May 2023 Newsletter

This much I know...

It isn’t easy being an artist. It’s a tremendous privilege to be able to make a living doing something you love. But still, being self-employed isn’t easy; many situations are beyond your control, and you need to have self-belief and drive by the bucketload.

However, there are the moments when Matt’s work is tagged on social media, or we receive a lovely email or message from a happy customer, maybe a photo of one of the paintings in their new homes, that make it all worthwhile.

And then there are moments like the one described below, and that’s a whole new level of pride…

Inspiring future artists

Imagine our absolute delight when we saw the following post shared by Whitworth Park Academy! Alyssa Carr, a Year 10 student from the school, has been selected as one of the winners of the Advanced Learning Partnership’s art competition.

Matt first met Alyssa last year, when she asked if he would mind if she used his work as inspiration for her GCSE art project. Over the last few months, Alyssa has studied Matt’s style and techniques, and has produced her own Tower painting, the Tower of Spennymoor.

We are thrilled that Alyssa’s talent has been recognised, and would like to wish her every success in the future! It really has been quite a humbling experience for Matt to see how his work has inspired a young artist of the future.

Alyssa’s painting, along with 21 other works, will be displayed in the outdoor gallery at Durham University, representing ’Beautiful Durham’.

Wolsingham Antiques & Salvage Fair

This was a new fair for Matt, and one that it was hard to resist buying from other stalls!

We haven’t had the best of weather this April, but thankfully it held for the weekend, and we even saw a bit of that golden orb that hangs in the sky. It was also great to meet so many lovely visitors, both local and those travelling from further afield.

Sadly, Matt won’t be at the next Antiques and Salvage fair in July, but it’s well worth a look if you like your antiques. The organisers information can be found here.

Dates and really important stuff

29^th & 30^th July: Northern Art Fair, St John’s Chapel, Weardale
26^th August: Weardale Show, St John’s Chapel
19^th & 20^th August: Art in the Pen, Skipton
15^th – 17^thSeptember: Staithes Art Festival **NEW DATE ADDED**
23^rd September: Stokesley Show
26-29^th October: Living North, Newcastle
9^th-12^th November: Living North, York
18 & 19^th November: Crafts in the Pen, Skipton
24^th & 25^th November: Tennants Winter Wonderland, Leyburn

Times vary for each event – please check the linked websites for up-to-date details and locations.

Alternatively, you can...

Visit us!

What do artists do all day?

The rambunctious calf!

#17: they act as a cow midwife, of course!

It’s that time of year again: phone calls just as he’s getting into his painting groove, or worse yet, just as his head hits the pillow! Sadly though, calving waits for no man, so when the call comes, Matt must answer!

There have been a few sleepless nights lately as Matt has helped his neighbour, Ken The Farmer, with the Spring calving season. It’s all going well though, with lots of successful deliveries. And this year, one of the calves seems to have taken quite a shine to Matt – just take a look at the video!

You can have a cow as a pet, right? Now, it’s just a question of getting this one past Sarah…

That's it for another month!

All the best from the team at Matthew Ellwood Art.