2012 York Open Studios opens today

The weekends will feature the contemporary ceramicists Jane Blackman, Chiu-I Wu and Ruth King; internationally collected sculptress Sally Arnup; illustrators Emily Sutton and Mark Hearld painters, jewellers and a host of other designers and makers.

There will be chance to visit event newcomers The Eddy, a collaborative project between two York artists, graphic/textile designer Carol Buchanan and sculptor Eleonora Ridgway. Further new artists include contemporary woodturner Jon Cooper and jewellery designer Karen Mabon, whose contemporary pieces have a retro flair.

Chairman Ruth King says: “York Open Studios provides the perfect combination of discovering creative talent and enjoying the experience of wandering around the mediaeval streets of York in search of artists’ studios.

“You can share the artist’s experiences, ideas and skills, or perhaps be inspired to develop a new skill or buy or commission a piece of work directly from the makers.”

To find out more about the 65 artists, visit yorkopenstudios.co.uk

For further information, email info@yorkopenstudios.co.uk, phone 01904 706123 or visit the Open Studios facebook page.

• CATHERINE Sutcliffe-Fuller will be opening her studio at the York Print Studio, 31 The Village, Stockton on the Forest, during the two weekends, giving demonstrations of her artistic process.

The results of that process can also be seen in her on-going exhibition with Jonathan Newdick at the New School House Gallery in Peasholme Green until April 21.

Both printmaker Catherine and sculptor Jonathan are well known in the region, having exhibited frequently in the past with York Open Studios. They have also been represented at the New School House Gallery as part of wider group shows, although neither has exhibited there since 2010 as they have been busy preparing the present body of new work.

“I don’t want people to think that they can get the work cheap behind the gallery’s back!” says Catherine. “Open Studios should be about seeing artists in their native environment, but artists need galleries to show their work to its best advantage. Hopefully people who like my work will visit both the studio and the exhibition this year.”

The artists have a shared interest in nature, hence the exhibition title of Scope Of Nature.

“There’s an emotional connection between these two artists as well,” says gallery co-owner Robert Teed.

“When Catherine was 16 she began an art course at York Art School, where she found herself in the classroom of a young tutor called Jonathan Newdick, since when Jonathan has been very much a mentor figure for her. And although their studios are just a stone’s throw from each other, they have never had the chance to exhibit together. Until now.’”

• ILLUSTRATOR Emily Sutton could not be busier.

Not only is she and partner Mark Hearld moving into 104, The Mount, just in time for then 2012 York Open Studios, but she also has a heap of commissions demanding her attention.

“I have a couple of books I’m doing the illustrations for,” says Emily. “I’m doing the sequel to Amy de la Haye’s Clara Button And The Magical Hat Day; it’s called Clare Button And The Wedding, published by the V&A.

“I was brought together with Amy by Mark Eastment at the V&A, who contacted me to do the illustrations and it’s been wonderful to do. The deadline will be September and the book is due to come out next spring.”

The second commission is for Walker Books.

“I’m illustrating a book called Tiny about micro-life and micro-organisms aimed at six year olds, so it’s not heavy on the science,” says Emily. “It’s being written by Nicola Davies, formerly of The Really Wild Show.”

You may already have seen Emily’s most recent commission.

“I did the Who’s Betty? book for Bettys, featuring stories by Alan Ayckbourn, Jilly Cooper, Alan Titchmarsh and Kay Mellor, which was lovely to do,” she says.