Open Studio Preparations

Preparing to share my work and sketchbooks in person

I’m currently in the midst of preparations for the Open Studio event that will be happening from 27th May-4th June. Whilst ordinarily, artists will be opening up their studios across the county I will be gate-crashing sharing the beautiful studio space of Lowenek studio run by potter and painter, Pippa Alston, alongside textiles artist, Fiona Thomas. Pippa invited me to exhibit with her earlier in the year and because my space is quite small and impractical to accept visitors, I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to share my work and chat with those who are interested in what I do. I’ll also be running a couple of workshops on two of the days, using the beautiful area around the property to inspire us in making garden-themed sketchbook journals. Please book/find out more here.

You can actually see Pippa’s space and hear more about her practice in this interview and below is what I filmed during last year’s open studio when I visited Pippa at Lowenek.

I thought I’d share a little taste of what I’ve been preparing for the event as well as a behind-the-scenes photo of the mess that is currently occurring on my desk.

Current desk clutter

This year I am determined to make further use of my calendar images and so like my 2022 calendar images I have been scanning and editing them into art cards and prints which will be available to buy during the Open Studio week.

I’ve also been going through my sketchbooks to fish out images that I think would work well on greeting cards and have been working out which kind of papers would show them off best. I’m thinking a textured off-white would work well.

I’ll be sharing my sketchbooks so there will be an opportunity to flick through the work and see how it’s developed over the past 5 years. I also hope to create a mini zine of my seasonal sketches so if anyone would like to take them home, they’ll have a collection of images to inspire and remind them of my work. That’s the plan anyway! I do tend to be overly ambitious with what I want to achieve but if I can manage to tick off half of my list I’ll be happy.

I’ll let you know how it goes in practice.

If you would like to visit, please find the details and days that I will be available below; I’d love to meet you.

• 27th May Saturday 11-4pm

• 29th May Monday 11-4pm

• 1st June Thursday 11-4pm Workshop- 2pm

• 2nd June Friday 11-4pm Workshop- 11am

• 3rd June Saturday 11-4pm

Open Studio Venue Address:

Lowenek Studio, Trewince St Martin, Helston, Cornwall, TR12 6EE

Look out for the blue sign at the end of the single-track farm drive.

Parking on-site.

Lowenek Studio space -lovely and airy!

Dates for your diary- October 7th- 14th

In October I will be exhibiting my work at Coast, Colour, Canvas gallery at Roskilly farm on the Lizard peninsula. This will be a group exhibition with my Creative Catchup hosts- Kriksis and Natasha Newton. It will be the first time I will be properly exhibiting in a gallery in over ten years and I’m really looking forward to developing new work for it and displaying alongside my friend’s pieces. We’d love to invite you to our opening to meet and chat, and show you our new work. More to follow.