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

Hello!

This week I've spent the majority of my time preparing for my forthcoming exhibition at Fountain's Abbey called Down Hidden Tracks. It's a joint exhibition with ceramic artist Charlotte Morrison, with whom I have exhibited at North Yorkshire Open Studios for the past two years.
My side of the exhibition follows my work on follies and other unusual buildings around the north. I am now at the point where I'm working on my last few pieces for the exhibition. There are some subjects that I really wanted to include, so I am desperately trying to find time to work on them. One of them is Polly Peachum's Tower, which can  be seen on from the road between Leyburn and Aysgarth In Wensleydale. In fact, one of the best views is from the churchyard in the village of Wensley, where I took a few snaps a few weeks ago while helping my dad Ian Scott Massie hang his current exhibition in the church there. I used the view from the churchyard (complete with gravestones) to make this piece. The tower has it's own unusual little story, as do so many of the buildings I have been working on, read more about it here.

The exhibition will be a mixure of wall hung work (mine) and 3D ceramics (Charlotte's) and will be on display in the beautiful Fountain's Hall, a short walk from the Abbey itself, between the 13th and the 26th of September. Charlotte and I will be there everyday to welcome visitors, so please do drop by.

In other news, I shall be exhibiting next weekend at Art in the Pen in Skipton. This will be my second year, and I'm really looking forward to meeting lots of people, and checking out the other artist's pens. There are over 120 artists and makers exhibiting and selling their work, and it's only £2 to get in, so how can you resist? Art in the Pen opens with a special evening preview on Friday August 16th, and runs 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

One last exciting snippet before I go...I am very excited to tell you that my piece 'The Temple, Allerton Castle', has been shortlisted for the New Lights Art Prize. My work, along with 49 other artists from around the north, will be on display at The Mercer gallery, Harrogate from September 20th, and I am in with a chance of winning one of the amazing list of prizes. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.....

 

That's all for now, have good weekend!
Rosie x

Sunny visits and new exhibitions

Hello there!

Now that I'm thoroughly settled into my studio I have started working on a number of new pieces in preparation for my forthcoming exhibition Down Hidden Tracks. Having done a fair few small pieces so far, I have got stuck in with some larger projects, one of which I got finished today. A few weeks ago we took a lovely trip to Duncombe Park in Helmsley, where I dropped off my picture 'The Terrace Temples' to Mr.Duncombe himself! It is lovely to know that the piece is going to be displayed in the very place it's based on, and a huge compliment that someone so familiar with the temples likes the work. After handing over the picture we took a walk around the grounds and visited the temples in question, and I felt immediately inspired to start another papercut. The Ionic temple looked lovely in the sun and there was cow parsley everywhere - here is a snap I took on the day and my finished picture.

 

Tomorrow I am heading over to Wensleydale to assist in the hanging of my dad's solo exhibition Tales of the Dales. The exhibition, which officially opens on Saturday, July 27th, is inspired by stories, myths and rumours from the dales and moors. The exhibition of paintings and prints will be on display at Wensley Church until August 11th. I shall be enjoying a glass of wine at the church tomorrow evening for the exhibition preview, where an accompanying book about the exhibition is also being launched.

Finally, I have now finished my piece on the Triangular Lodge at Rushton. I'm very pleased with the piece, but is has given me some ideas around using a darker colour in the background, to ensure that the detail doesn't get lost. What do you think?

Have a great weekend!

Rosie x

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!

Spring inspiration

Hello!

I have been neglecting the old blog for the last few weeks. Things have been fairly busy - firstly finishing my Cambridge collection, which was finally dropped off at Cambridge Contemporary Art at the end of March, then getting back to work on my forthcoming exhibition Paperworks at Masham Gallery. For this exhibition I've made a great little collection of new pinned pieces, and for the first time in nearly a year, a new giant map collage! This piece is inspired by spring, and the beautiful array of unusual buildings and stunning landscapes on the road between Leyburn and Aysgarth in Wensleydale. You'll have to come along to the exhibition, opening on May 18th, to see exactly which places I've included in the piece, but one thing you can clearly see here is that I've included one of my favourite features - a hot air balloon!

I'm also starting to prepare for the North Yorkshire Open Studios, which runs during to the middle two weekends of June this year. This will be my second open studios event, and again I will be exhibiting at ArtisOn along with Ian Scott Massie, Josie Beszant and Charlotte Morrison. I'm planning to have lots of new pieces (including some new linocuts hopefully) on display so you better come down and visit me. Visit the NYOS website to see all the other artists taking part and plan your route!

Well, better get cracking.

Have a good weekend!
Rosie x

Events...

Hi there!

I've had a busy few weeks, though I must confess it hasn't all been work related. I actually spent a very pleasant week on a canal boat which was a new experience for me. I can now say that I've been responsible for crashing a 55 foot long boat into a not one but two other boats. Woops.

