artist Emma Bateman has started up an exhibition space for fellow artists in Bridgegate, Howden.

Cloud 9 Gallery has been opened in conjunction with Blue Sky Gifts and Interiors, an existing business run by Sarah Colclough.

“I’ve owned Blue Sky for six years now and decided that a fresh approach to the business was needed, along with making better use of the ample wall space and natural light,” says Sarah.

“I knew Emma already from selling her paintings at Blue Sky in the past and asked her if she would be interested in renting the wall space and one of the shop windows.”

The answer was “Yes”. “Sarah knew I was keen on the idea of running my own gallery one day, so I leapt at the chance to open my own mini-gallery within Blue Sky,” says Emma.

“I drew on the contacts I made through the Artfulness gallery in York, where I exhibited when it was owned by Amie Antoniak. Amie became a good friend of mine and I knew she’d see it as an exciting opportunity and would want to be a part of it.”

Amie is indeed welcoming the chance to exhibit there.

“This couldn’t have come at a better time for me. My little girl, now 14 months old, has just started nursery one day a week, so I’ve been able to get back into my painting on a more serious level,” she says.

“Having a new place to show my work has given me a motivational boost, and it’s also wonderful for me to see a group of old Artfulness artists exhibiting together again in a new space.”

Other Artfulness artists on show at Cloud 9 are Magdalena Brieger, Horius, Sue Nichol, Adam Hart and Issie Antoniak, alongside Yorkshire landscape photographer Paul Bateman, Emma’s father, and handmade button jewellery maker Emma Cressey.