Exotic travels and the return

Hello!

By the time this blog reaches you I will be on the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia. By a stroke of amazing good fortune my partner Dave has had to go across the world for work, so we decided that it was the perfect opportunity to have our first proper holiday. The furthest I have ever travelled is Cyprus so I am looking forward to my first long-haul flight almost as much as the holiday itself! I shall be away for two weeks which means that as I write this (on the 13th of March) I am busily trying to get last minute holiday things sorted while also ensuring that I have everything ready for York Open Studios, which takes place only 4 days after I get home (4th/5th/6th and 12th/13th April)



The Octagon Tower, Studley Royal

In case you aren't familiar with the event York Open Studios runs over two consecutive weekends at the start of April, and gives visitors to the city the exclusive chance to see inside the workplaces of over 100 artists and makers in and around York. There is a complete guide to every artist taking part, and a map for you to plan your route with on the YOS website, and if you're in the area you'll probably have seen brochures and posters in shops and cafes everywhere. Every artist taking part will be selling their work as well as displaying it, so you may come away with a new piece of art when you visit.

The Gatehouse, Burton Agnes

I will be exhibiting a large collection of original papercuttings, along with cards and postcards, from my studio just outside the centre. There is ample parking nearby, and a number of other exhibitors a short walk from me, so I do hope you consider including me on your route. I shall be on hand every day to chat to visitors, demonstrate my working process and offer cups of tea and cake to everyone who comes to see me! I would also recommend popping in to see Pamela Knight who lives nearby me, along with the fascinating studios of Mark Hearld and Emily Sutton across town.

The Sledmere Monuments

The pieces I have included in this blog are all brand new and will be on display for the first time at my open studios. I will also have a large selection of work for 2013/2012, along with some new cards and postcards to sell.

Have a great few weeks, and I hope to see you in April!
Rosie

Mud, Rain and Frosty Follies

Hello!

I am have been on two adventures 'up the dales' in the last week in search of new (and old) subjects to work on, and have come up against all sort of undesirable weather. Last week I visited a stunning house near The Forbidden Corner to take some photos for a private commission. Having negotiated my way through some worryingly large puddles and temporarily been stuck in mud, I eventually was treated to the sight of a very handsome house and some incredible ancient ruins. I am being vague on purpose, as the piece is a commission so I can't reveal too much yet, but here is a photo of one of the many features to be included in the finished picture.

This morning I set off early from Masham (in the hope that I'd miss the rain) into Wensleydale to take a few snaps of the beautiful follies on along the A684. I was extra lucky today as there had been a light covering of snow which made everything look extra pretty. Along the way I snapped Polly Peachum's Tower, Bolton Hall Tower, The Swinithwaite Temple, Bolton Castle and the Sorrelsykes Farm Follies. I also managed to catch some hares merrily dancing about in a field! As a final treat (I probably shouldn't confess that this sort of thing is a treat for me) I caught sight of the arresting Azerley Tower on the back road to Ripon. A very satisfying morning indeed, and I did just about miss the rain.

 

In other news, I have completed my largest pinned picture to date. 'The Sledmere Monuments' and is the second piece this year exploring the East Riding of Yorkshire, an area that, despite living so near to it, I have never really investigated. The piece features the Eleanor Cross and the Waggoners Monument, along with the gate posts and stables of Sledmere House. I'm now designing a piece based on the gatehouse at Burton Agnes Hall, watch this space.

Don't forget I will have all my new work on display first at York Open Studios in April, and will be here over both weekends to chat to visitors, so please do pop in for a cup of tea and a browse.

That's all from me, stay warm and dry!

Rosie x

New Year

Happy New Year!

It's 2014, it's cold and it's about time I posted a new blog. Before Christmas I had a great time working on some interesting commissions (as you can see in my last post) and I am lucky to have a few more commissions to tide me over in the long quiet month of January. One of them is of Slenningford Park near West Tanfield, North Yorkshire. A handsome house not far from where I grew up, I have been driving past it for years but never stopped to look until now.

At this quiet time of year it's tempting to do very little, particularly when the weather is so dark and uninspiring. But I have to remind myself that although Spring feels like it's a long way off, it'll come around fast and with it my first big event of the year - York Open Studios. This is my first year doing YOS, and I can't wait to fill my living room with pictures and await visitors over the first two weekends of April. My stocks are low after a great few months of sales at the end of last year, so in between commissions I am getting on with finding new subjects and producing some new work. Following on from my exhibition Down Hidden Tracks in 2013, where I explored follies around North Yorkshire, I have begun by having a look at the stunning landscape of the Yorkshire Wolds, and some of the interesting buildings therein. At the moment I am particularly fascinated by the village of Sledmere, where you can't move for memorials, towers, sham-castles and temples. I am currently working on a large piece based on two of the memorials in Sledmere, including the amazing Waggoner's memorial (pictured), but I have a feeling this is the first of a number of pieces based on this lovely place.

