Do You Punctuate?

Retro Dial by Bec Gilray of Do You Punctuate

A while ago Artist in Business featured different artists and creatives who were business-minded and we have decided to revise this feature. We would like to introduce you to Bec Gilray of Do You Punctuate? A Letter press artist based in Otley, West Yorkshire UK.

"I started 'Do You Punctuate?' last October when I stumbled upon studio space at the Courthouse in Otley. The Courthouse is an arts and community centre that has art spaces for local practising artists and crafters. 

Studio, Otley Courthouse

"I realised I needed bigger premises when my dining room was being taken over by printing presses and boxes of type and ink! So I researched commercial spaces but it became apparent that they were going to be quite expensive. It was an email to the Courthouse enquiring about their studio spaces that lead to me moving in fairly quickly and getting set up within a couple of weeks. 

"Once it became known that I was there, people from everywhere (it seemed!) started giving me equipment, bits of type they had in their sheds, helping move furniture, I had a plan chest given to me, paper and ink. If it was print related I was given it! It was fantastic because people are genuinely curious as to what happens in my studio and I'm always glad to show them. 

"I love the studio because the light is stunning and with the windows being so big I get to people watch when I'm having a cuppa. I've tried to keep the furniture and feel in keeping with the time period of the courthouse, so I have eclectic studio furniture that is a mixture of Edwardian and some 50's inspired pieces. I'm quite nostalgic and I love vintage styles but I try to combine it with contemporary ideas to keep my work fresh but with a twist.

"I've been a printer for a few years now and I specialised at university in typography. It was during my MA that I started to buy more printing presses and really develop a passion for letterpress printing. The presses I own are a bookbinding press, an Adana 8x5 and a Charlton and Cropper Improved Peerless press. The Peerless has just recently been restored by my Uncle and I am really excited about the possibilities of printing that this new press has opened for me. 

"I open once a month for an open studio day, this coincides with the Courthouse's Designer Craft fairs and I give demonstrations of the printing press and have my printed goods for sale. I mostly print stationery but I do prints from time to time. I do a lot of commissions for people and I love applying my style to their ideas to create something unique and different. I also enjoy creating my own work and I use old newspapers and adverts as inspiration for creating new print ideas that is transformed into cards and stationery. 

"In the future I aim to have people come and explore letterpress printing by running workshops, I feel my studio is such a lovely space that it's a shame not to share it with other creatives as well".  Bec Gilray, Do You Punctuate?

You can follow Becs on Facebook or visit her on-line shops at Not on The High Street and Big Cartel. 

We ask our artists to share one business tip and here is Bec's:

"Get a really good accountant(!) and find local crafters who can lend support and help. It's hard working on your own at times so it's good to know that other professional crafts people are in the same boat. Being part of the Craft soup which is a Facebook group for fellow Yorkshire craft people, has been invaluable to me in both a personal and professional context".

If you would like to be featured as an artist in business please visit our Contacts Page. 

Humaira Minhas -

Humaira Minhas

Humaira is one of the exhibiting artists at Central Hall's Sab Rang exhibition. Her work is based on traditional Moghul painting and calligraphy and is beautifully and painstakingly executed. 
Humaira uses mixed media including collage, leather and wood, gold and silver leaf and gouache paint. Unfortunately we don't have an artist's statement for Humaira's work but you can see it in detail by visiting our Flickr group HERE

Sab Rang is showing at Cafe Central, Central Hall, Alice Street, Keighley until Friday 13 July. Admission is free and the exhibition is open from Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm.

Akari Maharani - Sab Rang Exhibition

Akari Maharani

A young self trained artist, who uses her heritage and love of colours as inspiration, Akari Maharani’s art draws influence and motive from her British Indian culture and organic nature. She combines the two and creates her works on a variety of medium. She is currently showing her art at Central Hall, Keighley as part of the Sab Rang Exhibition. 

She is hugely inspired by a mass of modern western artists, Rangoli (indian powder paint), Hindu festivals and her family. Taking on all external factors, be them the bustling streets of a major city or the British countryside, her work reflects this by using traditional Indian mehndi (henna) patterns, peacocks and flowers.  The paths between all the components of the pieces are as important to her as the shapes and the colour as it adds contrast and depth to her pieces. 

Sab Rang is showing at Cafe Central, Central Hall, Alice Street, Keighley until Friday 13 July. Admission is free and the exhibition is open from Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm.

Zareena Bano - Sab Rang Exhibition

Sab Rang exhibition at Central Hall

Zareena is a Visual Artist and works as a freelance Creative Arts Tutor.  She has worked in the arts for over ten years now and is exhibiting her work as part of the Sab Rang exhibition at Central Hall, Keighley.

