TALL TREES AND WARM STONE PV

The PV for Kate Lycett’s first Solo Exhibition since 2010 was last Thursday and it was a truly amazing evening; were you there?

Serious tackle needed for Kate’s really large paintings Stoodley Pike and Bridge Lanes

Let the hanging commence!

We worked hard on Wednesday night ensuring that all 14 originals were in place ready for the PV Thursday evening 6-9pm

All looking great, now to introduce Kate’s paintings to the rest of the world!

Kate has many collectors from previous exhibitions and more recently from a new body of work Heart Gallery was proud to hang in November 2012 as part of our Christmas Exhibition so it was no surprise to see an orderly queue forming at 5.45pm!

Just time for a quick hug before I opened the Heart Gallery door!

Out with the nibbles

Out with the nibbles

Mustn’t forget the Prosecco and the Wine

Once we were open it was soon extremely busy in the Picture Gallery, and in the main gallery, as people politely nudged their way in to see Kate’s fabulous new collection of paintings that have been 18 months in the making.

Busy, busy, busy in the Picture Gallery

Main Gallery also buzzing

It wasn’t long before the red dots had to be stuck on the originals as sold and the lovely Julia and Lisa were kept busy behind the counter!

Hard to choose a favourite print

There was a great buzz in the air and lots of satisfied customers with most of them managing to grab a word with Kate to find out the story behind each painting. It was interesting to see the 3 originals that inspired Kate to make the lanterns for Hannah to sell in Radiance, Fairy Lights, Old Gate and Albert Street but my favourite was the Antique Printers Tray called Studies For Trees which was filled with smaller paintings and framed in a lovely box frame…and I was delighted I knew the lovely couple that bought it.

Anna and Alan chatting to Kate about the Antique Printers Tray they’d just treated themselves to (along with another print too!).

Kate has framed this piece in a fabulous wooden box frame so do call in to see the real thing on the wall if you can; I couldn’t photograph it properly as the light was reflecting on the glass so I’ve used the pre-framed picture for you here.

Printers Tray in Kate’s Studio before framing

The whole evening went by so quickly and I even took a call at 8pm from a lady in America who wanted the original Bridge Lanes if it was still available … it was, so there was another red dot and another highly satisfied Heart Gallery/Kate Lycett customer! I’m not surprised she was keen to own this one!, it’s stunning and rather large so I hope she’s got a big wall to hang it on!

Bridge Lanes painting by Kate Lycett, limited edition prints still available at Heart Gallery

As the evening drew to a close Kate and I had a chance to sit back for a second and take it all in whilst Hannah Nunn snuck up and took a crafty picture of us chatting to the last few customers, good shot Hannah thank you.

Tired but happy and as Kate pointed out, the red flower in my hair (knitted by the lovely Helen at Ribbon Circus for me), her gorgeous red beads and the red dot behind us on the original Bridge Lanes all complimented one another!

Hattie’s red shoes matched mummy’s and this blog post would not be complete without this fab photo

We were all locked up and away by 9.30 to enjoy a social gathering and food at the Thai restaurant along with a few glasses of much deserved wine!

Kate’s red hat even matched!

All the originals are still gracing our walls so you still have time to bob in and see them as they won’t be collected until the end of April. After that they will be replaced with framed limited edition prints and the exhibition runs until the 7th July so find a date in your diary to visit Hebden Bridge and bob in to Heart Gallery to see it – you will not be disappointed.

If you would like to be informed of future exhibitions at Heart Gallery then please email us and we will happily put you on our mailing list and you can also keep an eye on Kate’s news here.

Stoodley Pike painting by Kate Lycett, limited prints still available at Heart Gallery

Meet The Maker – Live event in Heart Gallery Sunday 11th November

Well, this is an idea of mine that has been on the back burner for quite some time now so I am really excited to announce the first live Meet The Maker event in the Picture Gallery! Many of you are enjoying my Meet The Maker series here on the blog … I know because I check the stats … and this was always going to be the next step it just seems to have taken longer than I thought! So … this Sunday 11th November you can bob into Heart Gallery and meet Kate Lycett!

