The Joys of Spring

Hi there,

Spring is certainly in the air here in Masham; the weather is beautiful, the flowers are out, and The Gallery is  full to bursting with new things!

As well as freshly replenished supplies from some of our already loved makers such as Simon Griffiths (owls), Lush Designs (lampshades) and Katie Almond (ceramics), we have some new pottery all the way from the Isle of Wight, and a few new notebook ranges to add to our ever-growing selection. Read on for more.

Spring Ceramics…

Fancy a tea party in the garden? If the mood takes you we have a lovely range of new ceramics in stock, including new pieces from Katie Almond and Charlotte Morrison..

And introducing Tregear pottery from the Isle of Wight. These pretty pieces first caught our eye at the British Craft Trade Fair last year, and we love the seaside-inspired colours and beachy designs.

Get creative…

Are you a literary genius? Me neither – but I’m sure with the perfect notebook in which to jot down my thoughts, I could be! And thanks to our new collections of artist-designed sketchbooks from St.Judes and hand-embroidered covered notebooks from Oscar and Toots, along with our Artbox and Kate Bowles books, I think we can safely say we have a book for everyone.

But why buy a book when you can build one? Homeward Bound books have made Book in a Box – everything you need to make your own unique notebook, complete with recycled paper pages. A great easter holiday project for children and adults, available in a range of colours.

We hope all this will keep you busy for the month of April, but don’t forget this date for your May diary too. Our first exhibition this year, Close to Home, opens on May 19th, and features work by Janis Goodman, Elizabeth Price, Josie Beszant, Rosie Scott-Massie, Colin Smithson, Vic Sayers, Wendy Tate, Helen Peyton and Angie Rogers. Don’t miss it!

So enjoy the weather, and enjoy your chocolate eggs, and don’t forget to drop in to see us!

Trace – Exhibition Update

We were very excited last week as our latest exhibition – Trace – opened on Friday evening. The preview was really well attended, and we’ve had lots of enthusiastic feedback from visitors intrigued by the delicate ceramics and intricate paper jewellery. The exhibition features work from four artists who are familiar to The Gallery; Josie Beszant, Rosie Scott-Massie, Amanda Mercer and Charlotte Morrison, and two artists who are new to Masham; Phiona Richards and Angela Davies.

Here are a few tempting shots of Trace…

Trace is on display until September the 26th. For more information on our current/forthcoming exhibitions, click here.

How to make an Impression…

Hi!

Anyone following our facebook page will know by now that ‘Impression’, our printmaking exhibition, opened on Friday last week. Featuring work from five completely different printmakers, the exhibition really has something for everyone, and was really fun to hang. Part of the aim of this show was to explore the incredible range of processes in printmaking – from etching to solarplates, collagraphs to linocuts, each method uses different materials and produces different textures and effects. It’s great to see the results first hand, so why not pay us a visit? But if you haven’t got a chance to do that, here’s a brief explanation of some of the printmaking methods featured in Impression, and the artists that use them…

Collagraph

In the true sense of the word, a collagraph is a print made from a collage but it has become a more general term for mixed-media printmaking. The plate, which is usually made from board or stiff card, is collaged onto with textured materials (such as leaves, feathers, sand and PVA glue), or cut into which will create definitions in colour. The plate is then sealed (varnished), ink is applied and the plate is passed through a press on top of a piece of damp paper. This method is commonly used by printmaker Hester Cox.

Linocuts and woodcuts

Woodcuts are created using a plank of wood or plywood on which the artist draws a design and then carves away the wood in the parts of the picture that are not to be printed. The raised surface retains some of the pattern of the wood grain which shows up in the finished prints. Ink is applied with a roller and the image is transferred by apply pressure using a press or by hand. Linoleum cuts, or lino cuts, are almost identical to woodcuts.  Angie Roger’s beautiful birds are achieved through woodcuts, and Helen Peyton’s cooker is created using lino cuts.

Etching

Etching is a method of making prints from a metal plate, usually copper, into which the design has been incised by acid. The copperplate is first coated with an acid-resistant substance, called the etching ground, through which the design is drawn with a sharp tool.

