discs. What a night!

Thank you for all your support for the year of loop socials and your lovely texts and e mails about the Big loop Party.
We raised £260 for Macclesfield Barnaby Festival next June .






























VG Net vgnet.co.uk

Butterfly Jam www.myspace.com/butterflyjamspace
facebook.com-butterflyjam

Something for the weekend?

Mmm choices, choices... Where will you go? Well, you could start with a visit to the Clover Bank Farmers Market, at North Rode to buy some prime local produce. You'll need sustenance...

On Saturday, sparkling quintet Polyphonic Brass (image courtesy of www.polyphonicbrass.co.uk )play with soprano Jayne Carpenter at Macc Methodist Church; in aid of the Martyn Donaldson Music Trust. Begins at 7.30pm and tickets £9.
Prestbury Choral Society travel to Macc, to present Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn at St Michael’s Church. Begins at 7.30pm with tickets at £8.50/£7.50
The Solstice Strings Quartet, plays a programme including Haydn, Dutilleux and Beethoven at the Bollington Arts Centre. Begins 8pm with tickets at £12/£6.
Pianist and composer Paul Millns plays a solo concert at Macc Tennis Club in aid of East Cheshire Hospice. Begins 7.30pm and tickets £10 incl food.
For something heavier Rock at the Moss with Storm Brewing Co. presents The Brewery Bands Collective, featuring among others the Hot Bananas (they’ve been let out again). Doors open at 7.30pm with tickets at £5.
And as if it wasn’t enough the Mocc Lads (clearly a tribute band) play at the Swan With Two Necks.
And finally, lest you thought Sunday a day of rest Purple Haze play Ronnie's in aid of Pancreatic Cancer.

Please remember the wisdom of confirming details with the contacts listed below...
Macc Methodist Church
01625 433187/615298
St Michael’s Church, Market Place, Macc
01625 584337. www.prestburychoral.org
Bollington Art Centre.
01625 560355/575287
The Mcllroy Suite, Macc Town FC
Tickets from: MTFC, Music Magpie and Margin Music, and Storm Brewery.
Mac Tennis Club, The Learning Zone Park, Park Lane.
James Rouse: 01625 429954
Ronnie’s Bar, Duke’s Court, Macc
01625 665050 For more info and December gigs: www.ronniesbar.co.uk

Black Dogs and embroidery

At the Biddulph Arms tonight Martha Tilston returns and is back on the gigging circuit after giving birth to daughter Zennor. Martha will be joined by two members of her band The Woods....Tim Cottrell on mandolin and fiddle and Matt Tweed on bass and bouzouki. Also tonight you can catch Black Dog at Ronnies Bar and Straight from the Wood are playing at the Hollins on Friday night.

There is a one off showing of Broken Embraces at Cinemac tonight:
'Superlative Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar returns with a sumptuous mix of comedy, melodrama and thriller, and with the rich and satisfying themes often found in his films - passion, betrayal, lust and lots of Penelope Cruz. Broken Embraces is a film-within-a-film in which a writer loses both his sight and the love of his life, and "I defy anyone to watch it without pure moviegoing pleasure." The Guardian

If you fancy something a little less hispanic, join the Embroiders Guildfor a practical stitching session on Thursday.

Martha Tilston The Biddulph Arms Wed Nov 18, 8pm £12 tel Eric Cox o01782-514896
Black Dog at Ronnies www.ronnies-bar.co.uk
Embroiderers Guild St Johns Hall, Wilwick lane, 1.30-3.30 01625 610337
Straight from the Wood. The Hollins Nov The Hollins, 262 Black Rd 01625 424920

Cheshire Rhino mania

Rhino Mania: Call for Design Submissions

Artists, individuals and groups from across Cheshire are invited to put forward designs for Chester’s very own mass participation public art programme.

Rhino Mania is a celebration of arts, culture and the environment brought to you by Chester Renaissance who has collaborated with Wild in Art - the team who brought Go Superlambanana and Go Penguins to Liverpool.

From early July – for ten weeks – herds of rhinos, evocative of fun, creativity and self expression – will form a trail around the cultural and retail quarters, creating a ‘stampede’ to act as the visual centerpiece to highlight Chester’s extraordinary cultural offer.

Rhino Design and Artwork

Design proposals can be in any art form - from traditional to new media, from sound and video installations to poetry and photography. Designs should be appropriate for public display and family audiences. Designs that are overtly religious, political or sexual in nature will not be accepted.