Kate Lycett

We were super excited to launch Kate’s new original paintings last week along with limited edition prints of her new and much loved older work but Kate was busy looking at London through the magical eyes of her 6 year old daughter so she couldn’t join us. But this week … she can!

Valley Gardens – Kate Lycett

Cold Snap – Kate Lycett

So come along to Heart Gallery Sunday 11th November between 2pm and 4pm for a chance to chat to Kate about her work, her inspirations and her love of Hebden Bridge … and have a cup of tea too!

Cheers my dear – tea in our Picture Gallery with local artist Kate Lycett

Meet The Maker – Julia Ogden

Julia Ogden – Artist

Julia grew up in Yorkshire, where she spent her days playing in her parents’ garden and the surrounding countryside. She drew all the time and still does.

Hares – Julia Ogden

Heart birds – Julia Ogden

Julia studied a BA Hons in Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art, graduating in 1999. She then went on to do an MA in Sequential Illustration at Brighton University. The work she produced during her studies was mainly print-based and she often made artist books.

Collage – Julia Ogden

Birds – Julia Ogden

She began painting after University and this is now her main passion. Julia’s paintings are exhibited throughout the UK, including Heart Gallery of course,  Bluemoon Gallery, Tunbridge Wells, Janet Bell Gallery, Anglesey, Portland Gallery, Richmond, Sarah Wiseman Gallery, Oxford, Harrison Lord Gallery, Brighouse and The Design Shop, Deanclough, Halifax.

Bear Hug – Julia Ogden

Her new collection of artwork is on paper using a combination of pencil drawing and acrylic paint. She has been inspired by nature and comforting themes such as friendship, love and support. She hopes that her paintings and drawings brighten up grey days with warm colours and motifs.

Winter Birds – Julia Ogden

Julia is a valued member of staff at Heart Gallery so we are always really proud to showcase her work in the gallery whatever it may be … from greetings cards to framed originals, canvases or prints Julia’s work always puts a smile on our faces.

Elly – Julia Ogden

And we know it will make you smile too so see you soon x

Star Birds – Julia Ogden

Meet The Maker – Kate Lycett

Kate Lycett – Artist

Kate grew up in Suffolk where the skies are vast and the land is low and flat. Her grandad was an architect and he taught her the rudiments of technical drawing when she was 9. He made Kate a drawing board and a T square, and showed her how to sharpen a pencil with a knife. Kate ventured north to York were she studied fine art at University (YSJ) and specialised in textile design. She had fun with pots of wax, resin, shiny fabrics and butterfly’s wings.’ From there she spent a year in  Huddersfield were she studied industrial applications and CAD; fewer butterflies, more Loom Sheds! 

Study of Birds – Kate Lycett

Kate’s first design job sat her in a sterile studio changing colourways of prints  to match company logos and she was never allowed to get her hands dirty. She missed her fingers being permanently stained with Prussian blue, and so she started to paint again. In 1999 Kate moved to Sheffield, and after a while she started to sell her work in galleries, and in the art and craft markets there. She made many great friends. The better she knows a place the better she can capture its warmth. A place needs to resonate with Kate before she can paint it.

Valley Gardens – Kate Lycett

Kate’s textile design background is always present in the way that she paints, and interprets what is around her. She sees patterns in everything; the hills adorned with houses and washing lines, rows of flower pots and stripes of brightly painted drain pipes. Lines of gold thread trace lines through the landscape, and gold leaf changes the surface of her pictures with the changing light of day. Kate wants to paint beautiful pictures of the places that she loves. There are never people in her pictures but they’re full of life and warmth.

Red Leaves – Kate Lycett

Kate is a great collector of treasures – be it beads, threads, ribbons, pieces of fabric, really anything small and shiny! She collects images in much the same way and her amazing paintings are often a patchwork of ideas and details that Kate has drawn in her sketchbooks or photographed. She loves to bring out elements of pattern in a landscape – things like rows of stones, tiles and railings or guttering painted interesting colours.