The plate is then exposed to acid, which eats away those areas of the plate unprotected by the ground, forming a pattern of recessed lines. These lines hold the ink, and, when the plate is applied to moist paper, the design transfers to the paper, making a finished print.

Printmakers Catherine Sutcliffe-Fuller and Janis Goodman both use this process in their work.

Impression is on display until August the 15th, so don’t miss it!

Trace

Our next exhibition begins on the 26th of August, and has been organised by me (Rosie)! Titled ‘Trace’ this show will feature a plethora of skills from a handful of brilliant artists and makers, all responding to the many meanings of the title. Ceramics, jewellery, collage, painting, and  papercraft from Charlotte Morrison, Josie Beszant, Amanda Mercer, Phiona Richards, Angela Davies and Rosie Scott-Massie. Just to tempt you in, here are a few examples of what will be on offer…

Have a great month, we look forward to seeing you soon!

North Yorkshire Open Studios

NYOS Update!

I hope you managed to get over to Masham this weekend to check out the Open Studios (more info below). If not, do not fear! Open Studios is open again next weekend for two days. But after that, it’s gone for another year, so cancel any plans you have for next friday and saturday, grab your NYOS guide and plan a route. And most importantly, don’t forget to visit Masham. Up at ArtisOn this weekend, locally-based artists Ian Scott-Massie, Josie Beszant and Charlotte Morrison have been chatting to visitors, displaying their work and demonstrating their artistic skills. To tempt you into visiting next weekend, here are a few snaps of the work on show…

Get down there before its too late. North Yorkshire Open Studios continues on the 18th and 19th of June, 10.30am – 5.30pm.

Please note: the rest of this blog entry was written before NYOS began, so some of it may sound a little out of date!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the bank holiday weekend and are currently enjoying the beautiful weather! Thinking of visiting Masham in the next few weeks? Want to know what’s going on in the area? Allow me to suggest something…

 North Yorkshire Open Studios is about to take place over the 2nd and 3rd weekends in June. Artists from all over the county open their doors and allow curious visitors to see them at work, and maybe even invest in an original work straight from it’s creator. Here in Masham we have 4 artists involved in the event, 3 of which have chosen to display their work, and give demonstrations, at our local creative arts venue, ArtisOn.

Here are the artists you can see during Open Studios…

Ian Scott Massie

Ian’s vibrant landscapes are on display in galleries around the country, but his principal outlet is The Gallery. His work often focuses on specific towns, cities and individual buildings around The Dales and the North. Previous themed exhibitions have included the buildings of York, Fountains Abbey, and the Lake District.

Josie Beszant

Josie uses old photographs as a starting point in much of  her work. Focusing on the anonymous people in these pictures, Josie uses collage techniques and a range of two and three-dimensional objects to suggest a hidden story, and create an identity.

Josie has exhibited her work in galleries and arts venues around Yorkshire and The North. She also owns and manages The Gallery.

Charlotte Morrison

Charlotte hand-builds her quirky decorative and functional objects from porcelain, and often embellishes them with unusual textures or hand painted designs. Historical events, and Victorian style is the main inspiration behind her work, and many of the textures found in her teacups, buttons and tealight-holders are created by pressing vintage objects such as keys and wall-paper into the soft clay.

Charlotte has been commissioned by NYOS to design a limited edition teacup specially for the open studios event. The commission was open to any artists in the area, and is based on the theme ‘Time for Tea’. Charlotte’s Custard Tart-inspired cup and saucer was the winning entry, and the cup is one sale at carious venues throughout the two week period, including The Gallery.

Charlotte, Ian and Josie are all displaying their work at ArtisOn during the open studios event.

Hester Cox

Hester has been involved with the open studios for the last few years, and invites visitors to her home in Masham, where her front room serves as a permanent studio. Hester designs limited edition collagraph and solarplate prints that are inspired by the natural landscape. The process involved in creating each print is lengthy and complex, and during the open studios event visitors will be able to see the tools involved and the various stages the print goes through before completion.

North Yorkshire Open Studios opens on Friday June 10th, and runs over the weekend. The studios are then open again for the following weekend (commencing June the 18th). On the evening of Friday the 10th, an evening preview will be held at ArtisOn, if you fancy popping along for a glass of wine. During this evening event ArtisOn will also be launching their second 2011 course schedule, and a 10% discount will be available to visitors who book a course on the night!

