Exploring behind the scenes where artists' magic is created for North Yorkshire Winter Open Studios
An artist’s own studio is not just their place of work, painted in pretty colours, but a safe space to inspire and a sanctuary to unleash even the most vivid of imaginations.
Now, creatives across North Yorkshire are to throw open their doors for a sneak peek at the places where a very special kind of magic happens.
The annual Winter Open Studios event, over the weekend of November 7 and 8, is one of the largest of its kind nationwide.
And art lovers and festive shoppers alike are invited to step inside the creative sanctuaries of some of North Yorkshire’s best-loved and rising top talent.
Garth Bayley, project manager, will be opening his own studio to the public.
He said: “Winter Open Studios is about connecting people with the people behind the art.
“There’s something incredibly special about buying a Christmas gift directly from the person who made it, right in the space where it was created.”
Winter Open Studios aims to give visitors the chance to explore hidden spaces where the art comes to life.
What’s key to the event is meeting the creators, said organisers, and discovering one-of-a-kind pieces in the very places where they are shaped and made.
It is organised by an artist-run collective called North Yorkshire Open Studios (NYOS), and is the last in a series of events hosted by them to celebrate the region’s talent through 2026.
Among those set to take part in the upcoming weekend are Scarborough’s Lisa Skelton, a textile artist known for her work with wild animals and pets through fabric and embroidery.
Keith Dickinson, from Lothersdale, is inspired in his work by Britain’s architecture and landscapes to make pieces with linoprint and Japanese woodcut, as well as drypoint and etching.
Then Frances Tabbernor, from Harrogate, whose work has featured on the BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee.
Inspired by walks in nature, she paints landscapes which are alive with memory, water and sky.
Artist and writer Elise Bikker, from Chapel Haddlesey near York, is also to share her space and some of the creative work she creates exploring people and machines.
Mr Bayley said this is just a taste of an event to feature a huge variety of artists’ styles, media and subjects, all to be explored over the course of the weekend.
There are glass artists and sculptors, photographers and watercolourists.
His own work, from his studio in Stokesley, sees paintings to capture a moment in time, from cycling to horse racing, dance and nature.
The studios themselves are also in some interesting locations, he added, from a former sawmill in the Dales to a courtyard garden.
“This weekend is a fantastic opportunity to explore our stunning region, meet incredibly talented makers and find truly unique pieces that you won’t see anywhere else,” said Mr Bayley.
A full list of artists and locations can be found at nyos.org.uk/winter-open-studios.