Deadline for design submissions: Friday 29^th January 2010

Artist’s Packs can be downloaded from www.rhinomania.co.uk For further information please contact Amber Knipe at Chester Performs amber@chesterperforms.com or call 01244 409113 www.chesterperforms.com

Something for the weekend?

The loop went to the private view of the new exhibition at Jobling Gowler last night. As ever it is good to see them generously allowing their extensive offices to be used by the Moving Clay group of artists. Its a really diverse show; there are large moody landscapes by Lindi Kirwin and tiny detailed jewell like pictures by Jacki Clark. Please note its only open during the week. Picture: map jewellery by Liz Hamman @ Jobling Gowler.

Tonight ( Fri) you can hear Helen Walford and Dead River Disco at The Hollins whilst tomorrow Dazed and Confused play the Nags Head.

Tomorrow at Camp Four (how we love an unorthodox exhibition space!) Bollington artist Dean Entwistle shows his pictures and talks about them too. Bollington Art Centre Gallery are showing 'Brushes with wildlife' an exhibition by the RSPB on Sunday and there is a Craft Show at Redesmere .

Meanwhile back to Saturday night and the OPERA GALA at Clonter.This popular annual event offers the opportunity to hear talented young professional singers perform arias, duets and excerpts of well-loved operas.It is is the perfect introduction to opera for those new to this art form or, for regular opera goers, it is a chance to hear popular selections of opera and musical theatres.
There's a 70 minute supper interval, or alternatively you could book an indoor (phew!) picnic table and bring a picnic.

The NCO are in the Heritage Centre on Saturday with Alexandra Dariescu, piano playing Elgar, Mozart, Bartok and Haydn.

Helen Walford, Fri 13 Nov The Hollins, 262 Black Rd 01625 424920
Clonter Opera Gala Evening Sat 14 Nov £30, £35, £40 - Indoor Picnic Table: £2 /person
NCO Saturday, 14 Nov 7.30pm Heritage Centre, Roe St
Moving Clay at Jobling Gowler Mon-Fri 9-5 250 Park Lane, Macc
Bollington Art Centre see link below
Redesmere Crafts, Sun 15 Nov 10.30-4.30 Siddington Village Hall 01260 297087
Dean Entwistle @ CampFour, Sat 14 Nov 7.30pm Pickford St, free but booking essential 01625 619204

Cinema: and more market stuff

Thanks to 'J' for their comment on our previous post ( see below 7 Nov) about Macclesfield Market. 'I agree, I end up doing my family shop in Leek after visiting their market when I live in Macc ! so annoying. Bring it back and bring it back NOW!! ' J

And on another note:
At Cinemac until Sat 21 Nov. Please check their web site for times and dates of showings.
Note the Cinema is closed this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
image: Broken Embraces, courtesy cinemac

Christmas Carol (PG)
Broken Embraces (15) ( one showing)
Twilight: New Moon (12A)

Cinemac Heritage Centre Roe Street. Recorded Information: 01625 423535 Enquiries: 07871 422937 www.cinemac.org.uk.

Ticket time at MADS

Suddenly at Home. The next MADS production is a thriller where the audience will be asking themselves not ‘who done it’ but ‘will they get away with it’. Glen Howard is married to the wealthy Maggie who wants them to live in Bermuda, unhappy with the prospect and also at being ‘kept’ and ‘dependent’ on her, he devises an apparently foolproof plan to murder her, inherit her money and enjoy a new life whilst implicating Maggie’s former lover Sam as the prime suspect. Has Glen thought of every angle and covered his tracks well enough? A few twists and turns to the plot combine with the odd red herring....

30 Nov - 5 Dec £5 - £7.

Doors open 7 pm (perf 7.45 pm)

MADS Little Theatre, Lord Street, Macclesfield

Box Office 01625 611974 bookings open 12^th November (theatre club members),

16^th November (general bookings)

Photo courtesy of Nick Henshall.

From Auden to Zephania

Glad to see the baths Hotel are doing interesting things:

'For Poetry, Music, Prose & Song
Make a note in your diary & hurry along
to the Baths Hotel on Green Street
where old friends gather & new friends meet.
Darren Poyzer & Friends with a night to remember
from 8-30 p.m. onwards the11th November.
Bring a poem of your own or a favourite to share
and help us raise funds for those needing our care.'

