Yorkshire through an Artist's eyes

After enjoying Yorkshire Best in September, local Artist Jane Duke will be returning to York to sell her lovely pieces - which make brilliant Christmas presents! Jane creates her works mostly  through Lino Printing and Watercolours, using Yorkshire as her main inspiration, but can be known to dabble in other mediums.  

Jane's Lino prints are a personal favourite of ours. She manages to capture the elaborate detailing on The Heart of Yorkshire on The Minster (see below) and contrast it beautifully in monochromes. The imperfect quality of the surface and print subtly touches on  the stonework of The Minster, allowing the piece to feel rustic and passionate. 

If you love Jane's art just as much as we do, make sure you come and see her at YORKSHIRE BEST this SUNDAY 9TH DECEMBER in The Hospitium (Museum Gardens), York.

If you can't make it to the fair on sunday, or you simply can't wait, you can contact Jane through her website: www.janeduke.com or on facebook at www.facebook.com/janedukeartist. 
Please note: the works used in this article may not be available to purchase.

Love Yorkshire Best xxx

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"Lets face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me." - Audrey Hepburn



It seems that Audrey, like many of us, knows the importance of a good cake. Fiona Brook, owner of Cakes by No More Tiers, definitely does. Based in York, North Yorkshire, her designs are individual, hand-crafted, and simply delicious. Her vast portfolio of cakes, ranging from weddings to halloween proves there is certainly a cake for every occasion! (including if the occasion is just to eat yummy cake!)

After working as a Lawyer for 10 years, Fiona admitted that her hobby of cake-making was getting the best of her, and took the plunge into a full-time cake business. Since launching her company in March 2012, she has already won 5 awards and we're sure she's destined for many more! Fiona's passion for her company  shines through in her delicate and intricate designs, and she's more than willing to take on a challenge, so let your imagination run wild whilst she attempts to make it reality! 



As you will already know, Cupcakes have recently become a worldwide phenomenon, and Fiona wouldn't be one to miss out! She makes beautiful cupcakes, perfect for any occasion, so with an individual cake for each guest, there'll be no more mess and no fussy cake-cutting! (Think of how easy a kids party bag could be!)

Fiona will be attending YORKSHIRE BEST, THIS SUNDAY 9TH DECEMBER in The Hospitium, York (in the museum gardens!) so make sure you come down and have a look for yourself at her exquisite and delicious selection of cakes!

Check out Fiona's website www.nomoretiers.co.uk or visit her facebook page: www.facebook.com/CakesByNoMoreTiers

Love from Yorkshire Best xxxx 

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How I did Something Funny

by Lucy Sangster of Use or Ornament

Once, when my husband was not himself, I tried tea, wine and chocolate. None of it worked (it was a really rubbish day) so there was nothing left for it, I drew him a cartoon. Of him grinning. 

And when it came to what cartoon-hubby wore, I wasn’t sure which of his many t-shirts to use so I wrote “[something funny]”, as a sort of a meta funny t-shirt symbol. It worked to cheer him up anyway and when Christmas came round I made him a real version.

I learned a thing or two that day. I used thick paper for the template, which went a bit soggy as my sister and I valiantly stippled away. Also, a blunt Stanley knife from Dad’s tool box is no craft knife… but a t-shirt was made and loved. Here it is, it’s been worn for a couple of years now and occasionally left on the floor, so you can see the fabric paint works!

I've learned a lot since then, my stencils are far more hardy and I have a proper camera! I can’t claim that my [something funny] t-shirts or the matching mugs are a proven method for cheering up husbands, but I’ll leave you with my story and let you draw your own conclusions.

The Red Corvid

 

 

 

 

Hi, my name is Kimberli Werner and I am the artist behind The Red Corvid.

I am a paper-cutter who hand cuts animal silhouettes, archaeological aerial trench views, ancient ruins, and whatever else strikes my fancy.  My current line of greetings cards has over 25 different wildlife silhouettes, with over 80 different colour combinations, many incorporating vintage maps in their designs.  I also create paper-cut artwork, inspired by archaeological digs and history, which has been exhibiting in two different galleries this year.

