Chickens...?

Since we opened up the central courtyard behind the gallery a couple of years ago, our 'sculpture garden' has effectively become redundant. So, we've decided to rip out much of the 'formal' garden, transplant as many of the plants as possible to the courtyard, and take the sculpture garden back to its agricultural roots with the addition of some chickens. Well - not quite yet, we're half way there. Just need a little extra fencing, and some chickens. A trip to Thirsk Fur and Feather Mart in the coming months will be in order.

Our next event at the gallery will be 9th/10th 16th/17th June - as part of North Yorkshire Open Studios Debbie and resident artist Martin Huxter will be opening their studio doors. Worth checking ot the NYOS website to check out what is going on - it's a major county-wide event not to be missed.

year end...

December the 18th saw the Gallery close its doors at the end of another busy year. A few more days work behind the scenes now will hopefully make sure that all is sorted in the Gallery and all the books are in order and we can put our feet up on Christmas day - though there won't be much chance of that with a 3 year old boy running around!
Like last year we have chosen to be open 'by appointment only' for the first part of next year. Debbie has had yet another succesful year, both in Lund Gallery and elsewhere, and so needs to take some time out to spend some time out and about on the moors and to create her own work. So if you would like to come and visit the gallery, please do call at least a day in advance to make sure we'll be in....

Yorkshire Spa

The Joy of Food is coming to an end.. it doesn't seem like yesterday since it opened - time has flown by. We've had a great response to the show - so many thanks to all the makers, and to Isa and Sarah for taking part. Next show opens in a couple of weeks - we've just finishing proofing the invitiations which will be sent out soon.

We reached new heights in decadance ; I have recently built an outdoor hot tub with views out across the fields:

A new lease of life for an old cast iron bath that has been sitting behind one of the barns. Needs a bit of trial and error though - if the fire gets a bit too lively it's a case of jumping out before scorching one's tender bits!

More good news - Debbie has been celebrating a succesful affordable art fair over the last few days... great to be taking her work out to a wider audience...

logs and turnips - and the Joy of Food

Debbie has returned to a favourite haunt in the North Yorkshire coast - Runswick Bay - so I've taken the opportunity to catch up on stuff that has been bugging me for a while.... After years of looking out of the kitchen window at our logs thrown up against the side of a barn and covered with woobnly tin, I scavenged together a load of left over 4 by 2 and fenceposts, and built a proper log store. (I use 'proper' in the loosest sense of the word.)

Having cleared out the weeds from the veg plot, I went searching for things that you can plant at this time of year (my veg planting does not get planeed in advance!) - so this winter we'll be eating mainly turnips and spinach. More spinach - it always seems to be time to plant spinach.

And on the topic of food - the gallery is getting a major make-over in time for the next show - the Joy of Food - opening September the 25th. It's going to be a major event in this year's calendar, with a special 'foody' preview...

Open again...

We re-opened the doors of Lund Gallery on June 10th after 6 months of the Gallery being 'dormant'. The date coincided with the North Yorkshire Open Studios event of 2011, which resulted in a cascade of visitors coming to see Debbie's work... it was great to see the place alive with people once more! Debbie also managed to track down Sarah Carrington for some new work - now living in Ireland having moved on from Edinburgh. It's taken some time to get in touch, but it's been well worth the wait... several new pieces now hanging in the gallery.

Debbie has recently bought in some vintage Ercol armchairs which are now sharing the space with the pictures and ceramics... they look great! had them re-upholstered and cleaned up. Great to see such classic design in the space.. and a little bit toooo comfy - at risk of being found napping on a Sunday afternoon!

Feb to May Opening

Saturday night saw the opening of Debbie's show of new work at the Gallery at Ryedale Folk museum - it was also Debbie's birthday AND there was a Folk Festival in Hutton-le-Hole - fantastic!

Our son Finn came along for the evening, which made it very much a family afair... though he quickly tired of the main event preferring instead to wander down to the stream that runs through the middle of the village. His first game of 'Pooh Sticks' under the bridge.

During the evening three middle aged men who should have known better started having a tinker with the old tractor outside the museum, and ended up knocking it off it supporting blocks. They ran away and hid like primary school lads who had pulled a prank... and I even think I saw one blushing (!) but they skulked back and 'fessed up with an offer to reseat the green machine. Hutton-le-Hole was most certainly the place to be last Saturday...

February to May 2011 - Solo show...

Debbie has a solo show at The Gallery - Ryedale Folk Museum opening on the 28th of May... In addition to over 70 smaller works she has been working on several larger pieces in mixed media. With so much ink, paint pastel and water on the move, the best place to work is often on the floor...