A retrospective and photographic look at ‘In The Kingdom Of Fiction’ art exhibition at Bar Lane Studios

A group of local artists brought some delightfully surreal creations to Bar Lane Studios recently to offer up a showcase of art for fans with real imagination.

You can see some of the great work that was on show below.

Stevie Croft and her art

The work of Pauline Carney

Six Lips Theatre performing 'In The Kingdom Of Fiction'

Steph Shaw's bug-inspired work on show

Michelle Maddison's fantastic art depicting Snow White

Jenn Nicholson's story teller head-piece

Jam Grantham's artwork depicts Edgar Allan Poe fighting The Raven

Becki Charlotte Harper's work on display as part of 'The Kingdom Of Fiction'

A city with no people...inside a cupboard

A performance of The Wicked Queen by Sophie Rose

I think that you will agree that there is an incredible range of talent and skill on display here! The ideas on offer are currently un-matched within York’s artistic climate in our opinion and of course, it is only natural that such a showcase should take place at Bar Lane!

We look forward to hearing more from this imaginative and passionate collective in the near future.

Michelle and Pauline's work in the spotlight again at Bar Lane

More of Jenn Nicholson's work on display in the space

'In The Kingdom Of Fiction' at Bar Lane

For more information visit the official blog.

You can also see some press coverage that the exhibition recieved here!

Nathan Walsh at Bar Lane Studios (Tuesday April 12, 2011)

Nathan Walsh on Creative Practice and Survival in the Art World

Enterprise Tuesday – 12th April 6:30pm.

We are really pleased that one of our resident artists Nathan Walsh is going to talk about creative practice and how he has survived in the world of art!

Nathan is one of York’s success stories, represented and selling work around the world.

“Nathan Walsh belongs to a new generation of artists who are extending the boundaries of realist painting” - Clive Head

Tickets are £5 and can be bought at Bar Lane Studios, or  Creative Business  (via York St John University website) some tickets available on the door.

For more information visit the official Bar Lane Studios website.

New printmakers’ workshop to launch this March at Bar Lane!

We’ve got some great news for you!

Special new evening courses are due to begin on March 7, 2011 at Bar Lane…

So, what’s on the agenda for these great sessions then?

There will be an introduction to printmaking with bitesize tasters of: Drypoint, Lino Cut, Silkscreen and Collotype. This will run on four Monday nights over the month from 6.30pm until 9.30pm. Of course, you will be supported by experienced tutors and technicians at all times.

The cost? A lovely £110 pounds with 50 per cent deposit  required to secure your place. Cost includes all materials and one piece mounted and framed!

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There’s also a introducing to screenprinting course that will take the participant through covering, mono-screenprint, stencil film, filler stencil and photo-emulsion. This will run four Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm until 9.30pm. The course starts on March 8. Cost (£110 with 50 per cent deposit required to secure your place) includes all materials and one piece mounted and framed, or printed on to a free t-shirt!

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What about the introduction to drypoint and etching? Fancy that? It’s fit for both those starting out and the individuals who have more experience and wish to develop existing drypoint and etched plates.  This runs for four Wednesday evenings from March 9. Cost (£110 with 50 per cent deposit required to secure your place) includes all materials and one piece mounted and framed.

The maximum class size is eight people so you need to book now to avoid disappointment! To do this you need to e-mail: enquiries@ypworkshop.co.uk or call: 07946 245 373.

All the best as we dive head first into 2011!

Kind regards,

The team at Bar Lane Studios

PS: We love you.

Bar Lane’s interns launch their own blog!

Bar Lane’s interns have recently launched their very own blog to talk about their experiences first hand!

You can check that out at this link!

Enjoy this unique perspective!

Updates from Six Lips Theatre!

Six Lips Theatre is certainly a very active group within York’s community and as residents of Bar Lane it’s our job to keep you posted on what they are up to!

Yes indeed, the innovative three-piece organisation have a few new events to tell you about…

The first is called wwwdot and it’s running every Wednesday from 7pm until 9pm at York St John University in Theatre 3. Admission is free and all reservations can be directed to info@sixlips.co.uk.

