THE Pocklington and Area Open Studios 2016 will be held on May 7 and 8 from 10am to 5pm each day.

In celebration of Craft & Design Month 2016, 21 artists in and around Pocklington will open their studio doors in workshops, sheds and spare rooms to welcome visitors.

The event will be an opportunity to view finished work, quiz artists about how it was made and even watch them as they create their pieces. Visitors can browse and buy handmade art and craft and perhaps commission a special piece, and if you are feeling creative but maybe do not know where to start, many artists will offer workshops and provide friendly help and advice.

Ceramicist Jill Ford, one of the exhibiting artists, says: "The Great Pottery Throwdown TV series has triggered a tremendous surge of interest in ceramics, inspiring huge numbers of people to learn to throw pots on the wheel or to look for workshops, all inspired to get messy and creative. With painting, jewellery, ceramics, textiles and accessories all on display, there’s sure to be something to suit all tastes and budgets."

The organisers have planned a handy circular route around the 11 venues. "You can join the route at any point, spending as much time as you want talking to the artists about their work and their inspiration," says Jill. "A warm welcome awaits at each venue with most offering tea and cakes to keep you refreshed, as well as plenty of excellent country pubs and tearooms along the way. Leaflets are available at tourist information and public buildings or on our Facebook page, Pocklington Area Open Studios 2016."

Visitors can drop in at free daily masterclass demonstrations and talks that will begin each day at 11am with Jill Ford making a textured porcelain wall piece in Ellerton and Jan Jones's session on portraiture in Market Weighton.

At 12 noon, in Ellerton, Avril Cheetham will hold a jewellery-making demonstration; at 2pm, in Market Weighton, Sue Giles will focus on textiles, while Gerry Grant will make a teapot at Fangfoss Pottery; and at 3pm, in Fangfoss, Mo Burrows will give a talk on metals, clays, wires and beads.