Ilkley Art Trail: Now Open!

Here’s a glimpse of my garage gallery!

Open 10-5 this weekend and next weekend. There are around 30 venues, all different media – take a look at the IAT website. The Literature Festival is on too, and Ilkley’s a great place for a day out anyway – glorious Wharfedale scenery and the famous Betty’s tearoom, what more could you ask?

Ilkley Art Trail–five days to go!

Wow, it’s come round fast – the Ilkley Art Trail/Open Studios begins next Saturday. A first for Ilkley, and a first for me too!

When I first heard about it in the spring I thought it’d be businesses in town giving over some of their window space to artists – that’s what Art Trails often seem to mean. And there is a bit of that… but what I’ve ended up doing is turning our garage into a little temporary gallery!

Now the spiders have been evacuated (sorry guys), new lights installed, it’s all painted white inside and just about ready. The hooks are in place to hang the wall art, but being a garage, in October, I’m not leaving it all in there until next weekend.

This week ALL I’ve got to do is signs and labels, plus cards and other small bits and bobs. And work out how to display all those things, along with some of my little thread bowls and some mini framed pieces.

If you’re not too far away, how about coming along? The Trail has over 30 artists, showing paintings, prints, glass, jewellery, ceramics, wood… and several other textile and mixed media people including my friend Linda Dewart. And it’s all timed to coincide with the Ilkley Literature Festival too. What more could you want?

Recharged

What a wet and windy week to pick for a break! But we dodged around the stormy weather and got out and about in the Dales and the Lakes.

It’s years since I stopped at Aysgarth (Wensleydale) for a close look at the falls… I don’t remember proper paths, and certainly not the carvings dotted around. Love this fence:
Not a good pic, sorry, but it reads “Thunderous water conquers rock – a waterfall is born”. 

A spectacular visit to the Lakes too, managed to choose the best day of the week and stayed a night at the lovely Yewfield veggie B&B near Hawkshead. We had a room in the tower with wonderful views:

So now I’m all set up for the final push to the Christmas exhibitions and the first ever Ilkley Art Trail. The next few weeks are going to be frantic. It feels like however much I make, it won’t be enough, or won’t be the right thing to focus on.
I made a new batch of bowls the other week, but suddenly it’s bookmarks that are flying off the virtual shelves.

Four of these (three different designs) set off for new homes today, so I need to stitch some more fast – but which, and how many?  Aaargh!

Sample Diary–August

It’s that time again! Working towards several exhibitions, I wonder if I should make time for this – but I’m hooked, over half way through the year I really can’t let it slide now.

   Week 31 – Restored Wrest Park garden opening to the public (the Italian Garden)

French knots. Enough French Knots to last this machine stitcher a long time.

 

 

 

 

Week 32 – Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

Different textured yarns couched onto felt using the embellisher.

 

 

 

 

Week 33 – Heather in bloom on the North York Moors.

Yes, that’s the North York, not North Yorkshire, Moors all you southern hacks! 

Dyed scrim embellished onto felt from the back.

 

 

Week 34 – “Life comes in 8.7m varieties”, 2.2m of them in the sea

Free machining on felt over Romeo.

Turned out interestingly stiff, hmmm, potential…