 

I feel like I have travelled a long and winding road to get where I am, although, to be honest, sometimes it felt more like a hedgerow maze. I even crossed an ocean three years ago, to settle in North Yorkshire, where I busied myself trying to figure out the next part of my career path.

 

 

 

Somehow, combining my love of paper, wildlife, textures, and maps resulted in my niche market of hand cut stationery.

 

 

 

 

People are very surprised my work is all hand cut, but that allows me to put my signature on every single piece in the form of the way I cut a layer or silhouette.  I also find that people have very strong reactions to my work. Whether they love or hate a certain animal, and the whys behind it, are always fascinating stories to hear.

 

 

 

I look forward to participating in my first Yorkshire Best show on 9 December. I will be bringing primarily my greetings cards, some Christmas styles, and some animal silhouette artwork.

 

 

Dear Emma

Hello, I'm Cathy from Dear Emma Designs, 

I design and make a small range of home wares and personal accessories using cottons and linens which I then decorate using appliqué and hand free embroidery. My product range varies from fabric bowls and pots to tea cosies, clasp purses and small brooches. I use layers of fabric to build up an image and the results I get from free-hand embroidery provides a sort of sketchiness that helps to enhance my work,

My bird designs have been very popular and I have fine tuned the design over many months, but I also thrive on perfecting new designs and products, the latest being my street scene pictures.

At Yorkshire Best on the 9th December I will be bringing along a good selection of my work!

Maybe something will catch your eye!

Look forward to seeing you at there!

Cathy x

[Vinegar and Brown Paper]



Hi, my name’s Andy Poplar. Here’s a brief history of how I came to be doing what I’m doing now:

1. Advertising creative gets burnt out by the industry.

2. Quits.

3. Becomes stay at home dad

4. Discovers how to etch glass.

5. Sets out to mend his head with [vinegar & brown paper].


16 months later and I’m looking forward to rounding off a frankly amazing 2012 for [vinegar & brown paper] with the Yorkshire Best event on the 9th of December at York Hospitium.

On the [vinegar & brown paper] stall you’ll find a collection of vintage and iconic pieces of glassware, from traditional sweet jars to classic British milk bottles.  All individually etched with a slightly askance view of the world, that hopefully goes to show that even the most ordinary things can reveal extraordinary things if you look at them...

just a little from the side...

with one eye closed!

Hopefully I’ll see you there.  (If you’re passing come and say hello).



Things To Do In Yorkshire #4

Stockeld Park

 

Looking for something Christmassy to do in Yorkshire to get you in the festive mood?

How about Stockeld Park?

 

The Now and Then team had the privilege of being invited to their opening of the Winter Wonderland which is based between Harrogate and Wetherby just off the A661

 

The first thing to test was the maze; it wasn’t too hard to find the way to the focal point of the castle turret but getting out was another story. The maze was cleverly dotted about with different street names such as ‘upside down street’ and ‘absolutely disgraceful avenue’ to keep people entertained…until they were spotted for the 3^rd or 4^th time!

 

 

 

To the left of the maze stands a huge Christmas shop, a Santa’s grotto and Woodland cafe so when you finally escape the maze you can refuel yourself before testing the other activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockeld Park homes the only artificial Nordic ski trail in the UK; visitors are asked to change to proper ski shoes and attached to skis and poles before setting off around the course whilst viewing the Enchanted Forest (this can be walked on foot if you’d prefer). The forest itself is nestled with illuminated treats such as fairies, unicorns and reindeer's as well as a magical lake which is a must see.

 

 

 

 

Finally visitors can strap on the skates and test their dancing on ice skills with a large real ice rink.

The park is one of the few places that it is really suited the cold dark nights so wrap up warm and go enjoy the Christmas experience!



Welcome To Our Fourth Guest Blogger

Little Bird Studio 22

 

Hello, I'm Caroline

I am a jeweller based near Leeds West Yorkshire, having had a fantastic day at the first Yorkshire Best in York, I'll be returning on the 9th December and I can't wait. It was an absolute pleasure to meet everyone at the Hospitium.

I have recently returned to my first love of silversmithing and jewellery designs after a number of years employed in industry, and have set up a cosy home based workshop which I love. 

