Open Studios Tonight!

Hello!

I have returned from and amazing trip around a few of the islands that make up Indonesia. My visit included Bali, Lombok and Gili Trawangan, plus a brief stay in Jakarta which is on the island of Java. That's four islands out of nearly 2000 - I might have to go back to tackle some more. The weather was hot and the buildings and wildlife were beautiful and very inspiring.

When I finally got to my front door after 3 days of boats, taxi, plane and train travel, I couldn't wait to get drawing again. Firstly however I needed to begin the somewhat-bigger-than-anticipated task of preparing my living room for York Open Studios, which opens this evening.
Open Studio events are popping up all over the place, and for an artist they are a great opportunity to meet potential customers and have the chance to chat about our work directly, in a relaxed and casual setting. For the visitor it offers an exciting day of discovering working artist's studios, gaining insight into their working methods, and seeing artwork displayed in a more realistic home-like setting.

I have taken part in North Yorkshire Open Studios for the past two years, and have used the studios at ArtisOn, Masham where I teach workshops. So even though I have done open studios before, this will be the first time I have used my home, and been the only artist on site (previously I have shared with artists Ian Scott Massie, Charlotte Morrison and Josie Beszant) so I am very excited and a little nervous about how it will go. I have transformed the downstairs of the house into an exhibition space and will be demonstrating my work aswell. I also have the cake stand and teapots at the ready so my visitors can enjoy some refreshments while looking round (things always look better after a bit of cake, no?). I even have some brand new cards printed to add to the collection. Now all I need are customers!

 

If you are interested in visiting my studio, there is a preview this evening (April 4th) from 6pm - 9pm, then I will be open this and next weekend, Saturday 10am - 6pm and Sunday 11am - 5pm. For more information, including artists profiles and a handy map to plan your route, visit the York Open Studios website here.

I hope to see you over the next couple of weeks!
Rosie

Towers and Temples

Hello!

This month I have been working on a number of interesting commissions, both big and small. As well as finally getting the chance to work on one of my favourite buildings, The OXO Tower, I've been enjoying the challenge of working on an international piece based on Oregon.

 

I have also just started working on the piece based on the beautiful Mausoleum on the Brocklesby Estate, which I was lucky enough to visit this week. Apparently one of the best preserved buildings of it's kind, the Mausoleum, which is private but open to public on certain occasions, has some incredible carvings and an amazing interior, though sadly no electricity hence the slightly dull pics! I felt very privileged to be allowed off season access to such a breath taking building, despite it being a chilly 8am visit!

 

After a long break over summer I am suddenly back in workshop mode, with three different creative courses over as many weeks. Over the weekend I ran a collage course with some really impressive results, and next weekend I am getting all festive with my Christmas Cards, Tags and Decorative Papercrafts course. I've been preparing by making a few pretty examples, and it is certainly helping me accept the fact that winter is well and truly on it's way.

Meanwhile, I am a little late in announcing that I now have some work in the stunning Bils and Rye gallery in Nunnington. If you haven't ever visited I would thoroughly recommend it (not simply so you can see three of my location appropriate pieces). It was lovely to see the work of fellow papercutter Jimmy Brunt on display there, so I know I'm in good company.

That's it from me, wrap up warm!
Rosie

Open studios this weekend!

Hello!

Just a quick blog to show you what you'll be missing if you don't come and visit us at North Yorkshire Open Studios this weekend! I had great time last weekend, exhibiting alongside Charlotte Morrison, Ian Scott Massie and Josie Beszant in  the ArtisOn studios. We had some lovely visitors, and ate lots of delicious cake (homemade by us of course). Here's how things are looking...

 

 

 

 

This weekend we'll be doing it all over again, and then that's it for another year, so if you fancy popping in, checking out a great mix of work and having a chat with some coffee and cake, come down this weekend and see us! While you're in the area you can also visit Hester Cox in her studio in Masham, and pop into the gallery to see my exhibition Paperworks, which I assure you is definitely worth a visit.

