Yorkshire Art - Issue 02

Yorkshire Art IN THIS ISSUE Landscape artist of the year contestant tells us about her experience The Tetley Lockdown art Meet the artists Art for sale AND MUCH MORE

Issue - 02 1

Get involved To become a member or see how else you can get involved head to yorkshire.art and click the get more info tab or if you're feeling chatty give Tim a call on 0783 470 4444.

2

Contents 5

Sky artist of the year contender, meet Rosemary Firth.

4.

Message from the founder: Tim Talks Yorkshire Art

Artist profiles 5.

Rosemary Firth: What gave her the courage 10. Chinwe Russel A driving force

The Tetley 12. Adam Roe: Overcoming today's challenges 16. Georgia Taylor-Aguilar PANIC! and opportunities 18. Professor Griselda Pollock PANIC!, The Holberg Prize - and the importance of artists in the Leeds City Region

74. Member listings: Take a closer look at our current members

26. alabamathirteen: Multisensory direction 28. Angela Timlin: Sublime beauty of northern country

Words

36. C ally Anderson: Haunting and alluring

Fe Gemma Bridge Lucy Chapman Mags Richards Debbie Rolls

38. Carrieanne Vivianette: Art is her theatre

Paul Simon

32. Anthony Jennison: Community and collaboration

Editor

Copy Editor

Mags Richards

Creative Lead / Layout Tim Miller

Illustration Pete Denton

42. See what our artists have come up with over this difficult period

Disability Arts Online Blog

64. Art for sale: See some our favourite pieces of art currently for sale by our members

22. Anji Dey-Clark: Inspiration from nature

Lockdown Art 62.

Listings

46. Derek Culley: My art is me 50. Gareth Hoyle : A few surprises 54. Jacky Rawlins: A story behind each painting 58. Tracey Stayman: Just imagine

Many thanks to Caroline, Jack, Donald, Peter and all our Yorkshire Art members and supporters.

Copyright 2021 Yorkshire Art Ltd Yorkshire Art magazine is published by Effective Publishing CIC. All rights reserved. All material in this publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without the written consent of Yorkshire Art Ltd. Any views expressed in this publication are those of the respective contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Yorkshire Art Ltd or Effective Publishing CIC

3

Our founder, Tim Miller.

“A passion for art and a passion for Yorkshire”

Hello from Tim Words by Gemma Bridge. Photography Mark Wheelwright

What’s been happening at YA over the last year?

Despite COVID-19, it has been a busy year for Tim and the Yorkshire Art team. In addition to painting another characteristic Knaresborough landscape, Tim has been working tirelessly for Yorkshire Art, developing the website, supporting the artists and most recently, setting up a new gallery.

Much has happened over the last year. Tim said that it has been a good year for new artists joining Yorkshire Art, with “membership increasing significantly… we now have about 140 members.”

In line with the increase in members, there has also been a good increase in the sale of art, with a lot of work gone into increasing exposure. Excitingly,

“Rosemary Firth was featured on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year, and that programme alone resulted in a lot of sales.”

To further support the members, Tim has been working on a new web platform which "will have more functionality and allow artists to add print prices themselves. Hopefully, it’ll be finished by the summer." Moreover, the Yorkshire Art team is expanding, with a focus on communications. Tim explained that the "bigger team will help to spread the word about the work of artists across the county, and also, hopefully lead to more sales and support."

Another exciting update, Tim said, is the sourcing of a new gallery. "The gallery is in Richmond, and it will be used to exhibit members' work on a rotating basis." There will also be a resident framing expert, a service

which the members of Yorkshire Art will be able to access at a discounted rate. Tim said that he is hoping "to open the gallery on 1st April 2021, COVID allowing. It will have a week-long opening event so that people can visit in a safe way. The artists will be given more information soon, and they will also be invited to a pre-opening event."

What is the vision for Yorkshire Art in 2021?

The main focus for Yorkshire Art this year, beyond increasing membership, selling more art and supporting artists, is to "make the gallery work. It is currently on a pop up lease, but the mission is to have the total lease, and then in the longer term open up other galleries across Yorkshire. It would be great to be able to display all of the members' work all of the time."

How can you support Yorkshire Art? The arts and culture sector has been hit hard by the pandemic and all the restrictions that occurred as a result.

Therefore, artists need more support.

Tim explained that "a new donations page has been added to the website so that people can easily make a donation to support Yorkshire Art and all our members." Not only will donating help artists in Yorkshire, but in Tim’s own words, it is also "good for the soul."

Businesses and organisations can also offer their support by sponsoring Yorkshire Art, and in doing so, they can receive advertising space on the Yorkshire Art website and at any events.

For anyone who would like to find out more about Yorkshire Art, how to get involved, or to share some ideas for supporting artists across the county, do not hesitate to get in touch with Tim, who is always "open to suggestions."

4

ROSEMARY FIRTH

Rosemary Firth entered Sky Landscape Painter of the Year 2020 She wonders what gave her the courage to do so, but she is very glad she did.

She was placed in the top three in her heat and has experienced a burst of interest in her collage work. Many of the collages which she advertised on the Yorkshire Art website have sold and she has received commissions for further work.

The Sky programme was filmed at West Wycombe Park in Buckinghamshire, a location which was ideal for Rosemary.

Her work is focussed upon nature and often features water.

Holidays are spent sitting on the beach, painting the sea and photographing the natural environment.

5

For Rosemary, teaching is a way to pass on skills as well as to reflect on your own practice, and to think about things more deeply. The small groups who gather at her home have become friends as well as students. She even managed a few socially distanced classes this summer. Art was created in her garden, a suitable venue for an artist with a passion for nature. The spring lockdown gave Rosemary the opportunity to engage fully with nature and she enjoyed her daily walk or bicycle ride with her husband, discovering small green pockets in urban Doncaster. The lack of traffic made the experience more enjoyable and brought nature to the fore. She returned home inspired to create, an inspiration which was given direction in June when she heard she had been selected for Sky Landscape Painter.

Preparing for Sky Landscape Painter Rosemary spent a lot of time practising in advance of the big day. Until the week before shooting they were unsure if they would be able to take their own materials. In the end this was possible, but Rosemary had to practise making immediate materials for use in collage as she could not rely on previously made work. She developed a technique of layering marks upon paper, using a variety of tools and materials, to form collage material. She reached the point where she knew that she could produce materials and a collage within the four hour framework of the programme.

Before the day, Rosemary suspected they would be painting at a National Trust site. She hoped it would be a natural habitat but knew the task could have been a mansion, or even an industrial building. Arriving at West Wycombe, she was relieved to see six pods set up facing the lake and Temple of Music. They were lucky - it was a sunny day, but blustery. The wind was more of an issue for Rosemary than for the other artists. Her work reutilises previously made art, including batik and woodcuts.

The need to chase strips of fabric and paper being blown across the grass was remedied when a sheet of polythene was deployed as a windshield.

She thoroughly enjoyed her day. Steven Mangan chatted easily with her, while painter Tai Shan Schierenberg was interested in her technique. She explained how she layers material to give a sense of depth and build up a colour palette. Her work encourages the viewer to look beyond, forming a path into the distance. Rosemary interrogates the interaction between emotion and nature. The judges liked the inventive way she had responded to the ever changing water, having managed to create an interesting surface with watery depth.

Studies and Teaching From a young age, Rosemary loved to draw. Following school, she studied a foundation art course in Doncaster and then completed her BA Fine Art at Hull College of Art. After taking time out to have a family, she trained to teach and started passing her love of art on to secondary school students.

Although she loves teaching, she found the school setting restrictive. There were too many things that needed her attention, other than art. So after sixteen years teaching she decided to leave education and immerse herself in art, by opening a gallery.

She continued to teach, running classes for adults in the gallery.

When the gallery lease ended after two years she decided to carry on creating art and teaching from home. By using the Yorkshire Art website she was still able to have a visible platform for her collages.

6

In the end she didn’t need to use this technique on the day.

Going forward, she can see herself experimenting with these materials in the future. Her supply of re-useable materials is dwindling, and with the current lack of teaching it is not being replenished.

7

8

Writing Alongside teaching Rosemary has been passing on her love of creating and inspiring others through writing books. She has published five to date and is working on a sixth about drawing.

Her most recent, Mixed media collage: Recycling artwork appeared in 2020 and was clearly inspired by her current practice. She says that writing books has encouraged her to think in new ways.

Rosemary is very much a Yorkshire artist. Her favourite location is the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust site at Potteric Carr in Doncaster.

One of her most arresting works is the view of a shaded pathway at Danes Dyke in East Yorkshire.

The project, led by Chinwe Russell, has already established an online gallery and Rosemary looks forward to the day when they can work together in a physical space. Rosemary is thinking of entering more competitions in the future. She has already had work shown in the Ferens Art Gallery Open Exhibition in Hull and the Harley Open in Nottinghamshire, as well as Doncaster Open Art. This year has rejuvenated her interest in art and nature. She is looking forward to a future where Doncaster will become a much more significant place in the British art scene.

Words by Debbie Rolls

Keeping it in the family The Yorkshire Art website gives her the opportunity to promote her art and celebrate Yorkshire. She has been pleased to accept commissions for other parts of Yorkshire, including Gledhow Valley in Leeds. Her family also engage regularly in art. Her husband, Graham, is an artist and author. Her daughter, Nicola, is a workshop supervisor at Leeds Arts University and a skilled upholsterer; while her son, David, created the extremely popular Salad Fingers animations.

Doncaster and art When Rosemary opened her art gallery, in 2009, the opening was packed. She feels that this indicated a hidden thirst for art in Doncaster. She had been pleased to see that there are now more art events in the city including the Doncaster Art Fair. She is pleased to see art being exhibited on the walls of pubs and the market Deli. She is excited by the prospect of the D31 Gallery, which she has been involved in since the project’s conception, moving into the Old Library building. D31 was formed when artists signed up to collaborate on the project, which would give local artists a dedicated gallery space to show their work and participate in both national and international art events.

9

CHINWE RUSSELL

It is hard to believe that Chinwe Russell has only been exhibiting since 2018 She was selected as one of twelve emerging talents to exhibit alongside over a hundred established artists at York racecourse as part of the RAW Talent programme. Since that time she has thrown herself into the world of art.

Chinwe has established Doncaster Art Fair, been the driving force behind the D31 Art Gallery, set up collaborative and solo exhibitions, curated online exhibitions and promoted an art auction. She has revitalised the art scene in Doncaster, and in doing so she has become part of the international art world.

Her business background, she has a MBA in International Finance, has without doubt, been instrumental in this success.

She has a strong commitment to networking and building supportive connections. PR and publicity are key factors in the development of any project she is involved in. She plans her work as an artist as she would any other business and encourages other creatives to do the same.

Yet, in 2007, her business background had a different impact on her artwork. Stuck in a recruitment post she no longer enjoyed, she found herself going home at night and finding respite in painting. Her stress relief technique sometimes found her up until two in the morning, engrossed in creativity.

At this time she she sold a few pieces but did not seriously consider art as a career. She explains that art has always been a way to express her emotions, whether happy, sad or frustrated.

She believes her creativity was boosted when she fell in love.

After a divorce and some years moving between France and the UK, she met her future partner, while he was living in London and she in Lille. Her life has always had an international character. She left Nigeria to study in Paris but also lived in Sussex. She is fluent in English, French and Igbo. The two of them looked for a house to live in together with plenty of space, somewhere she could have an art studio.

They found that house in Doncaster. Chinwe admits she initially found Yorkshire hospitality unsettling. It was not what she had been used to in France or Sussex. However, she soon realised that this was a community that could offer her new opportunities. She enjoys the countryside and the openness of the people. She also loves her new home with its basement studio.

10

Having exhibited through Raw Talent she realised that Doncaster needed space for artists to exhibit. She missed the small galleries she had known in London and Paris. At the time no such place existed in Doncaster. So when she set up Doncaster Art Fair in 2018 she took the art to where the people were. The market hall and the pubs around the town centre were used as gallery spaces. It became apparent that there were many talented artists in Doncaster and an audience for their work.

Doncaster Art Fair is now an established event but in early 2020 Chinwe decided that artists needed somewhere they could exhibit all year round. With this in mind she called a meeting of around forty regional artists and proposed the D31 Gallery. Although Chinwe remains at the helm, this is a truly collaborative endeavour. Each artist pays a sum of money each month to cover the establishment and upkeep of the gallery.

In the initial stages they have also had to provide a lot of hard graft. Together they transformed an empty unit, full of rubbish, in Scott Lane into a gallery space. Why D31?, the idea is that if thirty one artists are involved then they can open the gallery every day of the month, if each person takes a turn.

Having transformed the space, hung the work and sent out publicity, the gallery was ready to open in November 2020.

Chinwe was not going to let lockdown stop their plans. The opening went ahead, virtually. The Togetherness exhibition can be visited online. Prior to the launch of the exhibition the artists had shown their commitment to togetherness by donating and displaying artworks at Doncaster Royal Infirmary. The exhibition is diverse, including amongst others Scarborough scenes by Andy Hollinghurst, the graceful

A second exhibition Celebrating Our Strengths In Our Diversity came in the wake of issues raised by Black Lives Matter and issues of equality raised by the pandemic. Chinwe believes it is important to celebrate diversity as enrichment of society. She hopes her work will speak to young black people and help them achieve a sense of identity.

ceramics of Katrina Barber, the landscape collages of Rosemary Firth and work by Chinwe herself.

Chinwe’s Nigerian heritage is apparent in her work, whether she is painting a scene based in Doncaster or a jungle. Her colour palette is vibrant and reminiscent of African textiles. She admires artists who can use subtle hues but that approach is not in her makeup.

Her work is often based upon historical themes and often has a story to tell.

She locates this love of narrative in her Nigerian childhood. Her parents, although relatively affluent, encouraged their children to play a full part in local village life. She fondly remembers roasting yam and corn on a campfire in the evenings, while adults entertained the youngsters with folk tales.

Chinwe has been busy creating during lockdown. She now has two exhibitions ready to launch. Turning her camera to the side of the room she shows me how wall space is being taken up by stacked canvases. She hopes both exhibitions will launch in Doncaster and then tour.

Both have an historical focus.

In the first exhibition, 20 Historical Women Who Changed the World, large bold portraits pay homage to important women. The collection contains well-known historical figures, such as Marie Curie, Elizabeth I and Florence Nightingale, but also shines a light on lesser-known women, such as Nwanyeruwa, Wangari Maathai, Stephanie Kwolek and Gerty Cori. The exhibition has been delayed by a year but will launch at Doncaster Museum in

October 2021. An Ebook of the exhibition is on sale from Chinwe’s website.

The second exhibition, Tribes of Africa, takes you on a journey through Africa to meet indigenous tribes, from the well known, Maasai and Zulu, to the lesserknown Nyakyusa and Ndebele. Each piece will hang without stretchers in the form of a traditional wall hanging.

Chinwe plans to develop this journey of discovery further by moving on to the Gods of Africa, reminding us of the rich culture that existed before the arrival of Christianity and Islam. She has already started by painting Ikenga, from her Igbo heritage.

Chinwe researches and plans the works for these historical collections meticulously. Each painting takes around two weeks to paint, once the planning stage has been completed.

However, she has also found time to produce more intuitive paintings based upon her childhood. The works in her Jungles of My Childhood collection are often produced in a day and come straight from the heart.

Covid 19 has not stopped Chinwe creating or curating work. She has embraced the concept of the online exhibition. With the support of Doncaster Council the Art Fair hosted Art as a Response to Mental Health, a timely exhibition. The call for artwork attracted 600 entries. The exhibition received over 145,000 views and 54,000 votes from 42 countries.

In a further development she has curated a collection for an online auction. The collection features mainly Northern artists and will be sold on March 9th. The sale is being hosted by an auction house in Southend. Sadly she found many auction houses were only interested in work by dead artists.

Going forward there are exciting development plans for the D31 Gallery.

Doncaster is being rejuvenated through the establishment of a Civic and Cultural Quarter. CAST Theatre was set up seven years ago and is at the centre of the area.

Chinwe was commissioned to produce an artwork representing the Spirit of CAST. She describes how she sat in the lobby watching people coming and going, then decided on a ship motif to illustrate the journey theatre took them on.

The new Danum Gallery, Library and Museum will mean the Old Library will become vacant. It is hoped the four floor building can house art projects and that D31 will be central to this redevelopment.

Chinwe has worked closely with the council through all the initiatives she has been involved in. She has become a central part of the cultural scene in her adopted town.

Condé Nast Traveller named Yorkshire the best place to visit in the UK in 2021, based on the art scene, as well as the countryside and hospitality. In the past this art scene has been focussed upon Leeds and Wakefield. It now looks as though Doncaster may be joining its more famous neighbours. Any artistic blossoming will no doubt have Chinwe Russell at its heart.

Words by Debbie Rolls

11

ADAM ROE

The Tetley and Overcoming Today’s Challenges Adam Roe is the current Head of Development and Stakeholder Management at The Tetley. In his role, he focusses on sustainability for the Leeds based art gallery, identifying and developing fundraising opportunities. He joined the Tetley in April 2020, and so has only worked with the team during lockdown. We spoke to Adam about his experiences and the plans for the gallery moving forward.

12

Of course there was the question of what sort of impact the pandemic has had on The Tetley's activities.

"Things have been really tricky for the whole sector this year, but we have been really lucky with support from various organisations. Thanks to the funding support that we have received from Leeds City Council and the Arts Council, we have been able to pivot, and make the move to a more digital offering."

Adam explained that the gallery was on the backfoot digitally at the start of the year, it took a while to make exhibitions accessible to people, but after a few weeks, the Tetley had developed a virtual tour so that people could still experience art in 360 degrees, just in a very different way. The gallery also moved some of their programmes online, for example, Tiny Tetley, a creative session led by artists for children aged zero to five, was turned into an online session so that young children and their parents could continue to learn about art and express their creativity whilst at home.