In their words: “A free ten week course (which started on October 13) of weekly Wednesday workshops with Six Lips Theatre, culminating in an original devised performance. We intend to explore with you the various art forms and techniques we have gleaned from and experiment with methods of generating work. We will cover writing, devising, improvisation, physical theatre, performance art, happenings, and classics. Contact us for dates and reservations. Set to run on a termly basis.”

Next we have the rather refreshingly termed Open Mic Goodness which we think is a lovely concept. It runs every Thursday at Pulse Cafe from 7pm until 9pm. Enquiries to info@sixlips.co.uk. Booking is not required. It costs £2 entry and £1 to perform.

In their words: “Art, music, comedy, poetry, prose, rants and ramblings. Come and see and do it all here. If you can’t make it but you want to get your stuff heard, send us something to read for you.”

Last, but certainly not least the group has an event called the Lazy Sunday Writers’ Club running at Bar Lane from 1pm until 5pm on…Sunday.

As always, all reservations and inquires to info@sixlips.co.uk. Booking is advised! £5 per day or £7 for two. Payable on entry.

In their words: “Hosted by two thirds of Six Lips Theatre, co-founders and in-house writers Anna Rose James and Roxanna Klimaszewska. Come and share ideas, learn and practise techniques, develop scripts and stories, brainstorm with like-minded creatives. Lazy Sundays provide a nurturing atmosphere where writers of all kinds can come and work, network and appreciate to their hearts’ desire. Every Sunday 1-4pm followed by storytelling for those willing from 4-5pm. Bring your own lunch if wanted, tea and coffee available for £1 each.”

For more information, visit the official Six Lips Facebook!

See you soon,

An update for November! New courses!

Hello again,

We’ve got some great news for you this month.

We are starting some courses on November 15, 2010 and running them until December 11. While it’s stated on the website that these are supposed to start from today (November 1) we have had to push them back because we’ve been working on a massive project.

The course listings are still correct on the site but the prices are now £75 for the full five weeks (of the options on Monday, Tuesday or whatever day that you choose) or £15.20 per course.

Jonathan Green will be teaching the photography course and others, he says: “This extra two weeks gives people a great opportunity to sign-up. These courses are to start people off and then we will be doing intermediate and master classes to follow on in the new year.”

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and join us on Facebook for more updates.

Kind regards, and get in touch with any questions.

The first day of CIDA at Bar Lane Studios!

The first day of the CIDA course seemed to be a great success, reflecting on yesterday’s events we are very pleased to have Lee Corner and her dedicated team of mentors work with us at Bar Lane. A range of topics were covered,  all catering to support the creative entrepreneurs that have chosen to take part in the course. Those involved in yesterday’s events included York-based photographer Keith Findlater, Carl Letman of Agathon Productions and Six Lips Theatre along with many more talented and interesting people.

Topics covered in the opening session were balanced to take into account the creative mind at its best and the good points including the art of Strategic Thinking (the fact that creative people are very good at recognising opportunities), as well as Commercial Aptitude (the fact that creatives are also good at understanding the best practice within their chosen profession and then learning from it and improving), Persistent (the idea that they are determined enough to operate from out of hope of success rather than fear of failure) and, Making Things Happen (the fact, [and we enjoy this the most] that creative people are very good at turning ideas into reality.

Obviously as the programme’s director, Lee is no stranger to motivating people through truth and what’s quickly established through a nice balance of humour, real-life experience and community is that CIDA, will be able to help most of (if not all), the representatives that have chosen to attend from York St John‘s Phoenix Centre, DesignWorks and Bar Lane Studios over the next six months. It’s not all positive stuff mind, the talk also examined the challenges that creative people face on a daily basis trying to make a living as painters, writers, designers and photographers. Such challenges include the fact that creatives don’t always conform to traditional industrial processes like distribution and reproduction when going into business and as such, they tend to be much more collaborative, also that they can be perceived as being “flaky” by banks, friends and other important people in their lives (don’t you love that word? Click for a definition!) It was also discussed that creative people can often have difficulty accessing finance, which of course is a massive problem for anyone starting out, or even someone who has been in business for many years.