North Yorkshire Open Studios

Hello!

I have been trying to get round to doing some blogging all week, as this weekend is the start of North Yorkshire Open Studios so I wanted to tell you all about it. But for that very reason, I have been snowed under with framing, packing cards and other exciting preparation, so I'm only just getting round to it!

This will be my second year taking part in Open Studios, a county-wide event involving artists and makers working in all mediums. It gives visitors a chance to see artists at work, in their own studios and homes, or in my case, in the wonderful ArtisOn studios just outside Masham. The event is free, though you may need your car if your planning to visit a number of studios as some of us are out in the sticks, but you'll get a nice warm welcome and maybe a cup of tea wherever you choose to go.

I had a great time last year exhibiting along side Charlotte Morrison, Josie Beszant and Ian Scott Massie (who is, of course, my dad). We got loads of lovely visitors, who enjoyed learning about our work and the ArtisOn studios, as well as eating the lovely array of homemade cakes we provided (honestly, baking for open studios is one of my favourite bits of the event). We'll be doing it all again this year so please drop by if you can. The event runs over the 8th/9th and the 15th/16th of June.




Charlotte Morrison





Josie Beszant



Ian Scott Massie

I have managed to gather together the largest ever collection of work, including lots of new pieces (like these ones below), and I can't wait to get over there and hang them! I am also going to be selling cards for the first time, so there will be lots to see.

Banqueting House, Studley Royal

The Temple, Allerton Castle

For more information on the event and the artists involved visit the NYOS site here. You will find maps, a list of artists to visit and much more.

I hope to see you at the weekend!

Opening Night...

Hello!

Last week I was enjoying a nice few days away in Norway, having a little bit of time off before a very busy week this week. The exhibition I have been organising at Masham Gallery is opening this evening, and I've spent the week hanging the show, arranging beautiful paper objects, printing prices and crossing my fingers for a successful preview evening! It was like Christmas in the gallery on Tuesday, unwrapping all the lovely deliveries from the Paperworks artists, and enjoying a cup of tea with Sarah Morpeth, who dropped this beautiful piece off.

Bee Book, Sarah Morpeth

I am really excited to be unveiling some new pieces of mine too, as over the last few months I've come up with a few pics that I'm particularly happy with. My personal favourite for this exhibition is this latest depiction of the banqueting house, Hackfall. I love this subject and have included it in pinned pieces, collages and prints before, but I think this piece is the best so far!

The opening of Paperworks is the first in a string of events over the next month - next week a small collection of my work will be on display in the lovely village of Saltaire for their Art Festival. I am taking part in their incredible Open Houses project, which allows visitors to take a tour around the homes of Saltaire residences as they display contemporary art and craft from a huge collection of artists and makers. The event runs over the whole bank holiday weekend, and I will be there on Sunday to chat to visitors. You can find me at 1 Myrtle Place!

The following weekend I'm tutoring Vintage Jewellery - From Drab to Fab with Josie Bezant at ArtisOn. We'll be covering so much that I can't possible detail it here, have a look at the ArtisOn site for more details. And finally.....for the middle two weekends in June I will be back at ArtisOn for North Yorkshire Open Studios! More on that soon.

So as you can see, a busy month is ahead. I better get to work. If you fancy a glass of wine and an exclusive first look at Paperworks, do drop by tonight to Masham Gallery at 7.30pm!

Have a great weekend
Rosie

Back to Workshops

Hello!

I postponed my usual Friday blog last week as I was busy preparing for my first workshop of the year, at ArtisOn, near Masham.
Having not taught in a few months I was a little nervous this time, even though I was teaching a popular course - papercutting. We had a great day, I had a lovely group of 9 and as always was thoroughly impressed with the results. One of the things I like most about my workshops is the way everyone interprets the projects differently. The brief I've given may be simple - for example, cutting out your own name, which is always the project I kick off with on my papercutting courses, but despite having never used a scalpel before, everyone always embellishes and pushes themselves. Here are some of the results from yesterday.