Despite the initial challenges that the team faced during the start of the pandemic, including several team members being furloughed, the Tetley team learned lots of new digital skills, and the move online also offered lots of new opportunities. For example, Adam described how moving the 'In Conversation with an Artist' sessions online was great. So many people attend from all over the world. This was good as the session resulted in more donations

than ever before, but it was also great to see new and different audiences.

"We will be keeping the online sessions but are hopingto move to a more blended approach. We have the digital foundations for this, but we have a way still to go. The blended approach could make The Tetley more inclusive, which is what we are aiming for moving forward."

13

Project Space Leeds awarded Arts Council funding In autumn, Project Space Leeds, an artist-led contemporary art space, was awarded Arts Council emergency funding from a fund which was set up in May 2020 to combat the adverse impact of COVID-19. Adam explained that the funding meant that The Tetley could continue its role in the Leeds art scene – creating a platform for emerging artists, providing exhibitions and helping young people find their creative voice.

Prior to receiving funding such as this, during the pandemic the Tetley was relying on donations because their usual income streams had completely halted. Adam said "Before March, we earned about 65% of our income from weddings, the restaurant and things like that, but in March, all of that stopped overnight."

Even in the face of such financial challenges, The Tetley also did what they could for the community. In October, the art gallery and restaurant set up a 'pay forward' scheme, where customers could buy a meal for a child through the Tetley website, and then in December, Adam described how the team worked with food banks. "We offered art boxes to local families receiving food parcels. We made 50 in the end. We wanted to offer more than just the necessities." The art boxes provided all of the materials needed to take part in the family art workshops that the Tetley is running. The first session ran in December, and there are another 3 other sessions in February, March and April, all run by artists who submitted proposals in response to a call made earlier this year."

14

The Tetley is also continuing its support of artists. For example, through PANIC! which is a network to support artists in crisis, developed and co-led by Griselda Pollock. Adam explained.

"The network was set up to help artists, and unlike so many other networks like this, all of those involved are paid to take part. The network discusses how funding is shared with other artists. We have given nearly £60,000 in bursaries since the network was set up."

The network is going to be added to with a youth advisory board, which will bring young people together to discuss what is needed to help young artists. Again, those taking part will not work for free. The Tetley will pay them for their time because they want to change the system. "We do not want people to have to work without being paid. But making change is not easy."

Planning for the future "We have spent so much time working through and planning for loads of scenarios. We have thought about almost every situation that we could be faced with, but underlying all this is our grand vision which is to provide opportunities for young people to engage with art. This is what we want to develop as we want to reach young people who are not currently visiting the Tetley. To reach new groups, we are building new partnerships, as we cannot do this alone. We need to rethink what we do and how we do it."

As part of this vision, The Tetley recently listed an open call for people to submit stories. "We wanted to celebrate resilient communities, so we granted funding for artists to create pieces that showed the superheroes of Leeds. The superheroes that we wanted to capture were varied. For example, a friend of mine lived in his lorry for months because he did not want to put his parents at risk of infection, and that to me is a superhero."

Although none of us know how things will be in 2021, The Tetley has lots of plans. In addition to bringing some activities back, like volunteering and eating in the restaurant, some of the initiatives from this year will remain, like offering exhibitions and events online. A new show will be launched in 2021 to raise awareness of issues with mental health. "This is important for everyone at the moment. We will keep offering weddings and events in our COVID safe venues, because we have had some amazing ceremonies. And finally, we will continue to support artists as best we can, for instance through TAAP.

TAAP is The Tetley Associate Artists Programme which supports four Leeds and Yorkshire based artists every year, providing opportunities to foster a new generation of local artists.

The conversation with Adam is one which says so much more about the enduring resilience, resourcefulness and determination of those in the world of art than it does about the threat of the pandemic.

Words by Gemma Bridge

15

GEORGIA TAYLOR-AGUILAR

Georgia Taylor-Aguilar is the Artist Development Curator at The Tetley. As part of her role, she is the producer of the PANIC! project, an innovative network for artists in the Leeds City Region with a remit to address the new conditions facing artists following the pandemic.

Background to Georgia's Role Georgia's role involves working with artists and communities to co-create events which are increasingly diverse owing to a lot more online activity. She is also responsible for working with early career residences and is the producer of PANIC!, a project we delved into later during our conversation.

The impact of the pandemic on The Tetley's delivery Georgia explained that the pandemic has changed everything. The Tetley has been very good at adapting and responding quickly, but in a thoughtful and careful way. Changes have had to be made to working with audiences in order to reduce exclusions that may have occurred as a result of the move to online. The Tetley has been aware of the need to bridge the digital divide and as a result, the team has been working hard since the start of the pandemic to reach out in other ways, for example providing meals and art packs.

The coming years The Tetley's aim is to achieve what Georgia describes as a layered approach moving forward with digital and in person events and exhibitions.

Opportunities arising from the pandemic Whilst COVID-19 has been a challenging time for everyone, and in particular those in the creative sector, we discussed the opportunities and positives that have arisen. Georgia was positive: "It has been fantastic in highlighting and changing how we think about equitable access to art. Minority groups have been disproportionally impacted by the

16

pandemic and have also been one of the groups most likely to be excluded with the the move online." As a result, Georgia and the rest of the team at The Tetley have made big efforts to ensure equitable access to events and residency opportunities. Some of these opportunities have been made possible thanks to new and innovative funding that would not have been made available had the pandemic not hit.

There has been extra support from the sector at large, which has rallied around over the last year to support each other.

But Georgia feels it is important that when we come out of the pandemic and we return to some kind of normal "the cultural legacy needs to continue since, as we have seen, art is essential for everyone".

PANIC!

– an artist led network to support creatives in the Leeds City Region An additional change that has occurred since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic is the launch of PANIC! – a project that came about through a partnership between Holberg Prize, Griselda Pollock (CentreCATH and A Feminist Space in Leeds) and The Tetley. Georgia is the producer of the project, which was created to establish a network for artists in the Leeds City Region to support them and the wider artist community as a result of changes that have occurred in the creative sector since the pandemic started.

We spoke to Georgia about her role, the PANIC! project and the opportunities and challenges that COVID-19 has generated

The Tetley and the other partners involved see the artistic community as a vital element of the City Region, nonetheless having become particularly vulnerable as a result of the unstable conditions of lock-down and its longterm economic aftermath.

PANIC! is driven by a steering group of 13 artists alongside two invited advisers: Griselda Pollock and Bryony Bond, Director of The Tetley. The group will help "steer the activity of the PANIC! network, assess where funds should be spent and directed and help select projects to exhibit or realise". The network is still in its early stages, but there are big plans for the group, which will meet every month over the next year or so, and will bring together their existing contacts to create a network of emerging artists living in the Leeds City Region.

Additionally, Georgia said "PANIC! aims to provide mentoring support, advice and shared learning and experiences to help emerging artists, as well as make available financial and wider support for projects, and enhance the exploration of current issues facing society - including race, class, gender and sexuality. PANIC! seeks to bring together and coordinate a new network that is made up of multiple initiatives and groups which can join together, and hopefully grow. The project is just about to start properly as the steering group is working on a call out to artists across the region, which will offer early career creatives the opportunity to win one of 6 bursaries of £5000 pounds or 10 of £1000".

Georgia continued: "These large bursaries could give emerging artists a step up and an opportunity to really develop their practice, which is very exciting".

The Tetley mailing list Any artists who are interested in opportunities such as this are advised to sign up to The Tetley mailing list and keep up to date with the website and social media. There will also be a digital platform that will be used to share upcoming events and networking opportunities

PANIC! and the future We discussed the sustainability of the PANIC! network. Georgia said she hopes that the network will continue post pandemic, but for that to happen, sponsorshship support will be needed, because current funding is only available until March 2022. A longer term approach is needed to help artists.

Greatest challenges of Georgia's role These undoubtedly lie within her work with PANIC! - making sure that everyone feels comfortable when engaging online.

She went on to say that it is taking longer to reach that point, but everyone is working hard to make sure it happens.

It is important also to develop clear aims for the network and identify what would make it most successful.

Plans for The Tetley in 2021 and beyond The team is excited that Jerward Arts selected The Tetley to run commissions, which is helping them to pivot to support emerging artists and those who have not had the opportunity to exhibit before.

Three creatives were selected: Emily Hesse, Samra Mayanja, ROOT-ed Zine, and through the financial and mentoring support they will receive, they will achieve a significant step forward in their careers.

(More information about this programme can be found here: https://www.thetetley. org/whatson/announcing-the-tetleyjerwood-commissions).

Georgia's advice for others looking to work in the creative sector "Think about a set of values, decide on them and then consider how those values inform your practice. Use the values to direct your work and what you decide to do. They can help you to decide what you can compromise on and what you cannot. Finally, I would always suggest aiming for conversation instead of consolation. This is something that we are working to achieve though our work with co-production and networks at The Tetley."

It's clear to Yorkshire Art that The Tetley team is determined not to allow current restrictions to hold them back. Their sense of purpose must surely encourage the artistic community in the Leeds City Region and provide more confidence in their potential than might otherwise have been the case.

Words by Gemma Bridge

17

PROFESSOR POLLOCK

Professor Griselda Pollock on PANIC!, The Holberg Prize - and the importance of artists in the Leeds City Region Based in Leeds, Professor Griselda Pollock is an art historian, with interests in feminist studies in the visual arts, critical studies of contemporary art, feminist cultural theory and social histories of art.

Since the mid-seventies, Griselda has been one of the most influential scholars in her field as well as in the fields of film studies and cultural history more broadly.

Reflecting her renowned authority, in March 2020, Griselda was named as the 2020 Holberg Prize Laureate "for her groundbreaking contributions to feminist art history and cultural studies."

The Holberg prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian government, to a nominated scholar who has made an outstanding contribution to research in the arts and humanities, social sciences, law or theology, either within one of these fields or through interdisciplinary work.

In becoming the 2020 Laureate, Griselda is making history as she is the first art historian to have won the award. She joins the likes of Julia Kristeva, Marina Warner, Jürgen Habermas, and Bruno Latour, along with other influential thinkers who have won the Holberg Prize since it was first awarded in 2004. Determined to use the prize to support art and artists, as well as the City in which she has lived for 43 years, Griselda has partnered with The Tetley to establish PANIC! – the acronym for

18

‘promoting an artists’ network in the City’. The aim of PANIC! is to support, mentor and distribute bursaries to artists in the Leeds City Region. It aims to encourage the making of work that will reflect upon, challenge and discuss the situation that we find ourselves in as an effect of the current COVID-19 crisis.

The theme for the bursaries is ‘In our times….’.

The Holberg Prize and choosing to partner with The Tetley Griselda explained that the Holberg prize is awarded annually, and that she was nominated by someone, or a group of people from within Leeds University, where she teaches and conducts research. She said that she felt ‘very honoured’ to have been awarded the prize and plans to use the award to support artists and research in the arts, primarily in Yorkshire. So why Yorkshire?

Griselda, who was born in South Africa and grew up in Canada, said: ‘I have lived in Yorkshire for over 43 years… and I am allowed to use the funding for whatever I want… I felt I should use the money to invest in art and artists in my part of Yorkshire and so am focussing on supporting activities in Yorkshire.”

“Project Space Leeds, the charity that operates The Tetley, was founded by two Leeds University fine art graduates, turned artist curators, Pippa Hale and Kerry Harker and by the artist Diane Howse in 2006’. As a result of the Leeds University connection, and the contacts that The Tetley has across the region, The Tetley was the ideal partner.

The importance of the artistic community in the Leeds City Region I wondered why an artistic community is so important in a City. “That’s a huge question,” Griselda said. “We need to nurture artists as they are responsible for so much of our culture. The history of art is thought of in terms of cities, so for medieval art we will focus on the cathedrals such as Durham or Lincoln, and when we look back a few centuries ago and think about art, we talk about Florence, Naples and Rome as centres of intense congregations of creative artists.

We have to ask why rulers wanted the artists in their cities and at their courts.

The reason is because artists deal with the world and produce images; they capture what is going on; they produce and develop conversations and they put

cities on maps and centres of creativity as well as power.” Griselda explained how the same factors that made artists important to cities centuries ago, remain important today. “Art is important to cultural dynamics in a city as artists constantly invent. They question what is fixed, instead of remaking what already exists. Art is not consumerism because it does not just add things; it is not a commodity although it is traded now as investment. By exploring the world from so many angles closely and personally from situations of difference, art is a vital and critical mirror to any society.”

non-professional ways. Artists “hold up mirrors of all different kinds, and reflect back to their society what is going on at the time. The PANIC! network wants to nourish and support new visions and records of this extraordinary historical moment and unimagined situation that we are all sharing and suffering.”

Griselda went on to say that there are lots of artists in this region, all at different stages of their artistic journeys.

It is not just those who are professional who are important to a city’s culture, but also the students and young people who are beginning their practices alongside people making art, theatre, music in

Griselda: “Leeds didn’t and still doesn’t have a great platform for new and contemporary artists… but there are lots of artists coming out of the many art departments of the universities locally.” Griselda believes there is mis-match between the number of developing artists and the support

The role of PANIC! in nourishing artists in the Leeds City Region post COVID-19

19

available for them, explaining that there is insufficient support compared to other cities like Liverpool or Manchester.

PANIC! is “interested in artists at all stages, and that through the network, we are trying to do something tiny, although there is quite a lot of money involved. I am just dropping a cupful of water into the ocean of need. In our first year we will be working with only 16 artists and we hope to fundraise for more resources.

We want to show how a small difference can make an immediate impact. PANIC! is aiming also to support artists with mentoring and other activities that will bring artists together and create a platform for enriching the debates. We want to connect the dots up and link art in the City with artists and others within the Leeds City Region. I hope our network will sustain artists remaining here while opening passageways to and from the wider art world.”

An important time to develop a network of artists.

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, artists in the Leeds City Region were severely hit: “As many artists rely on casual jobs, like working in cafés and galleries, they were put into a very precarious position because these casual opportunities all but disappeared. It was necessary to address that and draw attention to their precarity as much as to their value for the thinking and creative life of the City and region.” As a result, Griselda wanted to put some of the prize money to work to support artists. PANIC! offers some financial opportunities but just as importantly may function as “a platform to enable artists in all our diversity to come together and work together … linking up now small separate pockets of activity and local projects and ensuring that they have access to the continued intellectual and artistic nourishment that they need after they finish their studies and are out there making art.

We are living through an historic moment — this pandemic— that no one could have imagined would create these new conditions. Artists can capture the current moment and speak the experience back to us, each for her/ him/themselves and thus for us. It is important that artists reflect on this current situation. While cities offer talk about cultural value, there is danger of crude instrumentalization of the presence of artists and cultural activity in an economic calculation of benefit. Art brings value to a city. But it is much more than what it brings to the economy. Art is more than a form of entertainment or a way to produce money.”

20

Griselda wants to show how cities become exciting because artists are a culturally dynamic force, especially when they are grounded in their own communities and speak in their many voices: “Some selected artists can get rich — and some do as there is a lot of money in art through the massive financialisation of art now, so we need to think of how much these ridiculous sums spent at auction could have been used in supporting so many artists working in ways that are in touch with our daily realities and struggles and our dreams and imaginations that do not have a monetary value but need real economic support. We need to get back to the basic level. Artists without huge price tags but the means to live decently and create do make a huge difference. Making is also thinking and researching and the art that is produced this way frames the world and what we experience. It also questions what is going on: racism, sexism, poverty, inequality, ecological catastrophe, xenophobia, discrimination against diversity, making some people’s lives less human and liveable through indifference or neglect. That is why I am interested in encouraging the exciting group of artists involved in PANIC! to explore the differences and challenges that we face with all the silenced and ignored challenges we face as a society.”

Mentoring and the development of artists in the region. How can PANIC! help?

Griselda: “I think mentoring and support can help artists in Leeds to continue to learn and develop their huge potential without having to go somewhere else. I do not want to lose artists from the City.

This is also a chance to research and assess the impact this kind of project can have.”

We discussed how PANIC! is developing and what plans are in place for the next few months. Griselda: “We have a steering group, and with the artists who came forward to steer the network we are on an adventure. We want to see what can make a difference and find out how partnerships can work. I would love other sponsors to come forward to support and help the network, for instance small or large donations of money for increasing the number of artists’ bursaries. We would welcome even small funds and are going to give opportunities to support with even small things like doing talks or sharing expertise, but all with Artist Union fee scales as we do not want to exploit goodwill.”

PANIC! and the complexities of race, gender, power and sexuality One of the key aspects of PANIC!, mirroring Griselda’s research interests, is the space that it will provide for artists to discuss, challenge and reflect some of the most pressing issues that we face in society. We asked Griselda why she felt that this was important for the network and what role artists have in such debates. Griselda: “What makes PANIC! special is its dedication to inclusivity and diversity and this means real work against all the ingrained hierarchies and normativities that are often exclusionary, and positive work to ensure accessibility and respect. We want to encourage debate, learning and sharing. The Leeds City Region is very diverse in all ways and the art world is not yet representative or welcoming.

PANIC! aims to model a different way of representing us all, which means recreating that ‘us’ as inclusive and diverse. The issues of discrimination and exclusion we face are massive, and they need to be challenged actively to enable transformation. Artists can help to do this through their knowledge and lived experience. They can reflect what is happening and help to spark a ripple of change. Art has traditionally been very white, very middle-class, very male-dominated, very metropolitan, very normative in terms in so many ways, and existing selectivity keeps all of those privileges in place. With PANIC! we want to show that it does not have to be that way and with commitment we can demonstrate and effect change.”

