I will be installing a sculpture at St Margaret’s Church, Holt Road, Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, NR25 7TT, comprising of approximately 1 ton of used garments.
Cley 19 - BORDERLINES
Exhibition dates: 4th July - 4th August 2019.
Royal Derby Hospital - Invitation to Launch Event
Air Arts in the Gallery, Level 3, Main Entrance, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby Healthcare plc, Uttoxeter Road, Derby DE22 3NE. Turning thousands of clothing labels into works of art, reflecting on historic garment manufacturers such as Meridian Ltd 1885. Exhibition running from March to October 2019.
Launch event Monday 18th March 4.30 to 5:30pm at the Royal.
Limited Edition Giclee Print
Two of my artworks have been selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2018. I decided to respond to the call out by Grayson Perry to produce work for his 'Room of Fun'. The two original works have now sold but Limited Edition prints are available, 33x33cm.
The exhibition runs until 19th August 2018.
The McAulay Gallery Royal Academy of Arts London W1J 0BD. Grayson Perry has curated a 'room of fun' to celebrate 250 years of The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2018. The collection of portraits look really cool and the McAulay Gallery is free to visit, it can be accessed through the vaults or via the new entrance in Burlington Gardens.
Collaboration 2018
I will be collaborating with BENSON & CLEGG in 2018, using their bespoke label to assemble a portrait of King George VI, (Benson & Clegg are proud to have held the Royal Warrant to His Majesty). King George VI instituted the George Cross award and I will be using the 418 recipients names to assemble the royal portrait. The collaboration will mark the 65th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's coronation and will be exhibited in the Window at Benson & Clegg, 9 Piccadilly Arcade, Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6NH, from 1st June - 29th June 2018
Bank of England at Winchester Cathedral
I travelled down from Derbyshire to be part of the whole day celebrations at Winchester Cathedral for the 200th Anniversary of Jane Austen’s passing. It was an amazing day with diverse events including the launch of the new ten-pound note by The Bank of England. The Dean and Dr Gillian Dow made special tributes to Jane Austen, not only about her very special resting place at the Cathedral but also how she now has the ability to travel the world in our pockets and purses. The Dean, Catherine Ogle also praised their summer exhibition, ‘Inspired by the Word’, and how artists had been selected to create art. It is an honour to have my portrait of Jane Austen, made from labels and pins included in the exhibition, particularly with such a local and global dedicated audience (ends 30th Sept 2017).
Duke of Edinburgh exhibition in Mayfair
It is a pleasure to announce that the Duke of Edinburgh portrait will be exhibited in Mayfair, London at bespoke tailors Kent Haste & Lachter, 7 Sackville Street, London, W1S 3DE. John Kent (Royal Tailor) has been privileged to make trousers for HRH Duke of Edinburgh since 1966 and still holds the Royal Warrant. The tailoring team are thrilled to exhibit the Dukes portrait celebrating his contribution to The Duke of Edinburgh Award since 1956. The portrait is assembled from the names of Duke of Edinburgh Award holders including Stephen Lachter (Gold Award), Managing Director, bespoke shirting. The window exhibition will run from 1st- 29th September 2017.
Woven name tapes of Duke of Edinburgh Award holders.
Winchester Cathedral exhibition 8th June-30th Sept 2017
Joy Pitts is assembling a contemporary portrait of Jane Austen. 71 words from the opening paragraph, Chapter 1 of Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice are woven onto 4000 cotton tapes and assembled in Austen’s face using only dressmaker pins. The background of the canvas is covered with 1000's of nametapes listing the 16 main characters.
Winchester Cathedral - Inspired by the word
Work in progress: 71 words.
A contemporary portrait of Jane Austen for Winchester Cathedral. 71 words from the opening paragraph, Chapter 1 of Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice are woven onto 4000 cotton tapes and assembled in Austen’s face using only dressmaker pins. The background of the canvas is covered with 1000's of nametapes listing the 16 main characters.
Exhibition at Winchester Cathedral from 8th June - 30th September 2017.
2016 Highlights
What a fantastic year!
It began on Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II birthday with an invitation to exhibit the royal portrait in the window of bespoke tailors Meyer & Mortimer, Mayfair, London. The portrait then toured to Smalley's, a Gentleman's outfitters in Nottingham for the official celebrations in June, followed by an invitation to attend a street party at Bakewell Old House Museum, Derbyshire. The royal portrait made from names taken from a Derbyshire War Memorial then spent the summer at Derby Museum, where residents were thrilled to find WW1 family names in the artwork. Finally in 2016 the portrait was selected for exhibition at the prestigious Bishops Palace, Wells, Somerset. It was here that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall viewed my work hanging amongst the historic portraits in the Long Gallery.
Also worth mentioning is my portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, a collaboration with three of Churchill's selected outfitters on Savile Row and St James, London. Known as Britain's 'Best-dressed PM' Churchill's portrait toured to the three windows in the Autumn of 2016.
My work also appeared on BBC FOUR MAKE #craftbritain in June and in several newspapers and publications including Country Life Magazine and The Radio Times. 2016 concluded with a commission for Bromley House Library, an artwork to celebrate 200 years of this amazing library in Nottingham Market Square. Please feel free to visit the library to view the work in the new reading room.
I am now looking forward to 2017, and to sharing my work as new projects and exciting collaborations evolve.
Best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year. Joy Pitts.
Derby Museum Summer Exhibition
9th July - 25th September 2016
Delighted that the Queen Elizabeth portrait constructed using WW1 names taken from the Cenotaph at Ilkeston Market Place is available to view at Derby Museum this summer.
