Homespun Australian Designer Edge

Thrilled to be featured in Australian Homespun monthly magazine, June 2017 issue, page 22. 

Out and about this week

I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Dennison at BBC Radio Nottingham this week, promoting my opportunity for Duke of Edinburgh participants to be part of my next portrait. Also lovely to meet Diana Ali at the summer exhibition launch at The Institute of Mental Health, Nottingham. You may have seen Diana presenting the BBC Big Painting Challenge. 

Summer Exhibition at The Institute of Mental Health Nottingham University 2017

Pleased to announce that my study - Lobes of the Brain with 321 garments, has been selected for the exhibition HERE & NOW at Nottingham University, exploring mental health. 

Summer Exhibition, Here and Now
Institute of Mental Health
University of Nottingham Innovation Park
Jubilee Campus, Triumph Road
Nottingham NG7 2TU
0115 823 1294
17th May - 29th September 2017

Understanding personality expression and decision making are explored through the development of this study. Utilising the small size description label from each garment reduces the scale of the work but increases its content, allowing many community contributions to be included. Woven and printed labels removed from garments with dressmaker pins on canvas.

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. 

Light Night 10th Feb 2017

MUTE SWAN assembled from 5000 used clothing labels will be exhibited as part of Light Night Nottingham on Friday 10th February 2017. The work will be available to view in the window at Sue Ryder Vintage & Retro, 30-32 Goose Gate, Nottingham NG1 1FF.

The window installation runs from 28th Jan – 11th Feb 2017

GET INVOLVED ALL WELCOME
Join Artist Joy Pitts for a drop-in event on Saturday 4th February 11am – 4pm to help unpick labels for Joy’s next creation.

Special thanks to Sue Ryder Vintage & Retro, and Nottingham Light Night 10th Feb 2017. 
NOTE Mute Swan will be FOR SALE during the exhibition email joy@joypitts.co.uk

For more opportunities to participate follow Joy on Twitter @JoyPittsArtist

Maggies Centre Nottingham City Hospital

On Saturday 3rd December I will joining Maggies at the City Hospital Campus, Gate 3, Hucknall Road, Nottingham, NG5 1PH for their Christmas Fair from 11am until 1:30pm. 

Paul Smith commissioned ‘Red Rabbit’ for his private collection using 1000’s of his designer labels. We are now able to offer a Limited Edition Giclee Print for £140 with a 10% donation to Maggies Cancer Care. A few prints will be available to purchase on the day and orders taken.

Homing Pigeon at Cley-next-the-Sea

Norfolk
Window Exhibition of WW1 Homing Pigeon by special invitation. Crabpot Books, High Street, Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk. NR25 7RN. Antiquarian and specialist interest in bird books.
22nd October - 18th November (including Remembrance Sunday 13th).

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.