Derbyshire Open Arts has launched a You Tube channel to showcase our 2021 Campaign. Here you will find links to all our videos for the year, as they are launched, including our Gurus’ advice and encouragement with operating online; Meet the Committee Members and Our Members’ own videos showcasing their work, their journey and their inspiration.
Videos
August
The Return to Cader by Ben Sherwin
Ben Sherwin spent the summer months revisiting a much-loved spot in Wales: the dramatic slopes of Cader Idris. He says: In my interview with Pete Singer (see instagram video of 13th February2021) he commented on the use of texture and how it really works in the rocks and rock face of my previous painting of Cader. So, I took this encouragement and was persuaded to give Cader Idris another go from a different angle, with more dynamic lighting and an intriguing foreground and sense of scale, so in regard to what I got out of DOArts this year, this is certainly a result!
Ben added his own recording of piano music, some scenes of the countryside on location and gave his video a powerful sense of suspense
May
A video with Ben Sherwin
Ben's love for the beautiful countryside and the calm spaces around the Peak District is enduring and shows in his work. Lockdown has given him greater freedom to look close to home with fresh interest. This video is a reflection on how that connection developed and flourished.
A video with Lynne Taylor - Organic Ceramics
I’m Lynne of Organic Ceramics and I make unique handmade pottery: beautiful creations made with a Wabi Sabi essence that are meant to be picked up, used and admired. Everything I make is hand built using a variety of tools, often things foraged from the natural world. I'm based in Glossop, with my studio looking up to the inspirational Peak District moorlands of Bleaklow and Kinder Scout
Illustration, Painting and Textile printing: view the working styles of three diverse artists
Charlie Collins is an illustrator and curator with a strong sense of line and character; David Lowther demonstrates his passion and deep understanding of space and character in the Derbyshire landscape; Margaret Steeden turns the alchemy of plants and dyes into a mystery journey as she uncovers the printing of her flowing, elegant scarves.
Jennie Merriman and Caroline McFarlane
Watch a selection of Jennie Merriman’s boxed weavings and autumn forms (inspiration from architecture and the natural world) and follow Caroline McFarlane through the making of a self-portrait in pastel.
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Pentimento
Pentimento - Ceramics and Print
Caroline Hewitt and Jaki Darlington's work is underpinned by a mutual love of the animal world. They specialise in distinctive hand-built ceramics, producing character driven animal sculpture, wood mounted British birds and have developed a collection of hand-made tiles
Pentimento are interviwed by Andrea Joseph
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Jonathan Mason
Jonathan is influenced by the baroque and free baroque periods and refers to his artistic style as being ‘Christian Surrealism’ because he paints his dreams and meditations and all his paintings have a distinct interpretation to them.
Jonathan is interviewed live by Pete Singer
Derbyshire Open Arts video with artist Giles Davies
Giles Davies - Magazine Collage Landscapes
Giles collage landscapes have the richness of a photograph, yet are created from a blend of many incongruous magazine fragments. Full of rich colour and fine detail, cuttings are combined in a surreal and playful way to create believable landscapes which reveal hidden secrets close-up.
Giles is interviewed by Charlie Collins
April
A Studio Tour with three Derbyshire Open Arts Artists
Terry Baker manipulates original photographic images. Kate Greatorex @Wiseheart Textiles is a hand weaver, spinner and textile artist working in New Mills. Andrea Joseph is an award winning illustrator from Port Talbot living and working in the Peak District.
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Diane Daley
Play the video and find out what a pique-assiette artist does. Diane Daley discusses how she designs, nips, shapes, smooths, grouts, polishes and finishes.
Diane will be interviewed by David Lowther.
Derbyshire open Arts Interview with Andrea Joseph
Andrea is also an arts practitioner. She works with charities, that work with vulnerable adults, and in prisons across the North West. She also runs drawing events, Drink & Draw, in the High Peak.
Andrea is interviewed by Tracey Coverley
Derbyshire Open Arts Artist Interview with Lin Cheung
Lin is a painter who lives in Buxton. Her art has an expansive, contemporary, immediate expression that lifts the spirit and evokes a sense of joy and delight. Her paintings speak of the human existence in the here and now.