The artwork is made up using mixed media. The work is inspired by traditional South Asian and Arabic calligraphy designs fused with modern and contemporary art. The diversity of the range of work she has been involved with and has tutored on has reflected the needs and interests of the client group injected with her own style and passion.  She possesses a wide skill base of creative arts and attributes to be able to deliver different forms of art for different styles and levels of engagement.

Zareena likes working with different communities, sharing her passion, joy and knowledge of art, exposing talents of local people and provoking people to succeed in life. She likes to encourage people to express themselves, to exchange creatively and interact with each other. In doing this, she has reached out and touched many peoples’ lives therefore making a difference through art.

 Sab Rang is showing at Cafe Central, Central Hall, Alice Street, Keighley until Friday 13 July. Admission is free and the exhibition is open from Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm.

Business Seminars at Handmade in Bradford

Creative people in the Bradford district will be able to improve their skills and knowledge with free workshops and seminars on Saturday 23rd June.

Handmade in Bradford is hosting a day of activities for craftspeople and designers at its shop in the city centre on Tyrrel Street. There will be workshops on knitting, mastering your sewing machine, printmaking and creative crafting.

There will also be two business seminars for crafters and designers delivered by Jo Whitehead of Artists in Business.  The seminars are aimed at increasing craftpeople's business skills in Selling Their Work Through Retail and Running Workshops from the Studio.  In addition, creative people will be invited to share their experiences of social media marketing with a lunchtime discussion forum. Handmade in Bradford will also be launching a free Crafting Resource Centre where artists and makers can swap art materials and equipment.

Handmade in Bradford is part of Fabric, a registered arts charity that supports artists and creatives.

The event is from 10am to 4pm at Handmade in Bradford, 1 Tyrrel Street Bradford on Saturday 23rd June. For details please email: info@fabricculture.co.uk or call 01274 370291

 

Artists Bring Eastern Colour to Keighley

Zareena Bano

Visitors to Keighley's Central Hall will have a rare opportunity to explore many different facets of south Asian art.

The Sab Rang (All Colours) exhibition examines the subcontinent's rich cultural heritage, from calligraphy to contemporary wall art. The works on display will look at the traditional crafts and skills of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh - from the miniature paintings of the Muslim Mogul emperors to the complex patterns of mehndi, where decorations are applied to the skin.

Humaira Minhas

'Central Hall prides itself on being an easily accessible resource for all of the town's diverse communities,' says development manager Matt Blackmore. 'For example, we host All Keighley Communities Together, which helps people of all backgrounds to meet, discuss issues and make their voices heard. We are also home to Arakan Creative, the first theatre company in the north of England to specialise in stories from the Islamic world.

'That's why it's so important to us that our series of free exhibitions reflects the heritage of all our diverse communities. Yet, despite the large population of British Asian residents, there is currently nowhere else to view art from this cultural background.'

Sab Rang showcases the work of Akari Maharani, Zareena Bano and Humaira Minhas, who all share a love of rich colour. They each produce works singing with rich metals, bright opaque pigments and delicate shades but with recognisable and contrasting styles. The exhibition has been hosted by Artists in Business, which also provides support through hand-made fairs, workshops and seminars, in association with Bradford-based south Asian arts organisation Kala Sangam.

Akari Maharani

Sab Rang will be showing at Cafe Central, Central Hall, Alice Street, Keighley from Monday 11 June to Friday 13 July. Admission is free and the exhibition is open from Monday to Friday 8.30am - 4pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm.

It's all over....

The Giveaway competition for The Handmade Marketplace has now closed and the winner is 
Helen White from Helenka White Design.  Many thanks to everyone who took part. 
However, if you still have a top tip for artists starting in business please visit our Facebook Page and post it there for all to read. 
If you wish to receive newsletters from Artists in Business please sign up for our free newsletter HERE. 


We will be running another fun giveaway competition soon. 

Book "Competition"

It's all about books and we are giving away a copy of 

The Handmade Marketplace to one of our 

Blog or Facebook Followers

It's easy - all you have to do is to either follow Artists in Business on Facebook or follow our Blog. We would also like you to answer the following question:

"What is your Top Business Tip for Artists/Makers?"

Please leave a comment so that we know that you called. All comments will be entered into the draw on Saturday 21st April and the winner will be notified on Sunday 22nd April 2012. 

The small print: this "competition" is a straight forward draw and is a chance to win one copy of The Handmade Marketplace. It is open to anyone who follows Artists in Business and leaves a comment on the blog or FB page between 10th and 21st April 2012.  No purchase of any product is expected. Artists in Business promises not to send you spam or sell you contact details to a third party. 

