Peak District Artisans Collaborations
2024Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Painting - Drawing - Printmaking
Over the last few years, painter Ruth Matthews and I have individually visited the formal gardens of Hopton Hall, just down the road from The Slipper Studio, to see the snowdrops in February and roses in the summer. It’s a very special and inspirational place, with its mix of formal and informal spaces, topiary and a rare crinkle crankle wall.
In the summer of 2023, Ruth was asked by new owners and art collectors Chris and Andi Harvey, to invite a group of artists for a plein air day of drawing and painting, to promote the newly established A Month of Art in the gardens of the hall. I was happy to be invited along and we both agreed that we were both keen to repeat the experience.
Several members of Peak District Artisans had been in conversation about developing joint projects, which was then opened out to other members of the group. On hearing about the potential of collaborating with other members, we were quick to contact each other and have spent several days walking, sketching and photographing the gardens, seeing how the changing seasons impacts the gardens. We quickly realised that our collaboration would be about how we individually reacted to the same spaces and views, exploring materials of our choice, rather than creating a joint piece, with Ruth painting on canvas and me exploring work of a more mixed media nature.
Regular sharing of work in progress photos and of completed pieces, allows us to see how each other is progressing and our individual reaction to the gardens.
I have really enjoyed using a sketch pad again, having not used one for many years. It’s been particularly enjoyable using marker pens, to simplify the complex views and focus on particular elements, such as the walls, topiary and the pattern qualities that interest me.
 2025          Ceramics - Pattern - Printmaking
For a second year, a number of PDA members have chosen to work collaboratively with other makers in the group.
Bel Holland and I decided to explore the connections between the working practices of a ceramicist and a printmaker and see where it will take us.
Several visits to each other’s studios has lead to drawing, intaglio printing and experimentation with clay, glazes and oxides; conversation has also been an important part of the process, sharing ideas and building upon them.
Last year’s collaboration with Ruth Matthews, resulted in entirely separate outcomes, but Bel and I work on the same ceramic pieces, adding shapes and marks, reacting to what the other maker creates.
As we both live in rural villages in Derbyshire, the patterns, marks and history of the landscape around us, is proving to be an important part of our collaboration.