As many of the issues around the pandemic and how it impacts the people in the City and region are the effect of existing inequalities, PANIC! artists will be exploring how people and societies across the Leeds City Region are being affected and how we are living through these times. Many people may not be familiar with art or may not have an existing interest in seeing art. So, as part of PANIC! the artists are going to be asking how we can take PANIC to places in and around Leeds? We want to show others what art can do and offer. We need to explore ways to plant PANIC! in unexpected sites across the region. We want to get people talking. We know this is the drop in the ocean yet we feel despite the challenge we cannot turn away from facing the challenges that we face and doing something for the artists while they, by making work, do something for all of us and for the future. When this is over, how will we remember what happened to us during

these strange, dissociated, difficult and frightening times? What makes PANIC! different from other projects is that we are disrupting the current model. We are going to be doing, not dreaming, and it is in the nitty gritty of doing that we can make a change. This is a model that we want to shape and share.”

The legacy of PANIC! for artists in the region We next explored the legacy Griselda hopes for PANIC! to have for artists and the region as a whole.”It really matters to have artists in a city. Many outside art do not appreciate the range of skills and values acquired by art studies and art making. The image of the artist is often of a self-indulgent and useless luxury. Studying and practising art gives you many life and work skills, such as working on your own initiative, selfreliance, resourcefulness, teamwork and commitment to achievement of challenging goals. Making art is hard work. It tests character and requires so much learning from the most technical skills to the most imaginative and inventive solutions. Being involved in PANIC! is an extraordinary honour, as it will give the team, our artist advisers and the artists a way to make things happen and to set something in motion. "As for what PANIC! will give to the Region, we don't know" don’t know what will happen at the end of this. A big part of the project is to allow the artists to lead. We are respecting the artists and allowing them to share their lived experiences and suggest directions.” Griselda shared with me the key idea of the writer, Raymond

Williams, that ‘culture is ordinary’. She went on to explain: ‘By that Williams means that some forms of culture are the big creative works, but all of us live and make culture in our everyday lives.

There is need to recognise that there is a difference between pre-packaged and fixed ideas and what comes into being to change the way we understand ourselves and the world. This is what the artists involved in PANIC! are bringing with their own cultures and to the conversation in which we are collaborating. They are giving us the opportunity to learn something from the groundedness of their lived experience seen through the lens of their own artistic creativity.”

What is Griselda most looking forward to about PANIC!?

“I am looking forward to all of it in its totality. The project is like a crystal, with lots of faces and different facets each showing us a different angle or perspective.” She went on to say that bringing PANIC! to life has been an exciting journey. “When you have an idea and it looks great on paper, it can be scary to wait and see what happens. When the bodies — the people who applied — come and we formed the steering group, we realized that we have launched ourselves on an adventure with a provisional but good enough map to get going. On that journey we know that the weather will change and the sea will change and we cannot completely be prepared for what is coming. I’m looking forward to

the learning process because it will be complex and challenging. It will be a new and different relationship to one that I am used to as an academic and teacher.

I am no longer teaching but instead I will be working with others on a project focussing on the needs and insights and initiatives of the artists. That will be profoundly exciting, transformative…

This is going to challenge me. On the way, we will respond and learn.

After winning the Holberg Prize, I wanted some of the money to be used to benefit the City in which I have lived over half my life. I also wanted to use it to help to struggle against the prejudice and exclusion and the lack of value and respect for the importance of a vital artistic community in our cities. The money will help to support PANIC! and will help us to work together to set things in place to bring about change, to create a chain reaction.”

The conversation with Griselda was interesting and enlightening. Discussing the prevailing issues that we all face, and those that affect artists even more strongly now as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, was eye-opening. It was thought-provoking to discuss how art and culture can help to reflect and challenge society’s issues, and, therefore, why it is so important to nourish and support the whole community of artists at all stages, keeping them living and working in the Region. It will certainly be exciting to see how PANIC! develops and how the artists capture and reflect their experiences.

Words by Gemma Bridge

21

ANJI DEY-CLARK

Yorkshire Art asked writer Fe to find out more about Anji Dey-Clark Who and what inspire you - ignite your artistic fires?

Oh my goodness! I've said a lot about this on my website. Most of my inspiration comes from nature, so I'm very inspired by that. I go for daily walks in the woods, with absolutely no other media - I just want to hear the sounds of nature, the birds and things like that and this gives me the fire to carry on and do some more art. I started to do a collection of work to do with nature.

In terms of artists, there are so many.

There's Russeau, there's Kahlo. There's Alvaro Castagnet, whose watercolours of urban cities are amazing and I love them, so I'm sort of teetering on whether to try some urban pictures as well, but I think that would be a different collection. I admire these artists. I don't necessarily

paint like my inspirations, but some people have likened some of my works to Rousseau and Spencer. At the moment, I'm trying to build up my nature one. I use a lady called Ann Glockly. She's done experimental flowers in watercolour and I've started to do a lot more of them. Yeah, mostly trees, flowers and landscapes; that kind of thing.

I feel like each piece of your work is very different and unique.

I can't seem to spot a style. It looks like you take a different path for each piece. Do you have a process, or do you just do whatever feels right at the time?

The thing is, I did struggle to find my style. What I ended up doing was painting whatever I wanted to paint and not thinking about style or whether there was cohesion or a body of work there. Then I did my art degree, which I passed last year 2020. This brought me to think about focusing down on a particular style. The problem is, I don't have one medium; I use different mediums. Sometimes I mix them.

That's because I feel it's too restrictive otherwise, for me. Just to stick to one medium and carry on with that. That could be, not a good idea because it means I can't really establish with one particular medium, but I love experimenting. I do tend to experiment quite a lot. My process is very organic.

22

Sometimes It will just be something that triggers me, like a photograph or an image or another artist's work and then from that, I'll just decide what to paint.

Actually, the oil painting of the sunflowers is a good example because it was during the lockdown and lockdown had just ended, I think and it was near the end of summer. I was in the supermarket and I saw this massive bunch of sunflowers, like big ones and they were like they were happy and smiling and looking at me; I just had to buy them! I took them home and from then, I kind of got a feeling that I needed to get them on some sort of canvas, you know paint them. I used my oils.

I'm still developing the oil work. The sunflowers really spoke to me, because of the time that we were in - when we were all split up from families and not seeing anyone. The sunflowers gave some kind of cohesion and maybe a feeling of we need to be together, we need solidarity - it symbolised things like that. When the sun shines, their heads go up towards the sun. When the sun’s gone, they huddle together. It kind of expressed how I felt at the time and how I still feel. My process is… well, I don't do preliminary sketches all the time.

Sometimes it's just straight in there and paint, just because I feel it. Sometimes I

COVID is over, we'll still have that as an issue to deal with - what we as humans are doing to the planet, so my favourite is the elephant as I did enjoy the process of creating that and I'm planning to do some more in the same style.

It will be interesting to see you do more in that style. What is your most memorable art moment, good or bad?

I think when I sold my first miniature painting!

That must have felt awesome. When was that?

That was at the monthly Art Fayre in Leeds Kirkgate Market, in the summer of 2019. I sold an abstract that I had created and I had three of the same sort and a lady saw it, asked about it, went way and I thought that's it, she’s not coming back, but she did! She said it was a reasonable price, i.e too cheap (laughs) and I sold it to her, but the feeling I got from that sale was amazing! That was one memorable moment. Also I sold a painting called Handa, which Paul Heaney, who runs the Art Fayre has a great big print poster of...

Yes, I keep eyeing up that print. I'm low-key working on buying that!

will do some preliminary sketches, just to get a feel of what it might look like and then produce the main thing, so it does change a bit. I don't think I'm a realistic painter. I don't paint photographically.

It's impressionist and expressionist in style I think.

Your journey in your art is ever changing, keeps moving and you are always looking to learn new things. It feels an exciting approach.

Yeah, like I said - organic. It never stays in one sort. It's not the medium that's my problem now, it's subjects. There is one particular painting that has done really well for exhibitions and everyone seems to like that style and I may produce some more work in that style. The piece is Tree of Life. It's

done in charcoal. This one seems very popular with the general exhibitions and publication people. I'll probably do some more of these and hope I can sell more.

Which one of your own pieces is your favourite?

(Laughs). Are you? Great! I sold the original to my brother and he loves it, so that was another wonderful moment. I got a commission from a friend. I didn't like the commission I did for him, but he wanted to buy a nude life drawing I had done of a young lady. This gave me a big buzz, not so much the commission.

I do want to do commissions more now,

Ooo, that's a hard one! (laughs). The Mother and Baby one, was something that just sprung to me. It represented the importance of love between a mother and a child. We are missing a lot of being together, being with people we love at the moment. We are always surrounded by our family all the time and my children are growing up, so this painting kind of does mean a lot to me. As for a favourite, I think it's my elephant. It's on the front cover of my website. I've called it Elephant Matters, because I think in this world of COVID, we have forgotten the other thing that we were obsessing about which is nature, how animals are in danger and things like that and when

23

Are you aware of any groups supporting artists that are black and of colour?

In Leeds, probably not. I'm with certain art groups like East Street Arts and they all say they are interested in representing BAME artists, but I didn't get any proposals I went for with them.

Another one I went for - an application in London - who have also mentioned they encourage applications from BAME people, but I haven't had any success with them either, so I don't know of many, no. I just seem to be alone, wandering alone in this field. There were some BAME artists on my course that have established themselves, but nobody Leeds based. I haven't seen any of that type of support in Leeds.

because I feel I'm more experienced about it now. I know what to ask about, because when I did the very first one, I was quite green and I didn't know what to do and really, I shouldn't have done it because it was outside my particular comfort zone. So, it's when people take my work and love it are the memorable moments.

Your latest exhibition was online at Aire Place Studios. I'm interested to know, as an artist how you are coping with the contrary form of online exhibiting?

I've been applying for different exhibitions, I've got a lot that I have applied for. So far I've got about four lined up. One of the exhibitions was going to be in a gallery in Sheffield, but it was cancelled due to lockdown and now it's online. I'm grateful that they want my work, as I have a few publications in the exhibition. I don't know how many people will see it, but I've advertised it, so I'm hoping that people do see it, but to be frank I would much prefer to be able to walk into a gallery and see my work up on the wall. That's what I want to see. I am waiting for that time and all these exhibitions I have got so far have said once the gallery is up and running

24

they will do a real exhibition in reality, not online. So, I'm not happy with online exhibitions, but it's what we have to work with now and I'm just grateful they want to exhibit my work.

It's nice to see images of black and people of colour included in your artwork, as these images are scarce in exhibitions. Have you noticed yourself, that there is a great lacking in these images in mainstream art?

Well, yes. Traditionally, when you go see the classics/masters, they do have people of colour, but they are always insignificant, or in the background or somewhere hidden away - they're not main. That happens a lot and there just isn't a lot out there; I rarely see it.

I've got a few years of putting people of colour as the main focus point. My Mother and Baby is a Sri Lankan picture of a Sri Lankan mother with her baby done in a kind of Sri Lankan batik style and because I feel I have to hone my art down, I'm concentrating on nature at the moment, but I do like to paint people as well.

You're a professional and experienced teacher. Do you feel like your teaching channels through your artwork or is your artwork completely separate?

I see them as separate. When I do my art, I don't want to be teaching anything.

I like to just produce. However, I'd like to teach art - which is one of my ambitions.

I'd love to do that. The problem is getting into a job like that is really hard and I don't know how established I'd have to be. I have my degree in art, so I could teach it technically and I have a professional certificate as a teacher, because I do supply teaching - that's how I keep myself going, because art does not pay. I do consider myself a teacher and the only time I would combine teacher and artist is if I was actually working for an establishment teaching. I'm scared to do the online teaching. I thought about it, but I'm such a people person. I like to be hands on - I like to be there - in front

and have the solidity of it and I think art is difficult to teach online because you can't get much response back . So, I'm waiting for the time when this is all over and we can get back to normal and hopefully I can get some art teaching jobs.

Do you feel your art degree has been useful?

I should have taken the art degree years back. I have always been doing art like a hobby, but because I was so busy making a living as a teacher I didn't have the time to do the degree. As the kids grew up, I changed to supply teaching and cut down my hours. Then I took retirement from the teachers' pension, but not from teaching and I thought what can I do with this lump of money? I know, I'll do what I've always wanted, which was to get an art degree. At fifty five years old, I went and did my degree.

Fifty five years young!

(Laughs). Yes, I'm fifty eight now.

Where would you want to take your art in the future?

Ooo, well I would love to have a solo exhibition. That would be amazing.

Just some place to have a series or a body of just my work, in a gallery.

The present exhibitions I am in, have chosen one piece of work, so a solo exhibition I would love! I'd also like some commissions. This is what I'd want more than anything, to get that kind of exposure.

That sounds wonderful and I wish you all the best with that and as you don’t restrict yourself to a style, I feel your solo exhibition will be a feast for the eyes and an adventure for the mind.

Thank you.

Words by Fe

Anji Dey-Clark is an artist who approaches art with no restrictions, which means she produces authentic, individual pieces that I feel frees-up the viewer to experience her art in a genuine and liberated way.

Her artwork is enjoyable, with confident colour combinations of images and scenes people can relate to, with a restorative and recurring honesty.

25

ALABAMATHIRTEEN

Although alabamathirteen has always been interested in art, it took a long time for this to become a central part of her life. She was a creative child who enjoyed painting and drawing and making things.

alabamathirteen started experimenting with sewing and embroidery as a teenager when she would remodel items from charity shops. Art school was an attractive option at age eighteen but she was pushed to follow a more academic route. Studying a social science degree, returning to Leeds to study an MA in Sociology, then working, her adult life seemed to have moved away from the world of art. alabamathirteen's interest in art was still there but had receded into the background. The return of art to her life has been inextricably linked to her identification as a disabled person.

Throughout her life alabamathirteen was more prone to illness than others.

She knew she had hyper mobile joints but was not aware of any other specific condition. At age 30, she gave birth to her daughter and became incredibly and increasingly ill, ultimately having to leave work. She now understands that she had suffered a very severe flare up of psoriatic arthritis, triggered by pregnancy, but at the time this autoimmune condition was not diagnosed so it was a very scary and isolating experience.

At this difficult time alabamathirteen found solace in making things. She was attracted to lo-fi making that was inexpensive and relaxing. In 2006 she set up prettycraftythings, a regular

26

craft market which she ran at Leeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett University). This was at a time when the DIY craft subculture was just starting to gain wider popularity.

She made links with others in the craft world. She even attended a conference in the USA as a result of these links.

By 2009 alabamathirteen could no longer physically run the craft markets so she moved her expertise online. She set up a website called craftsville to showcase emerging independent designers and makers from across the UK. This also allowed her the opportunity to write for several magazines and websites. Despite this success, she lacked confidence in herself as an artist.

Her friends believed in her talent and encouraged her to take her art more seriously. In order to boost her confidence and develop her practice, she signed up for a foundation course at Leeds Art College (now Leeds Art University). She found herself, in her forties, studying alongside eighteenyear olds, which was an interesting experience, but did help to start to build her confidence. alabamathirteen's interest in embroidery led her to explore the place and role of needlework in society. Her sociology background became useful here, giving her the tools to explore historical issues

of gender and class. Rozsika Parker’s book The Subversive Stitch: embroidery and the making of the feminine, made an impact upon her understanding of the divide between craft and art, particularly in terms of gender and class. She notes that master embroiderers were usually men and although embroidery was considered a suitable hobby for the ‘genteel’ woman, even then there could be a distrust of groups of women sewing together.

There is a history of textiles in her locality and family.

By embroidering layers upon images she is making links to the distortion of memory and history.

When asked about the name alabamathirteen she explains that she initially wanted some anonymity to protect her daughter, as much of her early work featured adult themes and nudity. She chose the name by selecting two of her favourite things - She is a movie fan, and her favourite character is that of Alabama in True Romance played

by Patricia Arquette. Her favourite number is thirteen - and as a child, she felt that the number thirteen was unfairly treated owing to superstition and so decided to adopt it! The moniker has now become part of her identity as an artist. In fact, when two

embroidery artists, Tal Fitzpatrick and Stephanie Dunlop, decided to celebrate the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights through a collaborative craftivism quilt project, she even contributed a panel for Article 13. The Quilt is now permanently housed at Museum of Australian Democracy.

By 2019 alabamathirteen felt she had started to find her voice as an artist.

She had been part of a number of group exhibitions and had a solo exhibition, In Progress, at Aire Place Studios.

Photography and needlework have both become important elements in her art. In her most recent work she has combined these elements.

She works part-time from home for Leeds Bread Co-op, providing her with funds to support her art. She identifies as a disabled artist. Alongside psoriatic arthritis she has discovered she has bilateral hip dysplasia. She has a severely medically suppressed immune system as well as extensive mobility issues.

The last year has been particularly difficult for her as she has had to shield, spending much of her time in her bedroom. Her partner and daughter have had limited contact with her, despite living in the same house.

Fortunately, this has not stopped her producing art or engaging with other artists. She is part of an online exhibition by disabled artists from Leeds, Possible All Along. Her two triptychs, ’The Forest’ and ‘The Climb’, feature embroidered polaroid and instax photographs. She enjoys the juxtaposition of photos and embroidery. There is a need to plan with precision, which alabamathirteen finds more satisfying than embroidery on material. She enjoys photography but wants to produce tactile pieces.

that the voices of disabled artists are often not heard, they are not visible and their stories are not being told. In the past she has experienced, and still does experience immense isolation and anxiety as a disabled person and an artist. She wants to be there for other disabled artists who feel the same way.

Possible All Along has brought together disabled artists in Leeds. She hopes, with the curator Gill Crawshaw and other exhibiting artists, to maintain and grow this network.

In order to feel more accepted as an artist she had to overcome barriers around disability, gender, class and age.

