York artists open their doors for the weekend

It is also, this weekend in York, where artists will be welcoming hundreds of visitors. York Open Studios will see 55 artists open the doors of their private space to guests around the city.

Entry to all the studios is free, but the experience of being in the actual creative space is priceless.

Ruth King, an artist taking part in this year's Open Studios, says: "By having the opportunity to talk directly to the artist you can find out much more about their work, understanding why and how the piece was created.

"Often galleries can create a barrier between the artist and the public, so this is a really nice opportunity for the artist to communicate directly and demystify the process behind their work."

The York Open Studios began nine years ago and is run by a committee of artists with Arts Council funding.

Studios and spaces range from historic panelled rooms to hair salons. On Gillygate, the Cut Salon will be transformed into a gallery for the weekend to show the work of painter Patrick Smith and graphic designer Nick Sellers.

Contemporary crafts are thriving in York and makers range from textile designers to jewellers and potters. Ceramicist Loretta Braganza is taking part for the first time this year, she creates her immaculately constructed pots within her home-based studio in The Coach House, 198 Mount Vale.

Ceramicist and organiser, Ruth King, will be showing her pots in a panelled room at Grays Court, just behind the Minster along with fellow potter Jane Blackman.

King says: "Looking to the future, in addition to our student exhibitors, this year we are helping three recent graduates on their way to becoming fully established professionals, hoping to do our bit in keeping the art scene in York thriving and growing."

n A map and guide is available from the website [email protected] or on 01904 706123. Studios are open on Friday evening from 6pm to 9pm, Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am -5pm.

Artists

Milena Dragic – Printmaker, 28 Danesmead Close, YO10 4QU

Born in Zagreb, Croatia, after arriving in Britain, she studied at Brighton Polytechnic, Faculty of Art and Design. Since then she has held number of residencies and placements and has exhibited regularly in Britain and abroad. "My colour prints are all relief prints: woodcuts, wood-engravings and linocuts. I like the simplicity of the process. I print without a conventional press. My colour prints are done by a reduction method, which means that all the colours are printed from the same block. At the end there is no lino left, so the edition is truly limited."

Patrick Smith and Nick Sellers (Painting, Printmaking & Illustration) Cut Salon, 64 Gillygate

Patrick and Nick will be showing their fine art pieces, incorporating collographs, monoprints, and original paintings. Patrick was one of five artists in the revolving galleries inaugural event showcasing work at the recently converted chapel at St John's University

and is currently showing with Nick Sellers at the Grosmont Gallery near Whitby. Nick is an established graphic designer and illustrator and works in a range of media producing archetypal pieces that are reminiscent of Tom Purvis' stylised GNER posters of the 30s and 40s.

Richard Mackness – Urbis Design (Sculpture) 9 St Mary's, Bootham

Richard Mackness will show a range of sculptures and wall pieces. Though his company Urbis Design he creates sculptures which are used by landscape designers across the globe to complement architecture. "I'm captivated by form, be it in figurative terms of the body, in the landscape or other natural forms such as sea shells, rocks and pebbles. So when asked to create a volume to contain a plant, or water feature these are the contours that come naturally to me."

Art Students

Rob Jones (Painting, Sculpture and Installations) and Kirsty Boutle (Painting and Sculpture). York St John University, Art Block YO31 7EX

Rob and Kirsty are two students completing their second year Contemporary Fine Art Practice at York St. John University.

They are the 2010 student participants in the weekend Open Studio program – each year YOS includes entrants from the University's Art degree to support new and emerging artists establish their art practice. Rob Jones wonders sometimes if he did the right thing giving up his twenty-year career in corporate management to study Fine Art.

"I was never really a 'suit' and always felt that I should be creating art and not spreadsheets, being made redundant in 2008 helped me make a huge decision, I applied to study art and luckily got the last place on the intake."

Fellow artist Kirsty Boutle spent seven years training and working as a Psychiatric nurse prior before deciding to return to studying.