Cambridge Open Studios

It's been a busy couple of weekends! After setting up our artwork at Jo's lovely house Jo, Daniela, Janet opened the doors and greeted over 650 visitors over two weekends. It was lovely to meet new people who chose our work to visit from the hundreds of studios available in the yellow booklet, and to catch up with visitors who had seen our work in previous Open Studios events. It was also good to chat to art students and their parents, and to meet fellow Open Studios artists who had already held their show in previous weekends. And it's always fab when friends and family pop in to support us and see what we've been up to.

Brand new for the show were my 'Wire Drawings' of Birds. These were a great success! Each one is made from one or two long lengths of silver wire bent into just the right shape for the bird. I really enjoyed working on the shapes and details of the birds and putting them in a simple setting. 

'Wire Drawing of Curlews'

Wire Drawing of Heron

Wire Drawings of Cats, Dog, Nuthatch and Kangaroo

Watercolour paintings and greetings cards

Wire Drawings of Rabbits and Cat

Wire Drawing of Whale

When I was at sixth form in Cambridge I used to visit artists studios myself with my parents and friends and found it really inspiring to meet skilled artists who living so close to home. When I moved back to Cambridge in 2008 after studying, I didn't have many plans, except to get a job, pay off my Uni overdraft and do Open Studios the next July, I nervously signed up and started creating work. All new members are invited to meet up to chat about tips on holding your own open studios, and it was at this meet up I met Jo Tunmer who was also showing for the first time - I'm so glad I did! I've now shown at her house and studio, 3 times out of the 6 times Ive done Open Studios, her work is fantastic and she is great fun to work with! This year we chose to show with Daniela and Janet too, it was great organising the show and putting up the displays together.

Jo Tunmer's oil paintings and solar plate prints

Jo Tunmer's beautiful solar plate prints

Daniela Stief and her lovely pots.

Janet Powell's stunning jewellery, that I had to work so hard to resist spending all my profits on!

If you're an artist thinking about doing Open Studios yourself, I'd completely recommend it. Sign up in December to be a member of the group then you've got a few weeks to plan where you're going to hold the event.