BAR Lane Studios will be taking part in York Open Studios for the last time this weekend.

The artists' hub on Bar Lane, next to the Micklegate Social café bar, is to close in June after housing as many as 15 artists.

Among those looking for new studio space in York will be Lauren Terry, the self-taught cow artist who creates acrylic paintings, limited-edition giclee prints and a range of luxury homeware.

"This will be my last show at Bar Lane as I have to move on," says Scarborough-born Lauren.

York Press:

Found You, by Lauren Terry 

"The first exhibition I did was in 2012 in The Picture Place gallery in Wykeham on the way to Scarborough, and now I run Lauren's Cows as my full-time job."

Why does she focus on cows in her paintings? "I've just always liked them. I enjoy their character; I think they have a natural humour to them, " says Lauren.

"It all started with me just doing one painting to entertain myself, but when I took it to David Roxborough, the picture framer who runs the gallery at Wykeham, he said if I did 20, he'd hold an exhibition."

Lauren's Cows was up and running and she has had studio space at Bar Lane Studios for four years, alongside the likes of Mila Romans, David Patrick, Rebecca Mason and Marcus Callum.

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Alpbach, by Charis Raine, on show at Bar Lane Studios for York Open Studios

Joining Lauren at Bar Lane Studios for York Open Studios 2019 is Charis Raine, who specialises in Scandinavian-influenced gouache and oil paintings and formerly had a studio there.

Charis's artwork is inspired by forests, cabins, mountains and starry skies and she also creates printed goods from her paintings for her illustrated stationery business.

Lauren and Charis at Venue 80 are among 149 artists taking part in York Open Studios this spring, 42 of them for the first time. Opening hours for the second weekend will be 10am to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Artists and craft makers will be opening studios to give an insight into their creative process, be it ceramics, collage, digital, illustration, jewellery, mixed media, painting. print, photography, sculpture, textiles or wood. Full details can be found at yorkopenstudios.co.uk. Look out for booklets in a distinctive yellow cover all around the city.

York Press:

Linocut printmaker Michelle Hughes: holding demonstration on Sunday morning. Picture: Tom Wren

LINOCUT printmaker and designer Michelle Hughes is taking part in York Open Studios for the second successive year at 67, St Swithin's Walk, York.

Her work is inspired by nature and the great British countryside. "I love exploring the countryside by bike or on foot, camera in hand, capturing ideas for my next print," says Michelle, who works out of a garden studio and will host a demonstration at 11am on Sunday at Venue 91.

"I've been busy creating new work and there may be a sneak peak of my National Trust commission for a select few this weekend."

Meanwhile, Michelle is involved in the YOS Westie Trail, an initiative to establish collaborations with artists in Holgate and Acomb and to create a sense of community.

"We've met up once a month to discuss ideas, and so far we have West Bank Park café involved," she says. "In the future, we'd like to include other local businesses."