Open Studios

I love getting the opportunity to see into other artists studios. It's always inspiring to see their works in progress, their bookshelves, the view from their windows and their little collections of things that inspire them. You might call me nosy, but I prefer to call myself curious! 

If you are the curious type too then you will probably enjoy Hebden Bridge Open Studios. It takes place on the 6th, 7th and 8th of July and there are 83 artists in the brochure this year. Some of them are in big shared studio groups and others are independents, exhibiting in their houses.

It's the first time I will have opened the studio since making window film so I'm excited to show you my windows.

And I am looking forward to showing you my Tiny Treasures book too.

I share my sunny studio with my friends Sarah and Suzi who are amazing photographers and  Julia Ogden who makes paintings and prints and we will all be opening our rooms and welcoming visitors.

I'll be having a seconds sale of my lamps in the studio (not online this time, just in person) but if you are just too far away to visit then as a little treat there will be 20% off wallpaper, lamps and fabrics on my website with the code 'openstudiosale' so you don't have to feel like you're missing out!

You can find out more details and directions here.

I hope you can come.

Hannah x

Finding inspiration on the walks around Hebden Bridge

One of the things I love most about living in the middle of Hebden Bridge is that I can head out in any direction from my house and within ten minutes be walking in nature. We are surrounded by an abundance of deciduous woodland and the forests are criss-crossed with paths so we can explore them easily.  

Beyond the trees are fields and dry stone walls and beyond the fields are the open moors. You've got to get up some steep hills to get to them but the spectacular views are always worth the climb. 

There really is so much landscape to explore here and it's a wonderful playground for bikers and hikers.

Now I wouldn't call myself a hiker however. I rarely set out for a day with a map and a packed lunch and I rarely go that far. My walks are fairly short. They're the kind you can fit in before work or after tea on a summer evening. They are usually about an hour long and I always take my camera.

 These wanderings are where I find my inspiration for my lamps and wallpaper designs. I can still remember the very spot where some designs were born - the hill where I looked so closely at a dandelion clock and figured out how to translate it into a paper cutting. 

I remember the edge of the meadow where I held the grass up to the light to study its silhouette. I remember the beech tree canopy that I sheltered under from the rain one morning which is now featured on a wallpaper and window film.

Me and my daughter often say 'going for a walk is always the right thing to do'. It can lighten a bad mood, quieten a busy mind and make you feel soothed and connected to something bigger than yourself. 

And then of course there are the treasures! I can always find something to inspire me.

So I thought I would write a series of posts that introduce you to some of these short* circular walks. They will all start from the centre of town and they will take in some of my favourite routes. Together we'll visit some beautiful spots and see what treasures each season brings. 

Perhaps these walks will inspire my next designs and I'll share that process with you.  I'll probably not be posting maps but I will share some directions and photo's of landmarks and things to look out for so you can get to know these walks too.

I've been walking in Hebden Bridge for nineteen years now and I am still discovering new paths. I'm sure there are still many more left to be trodden.

* 'Short' walks can often become long ones if you are prone like me to lying on the forest floor taking photos or marveling at the tiny petals on a cow parsley flower for half an hour. I hope you will find as much inspiration as I do.

Foggy finds

After being indoors at the exhibition for four days I hadn't had much light or fresh air so yesterday we HAD to have a walk.

There was plenty of air but not a lot of light. A fog had come down and we climbed the hill into it.

But it made the silhouettes crisper

and the depth of field deeper

and because we couldn't see far was saw closer. 

LOOK what we found.

A perfect birds nest made from moss, sheep wool, tiny twigs and blue thread. It was exquisite and made my day.

And as we climbed back down the hill dusk was falling. Our little town was ablaze with lights twinkling behind the trees. 

It was magic.

Hebden Bridge was aglow. 

Dean was reminded of a little film he'd heard about called The Hedgehog In The Fog and we watched it when we got home. If you've never seen it before you must because it's the sweetest thing. Ten minutes of foggy gorgeousness.

Above the misty valley

Hebden Bridge was shrouded in a thick fog this morning and it was hard to imagine we would see the sun today. 

But it did burst through late morning giving us one of those crispy blue sky days. 

The sun doesn't touch the deep valley bottom for long in the winter so if you want to see the sun you have to climb.

 I set off in a big coat, hat and scarf but by the time I reached the top it had all come off and it was so lovely to sit on a rock and feel the winter sun on my face.

It's was different world up there.

May Day Morning

There are so many things that compete with that first hour of the day - the golden hour. I would love to be walking, writing, doing yoga, meditating... Usually it's the yoga that wins but yesterday when I opened my eyes and realised it was May Day morning I threw on some clothes and was outside and up the hill about ten minutes later.

What a joy. The sun was rising, the birds were going bonkers and there was that zingy spring feeling in the air when you remember why you stay in this deep valley where the winters are wet, dark and long. 

It's SO beautiful here. I sat on a rock and breathed in the sun and then made my way back down the hill.

Can you spot the lovely deer looking at me? Another bonus for getting up early.

And the bluebells have come out.

Just a few clusters.

Just that half an hour filled me up for the whole day long. The perfect start to a perfect day.

Lamps at Elmet Farmhouse

Today I have been up at the lovely Elmet Farmhouse in Pecket Well installing the lamps I made for Lesley Jackson.

 It took a little while because there was a lot of drifting over to the window seats to take in the dreamy views right across the hills. You just can't help it!

The living room is super cosy with lots of seats to curl up in. You can see Stoodley Pike perfectly framed by the mullion windows from that lovely Ercol armchair!

My Paper Meadow Floor lamp will enjoy living in there.

Upstairs, the comfy bedrooms all have my lamps in too

giving their warm, cosy glow.

The house sleeps six people, with one double bed and four singles. Looks really comfy.

Lesley has a gorgeous textile collection adorning the walls around the house.

I love how she displays is with the selvedge showing. They are little pieces of history.

As you can see it is a pattern rich house and soon my teal Paper Meadow wallpaper will be joining the collection in the upstairs bathroom.

I invite you to look at Lesley's lovely photo's of the house, inside and out on her brand new Elmet Farmhouse website. She has worked so hard restoring this old house and she is very excited that it is now open for bookings.

Fancy it?

An inspiring afternoon with Lesley Jackson

I just love it when my work takes me to interesting places. Today it took me to the beautiful house of curator, writer and design historian Lesley Jackson who it has been an honour to meet.

Lesley got in touch because she wanted to use some of my lamps in her holiday home which she has been lovingly restoring up on the tops. She invited me up for a look. What a place! She has a passion for mid-century design and her house is adorned with incredible printed textiles, ceramics and glass. I was very happy to see one of my Tall Blossom lamps adding a glow to her living room. Lesley has printed textiles hanging like art on her walls and having a tour of the house was an education for me. I haven't paid the world of fabric that much attention until now, when I am trying to make fabrics myself, so it was so interesting to see and feel them and hear about their history.

Lesley has written soooo many books about twentieth century pattern, design, glass, furniture, architecture and her latest book is about Ercol. She knows her stuff. She generously sent me home with some books which I am going to devour.

We sat in her big bay window seat looking out at the rainy green view, sipping tea and talking.  It was like discovering a hidden world and only up the hill. I'm filled up and inspired. I want to make more patterns, to print fabrics, to contribute to the design books of the future....and to have a big sash bay window to sit in myself someday :)