She is grateful for the support she has received from organisations that support disabled artists - Outside In, DASH and Shape. She received mentoring sessions with DASH which helped grow her in confidence and skills. Shape arts has inspired and supported her.

Her art will also continue to develop.

She wants to take her work in a more multisensory direction and is exploring how she can represent sounds through embroidery. She is investigating plant based photography. This is related to an interest in ghosts. Over time, the images will fade and disappear, as not chemically fixed. Pink has featured regularly in her work and she is researching the use of pink plant based anthotypes, an alternative photography medium.

Earlier this year she received news that she has won a residency at the Art House in Wakefield, organised in collaboration with Outside In. She had not expected to be successful in her application and is incredibly excited for the opportunity as most residencies are inaccessible to her.

The residency begins in May 2021 and will give her the opportunity to develop and potentially exhibit work in an accessible art space.

alabamathirteen says she is not sure exactly where she is going, but she knows it will be an interesting journey.

I'm sure all who view her art will agree!

Words by Debbie Rolls

alabamathirteen is committed to passing on this support to other disabled artists and has trained as an ambassador for Outside In. Going forward she wants to raise awareness of the great art being produced by disabled artists.

She is passionate about giving disabled artists a voice at the table.She knows

27

ANJI TIMLIN

“When you meet a painting face to face, you meet the artist.”

Raised in Bradford and based in the Pennine Hills, artist and teaching assistant Anji Timlin paints magnificent countryside landscape images, enticing the audience with her graceful technique in which you can see every move of her brush.

Anji's paintings depict the sublime beauty of northern, country landscapes and take inspiration from poetry by the Brontë sisters as well as Anji’s own travels across Europe and the United States.

Art has been part of her soul for as long as she can remember, her first memories of it being in nursery. “I remember splattering PVA glue, and sprinkling sand on it…I chose the black sand, and everyone thought it was a bit weird,”,Anji reminisces. “I remember my teacher’s amazement because mine looked like a running man. It was an accident!”.

28

Anji’s father was a screen printer, an excellent draftsman.

He had a lot of art talent that owing to his working-class background at that time, he wasn’t able to use to his full capacity. She learned to draw just like her father, very expressively using fine liners. She didn't grow up going to art galleries, but she went to libraries a lot, so books had a strong influence on her art.

“These memories are really strong from being really tiny, and I can’t remember ever being consciously passionate about it, but I do remember realising not everybody enjoyed it like me… I think it’s just a part of me.”

Despite her love for painting, Anji studied textile design at university. She did a foundation course in Bradford where she found fascination in sculpture. “My teacher was brilliant, so open minded. I decided I wanted to do constructive textiles and make sculptures out of fabric, and he was really supportive.” After a few years studying in London where she became “disheartened” by the London art scene, she went back to Bradford to study textiles, a practical decision assuming it would lead to a good job in the famous Bradford textiles industry. “I did do textiles for a while after I finished my degree, but it wasn’t really in my soul. My tutor told me this isn’t where I’m going to be.”

29

French landscapes. She also lived in Finland for three months as part of the ERASMUS scheme (which allows students to study abroad), surrounded by beautiful northern landscapes which further inspired her artwork.

However, Anji is equally as inspired by her hometown as she is by her travels. She went back to Bradford when she was pregnant to raise her children. “I love it here”, she giggled. ‘It’s kind of part of me and part of my family – at the moment, that’s where my inspiration is.” Her kids are now fourteen and seventeen, so she is able to spend more of her time on painting, whilst taking in the inspiration around Bradford and the Pennines.

David Hockney was the first artist she had ever heard of who was still alive, first seeing his work in 1989 when he did a phone book cover for Bradford. “He’s a big inspiration to me because he’s from Bradford like I am…In Bradford, everything’s a bit grim sometimes but it does have moments of beauty, as so much is made out of York stone, and it beautifully glows in the sunshine… you’ve got to be open to those moments and that’s what Hockney does.”

Anji considers her textiles degree “a bit of a sidestep”, and she eventually went on to do a teaching qualification. She became an art lecturer at Bradford College until she had her children. Then, she became a single mother, which meant she had to give that up as it was too much work. For the last eight years, however, she has been working in schools; “Initially in a primary school for autistic children, and now at a generic special needs secondary school – I absolutely love it.” As a teaching assistant, she is able to have the “time and headspace” to continue art alongside her job.

In addition to David Hockney, Anji’s exquisite paintings take inspiration from artwork by Peter Doig. She first came across his art in 1993 on a college trip to the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool to see the John Moore’s Prize the year Doig’s painting Blotter won. “His painting moved me so much and I couldn’t explain it… it’s one of my favourite paintings ever!”. She was in complete shock that paintings could have that effect on someone. “That’s when I realised the power of a painting.”

Other artists Anji is inspired by are Lee Krasner and Tracey Emin, explaining that she loves their expressionism and how “direct” they are.

When she was sixteen, Anji lived in New Hampshire in America for a year. “It was completely transformational for me,” Anji explained, “in terms of confidence and independence, but also for meeting a different culture…it was a really intense year and has inspired me ever since.” She has always been interested in northern landscapes and describes herself as a “complete Francophile” as she explains her adoration for France and

"When you meet a painting face to face you meet the artist as well. If it’s a good painting, in my gut I feel them. It’s a very personal and very direct connection to the painter you can see where they’ve put their mark on the canvas and where they’ve chosen to put the paint.”

Anji’s last body of work was all titled after poetry by the Brontë sisters. Poetry is another thing that greatly inspires her, and she had always held a fascination with the Brontës and “the way they manage to carve these incredible novels and passionate poetry out of their seemingly small lives.” She had applied for a bursary, and she won a prize from South Square Gallery in Bradford, the home of the John Day bursary. “They look for work that is ‘of its place’… I was living in Haworth and my dad’s business was in Thornton, birthplace of the Brontës and home to South Square Gallery.”.The Brontë’s had walked back and forth from Thornton to Haworth constantly, and Anji loved the concept of journeys through countryside landscapes.

She decided to trace the route the Brontës took and paint scenery along the way. “The idea just sort of moulded together naturally.”

30

Painting had always been Anji’s favourite hobby. She painted all throughout her life, stepping away from it when she was doing textiles and sculpture work at university and while she was raising her young children, but having always done it on the side. “A couple of years ago, my son was really anxious and had a lot of time off school,” Anji said, “Eventually this triggered me, and I had to take time off work.” This was a very hard period of time, and Anji felt that she was at a loss. “I was having counselling to try and work through my issues, and I was trying to think of things that gave me peace… I was desperate for something”. After looking around, she found some old gouache paints and paint brushes, and came up with the idea to paint something every day. “I was making really tiny gouache paintings. I didn’t want to buy anything new or make a big deal out of it. I just wanted to paint every day and see what happened.” This pushed Anji to get back in touch with her passion for painting.

“I went back to painting because it’s really direct. It is something you can do at home, something you can do quickly and something that is accessible.”

When discussing the point at which she knows her work is completed, Anji confidently stated “I just know”. “Some things can sit for years without being finished… you have to just wait for it, wait until you feel like doing it and not panic.” Anji said that she tries not to “fuss and fiddle” with it. “If you’re patient with it and patient with yourself, everything resolves itself… one painting of mine didn’t get finished until ten years after I started it!”

I wouldn’t do it – I don’t have to do it for money so I’m lucky in that I can do whatever I feel like doing; my art is very free”.

She has been taking a lot of joy in doing commission work, and would love to expand on that.

“If you’re painting what people expect of you because you know you’ll sell them, then I don’t know whether that’s art any more”.

Anji hopes that those who view her paintings will feel a connection with her and feel some form of joy, especially in the current Covid-19 pandemic where people in general are feeling very low. She feels as though the most incredible thing about art is that it is so original. “There’s only one of that painting in the whole world and you’ve come across it”. Her paintings resonate with people of all backgrounds, and offer a real sense of peace; they are almost ethereal.

Currently, she is still painting as a hobby and just “taking interesting opportunities that arise.” She doesn’t have any major plans as of yet but would eventually love to be able to work on her painting full time, as her teaching assistant work gets harder as she gets older. She plans on doing a series of power station paintings, as well as ruined mill paintings. In July of 2021, she will be doing an exhibition in Swaledale and some workshops via the Dales Countryside Museum about local authors Ella Pontefract and Marie Hartley who wrote about the Swaledales in the 1930’s. Above all, Anji wants to keep developing her painting technique and keep learning about the art of painting. “Art is the gift that keeps on giving.” I think we can all agree with that!

Words by Lucy Chapman

Anji first did a commission painting for her friend, and she loved collaborating with her on it so much that she has opened it up to collaborating with people she doesn’t know, enjoying the fact she is able to get to know people and create art that resonates with them in some way. “I always trust my gut in everything I do, and if someone came to me with a commission I didn’t click with

31

ANTHONY JENNISON

An artistic journey – learning about community and collaboration Anthony Jennison has been on a journey. From growing up in North Yorkshire, to studying Fine Art & Illustration at Coventry University, and then to accept a place at the prestigious Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, he now returns to his Yorkshire roots. Much greater than his physical journey has been his creative and emotional journey.

Early Days As a child he loved to draw and paint. At Scarborough College he was the only student in his year group who wanted to pursue a career in art. Recognising his commitment, his teachers allowed him access to the art space and materials whenever he had free time. He saw art as a way to tell stories and with this in mind decided to concentrate on illustration during the first few years of his undergraduate course.

A Catalyst Anthony still paints and sees this as an integral part of his ongoing practice and method. However, in the final year of the BA course his work took an unexpected turn. He now feels that this was the particular point when he started producing ‘legitimate’ art. His work became more emotional and conceptual. At the time he was grieving the loss of his grandmother.

Family, particularly his grandparents, seem to have played an important role in Anthony’s journey. His grandfather is creatively minded and encouraged his drawing and painting.

Three of his major pieces of art relate directly to family relationships. ‘Confession’, his final BA exhibition piece, was created to enable him to understand and deal with bereavement. Haptic Absence, a video and music collaboration, was developed in response to the Motor Neurone Disease and Alzheimer’s experienced by his other grandmother; whilst his latest project, Masc and Manage, was inspired by the sharing of worries over tea drinking rituals with others and his own understanding of his mental wellbeing.

Confession, 2018 This work is a journey through the grieving process. The stages of bereavement are made tangible by the bricks that were produced by Anthony as he experienced grief. Each was dated and their imperfections were manifestations of his emotional state. The viewer follows the journey and sees themselves reflected in their pearlescent surfaces. The title came from

32

artist’s toolkit. It has both benefits and limitations. It is part of modern life and needs to be used in art to enhance experience and reflect a reality.

However, he cannot envisage a day when technology could independently produce art.

Masc and Manage an initial idea to build a full-size confessional box. Such places can allow people to step away from the fast-paced world, giving people time to reflect and time to come to terms with bereavement and other concerns.

Confession was selected to be shown at the 2018 annual New Designers Exhibition in London. It was there that Dr Kevin Walker became aware of Anthony’s work. After viewing the exhibition Kevin contacted Anthony and invited him out for coffee. He asked if Anthony would like to study an MA in Information Experience Design at the RCA. The course was starting in four weeks time. Without hesitation, Anthony said yes.

Influences As a teenager, Anthony had a strong admiration for the new wave of Young British Artists who attended Goldsmiths and the RCA in the late 1980s. Tracey Emin had made a particular impression.

He respected her ability to communicate narrative and raise issues of social concern. To be offered a place at the RCA was a dream come true. Other influential artists include; Pierre Huyghe, Jeremy Deller and Mark Rothko.

Tenancy, 2018 Some of his earlier work is quite personal. Tenancy, 2018, saw him explore the link between the manmade and natural by placing painted constructs in a disused quarry near his family home in Pickering. The manufactured material placed in the quarry was painted an intense pink. When asked about this colour choice he explains that he finds the colour comforting. Over time he also reflected on the choice with regards to his masculinity and the difficulty that men often have in expressing emotion.

Anthony enjoyed using the outside space in Yorkshire. When young, much of his exposure to art had been through exhibitions organised by the North York Moors National Park, although he also enjoyed trips to galleries in Harrogate, Leeds and The Hepworth at Wakefield.

Requiem 1, 2018 Similar pink constructs appeared in Requiem 1, 2018, when they were placed in the open space created by a district heating system in a suburb of Berlin.

This saw a shift beyond the merely visual. The acoustics of the pipes and abandoned buildings were recorded to form an accompanying soundtrack.

Over time, Anthony’s work has become more interactive and more community orientated.

His latest project, Masc and Manage, is on a larger scale than anything he has produced before. This made studio space much more important. He was fortunate to rent an affordable art space in Brixton from the charity Artists Studio Company (ASC). Although the RCA allocated space, it was intended for design work rather than large scale making. In 2019 ASC introduced a recent graduate scheme, offering workspaces in its Brixton, Croydon and Rotherhithe studios at subsidised rents to artists who have graduated in the last three years.

Anthony found himself working as part of a community of artists in Brixton.

In Haptic Absence he collaborated with musician Dimitris Menexopoulos to explore the loss of communication experienced through conditions such as Alzheimer’s and MND. He had to learn new practical skills to undertake this project. Although on the same course, Dimitris was living in Greece at the time, so both had to make use of technology to collaborate effectively.

Default, 2019 Technology has become increasingly important in Anthony's practice. In Default, 2019, he explored Artificial Intelligence. Maintaining his commitment to art as a story telling tool, he formed a narrative of a corrupted AI ‘entity’ that begins to feel human emotion. The installation describes that journey of crossing the border between the public and private image from a firstperson perspective.

When asked if he will develop his work with technology further, he explains that he sees it as one resource in an

33

Then Covid changed everyone’s plans. Anthony moved back to Pickering and graduated his MA remotely in Yorkshire. The issue of studio space was solved by using a shipping container located in the yard of his family’s construction business. He continues to collaborate with designers in London who were working with him on textiles for the merino wool he will use for his tea cosy.

Difficult subjects are interrogated in Anthony’s projects, but he makes it clear he also wants to bring enjoyment to these interactions. Masc and Manage illustrates this perfectly; a giant knitted tea cosy is being constructed as a travelling installation that will highlight the danger of male suicide.

The Tour Originally the experience would have toured the country in 2020, but departure has been delayed, with plans still being made. The research behind the project was sourced from a Samaritans report (2019) about the prevalence of suicide in men aged 45-59. It is planned that the tea cosy will tour 35 locations stopping at Working Men’s Clubs, community centres and empty retail outlets. Venues that are innately accessible.

DIY activities will be run in and around the tea cosy and, of course, tea will be served. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn and share valuable skills, whilst building interpersonal relations with others. The sessions will also signpost people to access support from organisations, charities and the NHS. At a national level Anthony spoke with mental health charities like SANE but he hopes to focus on local organisations who will also be encouraged to get involved at each location.

Once Covid has stopped wreaking havoc on people’s plans, the tea cosy will be loaded into the back of a van and tour dates will be announced. Anthony is currently seeking funding for the ‘Masc and Manage’ initiative and further information will be announced in the near future.

34

Changes Ahead Anthony feels the Arts are changing. He has moved away from a view of artist as producer and viewer as consumer. He has a vision of a new wave where interaction is primary. Interaction between artists, between public and art and between artist and public. Multi-disciplinary work is becoming more accessible.

He believes that the term artist will come to describe someone who operates and collaborates with others in multiple spheres and stands away from commercial dominance. He understands community art practice in its widest sense, where everyone can make a contribution.

He is determined to find a way to work with people in truly collaborative ways. He never wants to be an artist who runs a workshop where others produce at his behest. Art is envisaged as an engine for enabling everyone to explore their creativity as individuals and instigators.

One of Anthony's dreams is to set up a community art space in rural Yorkshire. He is attracted to art spaces such as the Left Bank in Leeds but knows these rarely exist outside cities.

Having grown up in Yorkshire, he is conscious of both the exclusion from the arts and the social isolation felt by many people living in villages and small towns.

Anthony has come a long way already. He has learnt how to see the arts as an emotional tool, to work collaboratively with others and to interrogate how art can benefit society.

At only 23, Anthony Jennison still has so much more to offer the Art world and local communities in Yorkshire.

Words by Debbie Rolls

35

CALLY ANDERSON

A more contemporary kind of macabre With her signature macabre crows and gothic landscape pieces, Leeds based Cally Anderson’s paintings are haunting and alluring, evoking a sense of melancholy.

For the last eight years she has had a full time career at a car leasing company, but recently has been selling some of her work alongside that.

“In Leeds Art Gallery, I love going into the big room at the back, my favourite room. The art work is just incredible!”

She also enjoys a lot of modern artists, fascinated particularly by the works of sculptor Rachel Whiteread who she studied at University and by the commercial artists in Castle Galleries and Whitewall Galleries.

Around ten years ago, Cally worked at an independent gallery in Batley, where they sold a lot of work by the De Montfort Publishing House and Washington Green, so she was around a lot of contemporary work.

Making the right choices

She first began painting in High School, after she realised she was really good in her art classes. Following that, she specialised in Textiles and Loom Weaving at University after spending a year at college exploring all areas of art. Although she didn’t really continue with the weaving after University, she developed her drawing and painting, a passion of hers throughout her degree.

36

Cally’s interest in the macabre stems from her upbringing. “My mum was always encouraging me to read gothic horror and I grew up watching a lot of horror movies." She also grew up going to art galleries and art shows, and was particularly inspired by some of the older art work where she really appreciated the skill.

When she left university, she found it really difficult to pick something to work on. “For a while, I was just painting for friends and doing what they asked me to do - it took me a while to find my own style.” She found a lot of gothic art work to be relatively cliché, so she wanted to create something a bit more contemporary, so that "someone who isn’t interested in horror would still appreciate it”. Crows are her signature logo, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories, after she painted one crow and enjoyed it so much.

