Life changes & new horizons...

The last time I wrote a blog was February 2014....little did I know what I would be doing almost 4 years later!

Sometimes we see opportunities & wonder what it would be like, you know the type the " if only..." ones!... then other times you just think... no regrets, in for a penny in for a pound!

Have you ever maybe wondered who was mad enough to start a business in the middle of nowhere & what drives them?...how did they start?...& what does it take to keep them going?...I did I have to confess!

It must be possible, you see these remote places & they're thriving & often a haven to cherish & I have to say there are actually many such places...

Once upon a time there was a business for sale in the beautiful village of Lockton, in the heart of the North York Moors, a small village with nothing much else in terms of businesses apart from a small Tearooms & village shop with a gallery...which had been closed on & off for a few years. I came across this place through a good friend Helen... I knew immediately it had so much potential...if only...I mentioned it in passing to hubby, like you do, you know the type of comment that plants a small, but effective seed somewhere in the subconscious!..., it worked! (yeah really!) but he reckoned it would be impossible...well, unless you ask you just never know...so we started making enquiries & ideas started to formulate.

If you don’t already know, hubby’s a chef by trade, he’d vowed never return to catering unless it was his own business...can you see where I’m leading to yet?!…

...we weighed up the risks & after discussing with the kids the outcome was:  kids were off to university & grown up...& would be leaving home  soon anyway, so it was something for us & they wished us luck & if after 5 years it wasn’t working or it wasn’t what we expected then we could sell & know we’ve tried & no regrets... so pipe dreams started to became possibilities ...

We crazily put in an offer for the place, "why not" we said...whats the worst they could say...no?!...THEY SAID YES! really?!...with no time to lose we lept at the opportunity & it was all actions go.

My amazing art studio which I’d just nicely settled in to was about to be abandoned, the kids decided to stay mainly in Scarborough (I dread to think how many parties they had in that time!) while we set to work trying to get some order of semblance... with a minuscule shoestring budget & heaps of help from friends & family it started to come together... the banks dragged their heels on letting us have a small mortgage but thankfully the folks who owned the place were amazing & very accommodating...eventually, Beverley Building society (independent & tiny establishment) lent us the money... it was actually happening, we'd bought (in a fashion) a country cottage, complete with a rural business!

... I’m not often sensible, but rather than spend loads of money we didn’t have we kept the initial layout with only a few alterations  & decided to see what worked & what didn’t...& then figure out how best to make it work... as an avid re-cycler & up-cycler it was a great opportunity to create new life out of pre-loved stuff... we wanted a comfortable yet original look... eclectic & quirky, accessible & adaptable... not asking too much obviously, especially on a budget of....er...well no budget as no spare money!

...so within 2 months it went from this...

...to this...

Needless to say ...we actually did it... blood sweat & tears...& much laughter...
we opened Easter 2014

there have been a few alterations over the last 4 years, the menus changed, some of the staff have change, our lifestyles changed, theres been a few layout changes (well we don't want folks getting bored now do we?!)

...& then there was no stopping us...

we didn't stop there...we listened to what folks were wanting & changed the menu accordingly...& then we decided to offer evening dining!... well why not!...Tag's Bistro was born, the name came to me at my usual 2.30am wide awake time, pretty obvious I thought, Tearooms And Gallery & I use tag's in my artwork a lot, simply really!

Its chef's chance to create one off menus & a chance to show off, its relaxed & the tables yours for the evening, the locals in the village are delighted & we're getting regulars from as far away as Liverpool now, folks are booking their holidays around the dates we offer & we even awarded a loyalty prize to some regulars last year!

It's hard to describe how you move somewhere & don't know a soul & yet you make the most amazing, womderful friends there & your job isn't really your job...its a lifestyle. The community has been so supportive & our customers are the best... no two  days are ever the same & its a pleasure to work in such a beautiful location. There are loyal regulars & people who stumble upon us by chance to return at every opportunity... we've had dogs, cats, budgies & horses come for tea...& sometimes you can see chef running out in his wellies to help Chester ,the local farmer, catch runaway cattle ... 

we've emersed ourselves & boy-oh-boy has it been a worthwhile & eventful journey!