        

More Books Available: Glassprimitif is having a sale of new and nearly new craft and design books. There are some great titles including: block printing, papier mache, paper engineering, celtic designs and more... and if you are in the UK postage is FREE. Check out the titles HERE

Opening Your Studio to the Public

Leah Virsik's Studio

Spring is springing and it's THAT time of year for artists and makers to fling open their studio doors to the public.  Open Studio events are nothing new and, if managed successfully, they are a fantastic way to get the public to see your work, learn more about the work of the professional artist and make some sales too. 


But if you have never opened your studio to visitors before there are some important things you need to consider before you take the plunge. Of course, if you are taking part in an organised event most of the "issues" will be covered by the organisers and they will be there to support you.  Before you sign up for the best event of your life here are some things you will need to consider:

• What are you hoping to achieve? This could be meeting more artists, promoting your work to new audiences, making sales and/or educating people about your art.
• How are you going to market this? If you are taking part in an organised event, what marketing will they do and what is your responsibility?
• What will it cost you to open your studio? Will you be able to recoup these costs through sales?
• How will you measure success? Will this be through increased visitors, sales or commissions?

About Your Studio

Francis Bacon's Studio

Is your studio easily accessible to the public? if not, you may want to find out if anyone will share their studio space with you for the event. This happens at North Yorkshire Open Studios  where two or three artists with similar or complementary work may show in one place.  Or you could move your "studio" into a room in your house - setting up a display of your work in your living room. 
Your studio is your "story" and how you show this is very much up to you. Many of your visitors will be interested in the life of an artist as well as wanting to see your work so presentation is important. That doesn't mean you have to clean it so that it's sparkling, sterile and sparse. Instead you may want to show off the tools of your trade, have your latest work-in-progress on your bench and greet your visitors in your apron/overalls. This is particularly apt for those of us who work at the kitchen table - leaving your sewing machine out with your latest creation or your lino cutting tools with your most recent lino design shows visitors how you juggle your artistic practice with your domestic life. 


All Things Financial
Opening your studio to the public WILL cost you money - but how much money depends on the following:

• Inviting the public in without having any public liability insurance is extremely risky. If you are exhibiting as part of an organised event will you come under their umbrella PLI or do they expect you to have your own? If you are in the UK the best value for money PLI is AIR
• Are you insured against thefts and breakages? does your household or premises insurance cover this?
• Will you be paying for publicity? Most organised events will ask for a donation toward their marketing costs (they may call this a membership fee) Our next blog post will be about marketing your Open Studio
• If you make a sale how can the buyer pay you? Try to make this as easy as possible - if you can't afford to share the costs of using a card payment machine then offer to take payments via Paypal or, if you have on-line banking, by BACS. Not so vital if you make fabric corsages but worth considering if you sell sculptures with a minimum price tag of £200.... not everyone carries a cheque book around with them but they always have their credit card in their wallets.

The Facilities

It is really important that visitors know the opening times of your studio in advance. If you are taking part in an organised event make sure that this is stated in the publicity. If you can't do every date and can't be open 9am to 5pm then visitors will be really annoyed if they have travelled 50 miles to find that you are shut. Also, if you have a step up to the studio (or stairs) and no ramp this also has to be made clear. You don't have an obligation to make your studio accessible to all but disabled visitors need to know if they can gain access.

You can offer your visitors a cuppa if you like but you cannot sell home cooked refreshments without the necessary paperwork from your local environmental health department. You will find them on your local authority website. If you do serve refreshments you are obliged to allow visitors to use the "smallest room in the house" or, if you don't have facilities at your studio perhaps an agreement with the pub next door.  

Finally, occasionally things are stolen - it's a fact of life and hopefully it won't happen to you. 99% of visitors are genuine art lovers but be a bit cautious by locking up your valuables if  the public have access to rooms you can't supervise and don't leave your purse/phone out on display. 

Good luck with your Open Studio event - it is a great way of promoting your work and making creative friendships.  Look out for our next blog post on Marketing Your Open Studio Event. 

Felted Cloth Update

Exhibition Poster

Our latest Artists in Business exhibition at Central Hall is going really well and we are getting lots of positive feedback. Take a look at the latest pictures below. 

The exhibition is in Cafe Central until 6 April 2012. 

Future Exhibitions

The next Artists in Business sponsored exhibition will be Felted Cloth, in collaboration with Central Hall in Keighley. (Please come and see it for yourself).