Proceeds to "Pathways Treatment Centre ". A charity treating ex- servicemen for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Wed 11 Nov 8.30pm Baths Hotel, Green St, Macc

And you can catch the Virgin Marys at Ronnie's bar on Wednesday night too.
Ronnies www.ronnies-bar.co.uk www.myspace.com/thevirginmarys

Cure the Curriculum Blues

Eilidh Milnes, inspirational speaker and author of Love Your Life - Survive the System: A Teacher's Happiness Curriculum holds a motivational talk and book signing at Waterstone's Macclesfield on Tuesday 10 November at 6.30pm. The event is free but booking is recommended on: 01625 424212

Thanks to ' local shopper' for their comments about our previous post on Macclesfield market.

'Macclefield needs its market!! You don’t have to look far to see how a good market can have a positive impact! The return of a market in the square could encourage revival and civic pride before our “market town” becomes a ghost town! '
Lets have more of your thoughts on this.

Bluefunk: Woody Mann + Tom Doughty

'Another night of the very top drawer in acoustic wizardry. Woody Mann from New York has achieved legendary status for his consummate skills as a player. A truly amazing guitarist he was actually taught to play as a youth by the Rev. Gary Davies. Supported by the inspirational artistry of Tom Doughty on lap slide. Acoustictastic.'
11 Nov 8pm £10
Bluefunk @ the WMC
Park Lane, Poynton
Ticketline- 07818 884324 email- garrywhite10@yahoo.co.uk www.myspace.com/bluefunkblues

picture 'ghost market' by local Shopper
picture 'Woody Mann' courtesy Garry White

Winter loop / market in Macc

Your Winter loop is ready and has been sent out and should be with our regular readers.

If you haven't received it in your in box, and should have, two possible problems: your server has rejected the loop 'group mail out'.Remedy : put maccloop@googlemail in your address book.Still no joy? Drop us an email.

Or it could be that your initial is G or H. We have been quietly, (well actually there has been the occasional roar of frustration) going crazy as googlemail won't let us send them. Please don't give up we are on the case. If anyone knows a good way of mailing 1000 plus addresses without automatically being considered spam, we'd love to hear from you!

Apologies for the error in the winter loop performance listings which stated that Bollington Festival Players were putting on two pantos in the New Year. They are not ( who would do that to themselves?) theirs is "Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates" a family pantomime by Paul Reakes . You can contact them on festivalplayes1@btinternet.com. More details in the Christmas postings to follow.

Market in Macclesfield
Every one we speak to seems to be as puzzled as us. Isn’t it strange to be living in a market town with an ancient market tradition and yet no real market to speak of? The scattering of stalls in side streets and car park just don’t do the job. A market should be a destination, a reason to come to town, a social hub and a valued outlet for local growers and makers. We realise there are access issues, but wouldn’t it be great to see a regular buzzing market back in the Market Place? Maybe a monthly specialist market…..with textiles, wool, fabric buttons and vintage textiles. A Silk Market indeed!. Mmm what do you think?

Picture: Snake Pass. courtesy the White Gallery

Something for the weekend?

Plenty of good things happening this weekend. If you fancy a laugh, head to Bolly Comedy at BAC. Check first for tickets as its always a sell out. For a good reason...

There is a ceilidh with live band Striding Edge and a real Ale Bar at Park Royal School on Friday night if you want to stretch your legs.

Kems choir present an orchestral concert at St Michael's Church on Saturday or you can catch
Glass Ankle(see pic) playing at the Baths Hotel on Saturday night (free). You can find out more about them and their new EP( avail magpie music and macvintage) in tomorrows issue of the loop, which will be sent to you if you have given us your e mail address! (maccloop@googlemail.com).

A very different sort of music can be heard on Sunday in the charming King Edward St Chapel. Donovan Johnson is a full time pianist from the USA who specialises in classical and jazz .He'll be playing his 'beautiful New Age music to inspire the mind and lift the Spirit'. For further moments of contemplation, join the Rangers War and Remembrance Trail around the cemetary on Remembrance Sunday . discover some the stories behind those who have fallen in the service of their country.