...& the rural enterprise kept on growing...

The Loft Holiday accommodation...

As most arty folks know galleries are great, but very hard to keep afloat... so the decision was made to reduce the Gallery space to downstairs amongst the Tearooms & revert the space upstairs into “The Loft” holiday accommodation.. much more practical (& hopefully lucrative too!) we run this thru’ an agency ... http://www.cottages.com/cottages/the-loft-uk2142

I have to say non (& I mean non!) of this would have ever happened had it not been for our patient, forgiving & wonderful family & friends who have helped, supported & given so much of their time either physically or simply being there to let us vent off steam or share our success at ridiculous hours...or both!

...& still we keep adding to our venture...

We've managed to get ourselves an allotment...fondly knick-named "buttercup meadow" fresh homegrown produce for or homemade food is just the best, & how impressive with food miles...all of 50 paces!

we have a brood of 18 chickens amorously watched over by Alfonzo the cockerel, I have to confess I find them hilarious & marvel at how fab their eggs taste & look in our cooking too.

This last year has seen us look at our lifestyle & what we want or would like  from what we do, I no longer work in school teaching & I'm hoping to recover my creative spark, its been a much longer break than anticipated from my art (over 3 years!) so its taking some time to get my head in the right frame of mind...I have a small studio in the house & have made the conscious decision to revisit old work ideas & re-develop & re-kindle my artistic self...

I'm still working on the Gallery aspect of the venture...we have mainly Village artists showcasing their work, well there are about a dozen artists living in the village...& a new guest artist once a season, but the village artists find it hard to service the gallery & not all the artists create work to put in galleries, it really needs an overhaul & what better time to start that than with the fast approaching Lockton Artists Open Studios in a few months...no pressure!...

I'm taking over "The Loft" upstairs to show my work, I'm still not ready to move away from my pebble obsession just yet so you'll still be seeing them around...you do see pebbles in the stream at the bottom of the hill from our house!... If you want to know more about the event & the artists taking part have a look at our new website ... Lockton Artists

Four years compacted into one blog!... from an idea to have a tearooms serving tea & homemade cakes, we've now got a rural enterprise...something of this scale we'd never even thought about ...

I suppose what I'm trying to say is, aim high, seek out the impossible...give yourself time...follow your dreams...take chances...take risks even...live life & most of all...

don't give up hope for you never know, some things are actually possible

I'll hopefully back again sooner than another four years!...

until then, take care & be kind to yourself & others 

Janilaine x

...and the sun came out...albeit briefly!

...what a lovely sight to see this morning...the sunshine!..

....I know I'm not alone, but I didn't realise how much it effects  my mood and outlook on life, but... to be honest, like a lot of places, the last two months have been sooo dark and miserable in terms of weather January has been and gone in a blurr of indecision's and soul searching!

Living on the east coast, if its not the sound of the rain on the windows that drown out the sounds of the birds - seagulls!...its the roar of the sea...it must be loud as we are 5 minutes walk away! Hubby, Kevin  went to Bridlington yesterday and took some photos of the magnificent waves...would you believe these photos were taken within half an hour of each other...ok one is a long exposure (ND) but hey, shows how the tide can turn...and we have been fortunate, after seeing some footage of the waves in Cornwall...these are only small in comparison!

 I eventually delivered my assemblage boxes to Artlink, I was really impressed with the venue, and the people were lovely and really helpful. ...

Preview: Friday 7th February 2014. 6pm - 8pm 

exhibition: 8th February - 15th March

Artlink have brought together some very exciting national artists working in unusual ways to create its very own curiosity shop housed in a cube inside the gallery.

The show will exhibit the works of the following artists, whom are local, regional and national, Claire Moynihan, Michael Kusz, Josie Beszant, Martin Huxter, Jo Smith, Janilaine Mainprize, Danielle Stubbs, Nicky Dillerstone, Anna Bean and SarahPennington. These artists have a wide variety of techniques and skills from feltmaking, photography, metal work, ceramic sculpture, textile art, painting and found object collage.