One of the highlights to come out of this part of the discussion though, was the examination of individuals’ values as Lee went around the room in an effort to familiarise the “class” with each other and to get them to talk about their projects and the ideals that inspire them to continue despite adversity. Supported by worksheets those in attendance responded well by listening to others and offering feedback where appropriate in order to offer constructive and welcome advice.

Another interesting point in the day came when those involved were asked to examine their own “toolkit” which meant that each person was required to examine their key characteristics, attributes, behaviours, skills and resources along with a group of other people from different businesses. This was particularly effective as it gave those involved a unique insight into each other’s personalities and from out of this discussion we saw many people offer to support others and extend help, support and resources that could help benefit their business.

The CIDA course successfully brings together a variety of different businesses, people and skill-sets to support each other under the “wing” of the Lee and also with the help of personal mentor sessions from friendly and experienced industry professionals. It is the hope that with the skills people learn from these sessions, they can become self-sufficient and can learn to support themselves by making profit as a creative person within their desired industry.  We managed to catch up with Lee once the day had concluded to talk a little bit about what has kept her inspired to continue helping creative people over her 35-year career. She explains that while managing 25 people is much more of a “tall order” than she has been used to in the past, she is more than ready for the challenge. “I do prefer speaking to individual people and catering for their needs usually, but with all of my experience I have been able to learn about dealing with a variety of people in a range of sectors,” she says. “The people who are a part of this course just need more confidence in their abilities.” Moving on to talk about her inspirations and what has kept her going, she examines how creative individuals benefit people around the world and not just in York. “The contribution that the creative community has made to society seriously improves on the quality of our lives,” she adds. “I will fight to the death for creative freedom.”

We would like to wish every participant on the CIDA course the very best, and good luck in the future. Especially considering that there will be a session coming up which will examine finances and the concept of survival and business income! It’s a fine balance!

Kindest regards to all of our readers and best wishes,

Bar Lane Studios

Artist Spotlight: Julia McKinlay

We catch up with Bar Lane resident Julia McKinlay to talk about her art and how she plans to use the space to her advantage. When discussing her first weeks, Julia also touches on some of her latest inspirations, ideas and plans for the future…

1] How have your first few weeks been at Bar Lane?

JM] Busy, I had only really just moved in when I left for a research trip to America. I travelled from LA to Seattle over the course of three weeks, I covered nine states and three thousand five hundred miles. I am interested in extreme environments and ecosystems so I decided to take a trip that would explore some really dramatic geology and a wide range of environments. The first week was all desert, which was something I have never experienced before. In Zion National Park I saw wild turkeys and I hiked up to Angels Landing, which was a five mile scramble on a metre wide trail. I hiked down into the Grand Canyon, and I was lucky enough to spend a night with the Navajo in Monument Valley where I slept in a traditional hogan. I was glad to get out of the heat when I got to Colorado, and into bear country. Rocky Mountain National Park was one of my favourite places; I hiked around many of the lakes and up to Andrews Glacier, in The Grand Tetons in Wyoming I went mountain biking through a herd of bison. In Yellowstone I saw geysers, mud pots, bacteria blankets and a black bear. I then moved on to stay in a ranch in Montana, where I went horseback riding in the mountains and visited a taxidermy workshop. Then up to Glacier on the border with Canada, which had severe fog, mountain lakes, and ospreys. My last stop before Seattle was Mount Ranier, a hike in 2ft of snow was a brilliant end to a trip that started in the Nevada desert. Since being back I have been in the studio going through my photographic research and I am beginning to make some drawings based on some of the things I have seen.

2] What projects are you working on at the moment?

JM] I am in the beginning stages of a new body of work, inspired by my trip to America. I am particularly interested in defence mechanisms in animals and plants that have specialised to cope with predators and extreme environments. The work will develop from this idea, and will also investigate the relationship between drawing and sculpture.

3] How did you get started in art?

JM] It’s always been something I have done.

4] Who or what are your biggest personal inspirations and why?

