SWAN HILL STUDIOS
Swan Hill Studios is a not-for-profit creative space in the heart of Shrewsbury, dedicated to supporting artists and fostering a vibrant artistic community. Housed in a characterful 18th-century building, the studio offers workspaces, exhibition opportunities, and collaborative programming. This summer, Swan Hill will launch a new series of artist-led workshops for all ages, delivered by members of The Circle, its resident artist network. Alongside this, the yearlong Creative Wellbeing Programme will continue in partnership with Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, offering free, supportive workshops for individuals living with and beyond cancer. They offer residency opportunities for both local and international artists wishing to engage with Shrewsbury’s cultural life.
All Roads Lead to Mother
An exhibition by Sam Pooley Stride and Daisy Pooley Tolkien Williams exploring motherhood and womanhood through a deeply personal lens.
4th July – 20th July
Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm
In a bold and intimately personal exhibition, All Roads Lead to Mother presents a deeply layered exploration of motherhood through the intertwined perspectives of mother and daughter artists, Sam Pooley Stride and Daisy Pooley Tolkien Williams. Spanning painting, sculpture, embroidery, ceramics, and assemblages of cherished objects d’art. This multimedia show is both a confessional and a celebration; a life’s work forged through shared experience and creative kinship.
The exhibition traces the complex, often unspoken dimensions of maternal identity: the vulnerability of teenage pregnancy, the grief of baby loss, the invisible battle of endometriosis, the yearning to become a mother, the complexities of parenting both within and outside of partnership, and the transformation of self through menopause.
In baring their souls, the artists transcend the personal, inviting audiences into a space of reflection, recognition, and healing. All Roads Lead to Mother is not only a tribute to the journey of motherhood but also a radical act of empathy and understanding — a show that asks us to look closely, feel deeply, and honour the many paths that lead us home.
