The art to see in York right now – January 2017

Christmas is over.

The new year is settling in nicely and with all the dazzling chaos and overindulgence of the party season behind us (dry January anyone?) it’s time to sit down with a nice cup of tea and look ahead to what the art world has in store for us in 2017.

January is traditionally a quiet time, where galleries regroup and plan for the year ahead, but there are still a few artistic and even out-of-the-ordinary events going on this month to kick start your art inspiration for the year to come.

Ringleaders @ Pyramid Gallery

Getting off to a flying start for 2017, Pyramid Gallery has selected nine contemporary jewellery designers to showcase their talents in an impressive exhibition opening this month.

Each jeweller comes with their own unique and impressive style, spanning tastes and delighting all.

Your only regret will be that you don’t have enough fingers (or perhaps the finances) to go home with them all.

The exhibition will run from 20 January until April.

Winter continues @ Blue Tree Gallery

The evenings may be getting lighter, but we may as well accept that we’re going to be stuck with winter for a few months yet.

So why not celebrate the season in all its glory, as Blue Tree Gallery has been doing over the past month.

With its silver snow scenes and dreamy vistas, the gallery’s Winter Exhibition will continue to beautify and highlight the romance of the season until 28 January.

Thursdays @ Kentmere House

Pass a wintery Thursday evening in a warm and hospitable gallery within a house.

Hosted by Ann and Dave Petherick, Kentmere House is full of wonderful work from artists near and far.

There is something for everyone in the collection, and the gallery hosts are always on hand to introduce the work, provide information, or just to have a good old chat about all things art, should you so wish.

The gallery offers viewings by appointment if you call 01904 656507, or you can drop in any Thursday between 6 PM – 9 PM.

Flesh for free @ York Art Gallery

It’s not new to the gallery, but in case you haven’t had a chance to see York Art Gallery’s incredible exhibition, Flesh, then now is the perfect time to do so, particularly given that the Residents’ Festival, which falls on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 January, allows free gallery entry to all York residents with a valid York Card.

The exhibition is an astounding collection of artist representations of flesh in all its forms, and the festival itself promises to enhance the experience with drop-in drawing activities in the gallery from 11 AM – 1 PM and 2 AM – 4 PM on both days.

Naked Acts @ York Art Gallery

Following on from York Art Gallery’s Flesh exhibition, the gallery will be hosting a community day of talks, workshops, and ‘scratch’ performances devised in response to some of the subjects raised by the exhibition, and themed around LGBTQ issues.

At a time when LGBTQ dialogues are rising in prominence and finding form in the spotlight of the media, this promises to be an interesting and insightful day of discussion.

Join in the conversation on Tuesday 31 January from 10 AM – 5 PM. For a £25 day-ticket or to book a group stall, contact Nina Kane on 07590 388770.

Stargazing @ Yorkshire Museum

Ok, so this isn’t exactly an art event in the traditional sense, but I promised you sources of inspiration and what source has been more widely revered over the years than the wonder of the night sky?

Artists throughout the ages have sought to capture the effect that the sight of the cosmos can have on our imaginations, and who can blame them?

This month Yorkshire Museum will be hosting an hour long talk to celebrate and unravel some of the mysteries of the winter’s sky.

The talk runs from 2 PM – 3 PM on 12 January, after which you will have plenty of time to catch the evening star and test your new learned knowledge in a darkening sky.

Book your tickets for £10 through Eventbrite.

Create an Inspiration Board

Although the Dream Boards Workshop at Foxwood Community Centre is not marketed as an artistic event, mood boards have been used by artists and designers for years in their quests to find inspiration and expand their own ideas through visual research.

This £25 workshop promises to share the secrets of creating a successful board and to developing vision and imagination through the creation your own inspiration boards.

For the aspiring artist or designers among you, I guarantee that you will find this process helpful in raising the aspirations of your work.

The workshop will run 17 January, 5.30 PM – 7.30 PM. To book for more information contact Kerry on 07541 322064.

Sketch a little or a lot @ York Art Gallery

The regular drawing meet-up, Sketchbook Circle, will be running at York Art Gallery on Wednesday 11 January from 1.30 PM – 3.30 PM. Book your place for £5 through Eventbrite.

For something a little more extensive, book yourself on to the three session course, Flesh Poetic Sketchbook, with poet Robert Powell and artist Jake Attree, the power duo behind Lotte Inch’s recent exhibition, A Small Box of River.

The £50 fee is quite modest for the length of the course, which runs over three afternoon sessions on 20 January, 3 February and 17 February.

The fee also includes the opportunity to take part in the event, An Early Evening of Poetry, on 18 March.

Book through Eventbrite.

 
That should be plenty for you to be getting on with this month.

So Happy New Year Folks, and if you haven’t got a resolution for 2017 yet, maybe yours can be to make the most of inspiration whenever you can, wherever you can, it whatever unexpected form it may take.