Naomi Southon

I have been setting up exhibitions and arts markets for 10 years - most of them when I worked at The Arts Factory - but when the gallery closed in March 2011 there was nothing in Keighley to fill the gap.  Keighley is a small town with a growing community of artists, two musician support centres and an arts organisation for young people (Small World). I really missed the exhibition side of my job and Keighley needs a dedicated gallery. So I was delighted when the CEO of Central Hall asked me to put together an exhibition of local visual artists for the opening of Central Hall last year.  This space is in the cafe area and it has a high footfall. 

Arts Factory, Keighley

I see the purpose of the exhibitions to show a wide range of contemporary visual art, including textiles, photography, fine art and print. Art should both inform and interest its audience so I try to include an explanation of processes and display artists' statements. The exhibitions are aimed at people who enjoy art and people who would not normally visit a gallery (visitors are a mix of cafe users and people who come specifically to see the work). 

Cafe Central Exhibition Area, Central Hall

These exhibitions are not necessarily challenging rather that they are informative.  This exhibition - Felted Cloth - shows the work of three textile artists who are very different in style yet they each use wet felt.  Their work is affordable, tactile and fun.  

Lucy Bowring 

Please keep checking back at the Artists in Business Blog to see more exhibitions and, if you are in Keighley, please pop into Central Hall and enjoy a cuppa whilst viewing the art.

Felted Cloth at Central Hall

The next Artists in Business exhibition at Central Hall is Felted Cloth from Monday 27 February to Friday 6 April 2012.

Naomi Southon

Felted Cloth is an exhibition of three textile artists who turn fleece into fabric to create tactile art.

Clare Ashton

Central Hall is open to the public from 8.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 2pm on Saturdays. Central Hall is on Alice Street, Keighley West Yorkshire BD21 3JD

Lucy Bowring

Award Winning Photographer

Kath Williamson

One of our photographers, Kath Williamson, has won an award at the Sheffield Art in the Garden event! 

Here she is accepting her award from local artist Joe Scarborough. Come and see Kath's beautifully dreamy images at our exhibition, Photography @ Central Hall, Alice Street, Keighley.

Latest Exhibition in Keighley

Central Hall Cafe

Photography @ Central Hall is now open to the public until Friday 14 October 2011.
Photographers Steve Rayner and Kath Williamson showcase their images in the exhibition area in Cafe Central.  Central Hall is now open on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm as well as Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. 

Look out for our next exhibition - Printmaking @ Central Hall from Monday 21 November 2011 to Friday 6 January 2012

Photography @ Central Hall

Add caption

Photography @ Central Hall opens to the public on Monday 5 September at Central Hall, Alice Street, Keighley. Admission to the show is free and this exciting exhibition show cases the work of two Yorkshire photographers, Kath Williamson and Steve Rayner.  Here is some more information about Sheffield photographer Kath Williamson. 

This series of images has been produced by Sheffield-based art photographer Kath Williamson. She has always felt particularly drawn to neglected gardens and allotments, as well as to those small and often overlooked corners in the city where nature is asserting itself. Seeming to tread a line between painting and photograph, her images reflect the transience, fragility and beauty of these wild places. 

“All is process. That is to say, there is ‘no thing’ in the universe.

Things, objects, entities, are abstractions of what is relatively constant from a process of movement and transformation.

They are like the shapes that children like to see in clouds..”

 (David Bohm, Physicist, 1917 –1992)

 Visit Kath's website by clicking HERE
The exhibition is open until Friday 14 October 2011. 

Artists in Schools

Painting Silk

Artists in Business is committed to delivering great art projects in partnership with schools and community groups in West and North Yorkshire.
We recently sent one of our artists to work with parents and staff from Haworth Primary and Iqra Primary schools to create two silk painted wall hangings.

Bronte Parsonage & Hawoth Main Street

The brief was to design a banner for the Iqra Primary School with images of Haworth and a banner for Haworth Primary School with images of Bradford. The artist placed the scenes in windows surrounded by Islamic inspired designs and patterns. 

Bradford City Centre

All art work was drawn out in permanent marker pen onto layout paper before being transferred onto the silk with gutta resist. The silk was stretched onto wooden frames ready for the participants to paint. 

Lower Laithe Reservoir

Seventeen parents and staff from both schools took part in the activity of painting the silk and, once they had been given some basic instruction, worked together. The workshop was so much more than just about making art. It was about team work, breaking down cultural barriers, sharing knowledge and skills and having fun. 

Haworth wallhanging

Bradford Wallhanging

If you would like to discuss an art project or visiting artist for your school or community group please contact Artists in Business at jo.artsbiz@gmail.com and we will be happy to hear from you.

Visit our Flickr Group Artists in Business for more community arts images and join us on Face Book.