Artists in Community

After years of applying to opens, renting venues for exhibitions, starting art trails, doing markets and even opening a gallery space I am delighted that I am part of NROS (Northants and Rutland Open Studios). Katie Boyce, the Leader, does all the organising to free me up to paint and exhibit and sell. It is worth the financial cost which is very reasonable for what you get.  You join each year and get space on a very good web page and then notifications about opportunities to enter exhibitions.Other opportunities like drawing in the exquisite gardens of stately homes also open up.  She is an organising queen.  With hundreds of artists to support she does a wonderful job finding venues, exhibitions and of course the main NROS exhibition in September at Lamport Hall for us.  

This year besides selling two wall hung works and 5 browser works I won an award.  There are many awards including bursaries.  I won a hamper from Jeyes of Earls Barton. They choose me and that is like gold in the area of confidence.  Also the hamper and Cream tea voucher are very welcome. Yum. 

Besides those things we continue to meet artists and share their journeys including helping to put out a studio fire.  We become friends and the cross fertilisation of information, opportunities and encouragement is so rich that you can’t put a price on it.  Artists need to be in community.  I am so grateful for my artist friend Donna Drouin in my village over the last 20 years but we have both got so much from being with a large group of other artists.  We can encourage newbies but also glean valuable insight from more experienced artists. It so good.