Time flies when you’re having fun, so they say.
I’d suggest a few additional scenarios when time flies: before, during and after a general election campaign, for example.
In fact, it seems that the only circumstances when time doesn’t fly these days, are when you’re watching a boiling kettle or waiting for paint to dry.
So here we find ourselves, having blinked in January and opened our eyes in July.
But don’t fret if you too are finding yourself a little motion sick on the speedy road of 2017, for I have found the remedy:
Take a time-out to contemplate the art world this month, and I guarantee you’ll feel better for it.
Pablo the Potter @ York Art Gallery
We all know of Pablo Picasso as one of the most influential painters of the 20th Century, but this month York Art Gallery offers us a chance to view the artist in a different context: Picasso the potter.
Picasso’s native city of Malaga, Spain, is well known for its tradition of painted ceramics.
It is unsurprising then, that the artist took to the practice with such flair at the age of 65, after a lifetime of breaking the rules of traditional painting.
See his work alongside that of other exceptional ceramic artists at the York Centre of Ceramic Art‘s new show, opening 28 July.
Dramatic landscapes @ York Fine Art
Rediscover the raw, dramatic beauty of the Yorkshire landscape at York Fine Arts this month.
Yorkshire artist Clare Haley proudly presents her second solo exhibition at the gallery, Light of Yorkshire, running 28 July – 20 August.
Haley yet again proves herself a flourishing painter, whose ability to tell a comprehensive story of the multifaceted northern landscape makes her a personal favourite amongst the gallery’s organisers.
A local collection @ Blossom Street
You’ll find Yorkshire’s answer to the fantastic five at Blossom Street this month.
The local artists, in the form of Jane Schaffer, Martin Pearson, Judith Pollock, Mark Azopardi, and Nicki Hampson, have teamed up to create an exhibition featuring the best of their distinctive styles of work.
The name of the exhibition, The Disparate 5, sums it up quite nicely: expect a real contrast of styles and techniques, each stunning in its individuality.
Catch the show at the gallery throughout July and August.
Northern palettes @ Blue Tree
It’s always a good time for a celebration of Northern art, and you’ll find one such shindig at Blue Tree Gallery this month.
Three painters and one ceramicist have assembled at the gallery to share their enthusiasm for finding inspiration in Northern landscapes, albeit in quite contrasting ways.
This feast of colour, texture and atmosphere, titled Northern Palettes, is yours to enjoy from 1 July – September.
Competition time @ Kunthuis
Every year the White Rose Awards celebrate the best businesses and attractions in Yorkshire.
This year our congratulations go to Kunthuis Gallery for receiving a finalist nomination for the Arts and Culture award, for the second time in their short three year history.
This is clearly a gallery going from strength to strength, and if you haven’t done so already, now is the perfect time to catch their current exhibition, 100 Artists – 11 Countries, featured in last month’s highlights.
Gallery talks @ York Art Gallery
Don’t leave the lectures to the students.
There’s never a bad time to learn something new, and if you join Friends of York Art Gallery on Wednesday 12 July, 12.30pm-1pm, you’ll find that learning needn’t cost you a thing (apart from gallery admission, of course…)
This month the lecture topic is Paintings of Ladies on the Stairs, and I’ll leave it to you to discover what that entails.
For another interesting insight, join Dr. Cadence Kinsey, Lecturer in Recent & Contemporary Art at the University of York, for the Aesthetica Art Prize’s Lunchtime Talk on Thursday 13 July, 12.30pm-1pm.
The subject is Art After the Internet, which is one hot topic these days.
Don’t miss it- the talk is open to all and free with the cost of gallery admission.
Another Lunchtime Talk will be held on Thursday 27 July, 12.30pm-1pm, on the subject, Exhibition Practices: Curating for the 21st Century Audience.
Learn from York Art Gallery’s own curator, Jennifer Alexander, and get an insight into the conundrums faced by gallery curators today.
Teenage kicks @ York Art Gallery
Calling all teenagers!
Put down the phone, shut the laptop (hypocritical as that command is, and believe me, it is), and get down to York Art Gallery on the weekend 27 – 30 July.
The gallery will be hosting a series of practical workshops aimed at teens, whether art is a hobby or a study choice, Teenage Art School promises to to develop skills, stretch the imagination, and explore new materials.
The workshops are free, though it is advisable to book a place to avoid disappointment.
OK, now you can shut the laptop.