Local artist Ray Mutimer will be opening his home gallery to the public during the Knaresborough FEVA festival next month.
Mr Mutimer, a professional freelance illustrator and artist, is best known for illustrating Postman Pat for 14 years. His work appeared in eight Postman Pat annuals and in BBC magazines.
Some of this artwork will be included in a free exhibition of his lifetime’s work at his home in Calcutt from Friday, August 11 to Sunday, August 20. Details are available here.
Between 1975 and 2002, Mr Mutimer illustrated 207 books for various publishers including, Collins, MacMillan, Ladybird, and Scholastic. He was also head of art at St. Aidan’s Church of England High School.
A central part of the exhibition will be Mr Mutimer’s unusually shaped paintings, which he calls ‘landSHAPE’.
Mr Mutimer told the Stray Ferret:
“In the 1960s, frustrated with having to confine my images to square or oblong framing, I painted pictures on boards and began to cut them out.
“At the time they were semi abstract. Recent shaped pictures are realistic, and create a greater, sometimes amazing, illusion of depth and space.”
Read more:
- Original Postman Pat art exhibition in Knaresborough
- Councillors approve gambling arcade in Knaresborough despite addiction concerns
This will be the largest collection of landSHAPE installations he has ever displayed.
The exhibition can be viewed at 8 Whiteway Head, Calcutt, Knaresborough HG5 8LE from 11am to 4pm daily during the 10-day FEVA festival.
FEVA is a festival of entertainment and visual arts that includes art exhibitions, workshops, music and spoken word events.
Knaresborough creative hub closes as owners retire
A Knaresborough institution closed its doors for the last time this afternoon, after its owners were surprised by an impromptu party to mark their retirement.
Andy and Elaine Grinter opened Art in the Mill, in Green Dragon Yard, in 2007 as a commercial art gallery with a picture-framing business, Green Dragon Framing, running alongside.
But over the years it has become something of a community hub, hosting weaving workshops, life drawing sessions, children’s art classes, poetry evenings, book signings for local authors, and even a wedding.
In a Facebook post, Elaine said:
“We’ve given it our all, as if we were raising a child – well twins, actually, if you count two separate businesses – and the rewards have been beyond measure.
“It’s always been about ‘the people’ for us – the artists and the customers – and we want to thank you for the trust you placed in us to occupy the space in the middle.”
Since the couple took over the premises 16 years ago, they have held more than 60 exhibitions by 250 artists, as well as hosting primary school visits and working with young artists.
They have also worked extensively to further the interests of the local business and cultural communities, being heavily involved with Knaresborough’s Festival of Visual Arts (feva), Knaresborough Civic Society and Knaresborough & District Chamber, and starting the Visit Castlegate traders’ association.
Pimms was served in Green Dragon Yard during a Castlegate family fun day.
They have organised Castlegate family fun days, eve of feva parties, and Knaresborough’s celebrations when the Tour de France came to Yorkshire in 2014, as well as raising money for various charities, including funds for the town’s defibrillator.
Their daughter Holly said:
“Mum and dad have just worked so hard to push Knaresborough and benefit the whole community – they’ve never really taken holidays or switched off. They’ve done so much for the town over the years – I’m sure they’ll be really missed.”
Andy and Elaine, who have been married for 36 years, plan to use their retirement to travel and see friends and family. It is understood that their premises, in a converted flax mill built in 1808, have been sold and will be converted for residential use.
Art in the Mill occupied a converted Georgian flax mill in Green Dragon Yard, off Castlegate.
In her Facebook post, Elaine wrote:
“The mill is an amazing space and has served us all so well that on the eve of our departure we’re predictably sad to be leaving it, and our beloved Green Dragon Yard community, but we have many happy memories to be thankful for.”
Read more:
- Knaresborough unveils blue plaque to celebrate its ancient market
- ‘Time to come together’ for Knaresborough businesses after BID row
- Art exhibition raises money for Harrogate cancer centre
Cheers! Knaresborough and Harrogate to host beer festivals
Beer lovers in the Harrogate district will be spoiled for choice with two festivals taking place in Knaresborough and Harrogate.
