Work is progressing well with the coo production and with it marks a new name. 'kitch'n'coos' is so last year it's all about Kate in the Cow Shed now. This also marks my plans to move from John Buntings old studio into the next door barn to make better use of the space for me and for Bils & Rye.
We're still on the planning stage at the moment, as ever concentrating on the current fold of paintings and then the big show in July.
I hope to move into the barn before but realistically it will probably happen in July. Bils & Rye will move into the old studio to provide more space for the wonders in ceramics that they are becoming renowned for. More sculptural works are arriving this weekend but don't come on Bank Holiday Monday as the gallery will be shut!
Hope to see you at the Great Yorkhshire Show or come on by to the studio, tea and coffee (Monmouth hand ground beans courtesy of the Cotton House in Helmsley no less) and a chin wag!

It's been a mighty slow start to the year in terms of producing paintings. Firstly there was the move to Nunnington Studios to sort, then the launch of Bils & Rye next door and just as I had finished my first painting of the year, a sheep, came the call to work with the North East Highland Cattle Breeders Club for their tent at The Great Yorkshire Show!
So now I am chained to the easels, painting coo after coo and I love it! The hairier the better, the moodier the better and if one has a tongue up it's nose (in true Highland Cattle style) then that's just fine with me!
Now I must book my camping patch, organise the husband so he knows what to do whilst I am away with the lovely Ella Booker who will help me out come the July show.
In the meantime, prints have been moving well locally and a lot of interest in my string figurative paintings, so much so, when I return from Harrogate I'll be completing a few more before it's back to the coo drawing board!

After a delayed start due to helping the other half launch Bils & Rye and moving into new studio space, I'm pleased that my first production of 2013 has been completed!
Still pondering the name, although a great friend from years back suggested Rasta Sheep.
There's a couple of pigs on the board now, two cows on a big 2 metre by 1 metre canvas and smelly dog Remy on a 10 inch square.
Commissions are mounting up too, although I still have space to fit them in this year, just hoping it's not the mad dash it was at Christmas 2012!
All I know is being in Nunnington Studios has improved my will to paint, create and party! The second of which is this Saturday to officially launch Bils & Rye, North York Moors first 3D only gallery. 
Bizarrely, their first show, features the work of Alison Johnson, a 2D painter in a room that is home to Charles Clive's Nunnington Studios painted furniture. In the actual gallery they boast stars such as Helen Sinclair, Emma Hall, Brittany Delany, Carla Pownall, Karen Banks, Janet Hollins, Niki Hampson, Rosy Hammersley, Stuart Akroyd and Guy Routledge. There are many more too.
Their do is from 2pm till 8pm at Nunnington Studios and there will be a premium austerity buffet and wine on offer. RSVP so they know how many are coming!

It's been far too long away from the easel but it was with good reason. So Nick is off learning how to be social so I can get my head down and get the latest sheep picture completed.

It's fantastic being in the new studio with it's acres of glass, south facing and space! So much space! And just next door is Bils & Rye, a fabulous source of inspiration with wonderful works by 20 artists from around the UK.

Love it! Come and visit Nunnington Studios, on the doorstep of Nunnington Hall, with a decent pub (The Royal Oak) up the hill towards Gallery Beyond. Charlie has some fabulous farrow and ball painted furniture, some wonderful architectural ironmongery and house that escaped the findus/tescos process.

Lovely coffee and tea and a log burner keeps us warm until the sun burns off this fog!

Just a quick note to confirm the change of studio address. I'm all moved into Nunnington Studios with half 'my studio' given over to Nick's new enterprise, Bils & Rye.

Together we will present North Yorkshire's newest gallery specialising in 3D artworks from around the UK. We're heading towards statement pieces and have opened with a few plus some amazing work in a variety of mediums.

For myself, I've not had much time to work any canvases but I've planned a lot and have the ideas for the next series and will let them evolve more on the board. I'm now also ready to take commissions again and will once again be ready to tackle either pet or people portraits.

I do these from photos, either provided or self shot. So if you'd like a portrait give me a call on 01439 748392 and we can discuss time-scales and pricing. Call soon, I booked up quickly last year and will have less time this year!

Kate

Really wowed by the response to our new gallery. We identified some top notch talent in the 3d art world and so far the feedback and willingness to work with us is astounding.

We're so excited about the diversity and quality that we're going to offer that we can't wait to open the doors. Still we must wait for the creations to arrive or be collected and then the hard work really starts!

Kate has done a magnificent job decorating the studio and gallery, just a few bits left to do and then it's onto shelving and lighting, now there's a difficult subject! So if you're reading this and you know lighting, you know who to call!

Here's to opening the doors, mid to late February with the formal launch just before Easter, all being well. Will confirm the dates as soon as we can!

Wow where did the first 19 days of January go? I'm just about all moved in to Nunnington Studios and ready to put the brush to canvas again.

So much time has been spent getting the studios up and preparing the next door space for the forthcoming opening of Bils & Rye, Nunnington's latest gallery.

Exciting times here in Nunnington, with the National Trust Nunnington Hall, Gallery Beyond and a great pub in The Royal Oak. 

Back to the painting and this year I've decided to concentrate on my animal work, commissions as ever and a little variation on the theme! I expect the first to be ready in mid March but the doors will be open from early February.

Back to commissions and I do have some availability this year so get in touch and we can discuss plans, pricing and delivery.

It's that time of the year where most of us need any kind of distraction to beat away the blues. It's cold, damp and grey here in North Yorkshire. So I've decided to give away another print!

It's easy to enter, click the picture of Barbara above and it'll whisk you over to my Facebook page where there's a competition article. All I require is a few shares to boost the membership above 250 and then the use of your brains to come up with the wittiest caption.

The winner will be selected by a panel of judges whose decision is final. 

We're also celebrating because of the launch next month of Bils & Rye a new gallery also opening at Nunnington Studios in early February. It will specialise in three dimensional artworks from ceramics to stoneworks and sculpture to paper. It just won't have any paintings!

We're looking forward to open the doors to my studio and the gallery at Nunnington Studios. Watch this space for the formal opening dates and times!

Got home from the epic Christmas and New Year tour to find a note from the post office. Just called in to collect and found it was a copy of the book for which I had provided the illustrations.

It's a very limited run book, for now, a private commission from a wonderful client who has written a series of short stories for his grand children. They received a copy each bound in leather and aged to fit the pirate theme.

I'm lucky enough to now be the owner of a hard backed copy that will be with me as a reminder of 2012, the year everything turned great!

Wishing you all a happy new year and feel free to drop in to the studio in Nunnington any time from next week when I'll be painting but of the decorating variety!

I borrowed Gallery Beyond in Nunnington to spring a surprise on an unsuspecting client today. His wife had commissioned the above painting from some photographs and travelled from Sheffield to discuss it in depth over dinner.

Over they came today with a view to 'looking at what works of Kate Bentley were available', the reaction was magnificent when the runner recognized himself and his dogs!

So now just 3 more commissions to delivery before Christmas, well one just after, thank you Emma! So I'll take another opportunity to thank all of those who have followed me this year, a massive thanks to all the commissions and other purchases and here's to all of you gaining value in your investments over the next few years!

I'm off now to be pampered in North Wales and Bristol whilst I dream of kitchncoos and hatch plans for Bils & Rye and contain my excitement at opening up in Nunnington Studios in 2013!

Merry Christmas to all and I wish you the happiest of New Years.

Kate