“My most recent painting is of a crow with a big vase of flowers and that’s very different to some of the other stuff I’ve done - probably the first still-

life painting I’ve done in a long time.

I wanted to do that because I’ve been looking at a lot of really old art work recently, and was inspired by some of those traditional pieces.”

Landscape art is Cally’s “go-to”, as she finds it the easiest and what she feels most comfortable doing. “It’s interesting when I think about why I enjoy painting landscapes,” Cally explains. “I live in Leeds City, I’ve always lived in an urban environment, but yet I like painting landscapes?”

Making an impression Cally hopes that her paintings come across to the audience as creepy, yet beautiful. She hopes her work will evoke a sense of curiosity as well as fear. “I want people to be intrigued by it,” she says. Her paintings certainly do just that.

It seems that Cally Anderson has established her own style and no doubt when she has the opportunity, she'll use it to great effect when she explores the wider subjects she intends to commit to canvas.

Words by Lucy Chapman

She met her husband at University, and in order to be able to live together and not have a long-distance relationship, they both sacrificed their passions.

“I sacrificed my art, and my husband sacrificed his TV production work because there weren’t a lot of jobs. It’s just one of those things. Life gets in the way, got bills to pay, and you take whatever job you can get.” Cally now works at a car leasing company and has made a good career out of it, working up the ranks to become a team leader.

At the moment, she is enjoying painting in her free time as a hobby. However, she dreams of being able to devote more time to it and eventually do it full time. “You have to be brave, and I’m not quite brave enough to do that yet…when do I take the jump?”

Looking ahead

When talking about finishing her pieces, Cally described it as something she struggles with. “Sometimes you’ve been staring at a piece for so long that you’re sick of looking at it. It’s usually at that point that I think I need to walk away.

If you’re a perfectionist, you’re always going to be critical of it.”

There are, however, paths not yet trodden. “There’s loads of different things I’ve not yet tried! I’ve got into a little comfort zone in what I like to paint.” She acknowledged that there’s so much out there she’d love to challenge herself with, particularly painting gothic buildings and more portraits, but she wants to work on creating portraits in the same sinister, haunting style as the rest of her work.

37

CARRIEANNE VIVIANETTE

Whose art is her theatre As we conclude our opening greetings, I tell Carrianne Vivianette that I love her name and that it hints at an artistic legacy. I'm curious about her cultural background, because she sounds like a Dales lass, but her name seems far from Yorkshire. This made her laugh.

Well, that's interesting because I feel like I've gotten away with something and made myself sound very cosmopolitan.

That isn't actually my original name. I changed my name in 2006. It's a bit of a long and funny story, but the short of it is - I went to the magistrates court to change my name and I didn't know what I was going to change it to, so I was sat there thinking What could it be? I didn't realise at the magistrates court you can pay one fee and change your first, middle and surname. I thought, gosh.

Who do I idolise? Who do I want to be like? I'll steal their name. I really love Vivian Standshall, who is an artist. Rest his soul. My name was, ugh (grimaces) Carrie Anne Hoare and I wanted to change it completely and I couldn't think how to change it. I thought Vivian Ann, but I can't change my first name, my mum would never forgive me. I'll have to keep the Carrie, so I'll stick the Carrie and Anne together, so that's Carrianne, but then I need something completely different. Carrieanne Standshall?

Carrieanne Vivian? No, Vivian doesn't sound right, it sounds like a first name.

Then somebody shouted "Can Miss Carrie....? Then I quickly said Carrieanne Vivianette! so it was a bit like that. It was quite rushed. But people have said, when I went back to study as a mature student, when I had just changed my name "Oh, are you French?" No. (In a very Yorkshire accent). I nearly said yes, because I really wanted to be French. No, no I'm Yorkshire, but please do believe that I'm French. So it fools people a little bit.

That’s a good story, because it sounds like such a glamorous, wonderful name to say it was just rushed - and it totally suits you, even with the accent.

That's really good then.

38

I'm assuming that way before the change of name, you were interested in art. When was the first time you were introduced to art or art was introduced to you?

I definitely can't remember the moment I decided to do art as a hobby or a profession. There definitely wasn't a memory of me saying, I now identify as an artist. One because I've got a memory like a sieve, but also because I've always been just doing it. I think when I was at primary school, it was the only thing that I felt I could do and to some degree - that I got praise for, apart from peeling glue off the glue sticks, which I was always very good at.

I have vague memories of drawing a frog man in an art class in primary school. I wasn't following the instructions given from the teacher and I drew a person with a frog head and the teacher said "That's very detailed and very good."

I don't know where that came from, because I was probably trying to get positive attention at that age, like all children. I continued with that, but not just for the attention. I obviously enjoyed it to a big degree as well. It also felt relaxing and right as well. In secondary school, it became a frustration because I was a perfectionist and my art had to be perfect. I don't have much memory of secondary school either, but I do have a memory of being in an art class and drawing an eye and taking lesson after lesson after lesson over it and being like ugh! Getting really frustrated and going to rip it up all the time. My art teacher would say "I'd be proud if I drew that" and I'm still frustrated replying "No, you're just lying to me, it's not right!"

Except in schools, which has been most people's experience when doing art classes at school, but that is a whole other subject we could get into!

that and it's turned out okay, maybe I'm okay at this and they'll try it again. Very few people put themselves in a situation of being completely lost and not being able to get a handle on things. I Probably then wouldn't have jumped to.... Let's see, what don't I do? Landscapes, for example. Maybe I haven't done a good landscape and I wouldn't do it again if it wasn't pleasurable or didn't turn out well.

Oh yes. I could talk to you about that for a long time.

I liked what you said when you said "I must feel a sense of empathy for the individual, when I'm painting them".

Which is a beautiful approach. Then I thought, do individuals you feel no empathy for get shown the door?

It's interesting that as a child you were so obsessed with drawing an eye perfectly. The eye is a part of the face, which is a part of the portraits you now paint. Maybe the eye drawing drama was a beginning or preview to where you were going to go artistically, do you think?

Hmmm, that's very insightful. The eye is the window to the soul. Well, the first piece of artwork I did towards the end of secondary school, which I still have in a scrap book that I was proud of was a copy of a Picasso, the abstract geometric face called The Weeping Woman. I was really pleased with this and was drawn to it, because there is something about figures and faces. What you've just said had reminded me of that. Maybe people do stick to what gives them pleasure. It's the pleasure principle. They would think because they have got pleasure from

Funnily enough, I have recently done an oil portrait of Captain Beefheart, Don Van Vilet from the Magic Band, because he's just one of my idols and I've always listened to their music. So I thought, I don't need an excuse to have to listen to The Magic Band so I'm going to paint Captain Beefheart and do you know, I think it does make a difference to the overall product if you are enjoying and as you say empathising with that person and understanding who that person wanted to be, who they are and considering the details of their life.

Consequently, after painting Captain Beefheart, my partner was telling me that he really wasn't a very nice person to be around. I said, yes I know he used to use really strange methods in the recording studio to get the musicians to feel anger for the playing of the

I've learned to relax now and often mistakes are the best things that happen in art. Just looking back, I don't think I liked many things, but art I did like.

I do theatre arts, which is my most prominent art.

That's where the drama comes from then!

Yes. It's play, isn't it? Especially theatrical arts. It's play and everything is okay and it's the height of independence.

Art is the height of independence and you make the decision; there's no rules around it. Nobody is saying, there is one way to do it and you should be doing it like this.

Photo credit https://truenorthuk.com/

39

instruments. My partner was saying, actually no, he's much worse than that in terms of being a character, so I looked him up online and realised he was a horrible person, but I'm so glad I didn't realise this before I painted him or I wouldn't have been able to empathise with him at all, or enjoy painting him.

There would have been a block for me. I couldn't paint Boris Johnson or Donald Trump, because I have no passion for them. I think you have to get behind the individual you're painting. There are some paintings I have done I feel are okay, but there are a few I've done that I feel really proud of, because they are people I really respect. I really think it makes a difference.

I think because you are wanting to feel the empathy, it will bring out more elements and aspects of that person for the portrait, than an artist who isn't looking to connect with empathy to the person they are painting.

Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's strange.

My mum isn't really into art, but she looked at the Tom Waits one and said "You can really tell that you like him." I should ask her really. I should ask her why she can tell. Have I put an extra glint in his eye? Have I dedicated more colour to his cheeks? Have I got the proportions just right, so his mouth is more emphasised? What have I done that makes people know that I spend time watching this person, because if that is true I can't say why or what I've done. Maybe it's about dedication to the brush strokes? I don't know. It's a bit of a mystery.

40

I think it's probably your empathy, because when you're willing to connect to somebody in that way, things will just come out for that portrait that people who don't have empathy can't muster. It's an energetic connection you have that makes your portraits more vivid, lively and interesting.

That's so interesting the way you describe that, because that's how I would describe similar to that in theatre when I've taught drama. That thing where you have to empathise with the character. You have to understand their rationale and their priorities and then the character becomes more vivid, because you feel like you've got the lived experience of that person or you understand the lived experience of that person. Yeah, maybe it's the same in theatre. That's really nice.

With the added medium of your theatre work, this is probably where it comes from. You're not only a painter, which means you can add the extra art mediums, disciplines you have to your paint work.

Yes, exactly.

You say you love learning about the subject as you paint them. Can you expand on that more? What is your process?

With portrait painting, I suppose it's slightly different. If it's somebody I know really well and I'm not doing a commission, I'm just painting them. I don't really feel like I need to do research into who they are, as I feel like I've lived with them for a while and I feel I know

them. In that case, it would be just listening to their music a lot, going from album to album, going through their back catalogue, their discography while I am painting them. If it's somebody I don't really know much about, like I don't know much about Elvis to be honest, I will do a little bit of research not a lot. Just a little research into why they got into music, how they started - Elvis was a gospel singer - What their peak moments were in history and how they responded in interviews.

I like watching interviews, because it's okay to read things, but seeing people in interviews and seeing people being interviewed or performing on stage by watching this, it's much more telling than reading somebody else's words about them. So I started Mick Jagger recently, for example, and I watched a video of him being interviewed when he was really young. He looked really shy and he was surrounded by these girls and they were just screaming. I was like, shut up! (laughs), but he was really coy and shy and modest, which I don't think he's like now. I need to look into Mick Jagger a little more and his music.

Actually, I learn about myself as well.

I've learnt that I don't like The Rolling Stones and they're one of those bands that I bet that when I do look into them, I'll really like them, because I know that they're well respected. They started in the 60's and I love the 60's psychedelia and 60's music.

Where do you want to go with your art in the future?

With my non-portrait work, improvised original work. I've got to be honest, I think I'm going to move more into that area because I started to build up more confidence, what would I phrase it as?

The original designs I suppose and the improvised paintings. I really like that process, because in the past I didn't allow myself to just go in with a blank canvas and just start to listen to some music.

At the moment I listen to white noise or pink noise. I listen to that whilst I'm painting original designs.

Yeah, in the past I would just sit in front of a canvass and I'd just start doing strokes and you build up; it's an improvised process. So you do one line, another line and that's based on supposedly your physicality, your

stature, your mood how it's going at the time. Are you going to go quick strong strokes or are you going to use slow, smooth strokes and then you build up. Then you concentrate on one area because that feels right and suddenly all these figures come up and then you just layer it on and layer it on and I've always felt in the past, well I can't still work like that because it feels like a cheat. I'm not putting any effort into it and it's just like a doodle with oil painting. Oh no, it's a cheat, it's a cheat! It's not fair. Who'd want that?

Actually, I've come to realise that's a valuable process as well. It's sort of building up confidence as an artist, because actually - you give yourself a lot to that and something else that I'm realising as well, is that people don't, or I'm finding it difficult to ask people for money for my art.

That was exactly the next question I was going to ask you.

Yes, it's taken me a long time and I find it very difficult to ask people for anything. The truth of it is, they don't have to buy it. I'm not saying, you have to buy some of my art. Do you find this pretty? If not, that's fine you don't have to find it pretty, but here's some art anyway. Flick past it or put it on Instagram if you don't like it, but isn't it great people are creating! Actually now I think that I'm enjoying the process and that's enough for me. Great if I sell some stuff. I know it's what a lot of people do and it's a very basic approach. I am very instinctual with art processes, especially if it's improvised, because I think art is about decision making. All the time, it's a track of quick decisions. Whether you are doing a portrait painting or copying something or whether it's improvising.

It's: Am I doing this or am I doing that?

Am I using that brush or this brush? It's a very fast decision making process. I think if you're doing improvised work, it takes a lot of self-trust to do that and it's more of an organic, self reliant and pleasurable process because you are allowing yourself to be and you're not scrutinising the decisions that you make.

With portrait painting I might say, that's not the right red, that's the right red. Damn, there's too much orange in it and I can get quite frustrated. With the organic improvised art, it's more like blue - that feels right. That doesn't feel right. Let's just change it. Augh, that's a great mistake. You're just building it up and it's enjoyable. Nobody is saying it has to be like this or it has to be like that.

Actually, going back to that child-like or the arena of being a child. Where you go from pleasure to pleasure, because

Artists don't necessarily need a style, I think.

They should just flow and be fluid. You sound quite Maverick in your approach to art. Have you had any formal education in art? you are playing and you're discovering things and discovering the world.

Sometimes you do it and you look back and think. What on earth was that?

That was awful! Nobody is going to want that! Who wants to look at that?

I don't even want to look at that! Then sometimes you look back and you think, wow! I can see that and I can see that, in abstract. I'm not bothered about the rules of what abstract is. I think it's nice to create artwork that people can abstract what they want from abstract.

I like how you just throw the rule book away.

Your art influencers with regard to abstract seem like they come from you, but do you still have any art influences?

My favourite artists are the people who have been influenced by styles, but when they create their work, their influences have been a springboard for something completely different and something completely new. You can see the influences in their new creations. I think it's hard to do that. I didn't think I would ever claim that I can do that, but I think it's much better than just doing a carbon copy of somebody else's work. She says, having her first piece of work she's proud of being just like a replica of Picasso!

I don't think I have a style with my portraits, which annoys me a little bit. I don't think I've got an individual style, where people would say "Oh yeah, I can see it's yours". Why, because the eyes are wrong?

What, the eyes you spent half your childhood on trying to perfect?

After secondary school, I did GCSE Art and went to and I was always going to go to, not Sixth Form, but Jacob Kramer.

I started at Jacob Kramer at Blenheim Walk, twenty four years ago. I was there for a year and I think..... basically, I'm just going to be blunt about it. I was more interested in smoking and drinking, let's put it like that! I wasn't really going to the lessons. I have very few memories of actually being in the building. I remember my lecturer was trying to keep me there and I remember her saying, when she was pulling me out of a cross hatching lesson, saying "Carrie, we need you to start coming and doing it. I don't want to kick you off the course, because what you are doing is going to result in this."

Well, I made the wrong choices. I did start there and I didn't finish there. Then I didn't go back to education for a long time. I went back as a mature student to do an equivalent of a GCSE and move into a mature access course and then a foundation degree, BA, MA, but that was in theatre, not in fine art. Fine arts was just something that I didn't really study properly, to be honest, but just enjoyed it.

You should probably write a book about how you went to art college, but didn't. I think it would be a good book, especially in Leeds back in those days.

Yeah, that book would be a good one.

Carrianne Vivianette is cosmopolitan in name, Yorkshire at heart and felicitously vivacious. Her journey to becoming an artist is an engaging tale and enlightening, playful and humorous. Carrieanne's natural openness and non-traditional approach to art was a pleasure to explore.

Written by Fe

Yeah! Maybe I'll develop my own style. I don't know.

41

Lockdown art Nigel Proud's images of NHS front-line workers are part of Tom Croft's initiative for artists to produce pieces for the online exhibition 'Portraits for NHS Heroes'. The exhibition serves as a thank you for their hard work towards keeping a nation safe.

Nigel's first portrait, free to the first person who came forward, was followed by seven more, as each of the subjects in turn nominated someone else, culminating over 3 months in the final image, which is that of the two paramedics.

For those of you who are curious about the process Nigel uses, this involves a 40cm x 30cm pastel mat card which accepts pastel in different layers. The blue masks, for example, were created by leaving the white of the card then adding the blue. Darker colours are added first.

The timing of this opportunity to participate in Tom's exhibition was fortuitous for Nigel, because with the support and encouragement from his wife, he had resigned from his increasingly stressful job in housing support after 7 years, having received commissions for dog portraits and being set to produce further artworks at dog shows. No sooner had he set himself on this course than the shows were cancelled, and after the commissions were completed, he would have been working from home and unable to share his art with a wider audience. It seems that at an extraordinary time in our lives, our NHS Heroes and Nigel Proud were destined to be mutually supportive.

42

We couldn't have this issue of the magazine drift by without a lockdown art feature. Heres are some of the things our artists have come up with over this difficult period

Waiting, Catherine Corfield: 5 November - a little different this year with new lockdown restrictions. My little girl spent most of the evening sitting waiting looking out of her window, waiting to see fireworks in the sky!

Wanted to capture this moment to reflect not only this evening but our present situation.

A national applause, Catherine Corfield: A moment of light in dark times as we were united as a nation in standing on our doorsteps to clap and cheer and bang pots to say thank you to the NHS and key workers!

Stephen Shepherd created this wonderful piece. Here's what he had to say about it.

This piece has been created as my way of dealing with my somewhat remote interactions with my friends and family. I wanted to get the impression of being removed from most of my social interactions and only connected through a digital wire. This is one of a series of 3 paintings based on the idea of isolation and current world position. (I am on the high at risk list for pandemic and was shielding) The chair replaces the human form as I find that an object shown in its non usual place makes you think about what isn't there and why, as well as allowing you to remove preconceptions that a human figure can give.

43

MATTHEW DEVER

"Touching Great-grandma's hands Through the Window. Home, North Yorkshire, England. 2020. "

‘Great-grandma lives down the lane. Up until lockdown he's probably hugged her everyday.’