 

 

 

 

My work has many facets, being a combination of traditional hand worked metal skills and innovative material development. I don't have a fixed style; my inspiration comes from so many different sources. I start with the story I want to tell, I like taking notes, collecting things, taking hundreds of pictures, and also researching symbols and peculiar details, often I find the incidental detail holds greater interest.  I generally sketch and make models until I get to the final designs. My range has developed into an eclectic mix of styles and now includes some cute plush items. Be sure to visit Yorkshire Best in December for some exciting and exclusive Christmas products!

 

 

More recently I have focused upon 17th century traditional spoon jewellery which interestingly mirrors our 21st century recycling message. Combining old values with new design concept has been a pleasure, check out my cutlery driven jewellery for some old favourites as well as some new ideas. I work in various metals for these from sterling, to copper, to the harder to work steel, but either way it has been a real pleasure to explore and revive such old traditions.

 

 

 

My designs are created with personalisation in mind, from capturing a child's tiny fingerprints in pure silver to hand stamping messages on bangles, rings, and spoons, many of my pieces focus on individual statements. Commissions are always exciting as they bring with them new inspiration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like take a look at the current range or have a personal design in mind, I can be contacted via my etsy store

www.etsy.com/shop/LittleBirdStudio22

 

Alternatively why not follow us on facebook for updates and offers

 

www.facebook.com/LittleBirdStudio22

 



Things To Do In Yorkshire #3

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway

 

 

The North Yorkshire Moors boasts some of the most fantastic scenic walks but if you feel like indulging yourself for the day, why not take the steam railway instead?

 

Starting at Pickering, the railway line takes passengers right through to Whitby but not before calling at Levisham, Newton Dale, Goathland and Grosmont


 

 

 

Tickets can be bought as day rovers which gives you the opportunity to get off at each stop and explore the surrounding areas and for an extra £2.50 you can take a bike or a dog on with you – whichever you find the better company on your travels J

We chose the dog on this occasion

 

 

The railway plays host to lots of special events and in the coming months they have a Halloween special, a witches and wizards weekend and a Santa special so why not check out their website for more information as well as the fascinating and in depth history of the railway line itself

 

 

http://www.nymr.co.uk/







Showing The Best Of Yorkshire's Spirit

Coping With The 2012 Floods

 

After two days of heavy rain, thankfully the flood waters in York are now receding.  Amidst all the chaos and devastation, Yorkshire folk have shown true strength and spirit in dealing with the sheer amount of water that we’ve had to deal with this week - showing the best of Yorkshire. 

People walking through York seem fascinated with the water and there’s been some amazing photos taken of the deluge. 

 

One&Other’s website have some from day one of the floods:-

http://www.oneandother.com/articles/york-flooding-in-pictures/

If you follow their Facebook or Twitter they’ve uploaded images. 

 

The York Press also have some startling images on their website here:-

 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/pics/galleries/floods2012/

The waters even reached as far as the Museum Gardens – very close to the Hospitium, where we held Yorkshire Best last Sunday.  We were very lucky that the rain missed our event by days.  Not just because of the floods, but the sheer amount of travel chaos caused when some of the roads closed, and trains were cancelled.

 

 

York’s flood defences held, but a few homes and businesses were affected by flooding.  However it must be stressed that York remains very much open for business.  The flood waters haven’t dampened our spirits!

 

 



Things To Do In Yorkshire #2

Literary Visits

 

 

Hello, everyone!

My name is Kate. In addition to being a member of the Now & Then family, I am also an English graduate student from the U.S. What does this mean in relation to Yorkshire Best? Well, it means that I came 3,000+ miles to study literature in Yorkshire because I believe that it is the best, and amazingly rich in literary history.

So if you're a literature buff like me or just looking for an educational mini-vacation, I'm here to help you with a list of Yorkshire literary day trips/destinations. In fact, if you're visiting the region for a week or so you can combine them into a literary tour of Yorkshire!

The most celebrated and most obvious destination is Haworth. Just outside of Bradford, Haworth is a beautiful little rural village that also has the privilege of being the birthplace of the Brontë sisters. In addition to its natural charm, the area also hosts a museum in the Haworth Parsonage where the sisters wrote most of their novels. In the nearby Keighley you can also see some of the landscape that inspired Wuthering Heights. Sylvia Plath was even inspired by the area and wrote about it in poems such as 'Two Views Of Withens.'