JM] Natural history collections like the Natural History Museum and the Hunterian. Much of my work comes from reading books about natural history, and documentaries by David Attenborough. Research trips like the one to America are also very inspiring. Some of the artists that have been an influence are Charles Avery and his project The Islanders, for the depth of detail and narrative and the strong relationship between his drawings and sculptures. I am interested in Claire Barclay’s use of materials, and how her work responds to the exhibition space. Anish Kapoor’s use of scale, form and colour has also been an influence.

5] What are your aims for the coming months and what do you want to achieve?

JM] My priority is to get going on some new sculptures and drawings. I am also thinking about some prints that I would like to make in the print workshop. I have an exhibition in November, so I’m planning something for that.

6] Are you able to use your space at Bar Lane effectively to expand and evolve your work?

JM] My studio is where I go to make drawings, go through my research, make models and diagrams. My have a process led practice; it is through making that ideas form and work develops, so it is really valuable having a space that allows me to experiment. I make sculptures that form connections within the space they are installed, so my studio allows me to experiment with the relationships that form between my objects and sculptures. I make quite large-scale work, so a lot of planning happens before I begin construction. I will be able to make smaller work in my studio, however a large part of my practice is working with technicians and specialists who work with specific materials and help with the construction of my large scale work elsewhere.

7] What has been your greatest achievement to-date as an artist?

JM] I was really pleased to be invited to be part of the Royal Scottish Academy’s RSA New Contemporaries 2010 exhibition this year. It was fantastic to be in an exhibition with artists from all over Scotland. I made a new group of sculptures for the exhibition, and it was a fantastic exhibition space.

8] What are some of your biggest challenges on a daily basis?

JM] [I am] definitely trying to balance my job with my practice. I think most artists have this problem; there just isn’t enough time to do everything. I’m always trying to find more time to be in the studio, or out doing research.

9] What’s the best thing about Bar Lane Studios?

JM] It’s good to have a busy environment to work in, with lots of artists around you. It is also really great to have a gallery attached to the studios with a diverse programme of exhibitions and the print studio is going to be really valuable.

10] Tell us about your typical day when it comes to creating new art?

JM] I don’t really have a typical day, I could be planning and model making one day, and in construction the next. If I’m making something out of wood, then I can spend weeks sanding, joining and painting. Or if I’m casting then I’ll be making moulds and mixing and pouring cement, plaster or rubber. When I am working in metal then I work with technicians, so I’ll be in their workshops instead.

For more information visit Julia‘s official website.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

Visit our official website by clicking the image below.

Thanks as always,

A lovely August update from Bar Lane!

Hello!

We are back with another wonderful update for you this month and we hope that summer is treating you well?

Our fantastic summer exhibition opened up this past Sunday (you can see some pictures of that below) and the feedback we’re getting is amazing. It’s always been the team’s goal to have the public involved in the project as much as possible and so it is great to see so many people taking the chance to exhibit, coming to our showcases and popping in for a coffee each day. Thank you!

Speaking on the opening, Bar Lane‘s Director Ben Clowes says, “We had around 200 people come down for the opening, and the standard of the work was incredibly high – the exhibition is made up of local artists and I can say that all of it is really great, solid work.”

Ben explains that there were about 300 items put in for the show and around 200 of those are going over to the New School House Gallery located at Peasholme Green. He discusses some of the benefits of working as a social enterprise. “It’s great that we can work with School House, and that’s the benefit of us being a social enterprise business.” He adds: “We can work with whoever we want this way whether that be galleries, local and national artists and companies – as a result, we are able to progress and develop ourselves while supporting other organisations.”

Ben happily comments on new developments at Bar Lane over the coming months. He says: “We have been able to raise enough funds to have CIDA [Cultural Industries Development Agency] come and run a course with us which is open to 25 individuals from the creative sector. The organisation has never run anything in York before and we are very fortunate to be able to get involved with them as it will offer our interns and residents the chance to take their business forward and develop their ideas.”

Yes, indeed! We’ve got loads on. On August 18, we have a special PechaKucha event which will provide a platform for Bar Lane‘s resident and local creatives. The artists that take part will have three minutes to show and talk about their work using a projector – it’s going to be a fantastic challenge. You can find out more about this exciting concept here. We are looking to run these events every two months.