“Creatively, glass has had an affect on me because I grew up under the influence of the Young British Artists. Damien Hirst once said that glass becomes something that holds you back and lets you in at the same time; solid yet ephemeral. A way to separate people but engage them.”

Beau’s Grandmas great-grandma Dorothy and grandma Carol live together, and as they live down the lane he has spent a lot of time with them. On that day, we’d been out down the lane and called by. We talked and they kissed through the window and that moment happened. It's very Dorothy; I think you can feel her thoughts but she's a very stoic person. We were protecting Dorothy but in her mind Beau is the most important thing in the world so she was protecting him. I had hope that I might be able to capture their special connection so that one day, when he is of an age to understand, I can honour her love by showing Beau through the picture.

44

The picture was also featured on a tv show on Sky Arts called: 'Rankin’s 2020’ on Tuesday 20 October and is in the accompanying book: Rankin’s 2020: Photographs of a Year Like No Other.

While isolating during 2020 lockdown, I created over 100 postcard-sized paintings in my temporary creative space at home.

Working from memories of both the Yorkshire and Norway coasts, these paintings explored small scale markmaking and combining my usual soft atmospheric colour with more deliberate drawing of geological patterns. In September the book was full-funded on Kickstarter for publishing! It's being printed here in Scarborough by McRay Press as part of my artist notebook collection. The book is now available and as only the second full-colour book I've created, is a special edition for all the paintings.

We asked Anu about this fabulous picture.

It is a digital painting created on my ipad. It is 4825 pixels by 6823 pixels. It would work well as an A3 size print.

It depicts a woman, a doctor working from home and struggling to juggle the stress, isolation, workload all at the same time. I am in a huge support group for doctors who are mums on Facebook called physician mums group uk and they have been a massive support and inspiration during lockdown and I think it is my way of paying homage to them.I suppose the theme applies universally to most of us.

Lorraine Walker created pieces inspired by walking locally. She took inspiration from a beautiful horse chestnut tree and views from the verges around the village. All are 100 x 100cm, acrylic on canvas and can be purchased for £600

45

DEREK CULLEY

My art is me

"My art is me." claims Derek Culley.

It has certainly been a large part of his life. He had his first studio when he was only 16, a garage rented from Agnes Kinsella, the mother of poet Thomas Kinsella, which provided a space for escape and creativity. He's had other jobs. After all, Derek brought up five children and art doesn't always pay bills, but it's has been a constant throughout his journey. Now in his late 60s, he still views art as an essential aspect of his everyday life.

An Irish artist who now lives on the Sefton coast might seem an unusual exhibitor for Yorkshire Art. Derek explains that he has always felt a bond to Yorkshire, where his mother grew up, as did Denis Bowen, his mentor. Denis was born in South Africa but was raised in Huddersfield, the town where Derek maintained family links and in a county where he still has many friends in Yorkshire to this day.

46

The Mentor Denis Bowen - artist, gallery director and promoter of abstract and avant-garde art in Britain, was described by Derek as like a father to him. He believes that Denis found an honesty in his work. Derek is self taught, having managed only three weeks as a night student at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Dublin. His lack of formal training may have contributed to the personal approach to art appreciated by Bowen.

Denis taught him about the art world, leading to Derek collaborating with other artists, holding solo exhibitions and working as a curator. In the 1980s Derek curated exhibitions for the Windsor Community Art Centre (WAC), including Damien Hirst’s first solo exhibition.

Exhibiting and Celtic Vision Derek has exhibited in London, Dublin and across Europe. In the 1980s he often exhibited as a member of Celtic Vision, the organisation he founded with Dennis

Bowen and Scottish artist John Bellany.

When asked if he sees his art as being specifically Irish, he is quick to say that he does not in any political or linguistic sense. However, he is aware that he approaches art and the English language through the lens of his Irish heritage and brogue. Celtic Vision brought together artists from seven Celtic Regions; Cornwall, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Galicia and the Isle of Man, in order to present new voices in contemporary art.

Poetry can be more than words Language is important to Derek. His ‘doodling’ might include the mark making of his art or writing poems.

These days his poems are for his own satisfaction, although he was published when younger. His art has been described as visual poetry and he says that writing is an important part of his self expression which may lead to expression through visual art. Derek is aware of symbols all around us and

these influence his work. Titles are less important to him, so none of his work is named until it is complete.

A helping hand In 2006-2007 Derek benefitted from a $25,000 grant from the prestigious Pollock-Krasner Foundation, which allowed him to commit more time to his art. He cites Jackson Pollock as an inspiration for his work and it's clear to see that influence in his artwork, the same abstract expressionist tradition which often shows a similar interplay between colour.

Influence and Inspiration The assessment for the grant was undertaken by another of his heroes, John Hoyland. It is with great pride that Derek recounts how Hoyland could ‘find no holes’ in his composition.

Often paintings will have an area that is weaker than the rest but Hoyland felt these works were complete.

Derek has been influenced by many artists. He cites the American Mark Tobey as having had a particularly personal influence. The calligraphy that influenced Tobey’s work clearly resonates with the idea of visual poetry in Derek’s work. However, he appreciates art from many periods and genres: Reubens, Caravaggio and the drawings of Van

Gogh have all made an impression upon him, alongside more recent artists such as Jim Dine. He looks for spirituality in art and hopes that his own work conveys this to others.

Derek means by using visual writing to form a complete composition. Layers of colour and marks form in a symphonic manner until they produce a completed image.

Learning and Research

Colour is important in most of Derek’s works, which often take the form of groups of coloured panels. For instance, the fourteen panels of Golgotha, his response to the stations of the cross, is designed to encourage meditation. When hung in Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral it was hard not to think of them in terms of shafts of coloured light. Yet he also works in black and white and reports that some people find this work more immediate. Interestingly, he takes black and white photos of all his works. He explains that seeing a coloured image in black and white enables him to look for movement and flow.

Although Derek never went to Art school he has certainly studied art. He talks about how, when he first moved to London he would spend three hours every Sunday morning exploring just two art works at the Tate. His trips to Millbank (there was only one Tate Gallery at the time) enabled him to grasp a fuller understanding of composition.

He took an MA in marketing, choosing for his dissertation topic "Marketing the Visual Arts in the UK - are there lessons to be learned from Europe?" This gave him further insight into the art world, enabling him to analyse art galleries from an academic point of view. He has an insatiable curiosity and is constantly researching, about art and the world in general.

Discovery A few years ago Derek discovered a new colour palette, through iPad painting. He was inspired by the iPad works of David Hockney. He explains the colours are unlike any you can create with paints and have added a new vibrancy to his work. Perhaps here, more than anywhere else, it is possible to understand what

Curation Continued In recent years exhibitions have often been more local, sometimes as part of the Liverpool Biennial. When he moved to the north, in 2004, he probably thought his curatorial days were behind him. Then in 2008 he was asked to curate an exhibition of contemporary Irish artists for the Liverpool City of Culture celebrations. Liverpool, and the wider Merseyside area, have become a hub for contemporary art that Derek Culley clearly has a place within.

47

48

Recent exhibit His 2016 exhibition, Landings, at the Atkinson in Southport, can still be viewed as a video presentation on the Atkinson’s website. The exhibition, curated by Stephen Whittle, marked the inauguration of the Atkinson’s commercial gallery for regional artists. Derek was impressed by the skill that Stephen displayed in selecting and hanging his work and believes that this exhibition gives a good insight into his oeuvre.

A family affinity Derek has clearly engendered a love of art in his offspring. All of his four sons and one daughter have some affinity to art. His daughter, Grace, has impressed him with her ability to hang exhibitions ,whilst his son Duncan, under the name Super Xiao Ma, works as a professional artist. Derek's wife of 44 years, Eilish is an accomplished photographer who has also exhibited at the Liverpool Biennial.

Adapting to adversity A deterioration in his physical mobility due to Charcot-MarieTooth Syndrome means that it now takes Derek longer to produce a piece of art. He first became aware of this hereditary condition when one of his children was diagnosed. It then came to light that Derek himself had the condition and had been subconsciously adapting to it for many years. Unique approaches to handling his mark making implements have stemmed from this. Others might struggle to paint in the same way, his body having formed strategies to overcome muscle and nerve deterioration.

Derek now struggles to walk and can no longer do the washingup, an activity which, strangely, he finds he misses. Yet despite the physical processes becoming more difficult and taking longer he still finds enjoyment in producing art. When asked if his disability has changed his art he jokes that he now remembers to sign his art work.

As a vulnerable person, 2020 was a difficult year for him. He finds the world a sad and frustrating place at the moment. The failure of some people to take Covid 19 seriously has angered him. He is deeply concerned by climate change and the plastic throwaway culture we live in. He expresses himself through works on paper. He hates wasting paper and uses it as a constant resource.

He has found solace in his art and in conversations with other artists around the world. He enjoys the writing he undertakes for Art and Museum magazine. It enables him to continue to be part of a community of artists. He can continue to engage in dialogue despite the physical separation.

Derek has used art as a way to step back from the struggles of life. He hopes others will do the same.

Perhaps art can enable us all to reflect upon our actions and give some hope for the future.

Words by Debbie Rolls

49

GARETH HOYLE

Finding The Connections

50

I spoke with Gareth Hoyle about his work, and to gain insight into his background and his ambition.

There were a few surprises.

The Business Currently, Gareth offers restoration of photographs alongside colourising and enlargement in addition to his work as a photographer. He’s immediately quite enthused when I ask him about this, pointing out that restoring any photograph is very personal to his customers. The photographs may be of ancestors (some of those brought to him are from the 1920s and 30s, and some even older), or they may be of pets, military pals or scenes with strong personal connections. Recognising how important the outcomes are to his customers, he works very hard to restore the images to near original condition, or to add colour. There’s undoubtedly a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from his customers’ reactions to the finished product.

I’m already aware that Gareth also dabbles in painting, 3D modelling and printing and clay sculpting, and he tells me that whilst his business requires him to deliver in very practical terms, his hope is that it will allow him the scope he needs to pursue his own creative path. This is why he began freelancing as a photographer in 2015, because whilst he enjoys the technical side of art, the imperative is to have the freedom to create in his own way and style. (I agree that improving someone else’s photography doesn’t allow him to flex his creative strengths.)

recreate it eventually. He died when I was about 12 and I was only there with him 4 or 5 times a year as he lived in Doncaster.

The feel of the workshop was special and I remember the smell of the paint.” Gareth still owns his Grandad’s Minolta SLR camera and lenses, which still work with the modern Sony cameras he uses. This is quite a special touch for him.

As an enthusiast, Gareth explored a burned out children’s nursery the day after he bought his first serious digital camera. He’d bought it with his credit card and couldn’t really afford it, but it was to help him do stop motion animation.

He came across a box of children’s toys at the bottom of some steps. He told me that it was in some way terrifying, and whilst the images he took were not what he considers brilliant, nonetheless the excitement pushed him further into photography. He started to take the camera everywhere clubbing, festivals, indoors and out, and he shot everything he could see from the floor to the sky.

Training Gareth is mostly self-taught, with no formal training to speak of, although he did a short course with the OU which helped him form connections and a different view on learning in a creative field. He has learned much from the work of other professionals and a number of people whose photography he has admired, especially in the high days of Flickr. One in particular is Adrian Wilson (aka Ade McFade**) with whom he did a short workshop in 2014. Gareth credits Adrian with helping to shape his approach to learning and widen his lighting skills. Their styles may be very different, but Adrian’s still came with the benefits of a great learning experience.

Early Connections I ask Gareth if he has a particular first memory of recognising photography as an art form, or creating art. He remembers more about viewing art than anything active on his part, but he has tried a variety of forms through the years, such as stop motion animation, guitar, painting… and some inspiration drawn from his family: “My Grandad was a painter and photographer and my brother and I have a couple of his paintings and notebooks. That was an early sign, but the artist in me didn't come out until my 20s. Grandad was colour blind - he was technically great but his colours were over saturated and comic like. I really liked his workshop and I want to

It is personal Much is said about artistic style and identity, and I tell Gareth that from what I’ve seen of his work, his preference is for people and movement. He agrees. He does head shots for businesses, and knows the comparison between man in suit with white background and his own photographs is stark, but the corporate work is a practical way of earning money and it allows a balance which enables that artistic freedom, creativity and scope to be exercised.

51

Travels I wondered where the work takes Gareth and he explains he’s more selective now about how far he’ll travel. He’s often travelled a distance for fairly short projects, so he’s hoping that any journeys he makes in the future will support his creative rather than his practical needs.

He tells me that COVID has largely scuppered his plans to get the balance right.

Completeness It strikes me that an abstract painter might never know when a piece is finished, because it is abstract; there are no boundaries, whereas a still life, portrait or landscape might not pose quite the same dilemma. So I ask Gareth.

His reply surprises me. He says with photography, it’s not so much about knowing when to stop as knowing when to start. Whilst there is still artistic flexibility, there are controlling elements, such as the weather and the light. He explains that he can drive past the same scene every day for years and still not see it lit as beautifully as the times he didn’t have a camera with him. Whilst there is software available nowadays which helps in the planning, there may still be unexpected changes which thwart the planning. Gareth mentions reaching that ‘decisive moment’ in both subject and natural elements - the two don’t always meet when you want them to.***

52

He’s put a great deal of effort into being in the right place at the right time,

but other factors could still interfere and Gareth explains that is one of the difficulties if anyone tries to emulate a known artist. He cites the example of Ansel Adams**** who spent a long time at individual sites and scenes in order to capture them to his satisfaction, and people who have tried to recreate his work have not managed to do so convincingly since. Developing a connection with a landscape, street scene etc through knowing how the elements highlight its features, combined with a sound understanding of camera and lens fundamentals, is the key to ending up with a beautiful shot of an everyday scene.

Gareth told me: “I passed an alleyway every day for two years and saw it in every type of light. You need to wait for all the elements to be right; it’s not a day trip thing. A good friend of mine, Jason Gabriel,***** and I would plan to go out around child care and work commitments, but would often be disappointed when we got there but if we kept going back we could get some beautiful shots; the difference nature makes to a static scene can be a complete transformation from one minute to the next. It takes dedication, patience, and a lot of disappointment.

Expectations It seems to me that greater freedom is important to Gareth because it allows him his own identity. I ask him what he expects from anyone who looks at his work - what he hopes for them as observers. Gareth tells me that in some ways his interest in viewer pleasure has weakened. “I used to love the feedback when I started posting photos online, selling prints etc. I took part in the community heavily and had a lot of coverage and over 60,000 followers.

That's disappeared as I became disillusioned with social media and the numbers associated with popularity and ‘success’. Most comments were a copy and paste compliment, “nice light”, “great shot!” and it became an echo chamber.

Online groups are very insular - they sometimes tend to do the opposite of opening people’s creative minds. I no longer look for feedback from them, other than in person, or chats at camera clubs. The approach of #bekind is amazing in most fields, but not always helpful in creative circles, where artists rely on honesty rather than kindness.” I can see what Gareth means here. Honest and constructive criticism nourishes development, but honest comments can result in abuse and compliments are often given out too easily and without thought or effort. I found Gareth’s closing comment about social media very telling: “Decent people have a tendency to turn into virtuous bullies on social media.”

Looking ahead When I ask Gareth what he sees for the future, he tells me that he’d like to be the photographer he was, without the pressure; he’d like to experience the impulse to pick up his camera in the way he used to.

It came as somewhat of a surprise when Gareth tells me he trained as a hypnotherapist this year and graduated in the middle of COVID, so the work hasn't come in. He had to give up the clinic due to size restrictions, so any sessions are now online. He’d hoped to leave behind the practical side of photography and have a business which gives him time to shoot, paint and sculpt; to be able to disconnect without pressure.

Surely someone who talks about connection and disconnection, helps people reclaim precious artefacts in old photographs and takes up training to help people with their problems must be a sensitive person? Gareth says he thinks his girlfriend might laugh, but that yes, he does care. He’s spent many hours with hypnotherapy clients and he knows it’s made a difference. He’s been able to use photographs in the sessions as well, as a means of helping people. Whilst I realise we tend to be different things to different people, we don’t all have the empathy that Gareth obviously possesses. He wanted to start workshops for photography as well as one to one training, using art as therapy to relieve depression. COVID put paid to those plans as well. However, Gareth hopes people will consider getting in touch with him if they think he can help.

So - if you have a damaged photograph of sentimental value, or one which when restored would make a great gift for someone you care about; if you have a problem which you’ve read can be alleviated with hypnotherapy; a photograph or series of photographs in mind, or you simply want to know more about art as therapy, Gareth Hoyle seems the likely choice.

The art world was severely hit in 2020, along with so many others, so we can only hope things will improve for everyone in 2021. Perhaps we just need to find the right connections.

Written by Mags Richards **McFade’s website is here. ***Henri Cartier-Bresson. He was the founder of modern photojournalism whose concept ‘the decisive moment’ has caused much debate. ****Ansel Adams was an Amercian landscape photographer whose work was in black and white. *****Jason’s Facebook page is here.

53

JACKY RAWLINS

On the Yorkshire Art website, I look at some of Jacky Rawlins' work, such as View of Castle Hill and Mist Over Sandsend Ness, I am drawn to the sheep turning to the breaking light and there's a sense of hope in that light. When I look at Storm Over Marsden and Sailing at Sandsend, there's not so much light and - for me - a feeling of foreboding and threat. I wondered if these were Jacky's intentions for her audience, and whether they each reflect her mood - and if there's a story behind each painting.

View of Castlehill

Your comments on the paintings are accurate in how I wanted them to come across. I do have a story in mind when I paint. It might not always be evident to others. It might help to know that I am a Druid and have always been one, so nature is paramount to me in how I try and live my life - the landscape and the ancient stories it holds, how the ancestors worshipped the waterfalls, the stars and so on. I feel the wonder they must have felt as the seasons changed

54

and nature being reborn every spring.