In fact, Masham is awash with arty events that evening, as Border House Teas on Masham market place is holding a book signing for local based renowned water-colourist Simon Palmer, who has released a retrospective book of paintings. Books will be available on the evening, and subsequently at The Gallery. So if you’re thinking of visiting Masham and The Dales in the next few weeks, you know when to come for a weekend of culture!

Tea and Sympathy

Hi,

Welcome to the May blog for The Gallery!

This month we are excited preparing for the opening of our first 2011 exhibition, Tea and Sympathy. The show opens next Friday, and features a number of artists new to The Gallery. To get a little sneak-peek at what to expect, check out the artist profiles below.

For this exhibition, we were inspired by the North Yorkshire Open Studios 2011 theme of tea, and decided to expand on this, by inviting artists to create work not only about tea and teapots, but about how tea plays an important part in everyday life.

Many of the artists involved have explored the way tea is used to comfort as well as to socialise and relax, and have focused on the human relationships formed around a pot of tea…

Her are some of the artists involved in Tea and Sympathy.

Tea and Sympathy:

Our first show this year features an eclectic group of artists from all over the country, many of whom have never exhibited in The Gallery before. The exhibition is all about tea, and runs alongside the North Yorkshire Open Studios I  June, which shares the theme.

Tea and Sympathy will feature work by …

Priscilla Jones

Priscilla has been producing contemporary stitched mixed media pieces in 2D and 3D since completing her degree in Embroidery at Manchester Metropolitan University in 1997. As well as selling her work through galleries across the UK, she also teaches textiles workshops, and runs The Edge gallery in Lancaster.

Harriet Quilty

Harriet has recently graduated from Cambridge School of Art with a BA in Illustation, and now sells her quirky drawings through galleries and commissions. Harriet uses pencil, paint, collage and digital techniques to create her vivid illustations.

Vic Sayers

Vic is an artist and illustrator based in York. As well as figurative illustration, Vic also creates landscape paintings and block-prints. The pieces here were produced specially for this exhibition

‘Tea and sympathy’ speaks to me of human relations; the primal, hard-wired need to interact with one another and the etiquette and social boundaries that circumscribe that contact. Many of my drawings celebrate caring for each other. Others mourn for those that have to make do without tea and sympathy.’

Jennifer Mackie

Jennifer studied Illustration and printmaking at Jordanstone Collage of Art in Dundee. In 2001 Jennifer won the Sekalski prize for Printmaking.

Jennifer works in relief printmaking, carving into sheets of linoleum to create her designs.

 ‘Relief printmaking has always appealed to my temperament. I find I have an affinity with the straightforward, informal process involved…I work to communicate through my printmaking – aiming for a sense of warmth, joy and sometimes humour in my work.’

Rosie Scott-Massie

Rosie Studied Fine Art at Cumbria institute of the Arts, Carlisle, and has since exhibited her illustrative collages in galleries around the north.

Rosie’s work explores the sense of a place, rather than the place itself. Using objects which can often evoke feelings of nostalgia for past journeys or adventures, such as maps, stamps and postcards, Rosie uses intricate paper-cutting techniques and collage to recreate places as we remember them, depicting dreamlike landscapes  punctuated with places of significance, rather than an accurate interpretation of the location itself.

Rosie lives and works in York.

Viv Smith

Viv originally trained as a potter, but became interested in making jewellery, and decided to study silversmithing. After pursuing a career in teaching for 34 years, Viv now produces her fun cupcake jewellery from silver and oxidised copper sheets and solder, in her studio.

Karen Turner

Karen is a designer/maker based in Northhamptonshire. Her main focus is ceramics and sculpture, both functional and decorative. For Tea and Sympathy, Karen explored the association between the teapot and the family.

