Homemade art creates a home

Her home is full of pieces, both practical and ornamental, made by fellow artists and makers past and present.

In fact, there is barely anything mass-produced and the eclectic mix collected over the years forms a fascinating and refreshingly unconventional home.

Ruth and her husband Simon Lloyd-Jones, a printed textile designer turned garden designer, bought their cottage in Shipton-by-Beningbrough, York, 23 years ago but they didn't choose it for its chocolate box looks.

"All we wanted was something with outbuildings we could use as workshops," says Ruth. "This one had a small stable and an old blacksmith's workshop in the garden. That's what mattered to us. The estate agent couldn't believe we were more interested in those than the inside of the house."

The three-bedroom property was in need of complete renovation and Ruth and Simon , who met at the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, have modified it over the years altering the steep stairs and creating a kitchen/dining area from a hotchpotch of small rooms at the back of the house. It's completely unfitted and mostly relies on a collection of antiques, including an 1800s cabinet, used for their functionality with no regard to age and value.

"I've never had a fitted kitchen. Financing anything is difficult with our incomes but Simon is a man of many DIY talents and we were lucky to inherit lots of family furniture," says Ruth.

As their children Francis and Thea grew they created space by turning the attached stable into a large, light sitting room, which is full of visual surprises and objects that tell a story.

The contemporary painted mural that resembles hand-printed wallpaper was painted by Simon. The barn owl was found after being hit by a car. "I brought him home hoping we could save him, but he died. He looked so perfect I popped him in the freezer and decided to have him stuffed," says Ruth.

The exquisite lidded pot on the window sill is by Simon's father, the York potter David Lloyd-Jones and the hanging bowl is a collaboration between Ruth and artist/fine plasterer Peter Baker.

"Everything has a story or is by someone we know, so they're more than just design objects and they're not chosen just to look nice for a couple of years. Everything is personal and has significance," she says. The furniture in the house is mostly from parents and from Ruth's great uncle Wilfred, an Arts and Crafts enthusiast who made everything from the ornate sideboard to mirrors and lamps. Outside, the workshop is devoted to Ruth's ceramics. It is where she hand builds her beautiful, ovoid, salt glaze vessels. A renowned ceramicist, her work features in important collections including the V&A's, yet her pots start at an affordable 60."I'd hate for them to be out of reach of most people. Some might say well 60 is a lot, but you can't equate it with something from Ikea and I think it's about deciding what you spend money on. Do you go out and buy a 200 winter coat or spend 60 on a meal out or do you buy a piece of art?"

Simon's stunning handprinted textiles are everywhere from the tablecloth to the curtains and their designs look contemporary despite being created 20 years ago.

"He went into gardens when we decided one of us had better get a job with regular pay while the children were growing up and he loves it, but he is thinking about designing again and he really enjoys doing the contemporary murals," says Ruth.

Their work will be on display to all when they open their home as part of the York Open Studios event.

Ruth is chairperson and a big fan of the open events that are now common all over the country.

"It's tremendously difficult for artists and makers working on their own, especially in rural areas. It can be quite isolating," she says.

"We bring them together with social evenings and when they open their studios to the public, it promotes contemporary art and brings in people who might be frightened of art and galleries.

"It's not all about selling and there is no pressure for people to buy. It's more about communicating and access."

Ruth King: www.ruthkingceramics.com

York Open Studios runs from Friday, April 16 to Sunday April 18.

More than 55 artists will welcome visitors into their studio spaces which are as varied as the works on show, ranging from hair salons to Victorian cottages, all located around historic York. Most can be reached on foot.

Entry to all of the studios is free, and a map and guide is available from the website www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk,

by emailing [email protected] or from Ruth King by telephoning 01904 706123.

Studios are open on Friday, April 16 (6pm-9pm), Saturday, April 17 (10am-6pm) and Sunday, April 18 (11am-5pm).