Cold Snap – Kate Lycett

Hebden Bridge is now home for Kate and is part of who she is and what she does. She lives here with her husband and three small children. She loves the warmth, the colour and the community of where she lives. From her studio window at the front of her house she can see trees and the remains of a vast mill chimney in her garden which is full of nesting birds.

Stubbings – Kate Lycett

Kate loves that almost everyone she meets in the street can do or make something beautiful. It has been the source of many of her paintings, and will continue to be so. The longer she is here, the more she learns. Kate feels there is such history here in Hebden Bridge and she hears so many stories. Hannah at Radiance helped Kate to develop her lanterns and she now stocks those new designs and also her greetings cards. Colour has always been a key player in Kate’s work, and she uses this to convey how she sees the world.

Terraces – Kate Lycett

Not so long ago Kate and I chatted over a very good cup of coffee in Cafe Solo, Hebden Bridge, and talked about her work and how it would sit well in Heart Gallery with the artists I currently support. It didn’t take us long to realise that we admired one another’s work, ethics and ambition and so a friendship was formed and dates set. We are really proud to now be showcasing some of Kate’s recent framed originals along with limited edition prints from Sunday November 4th. These are being unveiled at the launch party of out Christmas Exhibition, CHRISTMAS AT HEART. Unfortunately Kate cannot be with us on the 4th as she is taking her daughter to London for her birthday but we shall be having a  ‘MEET THE MAKER’ live event with her on Sunday 11th November which is something Heart Gallery has had on the back burner for quite some time – it will be fun! You will be able to come along and chat to Kate over a cup of tea!

CHRISTMAS AT HEART invitation

This will be the start of a long relationship for Kate and Heart Gallery and we will be announcing the dates of her Spring Solo Exhibition TALL TREES AND WARM STONE shortly so watch this space! In the meantime please make sure you bob in to see her stunning new work Sunday 4th November in our Picture Gallery.

Hebble End – Kate Lycett

 

Meet The Maker – Natasha Newton

Natasha Newton – artist and illustrator

Natasha is an artist, illustrator and designer living and working in the beautiful coastal county of Suffolk in England. Since July 2010 she has been spending a few months of the year in Paris, and she now divides her time between the two places.

Abstract Seedpods – hand painted pebbles

Her art explores an ongoing love of nature and astronomy, featuring birds, trees, starry night skies and mountainous winter landscapes, as well as her recent nature-inspired abstract paintings.

Silent Sigh – painting on wood panel

Dreaming – painting on wood panel

Her work frequently has a quiet, dream-like quality and a subtle or muted colour palette, sometimes with the addition of an occasional hit of bright colour. Look closely and you’ll often find areas of fine detail and decorative pattern. She also enjoys the strong graphic quality of black and white, and produces many monochromatic works on paper alongside her paintings on canvas and wood.

Watching – painting on wood panel

Natasha has exhibited with many galleries throughout the UK, and her work has been selected several times for major shows in London, including winning an award at The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Annual Exhibition.

Keeping Watch 1 – painting on wood panel

Natasha’s artwork has gained a large international following in recent years and her paintings sell to collectors all over the world. She also receives regular commissions from both private and business clients. Commissions have included CD cover artwork, business logos, and book covers. In March 2010 her paintings were used by the book publishing company Random House as the cover artwork for a series of five books by the author Jorge Bucay. 

Keeping Watch 2 - painting on wood panel

Heart Gallery is proud to be able to showcase Natasha’s original acrylic paintings and hand-painted stones as part of our Summer Showcase, her work is dreamy, soothing and calming and much loved here at Heart Gallery HQ!

Nature Set of 4 hand painted pebbles

Meet The Maker – Gillian Lee Smith

Gillian Lee Smith – mixed media artist

A lifetime fascination with storytelling, history, fairytales and folklore, has led Gillian Lee Smith to create paintings and artwork based on the everyday whirling mind of a person who does not always wish to be rooted in the realistic present.

