THIRTEEN artists and craftsmen in seven locations are participating in the annual Pocklington Area Open Studios this weekend.

The event is part of Craft and Design month, a magazine-led national initiative set up to widen the awareness of British craft and design and to encourage people to support their local artists and makers.

Angie Boyer, editor of Craft and Design magazine, says: “Yorkshire is a hub of creativity with a wealth of highly skilled professional artists and makers, many of them working in their own small studios set in the county’s glorious countryside. Often it is the very same landscape that gives these talented people the inspiration for the work they produce.”

Pocklington Area Open Studios is in its fifth year.

“It was started by a group of potters who invited other artists to join them in their studios, which would be open to the public over the Bank Holiday weekend,” says Lyn Grant, of Fangfoss Pottery. “The original idea was to make a circular route which allowed all the studios to be visited in a day and at the same time giving access to the lovely countryside around East Yorkshire. This is still true today.”

On Saturday and Sunday, the seven locations form a circular route that takes in Pocklington, Fangfoss, Wilberfoss, Newton upon Derwent, Ellerton, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor and Londesborough.

Visitors can meet makers of pottery and ceramics, fused glass, jewellery, textiles, enamels, and several painters. They can see where and how the artists work, view their latest projects and learn of their ideas and inspirations, as well as having the chance to buy original art works and cards not available in shops.

“Every studio will have artists demonstrating their work,” says Lyn. “However, something new this year is the introduction of timed talks and demonstrations. These are designed to give a deeper insight into some of the artists’ work and will take place over the two days.”

At 11am each day, at Providence House Pottery in Ellerton, Jill Ford will demonstrate her way of making textural wall pieces out of porcelain; at noon, this will be followed by a demonstration of enamelling techniques by Avril Cheetham.

In the afternoon, at 2pm, at Fangfoss Pottery, Gerry Grant will show how teapots are made from start to finish; at 3pm, at 1, Woldview Road, Wilberfoss, Mo Burrows will give a metal clay demonstration.

Gerry has been a potter in Fangfoss for nearly 40 years, working mainly in domestic ware and gaining a reputation for producing practical teapots. “There’s a lot involved in making a teapot and this always surprises my audiences,” he says.

A route map taking in all the studios, countryside and places to eat is available from Fangfoss Pottery, Pocklington Arts Centre and pubs and shops around Pocklington, along with the venues.

“We always look forward to the open studio weekend,” says Gerry. “Most artists work in isolation and this is an opportunity to meet my potential customers and talk about my work in an informal atmosphere over a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. It’s also a great time to have my annual clean-up in the studio.”

The studios will be open from 10am to 5pm each day and refreshments will be available at every venue. Each location will be clearly signposted from the villages and will have balloons hanging outside.

 • Artists and locations...

Penny De Cotre, ceramics, and Debbie March, fused glass, 56, Garths End, Pocklington. Gerry Grant, ceramics, and Shirley Davis Dew, painting, Fangfoss Pottery, Fangfoss. Mo Burrows, contemporary jewellery, Sue Giles, “Japanese Shibori” textiles, and Margaret Lawrenson, ceramics, 1, Woldview Road, Wilberfoss.

Christine Anne Cullum, “wearable art” in textiles, such as bags, scarves and hats, Newfold House, Newton upon Derwent. Jill Ford, ceramics, and Avril Cheetham, jewellery and enamels, Providence House Pottery, Ellerton. Lee Steele, ceramics, and Neil Hindlaugh, painting, The Potter Man Studio, Unit 1A, Holme Industrial Estate, Skiff Lane, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor. Tony Wells, ceramics, 3, Stable Court, Londesborough.