‘The teapot is a universal domestic item that is very much associated with the family, but by taking away the objects functionality it becomes a piece of art, an object of beauty that contains within it a meaningful narrative. My past experiences working as both a nurse and carer, have led me to create a collection of fragile and deteriorating porcelain teapots that visually communicate the issues of ageing but in particular the issues faced by the elderly in care homes. My intention is for the teapots to reference function but to contain within them a sense of preciousness and vulnerability. These imperfect, dysfunctional objects suggest a ghostly presence and an imagined history. ‘

Tea and Sympathy update – Exhibition is now OPEN!

Just a quick note to update you on the progress of our first exhibition this year. Tea and Sympathy opened last Friday, and so far has attracted a lot of attention. Hanging it was an absolute joy, especially since many of the artists are new to The Gallery, so deciding how to display everything was a little more difficult than usual. But we love a challenge!

Our exhibition room has transformed into a deliciously summery space (I’m sure you’ll agree), and we’ve already had a few sales and lots of compliments about the new work.

 

If you fancy taking a look, remember that Tea and Sympathy finishes on June the 27th, so pop in ass soon as you can. In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful weather!

Tired of Chocolate? Have some Art!

The long Easter weekend has just passed and The Gallery has been very busy indeed! Despite the ever-changing weather Masham has still been a great place to spend the Bank Holiday.

Now we are back to normality we have begun preparations for our spring/summer exhibition.

Printmaker Janis Goodman has exhibited in many group shows at The Gallery and has been a regular supplier of ours for some years. This year we finally have the opportunity to showcase a solo exhibition of Janis’ work. Roofs and Branches will feature existing and brand new etchings, as well as some rare coloured pencil drawings. We are very pleased to unveil this piece – titled ‘Still snow, Masham’, Janis’s first ever etching of Masham!

Roofs and Branches opens May 14^th until June 21^st – watch this space for more details nearer the time!

As for now, our first exhibition of the year, Far From The Madding Crowd is still on display for a few weeks, so if you haven’t seen it yet don’t forget to drop by. The exhibition features work by gallery regulars Rosie Scott Massie, Josie Beszant, Pamela Knight, John Degnan, Mary Farnell and Rachel McEwan as well as emerging ceramic artist Charlotte Morrison. See last month’s blog for more info about Charlotte’s work.

We have a few new lovely things in The Gallery this month – Kusan, the makers of our popular felt handbags have created some new designs which are now in stock – we particularly love these flower bags! We also have fresh supplies of felt flowers, pens and brooches.

Enjoy the remainder of your Easter chocolate!

Happy Easter from Masham Gallery

Easter is fast approaching and we have got in a few lovely new things to celebrate it! Our newest ceramicist Amanda Mercer has sent us these sweet Easter ceramic gift tags, which could give a little Easter basket a pretty and creative touch. Amanda has also made some gorgeous new nests – this time filled with ceramic ‘Mini’ eggs! Just in case you are sick of all the chocolate….

And for real eggs we have really cool cosies! Black Rabbit, the makers behind our Lavender bods have created some lovely knitted Egg Cosies in quirky animal designs.

Our spring exhibition Far From The Madding Crowd opened on Saturday and looks great, see for yourself…

The exhibitions features new work from Pamela Knight, Rosie Scott Massie, John Degnan, Mary Farnell, Josie Beszant and Charlotte Morrison, a local ceramic artist who recently graduated with a degree in Applied Arts from The University of Cumbria. Charlotte works with Paper Clay, an extremely thin and delicate material made from watered down clay (‘Slip’) and synthetic fibre or pulped paper. Her latest work explores the history of the Leeds Pals – a battalion of soldiers from Yorkshire who trained near Masham. The paper clay structures are imprinted with photographs and information about the men who served in the Leeds Pals and their shape is inspired by used shell casings found at the training ground. Charlotte has only just started to exhibit her work so we are really pleased to have her beautiful pieces in the gallery!

Far from the Madding Crowd runs until April 16^th, so make sure you pop in and see us before then. Also, don’t forget to check out our Make-At-Home blog, which features a look into the work of English street – artist Slinkachu this month.

One more thing…The Gallery is having a little make over this month Josie finally decided to retire our wooden shelving (some of which has been with us since the start!) and replace it with sleek new metal display shelves, which I think you’ll agree look fantastic!

We also are pleased to announce that The Gallery is once again offering a bespoke framing service – come in and check out our mouldings!

Have a great Easter!