Open Studios – Plymouth Arts Trail 2022

Drawn to the Valley is a group of artists based around the Tamar Valley – an area of outstanding natural beauty. Amongst other events, we hold an ‘Open Studios’ event annually.
I will be opening again this year in Plymouth, but due to ongoing renovation works at home I have moved upstairs, rather than my ground floor studio.
I also hope to be be taking part in Drawn to the valley’s Makers Fair [Drawn to Make] again this year in Butchers Hall Tavistock [end of October]

Since I joined the group, I’ve participated roughly every other year from my home in Peter Tavy, near Tavistock.
It was here in the nearby village hall that I’d learnt to weave, spin and dye.

As my hobby began to take over space in our home, and I embarked on a weaving course at Bradford college of art, my husband built me a bespoke weaving studio.
With a view across our wild water garden, and behind my studio to Dartmoor, and with the colly brook as a boundary  there was plenty to inspire me there.

In the last few years I established a useful dye garden, and grew willow for basket weaving.

2015 was the last time I took part in Open Studios there- just a few days before moving to Plymouth. In fact, as we had begun to pack the contents of the house I was able to hold it in our home instead of the garden.
It was a fantastic – if a little emotional – way of ending 20 happy years of living there.
Since moving to Plymouth I am at the other end of the Tamar valley with close proximity to Plymouth waterfront and the Tamar estuary. This again has provided inspiration for some of my work – notably the work I made for the Drawn to London exhibition.

I have opened my studio at home on 2 occasions as part of Drawn to the Valley’s Plymouth Art trail. [ As this group of artists is spread over a large geographical area, local arts trails are set up to help visitors make the most of a visit to one area.]