Art Highlights in North Yorkshire

The distinctive landscape, the people, and the unique heritage to be found around the North Yiork Moors have inspired many artists and craftspeople to make this region their home.

Visiors and locals can admire the work of painters, furniture-makers, potters, glass-blowers, and even felt-crafters.

And there are always lots of arts and crafts festivals taking place each year.

Listed below are a few highlights to get you planning for your visit to the Moors in 2014.

Bils and Rye Gallery, Nunnington

The Bils and Rye Gallery is a lovely and inspiring new art gallery at Nunnington to the South of Helmsley.

The Gallery is in the heart of North Yorkshire and exhibits eye-catching contemporary sculpture and exquisite ceramics from some of the UK’s finest artists and makers.

The Bils and Rye Gallery aims to challenge and delight visitors by showing the work of a range of emerging and established visual artists.

They're open 09:00 - 17.30 Tuesday - Saturday and from 11.00 - 16.00 on Sundays

For further information, or road directions, call the Gallery on 01439 748392.

Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage

Staithes is a picturesque fishing village on the Yorkshire Hertiage Coast; and each year it celebrates its impressive artistic heritage with its own festival in September.

Staiths is still widely known as the home of the Northern Impressionism movement, and the festival hosts a range of artists, art types, and various events.

You'll find galleries, pop-up galleries, and pop-up cafés.

There are also lectures, guided walks, workshops and more, all surrounded by the fresh salt air.

You'll find Staithes in North Yorkshire at postcode TS13 5BH.

Gillies Jones Glass Gallery

Gillies Jones Glass in Rosedale Abbey offers beautiful and elegant glass works with each piece hand-crafted in the studio right here in the village.

Visitors to the Gallery can watch the pieces being made.

Each piece is individually hand blown and decorated in the studio in Rosedale Abbey.

So call-in for a visit because the Studio is just round the corner from Rosella Cottage (postcode = YO18 8RA).

Staithes Gallery and Art School

Staithes is a beautiful spot to visit for any reason; but its most prominent showcase for locally-inspired, contemporary art is the Staithes Gallery.

You'll discover a range of artist exhibitions which are changed throughout the seasons.

And the Staithes Art School is the perfect place to develop your artistic skills as part of a holiday to Norht Yorkshire.

It is set in a lovely relaxed setting, with experienced tutors and classes sometimes take place outdoors in the fresh sea air.

You'll find the Gallery and Art School on the High St in Staithes, North Yorkshire TS13 5BH.

The Mouseman Visitor Centre

Robert Thompson was one of North Yorkshire's finest craftsmen of last century.

He used traditional tools to carve his unique style of oak furniture in a workshop in Kilburn, near Sutton Bank on edge of the North York Moors.

His furniture has a classic English Arts and Crafts movement feel to it; but with a character very much of its own.

And his trademark mouse carved into every piece has been a delight for Yorkshire children to find for years.

The Mouseman Visitor Centre is located in Robert's old workshop and features fascinating period rooms, an enticing café, and a shop selling furniture pieces and gifts.

You'll find the Mouseman Visitor Centre in Kilburn (postcode = YO61 4AH).

Inspired by...Gallery

The North York Moor's National Park Authorities own gallery is located in the Moors Centre at Danby, just a few miles away from Rosella Cottage here in Rosedale Abbey.

The Inspired by...Gallery showcases a regularly changing selection of works of local and internaitonal artists, photograpers, and crafts people.

You'll find monochrome photography, paintings and sketches, sculptures and glassworks, ceramics, jewellery and various other media.

Craft fairs, previews and meet-the-artist events are also regularly held at the Moors Centre.

You'll find the Moors National Park Centre at Lodge Lane, Danby, North Yorkshire YO21 2NB.

WareHouseArt

Christopher Ware is the artist in residence of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR).

And you'll discover Christopher is based in an open studio at the former Stationmaster’s house on the Levisham Station Platform in the pretty North York Moors village of Levisham. 

Christopher is renowned for his watercolours of the fabulous trains of the NYMR.

It seems that each painting captures a whiff of the smoke from the steam locomotives!

But he also paints landscapes of the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Heritage Coast.

Visitors can call in to the WareHouseArt Studio from Thursday to Sunday.

Groups of six to ten people may also book an illustrated lecture by the artist.

You'll find WareHouseArt at Station House, Levisham, North Yorkshire, YO18 7NN.