Notts Open Studios begins this coming weekend (4th May).  Check out their timeline to see what’s on when.  There are many venues with a wide selection of artists across Nottinghamshire.  My personal recommendations include:

Our own Sarah Godfrey (some of her work is currently being exhibited at BEANS) will be taking part in Notts Open Studios as part of the Harley Artists Open Day on the 11th of May.  You can also see Magie Hollingworth in her studio at the Harley on May 11th.  Magie is doing a paper mache course for us over 2 weekends at the end of June.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th of May is the Lady Bay leg of the Open Studios.  I have a soft spot for the area.  It’s good fun  just looking at the gardens while walking around.  The art is a bonus.  A very nice bonus, however.

On the 31st of May and the 1st of June, you can see Carol Eason (our collagraph tutor – we are offering her collagraph course at BEANS on June 9th) at the Bassetlaw Museum in Retford.  Carol will be sharing the venue with 7 other artists which will give you a chance to see everything from ceramics to painting and textiles all under one roof.

Polly Warren’s studio in Askham will be open on the 1st and 2nd of June.  Polly works with linoprints. She has run several courses for us and her work adorns our walls.  Visit her studio at her home, Eastcroft, and you can see the garden that inspired her very popular print.

And the whole event will finish with the Patchings Arts Festival that runs from Thursday 6th June til Sunday 9th June.  As well as a fab selection of artists, you can pick up a wide assortment of art supplies at good prices at the Patchings Festival (there is a small admission fee for Patchings).

Karen

November is the month for arts and crafts. As well as our new exhibition at BEANS, featuring the work of Carol and Phoebe Eason, there are opportunities to see wonderful works and to meet the artists in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.  In date order, the following are well worth a visit: Lustre is on at Nottingham University’s Lakeside Centre on the 10th and 11th of November (£5 entrance fee). Next is Yorkshire Art Space Open Studios, Sheffield. It’s on Friday evening, 16th November and Saturday 17th November. Say hello to our book binding artist/tutor, Heather Dewick. Then, on the 24th and 25th November, you have a choice of 2 events to attend. There’s the Harley Gallery Art and Food Market and Open Studios (Sarah Godfrey, print artist has her studio there) and the Long Eaton Art Rooms’ Winter Craft Fair and Open Studios. Look out for Helen Hallows. A little bird mentioned that Helen will be having a sale and some bargains will be available!

If you’d rather be making than looking, come along to BEANS and create a lino print, learn to decorate a cake, make a felt scarf/bowl/Christmas stocking/bag, cook a vegetarian Christmas, make a mosaic, bake some bread or bind your own book.  Visit our courses page to see what’s available.

It’s Wirksworth Festival’s  Art Trail this weekend (8th/9th September). Have a stroll around the town.  Get some nice food.  Listen to some music.  Enjoy the views.  And……… see some great art. Keep a look out for Helen Hallows (she will be in the Methodist Church) and Carol Eason. Some of you will know Helen from her Recording Memories and Landscape Courses at BEANS and we are also lucky enough to have a few of her prints and a selection of her fab cards in the shop. Carol will be coming to BEANS in the new year and sharing her print making techniques with us.

And if that’s not enough, next weekend (15th/16th September), it’s Melbourne Festival’s Art Trail.  Helen Hallows will be making a second appearance and our mosaic tutor, Julie Vernon will also be there. Again…..a chance to meander through the town and take in the houses, the gardens, the food and…………the art.

Hit one or both events. You won’t regret it.

Karen

Too many choices yesterday….  Father’s Day brunch (just turn up, no shopping or cooking required), football on TV or Patchings Art Festival.  It was a tough one, but I went for the Festival. It was good to see Hazel Lale and John Connoll….. and some new work caught my eye.  Crooked Knitwear had a stall full of bright and exciting clothing items made by combining knitted and fabric components (and don’t forget the yarn necklaces), and there were some very beautiful botanical drawings by Emma Jane Bennett (I’ve got a few of her cards to sell in the shop).  Oh, and then…the art supplies. There was a big emphasis on painting and drawing, which meant… PAPER. There sure is some lovely paper out there. Kinda like bread – too tempting, and, at some point, you just have to stop yourself.