I had to earn my holiday though, as just before it I went to Art in the Pen in Skipton for the first time, which was great! Lots of visitors, and it was great to meet lots of other artists and makers (and see a few I already knew) and see everyone's beautiful pens (like those of Charlotte Morrison, Hester Cox and Ian Scott Massie, below)

Next I'm off to the Saltaire Maker's Fair at the Victoria Hall on September 8th. It's a one day contemporary art fair, part of Saltaire's annual festival. This is another new experience for me and I'm really looking forward to it. The selection of artists also exhibiting looks great so I'll have to be careful not to spend any money before I've made any!


Lastly, I am just starting work on my biggest piece to date. I've been asked to create and installation to welcome visitors to the Crafted by Hand event in Masham town hall on October 8th. This is a one-day contemporary maker's fair featuring the cream of British artists and crafts people, and this is it's first year. I shall be making a large scale papercut piece for the entrance/lobby of the town hall, which will in part be inspired by the town hall's fantastic flock wall paper. That's all I'm going to give away for now....

Bye!

Edges of the World

Hello there!

Edge of the world - the exhibition I have organised and curated for Masham Gallery, opening on Friday and we enjoyed a lovely bustling preview evening. It was great to have two of the exhibition's artists there - Lesley Birch and Ian Scott Massie, and the feedback from the show was all very positive. The exhibition will now run until August 31st, so please pop by if you can. Here's a little taster though of how things are looking....

And speaking of edges of the world..... I have just returned from my second visit to Norway. As you may remember, I stayed in a lovely cabin with some friends last year. We all went back again and this time I got to see a bit more of the little Island of Asmaloy (in the Hvaler region) during a little walk to the local lighthouse (watch this place for a new lighthouse linocut!).

I don't mean to rub it in, but it was beautiful. And the weather was good. Sorry.

Looking forward to seeing you at Edge of the World soon!

Rosie

Edge of the World

Hello,

This year, maybe due to the unpredictable weather, I've been finding it difficult to keep track of time! Suddenly we are (apparently) well into summer, and things that I've been thinking are way ahead in the future are suddenly right round the corner. Take Edge of the World for example, the forthcoming exhibition at The Gallery, Masham, organised and curated by me!

Mixed media, Winifred Hodge

Edge of the World is a contemporary landscape exhibition, specifically inspired by remote, overlooked and isolated places. Featuring seven incredible artists working in a variety of media, It's shaping up to be a fantastic visual treat.

Oil on Canvas, Gareth Buxton

When coming up with the concept for the exhibition, I wanted to take a popular theme - landscape art - but try something a little different with it. As anyone who knows Yorkshire and the north will know, there are countless recognisable landmarks and historically breathtaking views around here, but instead of focusing on the places we already know and love, I thought it would be interesting to explore the places that are less known, but just as beautiful. My initial inspiration, both for the title and the theme, came from the 1937 Micheal Powell film The Edge of the World, set on a rugged and remote Shetland isle.

Mixed Media, Pamela Knight

The exhibition, which opens in a few short weeks on July 21st, includes work by
Pamela Knight
Winifred Hodge
Catherine Sutcliffe-Fuller
Gareth Buxton
Ian Scott Massie
Heather Gatt 
and Lesley Birch.

Work has started arriving at The Gallery, ready for hanging in a few weeks, and it already promises to be a brilliant show. So please do come along!

Mixed Media, Lesley Birch

We will be having a preview for Edge of the World on Friday the 20th of July at The Gallery, where you can enjoy a first-look, a glass of wine, and meet some of the artists involved. I look forward to seeing you there.

Rosie x

New Term...

Hello!

I have just returned from a lovely week off, during which I celebrated my 26th birthday in the beautiful town of Bruges!

It's been great having a break, but now the summer term has started (for me anyway) and there is lots to do.

This Friday a Close to Home, an exhibition I am involved with, opens at The Gallery in Masham. The exhibition supports the work of Herriot Hospice Homecare, a local charity helping house-bound patients around the hambleton district. I will be exhibiting three new pieces, and will be sharing the space with a group of contemporary artists from around Yorkshire and the north, including Angie Rogers and Elizabeth Price. The preview opens on Friday night at 7.30pm, please come down and join us for a glass of wine.

I can't quite believe it, but in only four short weeks the North Yorkshire Open Studios will begin. In case you haven't heard, over two weekends in June artists from all over the county will be opening their doors to visitors (and potential customers), and giving people a rare chance to see inside their studios, have a chat, and maybe even a cup of tea. This is my first year taking part in NYOS, and I'm really excited to by using the studio spaces at ArtisOn, near Masham to display my work. I shall be sharing the venue with 3 other great artists, Charlotte Morrison (ceramics), Josie Beszant (collage/assemblage), and Ian Scott Massie (painter/printmaker and incidentally, my dad!). Please please come along to visit us, enjoy some tea and cake, and watch us do some demonstations of our work.

North Yorkshire Open Studios: June 9th/10th and 16th/17th, studio opening times 10.30am - 5.30pm.

For more information on us, or the many other fantastic artists taking part, and a map so you can plan your route, visit the NYOS website here.

I better get on with preparing some work. Bye!

Rosie x