Hi everyone!

I don’t know about you, but it seems like an eternity since new year! Thankfully, March is nearly here, and here at The Gallery we have a few things to get excited about….

After a well-deserved post-Christmas break, our local creative hub ArtisOn opened it’s doors again on February 12th for a rather unusual workshop…Knicker Printing! This year the course programme is incredibly varied, and although some courses are full, there are still plenty of spaces left on a wide range of creative and exciting workshops. Check out the course programme here.

So what else is going on in March? Well, we are ecstatic to have finalised our exhibition schedule for 2011! This year for the first time we are holding two open exhibitions, so that we get the chance to see some exciting new work from artists who may not have worked with The Gallery before. have you can read more about this below.And we certainly have some things to look forward to  - one being the British Craft Trade Fair, one of the most important dates in any craft maker or craft gallery owner’s calendar.

It also allows new and emerging craft makers an oppurtunity to promote themselves to a huge number of potential suppliers. Every year a little team of us from The Gallery head over to theBCTF for a day to find exciting new suppliers and catch up with our existing ones.

Heres some of The Gallery’s suppliers that we originally discovered at the BCTF….

Becky Crow

Becky’s nature-inspired jewellery has been incredibly popular since we first ordered from her at the BCTF a few years ago. We love her animal designs in particular, including these pheasant cufflinks.

Virginia Graham

Virginia’s floral ceramics have been some of my absolute favourites for some years, and I’ve always looked forward to visiting her stand at the BCTF. Last year The Gallery started stocking a selection of this stunning and quirky kitchenware, and I never tire of looking at it!

Melanie Tomlinson

Melanie’s stand at the BCTF is particularly eye-catching, as she displays a dressmaker’s dummy completely covered with her tin insect and bird brooches! Our visitors and delighted and a little squeamish about these highly detailed and unique pieces of jewellery.

Tea and Sympathy – 27/5/11 – 27/6/11

For the last few months I’ve been mentioning The Gallery’s 2011 exhibition schedule, without giving much away. Well, I am pleased to our blog readers the first of four shows this year, Tea and Sympathy. This year’s North Yorkshire Open Studio‘s is following the theme of tea, so we thought we’d align our first show’s theme with theirs, especially since NYOS will be during our exhibition. Tea and sympathy is the first of 2 open exhibitions The Gallery is running this year, and we are currently accepting submissions to exhibit.

Call for artists – how to apply

If you are interested in applying, please send 4 images plus an artist’s statement and an idea of the type and size of work you would like to exhibit. We are looking for work that linked to the title, is presented to a high standard and is perhaps slightly quirky. All pieces must be for sale and retail for under £1000. Deadline for submissions is March 31st.

Please contact Josie or Rosie for more information;

Email:- enquiry@mashamgallery.co.uk

We look forward to your entries – please mention our blog when you apply, it will make us smile!

Website of the Month

Katgotthecream- The blog of Kathryn Sharman

This month I have chosen a blog, which belongs to an attendee of my recent recycled jewellery workshop at ArtisOn. Kathryn Sharman is a creative enthusiast who writes about anything crafty and interesting. Take a look through this blog and you’ll find lots of inspiring ideas and finds. Enjoy!

That’s all from me for now – enjoy March, lets hope that’s the last of the snow!

Rosie

Summer is here!

Hurrah!

Yes, summer appears to have arrived, in Masham at least, and besides the odd shower this week we have had constant glorious sunshine, and heat!

Last week we said goodbye to Janis Goodman’s solo exhibition – it’s been a great show and really well received – thanks to everyone who popped by to see it. If you didn’t manage to stop by you can still see the entire exhibition on our website. We also still have a selection of our favourite pieces from the show on display here.

Now we are preparing for our second solo exhibition of the year. Ian Scott Massie, whose just completed a successful solo show at Rydal Mount, Cumbria, will be unveiling a new collection of work this August titled ‘Journeys’, an exploration of The Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria, following two significant journeys in Ian’s life “The paintings reflect the experiences and memories of two combined journeys: the first to a number of places in the Yorkshire Dales of particular personal importance and the second to the places my wife and I visited on our honeymoon nearly twenty years ago.In undertaking this body of paintings I had in mind the concept of Schubert’s Winterreise – the cycle of songs he wrote to the words of Tobias Haslinger – in wishing to create a group of works with a single emotional theme fragmented into different lights and angles by circumstance and memory”

‘Journeys’ opens at The Gallery August the 6th until September the 9th. More details wil be available on our website soon, but for now, heres a sneek peek at what to expect…

As for now the exhibition room is sporting a summery selection of works, inlcluding pieces by Hester Cox, Heather Dormer, Rosie Scott Massie. Pamela Knight and Josie Beszant. We have also found some fantastic new supppiers lately, including Melanie Tomlinson, whose tin butterfly and bird brooches decorated with Edward Bawden-esque patterning are something to behold!

To see the full selection of new artists in The Gallery, why not visit our Facebook page here.