 



A traditional steam train will take you through the sites for a modest price and there are regularly "period" themed events and guided tours held in the area. Additional information can be found on the Keighley & Worth Valley website: http://www.kwvr.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

Arguably the second most popular literary destination in Yorkshire is Whitby. Whitby is a seaside town which serves up awesome fish and chips at every step. It is also home to Whitby Abbey, otherwise known as Dracula's landing point in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel. In the novel, the area is described in detail and there is a small "haunted house" attraction near the pier.

 

 

Well before Stoker popularised the abbey, though, it was the residence of Caedmon, the first identified English poet. In the churchyard of St. Mary's, near the abbey, there is even a memorial to Caedmon with the inscription: "To the glory of God and in memory of Caedmon the father of English Sacred Song."

On your way to Whitby, you may want to take the path going past (or through) Goathland. While it has been the setting for several TV programs and films, its biggest claim to fame (besides Heartbeat) is its use as Hogmede Station in the Harry Potter films. While not exactly a literary site, the film was based on the books, so why not?? You may even see the Hogwarts Express passing through. ;-)

In a small (free!) museum in Skipton called the Craven Museum & Gallery, you can see a rare edition of Shakespeare's first folio...one of only 49 copies in Britain and only 228 in the world (another of which is held in Uni Leeds' special collections).

Speaking of Leeds, did you know that Tolkien used to teach at the university and, perhaps, has a stronger connection to the area than may meet the eye? Click the link below to learn more;

jrr tolkien lord of the rings leeds

 

 

Remember that Caedmon guy? Well, we know a lot about him because of another Medieval English scholar named Bede, later called Venerable Bede. He resided in York during the 8th century and, in addition to tutoring several influential members of the church, successfully applied to the Pope to make York an archbishopric. However, his biggest contribution to England as a whole was his Ecclesiastical History of the People of Britain which is now widely thought to be the first great Anglo-Saxon piece of literature.

York can also boast that it was the setting for the birth of Daniel Defoe's character Robinson Crusoe and in the 20th century York became famous as the home to poet WH Auden.

 His birthplace, 54 Bootham, is still standing a there is a plaque to commemorate him.

 

 

In March of next year, York will also be hosting its own literature festival: http://www.yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk/

 

Finally, we come to the only living author included on this tour of Yorkshire: the screenwriter and playwright Alan Bennett who has since traded the surroundings of his native Armley, Leeds for the (dis?)comfort of Camden Town in London.

Hopefully you've learnt some things on this modest literary tour of Yorkshire but if you haven't, or if you still crave more, I highly suggest you take a day trip to visit one (or more!) of the sights listed. They will furnish you with much more information than I ever could and, I promise, you won't be disappointed!

 

Welcome To Our Third Guest Blogger

Jane Duke

 

 

Hello! 

I’m a painter and printmaker based in York, where I also run watercolour workshops.  I have painted for many years with watercolour always being my number one medium, but then a few years ago I got bitten by the printmaking bug after chatting to a fellow exhibitor at an art show and have since taken a year’s course at York College and been on workshops given by some of my printmaking heroes. My time is now pretty much evenly divided between painting and printmaking.  I’m a bit of an obsessive organiser and list maker and it’s probably no coincidence that my preferred mediums, watercolour and relief printmaking, are the ones which demand the most systematic approach and planning. 

 

 

An artist’s life can get a little solitary so I seize on opportunities to meet buyers, students and other artisans face to face (and probably spend too much time on twitter and facebook).  I’ve been Artist in Residence at Burton Agnes Hall in East Yorkshire several times now which offers the perfect situation.  Spending a couple of weeks in such lovely surroundings is a real treat as is having concentrated studio time without domestic and business distractions. But at the same time I also get to chat to a constant stream of interested visitors, so it’s just win win for me. I’m already looking forward to going back again next year. 

 

 

Also in 2013 will be my third time teaching a watercolour painting holiday in South West France:  a week of art in a glorious setting with great company and fantastic food.  Sometimes being an artist for a living really doesn’t seem too bad a deal.

 

 

 

For more information on my work and how to contact me, please follow the links below;

 

Web www.janeduke.com

Facebook:.facebook.com/janedukeartist

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stoneflowerjane