I'm looking forward to the preview on Friday and meeting up with some of the other artists exhibiting there....

"Under construction" (see below) is based on the plans to save our coastline, the blue plans reflecting our coastline...

There was one other I almost sent but I had some probles with the glass front...so it will have to wait until my next exhibition at easter......as you can see, it still needs some work...the letter holding the glass is from 1939

...and it starts ..."I am writing"...the letter was quite sad, someone asking to meet her father, after years of trying...hence why there's a lot of blue...when I'm totally happy with it I'll post some more photos...

 ...it's late so I'll sign off now...I'll try and blog again soon, I've got some news on the exhibition front I want to share...its a bit of a random blog, but I really need to get back into my routine of Sunday blogging...

So,  time to read a chapter of "The Peacock Emporium" by Jojo Moyes, a birthday book from hubby before I turn in..

...night ...

Art@41 : ...looking forward...

Art@41 : ...looking forward...: "New horizons?!" (quick snap while out with hubby during the festive season) ....well to do that I should say,  looking back ...

...looking forward...

"New horizons?!"
(quick snap while out with hubby during the festive season)

....well to do that I should say,  looking back 2013 was definitely a year of challenges and changes!...(I seem to notice this was a pattern from many so I know I'm not alone!) which is why I'm looking forward to 2014 for many reasons!...

...a new day, a new month or a new year brings new opportunities...staying positive and seeing projects through to the end is something that takes patience, determination and .....to some creativity!....mine appears to have taken to hibernating over the festive period, which isn't such a bad thing as we all need a break...but I have a deadline of the 20th January for 5 assemblage boxes going to an exhibition in Hull!

I have to admit I have laughed and enjoyed "building" at my latest piece....while making space for more of my collectible ephemera...I came across an old wooden construction set I'd acquired...so after musing over some ideas "under construction" is my next piece...I just need to find some old building plans and hopefully it will be ready in time.

"under construction" next to "Key finds"

These dark months have been made bearable by working in my studio most evenings...I'd never have thought 5 years ago, I'd have a fantastic purpose built studio in my garden...I just love it!.. hubby has moved his photographic studio in with me....which is OK actually....he provides much humour, tea and biscuits!...

....and my lovely and very unexpected Christmas gift from my son has been installed and already been in use...

...I've tidied up a bit...like you do!...

...so I can make more mess...but it is constructive!

I recently had a small stall alongside an exhibition at Woodend Gallery, Scarborough called "Make it slow"...this was one of my favourite pieces "White flow" by Fenella Elms..it was absolutely fantastic...the exhibition wanted to introduce new audiences to contemporary art with unusual and progressive crafts. (lovely write up in Jan/feb Crafts magazine pg 66) it doesn't finish until the 31st January so still time yet to visit....

Fenella Elms "White flow" - porcelain

Something else I attended with my friend Helen Birmingham was the much anticipated "Art party conference" held at the Spa in Scarborough mid November....

...the event was organised and hosted by Bob and Roberta Smith...

 (& I believe funded by the arts council)

it was definitely different, a bit staged in parts as it was predominantly the backdrop for a film funded by the arts council...but non the less, it got folk talking about arts with in the education system...I was chuffed I got to see Cornelia Parker talk about her childhood memories amongst others...and I loved Karen Thompson's "Goveshy"take on the whole event...

Jeremy Deller, Pavel Buchler,Stephen Deuchar,  Cornelia Parker & Bob & Roberta Smith.

Janet White...installation

images made in response to Mr Gove
by students at the school I work at.

...just a few pictures to show off the event! it should be interesting to see the finished film...as I have already felt the effects of Mr Goves take on the arts within education ( reduced art taught in schools meant redundancy from art/textile post a few years ago) I hope it makes a few important ripples that could lead to art being taken more seriously and better  represented within our schools.

A long overdue blog and a few images to hopefully keep you interested in what I have been doing...my creative hibernation is about to finish as the festive season comes to a close....