There is Always A Flicker Of Hope

The Heart That Cannot Be Hidden

These paintings tell the stories of the characters ever present in the imagination of the artist. Puppets and dolls with heart and emotion, women walking the coast searching for long lost souls, characters who throughout their life carry with them a memory or a reminder of times gone by.

One Misty Morning

The Twilight Rehearsal

The marionette and doll-like figures hint at those emotions and characteristics that we attempt to hide-away when we are wearing a mask and protecting our emotions but the melancholic nature and the objects we carry portray that which we cannot help but reveal.

One Moment In Time

Decadence and decay, nature and dreams, atmospheric places and the contrasts and complexities of life; all are endlessly captivating and thought provoking.

Dreaming Of The Dwelling Place

Graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in Performance Costume in 2005, Gillian Lee Smith has since been working as a mixed media artist as well as teaching workshops with community groups, more recently coordinating a project involving reminiscence work with older people. This has been a huge source of inspiration to her latest artwork and themes of memories, dreams and childhood.

Isobel’s Dream of Life And Light

Heart Gallery is so proud to be showcasing three of Gillian’s original framed paintings for our fairytale inspired exhibition which runs until 08 July; Dreaming Of The Dwelling Place, There Is Always A Flicker Of Hope and Whilst Waiting You Have Time To Dream. We also have a very small handful of limited edition mounted prints and hope to see you soon.

MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE

May all your dreams come true exhibition invitation

May all your dreams come true exhibition invitation

We are all so excited at Heart Gallery about this magical exhibition and hope that you are too – it is going to be one of our best, we can sense it! The wire Mergirl on the invitation has been made for us by Rozie Keogh and we have 3 of them swimming around the gallery to keep an eye on you all as you browse the amazing new work we are showcasing. Here are a few sneaky peaks but please make sure to come to the launch on Sunday 13 May – you will not be disappointed!

Alice in Wonderland framed papercut by Yasemin Wigglesworth

Mars necklace by Rachel Lucie

Storybook by paper/textile artist Alix Swan

Feather Fox by glass artist Rachel Elliott

'Like Ghosts from an Enchanter Fleeing' Nicola Taylor, self portrait photographer

Lovers' Triptych Brooch by Catherine Chester

'Untaken' Cyanotype print by Moira Fuller

Recognised phrases and stories on bags by Alison Hughes

Lucy Palmer's fairytale inspired silver jewellery

Lucy Harding's illustrations inspired by customers she meets on her milk round

So, a few images to whet your appetite but if they haven’t tempted you enough then maybe Ursula Holden Gill can! Ursula is one of the North’s most innovative, award winning Storytellers. Her quirky, unique sets are influenced largely by 19th Century Music Hall, Lancashire Dialect, Westmorland Clogging, Folk, Traditional and Original Song, Contemporary Dance, Puppetry, Clean but Cheeky Stand Up Acts and essentially, life. This has led her to be frequently described as a cross somewhere between Gracie Fields and Billy Connolly!

Urusla Holden Gill

Ursula will be spending Sunday 13 May with us presenting a song and story set she calls Sightings of the Little People – suitable for adults and children alike. It explores the idea that fairy sightings have been associated with – and are responsible for – the naming of more places in the British Isles than anywhere else in the world and that in the North of England alone we proudly boast numerous fairy bridges and glens, a few sets of standing stones, waterfalls, cottage gardens, and a variety of hills and wells! By revealing how such places came to take their title Ursula will welcome all who attend the launch into a most controversial debate that has fascinated artists for hundreds of years – are fairies real or not… and if so, what are they? Fanciful Friend or Malevolent Foe? Further, who can see the little people and how?

