November has just gone by in a flash, and sadly its not been a month with a lot of studio time…we’re in the middle of selling our house, and trying to move, so seem to have spent most of the time looking at houses, in the flesh and online! Trying to find somewhere with a space we can make into a studio is not easy. Anyway we’re getting there fingers crossed at least!

I do have quite a lot of exciting news re: upcoming shows, and I like to give my newsletter subscribers early warning and first dibs whenever I can, so here goes…

A little while ago, I was incredibly honoured and excited to be interviewed for Authentic Obsessions Podcast. If you haven’t found it yet, and you’re interested in art and artists, and a creative life, it is really worth listening too, here is the link to get you started: https://www.authenticobsessions.com

My episode is on the following link: https://www.authenticobsessions.com/jo-york-walking/

Anyway, I’m delighted to say that I will be among a wonderful group of Authentic Obsessions artists featured in a group show, in collaboration with the James May Gallery, running from January 7th until March 11th next year. I will post more next month including links, as the show will all be online. The James May Gallery is based in Wisconsin in the US, but also has an online platform, so plenty of opportunity for all my subscribers in Europe and the US, and beyond to see the work.

I am also absolutely thrilled to have been asked to show with the rather wonderful Tarpey Gallery next year, so I will be posting more about that sometime in the new year. The Tarpey Gallery is just about to open its Winter Show, so do take a look if you get a chance: https://tarpeygallery.com

As I mentioned I have had such a small amount of time in the studio this month, but have begun work on some pieces which come from something that has been intriguing me on my walks….I’ve been noticing not just the way the colours have changed, but also the differences in light, with the greyer Autumnal conditions, up here in the north of the UK at least. One of my regular walks is around a deer park, which has a huge number of very old and established trees…they are ‘pruned’ rather like lollipops because the deer browse the lower branches, meaning they all finish at a similar height-it’s just as far as the deer can reach, I guess… the thing that has especially intrigued me is the light beneath these canopies of leaves, which really glows compared with the grey skies. My plan is to develop a small collection of work around this idea, interpreted in quite an abstract way.

I’ve been working on the first painting in this little bunch, which is made up of blocks of warm autumnal colours glowing against a greyish ground. The blocks of colour are overlaid on top of each other, and have some incised linear marks…they are very loose and expressive, with tons of movement in the paint application, and loads to see when you look up close, as you can see in the work in progress details 👇

The finished painting is made up of layer upon layer of colour built up in opaque and translucent acrylics.

‘All the Leaves’ is on a 76cm square canvas, and I’m just about to seal it and finish off with some lovely gleaming buffed up cold wax to enrich the colour and protect it for the future. For me every stage in my process is important; from prepping the canvas or panel right through to sealing the finished work and applying a final finish, which might be several coats of varnish, or as in this case a coat of cold wax. I also like to make sure the edges are nicely painted; my preference is to paint them in a dark tone picked out from the painting. Finally I will work with my regular framer, to decide on a bespoke frame….finding a framer you trust and who knows how you like to present your work is so important, and I am so lucky to have found Jack and his team at the The Whole Picture Company in Harrogate, who are brilliant! The pictures below show two of my recent Botanic Gardens Collection in lovely simple floater frames….when you see the back you can see that they are beautifully made from solid wood; really made to last. I always sign my work on the back as well as on the bottom right hand side of the painting itself, which is done as part of the paint layer, and add the title and a nice artist card to finish.

*And just finally for this month, this is out just in time for a very last minute chance to use my 10% discount code for purchases direct from my website.

Don’t forget to apply the code at checkout…maybe a present for somebody special or a chance to start your own collection?!!

Oh well, until next month, keep warm, take care and keep in touch (oh and wish me luck with the house hunting!!)

Jo xx

©️ All text and images copyright Jo York 2021