Artists open the door to their studios

Saturday 23 June 2018

Artists all across the island will be throwing open the doors to their studios in a 10-day celebration of local art starting this weekend.

Skipton Open Studios are back for a ninth year. Sponsored by Skipton International and produced by ArtHouse Jersey, the event aims "to celebrate the wealth of talented artists and makers in Jersey.”

This year, 70 artists and collectives are taking part in the 10-day celebration of local art, with the island's creative community  setting up in 38 studios and creative spaces across the island. All are free to visit during this weekend and the next, from 10:00 to 17:00.

As Producer at ArtHouse Jersey, Alice Bravery knows everything there is to know about the Skipton Open Studios. She told Express what to expect of this year's event...

What are the Skipton Open Studios?

“They first launched in May 2008 in response to the lack of public art gallery space for local artists to showcase their work. The initiative stemmed from ambitious roots, featuring over 50 Jersey artists, with a group exhibition of the artists’ work at a pop-up shop in Bath Street. Simply put, it is a celebration of Jersey’s unique artistic community and culture. Have you ever wondered exactly how local artists produce their work? The Skipton Open Studios provides the public with exclusive access
into local artists’ working spaces to meet the people behind the art, and get a fly-on-the-wall insight into their creative practices."

Pictured: 70 artists and collectives are taking part this year in 38 studios and creative spaces.

What’s new this year?

"Each year we try to mix up the formula of the Open Studios to keep it relevant to local artists and the wider community. This year it felt essential to broaden the definition of an ‘Open Studio’ to celebrate the wider spectrum of creative people making all kinds of interesting original work here in the island. We’re so fortunate to boast a diversity of talented makers in Jersey and we want to shine a spotlight on their abilities by allowing behind-the-scenes access to their creative process.

"For the first time the event also includes creatives from outside the ‘visual arts’ sphere, such as writers Richard Pedley and Wendy Falla, the JAMM music studios, COLAB design studios, as well as FLUX collective and Peter Taylor-Fitch who both work with Virtual Reality technology to collaborate with some of our artists."

What are your recommendations for things to see? 

"We have incorporated a lot of food and drink elements into this year’s wider event, because food and art often go hand-in-hand and are an intrinsic part of our culture. The pop-up kitchen event in partnership with Nourish Dining and Love Wine will consider ‘food as art’ and promises to be a feast for the senses. Similarly, the Food Photography and Styling workshop run by The Bean Pot and Photographer Holly Smith will allow budding food-photographers a chance to brush up on their
ability to snap delicious dishes and present food in a way that’s worthy for Instagram!"

Pictured: Piquet House on Royal Square.

This year Piquet House in the Royal Square will also become the hub for all things arty, as it throws its doors open to all from Saturday. The former police station will house various exhibitions, workshops and art installations and also feature The morning boat’s HorsiCulture Box. The converted horse box is set to become Jersey’s newest and most unique art space, available for local artists and creatives to use in projects and pop-ups.

Also new this year, the sealed art auction which allows islanders the chance to bid for an original work of art from Ian Rolls, Abi Overland, Nick Romeril, Pippa Barrow and June Gould. Artwork can be viewed at Piquet House as well as on the Skipton Open Studios website until 1 July. Each artwork is displayed with its own small bidding box, where bidders will be able to secretly submit the maximum price they’re willing to pay for the artwork. On 1 July, at 17:00, each artwork will be sold to the highest bidder.

Aaron Walden, Commercial Manager at Skipton International, longtime sponsors of the event, said: “We have all been looking forward to the start of this year’s Skipton Open Studios, which promises to be more vibrant and exciting than ever before. We are very proud to have the Skipton name associated with something that brings such joy to people’s lives.”