Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2018

Two of my artworks have been shortlisted 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'. Preview of the embroidered labels below, more info coming soon. 

2017 Highlights

On 10th February 2017 my work was exhibited with Sue Ryder as part of Light Night Nottingham. I was also invited to run a workshop inviting Sue Ryder visitors to unpick labels from rags that would later be assembled in a new piece of work. In April I had the pleasure of meeting Diana Ali from the Big Painting Challenge at the Private View of the Summer Exhibition, Institute of Mental Health Nottingham University. I also met members of the International Churchill Society at a Champagne reception including Churchill’s Grandson Randolph Churchill. In May I launched a project offering an exciting opportunity for Duke of Edinburgh Award holders to participate. The portrait was a huge success and was exhibited at Royal Tailors Kent, Haste & Lachter in Mayfair, London, and later in Derbyshire to celebrate the Queen and Duke’s 70th Wedding Anniversary. I also had fun creating a canvas of R2D2 from used labels relating to space and planets.

It was a wonderful achievement to produce a commission of Jane Austen for the 200th celebrations at Winchester Cathedral, which also saw the launch of the new ten-pound note. I was interviewed on BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio Nottingham, also appearing on BBC TV Breakfast and in the BBC Radio Times Magazine. Not forgetting a two-page spread in Australia’s Homespun (Designer Edge) Magazine.  Two of my original works from the collection of 20,000 used labels were sold to collectors and a selection of my work is now available at The Makers, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

Now looking forward to an exciting 2018.
Happy New Year.

Gold & Silver award holders visit site

Special thanks to Gold Award holder Kate & Silver Award holders Caitlin, Bryony and Francesca, for visiting Mayfair and posting a photograph with the Duke of Edinburgh portrait. Also participants Emma (Bronze) and Annabelle (Gold) for visiting and sharing. 

Work in progress

Working on the Duke of Edinburgh portrait, here are the names to be included, they have all achieved a DofE award at bronze, silver or gold.

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.

Champagne Reception

Looking forward to this .........On the evening of Tuesday 7th March 2017, The International Churchill Society (UK) will hold a champagne reception at the Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill Hotel. The guest speaker will be Alan Watson; broadcaster, author, former President of the Liberal Party and peer. The evening represents a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the company of fellow Churchillians and to meet friends both old and new.

Winston Churchill Size 46 by Joy Pitts
Savile Row & St James 

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. 

Churchill at Turnbull & Asser

Turnbull & Asser were favoured by Churchill, pattern cutting and crafting his shirts and spot silk bow ties. Later referring to Churchill simply as size 46 and designing his famous ‘siren suit’.          READ MORE

Turnbull & Asser, 71-72 Jermyn Street, London. SW1Y 6PF (displayed in store next to Churchill's famous green siren suit) until November 30th 2016.