See you all at Heart Gallery, Hebden Bridge on Sunday May 13 from 12pm – 5pm for fairy cakes, angel dust and magical stories and of course an eclectic mix of jewellery and craft inspired by fairytales, folklore, myths and dreams to tempt and delight xXx

Dreaming of the dwelling place original painting by Gillian Lee Smith

13.11.11

A great day on Sunday started with a very moving sight for me which I hadn’t realised would be happening.  I had been getting the gallery ready for opening for our What A Cracker Exhibition and I heard a brass band. I was just in time to see this band and people walked through Hebden Bridge and along Market Street at 11am.

Market Street 13.11.2011. 11am

What a great way to start the day which just got better and better so here are a few little piccies of our launch, please enjoy:

Fizz

There just had to be pink fizz …

Chocolates

and chocolate treats …

Tinsel

and because they are re-pointing the outside of the building I just had to trim up the scaffolding with tinsel and hearts …

Customers enjoying browsing the gallery

and customers browsing, sipping, chomping, marvelling and buying …

Contemporary craft on the shelves-small wire tin by Louise Wilson

and contemporary jewellery and craft including new collections from old favourites and new and exciting makers …

Baubles and Makers - Jacqui Sharples with her letterpress framed work

and baubles and makers adorning the gallery.

What A Cracker

If you couldn’t make it on Sunday don’t worry as the exhibition runs right through until January but we have another surprise event planned for Sunday 11 December so watch this space and see you soon xXx

WHAT A CRACKER – Christmas Exhibition at Heart Gallery 13 November 2011

Heart Gallery kindly invites you to WHAT A CRACKER launching on Sunday 13 November at 12pm

What goodies can you buy this Christmas at Heart Gallery? Here’s a sneak peek of what’s new for you, for your loved ones and for your home.

Louise Wilson - Mixed Media Artist

Karen Dell'Armi - Jeweller

Tania Sneesby - Textile Artist

Caroline Cowen - Jeweller

Jacqui Sharples - Letterpress

Heart Gallery has now launched a fantastic Loyalty Scheme and we have been really busy cutting, stitching and preparing lovely little heart shaped felt pouches for you to keep. Feedback from customers has been amazing so here is some info for those of you who haven’t heard about it yet:

Heart Gallery Loyalty Card

Collect your loyalty card from Heart Gallery when you spend over £50.

Receive a heart stamp every time you spend £50 or over.

Collect 5 heart stamps on your loyalty card and exchange it for your Heart Gallery 10% Token.

Your Heart Gallery 10% token is a pewter heart and is yours to keep, for life.

Use your Heart Gallery 10% token every time you spend over £50 in Heart Gallery.

Heart 10% Loyalty Token

Live with the art you love …

It’s easy and affordable to buy and collect contemporary art and craft at Heart Gallery with Own Art which lets you spread the cost of your purchase over 10 months with an interest free loan.

Own Art loans allow you to borrow from as little as £100 up to a maximum of £2,000 for the purchase of works of art by living artists.

Own Art loans are available from Heart Gallery for the purchase of contemporary art and craft of any kind, and in any media. That means you can choose more or less anything you want from Heart Gallery from paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture, to glassware, ceramics, jewellery, furniture and textiles.

There is no limit on the number of times you can use Own Art, but we recommend that you don’t apply for more than one loan at a time. This is because each loan application is subject to a credit check, and your application may be declined if you have not yet already established a repayment record for an existing Own Art loan, or if the bank considers that the total amount of credit you are asking for is too high in relation to your income.

The minimum you can borrow is £100 (monthly repayment of £10), but this can be used to cover a group of lower value items whose combined total adds up to £100 or more. This means that at Christmas you can purchase a number of presents for your friends and family interest free so there is no need to use your credit card!

If you are buying something more valuable than £2,000 you can use an Own Art loan as a part payment. Please note that you cannot apply for multiple Own Art loans to cover the costs of a single purchase.

