News
22/02/2009 - FARMER’S BRUSH WITH ARTWORLD LEADS TO NEW ONLINE VENTURE
A MAJOR new gallery and sales outlet for self-taught artists is being created with an innovative diversification by a Yorkshire farming couple.
Andrew and Angela Kay, who farm 100 acres at Colton, near Tadcaster, have secured backing from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to launch an on-line gallery and store to help self-taught and recreational artists exhibit and sell their work.
The couple, who have a suckler herd of 45 cows and supply Hereford beef to Waitrose supermarkets, gained £5,000 set-up funding from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s `Growing Routes’ fund, backed by Yorkshire Forward and aimed at helping young people in agriculture to diversify.
A wide range of artworks, from the traditional to the modern and the decorative to the wearable, will be exhibited at Cowbyre Artworks (www.cowbyreartworks.co.uk) and sold at a commission through the online store.
Cowbyre Artworks is being launched by Andrew Kay, who, as well as running the family farm, is a self-taught artist working in pencil, ink, pastels, water colours, acrylics and oils, and his wife, Angela, who has worked in marketing and business development for bodies including a national hotels group and The National Federation of Builders.
Andrew Kay, 37, a regular exhibitor at Gallery 42, Tad caster who is also showing his work at Equus, an exhibition at Back of The Shop Gallery, Terrington, in April, says: “Although I did not take formal examinations in art, I’ve always loved drawing and painting, mostly horses and animals and abstract works, and started being approached to do commissions.
“I’ve always realised that, although there are lots of hugely-talented amateur artists, most are motivated by love of what they do and, although their work is good enough to sell, do not always know how to go about it as it is hard to get the right help.
“I wanted to create an on-line gallery to display and sell my own work but, because I am busy with the farm, I could not justify setting it up based only on my output and together we came up with the idea of inviting others in a similar position to join us in this venture, concentrating on the wealth of talent among self-taught artists.”
The couple are also planning a series of formal, self-taught art exhibitions, Art At The Mart, the first of which will be at York Livestock Centre, Murton, York, on May 16 and believe that their new venture will also appeal to self-taught artists who have lost their jobs and main source of income in the recession and are thrown back on their hobby to make a living.
Angela Kay adds: “We’ve already had a huge amount of interest just by word of mouth as we have been setting things up, including someone who has lost their job and is now going to concentrate on developing and selling their paintings which were previously just a hobby generating a small income.
“We know this project has a great future and want to hear from self taught and recreational artists who would like to become part of it.”