A little further east of Sledmere, near to the sea, is the village of Carnaby, and tucked away up a narrow farm track is Carnaby Temple. I first came across the temple in a book of follies, and it instantly pricked my interest. There seem to be many stories surrounding it, apparently it was used as a sighting tower to aid smugglers coming in to Bridlington. I have also been told that the interior was decorated by paper cut outs, which seems appropriate for me! I love the way it sits amongst the endless flat fields catching the sun, and luckily when I came to visit it the weather was particularly beautiful (for January!).

I am also involved in North Yorkshire Open Studios and Art in the Pen this year, and more events will be confirmed soon, so keep reading!

Rosie x

Hi there!

As of last week I finally finished my commissions for Christmas, and although it's great to have got everything done, it was lovely to have so many interesting subjects to work on. It was especially nice to have a couple of challenges, such as tackling the subject of Oregon, and attempting to capture the incredible detail within the Brocklesby Park Mausoleum. I took a few snaps throughout the process of cutting and pinning so you can see some of the steps.

Oregon papercut, private commission

Rockingham Mausoleum, private commission

Brocklesby Mausoleum, initial drawing

 

Brocklesby Mausoleum in November.

Now the pictures are done I am getting a few unexciting but unavoidable chores done (such as printing off receipts) before a little break over Christmas. I am also trying to get some plans in place for 2014 - I am hoping that you will see my work in more galleries around Yorkshire over the next year, as well as at some more art fairs and open studios events. I will have to keep you posted!

For now have a great festive season!

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

New subjects

Hello!

October has been a bit of a disorganised month for me - I took some time off the visit beautiful Barcelona, then returned to start working on some much overdue pictures for a couple of galleries, while preparing for Masham Arts Festival and Crafted by Hand, my last event of the year. I still feel like I'm playing catch up, but I'm pleased to say that Crafted by Hand, which took place in Masham last Sunday, was brilliant. The town hall was packed from the stroke of 10am, and despite the crazy weather (at one point I glanced out of the window to see a traffic cone flying down the road) everyone seemed to be having a great time. And crucially, the sales were good! I've also had some of my work on display in St.Mary's Church as part of the arts festival in Masham this week, and was surprised and delighted to learn that my piece 'The Pineapple' has been sold. I'm so pleased it's found a new home, but I must admit I had a soft spot for that particular papercut  -  probably because of how long it took to make - and I will miss it!

So now I'm done with fairs etc for the year, which is just as well as I have lots of interesting commissions to work on, which are sure to keep me going until Christmas. Right now I'm tackling two very different towers; the OXO tower in London and the Rockingham Mausoleum at Wentworth Woodhouse.

Both are subjects I've thought about working on before, so to be commissioned to do so is a real treat. My next job is even more exciting - I'm going to be working on an American piece, based on a particularly beautiful state; Oregon. I've never been there so this is quite a challenge, but I have lots of helpful photos and guides, and it appears that you can't move for beautiful mountains, lakes, coastline and giant fir trees over there, so I think I'm going to have a great time working on it. It's a shame I can't get an all expenses paid trip to really get to grips with the subject, but never mind!

I'm also almost finished on some more local subjects for The Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge. I have been looking again at the lovely Gibson Mill, and come up with a couple of new pieces. Here's one of them.

That's all from me!
Rosie x

Autumn news

Hello!

As my last blog explained, September was a very busy month for me,with the opening of my exhibition Down Hidden Tracks, which I had been working on for a large part of the year. The last few weeks before the show opened were a little chaotic, but once we had everything on the walls I couldn't have been happier. I'm very pleased to say the exhibition went brilliantly, for me and Charlotte Morrison, who created a completely new series of beautiful porcelain ceramics, displayed alongside my collection of folly work (see pictures below). We had loads of enthusiastic visitors and I said farewell to some of my favourite pieces, like this one of Fisher's Hall.

Through the Trees too Fisher's Hall

 

 

 

Also in September was the opening of the New Lights exhibition at The Mercer gallery in Harrogate. I was thrilled to have two pieces shortlisted for this prestigious prize, and although I didn't win, it's great to have my work on display in a public gallery. The exhibition will stay at The Mercer until November.

The Treasurer's House, York - on Display at The Mercer, Harrogate

So now on to October, and it's a quiet start for me. Long ago, in the early stages of planning for Down Hidden Tracks I decided that I'd take a little holiday once the exhibition was over, and now that time has finally arrived! I'm off to Barcelona, one of my favourite places, but I shall be back to work soon to start preparing for my next event, Crafted by Hand. This one day art fair is only in it's second year, but has already gained a fantastic reputation for it's high standard to unusual, contemporary art and craft. Last year I made a papercut installation for the event, which greeted visitors as they walked into Masham Town Hall. This time I've got my own stall, and will be amongst the likes of Vinegar and Brown Paper, Adele Taylor Jewellery, and my good friend Charlotte Morrison, who is also one of the organisers of the event. I can't wait! Crafted by Hand is on October 27th, and runs alongside the Masham Arts Festival. I will also have my work on display at St.Mary's Church in Masham, as part of the festival's week long art exhibition, so if you would like to see some of my latest work up close, you know where to go.

Polly Peachum's Tower

That's it from me, have a great October!
Rosie