To me, the light and its effects on the landscape are important, as every day it is different.I do try to capture the atmosphere of the sky in particular.

Lots of it on the Pennines. I do try to impress the simple beauty and carved shapes of nature and add a little of man's influence, mainly in an archaeological sense. Our ancient history is important and as a Druid I hope one day we will all wake up to it.

You are right about the storm over Marsden , the idea that the landscape had influenced our most recent ancestors to make use of the area during the industrial revolution, I added the mill into the painting, our heritage in this part of the world. However, it has that overarching menacing atmosphere of women and children put into slavery to keep those mills producing the goods.

This bit seems to get lost in the current debate on slavery.

Poets Walk: £325

I asked Jacky if she is the first artist in her family.

Both my brother and I are the most creative. I think we take after my late dad. My brother designs and carves wood and creates using metals, just as our dad did . I have always painted.

Early memories of art

Why painting in oils?

To achieve the optical activity glazing is essential and therefore oil is the perfect medium for that.

What about other forms of art?

I have tried watercolour and acrylics but failed to attain the drama of the sky that I wanted.

My Aunt had an art shop in Skelmanthorpe years ago and my parents made me a paint box and palette.

Oil paints were added and a canvas prepared. I was about 14/15 years old at the time. I always took art at school but it was mostly draughtsmanship techniques and watercolour washes .

I realise that much of your inspiration comes from your environment, but do you identify in any way with another artist?

Studies after leaving school

When do you decide a piece is finished?

Is there a sense of not being able to do any more, or a sense of satisfaction that the work is what you intended it to be?

I have had sessions with Martin Kinnear and Tom Wood and have online links to Dan Scott. I have studied artists' techniques, attended major exhibitions, read, watched on line and practised the techniques from both the work of the old masters and more contemporary artists. Apart from the above, I finished formal training at A level.

Poppies for veterans

Waterhouse, Turner, Constable and van Aivazovsky are my main technical sources as I paint using the indirect method ."

When painting indirectly it does give me time to keep looking and assessing whether it is finished. Sometimes that feeling hits before my original plan so I stop. In other cases, I will have a painting framed then add to it as it feels incomplete after a time.

How much have your own travels influenced your art?

I tend to paint the landscapes that mean something to me. I walk along ancient pathways, and I followed the Pennine path Simon Armitage took for his poetry and the Stanza Stone Project - and I painted the views from the places his words are carved. We also have hundreds of old stones in Yorkshire (identified by Paul Bennett in the Old Stones of Elmet) and again lots of them are on the moors so there are perfect views across the valleys.

55

Ramblers Walk: £295

Over the years, I have travelled around the world but the places that I feel attached to are Iceland, Newfoundland, Scotland, Outer Hebrides, Orkney and New Zealand. I climbed mountains and volcanos and walked miles through different terrains, but it all seems to come back to the weather and the landscapes and the ancient ones.

Do you have a conflict with the commercial aspect of your work? In other words, does painting to sell hinder you or interfere with your freedom in any way?

I come to the end of my questions and reflect on the little I know about Druidism - its harmony and connection with the natural world, as well as respect for the traditions and our ancestors who centuries ago trod those paths with which Jacky is so familiar today. With her skill, she confirms her own connection and empathy with the changes that Nature provides through the seasons, and creates a permanent record with her oils which she can share.

Unexpectedly, as I stare at the winter landscape from my window, I imagine that I see those people of so long ago, walking down the lane that their ancestors also travelled - and I begin to understand Jacky Rawlins' sense of place and time.

Written by Mags Richards

When paintings go on display, I explain a little of the history which seems to inspire people to buy my work. I do commissions but again they tend to be local landscapes that I would paint. I did a portrait of a dog once as a commission but stressed it would be a dog in a landscape, which worked.

Looking to the future I am moving along on my journey and have joined a small group of artists - the Yorkshire Colourists - who are all different in the work they produce. I find their techniques interesting and inspiring. Tom Wood is also a source of inspiration as he teaches different techniques, which I am now starting to really bring into my new work, but again based on my underlying relationship with nature and the need to record it in my work. I do set plans for the direction I want to go and document what I am doing, but inevitably it changes as interesting things occur.

56

At the moment, the archaeological symbols I have found will start to appear more in this year's work and I will continue to strive to paint dramatic Pennine skies.

Grubstones on Ilkley Moor: £245

Sailing at Sandsend: £125

Storm over Marsden: £295

Mist over Sandsend Ness

57

TRACEY STAYMAN

Just Imagine Tracey Stayman is a fibre artist and self-confessed ‘craftaholic’. We spoke to Tracey recently, to get some insights into her woolly world and her plans for the future.

When did you realise that you had an ‘overactive creative streak’?

"I’ve always been creative. Since I was a kid really. I have always liked to learn new things," Tracey explained. But she went on to say that she wasn’t always planning to be an artist professionally. Instead, she told me "I fell into it. When I was younger, I left the UK and moved to Australia. My Dad was working at a university, and suggested I try a course there. I did graphic art at the time, and that is where it started. But since then, I have tried lots of things. My rules around art have relaxed a lot. After university I continued to try lots of different crafts and kept going as I found that it was something I enjoyed doing. I don’t do art for monetary reasons; I just do it because I enjoy it. For me, it is not about the bottom line but instead it is my creative outlet, my passion."

Tracey works part time which allows her to be creative without the commercial pressure. "As an artist, you never get paid for your time. If something took a week to make, I couldn’t charge that much for a small piece. So, it is really important that you have to enjoy what you are doing."

What was your first attempt at needle felting?

"Needle felting is a pretty new craft for me. I taught myself to crochet, using YouTube videos. I wanted to make a blanket for a friend and told her I could do it, so I had to learn. I enjoyed crochet and made lots of things, but I had to have wrist surgery which meant that I wasn’t able to crochet any more. A friend of mine suggested I try needle felting. She showed me how to do it and I also watched YouTube again. I didn’t find it as restrictive as crochet. I could just stab the wool and see what happened.

Now I have been doing needle felting for about 2.5 years and I love it. I guess I picked it up pretty quickly because of my artist background. I wasn’t learning something completely new, just a different medium."

I wondered what was so enjoyable about this particular craft.

"Needle felting is like painting with wool. I teach workshops and I tell my students to say what it is they are making when they have finished because pieces can morph over time."

Tracey explained that it is important to just make a start. Some of her most popular pieces, her Yorkshire sheep, have developed over time. She used to buy all of her raw materials before, but then started to just pick wool off the moors which the sheep 'kindly donated'. Now, Tracey mostly purchases her wool from local farmers, then washes the raw, dirty fleece and prepares it by hand, using wool carders. The carders clean the wool to make it ready for needling.

58

"I like using wool from local places and preparing it myself because I think the end product is better. I have more control.

I also can experiment with different wools when farmers have new sheep or rams." Whilst she likes the extra quality control that she can get with using wool directly from farms, the wool can be dirty, especially if the sheep hasn’t been skirted. "There can be a lot of organic vegetable material to deal with."

Which of your pieces have you enjoyed making the most? And why?

"I’m not sure. My Yorkshire sheep are a familiar product. But I like to experiment. I am currently making an elephant. It’s big, it stands about 1 metre tall. I am also making a large doll, and I have lots of other projects on the go. I am working on a new range of birds, called sneaker birds. They are birds wearing sneakers. A bit different, but I like that. I also have a few other projects under way. I am developing a whole world and I am planning a white range. The white range is my artist side coming through."

Which of your pieces have been the most popular?

"My Yorkshire sheep get the most comments; they are my staple product. I sometimes get asked for special ones, like I can get Christmas commissions from people who want sheep with certain colours or with hats or something. I think some people like The Yorkshire sheep as ornaments. They are also a kind of touristy thing. I think some people like them as gifts because they are made with Yorkshire materials. I also sometimes give the sheep as payment to the farmers who give me their wool.

I think they like to have the Yorkshire sheep because they are made from the same wool as their sheep on the farm’.

How have things been this year with the pandemic? How have you had to adapt, given that 2020 was a year of change for so many people?

"This year has forced people outside of their bubble. It has given us the chance to test things out and see that it works."

When referring to what she has done differently this year, Tracey said that she has started to rely on self-promotion much more. "I can’t rely on shops so much. This year has made me become more self-sufficient. I want my website to become a one stop shop, a creative hub where people can come and find everything. I am also starting a blog in January, and my dog Dave will have a section. I'm very technical, like I made my website from scratch. Everything is done in house." However, there are some things that Tracey is not willing to try, such as making her own videos. She puts this down to not liking having no feedback as well as a lack of confidence.

59

60

What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

"Just do it." Tracey said. "Everyone can draw, it’s just that a lot of people say that they can’t." Tracey's advice is not to say you can't do something until you give it a try. As a teacher, she's had to learn to step back to let people try and see what happens; how things turn out.

Tracey Stayman lives and works by the motto 'We are all only limited by our own imagination.' She reminds herself of this and weaves it into her teaching, hoping to inspire others to drop those perceived barriers and see their potential.

Words by Gemma Bridge

Have you been able to continue with your workshops and clubs?

Before the pandemic hit, Tracey hosted several workshops and clubs in Pickering Memorial Hall in North Yorkshire. But since March 2020, things had to change. She explained that she made a move to online delivery, and that her workshops have been doing well online. "I make up a pack for each workshop and I send the pack, which includes diagrams to follow, to the people attending the workshop. It is great because we can get together and be creative whilst we drink tea and chat. My face to face workshops will come back. But first, I will go online. My workshops are starting again in February. They will start with online delivery but I am hoping for a blended approach."

Tracey explained that she was a little apprehensive about moving her workshops online initially, but that after a couple of sessions, she realised that they could be effective. "I have learnt how to make it more comfortable online. I really enjoy the online delivery because I enjoy spreading the woolly word to more people. It has been great to see that some of my ladies buy extra packs and material for children. For example, I have a lady who bought three of my workshop packs. She came to one of my workshops and then she went on Zoom to teach her grandchildren how to make the piece too."

What plans do you have for 2021?

"I am going to update my website, add a blog and extra things to my online shop." Tracey is going to make the most of the digital lessons she has learned from this year. She makes everything from home, and has had more time this year to be creative, also realising that she can do things more online. This means she doesn't need to attend so many craft fairs and that they no longer need to be her focus.

Tracey's vision is of a woolly world of critters and creatures.

She has so many ideas for developing characters to create the potential for people to become collectors. It's a work in progress, and one which she feels must include her Yorkshire sheep.

"I have planned all my workshops for 2021 and I want to go quirky, think outside the normal world of rabbits and hares.

For example, in April my workshop will be on dinosaurs and cavemen. I want to be quirkier and show people that needle felting can be really creative." Tracey's excitement about the future is palpable.

61

GILL CRAWSHAW

Yorkshire Art catches up with Gill Crawshaw, author of the Disability Arts Online Blog against this decision. For a show that highlighted social injustice, it seemed particularly inappropriate.

In response I organised The Reality of Small Differences, an exhibition of textile art by disabled artists. The whole thing was organised very quickly, in about two months, so the exhibition could launch on the same day as the Grayson Perry event.

The biggest challenge was finding affordable, accessible venues. Inkwell and Union 105 Gallery came to the rescue. The exhibition highlighted issues around disability access but it also showcased some amazing art.

How did you get involved in organising exhibitions of disabled artists’ work?

I have always been interested in Art. I originally came to Leeds to study textile design. I have also been active in the disability rights movement and when younger I took part in DAN (Disabled People’s Direct Action Network) events when we protested for better access, often by chaining ourselves to public transport.

Much of my working life was spent in the field of Equality and Diversity. In 2014 these two aspects of my life came together when the Grayson Perry exhibition, The Vanity of Small Differences, came to Leeds. The exhibition was programmed to be held in a venue where some of the exhibition would be inaccessible. Believing that art should be accessible to all, I became part of a group campaigning

62

anger disabled people feel from being portrayed as needy or tragic victims by the charity sector. The works in this exhibition highlighted the discrimination experienced at the hands of organisations such as the DWP and our right to be treated with dignity and respect.

The exhibition was supported by the Art House in Wakefield and the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive (NDACA). Wakefield was chosen as the nearest city to Yorkshire Sculpture Park and this turned out to be an excellent choice.

The Arts House was extremely supportive and we were able to hold the exhibition in a vacant unit in a shopping centre in the city centre, making it very accessible.

Tell me about your latest project, Possible All Along.

How did you develop the idea of art and disability activism from there?

The success of this first exhibition and the enthusiasm of the artists encouraged me to curate Shoddy, an exhibition by textile artists, in 2016. This attracted disabled artists from across the country. Again, finding a venue was difficult but Live Art Bistro on Regent Street offered their space.

It was near to the City Centre and accessible. It was arranged with a tiny amount of funding in my spare time.

Shoddy is a great title. How did you come up with it?

The exhibition was focussed on textiles. The starting point was the fabric shoddy, traditionally made from reclaimed woollen waste in West Yorkshire. This traditional fabric gave us a link to modern ideas of recycling, uniting textile usage past and present. At the same time, it maintained the disability rights message by referencing the ‘shoddy’ treatment that disabled people have experienced. This was contrasted with the great work on display, which in no way could be described as inferior.

Some of the pieces highlighted the struggles of disabled people while others referenced the importance of recycling. The message was that disabled artists are treated shoddily but their work can stand alongside the best.

Curating exhibitions seems to have become an important part of your life?

Yes, to the point that I decided to undertake a MA Curation Practices at Leeds Art University, which I completed in 2018. I wanted to get a better understanding of curating. It enabled me to investigate curating in both theoretical and practical ways.

In 2019 I curated Piss on Pity; Disabled Artists vs. Charity. The impetus had been the showing of Charity by Damien Hirst at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The sculpture is based on the charity boxes which once stood on high streets across the country.

Since the 1980s disabled people have been demonstrating for ‘Rights Not Charity’. We felt it was important that disabled people should make their voices heard and that disabled artists themselves needed to represent their often-complex relationship to charity. Primarily we want justice not charity, but cuts and austerity have meant that many of us have had to turn to charity.

In the current pandemic there could not be a physical exhibition so the art has moved online. For some disabled people, who are shielding, this has been essential. The exhibition consists of artists who live in Leeds. It is amazing how many talented disabled artists live in just one city. The exhibition also shows the variety of art being produced: textiles, photography, video, visual and three-dimensional art all make an appearance. Disabled people’s art is neither narrow nor restricted. Some of the artists make conscious points about disability in their art. For others their identity as a disabled artist is more subtle, but all create from a perspective informed by disability.

What projects would you like to be involved in going forward?

It may be that at some point we could present Possible all Along as a physical exhibition. In the future I can envision exhibitions that combine physical and online experience.

For instance, a gallery talk may be accessible to more people if streamed online. On the other hand, I would like to see an exhibition where visitors are enabled to touch exhibits, thus expanding the sensory experience and meeting the needs of different groups of people.

Having found so much talent in Leeds it would be good to use Possible all Along to develop a network of disabled artists in the City. I have been attending Leeds 2023 meetings in order to be part of the post-Covid recovery of the art sector, but also to assist with ensuring that future art projects are accessible to disabled people.

The art world often talks about disability in terms of participatory projects. There are some great projects in the Leeds that aim to enrich the lives of disabled people through the use of art. I hope these will continue to thrive. At the same time, I hope we can build a community of professional artists who we can support to overcome barriers; a community who will be recognised for their creativity and the quality of their work.

Yorkshire Art welcomes all of Yorkshire's artists.

The exhibition challenged the idea that charity is wholly a force for good. The slogan ‘Piss on Pity’ developed from the

63

Art for sale

You will find more about these pieces and the ability to buy them in our featured art section online.

Click buy art then the featured category at yorkshire.art

Single Red Dot Artist: Alison Wiffen Info: A ceramic based wall piece comprising low bowls pinched from black clay. Each "dot" is handmade, and hand painted.

Size: 60cm x 60cm Price: £375

64

New Galaxy is born Artist: Shakiba Info: Acrylic fluid art techniques Size: 40 x 50cm Price: £124

The Way Things Were Artist: Carrieanne Vivianette Info: Oil on canvas with collage elements & finished with linseed varnish Size: 40.5 x 30.5cm Price: £85

Above and below 2 Artist: Suzanne McQuade Info: Watercolour, framed and mounted Size: 25cm x 50cm Price: £250

65

Walk on the Wild Side Artist: Pam Smallshaw Info: Mixed Media Size: 40cm x 40cm Price: £225

Great Spotted Woodpecker Artist: Jean Cunion Info: Ceramic Vessel Size: Height 22cm Price: £55

66

Richmond by the river

Up North - Dean Clough

Artist: Lisa Srao Info: Oil on canvas Size: 40cm x 30cm Price: £600

Artist: Patrick Whitehead Info: Media, Collagraph, Edition size: 10, Printed on Somerset Velvet 300gsm Size: 28cm x 24cm Price: £175.00

Lost Artist: Heather Burton Info: Mixed Media Size: 100cm x 50cm Price: £550

Not a tourist in sight Artist: Peter Bates Info: Crail harbour 2018 Size: Framed size 78cm x 61cm Price: £750

67

You Can Take the Girl out of the City Artist: Sophie Walker Info: Acrylic, iridescent film and stitch on canvas Size: 59cm x 484cm x 4 cm Price: £850

68

Conversation with a friend (2020)

Frosty Morning

Artist: Stephen Shepherd Info: Oil on canvas Size: 108 x 65cm (Diptych panels 54x65cm) Price: £600

Artist: Catherine Corfield Info: Oil on canvas, unframed Size: 62 x 52cm Price: £615

Liberty Artist: Teresa Wells Info: Bronze on Steel Size: 190cm h x 108cm w x 70 d Price: £15363 ex delivery

Shibden Hall, Halifax Artist: Catherine Bartle Info: Watercolour on Arches Aquarelle hot pressed watercolour paper Size: 29 x 43cm Price: £250

69

Story Book Or Artist: Tim Miller Info: Acrylic on boxed canvas Size: 101cm x 101cm Price: £495

Bridge Artist: Claire Murray Info: Acrylic on paper Size: 100cm x 70cm Price: £425

'By the Foss' large bowl Artist: Rachel in the Dales Pottery Info: Exposed raw ceramic on the outside, brushed with a nettle ash wash. Inside are layers of Dry Rigg Quarry gritstone, and Malham Tarn thistle ash and nettle ash.