Own Art is available to all UK residents over the age of 18, subject to status. This means that you must be able to meet the following criteria in order to be approved for a loan:

• Over the age of 18
• A permanent UK resident
• Working at least 16 hours a week (employed or self-employed)

If you are not working but are married to or living with a partner who does have a full time job, then you may still apply provided that your partner is happy for their employment details to be included on your application form.

You’ll need to have proof of ID with you in the form of a driver’s licence or utility bill, along with a credit or debit card as proof of signature and it only takes 10 minutes!

Staff in Heart Gallery will take you through the loan application process and once you’ve given all the information we need, you’ll get an instant decision.

Once your application has been approved and you’ve signed the paperwork you can take your purchase(s) away with you – simple as that!

Own Art bank partner Hitachi Capital Consumer finance will send you a welcome letter and the 10 monthly payments will be collected by direct debit from your account starting a few weeks after you’ve made your purchase.

GNCCF

GNCCF at Spinningfields 2011

This little post is a wee bit late as after this show I was flying off to Tenerife with my family for a much needed holiday after a difficult summer in hospital and time off recuperating. Since I got back from Tenerife it has been chaos climbing that paperwork mountain and getting ready for Christmas at Heart but this show had to get a wee mention so here goes ….  oh and by the way the Tom Dixon lights, supplied by Ferrious, in the window and foyer were amazing; I have drooled over the copper shade pendant for a very long time but unfortunately cannot afford it – I need 3!

Inside the window display looking towards Suet Yi Ceramics

I had been kindly asked by Angela and Ann-Marie, GNCCF organisers, to be a prize sponsor and offer an exhibition opportunity to one lucky exhibitor and this was a tough decision to make as there was so much talent in that building! I only had 1 1/2 hours to go round all 141 stands and make up my mind, not an easy task at all, although I did have a glamorous assistant with me, Lisa Murdoch and a  glass of white Pinot!

This display of Suet's caught my eye very early on

Close up of Suet's ceramic plates/sculptures inspired by nature and observations of every day life

Suet was really pleased with her prize and although really busy herself we shall be working together in the Summer of 2012. In the meantime, take a peek here for what beauties are in store for you when her work arrives at Heart Gallery.

Handing over the certificate to Suet Yi was a pleasure and I can't wait to work with her in the Summer of 2012

Once the decision was made I could relax slightly and chat to past, present and future makers of Heart Gallery before racing back home to get ready for my early morning flight! Here are a few of my highlights, some work has been showcased in Heart Gallery over the last five years and some is yet to come so watch this space!

Always great to see Tamsin Howells and her amazing acrylic jewellery

Adele Taylor's jewellery is amazing - I should know I've bought a fab ring similar to the large one on the poster!

Hannah Nunn was glowing, as always

Sally Pawson's colourful aluminium and silver jewellery arrived at Heart just before GNCCF

Her customised stand made me smile - I love rainbows x

I have admired Emilie Taylor's handbuilt ceramics for some time now

I had to fight, well grapple actually, with the girls from The Craft Shop in Manchester over Kate Lulham's work. Perfect for Heart Gallery and it will be coming but they will showcase her work before I do in 2012 so you must get along to see it

Katherine Richmond wasn't on her stand unfortunately but her jewellery was stunning and I will be in touch with her soon

inspirational jewellery from Kayleigh Biggs

Jennifer Collier's recycled and transformed papers are making a return to Heart Gallery in May 2012

Neighbours over the road on Market Street, ethical and sustainable Makepiece, managed to set up in record time

This blew me away. Leila Arzaghi, fragile and precious

Faye Power - hand illustrated ceramics, fabulous wedding gifts

The stories behind Catherine Chester's conceptual jewellery had me engrossed for some time, her stand was amazing and she had one proud mummy with her and rightly so

I collected my order from Sarah Tyssen. Limited edition woven scarves and blankets

Jill Ford's contemporary ceramics are a delight

Alix Swan I gave a prize to when she exhibited at Holmfirth earlier this year, her stand was amazing again

Another peek at Alix Swan's work

Finally, inspired and exhausted I set off for home dreaming of one day owning one of these!