Views From The Derwent Valley Video

The above is also available as a book see link in the side bar.

Views From The Derwent Valley Book

I've been working on completing a few intended projects over Easter in between family commitments etc.. and one of those projects was my Views from the Derwent Valley I always intended to publish the images as a book so that all the images are in order of the valley from Matlock Bath to Derby.

Below is the link to it in a variety of formats soft, hard cover and also e-book you can also request a book directly from myself I can order it for you if you prefer not to pay online.

Views From The Derwent Valley

By artist Ruth Gray

Happy Easter Over the Back Fence

Since 2013 I've been taking daily photos from my back room window and sometimes I have posted them on social media. It all started with me noticing how white the house looked against the grey sky so started a documentation of how weather and light affects the colours of a landscape.

My back yard is very ordinary so it was the perfect subject matter to use as it has shown me that even the dullest view can be enhanced by mother nature.

Monet did the same thing recording the same view in paint, at different times of the day, my view has mainly been in the morning as that is when I fling open the windows and see whats going on. In 2015 I was under a crow flight path and if I timed it right I could get the image of them swooping over the house. In the evening we are visited by bats its all happening over the back fence here!

I'm not going to do anymore for social media I'm just going to enjoy looking at others morning views, and work on something new and original.

Its been fun but after four years I think I'm done.

You can find most of  my back fence views on my social media sites listed below:

http://ruthgrayimages.net/ 
http://facebook.com/RuthGrayImages/
https://twitter.com/ruthgrayimages

https://uk.pinterest.com/ruthgrayimages/

https://www.instagram.com/ruthgrayimages/

http://ruthgrayimages.blogspot.co.uk/

https://about.me/ruthgray 

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/ruthgrayimages

My next event is at Number 28 ,Venue 1 of the Belper Art Trail I'm looking forward to showing my work along side over 140 other artists.

HAPPY EASTER!!

http://www.belperarts.org/Artists/Ruth-Gray/

Dovedale

Dovedale 50 x 50 cm acrylic and tissue on box canvas. 

There is a place in the White Peak  of Derbyshire that couldn't possibly be more pretty a deep sided valley with a beautiful river with stepping stones the perfect place to escape the mad mad outside world.
http://ruthgrayimages.net 

The Artist and the Lily Pads

The Artist and the Lily Pads 30 x 30 cm acrylic on box canvas.

The weekend after the referendum on the UK leaving the European Union. I took myself to my favourite place Matlock Bath, and stared at Lily pads it was a good feeling, I wasn't the only artist there either as I looked around there was another artist quietly painting by the river like nothing had ever happened. Thank god for beauty.
http://ruthgrayimages.net 

Happy at Haddon

Happy at Haddon 30 x 30 cm acrylic on box canvas.

Sometime ago I observed two mothers playing with their children at Haddon Hall, A brief moment away from it all at Haddon Hall.
http://ruthgrayimages.net 

Dancing in Rolleston Woods

Dancing in Rolleston Woods

http://ruthgrayimages.net 

Derbyshire Open Arts and More

For those that don’t know Derbyshire Open Arts is a county wide arts trail with over 300 artists in venues up and down Derbyshire, it takes place Bank Holiday 28-30^th May 1030 -5pm. It’s in its tenth year this year and this is the fourth time I have taken part.

This year I will have a stall at Florence Nightingale Hall Yew Tree Hill Holloway DE45AR, I have (along with Karina Goodman of Studio 61 Gallery and Martin Sloman of Cromford Studio and Gallery) organised a mini trail within a trail, as we have three locations for you to visit.

The Florence Nightingale location has 14 artists all displaying a variety of styles and media and I am looking forward to spending my weekend with them all.

I will have my card range, giclee prints and originals and look forward to welcoming you to the venue.

Follow the blog here: http://gallery2gallery.blogspot.co.uk/  

Event News

I am preparing for a couple of events after Derbyshire Open Arts I am currently working on my Buxton Spa Prize painting I have been given the Town Hall as my subject this year.

 ‘The Buxton Spa Prize is an open art competition to celebrate the town’s culture, natural beauty and heritage. ​Over 100 artists entered the second year in 2015. The aim of the Buxton Spa Prize is to make the town an internationally recognised centre for visual arts. The winning artist will receive a grand prize of £5000.’

I love going to the opening night and seeing the great paintings definitely not to be missed! Exhibition 1st July - 14th August http://www.buxtonspaprize.co.uk/

I have also taken inspiration from the town and painted Spring Field Gardens Acrylic 40 x 40 cm on canvas board.

Staying in Buxton my next event will be at Great Dome Art Fair, The Royal Devonshire Campus Buxton.

July 15 - 17 Preview evening - 7-9pm, Weekend 10am - 4.30pm

‘Browse and buy from a huge range of outstanding art and design direct from PDA’s members at our award winning annual exhibition. Contact PDA for a ticket for our exclusive private view on Friday 15th July 7-9pm. Meet our newest members and enjoy our popular talks and demonstrations, Charity Silent Auction and unique Artists’ Original Postcard Raffle.’ www.greatdomeartfair.co.uk

Follow the links below to my galleries and associations.

