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North East Open Studios NEOS
Information about the North East Open Studios artists and galleries open doors days
Jewellery by Katie Hammond. Read her bio below.
Each year artists in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire open up their studios and galleries to the general public. In addition to viewing artwork visitors can watch art and craft demonstrations throughout the North East of Scotland. These arts and crafts range from ceramics, glassware, photography, paintings, jewellery, textiles, leatherwork and multimedia creations. Creative styles range from traditional through to contemporary.
The first North East Open Studios (NEOS) event took place in 2003 and has been held each year since.
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The North East Open Studios (NEOS) dates for 2023 is from 9 to 17 September. The event serves to engage a wider audience in all aspects of art and to help grow small scale art and craft business in the North East of Scotland. There were an estimated 15,000 visitors to the 254 participants, and even despite the recession, visitors to NEOS exhibitions last year spent over £300,000 in one week and many artists received commissions after the events had finished as a result of exposure in the NEOS catalogue.
For more information about North East Open Studios or for an application form for NEOS please visit
www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk
Katie Hammond
This year, the North East Open Studios are celebrating their 20th year and Katie Hammond, a graduate from Gray’s School of Art, is excited to be a part of it again. Exhibiting 9th - 17th September at 186 in Kingswells, Aberdeen, there will be yellow signs pointing you in the right direction. NEOS books are distributed in various places, you might even find one in your local cafe. They also have an artist search on their website and a fantastic new app. Search for the North East Open Studios in the play store to download it.
Emerging Hope
Katie has loved opening her studio to the public since graduating in 2017. She says:
“It is such a great experience meeting lots of lovely visitors and welcoming them to my home studio with tasty homebakes and a cuppa.
I am a mixed media artist inspired by my favourite local gardens. I have grown up visiting Johnston Gardens and Duthie Park Winter Gardens. I have chronic illnesses and live life at a slower pace, so I hope to capture the moments of calm these gardens bring me. The unusual processes and combination of materials I use are also very therapeutic. I enjoy layering watercolours, encaustic wax which is melted with an iron, oils, vibrant powdered pigments, and resins to create depth. I would be delighted to demo some encaustic wax painting if you are interested in seeing a part of the process. You would also be very welcome to give it a go yourself.”
A Moment of Magic
Alongside Katie’s paintings, there will be a range of gifts, stationery and homeware featuring her artwork. A variety of new jewellery and trinket dishes, which are handmade with clay and painted with vibrant metallic powdered pigments and resins, are also available.
NEOS is a unique opportunity to meet local artists and have a good old nosey in their studios. Before Katie started taking part, she enjoyed mapping out visits and finding amazing talent in places she otherwise wouldn’t have known. She made some wonderful friends through NEOS and even met her partner, David. Each September is their ‘NEOS anniversary’, which makes it even more special.
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An army veteran moves his family back to his Aberdeenshire home, but his nightmare neighbour starts a battle of wits with him. Who will win this One Last War?
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Art At St Mary's
As part of North East Open Studios(NEOS) local artists will be exhibiting at St Mary's Church Hall Inverurie. This NEOS exhibition brings together a diverse group of local artists working in various media. This exciting show will include paintings, ceramics, jewellery and photography along with Straw Art, Textiles and Driftwood creations.
The exhibition is being held at St Marys Church Hall, St Marys Place, High Street, Inverurie.
Opening times are:
Saturday 11th September until Sunday 19th September.
Mon-Fri 11.00-16.00
Sat 11.00-17.00
Sun 12.00-17.00
Refreshments are available.
The official North East Open Studios NOES site can be found at www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk
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Platform 22
Platform 22 can be found in Torphins, Aberdeenshire and is owned by Emma Pattullo. Emma specialises in ceramic designs of which her most popular pieces are vases which have real gold edges with designs such as those that show her beautiful bumblebees, butterflies and dragonflies. Emma Pattullo of Platform 22 also teaches classes at her studio and throughout the North East of Scotland at locations such as Woodend Barn near Banchory. Emma likes to experiment with her ceramics and of late she has been making freeform mirrors inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt and some more sculptural work featuring a dreaming ballerina. Below is an image of an example of her work.
During NEOS Emma and her husband Davis will be hosting other artists at their gallery. These include North East artists such as Timmie Penny and Stephanie Vandem, photographer Robert Grey, ceramicists Mina Rusk and Sandra Gorrara, textile artist Annabel Pattullo and wood turner Alan Steele who will be demonstrating how he creates his fairy goblets which can be seen in the photograph below.
Wood Turner Alan Steele
During the weekend wood turner Alan Steele will be making fairy goblets for Queen Tatiana?s autumn garden party! His intricate woodturning skills can be watched for free at the Platform 22 Gallery in Torphins just like the two fascinated lassies in the photo below.
Who know it may even encourage these reclusive fairies to come out and watch. If you don't see them on the day you can see one of their last visits in the picture below!
There will be over 30 examples of wood turner Alan Steele's work on show. Alan was born in Cheshire and raised in Yorkshire and is now based in Aberdeen. Alan Steele founded the Grampian Wood Turners group from his workshop so that he could help promote the art of woodturning in the North East of Scotland. He learnt his craft as a young lad when he would carve jet from the beaches of Whitby and help the local blacksmith by making fire irons. After leaving school Alan Steele became an indentured apprentice with an engineering company as a turner and tool maker. During this time he kept working with the blacksmith where he learnt how to make copper jewellery. Exhibitions soon followed which included cultural and folklore festivals at home and abroad. By studying the culture of the other nations and regions Alan Steele was able to develop his skills in leatherwork and wood turning.
Alan likes to draw inspiration from the natural world and the titles to the pieces reflect his knowledge and love of folklore and mythology. The exhibition of Alan Steele at Platform 22 comprises of a range of turned screw-top boxes in hardwoods and thin-walled hollow forms made from unseasoned timbers and coloured with dyes to create the most amazing pieces of art that seem to defy gravity, as well as description!
From 10am to 5pm on Saturday and noon to 5pm on Sunday Alan Steele will be on hand after his demonstrations to chat about his work and answer any questions. For more information telephone: (01339) 882039 or visit their website at northeastopenstudios.co.uk where there is also a directory and map that covers all the venues involved in he North East Open Studios.
The founder of North East Open Studios is artist Susie Hunt.