Fri 6 Nov Bolly Comedy Doors and bar open 7.30. Show 8.15pm. Over 18s only. £8. (book early) Bollington Arts Centre 01625 560774 Bollycomedyclub@tiscali.co.uk
Fri 6 Nov Ceilidh, Park Royal School, Athey St, 8pm £10 inc ploughmans 07981 128454
Sat 7 Nov, Glass Ankle, Baths Hotel free
Sat 7 Nov KEMS St Michaels Curch,Market Place 7.30pm £10/£2.50
Sun 8 Nov, 7.30pm £5 kids free. King Edward St Chapel, King Edward st, Macc www.donovanjohnson.net
Sun 8 Nov 1-3pm Remembrance Walk. booking essential 01625 504505 The Cemetery Lodge, Prestbury Road, Macclesfield

Remember, remember

Lit & Phil: Change of venue

For the 5th November meeting (because of the temporary closure of Macclesfield Library) the Lit and Phil lecture will now be held in the Whitaker Room in the Heritage Centre, Macclesfield. Go along to listen to 'Free radicals and antioxidants: facts, fallacies and commercial interests' by Richard Bruckdorfer who is Professor Emeritus in Biochemistry at University College London. He has worked at the universities of Utrecht, Paris, Munich and Los Angeles and was on the Executive Committee of the Biochemical Society.

The meeting will be at the normal time of 7.30 pm.

And on a slightly more topical theme, I don't think Guy fawkes wasn't a free radical any way:

Bonfire & spectacular firework display

Organised by Henbury Parish Council

all proceeds to the millennium green trust.

Hot dog & drink incl.

Sat 7 Nov 5.30pm £5/ £2

Henbury Millennium Green

When did you last see a proper guy (Fawkes) sitting on a street corner? mmm....

Feed your senses

Theres an interesting talk at St Michaels tonight at 6.30: 'How we live-global issues we face today'. Its totally free.
Perhaps jazz is more your thing. If so head along to the Jazz and Blues Club at the Nags Head where the recordings are themed aropund '50 years of Ronnie scotts'. Did you catch that great programme on the box about it the other night?

Tomorrow sees the start of a diverse show at the White Gallery in Bollington with Carlo Eves paintings, pots by Chris Malins and paintings byMalcolm Croft. Highly recommened.

Mean while the latest exhibition at likailin Gallery starts on
Thursday in Prestbury. Another must see.
life on Mars @ Likailin


Carlo Eves and Malcolm Croft with ceramics by Chris Malins.
The White Gallery
4-21 November.
Weds/Thurs/Fri 10am-3pm. Sat 10am-5pm
13 Wellington Rd, Bollington
01625 260016

LiKailin Gallery
Life on Mars
Exhibition of 2 Japanese artists, Masak Sakurai and Daisaku Kawada.
5-28 Nov.
The Village, Prestbury
01625 827876
www.liKailin.com

Actors (amateurs) needed

Vagina Monologues:A word from the organiser of this brilliant project:

'Thought I'd let you know that we've had a really varied group of women come to our auditions so far.That said, we've heard a lot of anecdotal evidence of women who were interested in taking part but got busy / ill / cold feet and didn't make it to any of the three auditions, so we've decided to hold one additional one just to give these folks a last chance to take part.

We're stressing that it's very informal so people don't need to be scared, but we don't want people to regret not coming along so we're hoping this will coax those last few out of the woodwork.'

The extra audition will take place at the
Hollins Pub on Black Road this Wednesday (4 Nov) at 7pm. People can find out more at the website (www.vdaymacclesfield.co.uk) and join the Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=153615215945).

Also see this blog post for Wed 14 Oct.

Cinema: Cinemac

Up (U) 5.30 Mon 2: The Invention of Lying (12A) 8.00
Tues 3: Up (U) 5.30
Tues 3: The Invention of Lying (12A) 8.00
Weds 4: Up (U) 5.30
Weds 4: The Invention of Lying (12A) 8.00
Thurs 5: Up (U) 5.30
Thurs 5: The Invention of Lying (12A) 8.00
Fri 6: A Christmas Carol (PG) 5.30, 8.00
Sat 7: A Christmas Carol (PG) 3.00, 5.30, 8.00
Sun 8: A Christmas Carol (PG) 3.00, 5.30, 8.00
Mon 9: A Christmas Carol (PG) 5.30, 8.00
Tues 10: A Christmas Carol (PG) 5.30, 8.00
Weds 11: cinema closed
Thurs 12: A Christmas Carol (PG) 5.30, 8.00

The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, previously advertised at the cinema and on their website as playing from Mon 2 to Thurs 5, has been postponed.

Cinemac Heritage Centre Roe Street Macclesfield Recorded Information: 01625 423535
Enquiries: 07871 422937