Those of you who have received one of my newsletters recently, or been on my website, will know that I am taking part in the Ilkley Art Trail this year.  It starts on Wed 9^th (and ends on Sunday 13^th), which suddenly seems rather too close for comfort – so much to do !

Taking part in an event like the Art Trail is a good way of networking with other artists and craftspeople in the local area – and there are certainly plenty in Ilkley.  The standard of work is high, possibly because applicants were ‘judged’ by a panel before being accepted, and there is a wide variety of media being shown although I am the only exhibitor of contemporary furniture.  I have been impressed by the organisation of the event – there’s a team of very committed people with relevant knowledge and experience who are doing their best to lick folks like me into shape.

Which is why I have so much to do !  I seem to have had a busy month in terms of teaching and have a couple of furniture projects in the pipeline, but I have also been trying to create some space in the workshop to exhibit a selection of furniture and smaller items for the Art Trail.  It’s never easy to find time for the ‘extra’ things, like improving the workshop or the organisation of my wood stock even though, in the long term, good organisation saves time.  So perhaps having a deadline like the Art trail has been helpful; at least I now have a beautifully-organised store room – the workshop is the next challenge.

It’s difficult for us furniture makers, whose work inevitably produces dust, shavings and other unhelpful ‘mess’, to create a  beautiful space in which to exhibit our beautiful furniture to good effect – unless we are lucky enough to have a separate gallery area, and even then the dust filters through.  I know that my Cube Desk and Chair, which have an almost reflective finish in a good light, will quickly develop a fine layer of dust in the workshop however careful I am.  But that’s no excuse for not making an effort, so I’m going to have to apply myself to some serious tidying and organising before Wednesday !

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Thankyou, Chris.