art& promotes art and contemporary craft through workshops and informal shows.
Something in Yorkshire that makes you smile
Having spent much of my lifetime in Yorkshire, I still smile at people calling each other 'lovey' and 'flower'. It's such a warm way to greet and connect and always a delight to hear. When I'm away and in other parts of the country I notice that people love that I call them lovey and flower… maybe it'll catch on elsewhere!
A place you love to eat
While my work with art and artists takes me all over the county, I think your home town is definitely a good place to have a favourite eatery. I love Devour at the Dyehouse in Holmfirth, just minutes from where I live. The food is modern Italian with ingredients always locally sourced, often gathered and sometimes hunted.
To take friends
We are always proud to take friends to Yorkshire Sculpture Park. For the uninitiated to Yorkshire, it's always a delight to see their faces as we cross into the main building from the car park. The temporary and permanent exhibitions are excellent and inspirational and the walks around Bretton Park with the outdoor sculptures are amazing whatever the season. What better place to soak up fresh air and inspiration? I know London friends in particular love the spaciousness of the landscape and the way YSP offers the opportunity to see sculptures outside of white walls. The YSP is an amazing opportunity to see some of the very best international artists without leaving Yorkshire.
A cultural go-to
The three great Yorkshire galleries are my cultural go-to. The YSP (of course), The Hepworth Wakefield and Leeds Art Gallery - an often overlooked hubbub of excellent art from right across the centuries on our doorstep in the city centre.
Inspiration outdoors
The wild unpredictable moors and the Yorkshire coastline. I love that Yorkshire has such amazing variety of scenery and landscape. The dales, the moors and the crashing seascapes, Yorkshire has such a lot to offer the senses.
A place for indulgence
Me and my husband love to go to Sheffield Curzon for a Sunday morning film, it feels very decadent being in such a lovely little comfy cinema, and then head to Marmadukes round the corner for a fab brunch/lunch with great coffee and cakes.
A Yorkshire View that inspires
The best view for me is approaching Whitby/Staithes from the moors - I love the contrast between the purple and greens of the heathland and the duck egg blues, greys and whites in the sea, and if I'm lucky and see the sunset, it adds in brilliant oranges to. I'm designing a dress at the moment using some fabrics from Fabworks in Dewsbury and pieces of El Riordan's hand printed linens inspired by these colours and my experience of these views.
I'm never happier than when…
I'm by the sea. Artists have always been drawn to the very special light of Britain's coastline, and the Yorkshire coastline on a bright clear day certainly lifts the spirits and I love it on a wild and windy day when the sea is crashing. It is no wonder there are so many creative people in Yorkshire surrounded by such inspiration. If we can help just a few follow their dreams, then that's a job well done.
Three words that sum up your best Yorkshire life…
Sky, moors and sea - it has it all in spades.
The next art& showcase will be at York racecourse in April. artand.co.uk