Later we moved on to cards and hanging decorations, and had a look at the amazing variety of artists working with paper today. I made sure to tell everyone that they could see some great examples of this in the Paperworks exhibition I've organised at Masham Gallery in May. All in all a great first workshop of 2013!

Later in the year I will be tutoring an Further Papercutting workshop, aimed at anyone with an interest in the medium who has had a little experience using a scalpel. This workshop will focus on a larger project, so you could come away with a larger and more ambitious piece of work. If you are interested in finding out more about this workshop, please contact me or ArtisOn and I will be happy to answer any queries. You do not need to have attended one of my introductory papercutting workshops to attend my Further Papercutting course, so if you have practiced papercutting at home this course will be perfect for you!

Well, back to work.

Have a great week!
Rosie x

Sharpen your cutting skills with an offer from ArtisOn...

Hello!

Lovely materials for collaging....

If you've been following my blog at all I would like to think that you are a fan of papercutting or collage (because frankly, the stuff on here that's just about me is pretty boring). If you have taken an interest in working with paper, and have ever entertained the thought of trying your hand, please allow me to alert you to a fantastic opportunity that you may want to treat yourself to...

This year I am running some brand new workshops at ArtisOn, the creative studios near Masham where I have been teaching one day courses for the last few years. As well as my popular papercutting course, I will be introducing a special collage course exploring this fantastic medium through projects inspired by some of the great collage artists. I will also be introducing a new further papercutting course, allowing those with a little bit of papercutting practice to hone their skills and take the next steps to mastering the medium.

Learn how to use recycled and unlikely materials...

The lovely people at ArtisOn have decided to celebrate this trio of papery workshops with an enticing offer:

Book my beginners papercutting course 'The Art of Papercutting' on March 10th, and my new collage course 'Collage: The Power of Paper' on March 23rd, and receive a whopping  

50% 

off my second papercutting course 'Further Papercutting: Handcut Cards and Decorations' on July 6th!

Thats right! Why not dive in to the world of paper art with 3 lovely days of relaxed learning, delicious food and socialising with fellow paper lovers? In each course I will take you through a number of inspiring projects, introduce you to essential materials and show you the world of papercutting and collage through the work some great artists. All this is intercut with regular coffee breaks, biscuits, cakes, and a delicious lunch. All in a beautiful rural setting. I know I'm biased, but honestly, you'll have a great time. So why not take advantage of this exclusive offer while you still can?

Mid-workshop in ArtisOn's main studio...

Some collage results!

For more information, visit the ArtisOn site and read more about each workshop, or contact via my website.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Rosie

Travels East and West

Hi!

I'm probably going to be spending most of today trying to unpack and tidy things after 9 days off, most of which was spend away, but I thought I'd send out a little blog about what I did on my holidays first...

Last weekend we went back to Saltburn, on the North East coast, for a few days of walking along the windswept beach, losing money in the arcade, and eating/drinking too much. Saltburn was as beautiful as ever and this time we got to use the water powered cliff lift which was very cool.

After recovering from our weekend at home for a couple of nights, we set out on journey number 2, this time heading west to the Lake District, for a couple of nights near Ambleside. Slightly damper weather this time, but still a wonderful little holiday with stunning views (and again, lots of food and drink). And I even got to see a couple of follies, like Claife Station (below), just above lake Windermere.

Back to work now, and my first job is to start preparing for my final workshop of 2012, which is in two weeks time. I haven't been paying much attention to the shops and tv, but it seems that Christmas really has landed and my workshop, Handmade Christmas Decorations and Papercraft, will certainly get you in the festive mood. Spaces are still available so check out the ArtisOn website if you're interested.

Lastly, my latest collection of work, which I've been generally referring to as my 'Pinned' pictures, will be on sale in Masham Gallery as part of their Treasure exhibition from next week, so if you're intrigued to see them close up, now's your chance!

Have a great week x