The Two Birds Gallery https://www.facebook.com/thetwobirdsgallery/

Out Framed Ripley Bespoke Picture Framing  http://www.outframed.co.uk/

Cromford Studio and Gallery http://cromfordstudioandgallery.weebly.com/

St John Street Gallery http://stjohngalleryandcafe.co.uk/

Studio 61 Gallery http://www.karinagoodman.com/

The Gallery Sutton Bonnington http://suttonboningtongallery.com/

Suki Gallery Tutbury https://www.facebook.com/sukicraftgallery

purple and grey http://purpleandgrey.co.uk

Peak District Artisans http://www.peakdistrictartisans.co.uk/

Banks Mill Studios http://banks-mill.evolvederby.co.uk/

Collaborative Events in May

There are open events everywhere in May and Derbyshire is no exception.
 Next weekend its the turn of Belper Festival and the arts trail this year has over 100 artists tucked away in venues all around the town. I think I've hit the jack pot as I am lucky to be showing work alongside Sara Brightly www.sarabrighty.co.uk  and Kate Brooks  www.facebook.com/katebrooks27

Our Venue is:
Belper Arts Trail, Black Swan Lower Ground Bar, Black Swan, 44 Market Place, DE56 1FZ
May 1st, 2nd 10 - 5pm
http://www.belperarts.org/Artist2016/Ruth%20Gray%20Images/

Belper Artists Cafe Reminiscence Vintage at Number 28 Market Place Belper.

 I will have a stall and be demonstrating painting at this lovely event also part of the Belper Arts Festival May 7th.
I will be accompanied by the uber talented Tony Hall and his ipad art see here: http://www.anthonythomashall.co.uk/
 And Claire Simpson who makes fabulous craft pieces and runs amazing projects take a look here: http://storiesunderstones.weebly.com/index.html
 I can highly recommend the cakes as my son says he had the best birthday cake ever made by these lovely ladies!

Then at the end of May its the big one Derbyshire Open Arts I am running an event at Florence Nightingale Hall in Holloway Derbyshire near Matlock I have gathered together with the help of Martin Sloman and Karina Goodman, 14 wonderful artists and makers to spend the weekend with we are part of a mini trail with g2g which connects Cromford Studio and Gallery with Studio 61 Gallery. Florence Nightingale Hall sits in between with lots of parking nearby.

Derbyshire Open Arts, g2g Florence Nightingale Hall Holloway DE45AR
 May 28,29,30th 2016

Follow the blog here: http://gallery2gallery.blogspot.co.uk/  

The g2g events also expand into a larger Cromford wide trail so make a day or three of it!

For all my other events see http://ruthgrayimages.net 

Art can be real fun with friends!

Work has started on a new series of work above, this painting is not really going to plan so since this picture was taken it has had a mind of its own and become entirely different! Rather like life we have an idea of what we want but what we get is very different!

The last couple of weeks have been lovely and busy, I find myself working on various initiatives and meeting great people in the process. The Air Arts hospital shop setup was a lovely day of opening boxes full of the work of  Derbys Banks Mill artists and arranging them to create a gallery of gifts. Here's a very unflattering photo of me taking a break, you can find the shop at the main entrance to The Kings Mill Treatment Centre at Derby Royal. Banks Mill Website.

Last weekend was the launch of the Belper Arts Festival where the Belper Arts Collaborative were showing works by over ten local artists. It was great to see how the town came out to support the festival I'm looking forward to the main event in May.read more....

 

Social media continues to delight Ive been watching the twitter campaign to Save The Old Lock up studio in Cromford with interest and the crowd funding has succeeded with Rachael Pinks (read more about her here) able to continue on her mission to bring her art and others to the little town. Within this economic climate I believe it is important to join forces with others and do what we can for the things we believe in. Because the government is cutting funding ,benefits and generally making life a struggle some collaboration between groups of individuals and businesses is necessary.

 

My favourite venture after my own art is promoting the Friends of Studio 61 via the blog and working on ideas to support the various artists that display work within artist Karina Goodmans working gallery. Its fun to help and great to be part of a collective. Also the views from the trip up to the gallery are stunning.

 

 

 I got asked how much I earn from doing all these things and the answer is nothing I know from years of working with art societies and galleries in Australia that what goes around comes around. Give when you can and believe me when times have been hard in my personal life my friends made along the way have picked me back up. Looking at life as a whole journey rather than a series of panic attacks about succeeding right now makes an art career much more pleasant. 

 

But I do have to make a living! And next weekend I will be at Broomfield Hall in Morely see flyer at the bottom of this blog, selling my brand new range of prints and cards which I am very proud of! I hope to see some of you there!

 

 

 

 

Treats Sweets in Crich #art

 

Shh I'm having a secret art exhibition I almost forgot to tell you! Its at The Treatplace in Crich Derbyshire.
Have a look at the website here:The Treatplace Crich Derbyshire

A glorious sweet shop with the added bonus of exhibition space in the back room. Look out for this big banner below park up and go inside.

'The Treat Place in Crich, Derbyshire is a treat lovers delight, offering a wide range of sweets, chocolates, teas and coffees and a whole host of toys and games. Situated in the Market Place in Crich, Derbyshire, they are easy to find, and a must visit on your way through to other local sites such as the Crich Tramway Museum.'

 

 

This exhibition is for my Abstract work and the space lends itself well to showing them off lovely big white walls!

 

 

I also have a selection of cards and small mounted originals for sale to go in your bag along with the humbugs!

 

 

 

Address: The Treat Place, Market Place, Crich, Derbyshire, DE45DD Telephone:(07967) 580754 Email:sales@thetreatplace.co.uk Find them in the centre of Crich in the market place opposite the butchers and the chip shop. There is lots of nearby FREE parking.