I look forward to sharing new works, events, visits and much, much more over the coming year.

Thanks for following and continuing to read my blog.... 

Happy new year, take care & I'll be back again soon

...quietly plodding on!

......long time ...no blog!...no excuse really apart from I've gotten out of my routine and my Sunday reflective blogs seemed to, as they say "appear lacking some what!"

It's embarrassing to admit that my last blog about my work was mid August!...

(shaking my head in shame!)

...since then I have done two exhibitions and not even mentioned them at all! whats going on?!

Well, as I work full time now I seem to disappear off into my studio on an evening and weekends (especially Sunday mornings!) and guard my creative time ferociously!... thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
I so wanted to be able to work full time.... as an artist! but, sadly needs must & so I am no longer my own boss through the day...hey ho at least the job I do doesn't have homework or overtime and is regular hours and as its in a school I also get holidays and weekends off...the school, staff and kids are good too...so I can't really complain there...it's just when I'm there I think of all the art I could be making in my studio! (don't tell the Headteacher!)

 ...I've been working now for half a term & I've now got into a routine and allocated hours for work v's creativity... so now all I have to do is crack on and stop experimenting...I feel that I never actually have anything to physically show....well....lots of disasters...and I have to confess I'm getting quite good at them too!

But on a positive note

...recent events...

...Staithes Art and Heritage festival...

...was.....fantastic!....both Hubby and I took part alongside another 125'ish artists...the whole event from the organisation to visitors (and lots of customers) even the weather even in our favour...was just superb and thoroughly enjoyable! 

If you don't know about it, the whole event is organised by a voluntary group (hats off to them as it's put together exceptionally well!) we were allocated a holiday cottage to exhibit our work in, the owners also stayed the weekend as they wanted to experience the event too. There were pop-up cafes and the whole place was alive and heaving with activity, the atmosphere was buzzing and everyone seemed in great spirits. Every possible space from holiday cottage to gunnel and snicket  hosted artist venues...

 ...this was the view out of our cottage we were exhibiting in, even that was a piece of art in my eyes!

...and this is where we stayed over the weekend...Guisboro Hall...quite luxurious but it was part of hubby's 50th birthday celebrations....(sometimes needs must!)

sorry to say I didn't really take many photos and we were genuinely busy from 10 - 6pm every day so note to self, make the time to take a few photos of the event next time!

...and also...

I'd been approached by the Yorkshire Post to do an article on my Studio a while ago....they interviewed me not long after it was built...and then I never heard anything!....so it was strange to be confronted by yourself whilst reading the paper in September!...

...next there was...

4:Perspectives

......Four artists, four unique perspectives of the sea and everything it beholds.

we, that is me, hubby Kevin Mainprize, Jane Sullivan and Ryan Chadwick have just finished a quick "pop-up" exhibition at Yorkshire Wolds Gallery, it was OK....different clientele and I like the fact that as a gallery it has a cafe tied to it...not for me but for visitors who wouldn't normally visit a gallery but ventured in as it was offering refreshments...you know what I mean!

I managed to read a novel - "Mockingbird" (about a young girl with Aspergers who is looking for closure), enjoy the new Craft magazine - and read about the new "slow art" exhibition that starts at Woodend Gallery on 15th November, do some doodles, make 12 book innards and capture a few ideas in my sketchbook whilst on duty...as well as catch up with a friend I hadn't seen for years...sweet!

....and finally...
a bit of de-construction (or destruction!) in the name of creativity!...
from a broken tea chest and a bit of help from my jig saw....

...to some new lasercut pebbles! (on the right!)

...in the pipeline (so to speak!)

...I'm currently finishing off some work for an exhibition for Hull University called "A graduates tale"thats on over the christmas months... then I'm taking part in the "Not on the high street" art & craft fair nestled nicely at Woodend gallery during the "Slow art" exhibition on Friday evening 29th November & Saturday 30th November through the day...along with the christmas orders that are starting to come in...so no excuse and no time for slacking!

Hope all's good with you all, thanks for reading and hopefully back again a bit sooner next time,

bye