I will be exhibiting three original bees at the Framework Knitters Museum, Chapel Street, Ruddington, Nottingham NG11 6HE, with a donation to this wonderful Museum. Well worth a visit, Saturday 26th to Monday 29th May 11am until 4pm.
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.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall viewed my work.
NEWS LETTER August 2016
DERBY MUSEUM
Thank you to those who have visited The Queens portrait at Derby Museum. The exhibition runs until 25th Sept 2016.
FROM SAVILE ROW to WIRKSWORTH FESTIVAL
Exciting news…The Bespoke Merino will be exhibited from 9th – 23rd Sept in the window of AIRR Clothing, 2 Market Pl, Wirksworth, Matlock DE4 4ET.
The Wirksworth Trail weekend is 10th & 11th September, this is when the town comes to life with more than 100 artists showing wonderful art in historic buildings, gardens, courtyards, shop windows and churches. It is a great weekend when you can complete the Art Trail, or just enjoy the town. I will be in and around the shop all weekend with the Merino, pop by to say hello.
WESTON PARK
The WW1 Homing Pigeon was selected for this summer Exhibition, (supported by ACE). Exhibition runs until 30th August 2016 at Weston Park Art Gallery, Shropshire, TF11 8LE.
LONDON
Winston Churchill’s portrait tours to the three bespoke collaborators: -
September 12th - Lock & Co Hatters, 6 St James's St, London. SW1A 1EP
October - Henry Poole & Co, 15 Savile Row, London. W1S 3PJ
November - Turnbull & Asser, 71-72 Jermyn Street, London. SW1Y 6PF
BROMLEY HOUSE LIBRARY COMMISSION
To celebrate 200 years of Bromley House Library, Nottingham, more information to follow.
MILITARY BOOTS
For those who participated in The Military Boots project by stitching a name. I have received a few enquiries about purchasing Limited Edition prints of the Boots, please let me know if you are interested and I will forward the details.
Military Boots - Exhibition of work in progress
Military Boots will be available to view as a work in progress on the GROUND FLOOR in the Gallery at Bromley House Library, Nottingham on the following dates:- Monday January 19th 2015, 10.30 - 4.00
Tuesday January 20th 2015, 10.30 - 4.00
Wednesday January 21st 2015, 10.30 - 4.00
Friday January 23rd 2015, 10.30 - 4.00
Saturday January 24th 2015, 9.30 - 12.30
Bromley House Gallery is housed in the imposing entrance hall of the Library on Angel Row, Nottingham, NG1 6HL. The single door entrance is four doors up from the Bell Inn and is between Barnardo's and Nottingham Post Newsagents. See photograph.
Bromley House Library are one of the partner organisations with TRENT-TO-TRENCHES. Their WWI commemorative exhibition has been made possible by the generosity and enthusiasm of the library’s members, who have offered to loan their precious photographs and mementos, and to tell the ‘stories’ behind their families’ experience of the Great War.
I look forward to seeing you at the Library on any of the above dates and times. I will be inviting members of Bromley House Library to participate in the project if previously issued name tapes have not been returned.
Military Boots News Letter - 24 November 2014
A big thank you to all those that have returned their completed name tapes. I am contacting possible exhibition spaces with a view to showing the work in 2015. However, there are still around 60 blue and 60 brown tapes to be returned, and I would like to receive these in the next couple of weeks. Once this time has passed I will invite more participants and there will be a possibility that late returns may not be included. Please contact me for any help or return any unused tapes.
Visit Military Boots Project at The Centre for Hidden Histories if you wish to leave a comment about the project or include any details about your family history.
Military Boots at Thoresby Hall 9th November 2014
Military Boots was invited to Thoresby Hall on 9th November 2014 as part of the Remembrance Day activities and Winterfest hand made artwork.
There are approximately 60 blue name tapes to be returned by Royal Mail, please complete and return to Joy as soon as possible. Work on the boots has begun and completed brown name tapes are arriving daily with 74 still to be allocated. The call out has been published to 117 Women's Institute groups across Nottinghamshire and participants are already requesting stitch packs.
Thank you to everyone who has participated so far, the completed canvas will tour to several of the partner sites during 2015 (not yet confirmed).
Visit Military Boots Project at The Centre for Hidden Histories if you wish to leave a comment about the project or include any details about your family history.
Newsletter - Military Boots 3rd Sept. 2014
Military Boots
Thank you to all those that participated at Nottingham Castle on 21 & 22 Aug, the project was well received with a total of 65 nametapes completed. Publicity for the project has covered much of Nottinghamshire, some call out articles in the press include Nottingham Evening Post, Worksop Guardian, Newark Advertiser, Mansfield & Ashfield Chad, Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser, also East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.
200 tapes have been sent out in the post with approx. 100 still to be returned. If you have requested a stitch pack in the post could you please try to return it in the SAE by 19th September? If you would like to take part please contact Joy Pitts at www.joypitts.co.uk/contact.php
The canvas is growing daily with 89 name tapes currently assembled, thank you to everyone who has sent letters of thanks and included details of their families military history.
The work in progress will be available to view at the preview of the exhibition Future Fields on Sunday 5 Oct 2014, 2-4 pm at Rufford Craft Centre, Rufford Abbey Country Park,near Ollerton, Nottinghamshire. NG22 9DF. www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/ruffordcraftcentre
I will also be running a workshop to complete more nametapes at this event.
Other news from Joy Pitts studio -
Autumn selected open exhibitions
6th – 28th Sept. 2014 at Thoresby Estate Courtyard & Gallery, NG22 9EP. Please come along to the private view sat 6th Sept. 12 – 14.00.
8th Sept. – 10 Oct. 2014 at The King George Gallery, DE7 5HS.
2nd – 13th Oct. at Norwich Cathedral, NR1 3JQ.
Newsletter
Join our mailing list to keep up to date with new work, projects and events, (see 'Join our mailing list' in the footer of website pages).
Currently in the studio working on a portrait of Jane, a Leicestershire dairy farmer.