This weekend, Knaresborough Lions will stage their annual beer festival during the FEVA arts festival. It gets underway tonight (Friday) at Knaresborough House from 7pm where there will also be live music on offer for revellers.
Entry is free and there will be a large selection of beers, ciders, lagers, wine, soft drinks and food available.
On Saturday, the festival runs from 12pm until 11pm and will coincide with FEVA’s Picnic in the Park, which is also being held at Knaresborough House.
On Sunday, the festival starts from 12pm until the beer runs out.
Harrogate Beer Week
Harrogate is gearing up for the return of its beer week following its debut event in 2021.
Running from September 19-25, Harrogate Beer Week will celebrate the town’s craft beer scene, brewing heritage and beer in the community.
There will be events hosted at bars, brewery taps, and other venues across Harrogate such as beer and food pairings, blind beer tasting quizzes, bottle shares, home brew competitions, talks and brewery tours exploring the making of beer.
Other features on the programme will include an ‘Indie Beer Trail’ and live local music and a special local beer has been brewed for the occasion. The programme will be announced on August 24.
The event is being sponsored by Harrogate Business Improvement District, Cold Bath Brewing Co, Daleside Brewery, Harrogate Brewing Co, Roosters Brewing Co, and Turning Point brew Co and Black Sheep Brewery.
Harrogate Beer Week was created by Harrogate-based Rachel Auty. She said:
“This event is a spotlight on the very best of what’s on offer in Harrogate and is created and delivered by people who actually live and work here, and know the town.
“The north of England is a superb destination for great craft beer and I’m incredibly proud of the beer scene we have in Harrogate — we boast some of the UK’s leading innovators in brewing and a truly unique portfolio of indie bars and taprooms.”
Read more:
- Asda Harrogate introduces new parking system
- Northern’s new timetable includes early Harrogate to Leeds trains
Knaresborough’s 10-day arts festival set to begin
One of the largest annual arts festivals in the Harrogate district is set to get underway.
Feva, the festival of entertainment and visual arts, takes place at a host of venues in Knaresborough from August 12 to 21.
Supported by Knaresborough Town Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Knaresborough Lions and Piccadilly Motors, this will be its 26th year.
The festival traditionally ends with the free picnic in the park in the grounds of Knaresborough House on the final Saturday.
The picnic is due to take place this year but there will also be a folk festival the following day. Street entertainers will perform in Knaresborough throughout the festival.
Headline acts include saxophonist Snake Davis (pictured above), who will be appearing with his Alligator Shoes band at King James’s School on August 16.
A new feature this year is a children’s art day.
About 40 events will take place at more than 20 venues over the 10 days.
Read more:
- Leisure company defends reducing adult swim sessions at Knaresborough Pool
- Contactless donation points for homeless could come to Knaresborough and Ripon
Many shops decorate their windows pink in support of the arts event.
Gwen Lloyd, chairperson of the committee for Feva, which is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers, said:
“The whole ethos of Feva is that it’s a community festival run for the community.
“It encompasses the whole of the town and we try to ensure there are lots of free events.”
Yorkshire Life Aquatic performed dry land synchronised swimming last year.
Simon Armitage, the Poet Laureate, will be in Knaresborough tonight for one of the highlights of the town’s Feva festival.
Almost 200 tickets have been sold for An Evening With Simon Armitage, which takes place at Holy Trinity Church at 8pm. Just a few seats remain.
Armitage, who is from Marsden in West Yorkshire, was appointed Poet Laureate by the queen in 2019. he is also professor of poetry at the University of Leeds
He will read his poetry and answer questions from the audience before signing books.
Feva started last weekend and continues until this weekend.
Picnic in the Park, the last major event, takes place on Saturday afternoon in Knaresborough House. Entry is free.
Street entertainers will round off the festival on Sunday.
Read more:
- Image gallery: Knaresborough Feva festival gets underway
- Knaresborough Beer Festival is making a comeback next weekend