Looking forward, in the second week of next month (September), Bar Lane‘s courses and workshops will commence offering a variety of skills including life drawing, print making and photography – for more details on what’s being offered and how you can get involved, visit the website.

Bar Lane‘s brand new interns have moved in now and have at the time of writing been in there for two days! Six Lips Theatre Company are taking every opportunity to showcase their skills and shine, and they performed a small production down in the basement of our studios (which, incase you were wondering is a part of the building we will be hiring out to anybody that wants to use it as a rehearsal space or, for their creative endeavours). On that note, Six Lips will be performing again tomorrow (August 4) at Bar Lane from 7-9pm – be there or be…bored!

Ben has been observing how the new intake are getting on. “Everyone is settling in nicely and each person is beginning to form relationships and bonds that will help to benefit them – we are already starting to work with the Revolving Gallery [resident artist Nathan Chenery's business] alongside We Performance and the York Artisans are also continuing to work with us.

“It’s important for us to encourage young and new artists to showcase their work and promote themselves – we want everyone to get involved and come on board with what we are doing – we are open to helping everyone from graphic designers to film-makers.” To further promote this aim, Bar Lane has achieved funding (around £2,000) to hold a CDP (Continued Professional Development) course in York which also has 25 spaces to support local creative talent to develop business management skills. The course will cost £300. For more info on CPD and what it can do for you, visit the above link.

The studio has also been gaining momentum recently with great exposure in the local press with spotlights in both newspapers and magazines, not just in York but also outside of the city in key northern cultural hubs including Leeds and Manchester. Ben comments: “The exposure has been very positive because other organisations around the country are hearing about us and getting in touch asking, ‘How did you do it?’ and ‘How can we do the same thing?’ – it’s great that we are getting out there and again, it shows the advantages of being a social enterprise, because we are in a position to help out.”

For you dedicated readers are wanting to know if there’s still some space left at the studios to showcase work, it’s important that you realise that if you don’t succeed getting your work a space at this point then try, try again. Ben comments: “We have a constant stream of established artists wanting to come and exhibit, and we also have a constant stream of applicants looking for space for their work.

“If we can’t fit you in this time, please keep coming back because we are here to help you – if you are interested in working with us, we need a well-written proposal and in that, we have to see that your work is quality and we also need to identify the advantage of you as an artist.”

In other grand news, we’ve sold 22 Matisse paintings since his iconic work has been up in our main gallery! We really didn’t expect to do so well so quickly – again, thank you very much!

Last month we also hosted Danesgate Skill Centre‘s exhibition which featured two skateboarding Nun’s right next to our Matisse collection – it was a great experience having the kids in (some of them had never even been inside a gallery) and thanks to some more positive feedback, we will definitely be working with them again soon. As you can imagine, we’re very excited to see what Danesgate‘s budding artists can create for us next!

One veteran creator that would definitely appreciate the Danesgate approach to art is Part2ism – his work will be showcased at Bar Lane in October – it will be awesome!

That’s it for now!

To visit our official website, click the logo below.

Kind regards and best wishes. Come and visit us soon!

Dom Smith and the team at Bar Lane Studios

Artist Spotlight: Nathan Chenery

Nathan Chenery is an exciting multi-talented artist based in the city of York. The thing that will immediately hook you about Nathan before you even see his work is his affecting enthusiasm and infectious drive to succeed in the ever-competitive art market.

Currently employed by his former university York St John (where he graduated from the Art and Design course in 2005) as Fine Art Technical Demonstrator and, as Arts Advisor of the Revolving Gallery, 26-year-old Nathan is never bored and maintains that the art and creative scene in York is what keeps him motivated. “Art in this city is growing, developing and becoming stronger all the time and Bar Lane Studios is really helping.”

The enterprising artist explains that after graduation he was unsure about how he would move forward but sufficiently fuelled by the intense desire to develop his craft, Nathan found work and began his career as a freelance artist. He comments: “I was a bit numb  after graduation and was very nervous but I tried to do as much stuff as possible – I had some success with some of my work and as a result my confidence kept growing and I was able to move on and develop.”