Lin is interviewed by Andrea Joseph
March
CLARE MORGAN and JAN HOYLE
A new video showcasing the artists workspace, tools, inspiration and creativity.
Pam Smart, Thomas Petit and Joanna Allen
Derbyshire Open Arts members reveal how their work evolves.
Derbyshire Open Arts Interview with Clare Morgan - Curious Inky Me
Making the invisible inner world of our thoughts and physical feelings visible through expressive portraits, exciting colour palettes and imagery that adds more to the story in each piece. Clare is interviewed by David Lowther
Derbyshire Open Arts Interview with Kay Stowell
With the radio playing and a hot tea on hand, Kay Stowell creates unique and captivating glass. Working from her home-based studio in Glossop Kay creates playful glass light catchers, stand up animal characters and stunning wall art, Listen this week as Kay discusses her work with Pete Singer
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Hannah Dodd
Quirky designs to provoke humour and make you smile. Listen as Hannah discusses her work with Andrea on Instgram.
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Sue Allanson
If you are walking along Gorsey Bank on the edge of Wirksworth you may be intrigued by a tap-tapping sound and the chink of a chisel striking stone. It will mean you have stumbled across the home of sculptor Sue Allanson who works beneath a modest shelter in her garden. Listen this week as Sue discusses her work with Pete Singer on Instagram and Facebook.
February
Meet the Derbyshire Open Arts Team 2021
Here is the Derbyshire Open Arts Committee 2021, introducing themselves and showing some of their work.
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Lynne Taylor
Organic Ceramics, handmade tactile pottery, Inspired by nature
Hear Lynne chatting to Andrea Joseph about her love and obsession with the making of ceramics and how Lockdown has inspired her to new heights
Derbyshire Open Arts Artist Interview with Terry Baker
Terry's artwork stems from both the physical and digital manipulation of original photographic images, often using architectural and close-up photography as a starting point.
Hear photographer Terry Baker talking about his practice and influences to David Lowther
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Ben Sherwin
Oil paint is my medium of choice because I can blend vibrant colours and work with texture. Acrylics and charcoal drawings also make up some of my portfolio. Charcoal in particular is effective in creating dark atmospheric skies which I love.
Hear Ben talking to Pete Singer about his love of Derbyshire and The Peak District.
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Sarah Perkins
Sarah is an animal & pet portrait artist based in the centre of Derby, England. My time is divided between customer commissions & my own creative works. Hear her talking to Charlie Collins about her art, missing her studio and her incredible successes.
January
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Tracey Coverley
Tracey Coverley is a fulltime artist based in Whaley Bridge on the edge of the Peak District. Trained in the 80’s at Loughborough College of Art, she studied Fine Art and specialised in painting. After quitting a long career on the railway to pursue her passion of creating, Tracey took an alternative path and is now working with textiles as her preferred medium.
Derbyshire Open Arts artist interview with Sue Prince
Sue Prince tells stories, responding to current events including the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrating rural life and commenting on our society. She makes her own egg tempera paint, a technique learned in Sweden where she has helped revive this form in its native place. www.sueprinceartist.co.uk
Our Social Media Gurus
Teaching online using Social Media
Artist, experienced tutor and mentor Sarah Burgess, who’s own work involves print, stitch and construction with paper and fine art textiles talks about her experience of learning to teach on-line live workshops over the last twelve months using Zoom and WhatsApp, starting as a complete beginner with this level of IT.
Selling our work on Social Media
Meet Steve Booton. Steve is one of our Gurus for 2021, and he has agreed to share how he has adapted his practice to lockdown situation to enable him to continue selling and showing his work online. Steve is a potter devoted to the Japanese tradition of wabi sabi. He is starting a brand new Ceramics Festival called ONLY CLAY which has its first event on 6th November 2021 in the heart of Sheffield's Industrial Past: The Kelham Island Museum. Check out his Instagram account and the Only Clay website https://www.onlyclay.co.uk
Using Social Media in our work
Helen Hallows is one of our Gurus for 2021. She is a mixed media artist of landscape, the environment and the human presence; she is a brilliant mentor and teacher. In 2020 she very successfully moved her practice online, and has agreed to share some of her ideas and advice with Derbyshire Open Arts followers.