North Yorkshire Open Studios: See behind the scenes as 170 artists open studio doors
From a farmhouse that nestles off the single road track that passes through a picturesque village in North Yorkshire, an artist couple have been using the natural world around them to influence their work for the last 50 years.
Relishing being off the beaten track, husband and wife painting duo Paul Blackwell and Anne Thornhill have used their rural, picturesque, idyllic and sometimes isolated surroundings to shape their work.
They paint from a studio in the garden which looks out over Eskdale, a spectacular valley formed during the last ice age, which runs from the North York Moors towards the coastline of Whitby.
In summer the view is bathed with wild flowers, grazing sheep and rolling green fields. In winter it is grey, laden with snow and sometimes the view is completely cut off by lingering mist.
Throughout the year, there is no need to rely on nature television shows as the rich tapestry of wildlife is being played out in front of them.
Using all of this as inspiration, Paul and Anne specialise in landscape painting and on two weekends next month, the public and art fans will be offered a rare chance to see what they see and where they work.
They are taking part in the annual North Yorkshire Open Studios event, where this year a record 170 artists are opening their doors for one of the biggest open studio events in the UK.
It will take you on a tour of people and places you wouldn’t normally get access to and even from the hidden hamlet that Paul and Anne work in, a tour a few miles away will take you to artists in the nearby and equally charming villages of Sleights, Ugglebarnby, Stainsacre, and Lealholm where you will find glassworkers, ceramicists, painters, and printmakers.
“It is a great way of exploring our lovely countryside, meeting friendly faces, and supporting our local artists and craftspeople”, they say.
The North Yorkshire Open Studios event is being held this coming weekend, June 1 and 2, and again the following weekend, June 8 and 9.
It offers the public an exciting chance to discover works from emerging and established artists across the region as jewellers, print makers, ceramicists, and painters will be showing off their latest work, explaining their processes, as well as offering work for sale direct from the studios.
The open studio event is organised by the artist-run collective, North Yorkshire Open Studios is an artist-run collective that is a not-for-profit community which works to support the hundreds of painters, sculptors, print-makers, jewellers, ceramicists, photographers, and creatives who live and work in North Yorkshire.
The long-running scheme is now in its 17th year, and this year it welcomes 30 new artists who are exhibiting for the first time.
Garth Bayley is an artist and project manager for NYOS, but he was originally a chef in South Africa and turned to art when he relocated to the UK in the lockdown of 2020.
He now works from a studio in Stokesley.
He said: “This isolation gave me a love of the local landscape and it’s become a big part of my current practice. I like nothing more than to escape into the moors and find a quiet spot where you see no-one for hours. It’s a place to recharge and find a harmony in my paintings.”
Of the NYOS event he said it is a chance to go ‘through the keyhole’ of an artist’s studio, appreciate the creative process, and meet and get to know the artist too.
He added: “ The open studios event is a really exciting opportunity to go on a road trip of discovery. You can unearth destinations, lesser-known beauty spots, and see the region through the eyes of its artists. Our artists are all selected for the quality of their work, and you’ll find established names, as well as get a chance to discover emerging artists.”
The art studio trail, detailed in a brochure and map, covers coastal spots in Scarborough, through to scenic National Parks including the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales, and the Nidderdale National Landscape, alongside picturesque villages, and vibrant market towns.
Garth added: “We encourage people who live in the region, and visitors, to go on an artistic and cultural magical tour. Artists taking part will highlight attractions near their studios, such as castles, abbeys, beauty spots and visitor attractions to help visitors create itineraries for a full day, or weekend getaway, perfect for culture vultures.”