Size: 33cm across at the rim, just under 17cm in height.

Price: £220

70

Malton Market Artist: Helen Elliot Info: Acrylic on canvas Size: 60 x 60cm unframed Price: £1600

Moorland Edge Artist: Sue Toft Info: Acrylic on canvas Size: 90cm x 60cm Price: £425

Off to the Beach Artist: Linda Bedford Info: Oil on canvas Size: 90cm x 60cm Price: £79 unframed £99 framed

Winter Wood Artist: Rosemary Firth Info: Mixed media collage.

Size: 55cm x 37cm Price: £370

71

Neon Winds Artist: Jennifer Elson Info: Acrylic on canvas Size: 100 x 40cm Price: £1800

I See You (d/p) Artist: Lesley Shaw Info: Drypoint and mono on 250gsm Somerset paper.

Varied edition of 8, signed, titled and dated on front Size: 11.5cm H x 23cm W (paper size approx. 19 x 28cm) Price: £55 unframed

72

Magnolia Artist: Loraine Walker Info: Acrylic on canvas Size: 100cm x 100cm Price: £500

DACS Cill Rialaig Artist: Derek Cully Info: Acrylic on Paper Size: 16in x 20in Price: Please ask

Turned Earth

Above Pateley Bridge

Artist: Tina Mammoser Info: Mixed media (Acrylic, india ink and graphites) Abstract seascape inspired by the sandstone geology of the Black Cliffs and sweeping inlet of Scarborough south baySize: 50cm x 50cm (deep canvas) Price: £300

Artist: Leila Wilson Info: Acrylic on Paper Size: 61cm x 52cm (framed in grey/blue wooden frame) or unframed 52cm x 41cm Price: £350 framed and £250 unframed

73

To get in touch with any of our members please visit yorkshire.art and go to the directory section.

Member

listings Ben Rourke

Caroline Rilatt

I have always been fascinated by technology and the power of landscape photography and now with the advent of high resolution drone cameras this has opened up a new world enabling me to blur the lines between aerial photography and illustration.

Best known for my detailed and characterful graphite portraits of people and pets, I have also developed my style to include intricate line drawings of local townscapes.

The Blacksocks The Blacksocks are a Leeds rock band characterised by its eclectic style and appealing lyrics.

Brian Holland

Allison Wiffen I delight in pattern, particularly the convergence and crossing of lines, and patterns formed by repetition - for example looking up or down a staircase that accesses several floors.

Andrew Backhouse

I record the aural landscape – both the natural and urban environment – much as a photographer would document nature and streets. text ever since.

Angela Bell I have continued to enjoy experimenting with various media. I work in a spontaneous way, using my imagination alongside sketches and photographs from my travels.

Anji Timlin I am inspired by the drama of the landscape and wild, ever changing light and weather of the Pennines.

Anna Paton

I make vessels and sculpture.

Most are wood fired in an anagama type kiln to around 1300 Degrees Centigrade, but others are fired in neutral, (electric Kiln) atmosphere or in a gas kiln.

Cally Anderson My name is Cally and I'm a crow obsessed artist based in Leeds, I love to paint all things gothic with an added contemporary edge.

Caroline Dunn I did an MA in Contemporary Applied Arts and my textile practice is now an essential part of my life.

I am an Illustrator and Print Designer who loves to get creative and paint subject matter from nature.

Carrieanne Viviannette When sketching and painting portraits I must feel a sense of empathy for the individual, I enjoy learning about the subject as I paint them.

Catherine Corfield The majority of my work is bold, colourful impressionism style paintings.

Catherine Bartle I have always been interested in art, since retirement I have been able to expand my interest. I was made a companion of the International Guild of Artists at the Ilkey Art Exhibition in the 1980's.

Catherine Payne I am now finding I have a little more time to spend on my art and my latest pieces are close up animal studies - larger than life! A bit of drama and character on your wall!

Anthony Jennison My practice is centred around communal experience and Social Design.

Anjana Dey Clark

Anu Dhaliwal

I am a keen figurative and semi-abstract artist.

I am an amateur artist who fell in love with colour and creation as a means of escape.

Aprille Broomheadl I'm a designer and printmaker. Colour, composition and storytelling narrative are often starting points for my work. escape.

74

Chris Carbro As a sailor I spend many hours watching the sea. I love standing , buffeted by the wind, frantically sketching, trying to capture the power and fury of a stormy sea.

Elissa Harte My paintings reflect my weekend escape to nature, an excuse to get out and take the photo's I make paintings from.

Fresh Art Takeaway We offer fun, rewarding and guided art taster evenings, where you can meet your inner artist and create your own masterpiece in a singlesetting.

Gareth Hoyle I love all kinds of art but my biggest passion is for photography.

Gill Ellis

Derek Culley With reduced mobility I find it harder and harder to do big paintings. With the iPad I’ve got so much freedom. I’m moving away from a traditional way of painting in one sense but it’s everything that I’ve done and learned over perhaps 50 years that lets me do these images digitally.

Ceri Wood

Dan McFadden

Pencil has always been my favourite medium and I have recently diversified from drawing landscapes to creating personalised maps of people’s favourite locations.

Drawing is my passion and I am truly at peace and in my element when pen in hand in front of a nice crisp sheet of paper!

Claire Murray When I am creating, and then reflecting on my work, I like to think about ideas of exposure and sanctuary, a sense of place, fleeting memories and illusion.

Claire Bentley-Smith Compelled to draw from the moment I found a pencil, the relentless pursuit of my art has consumed me ever since.

Dameon Strong I use acrylics and oils to produce my surf art, wave paintings, and seascapes.

Dandy Art My initial works were freedom of expression, having fun with gestural mark making, creating energetic brushstrokes and suggestive shapes.

I am lucky enough to have a studio in my garden, affectionately called the shed, where I spend time experimenting with ideas and materials to create unique pieces of art.

Glen Williams I’m largely a figurative painter working in acrylic, pastels, charcoal, really anything that I can get my hands on.

Graham Pilling

Hannah Macdonald-Lowe As an individual, I have always been drawn to the ocean; there is just something so calm and therapeutic about being at sea, with the crashing waves and the crisp sea air.

Heather Burton With art, you’re always confronting something which makes you think and inspires you to try new things.

Helena Cox Helena Cox is an art historian, curator and artist of Czech origin (formerly known as Gaudekova), living in York, UK. She has also spent bits of her life in Japan and Sweden, popping over to the USA every now and then.

Irena Kurowska My landscape paintings explore the atmosphere and mood of the countryside around me. I am inspired by the stillness and peace of the early morning sunrise over the sleeping land.

His approach combines a love of texture and traditional mark marking with a digitally-aided workflow and bold design sensibilities.

David Hemsley I love nature in all its forms, the pattern of weather that is beyond our control. The shape and spaces in the dry stone walls of Yorkshire.

Dawn Broughton I feel that the older face makes for a more interesting study and my work has been described as brutally honest with most of my sitters gasping at the amount of wrinkles I have painted.

Dawn Limbert Working Plein Air and in her studio, Dawn records snippets of the green spaces and urban pathways that she discovers when exploring the suburbs of North London and visiting her brother in West Yorkshire

Dex Hannon My work explores, memory, duality and contrast through mixing of styles, techniques and bold colour choices.

Graham Firth I draw on the spot into a sketchbook in wide range of media, including ballpoint pens, markers, pen and ink and watercolours. Occasionally one of these drawings inspires me to manipulate it into a form suitable for linoprinting.

75

Jo Sykes

Katrine Barber

I work in an expressive way building up layers of applied and blended colour to develop paintings that are filled with light and energy.

The way the light plays across the surfaces is important, the interior shapes being as important as the exteriors.

Joan Foye Primarily a painter, my work has always been concerned with landscape, remote and ancient, that I revisit season by season and the movement of light and weather across these immovable, timeless and long-suffering places.

I find peace in paint. Those few words mean so much, from the stress of daily life and the toll that takes on the soul is eased and noticeably so when I paint, I find peace, I don't think of anything only the work I am creating and time flies by.

Julia Brown

Linda Hollingshead

Even in the quietest, most windswept and unpopulated places, there are still often signs of human presence. A path or wall, a signpost or telegraph pole.

I’m moved to paint by the essence of place the limestone scenery of crags & waterfalls found in the Yorkshire Dales.

Kate Evans I paint in acrylic on fretworked wood, which is layered to give a 3D effect to my paintings. It’s a technique which I evolved myself.

Katherine Whitby

Jenny Orwin I am a textile artist using felted wool and hand stitching to create work inspired by landscapes and nature.

Isobel Aarosin

Jennifer Elson

They say that poems are pictures made of words - I like to think of my photographs as vibrant expressions of what I would say if I could.

Jennifer started drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil.

Jacky Rawlins I depict the captivating Yorkshire moorland with its constantly changing light and large dramatic skies.

Jane Pell My inspiration comes from lots of places and I paint intuitively, connected to the inner part of me, to transform shape, colours, textures, light to reveal the hidden layers and depths of everything around us.

Jean Cunion My ideas and inspiration come from observation of the birds I see in my garden and surrounding fields--and from the moors and coast of North yorkshire.

Jennifer Cottis A visual artist and designer whose work builds on strong drawing skills.

76

Jennifer Florence Craven Art is my one constant love and metaphorical hug since I was a nipper. I'm Jennifer Craven B.A, I hail from West Yorkshire and I paint body parts and animal parts. Flesh, feathers and fur are my bag.

Linda Bedford

I feel very fortunate to have been brought up here in beautiful North Yorkshire and now that I've returned with my own family I don't need to travel far to find inspiration.

Katie Eleanor I am fascinated by how you can use different tools,media and methods to be expressive.

Lindsay Kirby I have always had a love of all things creative and have drawn, painted, stitched and doodled from a very young age.

Loraine Walker I love drawing, painting, sculpting, in fact any type of art.

Mark Sofilas My paintings are very heavily guided by the emotions a particular scene or moment evokes in me. It’s this feeling that I try to convey to the viewer.

Jessica McMillan My practice centres around the theme of 'Noticing the Unnoticed' in any form this may take.

Jill Temporal My inspiration mostly comes from the Local landmarks and landscapes around my hometown of Tickhill in Doncaster and I also have an enormous captivation of The floral form, all my images are connected through a vivid and vibrant use of bold colour.

Patrick Whitehead Born in Bradford in 1957 and trained at Lincoln College of Art and Norwich School of Art where I studied Fine Art. Initially, a printmaker specialising in etching and aquatint I have extended my repertoire in recent years to include lithography, mezzotints, collographs, linocuts and solar etchings.

Pamela Craven-Davies I enjoy painting with oils on canvas, I love the smell and it is a blessing that they take so long to dry. Being able to rework a painting the next morning with fresh ideas and energy is something I love to do.

Paul Berriff

Peter Bates My work is a selection of oil paintings depicting my local area & thereabouts, plus other compelling studies of coastal scenes which I have taken from these fabulously stimulating isles we live in.

Mark Knight

Missisgreen

Hello World. I simply love painting in oils. A medium where you can be as free, loose or as confined as you want.

My paintings are primarily brought to life by my thoughts and emotions. They are entirely organic in nature.

Matthew Dever When Matthew Dever was young he was interested in drawing and painting, encouraged by his grandfather and uncle, a professional artist living and working in Manchester during the 80s.

Meg Huby Learning about drawing and painting all the time, I continually experiment with different materials and techniques.

Mike Brown Wonderful views are available at almost every turn and it is my aim to capture something of the enjoyment I feel when standing on a hillside, by a river or walking along a lane.

Mike Ward I had been meandering in my job for so long. Time to stop, reflect, enjoy, engage and energize, be the kid I was again!

Mike McBain Multimedia artist concentrating on single line drawings of rural Ryedale

My life and career since starting work in 1963 has always involved photography.

At 16 years of age I started work as a press photographer on the Yorkshire Evening Post. It was a great learning curve into the world of photography.

Paula Walker

Peter Brown My work explores the relationship between how we are able to experience the world around us, both physically and emotionally.

Rachel in the Dales Pottery I make handthrown stoneware pottery, finished with homemade glazes made from local natural materials foraged in the Yorkshire Dales.

Richard Locket I love bright, sharp and colourful images; getting happiness from how something seemingly simple can look so good.

I create acrylic and mixed media art to create eye catching effects.

Natasha Lee I love to create interesting collage papers using different printing methods and incorporating them into my artwork.

Nick Claiden Over the years my style of painting has evolved continuously, from strong colours, textures and complexity to a much simpler more muted palette.

Nigel Proud I use a butterfly effect flitting from one place to another, which allows me to concentrate for short periods, comparing and contrasting different tones. Returning to an area can highlight changes that may need to be made.

Pam Smallshaw My marks and paint are an emotional response to the landscape, I work in an intuitive way making lots of marks, covering them up and unearthing them, I use collage too to build up an exciting and interesting composition, I love my work to have life, energy and colour.

Tina Mammoser As an American-British artist, I identify very strongly with the English tradition for seascape painting while still retaining a certain “midwestern” eye for landscape with flat perspective and vast open spaces. Born in Chicago, after 25 years in Britain I finally found my way to Yorkshire and now work from my studio in Scarborough.

77

Tony Wetherill Capturing nature and the great outdoors with the pure style of pencil and paper.

Tracey Moore Making Unique gifts for you, your home and the people you love.

Tracey Stayman Hi, my name is Tracey and I am a Fibre artist and Craftaholic with an overactive creative streak.

Vanessa Plews

The Station The Station is a stunning riverside Victorian railway building; brought back to life as an art gallery and exhibition space, community venue for groups, meetings and classes, and home to a variety of independent businesses.

Richard Gresswell

Shakiba

Sue Toft

My relief wood carvings of birds are painted and textured in a contemporary style.

Shakiba is a Persian word with meaning of a gentle, patient, and tolerant person.

Robert Hamilton

Nature and art are two things that just keep on giving

Mainly, my inspiration is the stunning South Yorkshire countryside on my doorstep, some of the animals that inhabit it, and the dramatic, raw beauty of the Yorkshire coast.

Sophie Gelder

Suzanne McQuade

My passion for creating art fills the time I am not studying or observing the stars in my space projects.

Finding somewhere that is beautiful to paint is great for the soul.

My love of colour, textiles and figure study were consolidated in those formative years and have now become fused in my art with my other passions, namely the Romantic Rococo and Baroque eras, the wonderful countryside of North Yorkshire and, of course, our canine friends!

Rosemary Firth I recently appeared on Landscape Artist of the year where I was shortlisted for my collage of the lake and music temple at West Wycombe Park.

Sarah Thornton My work reflects my relationship with the natural world and the emotions it inspires. I’m interested in detail and embellishment, order and chaos.

78

Sonia Dolphin

Stephen Shepherd I moved back to Yorkshire in 2014 and have since spent many hours walking in the Dales and across Yorkshire.

I work on a variety of subjects in a variety of media, constantly experimenting to expand and develop my work.

Sue Dewhurst I graduated in 1990 then did two years post grad specialising in painting and sculpture. My sculptures were awful and dangerous so I stuck to painting.

Sue Thompson I’m influenced by art nouveau design and flowers, and I love bright vibrant paintings.

The Tetley Proudly investing in new and emerging artists to create work

Teresa Wells Inspired by a moral upbringing, I possess an ethical consciousness along with a fascination for the question, “How do Humans Behave?”

In Tides Gone By Her approach to painting is loose, free, forthright and unashamed. She is unafraid of difference, and passionate about vibrancy, authenticity and being fearless.

I trained as a printed textile designer at Camberwell School of Art and subsequently worked as a designer in various London studios. I went on to explore felting techniques and am now making a diverse selection of handcrafted art works, jewellery, scarves and household textiles.

Vicky Tucker Vicky lives in a small, rural village in the North York Moors National Park and loves the outdoor lifestyle, frequently taking inspiration from the rich colours and wildlife on her doorstep

Victoria Haden I love colours and creating bright colours as well as darker colours. Blending and using different tools to make something unique.

Vivien Sabel Art for me is as a form of therapeutic exploration, a visual diary and a way of processing imagery from life.

West Yorkshire Print Workshop Established in 1984, we are the largest open access printmaking facility in Yorkshire. Nestled in the heart of Mirfield, we support, nurture and promote creative talent through the joy of making prints.

Woodend Gallery We provide serviced workspaces of unparalleled quality for the creative industries in a happy and friendly environment where you will find some of Yorkshire’s most innovative creative businesses.

Get involved

To become a member or see how else you can get involved head to yorkshire.art and click the get more info tab or if you're feeling chatty give Tim a call on 0783 470 4444.

79

Coming soon

Gallery & framers 8 King Street, Richmond

Fabulous artists from across Yorkshire

Full framing service Originals, prints, cross-stitch, tapestries, football shirts, jigsaws, medals, and all memorabilia. Glass, mounts, perspex and mirror (all cut to size).

Plaques, swept frames and repairs.

One hour picture framing available

For more information about the gallery call Tim on 0783 470 4444 For more information about our framing service call Peter on 07534 714 989 or email us on hello@yorkshire.art 80