Evanga Studios Donna Vokes

Artist Donna Vokes has been accepted to exhibit her work in the Re-imagining Treasures of Hyde Abbey, a contemporary visual arts exhibition in Winchester that will bring together a wide variety of artists who have taken inspiration from the historical and spiritual significance of the Abbey. The Exhibition will mark the 900th anniversary of the opening of Hyde Abbey which was constructed to house the bones of King Alfred the Great, his wife and son.

My research of Hyde Abbey gathered by visits to the Record Office, Library, Cathedral, City Museum and the internet has provided me with a valuable insight into the history behind the abbey, the way of life centered around the abbey from the royals to the monks and the architecture behind places of worship in England.  It has given me a strong foundation to my proposal. My response to this project is to create something that will represent art, faith, culture and history.

Using French knitting methods will create a delicate and soft form for the bells. By using such a light and ephemeral material I hope to evoke a feeling of memory and loss in respect of the bells at the Hyde abbey.