North Yorkshire Open Studios is done for another year and I am gradually getting my home and studio back in order.
My studio is, as many of you will know, in my loft, up a ladder, so health and safety would not permit visitors up there...I recreated my work environment (in a somewhat less charcoally form) in my living room, with Ziggy Sawdust, the house rabbit to assist.
The build up for my NYOS started, in earnest, in February as I started work on a new series "Dissolving Into Pleasure" which, although ongoing, the first part was released at NYOS. This means not only the obvious actual painting, but also getting work framed, named, priced and high resolution images taken to get these on the website, in the newsletter and social media.
There's a lot of behind the scenes preparations and "businessing" that goes on in order to welcome visitors into your studio/home space for an event like this. Insurance, a health and safety risk assessment, websites and payment systems are just one small part.
There's also a whole team of people who volunteer to bring their skills to the entirely artist lead NYOS organisation, from website construction, print design, marketing, organising preview exhibitions, press and PR and distributing all the print materials and signage to each artist. It's all worth it! We welcome a record number of visitors year on year as the event grows. We also help and support each other as artists and I really appreciate the increasing sense of community I feel as part of NYOS.
So as I pack the bunting away for another year, I remember all the lovely people I met, fellow artists, budding artists, collectors and people exploring the event for the first time. Chatting with my visitors is a real pleasure....and so is the chilled glass of wine at the end of the day! Boy! It was a hot one this year!
Now I will sort out my studio and get back to the rest of the "Dissolving into Pleasure" series, for as long as it continues to pour from the end of my brush! Here are a few pics from the weekend. If you ,missed out, the remaining paintings and drawing will be added to the website Artshop over the coming days and you can always contact me if you're wanting anything you can't see there, or if you'd like a private studio visit to browse the remaining available paintings and drawings.
KM 17/6/23
Comments