Nathan enjoyed a variety of rolls within the arts sector before finding his current day-job at the university and maintains that his time at St John‘s has had a positive impact on his life as an artist post-graduation. He comments: “I learned a lot from studying at York St John‘s because I had to actually go out there and do some work experience as an artist – beyond that, as soon as I graduated I managed a gallery in York called Minster Fine Art, so the experience I’ve gained has been a great help to me apart from being self-employed and running my own projects.

“My day-job is also very creative, a lot of the time I am working very closely with students when they are doing a specific project I will be there to help them with that.”

Nathan reflects on the growth of his own business and how it has developed through networking and a building relationships as part of a team. He says: “The Revolving Gallery was formed in 2009 by myself and three other directors – we are an event-based gallery.

“We feature different artists from alternating venues around the city. It’s been great really positive because we were able to receive the Proof Of Concept fund from YSJ which has helped out immensely – we were allowed to hold our very first event here which was a fantastic way to get us started!

“My Mum and Dad actually own their own business, so I have always grown-up around people who are self-employed and just trying to work every hour that God sends in order to make it work. So, I have been lucky because things like tax I have learned from being around my Mum – she’s great at business and my Dad’s good at the practical stuff.”

Nathan comments on his biggest challenge on a daily basis as an artist. “I think that one of the biggest is finding the time to fit it all in around my normal job which I still need to do to get some money in and get by. Of course, it’s also challenging just finding places to show my work – trying to stretch beyond York for exhibitions can be very hard even though I have many connections after five-plus years in the city.”

Despite the struggles that come with being a professional creative nowadays, Nathan asserts that it is important to remain determined and true as an artist in such a competitive environment. He says: “You need to be passionate, but you also need to be honest about what you can do – it’s very easy as an artist to get pulled into working on things that you don’t want to, for example hosting workshops to make money. If that’s what you want to do then great, go for it! But if not, then you aren’t being the artist that you want to be.”

When describing his style and key skills which often crossover, Nathan says: “I draw in a very abstract way using a nib and ink pen and pencil – I paint with oils and then I do some print work usually just drypoint etching and lino are the two that I work with regularly. Those are the main four areas that I focus on.

Developing the conversation further, the eager artist happily discusses his inspirations and how the feelings and emotions that inspire a piece can be different depending on the medium: “For the print work that I do there are two sides – the drawing and then the print side – the painting that I do is quite a different process. I think both forms still have the same feelings and ideas but the print stuff is more structured whereas the painting allows me to be a lot more free.”

Referencing his new home at Bar Lane, Nathan is obviously looking forward to the future and he positively reflects upon how important the place has become to him since he entered. He says: “I can go into the space and get into the creative mind-set,” he says. “When I am at home, I feel relaxed so I have to move everything just to get myself in a working mind-set the two don’t meet, so having that separate space is very useful.

“For everyone else though, Bar Lane will be useful in terms of networks and talking to people. Sharing ideas can be useful for everyone involved.”

Talking of goals, Nathan mentions his hope to spend more time at the studios. “It’s got a really good atmosphere and I have met everyone now,” he explains. “Unfortunately though, because of work I am always down on a Sunday which is a day that not everyone likes – I will get down there more soon!”

While it’s not clear whether Nathan will be able to regularly balance his massive workload over the course of the coming months enough to make it into the building on a more regular basis, it’s obvious that his versatile nature has taken him far within the ever-expanding York scene, and with the support of Bar Lane he will continue to thrive at a national level as a result of his honest and heartfelt approach. “I collect art, sell it, make it and to an extent I teach it at the university, so I am quite happy doing all of those pastimes,” he adds. “I can quite happily work on the Revolving Gallery, have my current job and be an artist – in an ideal world having the main job as an artist would be what I would pick but in this day and age it’s not the most sustainable of careers so I’d like to do an MA and go into lecturing at some point.”

Good luck!

For more information visit Nathan‘s official website here.