Painting the Hebden Bridge Open Studios Mural
This week I've been hiding away in my attic studio, painting, catching up on admin, recovering after a very busy (but fantastic) Hebden Bridge Open Studios, and getting ready for my next fair, Art in the Pen, on 15 & 16 August (click the link below to find out more about this wonderful fair and buy tickets), all while trying not to melt!
It is so hot up here at the moment. But I kind of love it, it feels so exotic and rare! Give me sunshine over hats, gloves and blankets any day, which is pretty much my standard peak winter studio outfit here in the Yorkshire hills.
For the second year running, I joined the lovely wicker weaver Sara Abbott and Sheralynn of Waste Not Textile Art to paint the giant mural outside William Holt's, corner of Bridge Gate and New Road, for Hebden Bridge Open Studios. Have a look at the header photos to see our progress (although they're not quite in order!)
We start by wrestling a rather enormous stencil into place (Sara and I made it at my house last year), tape it to the wall, and then gradually fill each letter with tiny artworks by the artists taking part in Open Studios.
Painting in the middle of town means you never quite know what the day will bring. There are always plenty of curious onlookers, the odd heckler, lots of questions and, thankfully, plenty of encouragement too... and, this year, deliciously melting ice creams!
Like Open Studios itself, the mural is only temporary. Over the next few weeks we'll be painting over it and restoring Doris's wonderful illustration, leaving the wall exactly as we found it.
As a little thank you for following my journey, I'm offering 10% off all bespoke house portrait commissions booked between Saturday 11th July and Saturday 25th July.
To claim your discount, simply click the Bespoke House Portrait page, scroll down to the Let's Work Together form and enter the code SUMMER10 in the Discount Code box.
Whether it's a family home, a favourite cottage or somewhere full of memories, I'd love to create something special for you or someone you love.
As many of you already know, 10% of every sale and commission also goes to War Child, and I'll be continuing that until the end of August. It feels like a small way to support children whose lives have been turned upside down by conflict.
Have a wonderful week. And if you're somewhere just as warm, I hope you're finding somewhere cool to hide!
Harriet X